The Grotesque Analysis
The word grotesque originated during the time of the high renaissance. It comes from the word grotto, from the Italian grottesco. The Grotesque is a term now used rather loosely in everyday speech. By definition, it is a style of decorative art characterized by fanciful or fantastic human and animal forms often interwoven with foliage or similar figures that may distort the natural into absurdity or ugliness. Although this is how the term is typically thought of, it does not necessarily have to contain such negative connotations of horror and evil. It can often connote captivation and emotion. So the term of the grotesque refers to a type of engagement with the subject rather than just a visual style. These ideas are conveyed in two ‘grotesque’
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They each display a deformed body of a hybrid creature with human features combined with those of an animal. This gives an immediate disturbing feeling. I think we find such beings so disturbing to look at because we aren’t used to seeing human and animal features being mingled in this way. Each piece is standing in an identical hunched pose with its arms resting forward and the similar claws sitting over the edge of a platform. This threatening pose is typical in gargoyles of gothic architecture and one that Bourgeois has directly implemented in her work. One of the first things I noticed when looking at the two was that the gargoyle has a quite harsh and rough texture with a dull brown colour of the cathedral which fits well with the subject and its rough stone texture, while Bourgeois’ piece is quite the opposite with its smooth shape, simulating the appearance of a human-like form. The sculpture has a much cooler tone of blue which compliments its smooth texture. The coarse stone of the gargoyle and the smooth texture of the rubber in Nature Study are contrasted. Some viewers may see the pale blue in Nature Study that contradicts the grotesque form as somewhat comforting although others may disagree because while it is a much cooler colour, I believe it is not necessarily a very comforting or appealing sight to look at. The tone of blue almost looks deathly in nature, like it is portraying the colour of a corpse. So, similar ideas such as the intimidating pose of the deformed and unsettling hybrid figures can be compared and contrasting ideas are also shown within features that are portrayed in each work such as the obvious difference in texture and material
They each display a deformed body of a hybrid creature with human features combined with those of an animal. This gives an immediate disturbing feeling. I think we find such beings so disturbing to look at because we aren’t used to seeing human and animal features being mingled in this way. Each piece is standing in an identical hunched pose with its arms resting forward and the similar claws sitting over the edge of a platform. This threatening pose is typical in gargoyles of gothic architecture and one that Bourgeois has directly implemented in her work. One of the first things I noticed when looking at the two was that the gargoyle has a quite harsh and rough texture with a dull brown colour of the cathedral which fits well with the subject and its rough stone texture, while Bourgeois’ piece is quite the opposite with its smooth shape, simulating the appearance of a human-like form. The sculpture has a much cooler tone of blue which compliments its smooth texture. The coarse stone of the gargoyle and the smooth texture of the rubber in Nature Study are contrasted. Some viewers may see the pale blue in Nature Study that contradicts the grotesque form as somewhat comforting although others may disagree because while it is a much cooler colour, I believe it is not necessarily a very comforting or appealing sight to look at. The tone of blue almost looks deathly in nature, like it is portraying the colour of a corpse. So, similar ideas such as the intimidating pose of the deformed and unsettling hybrid figures can be compared and contrasting ideas are also shown within features that are portrayed in each work such as the obvious difference in texture and material