Describing what you see: Sculpture (Henry Moore, Reclining Figure)

Describing what you see: Sculpture
Henry Moore, Reclining Figure, 1951, plaster and string, 105.4 x 227.3 x 89.2 cm (Tate Britain). © The Henry Moore Foundation. This plaster was the result of a commission from the Arts Council of Great Britain for the Festival of Britain. A single bronze was cast from it.
speakers: Dr. Beth Harris and Dr. Steven Zucker

[@oufer1448]

These people are insane, I love the way they just keep adding and I can see it in their view.

[@eugeniawong249]

Always love this pair

[@terrencemartinvideoshorts]

Fascinated by this piece. The intriging connection between the chest and the limbs/thighs. The embedded string forming lines and geometric suggestions. Yes love it .

[@Sasha0927]

How fun! I really enjoyed this exercise. This video should be in the "New to art?" playlist. I stood at attention when Dr. Harris said, "So here's what we're not gonna do..." When I use that phrase, it's usually the sign of a bad time, lol. And I was excited when Dr. Zucker mentioned the figure relating because the sloping curves made me think of peaks and valleys in mountains - how this might be the convergence of man and nature. I think I will pause for a moment to try to describe what I'm seeing before watching the videos more often, especially with really interesting pieces like this one.

[@smarthistory-art-history]

We had fun doing that one.

[@dunbar5741]

I like how free and expressive the sculptor was.

[@robi9558]

It immediately turns my thinking from reaching outwards back inside to internal feelings. On seeing it, I imagine this is a vision of vague, ambiguous remembered forms - it seems an image from memory or a dream.

[@alfredoechevarrieta7512]

Extraordinario!! Y felicitaciones a los realizadores de este video.

[@amn91459]

Excellent discussion! Thank you!

[@joelodlund6979]

Its a woman giving birth to a child. She is screaming in pain, and clenches her fist around a personal object. The void in her abdomen is her unborn child, a part of herself but at the same time something different.

[@mateosilva7931]

goofy ahh interpretation

[@ThatArtTeacher]

I love using these videos in my art classes!

[@brisaperez6834]

Please do more of these!

[@muhammadahmadkhurram8186]

Henry Moore has this rlly cool hand study anyone who likes his statues should see his hand study

[@feelingluckyduck373]

Cool... It's the furniture from Beetlejuice!

[@jennifermorton8449]

feelinglucky duck I LOVE THIS COMMENT

[@leBloggerSupreme]

fantastic anslysis

[@olzwolz5353]

Anyone else see the reclining figure from the pediment from the Parthenon? Something they both have in common is that they are both abstracted, one through time and one through intention, but you still see the human form in both.

[@gregdahlen4375]

generally we try to do both i suppose describe what we're seeing also what it means and also the artist's historical context and also and also and also

[@rlund651]

I'm intrigued by what the sculpture is made of, what material it is made out of

[@smarthistory-art-history]

Plaster and string!

[@cliffdariff74]

It's plaster and later was made to bronze.

[@kirkezada]

Dia 09/06/2022 completando ''Olhando para a arte'' no Khan Academy. Com certeza a visão é uma das coisas que fazem a vida valer a pena.

[@harshilpujara_]

I fi want to summarize this video with its meaning!! How can I summarize it as having a greater and a deeper meaning??

[@robi9558]

You said we're only going to talk about what we see but didn't mention those striations. They give a sense of geometric discipline and order to the organic form; so the shape is not solely free flowing but is differentiated by those mechanised lines.

[@Aaron_the_Smith]

they did mention that

[@GGchannel1025]

It almost looks like its smiling.

[@supremereader7614]

I wish you told us what the artist was actually trying to say. We can see the color and texture of the stone, body parts, etc without assistance.

[@supremereader7614]

Well, your other videos are better. IMO. Just giving feedback.

[@smarthistory-art-history]

Thank you. Many students tell us that they struggle to find words that describe the art they are looking at. This is an essential first step and this is the purpose of this video.

[@calc2323]

I think they really nail it in the opening; "the more you describe something, the more you understand what you see and the closer you'll get to interpreting what you see"

[@Ardaaldemir]

you can search that information also on wikipedia, this video wants to help people how to analyse an artwork just by describing it to ourselves. Of course you can "see" the color and the material but describing it expands your vision and imagination and at the end, you give "your" meaning to the artwork which is maybe the more important meaning.

[@joecritch]

Through describing you can unlock meaning yourself! You can read or translate an artist’s intentions visually! I wish I could explain this better, here as well as to my own students. I believe passionately that looking at art is most rewarding when it takes the form of a conversation or a process of questioning and thinking for yourself. Then it can become truly powerful. If you are always waiting just to be told what the artist’s intention was, you are missing out on the fun! Although in some cases the meaning can be very clear and linked to the context, the best work for me is the work that is more ambiguous or mysterious. As a viewer you must be less passive to properly appreciate it. 😊