Thesis (M.A.) - Simon Fraser University, 2006. / Theses (School of Communication) / Simon Fraser University.

The thesis investigates the interaction that developed between a major art dealer, Thos. Agnew and Sons (Agnews), and a principal public collection, the London National Gallery, from 1855 to 1928. Agnews played a crucial role in the life of the National Gallery and greatly facilitated the museum accession of important paintings, such as the Madonna Ansidei by Raphael, the Rokeby Venus by Velazquez, the Portrait of Doge Vincenzo Morosini by Tintoretto, and many others. In turn, collaborating with the National Gallery allowed Agnews to penetrate the international Old Masters market and reach for higher social standing. Through the analysis of ten case studies of acquisitions, which are supported by new archival evidence and are contextualised within a broader historical and theoretical framework, this thesis charts the emergence, development and decline of the rapport between the two organisations. It analyses how Agnews and the National Gallery began as two unconnected entities in the mid-nineteenth century, explores how their distinct trajectories turned into a close, collaborative rapport during the 1880s, and finally examines how in the third decade of the twentieth century they separated and initiated a newly detached professional relationship. Appropriating sociological theories by Pierre Bourdieu, Bruno Latour, Viviana Zelizer and others, this study investigates museum acquisitions as resulting from complex interplays of cultural and commercial forces within the field of cultural production. Acquisitions are further enlightened by the analysis of the networks that underpin them, which provide additional evidence on how economic factors are embedded within broader social constructs. By detailing and locating these processes and relationships within the historical context of a broad shift towards commercialisation, yet demonstrating that cultural elements are part of the dealers activities and that commercial values are an intrinsic component of the museum, this study provides an insight into the historical origins of modern-day relationships between museums and art dealers.

Les mays de Notre-Dame, tableaux offerts de 1630 à 1707 par la confrérie Sainte-Anne-Saint-Marcel des orfèvres parisiens à la cathédrale Notre-Dame de Paris en signe de dévotion à la Vierge, forment un des ensembles de peinture religieuse les plus importants du XVIIe siècle. La thèse de doctorat propose une étude de cette série en deux volets, une approche analytique à travers un essai et une approche synthétique à l'aide d'un catalogue. L'essai aborde dans une première partie le contexte confraternel et explique le choix de grands formats présentés dans la nef de la cathédrale. La deuxième partie s'intéresse à la fonction religieuse et politique de ces tableaux. La troisième partie s'attache aux conditions de la commande et aux questions de style et évalue la réception des œuvres au XVIIIe, XIXe et XXe siècles. Le catalogue reprend pour chaque tableau l'ensemble des données documentaires et visuelles. Les textes accompagnant les toiles (contrats, explications, inventaires de Notre-Dame) constituent les annexes. L'importance des mays dans la peinture religieuse du XVIIe siècle tient à leurs résonances avec les préoccupations pastorales et théologales de l'Église de Paris, ainsi qu'à leur statut de modèle pour la peinture religieuse. Exposés au cœur de la cathédrale de Paris, ils constituent un décor sacré au service du roi et de la politique religieuse du royaume. / The mays of Notre-Dame, paintings offered from 1630 till 1707 by the brotherhood Sainte-Anne-Saint-Marcel of the Parisian silversmiths to the cathedral Notre-Dame de Paris in sign of worship in the Virgin, are one of main group of paintings of the XVIIth century. The doctoral thesis proposes a study of this series in two steps, an analytical approach through a essay and a synthetic approach by means of a catalog. The essay approaches on a first part the fraternal context and explains the choice of large formats presented in the nave of the cathedral. The second part is interested in the religious function and the politics of these paintings. The third part becomes attached in the conditions of the command and to the questions of style and estimates the reception of the works at the XVIIIth, XIXth and XXth centuries. The catalog resumes for every picture all the documentary and visual data. Texts accompanying paintings (contracts, explanations, inventories of Notre-Dame) establish appendices. The importance of mays in the religious painting of the XVIIth century holds their echos with the pastoral concerns and théologales of the Church of Paris, as well as in their status of model for the religious painting. Exposed at the heart of the cathedral of Paris, they constitute a decoration crowned in the service of king and of religious politics of the kingdom.

<p>The purpose of this essay was to overview the conflicts regarding the exhibition space (Kunsthalle) Tensta Konsthall during 2003 and 2004, in order to gain an understanding of the following: why the conflict started, if anyone exceeded their authority, how the case has been reviewed in the press, what kind of value judgements lay behind the actions and why this case has received so much attention. By studying mainly press material and political documents it has been made clear that Tensta Konsthall’s location in an ill reputed suburb of Stockholm has been the cause for its exposure to different demands and expectations compared to other similar exhibition spaces. Further the essay deals with questions raised by the conflict in the intersection of culture and politics.</p>

The purpose of this essay was to overview the conflicts regarding the exhibition space (Kunsthalle) Tensta Konsthall during 2003 and 2004, in order to gain an understanding of the following: why the conflict started, if anyone exceeded their authority, how the case has been reviewed in the press, what kind of value judgements lay behind the actions and why this case has received so much attention. By studying mainly press material and political documents it has been made clear that Tensta Konsthall’s location in an ill reputed suburb of Stockholm has been the cause for its exposure to different demands and expectations compared to other similar exhibition spaces. Further the essay deals with questions raised by the conflict in the intersection of culture and politics.

Cette thèse de doctorat se propose d’étudier les Salons sous l’ère napoléonienne, connus surtout pour le rôle important qu’ils jouèrent dans le cadre de l’instrumentalisation politique de l’art contemporain. Ainsi, après 1799, le Salon devint rapidement un important outil de la vaste politique culturelle du Consulat et de l’Empire, qui servit à représenter de manière symbolique le système politique. Face à ce changement radical du Salon et de sa politique artistique, les artistes, eux aussi, ont dû se positionner et s’adapter aux nouvelles structures politiques et administratives, tout en réagissant aux nouvelles tendances artistiques et à l’évolution du milieu artistique, afin de s’imposer au Salon. Le succès rencontré par les Salons en ces années-là ne se manifeste pas seulement par le chiffre croissant des exposants et des visiteurs : les diverses formes de la réception du Salon – journaux, brochures, récits de voyage, lettres et œuvres graphiques - témoignent également de l’écho rencontré par l’exposition, et ceci bien au-delà des frontières nationales. Jouxtant les salles du fameux Musée Napoléon qui regroupe les chefs-d’œuvre artistiques les plus importants, saisis par les armées françaises dans des collections de l’Europe, le Salon profite de la forte fréquentation du Louvre entre 1800 et 1815, de la part de visiteurs aussi bien français qu’étrangers. L’objectif de cette thèse est d’analyser l’organisation de l’exposition, le paysage des artistes exposants ainsi que l’écho rencontré par cet évènement sur la scène internationale en tenant compte de cette mutation complexe de la vie artistique parisienne au début du XIXème siècle. Dans cette perspective, le présent travail s’interroge sur les rapports entre la politique artistique, les pratiques artistiques et culturelles ainsi que leur réception. / This doctoral thesis examines the Salons of living artists under the reign of Napoleon I, which are primarily known for the prominent role they played in the context of cultural politics of that time. After 1799, the Salon rapidly became an important instrument of art and cultural politics used by the ruling government to symbolically legitimise and support the political system. Given the major changes to the exhibition in these years, artists had also had to adapt to the new political and administrative structures whilst, at the same time, reacting to new artistic trends in order to stand up to the strong competition at the Salon. The exhibition's success in these years is not only reflected by the rising numbers of exhibiting artists and visitors. Also its wide-ranging coverage in the media, such as newspaper articles, letters, travelogues and graphic anthologies, is further proof of the exhibition's relevance and reach, sometimes even beyond national frontiers. Indeed, the exhibition's close locality to the famous Musée Napoléon, with its large collection of master pieces confiscated from European collections by the French armies, added further attention paid by European travellers to the Salon and the French contemporary art on display there. The aim of this doctoral thesis is to analyse the organisation of the exhibition, the range of participating artists as well as the international response it created whilst taking into consideration the complex transformation of art and the French art scene at the beginning of 19th century. By doing so, the dissertation focuses on the reciprocal relationship between art politics, artistic production and their reception.

[pt] A dissertação Comissão Nacional da Verdade, Arte e Intervenção Pública pretende estabelecer um diálogo entre design / comunicação visual, arte política e história do período ditatorial no Brasil, tendo como base empírica o Relatório da CNV (especificamente o Volume III: Mortos e Desaparecidos Políticos). A partir da análise do Relatório da Comissão Nacional da Verdade, criamos oficinas de estratégias de comunicação visual no âmbito da intervenção no espaço público, com a participação de jovens na faixa etária de 18 a 22 anos. Nessa pesquisa de campo, a metodologia desenvolvida propõe-se a provocar um debate ético e estético com o público alvo. O processo criativo desenvolvido com os alunos de graduação em design da disciplina de Linguagem e Comunicação Visual II, ministrada pela professora Simone Formiga - 2017.1 - PUC-Rio, proporcionou a construção de narrativas imagéticas sobre questões morais relativas às gravíssimas violações de direitos humanos deflagradas pelo regime ditatorial e expostas no Relatório. Ou seja, a partir dos conteúdos discursivos gerados nesta disciplina, desenvolvemos narrativas visuais ocupando o espaço público, com a finalidade de provocar questionamentos e reflexões na população acerca das vítimas do período do regime militar brasileiro. / [en] The dissertation National Commission of Truth, Art and Public Intervention intends to establish a dialogue between design - visual language -, political art and history of the dictatorial period in Brazil, with empirical basis on the CNV Report (specifically Volume III: Political Dead and Disappeared). Analyzing the work of the National Commission of Truth, we created workshops on visual communication strategies in the framework of artistic intervention in public space, with the participation of a group aged from 18 to 22 years. In the field research, the methodology developed aims to provoke an ethical and aesthetic debate with the target audience. The creative process developed with the undergraduate design students at Language and Visual Communication II discipline, given by Professor Simone Formiga - 2017.1 - PUC-Rio, provided the construction of imaginative narratives on moral issues about the severe violations of human rights triggered by the dictatorial period and exposed in the documents of the National Commission of Truth. So, from the discursive contents generated in this discipline, we developed visual narratives occupying the public space, with the purpose of provoking questions and reflections about the victims of the Brazilian military coup.

This dissertation thesis aims to reflect on the current evolvement of public spaces and increasingly common discussions of the lay and professional public about its impact and importance for a democratic society. The main topic, "Autonomy of an artwork outside of the institutions of art", focuses on searching for the autonomy of artwork in public spaces in the context of how the artwork was placed there. The thesis describes specific artworks which were placed into the public space using different methods, such as art competition, no competition, as a gift, or in a way of temporary art. These methods are examined to find the degree of autonomy. The degree of autonomy of artworks in public spaces is determined based on the applied analysis which, among other things, focuses on how efficient the result is in comparison to the method of placement. The field research resulted in complex, subjective, sculptural and artistic opinion on the current practice of placement of artworks into public spaces. Such professional and relevant opinion was then presented to the responsible authorities which have a significant impact on the creation of public spaces. The author aims to apply the acquired knowledge in practice by offering his professional opinions for the new elaboration of the government strategic document called "Politika architektury a stavební kultury České republiky" (loosely translated as "Politics of Architecture and Building Culture of the Czech Republic"), which is created by Ministry of Regional Development of the Czech Republic. The main results of the thesis describe the efficient approaches which lead to cultivation of public spaces and the significant role of art in them. Such approaches were in the thesis demonstrated by civic influence on the government strategies or civic activism in a form of citizens' initiative called "Je to i tvoje město" (loosely translated as "The city is your too") which actively participates in the public debate in Jindřichův Hradec, town on the South of the Czech Republic.