art works which relate to the Fransciscan poverty
This essay will discuss three art works which relate to the Fransciscan poverty well or not well and compare them to get better understanding of the book ‘The Highest Poverty’ written by Giorgio Aganben. In the book, Giorgio Aganbenstate his opinion that west should return to Fransciscanpoverty due to then or now, since Roman period, people start to keep the ownership to themselves without sharing to other people or collecting the ‘shells’ and having them for no purpose. And people who are doing these, are most wealthy and powerful. Giorgio Aganben thinks that this is a wrong way to run the society. In his opinion, the equality and the fairness are one of the most important quality in the world, people mean to share everything and use what they need, not to become the owner of them and making the ‘treasure’ to become private stuff.
The book cover of Giorgio Aganben’s book ‘The Highest Poverty’ is an art work which was painted by Giotto di Bondone in 1295-1300, called St Francis Preaching to the Birds. This art work was painted on the wood panel with the tempera and the gold leaf for the back ground. And the one he used as the book cover was painted in the chapel. In this painting, Giotto Di Bondone used chiaroscuro way to paint which shows the contrast between bright and dark, also this painting was not painted with normal perspective than modern artwork or realist artwork, it is not showing much depth in the background and everything is flat except the main objects. This technique of painting is called foreshortening.[unique_solution] In the painting, Saint Francis and his friend are standing at left of the frame and St Francis are preaching to the birds with a circle behind his head which define him as a god because in late Gothic period, god normally represent as human with the circle behind the head of figure in paintings. He treat the birds as his siblings, unlike normal people treat the animals like pets because he thinks that every life in the world should be equal, human and animals, even for the worms, St Francis treat them equally with love. Although not only the equality between the human and animals, also between human ourselves which is well presented Giorgio Aganbens opinion that people should share everything and live in peace withoutowning even one thing, it is the most ideal way to get along with each other.
Painting The Ecstasy of St Francis/ St Francis in the Desertwas painted by Giovanni Bellini in 1480 on the panel with oil. In this painting, St Francis walked out from the cave where he fasting and praying for people. The skull and the bible at the bottom right corner of the painting are defined as mortality are on his rustic reading table behind him. As the title name says the Ecstasy of St Francis it is easy to be seen the happiness from his action and the unusual light toward St Francis from top left corner which is come from the invisible Christ at outside of the frame of the painting. And this painting is different that the book cover, it was painted with full of depth that can be seen from the background of the painting. In the middle background a donkey standing there which represents the symbol of humility and patience. At back ground, there is a shepherd who is herding some sheep which close to the donkey on the painting plane. Over all, some of the object in the painting relate to the Giorgio Aganben’s idea such as the donkey represented the humanity, but most of the object in the painting are not well relate to his opinion.
In paining of Chinese Cultural Revolution Poster, it is easy to see that the people were leading by President Mao. The English meaning of this poster is President inspect countryside of GuangDong. During Chinese Cultural Revolution, people in China lead by president Mao and it was in a communist society. President Mao call on to the people that they should have the ownership, either food or money, but they should be equal, everyone should share the food, the land which is relate to Giorgio Aganben’s idea, take something need, not to on purpose.
Although the way they call on what people should do is similar, the aim at the start was total different because everyone has desire have a better life. People followed resident Mao because he committed people to let them becoming wealthy and rich. The yellow foreground and the strong grass at background are representing the harvest of the crops in autumn in a year which means that everyone can have enough rice and rice is the main food to full the stomach for most Asian people. And the animals are at background are representing the wealth because the meat were very expensive. For St Francis’s ideal society, people should live without any desire and everyone should not own the food or the wealth which is total opposite way of Cultural Revolution Poster.
To conclude, in 21th Century, there is no society run like the ideal society of Giorgio Aganben. It is too hard for people to get rid of the desire to becoming wealthy and owning things. It is natural for people to having desire. This is the most problem for getting an ideal world of the Highest Poverty.