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Jun 4, 2024
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Exploration Document Draft
Betheny Cottone
Southern New Hampshire University
HUM200: Applied Humanities
Don Macon
June 2, 2024
1
Exploration Document Draft
Cultural Artifacts
My first work is "Paris Street, Rainy day" by Gustave Caillebotte. This art work was created in 1877. Caillebotte grew up in this area, and the city was turned from an ancient city to a modern metropolis. The painting portrays this symmetrically, on a rain-washed impression. My second piece of work is "Symphony no. 5" by Ludwig van Beethoven, which premiered on December 8th, 1808. However, this piece has been assessed and has drawn a lot of attention with its beginning notes, it has been one of Beethoven's most successful pieces of work that he has done. "Symphony no. 5" was completed and released parallel to "Symphony no. 6". Common Theme
The common theme surrounding both "Paris Street, Rainy Day" and "Symphony no. 5" is overcoming emotional turmoil. I see this expressed in both pieces of work because the looks of the people in the painting are sad, overwhelming and with the musical piece, the story behind the
work. The time that Beethoven released "Symphony no. 5" he was going through a depressive state in his life and was just getting on the winning side of it. Personal Experience
The theme of overcoming emotional turmoil connects to my personal experience due to recently going through a depressive state, and overcoming challenges that were in my way. For example, losing my job, moving back to my home state, and having hard time finding new work. I was diagnosed with bipolar depression at the age of 14, and for the longest time, getting out of a negative mood was difficult, and I was unsure how to do so. This past year, I was depressed and giving up, however I have worked through the negative thoughts and now am thriving and succeeding in all aspects of my life again.
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Profession
The overcoming of emotional turmoil is a challenge within itself, from learning how to cope with
the emotions and beginning the process of changing to become better. A profession that may be impacted by emotional turmoil is being a counselor. This being because if you're not in a right mind space, and emotionally unavailable, how are you going to be able to help others who are also needing help with learning how to overcome their own emotional trauma. Having a general understanding of the humanities within this profession is beneficial due to being able to help clients understanding their way of processing through. Whether that be through art, literature, or music. Humanities Resources
My first resource is an analysis of Fifth Symphony by Ludwig Van Beethoven. This source explains that when the symphony was first released, it was under practiced and was not played well. After awhile it has became one of the most popular symphony's of Beethoven's. The piece of work represents triumph within itself, about every hard won victory that one has accomplished, including ours as listeners. When I found this source, I searched scholarly triumph
that Beethoven experienced before symphony no. 5. I read through multiple other sources. They discussed about his hearing loss, and his relationship with Napoleon, However, the source I chose discussed about the work being about overcoming challenges. My second and third resource analyzes my second chosen work, "Paris Street, Rainy Day" by Gustave Caillebotte. This piece was created in 1877, while Paris was undergoing changes and being "remade" and new life in Paris was being created. This particular piece shows a typical rainy day on this particular Paris street, and where people stay to themselves. Before Paris's regeneration project, it
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was a cold, and lonely place where sunlight rarely penetrated through the dark clouds. After the project was completed sun shined through touching the streets of Paris. Historical Context
Within "Paris Street, Rainy Day" by Gustave Caillebotte, he represented the changes of Paris while also showing the darkness that Paris was once before the regeneration project begun. In one of my resources the author wrote, “Paris is an immense workshop of putrefaction, where misery, pestilence and sickness work in concert, where sunlight and air rarely penetrate.” (Jones. 2020. Para 9), quoting a social reformer. This piece of art became an important representation of Paris before and after the project was over. With the original piece being displayed in the Art Institute of Chicago where "
Paris Street; Rainy Day
remains a highlight of the museum's collection" (Richman-Abdou. 2020. Para 12) Comparing "Paris Street, Rainy Day" to "Symphony no. 5" by Beethoven, both are about changes and overcoming darkness. The difference between the two are "Beethoven’s Fifth is about triumph itself, about every hard won victory there has ever been or ever will be, even yours." (Valčuha. 2018. Para 14) and "Paris Street, Rainy Day" is about a city's overcoming of darkness. Similarities and Differences
Despite one work being finished in 1808 and the other in 1877, both "Symphony no. 5" (Beethoven) and "Paris Street, Rainy Day" (Caillebotte) are about the overcoming of challenges, whether it's your own or city wide's. While researching both pieces of work, I learned that both are complex and have stories behind them. Beethoven recently went through his own triumph within his life, losing his hearing but still able to compose multiple successful symphonies. Caillebotte's work represents the change of times in the city where he grew up. Place de Dublin, known as Carrefour de Moscou at the time, was undergoing a regeneration program led by 4
Georges-Eugène Haussmann under Napoleon III. "Paris Street, Rainy Day" is split almost directly in the middle of the painting from the light post, and it's shadow. On the left side, it's a look of the before the rebuilt. Everyone has a fair distance between them with their heads down, the sky looks grayer. Compared to the left side, the right side of the light post, the people are walking closer together, with their heads up. The lady right in front, looking at her partner with a
small grin on her face. The right side is brighter and has more color. One difference between the two works, is the creators backgrounds. Caillebotte came from a wealthy Parisian family and enjoyed a privileged upbringing in and around the city. (Jones. 2020. Para 10), while Beethoven had a rough upbringing. In the biography of Beethoven written by Jan Swafford it's explained that Beethoven's childhood was dominated by his father, a tough taskmaster and an alcoholic. He
would come home drunk, drag the young Beethoven out of bed and make him play the piano. (Howard. 2015. Para 6). Although he had a rough upbringing unlike Caillebotte, Ludwig Van Beethoven grew up to be a successful pianists, and considered to be the greatest of all times in his 20's. Medium
Gustave Caillebotte's "Paris Street, Rainy Day" is a oil-based painting created in 1877. Although "Paris Street, Rainy Day" is considered a Impressionist, it is not like other Impressionist's. Caillebotte used mainly blue-green, violet and yellow hues in this painting, and his details were symmetrical to one another. From the left to the right, it changes from more of a gray tone to a brighter, colored tone. This represented the changes that were happening in the streets of Paris. Before the regeneration program, these streets were considered overcrowded, dark and insanitary
(Jones. 2020. Para 9.) The regeneration program was intended to bring air and light to the center,
and to unify the different neighborhoods with wide boulevards (Jones. 2020. Para 9.) 5
Beethoven's "Symphony no. 5" is in C minor and begins with 4 opening notes that leave the audience in suspense, and curious for what will be coming next. The first movement is intense, and the second is open and inviting. As for the theme, the first and second movement portrays it well. The first is the challenge that is happening in ones life, with the second movement being the triumph of the challenge. Thesis Statement
Despite being two different pieces of work, "Paris Street, Rainy Day" by Gustave Caillebotte and
"Symphony no. 5" by Ludwig Van Beethoven both represent the overcoming of challenges, whether they are personal or environmental. Audience
The ideal audience for my presentation is someone who may be battling their own challenges or a community going through a new change. I believe this audience would benefit to from learning
about the theme in my presentation to know they are not alone. They would benefit from knowing that even creators of masterpieces have also gone through challenges, changes and overcame. Message
To tailor to my chosen audience, I will try connecting the theme and past of the works to current events. For example with "Paris Street, Rainy Day", when new buildings are being built where there was once open lots in big cities. Another example would be, when leaders of a city propose
something new and it goes through. Dealing with the changes of such event can be challenging for some communities, but rewarding once it's done. For personal triumph, and those interested in "Symphony no. 5", I would tailor my presentation and try connecting to my audience on a 6
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personal level. Sharing my own triumphs in life could benefit and help someone understand the theme. 7
References
Jones, C. P. (2020). How to Read Paintings: Paris Street; Rainy Day by Gustave Caillebotte. Medium.
https://medium.com/thinksheet/how-to-read-paintings-paris-street-rainy-day-by-
gustave-caillebotte-9deda220db98 Valcuha, J. (2018). Beethoven’s Fifth: The World’s Most Famous Symphony.
Houston Symphony.
https://houstonsymphony.org/beethoven-5-famous-symphony/#:~:text=The
%20Fifth%20Symphony%20takes%20the,do%2C%20what%20music%20could%20be Richman-Abdou, K. (2020). How This 150-Year-Old Painting Freezes a Fleeting Parisian Moment in Time. My Modern Met
. https://mymodernmet.com/gustave-caillebotte-paris-
street-rainy-day/
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