The Parthenon is "kind of a big deal".....or so it seems in class

               Of all the paintings we have discussed this week in class, the majority of them have been of the Parthenon. This particular one, however, has generated the most discussion.  Perhaps this was due to the unique placement of all the objects in this painting, not only including the Parthenon but also the structures around it.  The placement of the objects in this painting other than the Parthenon are considered part of an artist's conscious decisions when planning a painting.  Another example of a conscious decision in this painting is the placement and intensity of the light source.  If the light source in this painting was not shining directly on the Parthenon, it would completely change the mood and the message of the painting.  Also by having the light source shine directly on the Parthenon, it serves as a sign to the viewer that this is where their attention should be directed.
               The artist who did this painting was named Frederic Edwin Church, and he painted it in 1871 with oil paints.  The fact that this painting was done in oils gives the viewer a much better idea as to when it was completed.  Church actually attended the Hudson River School of Painting before he painted this painting.  It was obvious that Church had had some schooling because of his good execution of the medium.  It is also worth noting that there is a small figure standing in the foreground of a painting. This could easily be a symbol for the magnificence of the Parthenon compared to that of humans.  Along with the many conscious decisions Church made about this painting, he also made a few unconscious decisions such as choosing a fairly tranquil color palette except for in the areas of the shadowed part of the painting.