Posted: February 21st, 2015

Describe 3-5 details in the painting that made an impression on you, and be very specific in describing them and why you found them interesting.

5. 5. Johann Sebastian Bach is believed by many to be the greatest composer who ever lived. He is presented in both Chapters 22 and 23, but I chose to use his instrumental music that is discussed in Chapter 23. Please listen to Bach’s Art of the Fugue. Again, come up with 3 descriptive adjectives for this piece of music.
6. Rembrandt, like Bach, spans the two Chapters. I’d like you to pick one of Rembrandt’s paintings or prints (found on pp. 97, 106, 107, 128 and 129), and spend some time just looking closely at what’s there. (On page 96, our textbook author has helped you by enlarging one part of the print seen in full on p. 107)

Then answer the following:

1. a) Describe 3-5 details in the painting that made an impression on you, and be very specific in describing them and why you found them interesting.
2. b) Why doyouthink Rembrandt is considered one of the great masters, based on your close observation?
3. 7. Reading 23.1: So relevant still today, in spite of the Latin title, is Francis Bacon’s Novum Organum. It tells us where all our prejudices and flawed thinking come from. I immediately wanted to rename his categories to bring them up to date:

Idols of the TRIBE: just plain human nature

Idols of the CAVE: my own personal hang-ups

Idols of the MARKETPLACE: advertising doubletalk, bureaucratic jargon, and campaign rhetoric

Idols of the THEATRE: false prophets

Reading 23.2: I also admired Bacon’s Of Studies(how could I not, as an English professor?).

To answer this question: Pick ONE of these two readings from Francis Bacon, choose a favorite sentence, quote it, then explain what it says to you and why you admire it.