WP3: Final Draft

Authors Note:

This project, while I was hesitant at first, was my favorite out of the three I participated in. I may not be the best writer in the world or have an expert's eye for revealing the rhetorical aspects of a sculpture, but I truly put my all into discovering more about my sculpture. In learning more about my sculpture I also learned more about myself. I had to discover a bit of creativity within me to make this project happen.I definitely think that this project, and this class as a whole, has helped me develop into a creative, critical thinking person.

In my project I wasn't really sure where to start in addressing my sculpture. I started by making an outline of what I wanted to say to it. This is where I came across a problem: I felt that I was addressing the young girl in the sculpture more than the sculpture as a whole. While at first I was hesitant to do this, I now feel like this is a good thing. The young girl in the sculpture is who I can relate the most to. It makes sense as to why I would talk to her.

Along with the basic structure of my letter I had problems finding an argument in my sculpture. It wasn't until I started writing my reflections and observations that I realized the argument of this sculpture. It really just kind of hit me. That moment was super cool for me and definitely helped me write the rest of my letter. Instead of presenting the argument right away I tried to relate it to a letter. In a letter it seems like it always starts out with the basic "small talk" and develops into something much deeper. I feel that this definitely happens within my letter. I start building paragraph by paragraph to my argument. I definitely thought it would be effective to start with my first observations of the sculpture and then move on to there.

In the revisions of my first draft I changed a few things as well as added on a little bit. A lot of word choice was changed as well as moving around a few paragraphs for a better flow. I wanted to start with my basic observations, move into the physically rhetorical choices,and slowly get into the pathos and the context of the sculpture. I feel like this draft does just that. I also changed one of my pictures into the veiny hands. This picture came off more effective to me and showed what I was trying to put across well.

Overall, I am very pleased with the way this project turned out. It turned out a million times better than I expected. I definitely feel that this project, as well as the other two, have really left a good impression on me.


WP3: Rough Draft
WP3: Statement of Purpose

WP3: Final Draft

Dear Pieta,

Have I come too late? His elderly head nods down with eyes closed, his chest motionless. At the touch of his fragile hand a chill as cold as death can be felt. Looking upon these cold, colorless hands I can see his veins. He must have been quite sick.


And look at you: draped across his legs with your head in your arms. Do not lay there and feel sorrow. Look at how peaceful he looks: His arms lay gently next to him, his eyes closed, and a slight smile on his face. There was no struggle. He no longer can feel the pain, the sickness that he has been enduring. But it is obvious that you are in pain. The sculpture that which you are stands as a memory of this moment: the pieta and pain felt in this tragic situation.

Pieta, you are made of bronze: a strong metal that can withstand much weathering. The everlasting presence of this metal is like the memory in your mind. While the bronze may oxidize and leave marks from its experience with the weather, it will still stand. Similarly, while your memory of your loved one may slightly fade away as you grow old, you will never forget this moment: it will continue to stand.

It is interesting to note how you were constructed. You are not made of solid bronze, and instead a plaster with bronze poured over. This may have been done by a lost wax method of first molding the sculpture, then making a mold or wax of the sculpture to later be covered in bronze. It is as if a mold was placed over the exact moment you experienced and then preserved. It is interesting how you were molded and how you respond to the environment around you. On one of my past visits with you after a rainstorm it was shown how the pitch in slope of the bed helps develop ideas within those who view you. The rain had trickled down the bed and formed a puddle around your head. It was like the puddle of tears that may have existed in the real moment. You were constructed carefully and thoughtfully- bringing realism and life to this frozen moment in time.

Obvious pathos, mentioned in CDA p.274, is developed with me when looking upon you. The realistic nature of you and your loved one puts this sculpture in terms I can relate to. It’s almost like I’m sitting there with you in reality. The way your body is positioned in deep mourning is very obviously shown and sparks pathos within me. I can relate to the body language shown and can think of moments in which I have felt what you are feeling. I have gone through the loss of a loved one as well. Sympathy is developed in me while looking at you because of this. I think of my grandfather lying on the bed with his head down and eyes closed and how devastated I was. I put myself in your exact place.

Pieta; I feel odd for intruding on such a personal moment. From the sidewalk not much of you can be seen, for you are surrounded by large bushes. These bushes develop an intimate, secluded feel to the environment in which I look upon you. No other sculptures or other people can be seen. You and your loved one, on this bed, is the only focus. Along with separating this private moment from the surroundings, the bushes also cast a gloomy shadow over you. This contributes to the sorrow you bring to me.

Pieta, you are modeled after another sculpture that shares your name by Michelangelo. This sculpture consists of Mother Mary with the crucified Jesus draped across her lap. There are some similarities that exist between you and this sculpture in subject placement and the overall look, but there are some obvious differences as well. One of the main differences between you and Michelangelo’s Pieta is the roles of the subjects. In Michelangelo’s piece the younger subject is deceased and the older subject feels the sorrow. There is a reversal of roles when it comes to you. You are draped across the bed in a similar fashion of Jesus in Michelangelo’s piece, but instead of being deceased are in great sorrow.

When thinking about why Bruno Lucchesi, the one who made you, would reverse these roles it made me think of how universal and everlasting death , and the sorrow it brings, can be. It does not matter what culture, what religion, or what role the deceased one is in when it comes to the sorrow that can be felt when losing a loved one. This is why Lucchesi reversed these roles: to show that emotions, in this situation grief, can be very universal and felt by anyone, anywhere. Pieta, or sorrow, has been felt by every individual on this planet from the times when Jesus walked the earth, to the 1970s when you were created, to forty years later as I stand here. He also strives to show the universality of death. While there may be different views and ideas on what happens after death, everyone here on this earth is mortal and will one day endure the death of a loved one. This is what makes you such a universal sculpture: one that will carry the same message for as long as you stand.

Pieta, I feel a deep emotional connection when I look at you. You carry such a touching story and universal message that anyone can relate to. I relate most to the younger girl, because I have been in her situation. I will now go beyond just relating to the sorrow this girl expresses and will literally put myself in her place.

With sympathy,
Amberley Proctor

WP3: Rough Draft

Dear Sorrow One,

Have I come too late? His head nods down with eyes closed, his chest motionless. At the touch of his fragile hand a chill as cold as death can be felt. Looking upon these cold, colorless hands I can see his veins. He must have been quite sick.

And look at you: draped across his legs with your head in your arms. Do not lay there and be sorrow. Look at how peaceful he looks there: His arms lay gently next to him, his eyes closed, and a slight smile on his face. There was no struggle. He no longer can feel the pain, the sickness that he has been enduring.

But it is obvious that you are in pain. The sculpture that which you are stands as a memory of this moment: the pieta and pain felt in this situation. You are made of bronze: a strong metal that can withstand much weathering. The everlasting presence of this bronze is like the memory in your mind. While the bronze may oxidize and leave marks from its experience with the weather, it will still stand. Similarly, while your memory of your loved one may slightly fade away as you grow old, you will never forget this moment: the last few breaths of someone that meant the world to you.

It is interesting to note how you were constructed. You are not made of solid bronze, and instead a plaster with bronze poured over. It is if a mold was placed over the exact moment you experienced and then preserved with bronze. It is interesting how you were molded and how you respond to the environment around you. On one of my past visits with you after a rainstorm it was shown how the pitch in slope of the bed helps develop ideas within those who view you. The rain had trickled down the bed and formed a puddle around your head. It was like the puddle of tears that may have existed in the real moment.




Sorrow one; I feel odd for intruding on such a personal moment. From the sidewalk not much of you can be seen, for you are surrounded by large bushes. These bushes develop an intimate feel to the environment in which I look upon you. No other sculptures or other people can be seen. You and your loved one on this bed is the only focal point.

Obvious pathos, mentioned in CDA, is developed from looking upon you. The realistic nature of you and your loved one puts this sculpture in terms I can relate to. It’s almost like I’m sitting there with you in reality. The way your body is positioned in deep sorrow is very obviously shown and sparks pathos within me. I can relate to the body language shown and can think of moments in which I have felt what you are feeling. I have gone through the loss of a loved one as well. Sympathy is developed in me while looking at you. I think of my Grandfather lying on the bed with his head down and eyes closed and how devastated I was. I put myself in your exact place.



Pieta, you are modeled after another sculpture that shares your name by Michelangelo. This sculpture consists of Mother Mary with the crucified Jesus draped across her lap. There are some similarities that exist between you and this sculpture, as well as obvious differences. One of the main differences between you and Michelangelo’s Pieta is the roles of the subjects. In Michelangelo’s piece the younger subject is deceased and the older subject feels the sorrow. There is a reversal of roles when it comes to you. You are draped across the bed in a similar fashion of Jesus in Michelangelo’s piece, but instead of being deceased are in great sorrow. When thinking about why Bruno Lucchesi, the one who made you, would reverse these roles it made me think of how universal and everlasting sorrow and death can be. It does not matter what culture, what religion, or what role the deceased one is in when it comes to the sorrow that can be felt when losing a loved one. Emotions can be very universal and felt by anyone, everywhere. Pieta, or sorrow, has been felt by every individual on this planet from the times when Jesus walked the earth, to the 1970s when you were created, to forty years later as I stand here. Death is also universal. While there may be different views and ideas on what happens after death, everyone here on this earth is mortal and will one day endure death through their own death or the death of a loved one. This is what makes you such a universal sculpture: one that will carry the same message and idea for as long as you stand.

Pieta, I feel a deep emotional connection when I look at you. You carry such a touching story and universal message that anyone can relate to.

With sympathy,
Amberley Proctor

WP3: Statement of Purpose

In learning how to analyze art, you have to start simple. So far in English 151H we have built our way up to not just analyzing a flat canvas rhetorically, but a three dimensional object: sculptures. While sculptures can display some of the same technical elements and ideas as paintings and photographs, they display them in a whole new way. Three dimensions expand this analysis beyond a canvas and bring the art to life.

My sculpture of choice is Pieta by Bruno Lucchesi. This piece was built in nineteen-seventy and consists of a young girl draped over the bed of her elderly, dying loved one. My sculpture, Pieta, shares a name with another piece that served as its inspiration: the original Pieta by Michelangelo (below this paragraph). There are some major differences between these pieces such as subject context and how the sculpture expressed the “pieta” or sorrow. I plan on addressing some of these differences and similarities within my analysis.



My analysis of this piece is going to much different than my past ones. Instead of presenting an essay form analysis of the rhetorical elements of my piece, I will be addressing my sculpture in a letter form. While this letter is directly to my sculpture, I will want to include details that can help my audience (discussed later) follow my analysis. In my letter I plan to center my rhetorical analysis on the name: Pieta. Sorrow is a big aspect of this piece and pathos is developed from the audience by just simply looking at it. Along with talking about the simple and obvious pathos that is developed by this piece, I will also take this thought a little further and talk about the sympathy that can be developed from viewers that can relate personally with this very intimate setting.

Rhetorical elements are very important in my analysis. This includes, but is not limited to, what the sculpture is made of and the way the material is manipulated. While material is very important, the environment in which this piece is positioned is also important. The artist chose this material for a reason. He knew how this material would be effected in the environment it is placed and how it could be viewed when it was placed in the garden as well as forty years later.
While analyzing this argument, it is also important that I keep in mind my audience. Primarily, my audience will be my fellow peers and my professor. They will be able to see my performance and will know what is expected and asked of me. This audience is my most critical.

As mentioned in CDA p.40, context of audience is just as important as whom the audience is Along with my peers and professor, anyone that happens to be walking by the Sheldon will be able to view my presentation and hear my analysis. My secondary audience consists of these bystanders, as well as anyone that reads my blog online. My letter will be posted here and available to anyone who finds it. This makes my audience very broad. Therefore, I should keep my analysis on a level that would be acceptable to a variety of people reading it.

Overall, I hope to convey this message of Pieta in such a way that it not only reveals the aspects of my analysis, but brings meaning to this sculpture.

WP3: Post

Pieta by Bruno Lucchesi is a sculpture made in the 1970s. It consists of the scene of a dying man in a bed and a young girl draped over the bed. This sculpture is very similar to the original Pieta by Michelangelo. This version is of Mother Mary holding the deceased Jesus after his crucifixion. Between the two sculptures there is a reversal of roles: in the original Pieta the younger subject is dead while in the Pieta by Bruno Lucchesi the older subject is dead.

The name of both pieces, Pieta, means sorrow. This is shown in both sculptures through the sorrow of death. I feel that this title fits well for both pieces. The types of sculptures that Bruno Lucchesi makes are those similar to the Renaissance times. The realistic ways of both sculptures and the attention to detail shows this. Bruno Lucchesi is very familiar with this type of sculpture because his work is inspired by Italian/ European inspiration. Much of Bruno Lucchesi’s works are similar to the sculpture Pieta. Along with his influences from Italy, Bruno Lucchesi was inspired by a sculptor he met while he was a shepherd.

Going on a tangent from the biography of Bruno Lucchesi and his work, I wanted to focus on the material in which this sculpture was made from: Bronze. Bronze is used in many sculptures, including the one I am analyzing: Pieta. Bronze is ideal for sculptures because they have a very desirable property of expanding slightly just before they set, thus filling in the finest details of a mold, something that is very important for such a realistic piece such as Pieta. The bronze is also very important for Pieta because of its strength. This sculpture was made to be outside, so the sculptor, Bruno Lucchesi, needed to keep in the mind how it would weather. This is why bronze was chosen.

Overall, there are a lot of background aspects that I should include in my analysis of this sculpture (and will  )!

WP3: Analysis Part 2

In my most recent visit to my sculpture, I analyzed the material in which sculpture is made of. I had never really thought about the material of my sculpture, which is bronze, in any other way other than just what it was made of.

Bronze is a very strong, hard metal. It is interesting to compare the material the sculpture is made of to the actual form of the sculpture. My sculpture is a very “soft” form in the way it is presented. The bed looks soft and plushy by the way the bodies are “sunk” into it and the way the blankets and pillows crease. However, upon the touch of the “bed” it is hard and stiff. This sculpture gives the impression of reality, but it preserved by the bronze of the metal.

It is also interesting how the reality of the sculpture had its effect on me. My last visit I focused a lot of just trying to connect with my sculpture on more of a personal level, to help deepen understanding. Upon looking at the old, deceased woman I just kind of reached out and touched her fragile, veiny hand. It was really cold. For someone like me who has an experience of losing a loved one, this instantly struck up memories. It was like the chill of death I felt when I touched my grandfather’s hand in the hospital the day he died. This was the first true sympathetic emotion I felt with my sculpture.

The bronze that is used for this sculpture is much different than the material that was used in the original Pieta by Michelangelo. Even though marble was used in the original, both versions have similarities in the way the subjects look and the emotions that are felt. Along with the difference in material, the construction of these sculptures differs as well. The original Pieta was made of solid material. My sculpture, when looking underneath, looks as if it was constructed first with some form of molding material and not out of solid bronze. The molding looks to have then been coated in a bronze material thereafter. This gives the impression from the front/top portion of the status of it being pure, solid bronze. But it isn’t! I found this very interesting. I feel that this was needed (the bronze coating) to help preserve the sculpture for outside conditions such as where it is.

I plan on including the material in which this sculpture is made of in my letter; I feel it’s very important. It’s preserving a moment in time.