Title Creator Date Era City Country Emotional Sum (Sense of Life or emotional World View) Theme
Winged Victory Sculptor: unknown 190 BCE c. 500 BCE - 1 CE Paris France

One of the great expressions of the Greek Classical and Hellenistic spirit -- that men (and women) are larger than life and triumphant.  While the image is partially a fantasy since the woman is winged and probably represents a goddess: Nike -- this concretization depicts a "god" in the form of a human woman, thus glorifying women.

The grandeur of being alive and free.
Wall-E Director: Stanton, Andrew 2008 1991-2010 The world is garbage, and more garbage and humans have destroyed the earth, because of their wanton consumerism.

Mankind is a blight on the universe, and only cute robots (as opposed to evil robots) can save the earth from human degradation.
Wall Street Director: Stone, Oliver 1987 1971-1990 United States

There are bad people in power who use ordinary people as pawns in their endless pursuit of money.  Those who are not ruthless are sheep to be slaughtered by the rich and powerful.  Greed is bad.
Vitus Director: Murer, Fredi 2006 If you have the will, you can find the way to live the way you want.

Living your life your own way is the only right way.
Tzena Tzena Tzena Miron - Parish 1941 1900s Joyous celebration

Joyous celebration
Two Family House Director: De Felitta, Raymond 2000 1991-2010 United States Feelings of benevolence and optimism about life. Happiness comes from making choices for your own good.

Going after what you want in life; Don't be stopped by conventional standards of the people around you. It takes courage to be selfish.
Trustee from the Toolroom Author: Shute, Nevil 1960 A feeling of gentleness, kindness and generosity towards good people in the world.

The importance of pursuing one's personal values.<br>
Trees Alexander, John 1899 1900s United States A sense of the world as dynamic and strong.

Nature is wild and dynamic.
Three Graces Sculptor: Canova, Antonio 1814 1800s The female human form is beautiful, graceful, ideal.

Quiet repose and sisterly love. The piece exudes a quiet elegance and peacefulness amidst the complex three-dimensional composition. The inclusion of "sisterly love" is less certain, except that taking into account the mythological background of the piece. It can be argued that one should not take that into account, so perhaps that should not formally be included in the theme.
The Taste of Things Director: Tran, Anh Hung 2024 2011-2030

test test test test

tentative: the ideal world of physical creation of food shared by soulmates.
The Samovar Painter: Carlsen, Emil 1920c. 1900s New Britain, CT United States The world is full of textural richness worth looking at.

The richness of light and the objects it caresses.&nbsp; This is a paean to the richness of visual experience, but with the simplest of materials -- just a light source and two kinds of simple unadorned objects.<br>
The New Colossus Author: Lazarus, Emma 1883 1800s Benevolent celebration of liberty as a beacon to a troubled world.

A marvelous land of liberty offers welcome to the oppressed of the world.
Sports March Singing Group: Soviet Army Chorus and Band unknown mid-20th century 1900s Russia Happiness triumphs.

The power of joy to motivate action.
Shade, The Rodin, Auguste 1880-1904 1900s Paris France Life is a gruesome trial. There is no hope.

The world destroys man. (Some unknown evil force is destroying this young strong man.) Given that the sculpture is titled as a "Shade" and is related to the Group sculpture "Gates of Hell", one can presume the evil is some unnamed condition that can overpower life and cause destruction of the good.
Sainte-Chapelle Architect: Anonymous 1248 The world is brilliant, light, colorful, orderly.

The world is brilliant, light, colorful, orderly.
Ruggles of Red Gap Director: McCarey, Leo 1935 1931-1950 Happiness and fulfillment is in yourself.

Personal declaration of independence from servitude
Romeo + Juliet Director: Luhrmann, Baz 1996 1991-2010 Tragedy is central to life.

Romantic Love is doomed and we don't control our own lives.
Robie House Architect: Wright, Frank Lloyd 1910 1900 - 1950 United States The world is open and has sweeping, unending possibilities.

The essence of a house as shelter, and providing a sense of strength and privacy. That is, a structure that exudes strength through its massive cantilever and massive brick and stone forms, along with its big overhangs sheltering the windows to create a sense of privacy and enclosure, in its urban situation.
Rob Roy Director: Caton-Jones, Michael 1995 1991-2010 Life is a struggle. The life you make for yourself can be difficult, but living it with strength and morality is the way to live. Happiness is possible in romance.

Heroism in everyday life leads to heroism writ large. A man works hard to lead his life and those of his extended clan in an honorable, productive, honest way. This is the everyday heroism. But dishonorable, evil men seek to steal from him and ruin him. This leads to a life of larger-than-life heroism to vanquish his mortal, and stronger enemies.
Riace Bronze A Myron? c.460 BCE 500 BCE - 1 CE Reggio Calabria Italy Man is strong and indomitable

Intelligence, Pride, Strength = Man
Repose Painter: Alexander, John White 1895 1900s New York United States Life is extravagant and lush and sensual.

Feminine Sensuality is a main theme, though one can argue that a related (equal theme or sub-theme) is: The Lushness of the Material World. The dramatic draped womanly figure pressing against a divan, whose figure is clearly oulined, shares the visual dominance of the painting along with the magnificent sweeps of her dress and the giant pillows, the massive backrest, and even the strong elements of the floor material and the golden back wall. All together a remarkable composition.
Real Chiesa di San Lorenzo (Royal Church of St. Lawrence) Architect: Guarini, Guarino 1680 1600s United States The world is perfected. The joy of seeing complexity that is simplicity, i.e., that the rich complex vision arises from simple elements which because of their arrangement provide layers of visual thrills.

Complex, soaring geometric order.
Real Adventure, The Author: Webster, Henry Kitchell 1915 Life is wonderful as long as you realize that life has to be earned the hard way.

Creating your *self* is the only way to live.
Rashomon Director: Kurosawa, Akira 1950 1931-1950 The world is terrible and full of disasters and mankind is awful and pathetic.

Objectivity is a myth -- everyone sees a different reality, a different "story".
Rape of Polyxena, The Sculptor: Fedi, Pio 1866 1800s United States Strength and complex beauty are central.
Vitality, passion and action are hallmarks of this work.

Life is complex strife, entwined with strong god-like characters.