{"product_id":"carl-spitzweg-1808-1885-yawning-sentry-the-bastion-oil-on-wood-c1850-color-changing-mug-11oz","title":"Carl Spitzweg (1808-1885) Yawning sentry (The Bastion) - Oil on Wood c1850 - Color Changing Mug 11oz","description":"\u003ch1\u003eCarl Spitzweg (1808-1885) Yawning Sentry (The Bastion) - Oil on Wood c1850 - Color Morphing Mug Design\u003c\/h1\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eCarl Spitzweg's painting shows a sentry caught mid-yawn, slumped against a fortified bastion, and it is one of the funniest pictures of military life from its century.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003ch2\u003eVisual Elements \u0026amp; Composition\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe figure is the clear focus. A solitary soldier in a \u003cstrong\u003ered coat and helmet\u003c\/strong\u003e stands out against the surrounding palette, which Spitzweg keeps to earth tones and stone grey. The bastion's heavy masonry fills the frame and anchors the scene, while the naturalistic colouring keeps the mood quiet and still. Nothing competes with the yawn, so the eye settles on the sentry's slack pose and open mouth.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003ch2\u003eMeaning \u0026amp; Symbolism\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eSpitzweg painted in the Biedermeier style, which favoured everyday life and gentle observation over heroic subjects. Here the fortress stands for duty, and the yawn stands for the boredom that comes with standing guard long after any threat has passed. The humour lies in that gap between the seriousness of the setting and the very human weariness of the man inside it. The painting dates to about 1850 and remains a lively portrait of monotony.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003ch2\u003eMade for Slow Mornings\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eA mug is turned in the hand and lifted to the face, so the sentry is seen up close and from every angle as the cup moves. The design is faint when the mug is cold and comes forward once a hot drink is poured in, so the yawning soldier appears only when the coffee does. It is a fitting joke for anyone who needs a little help getting through a long, dull morning.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Go Mug Yourself","offers":[{"title":"11oz","offer_id":50055006945560,"sku":"48791678994417561839","price":17.99,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0703\/5204\/4312\/files\/carl-spitzweg-1808-1885-yawning-sentry-the-bastion-oil-on-wood-c1850-color-changing-mug-11oz-11oz-position1.webp?v=1756711034","url":"https:\/\/gomugyourself.com\/products\/carl-spitzweg-1808-1885-yawning-sentry-the-bastion-oil-on-wood-c1850-color-changing-mug-11oz","provider":"Go Mug Yourself","version":"1.0","type":"link"}