Cardinal Sins Through Set Design

The Seven Deadly Sins and its Portrayal in The Cook, the Thief, His Wife and Her Lover

Student report (2023)

Authors

M.R.Z. Veerman Architecture and the Built Environment

Contributors

J.A.M. Baeten (supervisor 1)
Faculty
Architecture and the Built Environment
Copyright: © 2023 Melati Veerman
Cardinal sins Set design The Cook, the Thief, His Wife and Her Lover Peter Greenaway Ben van Os Jan Roelfs
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Published Date

20-04-2023

Language

English

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Faculty

Architecture and the Built Environment

Abstract

From the early Christian Church to contemporary cinema, the cardinal sins have been a popular theme in art and literature. While some films use the sins merely for entertainment value, others use them to convey powerful messages about human nature and society. The latter type includes The Cook, the Thief, His Wife and Her Lover (1989), using the sins to strengthen its political criticism.

Set design is a crucial component of the film that adds depth and purpose to the story. Director Peter Greenaway and set designers Ben van Os and Jan Roelfs create a baroque ambiance that appeals to the subconscious and enhances the overall tone of the movie. They have done so by drawing inspiration from art history and painting principles. Props, composition, color, and texture all contribute to create a consistent visual style that conveys the film’s message.

The deliberate emphasis on immorality and sin in the film serves as a passionate commentary on the political state of the United Kingdom in the 1980s, and the set design plays a crucial role in conveying this message visually.