Romanesque-Gothic Post 2

Sculptures that decorate churches are always interesting to look at. Not only is the techniques the artists used to create these images fascinating and worth taking a closer look at, but sometimes the images are downright creepy. For example, The Suicide of Judas, which is located on the Cathedral of Saint-Lazare, and was created in 1120-30 by Gislebertus.  Who would have thought to include a scene like this in the decorations of a church. As we all know Judas betrayed Jesus by turning him over to the Roman government to stand trail for falsely claiming to be the son of God. After Jesus was convicted, overcome by guilt because of turning over a innocent man, Judas hanged himself. The part of this sculpture I find the most interesting is the expressions Judas's face. In many paintings or sculptures of men being hanged the face might by blank or the subject might have a blank stare, but in this sculpture Judas's tongue is hanging out of his mouth, a more detailed way of showing his body's natural reaction to being hanged. 
I'm also assuming the creatures around Judas's feet are demons. Their expressions are especially menacing, like they scowling or hissing in delight of the suicide. They also appear to have wings, which adds to my assumption that they're demons. As we know, demons are said to have been fallen angels who were cast out of heaven with Lucifer. 
I think that this sculpture of fear and terror was used to scare people into joining the church, much like the camp meetings and tales of fire and brimstone did in the 1700s. Reminds me of growing up in church and being told that the devil delights in our wrong doing, and that if I wasn't good he would come and get me. Perhaps this was the churches way of maintaining power during a time when people were becoming more educated and opening their minds to alternative truths. 

Romanesque-Gothic Post 1

N.d. Photograph. New Liturgical Movemnet. Ed. David Clayton. 9 Apr. 2010. Web. 5 Dec. 2012.

Gothic art was much different from art developed prior to the movement. Everything from paintings, to sculptures, to architecture was different. Take for example the above painting of Mary with Jesus. In many of the earlier pieces of art Mary shows very little emotion and does not appear to be very motherly to her child. However, in this piece she is much softer and more affectionate. She  looks to be showing off her new baby for the artist to paint. 


Woods, Kathleen. Madonna and Child. 1999. Photograph. Uffizi Museum, Florence.Leafpile. 1999. Web. 5 Dec. 2012.

In this piece she is interacting with the child in quite the same way a mother would. The baby appears to want to use his mother as a jungle gym, like many infants, and she is interacting with him in a way that suggests that she's trying to keep him from doing so. Her face is very soft and she has a slight smile. 

Medieval Post 2

A Late Antique Ivory Carving. 1998. Photograph. History and Science for Kids. By Dr. Karen Carr. Kidipede, 1998. Web. 5 Dec. 2012.


One thing I find interesting about Medieval art is the use of ivory. Ivory was obtained from many different types of animals, but the ivory of an elephant has been seen as the easiest to work with. The above piece was one I found especially interesting because of the character's Roman features. The eyes of the people in this carving are very large, must like the statue of Constantine we discussed in class. People during this time made art to resemble Roman art so that people would know they were Roman Christians. They continued to make art identifying themselves as Romans as late as 900 AD, long after historians believe Rome fell. 


"Plaque with Emmaus Scenes [French] (1970.324.1)". In Heilbrunn Timeline of Art History. New York: The Metropolitan Museum of Art, 2000–. http://www.metmuseum.org/toah/works-of-art/1970.324.1 (September 2009)

This piece is an ivory plaque made in 850-890 AD, it is believed to be of French origin. In the scene Jesus, who has just been resurrected, appears to two of his disciples who do not recognize him, but invite him to dine with them. On the right you can see the three having dinner inside the walls of Emmaus, and it is here that Christ's identity is revealed. I like that the artist used sunken relief to create the halo around Christ's head so that the person looking at the piece would not mistaken him for one of the disciples. The one thing I keep finding every interesting about the Medieval art is the artist's attention to detail. For example, the walls of the city. The artist created the illusion of the walls by slanting the bricks of the wall in a diagonal direction to create a 3D effect. 

"Plaque with Emmaus Scenes [French] (1970.324.1)". In Heilbrunn Timeline of Art History. New York: The Metropolitan Museum of Art, 2000–. http://www.metmuseum.org/toah/works-of-art/1970.324.1 (September 2009)

Also, adding to this illusion are the towers which are suppose to be farther back in the city are placed behind the ones over the closest wall. This gives the illusion that there is a wall connecting the two towers, and that within the walls are Jesus and his disciples. 

Medieval Post 1

Unknown. unknown. Photograph. Medieval Art, Unknown. Merryfarmer.net. By Merry Farmer. Web. 5 Dec. 2012. <http://merryfarmer.net/tag/medieval-art/>.

Medieval manuscript was something I found very interesting this semester. There are so many interesting details in these drawings that I can assume that the artist was very patient and very dedicated to making these scripts as beautiful as possible. The main material these scripts were created on was vellum, which is stretched calf, goat, or sheep skin. Some of the colors were plant-based, while others were mineral-based, or even insect-based.
There was no story with the above picture explaining the story, but I can assume from the images of the naked people and the serpent that this is the story of Adam and Eve. My favorite part of this picture is the image of what I assume to be God sitting on his throne observing Adam and Eve as they eat from the Tree of Life. I find the detail on his throne very interesting. Considering that the artist in this day didn't have the tools to produce images like we do it must have been a tedious process making this image. I can imagine that it would have taken a very skilled person to paint this and not make any major mistakes. I can also assume that the people responsible for these pieces were highly esteemed during the time. I doubt that anyone had seen anything quite like this before their creation.


Unknown. unknown. Photograph. Medieval Art, Unknown. Merryfarmer.net. By Merry Farmer. Web. 5 Dec. 2012. <http://merryfarmer.net/tag/medieval-art/>.

Here is another example of a manuscript but with much more detail than the prior one. Again, there was no story with the image explaining what it is and honestly I couldn't even begin to guess what it could be. I love that almost every inch of the pages tell a story although I have no clue what that story is. The image on top of the left page is absolutely beautiful. What I find especially interesting is the checkerboard pattern around the main painting. The artist actually took the time to not only make the pattern but to add a dot in each square. I for one would have never had the patience to undertake such a task so the fact that someone did blows me away. This is a topic I will continue to research after the class is over.

Early Christian Post 2

I was really excited when I saw this piece in class. I remember when I was younger being told the story of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego but I had never seen a portrait of it. I like how the artist depicted the fire, it's not too obtrusive but gets the point across that these men were standing in a furnace. I would assume that the figure about the men's heads could be either the Lord protecting the men, or some sort of evil creature there to tempt the men into proclaiming that God could not help them in this situation. I think it's a very interesting piece and I'm glad I was able to see it in class.


Raising Of Lazarus. N.d. Photograph. Catacomb Of The Via Latina, Rome. Saints And Relics In Medieval Art. Oberlin.org. Web. 5 Dec. 2012.

The story of Lazarus has always been a favorite of my grandmother and I, so when I saw this piece I was immediately drawn to it. If you're not familiar with the story the gist of it is, Jesus was called upon by Lazarus's family. The man had been dead for 7 days but upon Jesus's request Lazarus walked out of his tomb alive. My grandmother would tell this story to us in Sunday school and seeing this paining makes me miss her so much. I like the spectators behind Jesus. The artist painted whole images of people in the front, and then just the people's heads behind the first images to give the illusion that many people were there to witness the miracle.
Another interesting thing about the painting is the image of Lazarus. There are no human features to the man. If I recall the story correctly, he was wrapped up the cloth which was customary at the time. It shows that Lazarus was truly dead when Jesus called upon him, and before he could get the funerary clothes off he was walking toward Jesus's voice. I think this is a very interesting painting and is a testament to Jesus and the miracles he is said to have performed while on Earth.

Early Christian Post 1

Beardless Jesus In The Catacombs. N.d. Photograph. Rome. Www.pbs.org. By L. Michael White. Frontline. Web. 5 Dec. 2012. <http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/pages/frontline/shows/religion/first/catacombs.html>.

I'm very fascinated by early Christian art. I was raised in a southern baptist home, therefore Christian art is nothing new to me. What I like about the above painting was that Jesus is being depicted as a normal looking, human man. There's no sun shining behind him, no long flowing hair, no well groomed beard, just a approachable young man. The early Christians were responsible for putting a face with a name when it came to personifying what Jesus might have looked like, and I have to say I prefer these images to those currently produced. 
Another thing I like like about the painting is the image of angel on the wall to the paintings right. I like that there's no extravagant features to the angel so the image of Jesus is more predominant. 

Roman Post 2

Lubbock, Tom. The Still Life With Peaches. N.d. Photograph. Archaeological Museum, Naples. Slow Painting. Wordpress.com, 23 Nov. 2009. Web. 5 Dec. 2012.

One aspect of Roman art I find interesting is the use of ordinary, everyday objects in paintings. For example, the above painting of peaches and a vase. Found at Herculaneum, this painting is a good example of the Romans' love of still life. This was not a free standing painting, but was part of a much larger wall painting that included landscapes, narratives, and other decoration. In my opinion, they used these paintings to decorate their homes because they saw the beauty in objects that many of us take for granted. 
While the artist is unknown, we can tell from the painting that they had a sophisticated eye. From the illusion of two shelves, to the artist's use of shadows and streaks of white to depict transparent water in a transparent container, their technique is far advanced. With the advancements in society at the time, I feel as though the progression to more advanced techniques of making art was a natural one. And although this piece isn't exactly perfect, it is still a great example of artist's ability to take a still life scene and from that create a 3 dimensional representation of what they saw or wanted to convey to someone looking at the painting. 

Roman Post 1

Of all the Roman art created during ancient times, the one type of sculpture I find most interesting are the busts created in memory of past family members. Like the Greeks, the Roman people were very proud of their heritage and considered it a great honor to display busts of past loved ones in their homes. Another reason these busts were proudly displayed in homes was for political purposes. The Romans believed that ancestry was the best indicator of a man's ability, and so, if you were the descendant of great military commander, then you too, had the potential to be one as well. This must have added more pressure to have the family busts displayed were all could see. Knowing that a man was a descendant of a great person with a noble reputation, no doubtingly added to their influence and position in life. 
When I was younger I would visit my grandparents who had statues of heads on their mantle. I was always confused as to the importance of these "creepy" statues, but now that I know the history of displaying busts, I no longer see these sculptures as creepy. They were not of my family members, but I now see how they could be considered a decorative piece in the home. 
The image below is of a marble bust created around the 1st century. What I find interesting about this piece is that the artist did not create this sculpture to depict a happy-go-lucky person, but a stern man demanding respect. The detail used to show that the man was a senior is very interesting. The wrinkles around his face are almost lifelike to the extent that you can almost believe that this is a cast of a real human face.


"Portrait bust of a man [Roman] (12.233)". In Heilbrunn Timeline of Art History. New York: The Metropolitan Museum of Art, 2000–. http://www.metmuseum.org/toah/works-of-art/12.233 (October 2006)

Greek Post 2

Art depicting war and battle scenes are a common theme in Greek art. Many sculptures are dedicated to preserving Greek pride, and serve to remind the Greek people of the hardships they endured in order to maintain their great society.

 

Andrus-Walck, Kathryn. Sculptures from the West Pediment of the Temple of Zeus Battle of Lapiths and Centaurs. 1994. Photograph. The Museum at Olympia, Olympia. 

Take the above sculptures for example. They are from the west pediment of the Parthenon, a structure dedicated to the goddess Athena. The scene shows the battle of the Lapiths and the Centaurs. The Lapiths famously battled with the Centaurs after they consumed too much alcohol at a wedding party and began hitting on the female attendees. The Lapiths emerged victorious, and drove the Centaurs from their lands. 

 

"A Sarcophagus Relief Depicting the Battle of Marathon in 490 B.C." The Wall Street Journal. The Wall Street Journal, 24 Sept. 2010. Web. 24 Oct. 2012. <http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052748704129204575506100285460226.html>.

Above is a sculpture depicting the Greeks battle with the Persians in 490 B.C.E. In the upper right area you can see men wearing what appears to be a robe of some sort, but many of the men appear to be nude, referring back to my last post, I can assume that the nude men are the Greeks. I'd assume that this piece of art was at one time part of a continuous frieze, but over time fell victim to the elements. This reminds me of the many sculptures decorating the Parthenon in that the characters are over lapping to create the illusion of a fierce fight scene. 

Trojans and The Greeks at War. 2012. Photograph. BBC-Primary History, Ancient Greeks-The Greek World, Unknown.

This cup made in 490 B.C.E shows the Greeks and the Trojans at war. The cup is decorated with much more detail than the sculptures. You can see the clothing of the soldiers more clearly, and in the lower right there are decorative features. 

This provides a couple examples of the different types of mediums the Greeks used to tell the story of their rich culture.

Greek Post 1

Greeks used art to shape their civilization and show others what it meant to be Greek. They were, and still are, a very prideful society and much of their art proves that. For example, many of the sculptures of human figures that have survived are of nude. Greeks admired the human form and did anything in their power to perfect it.



The above sculptures are two we discussed in class. What I found fascinating was the difference between how the Greeks portrayed the male and female form during this time period. Both sculptures were created between 600-500 B.C.E in or near Athens, which was a period and location of social inequality. As we can see in the above photos, the sculpture of the man is of one who stands tall and rigid, and more obvious, nude. The woman on the other hand has a much softer stance with a slight smile and is fully clothed. The male form was much more celebrated than the female, including while working out at the gym and at the very first Olympic games. Men in Athens also enjoyed the benefits of Greek citizenship, while women on the other hand was merely included in the society. I think this type of art also serves as a type of propaganda art. Obviously not propaganda art like the Victory Stele of Naram-Sin, but propaganda art in the way that it reminded women in Athens that they were not equal to men. 
On the other hand, they Greeks viewed their goddesses as very important and worthy of respect. Athena for example was one such goddess. She has been displayed in many works of art including paintings, sculptures, and even in the pediment of the Parthenon, one of the most famous structures in the world built specifically for her. However in many works of art she is seen in battle settings which I believe added a touch of masculinity to her persona. One could ask if perhaps that was a way Greek artists could portray a woman in a powerful role usually reserved for a man but not flat out admit that everyday women could be a powerful figure herself. 

 Sampson, Nicolas D. Athens: From Democracy To Hemlock - 6. The Golden Age. 2011. Photograph. UrbanTimes, n.p.

Also noteworthy, the nudity in Greek art was understood to distinguish them from other ancient cultures that they viewed as barbaric. 

Hemingway, Colette. "Women in Classical Greece". In Heilbrunn Timeline of Art History. New York: The Metropolitan Museum of Art, 2000-. http://www.metmuseum.org/toah/hd/wmna/hd_wmna.htm (October 2004)

Aegean Post 2

One major characteristic of architecture in Mycenae is their use of large boulders. As we discussed in class, later Greeks were perplexed as to how the people of Mycenae built these massive structures and with such large materials that they attributed it to the Cyclopes. One example we discussed was the Lion's Gate located at the entrance of Mycenae. 



Out of the myth of this entrance being built by a Cyclopes, the term cyclopean masonry was coined.The two felines above the entrance are thought to be lions, hence the name. Lions were thought to have been a sign of guardianship, which the people of Mycenae depended on due to their vulnerability of being a inland society. I believe that they used these massive boulders to deter invaders. If they led other societies outside Mycenae to believe that they had something inside the city walls that was capable of moving such boulders, perhaps they would think twice before invading. 


"Mycenae." Mycenae. N.p., n.d. Web. 24 Oct. 2012. <http://dkiel.com/GreeceTurkey/Mycenae/Mycenae.html>.

Here is another example we discussed in class. These Tholos Tombs were the first structures to use corbeled architecture. Ever since we discussed this topic I have kept an eye open to other buildings that resembled this type of architecture. I think back to an area in Nashville I use to live in and I can remember the roofs of homes using this method. I can assume that they didn't use the same methods in constructing those homes as the Mycenae people did but I'm sure there was some influence. 

Aegean Post 1

Roberge, Dr. Aki. Aki's Photo of a Minoan Octopus Vase. 2006. Photograph. Crete
So far this semester, the art of the Minoan people has been my favorite. I love the bright colors and the fact that most Minoan art is very joyful and full of life. This particular vase is one of my favorites. Having a interest in marine life I was immediately drawn to it. Like we discussed in class, the Minoan people were also very fascinated with marine animals and the life that came from the ocean. One could assume that marine life greatly influenced the way the Minoan people lived, and the art they left for us to find all these years later. 

From what I've read in our book, it seems as though the Minoan people reveled in every luxury life had to offer. Much of what we know we have learned from art found in Crete. The Palace of King Minos was home to many sculptures, paintings, and frescos which sheds light on this lost society. 



As we discussed, the bull represents strength and determine which is probably why King Minos wanted it's image lining the walls of his kingdom. I'm sure, as any other king, he wanted his kingdom to be seen as a strong one that would last for many years to come. Perhaps, that is also why these images were literally made part of the wall as opposed to just being painted onto it. By painting these images while the material used to build the structure was still wet, they became permanent wall art that could withstand the elements over many centuries. 

Ancient Egyptian Post 2

Statuette of the Goddess Taweret. N.d. Photograph. Michael C. Carlos Museum, Atlanta

Medicine had only come so far in the days of Ancient Egypt therefore people needed deities from whom they could seek protection. The Goddess Taweret was one such deity whose supposed role was to protect women during pregnancy and after giving birth. She has the head of a hippopotamus, the limbs and paws of a lion, a crocodile's tail, all of which are animals feared by Egyptians, breasts, and a pregnant belly. Her appearance is thought to ward off evil spirits who may have intentions to harm pregnant women or their children. At first she was seen as a dangerous force, but by the Old Kingdom her reputation had become one of protection and nurture. Expectant mothers would carry amulets of Taweret for protection, even once Akhenaten took power and transformed Egypt into a monotheistic society. 
One thing I find fascinating about this piece is the use of animals feared by the Egyptians to create an image for a god or goddess. I wonder what made them begin using animals or where that practice came from. My assumption is because animals where abundant throughout the region and they may have had questions as to where they came from. Perhaps because they were unsure as to the origin of these animals and therefore saw them as being from the gods or of a godly nature. 
Another thing that I find interesting is the possible connection between women carrying these small amulets around and displaying them in their homes and how people devoted to the Catholic faith do the same with small sculptures of Mary. Did this Ancient Egyptian practice influence how people of other religions show their dedication? Obviously, both have vastly different purposes but I do wonder if one influenced the other. 

"Taweret." Ancient Egyptian Gods;. J. Hill, 2010. Web. 23 Oct. 2012. <http://ancientegyptonline.co.uk/taweret.html>.

"Michael C. Carlos Museum: Permanent Collection: Ancient Egyptian Art." Michael C. Carlos Museum: Permanent Collection: Ancient Egyptian Art. N.p., n.d. Web. 23 Oct. 2012. <http://carlos.emory.edu/COLLECTION/EGYPT/egypt10.html>.


Breccia Statue of the Goddess Taweret. N.d. Photograph. British Museum, London. 

This sculpture is another example of a small amulet dedicated to Taweret. This one is quite different from the above example. It is more rigid than the other and it's pregnant belly is not emphasized as much as in the previous example. I suppose that different artists not only had different techniques as to how they make their art, but different artists also had different views of how this goddess would look in physical form. 

Ancient Egyptian Post 1

Fund, Charles Edwin Wilbur. Statue Of A Family Group. N.d. Photograph. Brooklyn Museum, Collection: Egyptian, Classical, Ancient Near Eastern Art, Brooklyn.

This photograph of the Ancient Egyptian sculpture, Statue Of A Family Group, reminds me of the statue Menkaure And His Queen. The family's identity is unknown, which I assume because of the statues vague title, but we can determine from the size of the male figure that he is the head of the household. His wife is kneeling beside his left leg and a young boy is standing beside his right leg. This type of sculpture is fascinating to me because it shows that it was very important to Ancient Egyptians to follow the traditional model of a nuclear family. There is obviously a tremendous amount of pride in one's family, and a desire to trace lineage throughout many generations. The man's left leg is placed slightly in front of the right as though he is taking a step. In my opinion this suggests that the members of the household are obligated to follow the direction of the man of the house. The fact that his wife is kneeling beside him suggests that she assumes a subservient role. Also, she is holding on to his left leg which to me suggests that she greatly depends on him for guidance and safety. Both the man and his son are wearing headdresses which are seen in many Ancient Egyptian sculptures and paintings. I believe that this shows a relationship between the hierarchy of each Egyptian family, and suggests that one day the son will be the head of his household just as his father is. The man's stance if very rigid, as is many Egyptian sculptures. His stance is not very natural which I believe shows his authority and power.