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.