NICC Art

[esolheim-blog]

Week 13 - Chapter 11: Middle Ages

This weeks chapter felt rather small yet almost overwhelming. It was not overwhelming in the sense that there was so much art or so many advancements in art, that I could not keep up with it. It was more so overwhelming because of the crazy interactions and blending of cultures/peoples that seemed to be happening during the Middle Ages. I felt like I was learning about a different culture in every pair of pages, with the exception of the Christians, which seemed to have a substantial presence throughout the whole chapter. But, back to the other cultures, there were quite a few mentioned in the chapter. These cultures/art styles include Islamic, Algo-Saxons, and the Hiberno-Saxon art. Each came with its own unique style and some were even explored in quite a bit of depth. Different art styles or creations like illuminated manuscripts, metalwork, and architecture were all mentioned. Many of these different art pieces were all pretty interesting as well, but it seemed like the big thread of this chapter was still tied with Christianity.

It was especially intriguing seeing how the rise of Christianity was affecting all these other cultures. After that initial spark of activity from Christians during their “birth” so to speak, it seems like elements of Christianity have been popping up everywhere in art. Architecture is especially an aspect of Christian art that took hold of many areas at the time. The way it sort of just inserts itself into the art is very interesting and is slightly reminiscent of Kehinde Wiley’s art. This comparison is not exactly spot on, but it mostly captures the bold steps that were taken into becoming a prominent force of art. What Kehinde Wiley did may not be as controversial as something like what the Christians did to the Great Mosque in Spain, but it still seemed to leave an impact worthy of competing with a lot that the Christians.

What Kehinde Wiley did with a lot of his art was certainly peculiar but definitely fresh and intriguing nonetheless. He would take art, especially historical art, and replace a significant person in it with an African person. Usually he would replace white washed painting with those African people. Some examples of his art in which he switched the people in it, could be when he replicated “The Death of Marat” or “Napoleon Crossing the Alps”. In each, he took the white, male figures of the image, and replaced them with a black man striking a similar pose. This is not the only art he does, but a lot of his art pieces have this interesting take on a famous art pieces. With a lot his art however, he likes to focus on African people in a very vibrant, almost trippy background. It’s actually quite beautiful, and it has an almost historic feel to it. I find it even cooler when he applies this style to historical pieces while still changing it.

Overall, this week had a lot to show. The blend of cultures coupled with the ever-growing aura of Christianity, combined for a fulfilling chapter. Being introduced to Kehinde Wiley’s art was definitely awesome and gave me more and more ideas about art and how powerful it is. The bold steps that he took still boggle my mind and make me want to make my own, impactful style that can cause much speculation. That is, positive speculation, I hope. In the end, it was a good chapter and I would say a great conclusion to my art history class.

[esolheim-blog]

Week 12 - Chapter 10: Early Christian and Byzantine Art

Reference: https://www.metmuseum.org/toah/ht/05/eak.html

The death of Christ awoke a very interesting time period. It ignited one rather monumental spark that lit a series of events, decisions and actions that are still being played out today. Its influence on Rome and significant figures like Constantine or Justinian, was nothing short of impactful. It’s absolutely mind-boggling just how fast Christianity spread and influenced all the parts of the world that it did. Especially considering just how vastly different the Christian religion is compared to other religions. The idea of having multiple gods, sacrificial practices, and a singular God that sets himself below his subjects, was something that was not overly popular for many other religions. While most gods required the blood shed of an animal or even people, Jesus was the sacrifice. The Eucharist represented His sacrifice of blood and body through the breaking of bread and drinking of wine. It is also important to note that the purpose behind His sacrifice was also like no other religion. While most gods were given sacrifices to please them, Jesus’s required no such sacrifice as he sacrificed himself. He didn’t ask for sacrifices but He was quick to be the sacrifice in order to save those He loved from sin, being literally everybody on Earth. The act of engaging in mass and eating the bread and wine, is to remember Jesus and His sacrifice for the world. Not to necessarily please Him.

When it comes to art, however, Christian art was not quite as different from other cultures, in the sense that they had ties to similar styles of art utilized by other cultures. More than anything, Christian art was influenced by other cultures, much like how a lot of cultures were influenced. I can definitely see a connection in the architecture of the Christians. The scale, structure, and intricate details of many Christian churches and basilicas just screams Rome to me. Considering that I have been to a great many beautiful, Catholic churches in my life, I have always found great admiration for Christian architecture. I love that our book mentioned the use of large windows for natural light and the massive openings meant for holding great quantities of people. Also the idea of having the altar at the head of the church along with the cross and Jesus Christ. These concepts are all very popular in churches, and it is intriguing to me how this original design is still common in churches today. However, one detail that never occurred to me was how Jesus is usually placed facing the west. I did not know that fact, but now that I do, I will be able to keep track of that detail when I visit other churches.

As incredible as the rise of Christianity was, the Koreans in the east were also going through major changes. This was because many of the inhabitants of the Korean peninsula were to be completely united, when before, they were not in fact one whole nation. This costly accomplishment started in 313 A.D. after the Han Chinese Military was destroyed. With the peninsula divided, it would take the next 350 years to manage and form them into one nation. During this long transition, much was to be determined and there were many opportunities for conflict to arise. Different ideas and leadership suggestions clashed and ultimately, through much pain and bloodshed, a nation was formed. This sort of growth with a cost, was one the Christian religion had a similar experience with. Either way both endured a great deal of change. Such change did not stop either from producing great works of art. Korean art definitely thrived, and works from that time have been discovered and arisen questions as to their meaning. Such things as pots, earrings, stands, dishes, and vessels containing symbolism. One example of Korean art from this time period, could be the Korean Bird-Shaped Vessel. This vessel is speculated to be related to funerals and burial rituals. What makes it even more prominent, was the fact that it stayed prominent from 57 B.C. to A.D. 676, meaning it thrived through the transition from divided to united Korea.

Overall, this week was very interesting to me. It was really nice to learn more about a thing that I am not familiar with, and something that I am a bit more familiar with. Learning about the Koreans and what they went through as a set of divided kingdoms trying to become a nation, was truly new to me and helped me makes connections with the rise of Christianity. Learning more about Christianity was also very interesting to me. Being a Catholic myself, it was nice learning more about the time period and the specifics of their architecture. It was also very fun feeling the involvement of being a Catholic and reading about the early developments Christians went through.

[aubreecota-blog]

Week 11

This week I will be writing about chapter nine, ancient Rome. When I think of Ancient Rome, I think of large buildings, statues, majestic sculptures, and arenas. Most of what I know of the Romans was brought to me from my 9grade U.S. History class. So with that being said, we can assume that my prior knowledge of the Romans is little to none. As I read through this chapter in our book, I am learning more and more about each of those topics that had originally come to my mind, along with many others. I learned that the large Roman buildings originally contained the main hall that one entered into right away from the street, called the atrium. This was later shrunk down in size to be similar to a closet right when you walk in the door. I found it very interesting that the roof sloped inward allowing for an area to open in the roof to collect rainwater and sunlight. This seems like a risky plan for a building, I wonder what they did when a large storm came allowing for lots of water to enter into the building. I also found it interesting that during this time, apartments were popular. These apartments could be up to five stories high and house numerous families who lived separately but shared certain facilities such as the kitchen. The next topic in the book that caught my attention was the Colosseum. I had heard stories about the colosseums and the events that were held there, but I have never known much about the architectural side of things. These colosseums were designed for gladiatorial contests and combats between men and animals, or animals alone. I also read in this section that the Colosseum was intentionally built over a pond with a built-in drainage system. This was so that they could wash away the blood and gore of combat and subterranean passages for animals. Next is the sculpture and statue section. One of the first terms I read was “sarcophagus.” I had previously heard the term, but I had no idea what it was or meant, nor that it came from the Romans. I later found out that the sarcophagus was a stone coffin with inscriptions associated with the Romans. Just as the tombs were a way of keeping the dead alive, portraits had the same intention, keeping the dead alive in memory. I think this a very symbolic method of keeping the memory of those who had died before us, and I am glad this became popular. I could not think of a better way to keep the memory of our loved ones, than a form of sight. It amazes me the techniques that were used to make these portraits so beautiful. The book says that wax death masks were often used to make sure even the most specific physiognomic details were preserved. Can you imagine pouring hot wax over your deceased family member in order to get a marble carving of his or her head? I am glad I had the opportunity to read this chapter!

[esolheim-blog]

This weeks chapter was very interesting to me. I too only really knew much about the Romans because of a history class. It made the Romans seem familiar but it also made them more interesting because of all the new things I was learning about them, especially the art aspects of them. You actually mention one of my favorite things about the Romans and that is the wax death masks. It is just such a strange idea but I guess it is pretty creative. However, I don’t think I will ever look at a manikin the same.

[esolheim-blog]

Week 11 - Chapter 9: The Romans

Week 11 focused much on Chapter 9 which detailed the incredible feats of the Romans. The Romans seem to be by far one of the most famous and influential people of early times. Even now, the Romans are very popular and many people have at least some knowledge about the Romans. Being a high schooler and to have already learned a great deal about the Romans, I was definitely eager to not only look for new information about the Romans, but also recall many other aspects of that culture. I think what really makes them so special and memorable, is how much they resemble the successful parts of the Greek culture.

Things like extremely realistic sculptures, intricate designs, and huge architectural buildings are what helps them shine, much like how the Greeks did. The architecture in particular is absolutely stunning. I am still amazed at the things they were able to construct long ago with the knowledge they possessed. The arches, columns, temples, and basilicas are all very beautiful pieces of architecture. The invention of the aqueducts was impressive and quite an intelligent use of the resources they had available. Of course, one cannot simply mention Rome without mentioning the famous colosseum.

This thing is quite simply a marvel of a project. The sheer size, detail, and technical mastery of such a construction is breathtaking to behold. Just seeing it in a book makes me wish I could see it in person. It just seems so massive to me and I hope I may be able to see it before I die or it is destroyed, which I hope does not happen anytime soon. Another piece that I saw and felt drawn to, was the Trajan’s Column. I do not recall seeing this piece before although it may have slipped from my sight. Now that I do see it however, it does really intrigue me. It sort of reminds me of a totem pole, just with a lot more detail and enormity. The whole thing looks so intricately crafted and it makes me ponder how it is the people of this time got such ideas for different works of art.

I can understand that the colosseum was utilized as an arena and many other buildings that were previously mentioned were used for social gatherings, water systems, public bath houses, and other things. But a column like the Trajan’s Column just seems so random but interesting to me. I get that it was used as a statue of honor, but I still like to think about what went on in the minds of the people that constructed it. Leading away from the architecture, one thing that did interest me about the Romans was the busts and murals. I was not aware that the Romans used bust as much as they did, especially to honor the dead. I also did not entirely realize that the Greeks did not use busts. It was actually the Etruscans that made such sculptures and the Romans were influenced by them.

I also totally forgot about the murals that the Romans made but I do recall finding interest in the manner in which they made them. I especially found it interesting how the use of buon fresco and wax allowed the murals to withstand volcanic ash without too much damage. It’s pretty cool to me when a civilization has a balance of three dimensional and two dimensional art so seeing murals and painting is always very fun to me. I appreciate the Romans all around incredible art capabilities. The architectural art is incredible. The sculptures and statues are as detailed as always and it is nice to see some mural/painting action as well.

[gwtwsince97-blog]

Week 10 Blog

           I’m disappointed to learn that most of the information historians have on the Etruscan civilization derives from graves and burial grounds because I feel as though we are missing out on so much. I found it very interesting that their language and writing differs so greatly from other civilizations, especially in the fact that they wrote/read from right to left rather than left to right (p. 117). It’s unfortunate that we will never be able to study or learn from their vast literature, and that we will always have very little insight on their values and philosophical and religious views. I was very impressed by their government style. Similar to Ancient Greece, the Etruscan civilization was organized into independent-city states. Unlike Ancient Greece, the Etruscan government never established an empire and allowed women to participate in politics and public life (p. 117 & 120). I wonder how accepting of diversity our country would be today if Thomas Jefferson had been inspired by the Etruscan, rather than by Ancient Greece, when writing the Declaration of Independence and the Constitution.

           While there is little record of the Etruscan's’ religious beliefs and their views on afterlife, we are able to gather a sense of what they believed in because of text on graves and the ritualistic burial grounds that survived. Historians are unaware of their “specific view on the afterlife,” but have found that they definitely believed in an afterlife, and one that more closely resembled the beliefs of Ancient Egypt rather than those of Ancient Greece (p. 121). Much of their dead was cremated, and their ashes were buried in singular tombs or cinerary urns. The urns were fascinating and taught us a lot about their artistic and architectural styles.  Some urns possessed lids that were sculpted in the forms of human heads that resembled the deceased (p. 121). Other urns were in the form of houses, which was very significant because it gave us a closer look at their architectural style. I really liked that the urn-houses were metaphorical for tombs/burial places being a “house for the dead” (p. 122).

           When learning about Ancient Greece, all my thoughts were consumed by the gender inequality within their society. The government style was patriarchal and that was depicted through their art. Unlike Ancient Greece, the Etruscan women were allowed to participate in politics and public life. Their artwork reveals that men and women held somewhat equal status within their society. For example, in figure 8.10 on page 123, both the male and female are of similar height. In previous chapters we’ve learned that height is often associated with power, rank, and stature.

           I was extremely interested in the statue Mater Matuta (figure 8.7, p. 121). In prehistoric times, female figurines and sculptures celebrated childbirth and fertility. However, in Ancient Greece, where women were seen as beneath men, there didn’t appear to be a fascination or appreciation for childbirth-statues of nude men signified an appreciation for the human anatomy, whereas women were typically clothed, for instance. The statue of Mater Matuta is of a woman holding a child, while seated in a chair, with a sphinx on each side of her. The statue is symbolic of mothers who have died in childbirth. I thought I had fully understood why the miracle of childbirth was celebrated in prehistoric times, and was outraged by the fact that the female body wasn’t appreciated in Ancient Greece; I interpreted them to view childbirth as a woman’s duty rather than a miracle. However, I had never truly considered how often women died while giving birth or the lack of medical care these societies may have had (or not had).

[esolheim-blog]

I found a lot of interest in the Etruscan people. They seemed like a very unique but advanced group of people. I too am very disappointed with the lack of information that can be collected on the Etruscan culture. It is a shame that the best means of uncovering their society comes from interpreting gravestones and burial grounds, but I’m happy this civilization has at least been recognized. One thing that really annoys me about this is however, that I feel like this is the first I have heard of the Etruscan people. This angers me for many reasons, but one reason in particular stands out. If there is one thing I wish I had known about them before, it is their treatment of women. Usually, when I think of those times long ago, I think of the hardships women faced and how horrible it must have been for them back then. But the fact that this group of people held women at equal status with men, just makes these people so much more memorable for me. I like seeing a culture that holds every person at equal status in opposed to a society that depicts certain people as lower in status because of something they can’t help. It makes the Etruscans stand out and I would appreciate it if they could receive more attention.

[esolheim-blog]

Week 10 - Chapter 8: The Etruscans

This week’s chapter was pretty interesting. The Etruscan civilization was actually a lot more unique than I originally thought it would be going into the chapter. I figured this specific group of people would be very much influenced by the Greeks and that they would resemble most of what the Greeks practiced in terms of art and social order. This is why I was quite surprised to find that they were actually a lot different than the Greeks and that they were in fact, their own entity. This is very evident in both their views on art and women.

For starters, their art is very different. Initially, I thought that the use of proper proportions and extreme detail introduced by the Greeks, would have carried on throughout that area. Honestly, I think what the Greeks did with art was groundbreaking and that the Etruscan people would have used the Greeks methods for their own art. However, that is not entirely the case. The art of the Etruscans was very much their own. They didn’t completely copy the Greeks like I would have expected. Instead, they focused on a less strict but more emotional style of art.

The proportions of people or animals in their art was not meant to be 100% perfect like the Greek art. Nor did they refrain from using more jagged, polygonal shapes instead of a more organic, smooth surface. They actually try to capture the emotions and feelings of the subject of the art rather than the ‘proper’ shape. This is very noticeable in the Sarcophagus which depicts a happy couple reclining on a bed. The two people in the piece show a lot of emotion in their faces in the form of smiles and curved eye positions. It tries to show the feeling and expression of the characters. However, what the two don’t have is that perfect proportion. Their bodies have an odd curve and structure to them that is not meant to resemble a realistic look. This is where the Greeks would have gone a different route. They would have been more occupied with getting the body structure perfectly proportional while hindering a bit of the expression.

Another aspect of Etruscan culture that surprised me was how they viewed women. Again, this is completely different from the Greeks. The Greeks did not give women a whole lot of freedom or rights. They were often most valued for their ability to bear children and take care the household. Other than that, they really were not allowed to do much else. In fact, they could only really leave their house for religious purpose or specific gatherings. Although the image of women gradually became more popular for the Greeks, they initially were not that popular in art either. For the Etruscans however, women were treated quite a bit better. They weren’t kept in secret nor were they excluded to the point were they could barely ever leave their own house. Women could participate in events with their spouses and often times, women took pride in showing power through jewelry and clothing. In fact, they were almost depicted as being dominant to men, in certain art pieces at least. This is certainly something the Greeks did not approve of and it definitely made the two groups of people stand out from each other.

[thejosephshea-blog]

Ancient Greece

This is one of my most favorite time periods. I love learning about Greek and Roman culture and life around that time. One big part about ancient Greece is the artwork. The artwork was huge around the time period especially sculpture and pottery. This is around the time of one of my personal favorite parts of sculpting, making the stone look soft. The way these sculptures are able to make the clothes look transparent and make the skin look as soft as a pillow. I find it really satisfying.

Now the greeks really based a lot of their artworks off of mythology and gods. There are stories, artworks, and monuments all built around this. Which is why I feel, in history class, we focus on them a lot. Because we know a lot about them. Also, so many other cultures were built of greek, like in the book the comparisons of the Greek gods and Roman gods. They were never completely destroyed or wiped from existence, so we still have writings and stories from these times that we are able to study. Unlike the Egyptians we learned about others who had almost their own language erased beside the Rosetta stone, we know the Greek language and it is still used to this day.

Another big part of Greek art is also architecture. You go to almost any downtown courthouse or just look around in Washington D.C. You will see the marble flooring and the big pillars, these are a huge part of Greek architecture. We still use these today in modern architecture usually to signify a very important or famous building. However, there are types of styles they may be confused with roman styles like domes. the Romans were tremendous builders, engineers, and architects, in their own right as well, but they most defiantly got a lot of their ideas and strengths from the greeks.

I feel as though Geeks have a very original and “curtain” art style. Like when you look at the pottery you see the Greeks painted them with very bland colors like brown yellow and black. I feel this is a very strong style in greek because that is where we get a lot of these stories from, these stories that we read to learn about their culture.

One of my favorite parts of Greek history also, theater. I am a huge theater and film buff so this is where it all started. You had Sophocles and Euripides writing these great comedies and dramas. They would have been a lot different than now, you wouldn’t have a backstage or anything like that, however, you would still have some similar stuff. Like you still have actors writers and directors.

I learned quite a bit from this section, a lot about the art of ancient Greece. Ancient Greece may be my most favorite eras of the art of all time. The realism of the sculptures, the symmetry of the pottery and the architecture of Greek history. It amazes me with how little technology they had. They were able to create these giant structures and realistic sculpture with their bare hands.

[esolheim-blog]

Joseph, I completely agree with you when you talk about how this specific era is your favorite. I absolutely love this time period and the art that came out of it is phenomenal. Their sculptures and pots are super detailed and out do most ancient sculptures, in my opinion. I appreciate when you mention the way the sculptures appear to look soft and almost transparent in some instances. I too, really like that style and I believe the art of this time has been a huge influence in much of the art we have come to know and appreciate today.

[esolheim-blog]

Week 8 - Chapter 7 + “The Ancient Origins of Modern Beauty”

Greek art has always been very interesting to me and I think a large majority of this interest comes from my own experience with art. Growing up, I often found myself drawing a lot of pictures of humans and different characters. Drawing people is what came easiest and I love drawing the human figure. It comes naturally to me so it is no surprise that I find Greek art very inspirational. It has actually helped me in the past when I have tried to make my drawings more symmetrical and proportional. That is one of the reasons I found this week’s chapter and podcast so intriguing. The very same reasons I chose to use Greek figures as a template for my own drawings is the exact same reason Greek art is so popular. This is because Greek art is made to be proportional and mathematically just in terms of the human body. It is the ideal form for a human body.

One of the things that always bothered me about Egyptian art was how unrealistic it looked. I never really found the Egyptian art style appealing, at least in comparison to Greek art. However, I can’t help but be fascinated at how Egyptian art was one of the earliest influences on Greek art. I had actually never known that Greek art started with basic Egyptian forms. In fact, there suddenly seem to be many connections between the Greeks and Egyptians that I am only now making. The sheer scale and brilliancy of the sculptures or monuments they both constructed seem so similar yet so unique from each other. The importance both civilizations place on art really makes them shine to me. But there is again, that one big difference that makes me favor Greek art and that is the realism of their art.

I just absolutely love the detail and precision the artists were able to implement with their human creations. It also intrigues me that the theme of beauty is suddenly reborn with the Greeks. A couple chapters ago, I mentioned the possible beauty that was sought after in the many Venus sculptures made long ago. One idea I had, was that the ideal beauty standard was actually sort of flipped when we think of beauty now. Being heavier signified a different, attractive quality in opposed to being thin and fit which actually had more of a negative quality. The idea was the being heavier and paler meant power and being thin and tan meant you were more of a poor person. I thought it was an interesting concept and it almost comes back in this chapter.

That idea sort of seems to be the opposite of what the Greeks celebrated when it came to the body. The Venus of Willendorf for instance, seemed to celebrate fertility and motherhood or maybe even some idea of beauty. A form of beauty that highlighted a very unproportional, voluptuous body shape. For the Greeks, however, that idea seems quite a bit different. The ideal body is not one that is overly exaggerated or unproportional. The podcast, “The Ancient Origins of Modern Beauty” specifically mentions how most are drawn to a symmetrical, proportional body because it is simply attractive to look at. Many people strive for perfection and seeing a statue of such rare, perfect proportion is going to be a marvel to look upon, therefore more attractive. The growth that Greek art made in terms of understanding and almost exploiting the human body and emotions is simply incredible. It is one of those things that makes me admire the Greek civilization more and more.

[thejosephshea-blog]

Egyptian Art

Egyptians are without a doubt the most looked up too in the fact of art. Romans and greeks only beating them by a small margin. However, even then there is a strong possibility that Romans and Greeks got even some of their ideas from the Egyptians. I feel as though the reason that Egyptians art is looked at so much in western culture is that we gain a lot of our knowledge from them, mainly being the architecture, I feel. Obviously, I am talking about the pyramids. While the Egyptians didn’t invent the pyramids or were the only ones to create them, I feel as though the absolute size and complexity of them made architects look at them. You can see we use them today infamous modern buildings such as the Musee du Louvre. I feel as though the pyramids have a sort of simplicity to them, and I think that’s why we research the Egyptian pyramids.

Of course, there is more than just the pyramids in Egyptian culture and art. One thing I found interesting the number of little meanings they put in the sculptures and drawings. Such as the pharaoh and the queen sculpture on page 58 image 5.10. They added lots of little meanings in them such as the difference of the man standing at attention and queen holding him, or the fact that he has a more polygonal crown and she has a more rounded crown, or finally that he is taller and she is shorter showing that the queen did not sit as high as the pharaoh.

There is also the history and culture you can tell just by how 2 different are sculpted. For example, if you look at the pharaoh he has very chiseled features a flat stomach and not a lot of emotion. However, if you look at the scribe sculptor on page 58 as well you will see that it is very different. The scribe does not need to look particularly good the stomach has a pot belly and the arms are flabby, you can also see that the scribe has quite a bit more emotion than the king does. This kind of shows that showing emotion as a kind was not normal and even possibly looked down upon.

One thing that amazing me and I are sure a lot of people as well as, “how they make this stuff?’ Well for one we are not really sure. Aliens, Maybe; hard work, possibly; something we have not thought about, more than likely. See most people just think of the pyramids when they think of this. However, there is a lot more you may have to think about. For example, in the New Kingdom, You had the temples built right into the side of the cliffs. Or how well those giant statues of the Pharaoh that have a lot of human likenesses, or the monoliths. It is pretty fantastic if you think about it because more than likely they had to carve and make all of that temple with bare hands and a few tools. But I feel as though the pyramids are the only ones that get any love.

[esolheim-blog]

Hey Joseph. First off, I enjoyed your post about the Egyptians, good job! Second off, I like how you mentioned the different roles Egyptians tried to capture through their art. Like with the emotion that is shown with the scribe or the queen or even the lack of emotion portrayed by the king. I appreciate how you point out the little meanings and details the artist implemented into those sculptures. I also like what you mention about the pyramids and larger sculptures the Egyptians made. From an architects and artist eyes, those sculptures must have been incredible to see for the first time. Like you said, there is lot of creativity and detail that went into many of the monuments the Egyptians constructed and it is a bit of a shame how the pyramids sort of hog the spotlight. But it is still incredible what the Egyptians were able to accomplish.

[esolheim-blog]

Week 6 - Chapter 5

If there is one thing that really stuck out to me when reading about the Egyptians in Chapter 5, it was their power. Not just their power, but also how their massive sculptures and delicately designed crafts intensified that power to a very high degree. I mentioned in week 4, how I admired the Assyrians and how their artwork tried to imply that they were very ruthless and strong as a civilization. They used their art and structures to intimidate their enemies and establish a very dominant atmosphere. The cool part for me is how this trend transfers perfectly to the Egyptians.

This civilization was incredibly powerful and advanced. This fact is very much shown in the detail and enormity of their artwork. Not to mention the massive temples and pyramids they also found the time to construct. The pyramids alone still absolutely boggle anyone who tries to come up with an idea about how they came to be. Was it aliens? Was it a very tedious but slightly more logical technique using the power of water? Who knows?!

I guess what I find really intriguing about the Egyptians was how important art was to them. Yes, they used it very effectively for intimidation and religion, but they also seem to understand that art is what will make them last. The different pharaohs and leaders of this area are very aware of how to make themselves known through the ages. When Thutmose III finally gained power, one of the big things he did was destroy much of the statues and images left of Hatshepsut. Hatshepsut, like most other pharaohs, made sure there were plenty of statues and temples left to preserve her memory. However, she chose to be a much more diplomatic ruler while Thutmose III wanted to be an aggressive, conquering type of ruler. So one of the ways he decided to destroy the past way of life, was to literally destroy what was keeping the past way of life in tact, Hatshepsut's art. The great things she was known for and captured in memory through art, were the things Thutmose felt he should destroy first in order to fully realize his new way of ruling.

I believe that these early people were very aware of the impact art can have on not just the present but also the future. They knew art could be a sharp tool in keeping a way of life from ceasing to exist. Heavily preserved mummies and gold covered coffins only strengthen that thought of memory. I strongly believe the Egyptians understood how to exploit art in multiple fashions. They were very good at using it to make great monuments and statues capable of striking awe into any eye that gazed upon their creations. At the same time, they knew that in order to “stay alive” forever, meant that they had to preserve their art. At that time, art is what captured their way of life. Art was one of their strongest forms of staying alive. Art gave them power in a way that would only serve as an example to other civilizations who would also use their art just as effectively later in the future.

[brycelorinmed15-blog]

At the beginning of chapter 4, I found it extremely interesting how the during this era in the Ancient Near East there were civilizations that were first of all, just beginning to write and keep documents and write poetry as some of the first forms of concrete written art. I also found it very interesting how the chapter talks about people during this time shifting from a more nomadic way of life to beginning to settle in one area by using two social structures in particularly organized labor, and by stabilizing political power within their community. It sounds to me that during this time there was so much changing in politics, religion and how it was being viewed and its religious structures, as well as social groups, forming. As usual, art is always changing with the rest of all of the constants in life but during this time it some of their art seems to be somewhat similar to the last chapter, centering around rituals and fertility except now people are starting to acknowledge some presence of a God that they are also making the art for. To all of us in the present day and age so much of this art history may sound somewhat silly or as though the people then were just not quite advanced or doing things for the right reason but this chapter leads me to believe that they were smarter than many of us would expect. On page 34, under the section Catal Huyuk the author talks about the rebuilding of this town and now it seems to be designed without streets. To us this really makes no sense because it is the norm now, there are roads all over the country giving people the ability to travel where you want. In this section, you read that though there are no streets in this town they are connected in a completely different way than a person would normally assume, the ground levels of each structure in this town were all connected. Not only was each structure connected to the rest but there was also a ventilation system allowing smoke to escape from ovens and woodburning stoves in homes in addition to that these homes also included furniture that was already built into the home. This is something still seen today in buildings that are often constructed entirely out of cement, I was just surprised to read this knowing this is something contractors still practice today when building new structures.  I also noticed during this chapter that mythology seems to play a fairly significant role in their lives and art and really enjoyed reading about the significance of pottery during this time and all of the different meanings they may have, rituals they may have a part in and how they were made by the people during that time. 

[esolheim-blog]

Bryce, your post is really well written and I agree with you on a lot of the points you made. I can especially relate to you when you mention how at first, these civilizations seem really primitive and rather unintelligent, but after dissecting what they left behind, it becomes clear that these people were actually pretty advanced. The simple, streetless design of the Catal Huyuk seems so basic at first, but once you look into their design choice it becomes clear that they did connect their city in an innovative way. As you mentioned, it is a design that has thrived and can still be seen in some of our present-day buildings. The connections you make between past and present day are spot on. Good post!

[esolheim-blog]

Week 4 - Chapter 4

I find it very interesting thinking about how Ancient Eastern Groups of people first started building civilizations. This actually takes me back to when I learned about the Mesopotamians during my Sophomore year of high school. I guess what interested and still interests me the most about these civilizations, is how art, religion, architecture, and writing all influence each civilization. Almost each civilization had something significant over the other that truly made them stand out. 

For instance, whenever I think of the Babylonians, I always remember their system regarding laws and justice. This system is of course The Law Code of Hammurabi. With Hammurabi’s law code came the idea of right and wrong. Obviously, right and wrong has always been a theme in every era but now there was a legitimate code that had to be followed. It not only cemented that idea of right and wrong to protect each citizen, but it also definitively split the upper and lower classes by incorporating different punishments for each class. 

Another element of these early civilizations that I like to ponder on is the way art/architecture and religion influence each other.  For the most part, each civilization has a different religion as well as gods/goddesses. It is true that some religions or gods/goddesses resemble others from different civilizations, but what I like to observe is what differentiates each civilization. Again, I like to see what makes a civilization unique. Although it represents more of a symbol than a religion, I find the Lamassu of the Assyrian civilization quite interesting. The reason this sticks out to me is because it gives the Assyrians personality. It shows that the Assyrians put priority in establishing the king as a force to be reckoned with. It adds a feeling of dominance and power which is also reflected in some of their records which depict terror caused by the wrath of Assyrian kings. These records mention how they would make pillars out of the heads or layer the city walls with the skin of their victims and it is this that gives the Assyrians that atmosphere of cruelty. This is also resembled in some of their carved tablets. One of the most occurring animals is the lion and even more noticeable is that the lion is always portrayed as the enemy about to be conquered. It implies that no matter the might of the opposing force, the Assyrians will always dominate them with equal might and uncanny military skill.

The last little bit that I would like to mention is the importance of writing. This is the practice that truly made these civilizations memorable. Without records, it would be much harder trying to understand each civilization. Most of the facts we know today could have been no more than guesses if it wasn’t for their writing system. Just look at the Mesopotamian goddess Inanna. She was strongly depicted in many works of art but even more strongly depicted in hymns that described what made her so special. Without those hymns, more guesswork would have to be used. The vases, for instance, show she is of high importance. A lot of the vegetation and animals around her suggest that she may be a symbol of rebirth or fertility but it is still uncertain. For all anybody knows, she could have been a female ruler that put priority on protecting vegetation and certain wildlife. Things like this need that extra bit of clarification to help each civilization stand out from the others. Writing, art, and architecture are all key in understanding these ancient civilizations.

[lillianjackson29-blog]

Chapter 3- Venus Figurines

Chapter 3 discussed prehistoric Europe and famous artwork pieces that date back 1800 b.c. It discussed cave paintings, monoliths, and Venus figurines. I am going to write specifically about the Venus figurines. I did not know what these were before reading this week’s chapter. A Venus sculpture or figurine is a very exaggerated and over the top version of the female body. Often having huge stomachs, legs, breasts, and hips. They tend to not have a lot of detail and extra features in the rest of the body such as arms and head area. They are most commonly made from mammoth tusk but there has been discoveries of limestone as well. There has been more than 200 of these Venus figurines discovered to present day. There are many theories about the Venus figures and many of these theories have to do with reproduction and sexuality but also religion. They say because the reproductive parts of these figurines are so over the top and exaggerated that they were made to be associated with sexuality and reproduction. Some even believe that these were worn as accessories, a necklace, and often used in religion, such as rituals. As I said before, theories say that these were used for religions rituals and in religion. I think this is most definitely a possibility because these dolls or figures are so extremely over the top. Something about the female body or females in general is clearly a very important aspect with these figurines. People can continue to make up theories and stories behind why these figurines ever came into existence in the first place. For all we know, this could have just been a popular art form during this BC era. We can never truly know the meaning or use of these Venus figurines but I am sure people will keep coming up with things based on the evidence they can find from the dolls and the time period in which they were created. People create art because of the happiness it brings them and you have the freedom to take art in any direction you’d prefer. That is why I believe these Venus figurines could have little to no meaning and we are thinking to hard for theories and explanations, but this is something we will never know or be able to find out. I think that is what makes this chapter and these ancient prehistoric pieces of art so interesting. You get the choice to believe the reasons and theories others have come up with and put together first, or you can create your own.

[esolheim-blog]

Lillian, I really liked reading your post and putting myself in your perspective about your thoughts on the many Venus figurines. I too wrote about these figurines and also found many of the theories to be really interesting. I think my favorite part about this post is how you mention that this is art and it doesn’t always need to be chock-full of meaning which is what I think many people overlook. It made me rethink my own piece because I went in full detail about one theory that I like on the figurines. This theory is that the statues represent the ideal standard of beauty in women. It is a rather packed explanation which makes it tie back to what you mentioned about how many people probably just over examine art. Of course there is always a chance that these pieces may contain higher meaning that require theories of their own but in the end it is still art and the reason for its popularity may in fact be really simple.

[esolheim-blog]

Week 3 - Chapter 3: Prehistoric Western Europe

The Venus figurines have alway been intriguing to me. I have always wondered why these statues have had such strong popularity and also what makes them so special to all the prehistoric groups that construct them. One very possible theory is that they are a representation of fertility and the survival of a species. The Chapter 3 reading points out that each of these statues heavily exaggerates the breasts and hips, which implies that it is a symbol of fertility. This theory makes a lot of sense to me and it also correlates with other theories. One such theory is that it was often used as a charm or piece of jewelry that would grant a mother protection during pregnancy. They would make necklaces out of them and wear them as an amulet.

Another theory that I have found rather fascinating is that the statues of Venus represent the ideal beauty standard for women. The reason this is so intriguing to me is that it reminds me of something I heard about another culture. I could be wrong but I thought it had to do with the Asian culture. Anyways, the ideal physical standard was to be pale and fat whereas the lowest standard was to be thin and tan. This is because to be pale and fat meant that the person had wealth and power so they were no longer required to work as a slave or peasant in the beating sun. But to be tan and thin, meant that the person was always working to thrive. They didn’t have power or riches but they were struggling to acquire even the simplest of necessities. It’s actually quite the opposite of todays beauty standard where most people, no matter the gender, try their very best to be thin and fit as well as tan because it is what most consider to be attractive. In fact, most people probably despise being fat or pale because it may seem unattractive while back then that meant you were the richest, most powerful person there was. 

Of course, most other theories suggest that these figurines are no more than just figurines that serve religious or superstitious purposes. Perhaps they are indeed amulets that serve as a charm to help a woman through childbirth. Perhaps these figurines could even simply be a doll or fancy piece of jewelry. I like the theory of how it could represent the ideal beauty standard because it is unique and almost strange. It isn’t entirely farfetched either. I think it makes plenty of sense, the idea that being rich and powerful can be represented by being fat or pale while a tan and thin physique resembles an overworked, struggled lifestyle. As much as I like that theory, I think the most logical purpose these statues serve is as a symbol of fertility. Especially considering how back then, having offspring to carry the family name was so important for a family. If the statues of Venus had a purposeful pale or white pigment, then I would go with the beauty theory but currently I believe the best theory is that which relates back to fertility.

[esolheim-blog]

Works cited: Liew, J. (2017, July 10). Venus Figurine. Ancient History Encyclopedia. Retrieved from https://www.ancient.eu/Venus_Figurine/

[esolheim-blog]

Week 3 - Chapter 3: Prehistoric Western Europe

The Venus figurines have alway been intriguing to me. I have always wondered why these statues have had such strong popularity and also what makes them so special to all the prehistoric groups that construct them. One very possible theory is that they are a representation of fertility and the survival of a species. The Chapter 3 reading points out that each of these statues heavily exaggerates the breasts and hips, which implies that it is a symbol of fertility. This theory makes a lot of sense to me and it also correlates with other theories. One such theory is that it was often used as a charm or piece of jewelry that would grant a mother protection during pregnancy. They would make necklaces out of them and wear them as an amulet.

Another theory that I have found rather fascinating is that the statues of Venus represent the ideal beauty standard for women. The reason this is so intriguing to me is that it reminds me of something I heard about another culture. I could be wrong but I thought it had to do with the Asian culture. Anyways, the ideal physical standard was to be pale and fat whereas the lowest standard was to be thin and tan. This is because to be pale and fat meant that the person had wealth and power so they were no longer required to work as a slave or peasant in the beating sun. But to be tan and thin, meant that the person was always working to thrive. They didn’t have power or riches but they were struggling to acquire even the simplest of necessities. It’s actually quite the opposite of todays beauty standard where most people, no matter the gender, try their very best to be thin and fit as well as tan because it is what most consider to be attractive. In fact, most people probably despise being fat or pale because it may seem unattractive while back then that meant you were the richest, most powerful person there was. 

Of course, most other theories suggest that these figurines are no more than just figurines that serve religious or superstitious purposes. Perhaps they are indeed amulets that serve as a charm to help a woman through childbirth. Perhaps these figurines could even simply be a doll or fancy piece of jewelry. I like the theory of how it could represent the ideal beauty standard because it is unique and almost strange. It isn’t entirely farfetched either. I think it makes plenty of sense, the idea that being rich and powerful can be represented by being fat or pale while a tan and thin physique resembles an overworked, struggled lifestyle. As much as I like that theory, I think the most logical purpose these statues serve is as a symbol of fertility. Especially considering how back then, having offspring to carry the family name was so important for a family. If the statues of Venus had a purposeful pale or white pigment, then I would go with the beauty theory but currently I believe the best theory is that which relates back to fertility.

[thejosephshea-blog]

Week Two: Chapter 2 + The Pleasure and Meaning of Making

I think I’d like to mostly agree with Dissanayaka however, I do think some of her points are more correlation rather than causation. With her arguments about the history of art and why it connects to humans, I like to think that humans are a very connectivity based species. A lot of how we live is based on our connections, like if you look at some of the most successful tribes of early humans, they stayed alive by staying connected. So I feel like special tools and weapons and belongings people would decorate them to make them more appealing, And I feel that when they did this it made them feel more connected with the thing. You could say the same thing about pieces relating to religion, it made people feel more connected with god/gods.

I like what she said about “Makings is not only pleasurable but meaningful,” because think about it, when you make friends, food, children, objects, you feel good about it it feels good to create, so why is art any different why shouldn’t you feel good about making something creative or something unique that you like. This is a real biological standpoint on art, you do things that make you feel good, and our biology hasn’t changed all that much since the early humans, so it can be expected that they felt this too when they created art.

I think the biggest connection I personally can connect between chapter two in the book and Dissanayake’s article. Is color, and it’s not so much in Dissanayake’s article but ancient art. I feel when you look at old art even just the cave paintings, you see red as an angry color and aggressive evil color, fire is almost always associated with demons and devils, fire or dark. But when you look at ancient gods and healers, they were associated with the sky, calm blue, and white. So I feel that meaning and purposes in colors are not a new thing in art, and I feel it was always there.

One thing I do disagree on is that all art has some big meaning on it. I could be misinterpreting Dissanayake a bit here, But I feel as though she is trying to say that all art has some big meaning behind it, when I feel as though a lot of it is just what it means. I feel as though ancient Greek paintings didn’t have a special meaning behind it like a lot of art pieces now have. I feel as though they are just trying to tell a story. It doesn’t show that “the artist had emotions he could keep inside anymore,” or anything like that they just made a painting depicting what a certain battle or story was like. It goes back to that pleasure of creating, a lot of people may create because it feels good, not because it means anything.

Art has been a huge part of my life. I use it as an escape, I use it as the silver lining in our society. Music and movies are probably the two biggest media forms of art. I listen to music non stop I watch and analyze movies all the time. I feel like I’m not alone in this either I feel as though a lot of people use arts are a way to feel enjoyments. So when I create a song or create a “bond” or connection with a movie, I feel good. I made something and It feels good to do that. I can see where Dissanayake is coming from when she says there is pleasure in creating. I feel like a lot of people can relate to that.

[esolheim-blog]

Joseph, your take on Chapter 2 and Dissanayake are well-thought out and you helped me rethink some of my own ideas about the readings. I agree with what you said about how art doesn’t always need to have a crazy, huge meaning behind it. I don’t think art is meaningless but I do believe it isn’t always intended to be packed with meaning. I think it depends on how you view a specific work of art. I used to look at abstraction art and just think the artist slapped some colors on a canvas and called it good. But after closer investigation, I am able to see new concepts from the piece. I make my own meaning from the art. That’s how I feel art has meaning. People find their own meaning from art, even when sometimes the art was never meant to have meaning but to simply be a peace stimulator. Perspective matters and I feel that could also be what Dissanayake may be trying to show.

[esolheim-blog]

Chapter 2 + The Pleasure and Meaning of Making

I believe art serves many purposes beyond the world of crafts, sculptures, or pictures. Sure, art is often connected with fancy paintings and drawings and I personally find great interest in analyzing an art piece’s values, textures, subject matter, and content. But I believe there is much more to art than a visual pleasure. I feel that art’s most important purpose is its impact on human, social, and environmental health. Whether, you are molding an abstract object out of clay or performing a play in front of an audience, art is present and necessary. It has value that many people do not realize or understand. No matter how you look at art, it has a purpose that can be beneficial. One thing that bothers me about other peoples view on art, is that is is strictly limited to a picture. Art is something that is achieved. The process of creating, completing, and celebrating is what I consider to be art. Ellen Dissanayake is the writer of the article, The Pleasure and Meaning of Making. In her article, Dissanayake makes a point that I feel is very important for every person to know. She states that what makes us human is our ability to make. It is something that drives people to extradorinaiy discoveries and achievements. Creating something that could be considered “art” is a norm that people have and should practice. I was recently in a play that left me feeling stronger and more confident than ever because I created art. I was given the lead role which sent me on a journey of discovery. Everyday, I worked harder and harder on creating my vision of the character until I was able to present my character to an audience. It was a success and the whole experience provided me with a sense of accomplishment and maturity. I created art. There is a lot to discover about art and I believe everyone will have their own journeys and discoveries, sometimes without even knowing it.