Art Hx Blog

[elizarosephotography-blog]

Art History Chapter 13; Gothic Art

About the first few pages of the text (pages 198-200), I am excited to see that the work on Saint Denis was written down. We haven’t seen a lot of that through this art history book. It’s interesting to me to read about how the church looks through another persons eyes, even if this person lived so many years ago. Saint Denis on the Manuscript page from the Life of Saint Denis was depicted bigger than the other characters on the piece of art. This emphasizes his importance. This reminded me of many of the other chapters in the text (the Egyptians and Greeks, if I can remember correctly) and also I noticed gold around the edges, which just goes with the theme of royalty/higher power.

Okay the stained glass windows on pages 202 in the text, 213, and 217 are AMAZING! So beautiful. They remind me of this church I went to once. It was about 10:00 am, and there were these beautiful stained glass windows lining a tall wood paneled wall. The sun came through them so delicately, it was magnificent. Reading about them is interesting to me, because stained class windows are so curious. Being in an empty church with tall ceilings and a sight of stained glass windows is almost whimsical, or I suppose spiritual would be the right world. According to the text, colored glass is formed by mixing metallic oxides with molten glass or fusing colored glass with clear glass. Next, the artist will cut the glass to whatever shapes he is trying to create. Once all of the pieces have been fitted on a piece of wood or paper, details are added in black enamel. To go with what I mentioned earlier, about a church room with stained glass feeling spiritual, the text mentions that Saint Denis reflects Suger’s intention to convey God’s presence through the display of the stained glass with it’s light and color. No wonder!

Towns in Northern France began competing to build cathedrals with the Gothic style. Cathedrals by definition, according to the text, are a seat of the bishop. Kathedra in Greek means ‘seat’ or ‘throne’. And cathedrals were built in more urban areas. This makes sense to me, because if I look out of my window here in Dubuque, I can see a church with a Gothic style steeple. I’ve taken pictures of it before, and it’s in fact my favorite church to photograph through all of my years of living here. The text says (page 204) that cathedrals being urbanized helped the local economy, because cathedral schools and universities were connected, and the thousands of pilgrims and visiting traffic provided great stimulation in the area. 

On page 206, looking at the Perspective Diagram and cross section of the Chartres Cathedral (figure 13.12), I can imagine how patient the workers must have been while building these cathedrals. There are a lot of details put into this work, and it’s not just as simple as making columns, like the Greeks or Romans. This is tough work! The results are so beautiful though (page 207-213). The Tympanum, lintel, and archivolts of the central portal in the Chartres Cathedral made me reflect back on the Romanesque portals on pages 189 and 190 in the text! In fact, the Tympanum in figure 13.15 is extremely similar to the Last Jugement tympanum of west portal, in Sainte-foy, Conques (figure 12.8). They both have Jesus in the center with his right hand up, and lots of symbolism and important people around him.

I want to experience the overwhelming sensation that occurs when entering the Chartres Cathedral! The text says that’s what happens when you look at the nave. It looks so AMAZING! Figure 13.18.

I feel like I’m going to pass out looking at the West facade, Reims Cathedral in France. I’m actually really jealous too, because my mom and brother are going on a trip to France, and this is the kind of stuff they’ll be looking at! The high Gothic style is so rich and elegant looking. The cathedral designs were becoming progressively elongated according to the text (page 212). The arches at Reims are taller and thinner than the ones at Chartres. There are more sculptures in Reims, and they are more naturalistic. The nave on figure 13.14 (in Sainte-Chapelle, Paris), just wow. This High Gothic style is definitely more rich and elegant looking, just like I said! The Sainte-Chapelle was commissioned by King Louis IX.

The Gothic style spread from England to Germany (although in Italy it was short lived, as the Renaissance style was beginning to emerge). The Salisbury Cathedral in England is so gorgeous, just look at that huge tree in the courtyard! (Figure 13.26 on page 219) and those windows in the Vault, chapter house, figure 13.28, again, WOW. We know they did this on purpose to allow for a lot of light, since that is important to have in cathedrals (for Christianity and whatnot). The Cologne Cathedral (13.29 on page 220) is MASSIVE. And the nave (13.31 page 221) is so…awe inspiring? Is that the right word for it? Definitely on my bucket list now, is to travel around the world and see the different churches and cathedrals built. I want to do this so that I can feel that overwhelming awe like the text said, and I can experience the spiritual feelings that their builders intended. 

[paper-wonders-blog]

I really enjoyed your post. Most of my family lives in Dubuque, so I get to spend a lot of time there! I recognize the buidings from your photo, and if I’m not mistaken, my mom grew up going to church there! I also find stained glass windows rather wonderful. I think the way light reflects through at different times of the day can add so much spitual worth to a moment. Sometimes while attending church, I notice how beautiful and serene the light is falling among the people inside, and it truly feels like a gift from God. 

[lovelytonesofblue]

I really enjoyed your post. Most of my family lives in Dubuque, so I get to spend a lot of time there! I recognize the buidings from your photo, and if I’m not mistaken, my mom grew up going to church there! I also find stained glass windows rather wonderful. I think the way light reflects through at different times of the day can add so much spitual worth to a moment. Sometimes while attending church, I notice how beautiful and serene the light is falling among the people inside, and it truly feels like a gift from God.

[futurebachelorsstudent-blog]

I have to admit I loved your post mostly because I recognize the steeple in the picture as St. Mary’s Church, which is now closed.  I have been in this church most of my life and now they are making something else of it but I am not entirely sure of what it will be.  The stained glass windows in this church are elaborate and mesmerizing.  I would sit in the pew during and gaze at them (totally not paying attention to the sermon) while I was at mass.  To me they are spiritual.  I love that they tell a story from one to the other.  Each frame was delicately placed and tall and majestic looking as the sunlight would shine through them.  They are indeed my favorite part of this chapter.  I also agree with your nod to Saint Denis.  It is lucky for us that there was so much documentation compared to the previous chapters.  The image on page 199 of Life of Saint Denis has very regal colors and a Gothic frame to give the image more prominence.  I find it amazing how detailed the artists were.

[futurebachelorsstudent-blog]

Chapter 13 Gothic Art

In the Middle of the12th century in France to the 16th century in other parts of Europe.  When someone talks about the Gothic style they are most often referring to the Gothic architecture from the afore mentioned time period in France and other parts of Europe.  Abbot Suger of the French royal monastery is credited for the invention of the Gothic style.  Suger kept the Romanesque style of chapel but added to them and changed them in a way to make them more light and welcoming.  Suger changed the barrel ceilings to rib vaulted ceilings.  By doing this he was able to create the feeling of openness.  This was more enticing to the population because they were no longer in a dark space that was depressing.  The pointed arches are a main characteristic of the Gothic cathedrals and they were erected in northern and central France, England, Spain, Germany and Austria.  As I'm writing about this weeks chapter, I had to go back to look at the last chapter's blog because I feel like I have already written this synopsis.  The Romanesque period and the Gothic period have many similar themes to them but as we know each new era puts their own twist on things.  For Suger it the Gothic style of ribbed vaulted ceilings, stained glass windows to allow even more light in and a more open space to be able to move about.  But also the tympanums were similar from the Romanesque period to the Gothic era.  On page 209, fig 13.15 there is an image of the tympanum from the Chartress Cathedral, if you compare the Chartress tympanum to the Giselbertus, Last Judgment, tympanum from chapter 12, page 190m fig 12.10 you can see they are incredibly similar in theme and design but the little details are quite different.  In the Gislebertus tympanum the subjects are still somewhat in profile and the background behind the Christ and the others is very plain.  In contrast the tympanum at the Chartres cathedral has intricate detailing behind and between the saints and the saints are facing forward.  Here in my hometown we have a cathedral and I was fortunate enough to be married in it.  The design and detail mimics the gothic cathedrals of the 12th century.  My favorite part of the cathedrals are the stained glass windows.  You can see an example of the beautiful stained glass windows on page 213, fig 13.19.  You can see the rosette with lancets in the Chartres Cathedral from the 13th century.  The colors are predominantly blue, red and gold but as the light shines through them there appears to be additional colors.  In today's (by today's I mean more recent times) stained glass windows there is a story that is told.  My cathedral has the stations of the cross and beautiful rosettes above them. 

I have to say, I am excited to move on to the next chapter.  As much as I love architecture I'm ready to learn about to some beautiful artwork and sculptures.

[futurebachelorsstudent-blog]

Chapter 12 - Romanesque

In the eleventh and twelfth centuries the Romanesque style was prevalent in the Western European region.  Romanesque meaning roman-like.  During this time the scholars identified the regions by their predominant styles since there was no real administration to speak of.  During the Romanesque period churches had to be larger and more structurally sound because there were so many people coming into and leaving the area.  There was a more nomadic feel to this period.  The tradesmen who worked on the churches would often go back and forth meaning a lot of the churches shared the same structures and artistic flair.  

Architecture of the churches was very similar to the Early Middle Ages structures but in the Romanesque period churches were built with stone barrel arches instead of the wooden ceilings which made them less prone to fire and more desirable for the acoustics of the chanting in the churches.  Looking at the plan of Sainte-Foy in Conques, c 1050-1120 (pg. 187, fig. 12.3), the layout of the church is similar to how our Catholic churches are still laid out today.  The churches of today still employ the nave, choir and the ambulatory.  They may be moved around a little since the 11th and 12th centuries but they still have the same components.  I’m not sure it was specifically mentioned but I think the stained glass windows depicting the stages of the cross were tapestries in the past but the same basic idea to allow the pilgrims to “read” the Bible.  

One of my favorite pieces of artwork from the Romanesque period is the Gislebertus, Last Judgement, tympanum of the west portal in the Cathedral of Saint-Lazare in Autun, Burgundy.  The image on pg. 190, fig. 12.10 shows the tympanum in it’s entirety and as impressive as it is, it’s hard to see the beautiful sculptural detail put into it by Gislebertus, who incidentally was the only known  artist to sign his name on a tympanum.  However, if you look at the picture on pg. 191 fig. 12.11 you can see a piece of the artwork.  I understand what it represents with the weighing of the souls, the angel weighing the good and the devil weighing the bad of course.  But I am more amazed at the detail of the softness on the angels side and the darkness displayed on the side of the devil.  I think this is a powerful, awesome piece.  I will say though, it makes me laugh when I look at it.  There is something about the dark side of the tympanum that has a cartoonish feel to it.  

[deeplyponderingarthistory-blog]

Week 14- Chapter 11

The early Middle Ages was a very interesting chapter to read about. In school, we are talking about some of the topics mentioned in this chapter such as Islamic beliefs and the the starting of Christianity, so reading this chapter really helped me better comprehend and make ties to what we are learning in my World Cultures class.

Some of the Islamic art that was considered in this chapter included the mosques that were built. The mosques were a place for Muslims could come to pray while facing Mecca, which was the birthplace of Muhammad who founded Islam. Mosques all a sahn (enclosed courtyard), and a qibla (prayer wall). One of the mosques that was constructed in the Middle Ages was The Great Mosque, Córdoba. Córdoba had a unique structure and design. I found it interesting that the columns were not as tall as what may seem from the pictures. They were 9 feet, 9 inches tall. The red and white arches are different from what I had ever seen before. Their is magnificent beauty in both the architecture of the columns and intricately detailed ceilings in this mosque.

The chapter went on to explain that because of invasions of different groups, Islamic influence shown in art lessened and new designs and new artistic and political focuses that is seen from new groups of cultures. Metalwork was more commonly seen in art and one example of this is Sutton Hoo purse cover. When it was found in a ship burial with gold coins inside. So it was inferred it was for royal person since this was a “high-end” product so to speak. The purse is decorated with valuable materials such as gold, cloisonné enamel and red garnets. The geometric designs on the purse cover were also fascinating. The purse cover was also symmetrical which I thought displayed both creativity and time and effort on the part of the Anglo-Saxons.

Another tie that I found in my World Cultures class and what I read here is the discussion about Charlemagne. Charlemagne played a major role in the spreading and enforcing of Christianity. Some of the changes Charelamane made was  that he expanded monostary’s ability to understand Latin. He also wanted to bring back some aspects of past Roman culture. For instance, he based political organizations on ancient Rome. He also created many positive influences such as building libraries, making sure he had laws set out for the people to follow, and encouraging new and improved educational reforms. In Northern European art, Christianity was commonly displayed and we can see this through art in various pieces. Manuscripts were one important way that Christianity was conveyed and spread. One manuscript mentioned in the book that especially caught my eye was Four Evangelists. In this image, there is depicted the 4 men who wrote the four Gospel accounts (Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John). Also shown is symbol for each writer. The animals represent how they were viewed likely in their version of the Bible or how others thought of them.

In conclusion, chapter 11 was quite interesting to read about and now I have not only gained more information that I’ll be able to use for this class, but I’ll also information I can carry back with me and use in my classes in school.

https://www.khanacademy.org/humanities/medieval-world/early-medieval/a/the-sutton-hoo-purse-lid

[futurebachelorsstudent-blog]

I had to chuckle as I read your post.  It just occurred to me why I don’t remember learning about this in my earlier days of high school.  When you mentioned your World Cultures class it dawned on me that it was a class I did not care to take.  That said.  I’m glad that you find information from our text and in your research that you can apply in other areas of your schooling.  You mentioned the painting of the Four Evangelists, that was also a favorite of mine.  I really like how the clouds create a movement in the picture as if to say they are writing their thoughts in a heavenly space yet the horizon is just behind them.  If you compare it to the picture of Christ in Majesty, to me there is a warm emotional feeling with the Evangelists picture and a cold feeling from the Christ picture but I’m sure everyone sees these artworks in their own way and would argue just the opposite.

[futurebachelorsstudent-blog]

Chapter 11 Early Middle Ages

The Early Middle Ages is a time period between the the seventh to the end of the 10th century.  During that time the Roman Empire had declined and the Germanic tribes had taken over Western Europe.  As I was reading it seemed like it was a little hard to keep up.  First the Germanic tribes over-ran Western Europe, then the Islam influence became prominent, Spain was over run by the Visigoths and ruled until 711 A.D.  In 711 A.D. the Moors from Northwest Africa had invaded and taken over.  The Moors were then over run by the Arabs who in turn converted them to Islam.  This lasted until sometime in the 13th century and the Christians reclaimed the land until the final unification of Spain in the 1400′s.  Whew!  I may have gone through a few history classes but I don’t remember hearing that Western Europe had undergone that many changes of the guard so to speak.  As far as art goes It is clear to me that the Early Middle Ages employed more of the artistic style of writings and drawings.  Not really sculptures.  In fact in Islamic art sculptures were considered to be the work of Satan and they are very scarce.  Along with the artistic style of drawings, writings and education was the architecture.  As in the past the dwellings that were constructed were a prominent part of the artistic flair.  

I do like architecture.  This week in the reading there was a picture of the The Great Mosque on Cordoba, Spain (pg. 172, fig 11.2).  Although it is a spectacular site and I’m sure in person it would be even more impressive, I am not a fan.  I don’t really care for the double arches.  I appreciate that materials were recycled and reused from Roman and Early Christian buildings.  I know that the red and white bricks of the arches were alternated to draw attention to the arches but I think they look more like they belong at the entrance to a circus tent than in a beautifully constructed lavishing mosque.  That said, they are still beautiful in their own right,  

The one thing that stood out to me in this weeks reading was the page from the Gospel of Matthew (27:38) in the Book of Kells.  Written on this page is “Tunc crucifixerant XPI cum eo duo latrones” or in English, “Then they crucified Christ and, with him, two thieves”.  I think the page itself is beautiful and extremely ornate with a lot if intricate details such as the dragon’s head breathing fire down towards the box of the five heads on the left side of the page.  The detail in the dragon’s head is beautiful.  The colors seem to have been preserved very well.  I like how the letter T is drawn as an animal yet it is clear enough to see that it is a “T” used to start off the word Tunc.  I also liked the photo of the Four Evangelists on page 180.  The colors are very soothing and seem to invite you into the picture.  It invokes a feeling of a heavenly place.  I just really like how beautiful it is.

[futurebachelorsstudent-blog]

Week 13 Early Christian and Byzantine Art

This week the text was very religious.  I understand that religion had a great influence in the artistic world but for me this week was like going back in time to my religion class in school.  When Jesus died during Tiberius’ reign and then was crucified outside of Jerusalem the Christian religion was established.  Christianity had a great influence on Western art.  It promised eternal life and forgiveness of sins if one was repentant.  It was however, considered a cult but differed in two ways; they did not sacrifice animals or drink the blood of them although it was sybolically done by eating the bread (body of Christ) and drinking the wine (the blood of Christ), and Chriatians refused to worship the emporer as the ruler of the state.  Other then the beautigul sarcophagus partially pictured on page 155, the chapter was repetitive and uninteresting.  The sarcophagus showed that early Christian art carried through the Roman imagery.  Although the Old and New Testament were depicted on the sarcophagus the imagery such as the drapery and relief schulptures.  the sculpture was a depiction of old and new or pre-christian and Christian.  

I said in the beginning of this class that I prefer the art of the architecture versus art sculptures, paintings, writings, etc. and I think this chapter was the beginning of the architectural movement.  I say that because I initially read the wrong chapter and it was more about the place of worship, the floor plan and the way they were built.  There is beauty in St. Paul Outside the Walls if you look at the picturethere is a resemblence to the Roman and Greek temples but the intricate mosaics are far more detailed and colorful then previous times.  This is a place I would love to see.  Just looking at the floor plans of the structures, pg 159, I am in awe of the detail and planning it must have taken to build these beautiful structures.  How did they do it?  The foudation of these buildings is still carried out today in our religious churches and cathedrals.  The santuary, gallery, the nave, are all parts that are still carried through today.

I chose ancient Aboriginal X-Ray art to research.  To be honest I chose this one because I am an X-Ray tech and of course bones and the insides of things interest and fascinate me.  I find the Aboriginal art beautiful but I am not sure I fully understand their reasonong for depicting humans and animals in the X-Ray form.  I know that they used these paintings as a connection between the natural and supernatural world.  In my research I could not find an explaination for the way in which the paintings were done but it was mentioned that it may have possibly been a religious symbolism.  The paintings are on the inside of cave walls that they used to camp in during the wet season and some of them are very large up to 8 feet long.  Today the Aborigine tribe still practices this way of painting.  I looked up the Injaluk website that was mentioned in the Heilbrunn Timeline of Art History link and it went to a site that was about the Aborigines and their way of life but also had a newsletter for Injaluk, a place where you could purchase the Aboriginal art and a link where you could get information on teh rock art tours.  I felt it was very commercial.  Even though this art style is still employed today I feel that the authenticity of it is lost due to the commercialism of it.

[allisonmartinek-blog]

Ch 8. Etruscans (week 11)

The Etruscans shared many qualities with the Greeks, yet still incorporated unique differences. Etruscans differ from Greeks by their treatment of women. In Greece, women were only depicted in art as goddesses and were not allowed the same rights as men in society. Etruscan women could hold higher positions in society and participate in social gatherings with men. It is refreshing to read about a society that values women for more than their body for the sake of art and reproduction. The bronze mirrors provide evidence of literacy among women, furthermore advancing women beyond Greek customs. The mirrors also displayed the empowerment of women by showcasing scenes of power women with divine status. The amount of detail constructed in each mirror is truly amazing. I especially admire the use of lines to create details, such as the drapery in the clothing.

Another key difference between Etruscan and Greek art is the way the human body is rendered. Unlike the Greeks, the Etruscans did not anatomical accuracy or naturalistic movement. These key features are best displayed by the Sarcophagus from Cerveteri and the tomb paintings. The textbook refers to the people depicted in the tomb painting as having spontaneity. I personally cannot decide if I prefer the Greek or Etruscan style of showcasing the human body. While I do tend to lean more towards the fuller figures of the Etruscan style, I still appreciate the anatomical accuracy of the Greeks.

Like most previous cultures, the Etruscans dedicated mass portions of art for funerary purposes. Yet, I found it interesting to learn about the preference for cremation in the Etruscan society. I wish there was something that could provide insight into what the Etruscan’s believed in for an afterlife. The book does state that the belief in the afterlife is mostly like closer to the Egyptian than the Greek belief. Yet due to the popularity of cremation, I do not think it is comparable to the Egyptian afterlife. The Egyptian afterlife consisted of preserving the body for the next (and hopefully better) afterlife. I hypothesize that cremation process represented the release of the soul into the afterlife. This belief could also explain the need to capture the physical likeness of the deceased because only their soul will proceed to the afterlife. Yet, the Etruscans do mimick Egyptian culture by their tomb painting of afterlife depictions and the placement of the objects with the deceased.

Another piece of art that caught my attention was the Mater Matuto. This piece stood out to me because of the use of limestone. It was common for the Etruscans to use bronze or to have a terra cotta color scheme in their artwork. To me, Mater Matuto represents a mother’s need to protect her child and to be constantly watching over them. The downward expression of the mother symbolizes that the importance of the monument is not but her child instead. The book mentions the possibilities of the monument memorializing mothers who died during childbirth. Yet, I think it memorializes the child’s death and the mother not wanting to let go of her child.

Refrences

Adams, L. S. (2011). A history of western art (5th ed.), New York, NY: McGraw-Hill

[futurebachelorsstudent-blog]

Allison, I enjoyed reading your blog about the Etruscans.  I also found it interesting that the Etruscan civilization was more in tune with women.  I like that the women were perceived as equal to the men and that they are represented artistically equal as well.  In the Greek culture women were at home with the children in the background and the Etruscans wives were included with the men and their activities.  They seem more family oriented.  I think the sculptures are more unrealistic in anatomic correctness but at the same time more endearing because the subjects are more about family then assertiveness and power. 

I found it odd and almost creepy that the Etruscans made likenesses of the deceased but not very accurate as far as facial features.  Perhaps that is because they believed in the afterlife one's facial features and appearance was not how they "saw" people but rather that they experienced the spirit or soul by their energy.  A perfect likeness would only serve to be grave markers for the living.

[futurebachelorsstudent-blog]

The Etruscans

The Etruscans did not form a civilization rather they shared separate city-states each with their own rulers.  The Etruscans civilization was from about 1000 to 100 B.C.  Etruria had control over the Mediterranean with their vast fleet and they were important in the way of trading.  Very little is known about the Etruscans language but there are a few remnants left of it on graves and religious items.  The Etruscans language read right to left.  The Etruscans were similar to the Greeks in that they developed their own language and their works of art had some held over similarities.  For instance, the Wounded Chimera pictures on page 119 shows a mythological creature with a serpent’s tail similar to the Greek stylization.  Likewise the human figures of the Etruscans mimics the style of the Greeks in that the statue Apollo of Veii (pg. 119) shows the draping of the gown, the styling of the hair and the facial features including a smile all are holdovers from the Greek civilization.  But also in the statue Apollo of Veii the Etruscans flair on the statue was the stride in which Apollo is taking and how it appears that he is walking with purpose.  The Etruscans placed more value on the role of the female.  The wives would accompany their husbands to the dinner instead of being left home to tend the children and keep house.  The family unit was a value to the Etruscan culture and the women appeared equal to the men.  The sarcophagus pictured on page 123 shows a married couple that appear to be alive and well in the sculpture as if they believed they were going into the afterlife and death had never occurred.  The detail of the sarcophagus lid both back and front is beautiful and unrealistic.  The man and wife could never bend at the waist like they are depicted on the couch.  There were a number of paintings of the Etruscans found in underground tombs much like those that would have adorned the walls of public and private buildings.  The paintings appear to be a celebration of life for the deceased as well as guardianship for their tomb.  The Etruscans had their own civilization but they did still have the influence of the Greek civilization before them.  Eventually the Etruscans were swallowed up by the Roman Empire and ceased to exist.  

With each new chapter we read I gain insight into civilizations that I had not previously known existed.  I don’t remember learning about the Etruscans and their culture but I am starting to see how one culture influenced the next even if the influence was to not mimic the culture before it in any way and destroy all things related the previous culture.  The Etruscans took a lot of influences from the Greeks and we can see that in their sculptures and frescoes how the facial features and fluidity of the garb on the statues.  It was a short chapter and there was not much history on the civilization itself but it was interesting and I finally started to realize after eight chapters how one influenced the next.

[deeplyponderingarthistory-blog]

Week 8- Chapter 7

This week’s reading has made me consider how much that the Ancient Greeks have influenced future civilizations and how much intellectual ability, effort, and time they had to be able to create the art they did.

One way that the Greeks have influenced future cultures is the style of government. Unlike previous civilizations who looked up to kings and pharaohs, the Greek had a more democratic style of government, which has been progressively tweaked and passed on to other civilizations. The Greeks had governments in independent city-states, rather than just one central government that was followed.

The Greeks have also given future civilizations was their literature and drama. Even in my high school english courses, we have discussed the Greek and how much they have given to the language arts. Great works of literature such as The Odyssey, have changed the way some areas of literature arts are viewed.

Another aspect of Greek culture that other civilization have taken was the idea of grave markers. The Greeks didn’t try to follow the complicated tradition of preserving the bodies of those who had died. Instead, they decided to give the dead a tombstone, or grave marker. Today, that practice is also followed. No doubt the Greeks have given so much to help advance other civilizations.  

One of the great achievements of the Greeks was, of course, their being able to build statues and architectural buildings. One of the well-known creations of the Greeks is the Parthenon. Reading about the plan for the Parthenon was extraordinary. The great attention to detail, through the 9 years of making it was truly astonishing.  

Temples, theaters, and myths are also commonly remembered from the Greek culture. As I was reading this chapter, the Greek Theater was quite the achievement for it’s time. There was a round space in the middle of the theater, and the seating arrangement was built around that area. They used this area for religious ceremonies to the God, Dionysus. Here at that location, the Greeks could also watch dancing and theatrical plays, which shows the amount of emphasis they had for the arts at that time.

Podcast “The Ancient Origins of Modern Beauty”

The podcast brought our that present-day, people have differing views on beauty and some may be able to describe beauty in just a couple word, but the Ancient Greeks had much more complex view of beauty that has influenced contemporary standards of beauty. I found the difference between kalós and kallos interesting. Although from the surface, these words look virtually the same, they have different meaning relating to beauty. Kalós refers to something being good. On the other hand, kallos gives the impression of something having a great amount of beauty or physical attractiveness. Symmetry and proportion was viewed as beautiful to the Greeks back then. They had sculptures that were made where the head would be in some sort of exact proportion to the rest of the body, really illustrating the detail and effort that was put into making sculptures that demonstrated beauty. What we have seen through different the Ancient Greeks art and sculptures have given us, as a society, a better understanding of beauty back then, and modern-day as well.

https://www.wnyc.org/story/ancient-origins-modern-beauty/ (Podcast)

http://historylink101.com/2/greece3/theater.htm

[futurebachelorsstudent-blog]

I enjoyed reading your post.  I was excited to see when I opened my book that we finally reached the Greek culture and how they influenced the art world both architecturally and artistically.  I myself am Greek and I find their culture intriguing.  I have been to Greek weddings and receptions and they are their own style of people!  I love the culture and what it has brought to us.  I remember learning about Ancient Greece in my history class back in the old days :) and it was just as fascinating to me back then.  The podcast we watched was about beauty and physical attractiveness.  I understood it to be telling us that the Greek culture found pleasure in “worshipping” the people that were perfect.  People that were in a sense beautiful in that they were without flaws.  I enjoyed relearning about Ancient Greece and what it has brought forth into our society.

[futurebachelorsstudent-blog]

Week 8

WOW!  What an interesting chapter.  I find the Greek culture and art fascinating.  Much like the Greeks today, at least the ones in my family, the Greeks thought of themselves as the most civilized culture in the world, viewing themselves superior to all others.  The Greek culture was the first where I read that they employed the politics of requiring men to participate in its government while women were not allowed.  Thomas Jefferson used the Greek democracy as an inspiration to write the Declaration of Independence and the American Constitution.  A new way of teaching was developed as question and answer known as the Socratic dialogue.  When you read about these things our way of life today (minus the electronics) still mimicks the Greek culture.  

The Greeks have taken their works of art to a whole new level, literally and figuratively.  They were the first civilization to use grave markers instead of trying to preserve the deceased for their new life.  Their grave markers were beautiful pieces of pottery with painted renderings on them.  They used red figure painting to depict people in a more naturalistic color and form.  They were more sparing in the amount of things they put on a sculpture.  What I love about the Greek artwork is the natural flow of the sculptures, the softer lines and that they have far more interesting detail right down to the folds in their drapes.  They were not ashamed to show the body nude.  The sculptures are beautifully detailed with muscle tone, curly hair, genetalia and even veins! The Parthenon has sculptures along the top of the columns, the Erechtheum uses  caryatids to support the platform above it.  Until I read this chapter I had never seen the Winged Nike sculpture or the Sleeping Eros statue but I absolutely admire them with their detail (pg 1113).  My favorite sculpture of al was the bronze Boxer.  It tells his story without even writing a word.  It’s copper inlay’s where he has been injured and his face looking beaten and almost defeated although I see his as a victor, but you can feel the strong emotion of the statue just by looking at it for a few seconds.  I can’t imagine what it would look like in person. 

The podcast gave us cause to think about beauty.  The Greek word for beauty is kallos.I think the podcast was saying that the Greek culture introduced beauty as being physically attractive.  They were detailed in what they found attractive as pertaining to physical features and how well proportioned their bodies were.  Is this where our obsession with the perfect body started?  As some people say, beauty is only skin deep but with the Greek civilization beauty started with what was on the outside.  

[allisonmartinek-blog]

Week 7: Chapter 6

The two articles by Cotter made me reflect on my past experiences at art museums. I remember going to my first (accredited) art museum, Minneapolis Institute Art (MIA), a few years back. I only had a small amount of time to spend at MIA (a little over an hour) since my touring group needed to stop at other places in Minneapolis. So when I heard that there was an original Ansel Adams photograph and Andy Warhol painting on display, I immediately raced up several flights of stairs to see them. It should be noted that Ansel Adams and Andy Warhol are in my top selection for favorite artists. Yet, I did not process until after I left that I missed so much art and history by running past them to view my personal contemporary favorites. That philosophy was greatly echoed in the articles by Cotter. Western culture, myself included, is so caught up in displaying the new Warhols or Pollocks because it draws attention and money. When I stepped into the museum my primary goal was to see Warhol and Adams, then I was going to view other culture exhibits if I had time. Viewing the other cultural exhibits was a complete after-thought to me. A year later, I revisited the MIA and I solely dedicated all of my time to viewing other cultural exhibits that I completely missed on my previous visit. Yet, after reading Cotter articles, I cannot certainly recall viewing any Indian or African (excluding Egyptian art) art exhibits. So, I definitely believe that there is a bias for western art, especially in the western world. That fact is saddening because I would want to enjoy art from every culture, not just western culture. The responsibility to learn about other cultures and appreciate their art falls on us. We, as individuals, need to take an interest in outside cultures because history was not built on the sole contributions of the western world but rather a blend of every cultures’ contributions. If we do not preserve or appreciate history and art it will be lost forever.

I was particularly interested in the Frescoes painting. I was completely unaware what Frescoes paintings were or the process used to paint them. I especially love the details in the Ship Fresco painting. There is not a single section of this painting that is not covered with detail. The painting incorporates land and sea animals. The book alluded to multiple interpretations of this painting. I think the painting represents a society focused on raising warriors. When the warriors are ready, they sail out to sea to protect the city. I base this on my observation the close-knit community depicted and the multiple boats surrounding it. Yet, I am also curious to know what the multiple dolphins represent. Do the dolphins serve as a symbol of protection? I also admire the fresco painting of Toreador. I admire this painting for its use color. The blues have a striking quality against the red tones. I would also be curious to learn the interpretation behind this as well.

References

Adams, L. S. (2011). A history of western art (5th ed.), New York, NY: McGraw-Hill

Cotter, H. (1994, July 10). Art view; Eastern art through western eyes. The New York Times.

Cotter, H. (2011, April 14). Under threat: The shock of the old. The New York Times.

[futurebachelorsstudent-blog]

Thank you for making this point of the articles hit home for me.  Your personal story was a great example to relate the articles to today's life.  I agree with you sometimes we cannot see the forest for the trees.  I personally would not have know who or what to run to look at in an art museum.  How wonderful that you knew exactly what you wanted to see.  In this class I am learning to love the artistic talents of the cultures that came before me.  I am amazed by the invention use of the paint, the colors, the sculptures.  The frescos are beautiful and intricate and I think it must have taken a great amount of talent to create them.

[futurebachelorsstudent-blog]

Week 7 The Aegean

I have to be honest, this chapter was not as exciting to me as the last one.  There were similarities from previous civilizations in the artwork such as the frontal eye and the profile face in the fresco of the Boxing Children, pg 76.  The colors are beautiful and the details are ornate so as to depict the story of the painting.  The Aegean era was a time that brought about fresco’s.  They were painted on the sides of public buildings and the personal dwellings of the people.  The fresco’s were large and beautiful but seemed to have no spatial relationship between the subjects pg. 75.  What I did find interesting were the different building that were used or developed in the Minoan Civilization such as the Palace of Minos, pg 72.  Also referred to as the labyrinth the Palace of Minos was a maze of hallways and rooms used to provide protection for the Minoan people.  The Mycenaean civilization brought about the Megaron, or large room where a throne sat facing the hearth and commanding the rectangular room.  The limestone building were so enormous what it is a baffling thought to me as to how they got the limestone blocks into position to form the arch and then put a marble sculpture on top of them.  The Aegean era seems to be a forgotten one.  There is very little in the way of history and artifacts that have come from this era.  The Fresco’s seem to be the center of attention from this era, the Toreador fresco being my favorite.  I just really love the colors and the preciseness of the lines.

As far as the articles written by Holland Cotter, I did not find them as interesting either.  But what I did take away from them was that we have all but replaced the ancient artworks with current “off the show room floor” art pieces.  I was surprised to find that colleges are doing away with the cirriculum for Indian Art.  Even though original artwork from ancient times may be harder and harder to find, does that make the artworks that were found any less valuable?  What makes today’s art more worthy of a spot in a museum versus the beautiful artwork of ancient times?  I guess beauty really is in the eye of the beholder and museums like any other business need to have an influx of cash flow to be able to offer such old beautiful things among the new artwork of today.

[allisonmartinek-blog]

Week 6 post

I found it interesting to learn about the first women ruler of Egypt, Hatshepsut. Hatshepsut choose statue to display more of the masculine features instead of the feminine features; yet why chose this? She never denied her gender as a female but chose to have her legacy engraved with the characteristics of a man’s statue. Perhaps, she did not have a say in the manner of how her statue was portrayed. Yet, I believe, that Hatshepsut purposely chose to embody the masculine features portrayed in the previous generations of rulers. Hatshepsut most likely wanted to perverter her legacy with the same amount of respect as the previous male rulers. It is possible that Hatshepsut did not want her reign to be defined by gender, but rather on her abilities to be a leader.

In the same notion of statues, I found it odd of how the cultural norms depicted statues from the Old Kingdom era. My way of thinking differed from the style conducted by the Egyptian sculptors. The Egyptian sculptors put more detail and individualize character into the lower ranked sculptures. For example, the statue of the Seated Scribe shows more detail and individualized characteristics such as the being in the position to write, the enlarged body type, and natural, human flaws. The sculptures of royal figures contained less detail and no individualized character traits. Each royal figure shares the same position of the body and the same body type. While I understand the purpose of this was to depict these rules as gods, I think the sculptors should have given more details and individualized characteristics to the statues of higher rank than to the statues of lower rank. I believe that a statue showcasing more personal details classifies as a statue with more importance. Perhaps the statues of royal figures could be portrayed in an idealized style (god-like) instead of naturalistic form like the Seated Scribe. Yet the using a block form of sculpting (carving out the figure from a massive stone with no gaps between the figure and the remaining stone) also symbolizes god-like status. I also wondered if the ability for a human to appear with god-like qualities was the only defining trait a ruler needed to be successful, regardless of their ability to govern a kingdom or not. It was not until the Amarna Period that royal figures start being portrayed with naturalistic features. An example of this would the Nefertiti and their Daughters art piece.

A new art style arose during the Egyptian time period. Paintings expanded their color range beyond simple earth tone colors. New and synthetic colors such as blues, greens, and golden yellows became a staple in Egyptian art. Adding new and never seen before colors increase the value of the artwork not only financially but culturally.  Also how the bodies were position in Egyptian art became a defining trait. It was common practice to have the legs, feet, and head in profile, but have the torso and eyes in frontal view.

Adams, L. S. (2011). A history of western art (5th ed.), New York, NY: McGraw-Hill

[futurebachelorsstudent-blog]

I agree with your thought process that the sculptures and art pieces of Ancient Egypt.  I also would have thought the sculptures and paintings of the rulers would be more intricate and the lower ranks of the Egyptian people less detailed.  But I can also see it from the other side of the coin.  If the artworks depicting the rulers of Ancient Egypt were more naturalistic then they would not command the level of confidence ad respect they need to preside over their congregation. That said I thought the relief sculpture of Akhenaten and Nefertiti and their daughters was a warm and inviting look into their way of ruling.  Although it did not last past their reign, it was, nevertheless, an introduction into a more naturalistic way of life for future rulers of Ancient Egypt.  

[futurebachelorsstudent-blog]

Chapter 5 Ancient Egypt

In the very of this course we were asked to start this blog with a post about our idea of art and the representation of it. I chose to post a picture of a historic building here in Dubuque, IA where I live.  I stated that I love the architecture in my city and that I consider the architecture to be works of art.  In Chapter 5 I was pleasantly surprised to find information and pictures of the architecture of Ancient Egypt.  I am fascinated by their ability to build these massive monuments such as the Pyramids at Giza which were built for the three Old Kingdom pharaohs of the 4th Dynasty; Khufu, Khafre and Menkaure (Pg 55, figure 5.5).  In these pyramids were chambers for burial and worshiping the pharaohs and on the outside of the pyramid was a large oversized statue to guard the temples.

Another point of interest for me in this chapter was how they honored the dead.  They would take great care to embalm, remove the organs, except for the heart, and wrap the body to mummify it for their afterlife.  I am a believer that there is an afterlife.  The Ancient Egyptians prepared their royalty for the journey into the afterlife with the implication that they would need precious jewels and gifts to offer to the Gods.  

Although I have never had a desire to travel to Egypt, this chapter with all of its beautiful pictures of the pyramids and temples certainly have given me a reason to want to go.  I would love to see these structures in person.  I believe only then can you appreciate the true impact of what they meant to the Ancient Egyptian civilization.

I am also fascinated by the use of color in the paintings of Ancient Egypt and how vibrant they were (pg 62-63).  I have a collection of stones and crystals and in my collection I have a Lapis Luzuli and a malachite stone.  To be able to hold them in my hand and admire the beauty of the stone and relate it to how they used the stones for color in their paintings helped me to imagine the true colors of them.

I am by no means a history buff, but I found this chapter very engaging and I was pleasantly surprised to read about the Ancient Egyptians and their artistic talents.  One blog could not even begin to describe the beauty of their culture and works of art.

[sexysaltypuppy-blog]

Chapter 4 was intriguing, it brought back some memories of learning about Mesopotamia and the temples. I always have thought that religion and art go hand in hand.  But overall this chapter open my eyes to a lot of things I never knew about nor really cared to know about.  To Learn where written word was first developed was interesting, it is something you never even think of even when we used this form of communication in all aspects of life. Other than that, this has been so far, the dullest chapter. It was more on the history side of Art History, which covered a lot of information, such as the changes people of the Neolithic era. At one point their main focus was hunting and gathering but eventually shifted to more to agricultural and animal herding.   We also read Jericho and that is one of the “world’s oldest fortified sites. I did this interesting. They had plaster skulls to represent the dead which were placed under homes. That was a bit of creep factor for me I don’t know I’d react to having my deceased loved ones housed with me. Imagine sitting on a bench and dear old aunt Annie is under it.   The Ziggurat built these large structures from clay and other materials for the purpose of worship also takes me back to where I stated earlier that religion and art have in a sense always gone hand in hand. Which can also be seen in modern places of worship if we compared them.  It really hard to imagine that cultures have been doing this for long. The cylinders and clay tablets were bit interesting as well. The tablets were kept in such an organized system that I feel influences our modern library systems. It just amazing how language was formed and how far it has evolved from a time of craving markings into clay.  It gives you so much to think and wonder about.  After so much time later these civilizations bear a huge impact on modern cultures. Look at the Jericho and how they housed their loved with them, in modern times of course we don’t have them interned in our home we do pay homage in our homes. Some people have shrines to loved ones in their home which is comparable. Look at the cravings that tell us stories of violence such as the battle in the mountains and compare that to let’s just say street art such as tagging that tells a tale of war and violence just in a different era.   The Law Code of Hammurabi is something I’d love to see in person. I wonder how life would be if we lived by the eye for an eye law now in this era.  This chapter was bit overwhelming it unfolded so much information. Even with me not being very captivated by the chapter it did open mind and give me a lot to think about. So I guess in retrospect it was a bit interesting.

(via sexysaltypuppy)

I agree with you one hundred percent about this chapter.  I found it full of historical dates, settlements and facts that I could hardly keep straight in my head.  It did have some great information regarding the history of art and religion.  Growing up attending a parochial school I have gotten my fill of religion and truthfully have not ever thought it went hand in hand with art.  The two never really coincided for me.  I found it fascinating and interesting that they would bury their dead under their floor and benches, but then I’m an xray tech and I have a fascination with skeletons :) .  I too would like to see the Code of Hammurabi in person.  Really any of the works in our textbook would be beautiful to see in person.

[futurebachelorsstudent-blog]

Week 4

This weeks reading was a lot of information.  I was trying not to focus too much on how to pronounce the names and places. 

 A lot of the art that came from the Neolithic era was created in the likeness of a god or goddess or to pay homage to a god or goddess.  The sculptured vase from Uruk, page 34, pictured shows a beautiful alabaster vase with low raised images around it. The top ring includes that of a goddess and the lower rings seem to be those beneath her bringing her offerings.  The Mesopotamians built ziggurats or raised dwellings as imitations of mountains believing that it was a transitional place between them and the gods.  They believed that each city was under the protection of a god.  From the Early Dynastic Period the statues from the Abu Temple, page 38, are another example of artwork from the Neolithic Era that depicts an offering to a god, in this case Abu.  The statues different sizes represent different statuses of the people worshiping.  The sculpture of the Akkadian ruler on page 40 was striking to me.  I love the way they make the beard look like it has cascading curls.  You can see the features of the sculpture more vividly in the profile.   If it weren’t for the development of the cuneiform writing we wold not be able to know as much about the past civilizations as we do.  And who knows where our language would be today.

As a side note....I did notice in comparing the picture of the Gudea with the description that the description in the text is incorrect as far as the sculpture goes.  It says he wears a robe over his left shoulder with his right shoulder left bare but the picture seems to depict the opposite.  I pasted a picture from the internet that looks to be the correct representation. Am I seeing this correctly?  Either way, I think it’s beautiful the way they carved the cuneiform inscriptions in the skirt. 

This was a very extensive chapter and to touch on everything would be impossible.  I will say that as much as I found the reading to be a little hard to follow, I found the artwork that was shown to be interesting a beautiful.  I am surprised to find how much I have grow,  in just the limited time of this class, to appreciate ancient art pieces.

[nathanbildstein-blog]

Week 3

Chapter 3 was a very unique chapter to me. The beginning of the chapter really got me thinking because the question the book asks us. I like how the book relates art to how we can figure out where we came from, where we are going, and who we really are. The sculptures, and cave paintings give us an idea of how people survived and how we adapted to other living things. For example, the sculptures in the book are of nursing women, this goes to show that women learned and adapted to nursing their children. The cave paintings show lots of things. They seem to show how ceremonies, initiation, and hunting rituals were performed in order to live. There was many different animals within these cave paintings in which the people were hunting. One thing that amazed me in chapter 3 is how people evolved in construction. How they built things out of new material such as pottery, metal, and stone to form monuments is just incredible. It’s amazing how architecture can play such a key role in how we view the world way back then. As we get deeper into this course, I am continuing to like architecture more and more.

I have decided to research about the use of Stonehenge. The first theory that popped up is that it was a sacred hunting ground. Before the first stones were raised, this site hints at the fact that this was a hunting and feasting ground. In order to give praise to such a site, they started building to memorialize it. In my opinion, this is a bold theory that could be true, but I think it’s something more than that. The one theory that I am seeing a lot of is the fact that the Stonehenge was used as a multipurpose calendar. It was possibly built to be used as a calendar for agricultural, religious, or other social events. To me, this is the most reasonable theory for why the Stonehenge was built. In order to grow crops, knowing the weather pattern is necessary. Knowing when to harvest crops, pick crops, and anything else that crops need in order to grow is all based off timing. As for religious ceremonies, it could have been built for when to celebrate or feast. One thing I read was during the winter, they slaughtered animals then and feasted to keep the meat good, which makes sense. Another theory for Stonehenge is that it is a site of healing. Apparently sick people went there to become well again. The evidence behind this is the bones collected near Stonehenge. “There’s an amazing and unnatural concentration of skeletal trauma in the bones that were dug up,” says Darvill. I personally think Stonehenge was used as a calendar and also as a site for healing the site. As for a sacred hunting ground, I don’t think that’s why it was built, But overall, these are all great theories in my opinion. 

Citations:

BBC History- Ancient History (2014).  www.bbc.co.uk/history/ancient/british_prehistory/healing_stones.shtml

[lehmannt5964-blog]

I like the idea that you pointed out about evolving with construction. The art work they produced is truly amazing and it would take a lot of time to perfect the art of their construction. I think the Stonehenge is an amazing piece of work that could have been used for many different purposes. The idea that is was a a sacred hunting and feasting site is one that could be very realistic. It would make sense for them to designate a place for this type of activity. I, too, am looking forward to learning more about the past construction of art work and monuments.

[blognicholeaclemen-blog]

I find Stonehenge amazing to research.  I like your comment about using the area as a vital hunting ground but also really like Emma Tan’s interpretation of predicting the calendar. I really find this as the most fascinating because we still do not know the real reason of why it is there and what it was used for and the best part is, it could have been used as any and all of them.

[futurebachelorsstudent-blog]

With the limited information I know about Stonehenge and what I read in this weeks assignment it is also my opinion that it was used as a calendar.  I also think it was used as an altar.  In the Neolithic era things were multifaceted,  They may have used the altar for healing the sick as well as preparing feasts for the community.  I did find it interesting that they found bones around Stonehenge.  I didn’t know that fact but it does make one wonder why they were there.   I debated between researching the cave paintings and Stonehenge but I’m still glad I went with the cave drawings.