Essay 5

Essay # 1A

Title: Them and Us

Question:

How artistically similar, or different, do you think prehistoric people were compared to modern man and what singular force or need continues to drive the artistic needs and human expressions of the 21st century?

Part 1

Summary: Overall I think prehistoric people and modern man artistically were very similar and once art was born that force or need to continue to drive artistic needs came from prehistoric people.

Reason: The reason for this question I think was for us to see how art originated and how different is it today compared to prehistoric times.

Purpose: The purpose for this question was for us to find out the similarities between modern man and prehistoric people.

Direction: The direction I took in answering this was to find out why prehistoric people created this type of art and connect it to modern art.

Impressions: What impressed me the most was how many theories there were to the meaning of cave paintings all these years.

Part 2

Prehistoric people and modern man I think connect with art for the same reason. It fills them with passion and different outlooks. “The more well known works of prehistoric people are found in caves in southern and in central parts of France and northern Spain. The Chauvet cave, near Vallon-Pont-d`Arc in Southern France is the earliest known site of prehistoric cave paintings. These dramatic cave paintings included vital animals like horses, bison, bear, mammoths, deer, owls etc. As well as hand prints, humans, grids, circle, and dots.”(Art history, page 9) Art is a way of expressing yourself and these prehistoric people expressed what was in them such as their interests, needs etc. In my opinion it was a way for them to express themselves in a private, secret way and this captivated their interests and their need of freedom because with art you can freely express yourself. “Modern art centers instead of on the meaning of a work for an elite target audience or the attempt to pose challenging questions or unsettle deep-sated cultural ideas.” (Art history, XXVII) Both prehistoric and modern man use art to freely express themselves but also to communicate. Back then these images were powerful. As modern man uses art to demonstrate, symbols, signs, advertisement etc. Prehistoric people within a group used these images of animals to teach them the appearance and the behavior of them and also how to hunt them. “The most important new ability however,was the capacity to think symbolically: To create representational analogies between one person, animal, or object, and another, and to recognize and to remember those analogies.”(Art history, page 3, 4) This development marks the evolutionary origin of art and I think what started art is the force that still drives artistic needs today which is the ability to create something in your mind and that image has the ability to give someone knowledge, curiosity, pleasure etc.

Essay 4

Essay # 4B

Title: East and West

Question: Based solely on their art, which of the two

Roman Empires most affected the Christian iconography of the middle ages and, was it subsequently replaced later on and by whom?

Part I

Summary: Overall the Eastern Roman Empire (Byzantine) affected the Christian iconography of the middle ages in many powerful ways.

Reason: The reason for this question I think was for us to see how the Eastern Roman Empire affected the Christian iconography of the middle ages with their art.

Purpose: The purpose for this question was for us to see how art can affect religion.

Direction: The direction I took in answering this was to find out how they based their art on their own religion.

Impressions: What interested me was how this Empire took such an affect on the Christian iconography and how they had to fight for it.

Part II

Based on the art of the two Roman Empires the art that affected the Christian Iconography of the middle ages the most was the Eastern Roman Empire. “If the purpose of classical art was the glorification of man, the purpose of Byzantine art was the glorification of God, and of His Son, Jesus.” (http://www.huntfor.com/arthistory/medieval/byzantine.htm) With these ideal images Christ became the norm of Byzantine art and their religion being Christianity you can see how their religious art would have such an affect on Christian iconography. One example is the church Hagia Sophia. “The architects and builders of Hagia Sophia clearly stretched building materials so their physical limits, denying the physicality of the building in order to emphasize its spirituality.” (Art History, page 237)

This is what made iconography so strong during the middle ages. “Worshipers standing on the church floor must have felt such a spiritual uplift as they gazed at the mosaics of saints, angels, and, in the golden central dome, heaven itself.” (Art History, page 237) The purpose of this design was to point the worshiper toward god. These icons in their art served as an existential link to god. During the 8^th century is when the drawing on the second commandment against graven images, Pope Leo III issued an edict prohibiting religious images. Acceptable religious art according to these “iconoclasts” including abstract symbols and plants, animal forms. The iconoclasts destroyed most of Byzantine art. Cities revolted and battles were fought. This art was affecting both church and state but as it went on in 843, debate settled and Eastern Orthodox churches regained their rights to use art in worship. This made their art very powerful and it shows how their art really took an affect on Christian iconography during that time.






“The Byzantine tradition would continue in the art of the Eastern Orthodox Church and is carried on to this day in Greek and Russian icon Painting. In Constantinople, however, the three golden ages of Byzantine art- and the empire it self- came to an end in 1453. When the forces of the ottoman sultan Mehmed II overran the capital, the Eastern Empire became a part of the Islamic world. But the Turkish conquerors were so impressed with the splendor of the Byzantine art and architecture in the capital that they adopted its traditions and melded them with their own rich aesthetic heritage into a new, and now Islamic, artistic efflorescence.”(Art history, page 259) So after the Ottoman Empire in the 15^th Century their art would no longer take an affect on Christian Iconography. I think during the middle ages the Byzantine art was very powerful in many ways showing their beliefs in such a mind blowing way and I see how it took a big role on Christian Iconography back then but also if this never happened the image of Christianity would not be the same.

Essay 3

Essay # 4C

Title: Mother Earth, Fertility, Love and more?



Venus De Milo

Venus of Willendorf

Question: Describe the functional purpose of the Venus of Willendorf and the Venus De Milo. How is their imagery similar? How is it different? Find a third Venus example to compare and contrast these two to and describe why you selected it.

Summary: Overall I understand both the Venus of Willendorf and the Venus De Milo's purpose and can see the similarities and differences between the two.

Reason: The reason for this question is for us to determine the similarities and differences between the two sculptures.

Purpose: the purpose for this question I think is for us to see how both these sculptures were represented in their time and the importance they have with each other.

Direction: The direction I took in answering this was to first find out the purpose and then compare and contrast the two.

Impressions: What impressed me the most was finding out the importance and meaning  these sculptures had in their time.

Part II

The Venus of Willendorf is one of the oldest and most famous lady figures in all of art history. “From Austria, dates from about 24,000 BCE. Carved from limestone and originally colored with red ocher, the statuettes swelling, rounded forms make it seem much larger than its actual 4/3/8-inch height.”(Art history, pg. 6, Marilyn Stokstad) The Paleolithic people would use these small sculptures to communicate between groups of hunters and gatherers. “The female statues may have been among several signature objects that signaled whether a group was friendly and acceptable for interaction and, probably, for mating.”(Art History, pg. 7, Marilyn Stokstad) “She represents the earth and its fertility and continuation of life, the mother goddess, the universal female principle even if it is in its most primitive conception.” (http://www.museumstorecompany.com/Venus-of-Willendorf-Museum-of-Natural-History-Vienna-30-000BC-8-H-on-Marble-Base-p4848.html) Scholars named it after Venus, the Roman goddess of love.

Venus De Milo known as Aphrodite, the Greek goddess of love was made for a sanctuary dedicated to Aphrodite on the Aegean island of Melos. This life size statue is made of Parian marble and its missing arms causes much debate on what this statue indicates. “Some broken pieces (now lost) found with it indicated that the figure was holding out an apple in its right hand. Another theory is that Aphrodite was admiring herself in the highly polished shield of the war god Ares, an image that was popular in the 2^nd century BCE. This theoretical “restoration” would explain the pronounced S-curve of the pose and the otherwise unnatural forward projection of the knee.” (Art History, pg. 157, Marilyn Stokstad)

Both Willendorf and De Milo have to do with the Goddess of Love, Venus. They both represent Women of importance and beauty in their time. Not only are they both nude but Willendorf is missing a face and feet while De Milo is missing her arms.  

The Venus of Willendorf and the Venus De Milo have many differences including detail, how they appear, and also the size. The Venus of Willendorf with a straight stance stands at a height of only 4 inches while the Venus De Milo with a S-curve pose stands at a height of 6'8 inches. Venus De Milo shows a lot more detail in the face and body. Her attractive structure shows signs of beauty and sexuality. Venus of Willendorf with very little detail throughout the sculpture shows exaggerated female attributes. “The sculptor exaggerated the figures female attributes by giving it pendulous breasts, a big belly, with a deep navel, wide hips, dimpled knees, and buttocks, and solid thighs.”(Art History, pg. 6, Marilyn Stokstad) By doing this it showed a women with a strong body expressing health and fertility ensuring to produce healthy and strong children which would mean the clan who ever made her would live on.

The third Venus example I chose to compare and contrast is the Women From Dolni Vestonice. I chose this because it seems so similar to the Venus of Willendorf and its date marks 23,000 BCE which for humans was when they used fire to make durable objects out of mixtures of water and soil and to me this was interesting. Found in Czech Republic this sculpture stands at 4 ¼ inches with a similar stance to Willendorf. Just like Willendorf the women has very little detail all around, she is bloated, nude, and has wide hips. Woman From Dolni seems to have straight legs with no feet but in Willendorf you can see more detail in the legs, thighs, and waist.

Essay 2

Essay #2A

Title: Knowledge and Immortality

Question: Using specific art references and passages from Genesis and the story in the bible of Adam and Eve in the Garden of Eden and specifically their choice to eat the Fruit of the Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil; What similarities do you see, pertaining to immortality and knowledge that is also found in Egyptian art.

Part I

Summary: What I experienced in answering this question is that I see both the story of Adam and Eve and Egyptian Art being very similar to each other when they both pursue something that they don't have whether its knowledge or immortality. I feel that the Egyptians art represents immortality in a way because it lives on after they die.

Reason: The reason I think this question was asked was for us to understand the similarities the story of Adam and Eve have with Egyptian art pertaining to knowledge and immortality.

Purpose: The purpose for this question in my opinion is for us to better understand desires and how their present in every day life and also how immortality is not necessarily living forever but it lives through art and how knowledge is such a big part of our lives and both have always been around in our society.

Direction: Humans are naturally tempted towards something they do not have so the direction I took in answering this question was how the story of Adam and Eve compares to Egyptian art because I knew that they both had desires.

Impressions: The Egyptians desire for completeness represents them to live on forever and you see this in their art. The story of Adam and Eve is so similar because their desire for knowledge is taken away for immortality and this impressed me.

Part II

Adam and Eve just as god were immortal beings. God created “man in his own image, in the image of God created he him; male and female created he them” (Genesis 1.27) He set them both into the Garden of Eden telling them that they may eat freely out of every tree except for one which was the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. But of course they fell into temptation so the serpent of the garden offered them a fruit of the tree of the knowledge and good and evil that would offer knowledge. They could not resist. After eating the fruit their eyes opened and just like the gods they gained knowledge of the good and evil. Both Immortality and knowledge cant exist in humanity because this is a godlike power. I think humans want to pursue both of these desires because of power and a sense of completeness.

"For God doth know that in the day ye eat thereof, then your eyes shall be opened, and ye shall be as gods, knowing good and evil. And when the woman saw that the tree was good for food, and that it was pleasant to the eyes, and a tree to be desired to make one wise, she took of the fruit thereof, and did eat, and gave also unto her husband with her; and he did eat.

And the eyes of them both were opened, and they knew that they were naked; and they sewed fig leaves together, and made themselves aprons." (Genesis 3:1 to 3:7)

And the Lord God said, Behold, the man is become as one of us, to know good and evil: and now, lest he put forth his hand, and take also of the tree of life, and eat, and live for ever.” (Genesis 3:16 to 3:17 and Genesis 3:22)

The Egyptians as a society always showed the desire for knowledge and immortality in their art. Similar to Adam and Eve both idolized gods and goddesses whether for knowledge or immortality. The Egyptians also were so obsessed with death hoping immortality in their after life. “Death was to be feared only by those who lived in such a way to disrupt that harmony. Upright souls could be confident that their spirits would live on eternally.”(Art History, pg. 50, Marilyn Stokstad) The dead would be represented in their artwork to ensure this afterlife in a positive way. They desired completeness to make sure they had peace in their afterlife. "Life was short in the ancient times. Few people could expect to live beyond their twenties. All hoped to escape the 'Eater' and live on eternally in the company of the gods." (Art History, pg. 125, Marilyn Stokstad) Compared to Adam and Eve who desired knowledge the ancient Egyptians desired strongly for immortality which they had to have a sense of “completeness” before entering the afterlife. This represents their work also because every piece had to be detailed, and complete in order to be fully ready for afterlife. This art would live on forever and this would be admired for the future in their human society. This represents the humanity's desire for immortality and knowledge. Immortality and knowledge might not be with us physically but they live on spiritually.

Essay 1

Essay #2B 

Title: Completeness and Truth

Question: How is it possible that what the Egyptians considered “completeness” could be misinterpreted as crude, naive or unrealistic and how does it affect the “truth” contained in their art.

Part I

Summary: Overall after doing research in my view I see no possible way that what the Egyptians considered “completeness” could be misinterpreted as crude, naive or unrealistic. I think their artwork represented “completeness” because they kept their art so real basing it on their beliefs, conventions, principles, and everyday life and this never changed. Figuring this out I experienced relief because I couldn't understand how their art and ideas could be misinterpreted in a negative way.

Reason: The reason for this question I think is to get us to see how art can be misinterpreted the wrong way and how it affects the real truth behind it.

Purpose: The purpose for this question I think is to see the truth contained in art and how ones view can change based on the truth and not to misinterpret a specific style or structure.

Direction: Before researching this question the direction I took was to figure out what the Egyptians idea of completeness was and to find out the truth contained in their art and why they made it this specific way.

Impressions: What impressed me the most is how they followed these conventions in their art however early and consistently following them over almost three millennia of its history.

Part II

After researching art of ancient Egypt I find it hard to consider Egyptian art work crude, naive or unrealistic in any way possible. I think the Egyptians idea of completeness depends on their belief and in the permanence of the natural, divinely ordained order. You see this consistently in their art work. Both architecture and representational art was pointed to the way they represented things such as the correct relationship between mankind, the king, and the pantheon of the gods. One example is “The Narmer Palette.” “This historically and artistically significant work of art was found in the temple of Hours. It is commonly interpreted as representing the unification of Egypt and the beginning of the country's growth as a powerful nation state. It employs many of the representational conventions that would dominate in royal Egyptian art from this point on.” (Art History, pg. 52-53, Marilyn Stokstad and Michael W. Cothren) These Egyptian artists based their work to this strict order of principles. This is no where near crude, naive, or unrealistic because I respect that they were to follow these conventions and to me they kept their art so real because they based it on their observation of nature, religion and beliefs, influences, and everyday activities. “In their world view, the movements of heavenly bodies, the workings of gods, and the humblest of human activities were all believed to be part of a balanced and harmonious grand design.”(Art History, pg. 50, Marilyn Stokstad and Michael W. Cothren) Not only did the art reflect every aspect of their lives but they put so much detail and hard work into their art. “A system of mathematical formulas was developed to determine design and proportions.” (Art History, pg. 51, Marilyn Stokstad and Michael W. Cothren) The results of their work being so detailed shows that they gave it all and were determined when it came to their work. “Artists endlessly repeated the same themes and subjects, changing them only when beliefs changed.” (http://booksofart.com/ancient-art/Egyptian) Egyptian artists following the same format consistently shows that their idea of completeness was no where near naive. These artists avoided perspectives to achieve their edition of reality. I think they took the most characteristic aspect of each element and created an image. The Egyptians idea of “completeness” in my opinion pertains to the “truth” in their art because it represents it in many ways.