arthistorysarahutchinson-blog

[arthistorysarahutchinson-blog]

Great post! I am glad I was not the only one who associated the stereotype of the term “goth” with what the art from this chapter may look like. I also found it really interesting that the Gothic style originated in France, for that probably would have been the last European country I would have guessed. I enjoyed how you mentioned the fact that symmetry was not a requirement of Gothic style and the example you gave of it. Generally, I prefer art that is more symmetrical, but I questioned that preference after reading this chapter and studying the art, for I found the art from this chapter to be among my favorites, even though it was not symmetrical.  

Week 15 - Gothic

I found this week’s reading about Gothic art to be very interesting. Before reading I did not know anything about the Gothic artstyle. I had heard of the term, Gothic, before, but just did not know what the style all entailed. The term ‘Gothic’ made me think of the word ‘goth,’ which made me think of the stereotype where everything is black and other dark colors. The Gothic style talked about in this chapter is far from that. I was surprised by how bright, airy, and open all the Gothic art was.

Right away when reading this chapter I learned that cathedrals were an important part of the Gothic art. I also learned that Gothic art originated in France. For some reason I did not expect it to be France where this style originated, but France started the Gothic style that spread to other areas of Europe after. I found it interesting that Gothic refers to the Germanic tribes who invaded Greece and Italy and destroyed Rome, but that really has no connection with what is Gothic art represents.

An important part of Gothic art is the cathedral, but before that comes the architecture that was created to be able to support such massive buildings. There were some very important elements to the Gothic architecture. Some of the more technical ones were rib vaults, piers, flying buttresses, pointed arches, and the skeleton. The rib vault was important for this style because it required less buttressing and allowed more space for windows. Piers were also important because they were what supports the vaults. Figure 13.8 on page 204 shows an example of the piers and vaults. I find that vaulting and tall ceilings so pretty and elegant. I find it amazing what was able to be constructed in these early times because they did not have the technology we have now to construct these buildings. Another element to the cathedrals were the stained glass windows. The most popular colors for the glass in the Gothic style were blue and red. I found it interesting to read a little on how stained glass is made. The stained glass window pictures are made from pieces of colored glass, which are formed by mixing metallic oxides with molten glass.

Cathedrals were the major part of the Gothic style and what this chapter mainly talked about. I learned that a cathedral is the seat of a bishop and belongs to the city or town in which it is located. I also learned that cathedrals have to be in an urban setting. “Constructing a cathedral was the largest single economic enterprise in the Gothic era.” I can see why building these cathedrals were important and created an economic boom because jobs were created for construction workers and also people came to the town to see the cathedral once it was completed. One thing I learned while reading, on page 207, was that symmetry was not a requirement in the Gothic style. The cathedrals were structurally, but not formally, symmetrical. The example that was given in the book was that if there was a tower on one side, there had to be a tower on the other, but the towers did not have to have the same style or shape. The Gothic style spread from France and one of the earliest to adopt this style was England. England’s cathedral was the Salisbury Cathedral Germany also adopted the style and their cathedral is located in Cologne.

I really enjoyed reading this week’s chapter because I learned a lot that I did not know before. I did not know that the Gothic style originated in France or that the style is a lot different than what most of us know to be the term ‘goth.’ I still find it amazing how these large structures with ceilings 120 feet and taller were able to be constructed without all the technology we have access to today.

[arthistorysarahutchinson-blog]

Week 15

I really enjoyed this week’s reading, for I knew nothing about the Gothic time period. When I think of the word Gothic, I had previously thought of the stereotype when a person is called “Goth”, and it is associated with them wearing all black, etc. My point with this is that going into this week’s reading, I had assumed therefore that this chapter’s art would be very dark, and lack color. Therefore, I was pleasantly surprised and my assumption was proved wrong when I learned that the Gothic time period is rather known for its use of light.

First, I learned that Gothic cathedrals are among the greatest and most elaborate monuments in stone. Additionally, the term Gothic applies primarily to the art produced in Western Europe from about the middle of the twelfth century in France to the sixteenth century in other parts of Europe. The term was first used by Italians in the sixteenth century to criticize the pre-Renaissance style. Literally, Gothic refers to the Germanic tribes who invaded Greece and Italy and sacked Rome in AD 410. I learned that the Goths were blamed for destroying what remained of the Classical style, when in fact, the origins of Gothic art had nothing to do with what had happened several hundred years earlier. Eventually, in the nineteenth century, when scholars realized the source of the confusion, it was too late. Overall, I found this to be fascinating information about the term Gothic.

Second, I learned about the different elements of Gothic architecture. I really enjoyed that for this chapter, the book broke down the individual elements and discussed them so in depth one by one. Rib vaults were the first item discussed. Rib vaults replaced the earlier barrel vaults of Romanesque. Additionally, the rib vault requires less buttressing than the barrel vault. Since the weight of the rib vault is concentrated only at the corners of the bay, the structure can be buttressed at intervals, freeing more space for the windows. Next were Piers. As the book stated, as the vaults became more complex, so did their supports. An example of one of these supports was the cluster, or compound pier. They are large columnar supports on either side of the nave to which clusters of colonnettes are attached. Although compound piers had been used in Romanesque buildings, they became a standard Gothic feature. With this system of support, the Gothic builders created a vertical unity leading the observer’s gaze to the clerestory windows. Next were stained-glass windows, which filtered light throughout colored fragments of glass. Light and color were diffused throughout the interior of the cathedral from these stained glass windows. Also, the predominant colors of Gothic stained glass tend to be blue and red, in contrast to the golds that characterize most Byzantine mosaics. The use of stained glass in Saint-Denis reflects Suger’s intention to convey God’s presence through a dazzling display of light and color. Personally, although I enjoyed learning about all the elements of Gothic Architectures, my favorite to learn about was the stain-glass windows, and especially how they were made.

Third, I learned about “The Age of Cathedrals”. The book stated that by the time the choir and west façade of Saint-Denis were completed, in about 1144, other towns in northern France had been competing to build cathedrals in the new Gothic style. Additionally, the book states that a cathedral is, by definition, the seat of a bishop and belongs to the city or town in which it is located. In contrast to rural churches, such as Sainte-Foy, cathedrals required an urban setting. Additionally, consistent with the increase in urbanization in the twelfth century was the development of cathedral schools and universities. The construction of these cathedrals was the largest single economic enterprise of the Gothic era and it had a significant effect on neighboring communities as well as on the city and town itself. This is because jobs were created for hundreds of masons, carpenters, sculptors, stonecutters, and other craftsmen. Additionally, when a cathedral was finished, it attracted thousands of pilgrims and other visitors, and this continual traffic stimulated the local economy. Cathedrals also provided a focus for community activities, secular as well as religious. Lastly, above all, they generated an enormous sense of civic pride among the townspeople. Probably most fascinating to me was the way in which the cathedrals stimulated the economy, for although it makes sense, it is something I had never thought of, and was very interesting to learn about.  

[arthistorysarahutchinson-blog]

Great post! I too knew nothing of the Romanesque time period and therefore really enjoyed learning about it. I also found it fascinating to learn about the pilgrimages during this time period, and how churches were designed so visitors could go about freely without disturbing the monks. Additionally, I was glad you brought up the Bayeux Tapestry, for I ran out of room in my post to mention it, but also found it to be an astounding piece of art! It is crazy and overwhelming to comprehend just how long it is at 230 feet and how much work went into making it!

Week 14 - Romanesque

Before reading this chapter, I did not know anything about Romanesque art. I had heard of it before, but did not know what type of artwork this time period included. When I first started reading this chapter I learned that Romanesque means “Roman-like” and refers to a many different styles that embraced the regional variants in Western Europe. Romanesque is a stylistic term rather than a historical term, which was used to describe the medieval artwork. Another thing I learned right away when starting to read the chapter was the pilgrimage roads. Christianity was spreading throughout Western Europe and was an important aspect of people’s lives. Pilgrimages were taken by dedicated Christians to travel to churches where sacred relics were. Jerusalem and Rome were the most sacred sites, but the routes to these places were dangerous so a third choice for a pilgrimage site was Saint James in Compostela, Galicia. I found learning a little bit about these pilgrimages routes very interesting because I knew nothing about them before.

Architecture was another important aspect of Romanesque art. Churches were the main architectural feature because many churches had to be constructed due to the large amount of pilgrims. Churches had to be made big and this posed a problem due to the availability of materials because of the increase of building activity. Sainte Foy is a pilgrimage church that is talked about in the book. This church is the earliest surviving example of a pilgrimage church. This church was very important to the pilgrims traveling because it contained the saint’s relics. I found it interesting that since the churches were having to start accommodating such large crowds that they were designed so visitors could go about freely without disturbing the monks. Another thing I liked reading about was that instead of using wooden roofs, stone vaults started being used. The stone barrel vaults were used to improve acoustics and lessen the risk of fires.

Manuscripts were an important part of Romanesque art and some of the greatest  achievements. I enjoy reading about the illuminated manuscripts because I never knew about them beforehand and in the last chapter and this chapter, they have played an important role in the artwork. I learned that in Romanesque artwork, an artist was not prohibited from combining figuration with abstraction like in Islamic art. I really liked looking at the manuscript on page 194. The amount of detail and the colors are very pretty.

Mural paintings, like manuscripts, were also an important part to Romanesque art. Murals were painted on church walls and chapels. The mural paintings were not only decorative, but also had a teaching function. I found it interesting that usually more than one painter would work on a mural at a time. Also, an artist’s style would represent to various influences, like his personal training, style of co-workers, and the demands of whoever was wanting the painting.

The last part of this week’s reading included the Bayeux Tapestry. This tapestry depicts the Norman invasion of England. What I found interesting about this piece was its size. It is over 230 feet long and that everything was embroidered. On the tapestry there are 626 human figures, 731 animals, 376 boats, and 70 buildings and trees. There is no records of who made this tapestry, but it is suspected that it was done by women. I cannot imagine how much time it took to stitch in all the figures of this tapestry, especially because of how big this artwork is.

I really enjoyed this week’s reading because I knew nothing of Romanesque artwork before. I really enjoy reading and seeing pictures of the churches because they are so elaborate. Also the manuscripts and mural paintings are interesting as well with how much detail is put into them.

[arthistorysarahutchinson-blog]

Week 14

I really enjoyed this week’s reading, for prior to it, I knew nothing about the history of this time period, or anything about Romanesque Art. I first learned that Romanesque refers to a broad range of styles, embracing the regional variants that flourished in Western Europe in the eleventh and twelfth centuries. Romanesque is considered a stylistic term, rather than a historical term, for it is used to describe medieval art that shares with ancient Roman architecture such features as round arches, stone vaults, thick walls, and exterior relief sculpture. I also learned that because Europe was a patchwork of regions at the time, rather than nations with centralized political administrations, scholars identify the various styles by the name of the relevant region. An example they gave of this was “Norman Romanesque”, meaning from Normandy.

First, the architecture from this time period was really interesting to learn about. In addition to accommodating the Rule of Order, Romanesque architects had to construct churches big enough for the influx of pilgrims. The availability of materials was stated as often presenting problems because of the great increase in building activity. Additionally, more subjective considerations such as aesthetic appeal, also had to be taken into account. For example, these might be influenced by the wishes of a local religious Order or a wealthy person.

Second, I learned about the Sainte-Foy at Conques, which is the earliest surviving example of a pilgrimage church. I learned that the communications along the pilgrimage routes were continual, with pilgrims, masons, and other craftsmen moving back and forth. Therefore, it is not surprising that many Romanesque churches had similar features. Next, I learned that the single most important attraction for pilgrims to Sainte-Foy at Conques was the saint’s relics. They were contained in a gold reliquary statue, the head of which is believed to have been formed around the saint’s skull. It is large in size and an alter antique mask that has been reused, that accentuates the impression of aloof power conveyed by the statue. The builders of Sainte-Foy also had to accommodate large crowds without interfering with the duties of the clergy. The plan in the book shows how the traditional Latin-cross basilica was modified by extending the side aisles around the transept and the apse to form an ambulatory. There were also three smaller apses, or radiating chapels that protrude from the main apse, and two chapels of unequal size have been added at the east side of the transept arms. Lastly, an important new architectural development in Romanesque churches was the replacement of wooden roofs with stone barrel vaults, which lessened the risk of fire and improved acoustics. These stone vaults required extra buttressing to counteract the lateral thrust, or sideways force, they exerted against the walls.

Third, I found it to be really neat that Romanesque churches were often decorated with sculpture, painting, and wall hangings, through which a largely illiterate population could “read” the Bible stories and events portrayed in other texts. Tapestries, most of which are now lost, were hung along the aisles, adding color and warmth to the church interiors. Most pilgrimage churches also had relief sculptures at the main entrance. The area immediately around the doorways, or portals, would have contained the first images encountered, and the reliefs were therefore intended to attract the attention of the worshiper approaching the church.

Fourth, was the art that depicted the scene of the Last Judgment. The story of the Last Judgement, in which Christ the Judge determines whether souls will spend eternity in heaven or in hell was a story I was familiar with, but I was amazed by the fine level of detail and precision that was present in this art piece to depict the story so well. I then learned that this piece was intended to act as a reminder of the passage of time and of the belief that the unrighteous will be condemned to “eternal punishment, but the righteous will enter eternal life”.

Lastly, one of my favorite things to learn about this chapter was the manuscripts, for I found them to be stunning, especially the “Initial T” in figure 12.14. As the book stated, some of the greatest achievements of Romanesque art were the illuminate manuscripts produced in the scriptoria of monasteries. Additionally, Romanesque manuscript illumination is characterized by flattened space and lively patterns. Also characteristics is the contrast between the animated letter and the more static, iconic quality of the saint.

[arthistorysarahutchinson-blog]

Great post! I too had no idea that sculpture was considered satanic and was strictly banned/nonexistent in Islamic art history. I also agree that beautiful can be used to describe so many art pieces in this chapter, from the Anglo-Saxon Metalwork to the Great Mosque in Córdoba, Spain. There were so many amazing pieces of art in this chapter! I also agree that it is sad that the Great Mosque was very badly damaged when Christians built a cathedral inside and wish they wouldn’t have been so careless in doing so and would have themselves thought of some of the points that you made.  

Week 13

Week 13 brings us to chapter 11’s “The Early Middle Ages”. Much like the last chapter, this era’s art revolves around religion. The difference between the two is that in this chapter, the religious art is not just focused on one specific religion, but it is focused on a few different types of religions. For example, Islamic art is the second paragraph in the chapter and it is full of a lot of information I had not previously known about that particular religion’s art beliefs. Did you know sculpture was considered satanic and was strictly banned/nonexistent in Islamic art history? I sure did not!

Continuing on with Islamic art, I want to talk about how gorgeous the Great Mosque is in Córdoba, Spain. It looks like it belongs on the set of the new Beauty and the Beast movie with all of its detailing. I was sad to read that the Great Mosque was very badly damaged when Christians built a cathedral inside. I can understand why they chose to do that, it is a beautiful building after all, but why did the builders have to be so careless during the construction? Or better yet, why didn’t they just build the cathedral elsewhere and leave the mosque alone? The picture of the dome on page 173 is probably the most beautifully, elaborate ceiling décor I have ever seen both in real life and within this textbook. It is absolutely stunning.

Charlemagne, or Charles the Great, is a familiar name to anyone who has studied European history. But before I get into that section of the chapter, I want to talk about the Anglo-Saxon Metalwork because it is beautiful. I know I have used that word a lot in this blog post but that is simply the best and only word that describes the essence of the artistry in this chapter. The metal Sutton Hoo purse cover on page 174 is the only photographed example of their superior metal craftsmanship, but this inspired me to look up more photos of other Anglo-Saxon metal works. The only word that pops into my head is ‘beautiful’. In the tale of Beowulf, it is mentioned how kings were buried with extremely extravagant and valuable armor sets. In the next paragraph, it describes how each image has a meaning, like the duck and eagle, for example, shows that invaders from the 15th century and brought in their unique artistic styles.

The next section got me really excited because it explained the art history of Ireland at the time, and since my ancestors come from Ireland it was like learning a little bit about my own family art history tree. If that makes any sense. Ireland apparently played a big role in the spread of Christianity during the early Middle Age. Irish missionaries spread Christianity across Europe, the most interesting of these was abbot Saint Columba who converted Scotland to Christianity. My other ancestors are from Robert the Bruce’s line who ruled Scotland before this time, so it just got me thinking about how maybe that’s how my Irish and Scottish ancestors met. History and ancestry are funny like that.

[arthistorysarahutchinson-blog]

Week 13

I really enjoyed this week’s reading. I knew very little about this time period from a historical perspective, and knew even less about it from an art perspective.

I first learned that the time period for this week’s reading takes place from the time of the seventh to the end of the tenth century. As the Roman Empire declined, Germanic tribes overran Western Europe which affected artistic developments and produced radical changes in social and political organization. In addition to the Germanic invasions, a powerful new influence from the Middle East entered Europe – Islam.

Secondly, I learned about Islam and Islamic Art. Muhammad’s teaching forbid idolatry, and the Koran condemns the figurative representation of Allah or his prophets. Therefore, Islamic religious paintings consisted mainly of abstract geometric and floral patterns. I also learned that sculpture was considered the work of Satan and was virtually nonexistent in Islamic art.

Third, I learned that the primary architectural expression of Islam is the mosque, where Muslims pray, and facing Mecca. I knew these few details about mosques and Muslims prayer ritual, but did not know all of the main feature of mosques. The main features that all mosques have in common are a sahn, or enclosed courtyard, and a qibla, or prayer wall. The qibla often has a mihrab (small niche) set into it, indicating the direction of Mecca. The exterior of a typical mosque includes tall minarets. From these towers, a muezzin (crier) calls the faithful to prayer at certain times each day.

Fourth, I learned about The Great Mosque in Cordoba. With the Great Mosque, there is a system of double arches devised by the mosque’s original architect that is unique, and also used in each later addition of the mosque. The interior of the mosque is filled with numerous columns that are relatively short at 9 feet 9 inches. I then learned that if they had supported the arches and vaults at that height, the interior illumination would have been inadequate. Therefore, the architect constructed a series of horseshoe-shaped red and white stripped arches. Added to this is a second series of arches springing from piers and also supported by the Roman columns. A wooden roof rested on the second set of arches. Lastly, I learned that the vast numbers of columns have been linked to a forest, and the colored arches create an impression of continual motion that enlivens the interior. Overall, I was very impressed by this piece of architectural work and found it to be different in style than previous architectural buildings we have studied, but still just as mesmerizing and fascinating.

Fifth, I learned about Anglo-Saxon metalwork. The example the book gave of Anglo-Saxon metalwork was a seventh-century cover of a purse that originally contained gold coins. The piece was from Sutton Hoo in East Anglia and was discovered among the treasures of a pagan ship burial, which was a practice that indicated the belief that boats carried the souls of the dead to the afterlife. I then learned that due to the circumstances of the burial, it suggests that the deceased was of royal personage, for the ship contained an abundance of treasures. The purse’s cover is decorated in gold, cloisonné enamel, and dark red garnets. The book stated that it combined Early Christian interlace designs and those of Germanic crafts with aspects of Scythian animal style and other ancient Near Eastern motifs. The decoration depicts two fighting animals whose legs and jaws are extended into a tracery of intertwined ribbons. Additionally, the decoration on the purse is symmetrical, adding to its beauty. Overall, I found this to be a beautiful piece of art, and it also fascinated me that this beautiful, detailed, metalwork art was once a cover to an item as simple as a purse. You definitely do not find purses like that anymore!

Lastly, I learned about the Carolingian Period, which I previously knew nothing about. Under Charlemagne, monasteries expanded the network of learning throughout Europe in which Latin, as the language of the manuscript texts, was kept alive. In addition to the Latin language, Charlemagne wanted to revive other aspects of the Roman past. He established a political organization based on that of ancient Rome and a unified code of laws, created libraries, and pursued a program of educational reform. Overall, when reading about the Carolingian Period, I found it especially interesting to learn about Charlemagne’s roman revival, manuscripts, and monasteries.

[arthistorysarahutchinson-blog]

Great post! I agree that the Early Christian mosaics were so beautiful, colorful, and detailed! I also found it very interesting to learn about the codex. I would have never guessed that calfskin was easy to preserve and worked well with illustrations and rich color. I also really enjoyed learning about the research you did on Japan’s art history, for I knew nothing about it prior to reading your blog post. I found both their pottery techniques, such as the coil method, as well as their burial process to be very interesting!

Week 12 - Early Christian and Byzantine

Before reading this week’s chapter about Early Christian and Byzantine art, I did not know anything about it. I found it especially interesting to read about the religion aspect of this time period. I am not very religious, so I learned a lot about the Christian religion during this time period when it was really just taking shape. A couple things I learned within the first page of reading the chapter was that Christianity began as an Eastern cult and that Christianity had to be a secret movement for about the first three hundred years of existence.

This time period, more than any others that we have read about so far, really showed the dominance of religion and the church in people’s lives. Early Christian art proved the importance of religion. The first work of art it talks about in the chapter was the sarcophagi. The sarcophagi image showed in the book is from a church in Rome and is decorated with images from the Old and New Testament. I was amazed by all the detail and meaning behind the scene. Another important part of the Early Christian art were the basilicas. I was familiar with the basilicas since last week’s reading about Rome included them. This makes sense since the Early Christian basilicas were modeled after the Roman ones. The reason why basilicas were so important during this period is because people were finally free to worship outside of their homes once the Edict of Milan, which freed all religions from persecution. I found this interesting because I knew nothing of this before the reading.

The Byzantine style differed from the Early Christian style. The first thing I noticed while reading about Byzantine style was that they used a more “traditional” style of church than the Early Christians. The Byzantine churches were closed in, unlike basilicas. The interiors of the churches talked about in the chapter really amazed me. The mosaics were so beautiful and colorful. I am amazed with the amount of detail and intricate design of each culture that we read about in the book. I also learned about the codex, which was like a modern book. These books were made with parchment and vellum, which is calfskin. The codex was easy to preserve and able to illustrate the pages with rich colors. I enjoyed this week’s chapter because I learned a lot about the religion during this time period, but also the art that went along with it.

For my individual research I decided to look at Japan’s art history. During the period of 1-500 A.D. there were two main periods that took place. The first period was the Yayoi, which lasted from 4th century B.C. to 300 A.D. This culture was settled in a site in Tokyo and was majorly developed by wet-rice cultivation, which allowed for village settlements. The pottery was a major aspect of this period. The coil method was used to construct the pottery and sometimes slip was placed over it. Bronze and iron were also major aspects of the Yayoi period because those metals were used to make weapons, armor, tools, and ritual bells called dōtaku. The bells were decorated with lines, spirals, and other geometric patterns. Some historians believe that these bells were to pray for good harvests and they were decorated with animals that would protect the fields from harmful insects.

After the Yayoi period was the Kofun period which lasted from about the third century to 538 A.D. This period is named after the tomb mounds, which were built for people of the ruling class. The mounds for the members of the ruling class were very elaborate and were adorned with many treasures. Treasures that the dead were buried with included: bronze mirrors, tools, weapons, and personal trinkets. Some tombs were topped with sculptures called haniwa. These sculptures that would go along with the tombs usually represented warriors, animals, or birds.

Sources: http://www.metmuseum.org/toah/hd/yayo/hd_yayo.htm & http://www.metmuseum.org/toah/hd/kofu/hd_kofu.htm 

Images: http://www.metmuseum.org/toah/works-of-art/18.68/ & https://rekishinihon.com/2015/10/01/haniwa-warrior-kofun-period/

[arthistorysarahutchinson-blog]

Week 12

I greatly enjoyed both the book reading for this week, as well as researching a nonwestern region and its art.

Starting with the book reading, some of this information was a review for me. I was raised Christian and attended Christian schools, so already knew some about early Christian history and its art. Still, I learned a few new things that I found to be super interesting. I always enjoy learning more about my religion in non-religion classes, for it always teaches me new things, as well as opens my mind to new opinions, thoughts, etc. Therefore, I really enjoyed this chapter, for I learned many new things via the form of art.

First, I learned about the altar generally being located at the eastern end of basilicas. I already knew the altar was meant to be the focal point, but never knew about its general eastern location, and why it was located at the eastern end. The altar generally supports a crucifix with the image of Jesus on the Cross turned to face the congregation. Just as the Crucifixion took place in the East (in Jerusalem), the Early Christian basilica and later churches are orientated with the altar in the East. According to tradition, Jesus was crucified facing west. Therefore, the altar cross usually faces the western entrance of the church. I found this information to be fascinating, and it made me wonder if the altar is located at the eastern end in the church I attend!

Second, I learned about San Vitale, which I had never heard of prior to this reading. The pictures the book featured of the interior of San Vitale were stunning. As the book stated, the interior has a glow of yellow light, resulting from the prevalence of the gold mosaic decoration.  I also learned that the representations are more conceptual than natural, and it was interesting to me to read how they analyzed the artwork and identified it as being conceptual, for I then was able to analyze other Christian artwork I knew of and try to figure out whether it was also conceptual.

Third, was Hagia Sophia, another architectural structure I had never heard of prior to this reading. I then learned it was dedicated to Christ as the personification of Holy (hagia) Wisdom (Sophia). The design of Hagia Sophia successfully combined elements of the basilica with enormous rising vaults. I was also amazed by the fact that Hagia Sophia’s dome was constructed of a single layer of brick. Additionally, Hagia Sophia featured two smaller domes. Unlike San Vitale, it was the personal church of the emperor and his court, rather than a place of worship for the whole community. Overall I found Hagia Sophia to be another stunning and mesmerizing artistic and architectural creation!

For our research, I researched Oceania. Oceania encompasses present day Australia, island Southeast Asia, and the islands of the tropical north and south pacific. During the period of 1 A.D. – 500 A.D. there was expansion and settlement of Oceania. Oceanic sculptures from this time period are a variety of ancient stone objects and were discovered in New Guinea. The sculptures are remnants of a culture, or possibly cultures, that once flourished on the island. The sculptures include independent figures, mortars, pestles, club heads, and other forms. Archaeologists have been unable to date these objects with certainty. One organic material associated with one of the sculptures was carbon-dated to around 1500 BC though, which would indicate great antiquity.

The picture I included with this post is of the ���Zoomorphic Figure”. It is believed that it could possibly depict an echidna, which is an egg-laying mammal that is native to New Guinea and Australia. Similar “echidna” figures have been discovered in a number of locations in the New Guinea and Mendi region. The significance of the echidna is unknown. We do know that ancient artifacts or natural objects, for example fossils, played an important role in the religious life of the people of this time. These objects were regarded as supernatural and powerful objects. They would be used in ceremonies for fertility rites, curing sickness, warfare, and “evil magic”. Lastly, sometimes large groups of stones were brought together for a ceremony known as amb kor or kor nganap. The ceremony was devoted to a female spirit that renewed the earth’s fertility and brought prosperity to the community.

Sources: Zoomorphic Figure | Work of Art | Heilbrunn Timeline of Art History | The Metropolitan Museum of Art. (n.d.). Retrieved March 30, 2017, from http://www.metmuseum.org/toah/works-of-art/1984.123.1/

[arthistorysarahutchinson-blog]

Great post! I agree with the fact that I not only learned a lot about Roman art, but also about Roman history in general. I am glad you mentioned the giant sculpture of Constantine, for I did not have enough room left to include it in my blog post. I also found it to be an awesome piece of art and was amazed by just its size alone at over 8 feet tall! I also found all of its detail to be incredible, for I could not imagine the artistic work and time that goes into creating that large and detailed of a sculpture.

Week 11 - Ancient Rome

After reading this week’s chapter about Ancient Rome, I learned a lot that I did not know before. There was a lot of information not only about the artwork of Rome, but also about the history too. I learned that Rome and its Empire survived for about 500 years, which is very impressive compared to Athens’ 50 years. I also learned that a reason why Rome’s Empire was so successful was because it was a melting pot of cultures and allowed many people to gain citizenship. The architecture was a major component of Rome’s artwork, along with the sculptures and paintings.

The chapter on Rome focused on the different types and styles of architecture. One thing I found interesting about the domestic architecture was the atriums that served as foyers and entrance point to the houses. The insulae was also interesting to me because I had never heard of it before. These structures were pretty much apartments. The ground floor served as shops and other businesses, while the floors above were for living spaces. The public buildings and their architecture was also an important part to Rome. From reading about the public buildings, I learned about the forum and basilica. The forum was an open, square or rectangular space that was open on three sides. The fourth side was a basilica, which was a roofed building on one side of the forum. I liked reading about the public baths in Rome. Before reading this chapter I knew that public baths had existed in Rome, but I did not know anything about the design of these buildings. It was interesting to learn that these public baths not only were for bathing and swimming, but also for wrestling, running, and included libraries, gardens, and museums. I thought it was cool how there were frigidarium, tepidarium, and caldarium, which were cold, warm, and hot rooms. These public baths were a major part of the Roman culture because Rome had 952 of them, which I thought was very interesting.

Although knowing about the Colosseum before reading this chapter, I found it interesting to read about and gain more knowledge about the iconic structure that so many people know. I thought it was cool how each of the three stories of the Colosseum have different columns. The ground level has Tuscan columns, the second has Ionic, and the third has Corinthian. I also learned that the the upper wall of the structure had sockets, so poles could be inserted to support canvas coverings which protected the spectators from sun and rain. I also learned that the Colosseum was built over a former pond.

While I could write this whole blog post about the types of architecture of Rome because there was so many, I am also going to talk about the more artistic features of sculptures and paintings of the Romans. The portraits of the Romans were interesting to read about. The bust was common in Rome, which just portrayed the head of a person. The giant sculpture of Constantine, on page 148, was very cool. It is huge, over 8 feet tall, and represents the emperor Constantine. The paintings and mosaics are also an important part to Roman art. Many of the paintings were discovered as ruins of Pompeii. I thought it was interesting how there was a little wax added to the mural paintings to increase the shine.

Ancient Rome included many architectural features, along with artistic features of paintings and mosaics. The Roman Empire was vast and survived for many years, which is why there is so much artwork and history. I really enjoyed reading this week’s chapter about Ancient Rome and getting a closer look at the art history.

[arthistorysarahutchinson-blog]

Week 11

I found this week’s reading about Ancient Rome to be very interesting and to build well upon our previous readings about the Greeks and Etruscans. There was a lot of information in this chapter, so I will cover as much of it as I can and focus on what information I found to be either new to me, or very fascinating.

First, I found the background information the book gave on Rome to be very helpful. Rome was a melting pot and was designated as caput mundi, which signified its position as the hub of the world power. This helped me to understand that there were many different influences in Rome, and the power Rome had. The Romans continued to be influenced by Greek sculpture, although they did have their own local styles. Roman art was also typically commemorative, narrative, and based on history rather than myth. Roman portraits sought to preserve the feature of their subjects and Rome portraiture was genealogical, connecting present with past. Portraits therefore were had two functions: to preserve the person’s image and the history of the family. I also learned that the Romans were very innovative with architecture.

Second, I learned a lot about the architectural types in Rome. The Romans recognized the potential of certain building materials, especially of concrete, which allowed them to build monumental public buildings. When discussing domestic architecture, I learned that as a result of the eruption of Mount Vesuvius in AD 79, volcanic ash covered Pompeii and several other towns. In wasn’t until 1952 that a Roman architect digging a canal discovered some ancient ruins, which later led to serious archeological excavations. I found this to be especially fascinating, for I would have thought that a volcanic eruption and its ash would damage much of Pompeii and its buildings, etc., but it obviously didn’t. I then learned that houses had plain exteriors without windows. Rooms that faced the streets functioned as shops, or tabernae, from which we get the English word tavern. I found it to be a really neat fact that this is the origin of the word tavern, for I wouldn’t have guesses it came from Ancient Rome. Behind the plain exteriors, were interiors that were often luxurious. Additionally, the typical professional or upper-class Roman house also had running water and sewage pipes. I found it crazy that they had running water and sewage pipes this long ago in history! Lastly, for the middle and lower class, the Romans built concrete apartment blocks, called insulae. According to Roman building codes, they could be as tall as five stories.

Third, was the public baths. I remember learning briefly about the Roman public baths in middle school, but had forgotten many of the details and for some reason thought there was only one of them. I was therefore shocked to learn that Rome had 952 baths by the middle of the fourth century. The Roman public baths were a cultural center, a place for socializing, bathing, and swimming. They provided facilities for playing ball, running, and wrestling.  Additionally, amenities included a cold room, a warm room, a hot room, steam rooms, changing rooms, libraries, gardens, and a museum.

Fourth, was the Colosseum. I knew of the Colosseum, but nothing of its function, or the engineering and architectural details. I first learned that the colosseum in Rome is actually a massive amphitheater. I then learned that the exterior consists of rows of arches, known as arcades, with three stories of round arches framed by entablatures and engaged columns. The ground floor columns are Tuscan, the second floor columns are Ionic, and the third floor are Corinthian. On the fourth floor, there are small windows and engaged rectangular Corinthian pilasters. The columns were organized so that the heaviest columns are at the bottom of the design. Additionally, there were canvas coverings to protect spectators from the hot sun or rain. Overall, I was amazed at the level of engineering, thought, detail, and art that went into the Colosseum that I had never thought of, or known about before.

Overall, I really enjoyed this chapter and was most interested in and fascinated with the Ancient Roman architecture. I also enjoyed learning about sarcophagus as one of their three funerary arts, their use of portraits to keep the deceased alive in memory, and the way their paintings were executed in buon fresco with small amounts of wax, which helped to preserve them along with the volcanic ash.

[arthistorysarahutchinson-blog]

Ellie,

Great post! I definitely agree that this week’s post was easier to understand, and am glad I am not the only one who thought so! Although the chapter was shorter, it was still packed with a ton of information, all of which was new to me. I found it super interesting when comparing the similarities and differences between the Greeks and Etruscans, especially since both cultures were happening at the same time. It made me wonder essentially how the Etruscans decided what items they wanted to be Greek influenced, and what they wanted to be distinctly their own culturally!

Week 10 - Etruscan

I liked this week’s reading for many reasons. One of those reasons is because I found it easier to understand than last week’s reading about Greece. I did like learning about the Greek art, too, but the chapter about the Etruscans was a shorter to read with a lot of information. One thing I found interesting in the reading was that the Etruscans and Greek cultures were happening at the same time. Another fact I learned was that the Etruscan language is unlike that of any other language known and that most Etruscan literature has disappeared. I also learned that many of the Etruscan buildings have not survived due to the materials used to construct the buildings.

The connection between Etruria and Greece is evident in the architecture, pottery, and sculpture of the Etruscans. There was lots of Greek influence in the Etruscan artwork. For many of the large buildings in Etruria, there was Greek influence. While a lot of the Etruscan artwork shared similarities with its Greek counterpart, the Etruscan style had its own unique style. Temples were based on the Greek style, but have solid side walls instead of just having columns as support like the Greek’s. There was not much mentioned in the reading about the architecture of the Etruscans, but the similarities between the Greeks and Etruscans is very evident. Although there was not a lot about the Etruscan architecture, I enjoyed learning a little bit about it through the reading.

I also enjoyed learning about the Etruscan pottery and sculpture. Like the architecture, the pottery and sculpture was also influenced by Greece. Many of the sculptures were made of bronze, which is what the Greeks used. The Etruscans also used the same method, lost-wax, that the Greeks did to make the bronze sculptures. The examples in the book of the bronze sculptures, Capitoline Wolf and Wounded Chimera, are very interesting to me. I thought the style of these sculptures is very different than that of the Greeks. The Greeks made many human sculptures, while these sculptures of the Etruscans represent animals and mythical creatures. Another thing I found interesting was that Etruscan art styles were the same as the Greeks. This makes sense to me since Etruscan art is heavily influenced by that of Greece.

One aspect of Etruscan art that was very different than Greek was the way women were represented. Women in Greek art is very rare, but women were welcomed in Etruscan art. Not only were the women welcomed in the artwork, they were also more free in society compared to Greece. The women in Etruria were held at a higher standard and able to participate in society. I liked reading this section in the chapter because it seems almost like a turning point for women in ancient times. Another reason I liked reading it because the views for women were so different in Etruria than in Greece, which is different than reading about how Etruscan art was so similar to the Greek.

Another difference in Etruscan and Greek style was their thoughts on death and the practices they did for when someone died. The Etruscans believed in an afterlife, like many other cultures we have read about. Their views related to those of the Egyptians with placing valuable items with the deceased. I found it interesting that the Etruscans cremated the dead. I also liked how the urns the Etruscans put the ashes in resembled houses, whether a hut or more elaborate two-story house. The sarcophagi and tomb paintings were also interesting to read about. With both the sarcophagi and tomb paintings, the figures represented do not depict the correct human anatomy, but rather represent “stylistic effects.” This concept was also very different than the Greeks.

Overall, I really liked learning about the Etruscans. I honestly did not know anything about them before reading the chapter this week. I really liked reading about the women in Etruscan art and the funerary art. The Etruscans had many similarities to the Greeks, but also varied in some aspects.

[arthistorysarahutchinson-blog]

Week 10

I really enjoyed this week’s reading and learning about the Etruscans. Prior to this week’s reading, I had never even heard of the Etruscans, so it was all new and very interesting information to me!

It helped to learn that the Etruscans homeland, Etruria occupied the west-central part of the Italian peninsula and is now modern Tuscany. I knew where Tuscany was geographically, so it helped me to better understand this chapter. I then learned that the Etruscans never formed a single nation, but coexisted as separate-city states with their own rules and laws. Additionally, the Etruscan fleet controlled the western Mediterranean, and was an important trading nation.

It was very interesting to learn the ways in which Greece and Rome influence Etruria and in turn how Etruria influenced Greece, Rome, and other areas. For example, the Etruscans were largely responsible for extending Greek influence to northern Italy and Spain. I also found it interesting to learn that Etruscan language was written from right to left. Additionally, it was also another interesting and mysterious point to learn that Etruscan literature, which according to Roman sources was rich and extensive, has disappeared. Yet, we are still able to learn about the Etruscans due to their buried tombs and necropoleis (cities of the dead), for the Romans left them undisturbed, and therefore they are major sources of information about the Etruscans.

Next, was Etruscan architecture. Greece was stated as being an inspiration for large-scale architecture in Etruria. Remains from temple foundation indicate that the architectural plans were based on Greek prototypes. Yet, late Etruscan temples remained distinct in some ways, for they had gabled porches but not pediments. I then learned that the Etruscans used wattle-and-daub construction for the superstructure by reinforcing the branches, also known as the wattle, with clay and mud, also known as daub. Stone was only used for the podiums.

Next, was Etruscan pottery and sculpture. The few surviving sculptures indicate a thriving industry in bronze and like the Greeks, the Etruscans cast bronze by the lost-wax method. My favorite piece of art from this chapter was the she-wolf, the so called Capitoline Wolf. The statue captures the aggressive anger of a mother protecting her cubs, and I was extremely impressed by the detail and their ability to convey such an accurate expression of aggression and protection by the wolf.

The book then discussed women in Etruria and how they were depicted in Etruscan art. The Etruscan’s differed significantly from the Greeks in their attitude toward women. Women participated more in public life with their husbands and held higher positions than women in ancient Greece. For example, wives participated in banquets with their husbands. Additionally, wealthy Etruscan women were unusually fashion-conscious and wore elaborate jewelry that corresponded with their rank. Additionally, bronze mirrors used by Etruscan women have been later found, and are decorated with mythological scenes. Lastly, artists often depicted myths in which women dominated men by being older, more powerful, or higher in divine status, again showing the significant difference in Etruscan’s attitude towards women.

Lastly, there was lots of information on funerary art, but we do not know exactly what the Etruscan’s specific view on the afterlife was. Often, they cremated their dead and buried ashes in individual tombs or urns, which often had a lid in the form of a human head. Some of the urns took the form of houses and therefore provided us with a glimpse of domestic architecture. There were also sarcophagi, which are like urns and hold cremated remains, except the sarcophagi figures represent a married couple. From both this and other evidence, we know that the family unit was an important element to their art and society. In later Etruscan history, an unusual limestone cinerary statue exists of a monumental female with a swaddled child lying across her lap. The downcast expression of the female is appropriate for this Etruscan funerary figure. Additionally, on both sides of the chair/throne is a sphinx, which testifies to the importance of this figure, and allows us to assume that this statue is probably of a goddess. The book states that she may perhaps be the goddess of a protector of mothers who died in childbirth. Lastly, hundreds of tomb paintings have been discovered in underground tombs of Tarquinia, a site northwest of Rome. These paintings were usually frescos and often represented funeral rites or optimistic scenes, but still had elements that hinted at death.

[arthistorysarahutchinson-blog]

Ellie, 

Great post! I also found it interesting to see the change in the way that the Greeks thought of death, as well as how they made grave markers, instead of preserving the bodies of the deceased and offering them to the gods like the Egyptians did. Additionally, I found the differences in Greek sculpture in comparison with the Egyptian sculpture to be very interesting. Personally, I realized after this weeks readings that I prefer the Greek’s realistic and naturalistic sculpture style, but I can also still appreciate the Egyptian’s sculpture style.

Week 8 - Ancient Greece

There was a lot of information in this week’s reading about Ancient Greece. I, probably like most people, knew about some of the significant culture and art of the Greeks. This week’s reading was interesting to me because I learned a lot more about the details of Greek art than I knew before. One thing I realized while reading about Ancient Greece is that although it does have ties and inspiration from other civilizations, its style is very unique and unlike any of the other cultures we have read about so far. A way that the Greek culture differed from other cultures we have read about so far is that the Greeks did not stylize the idea of death. While the Egyptians viewed death as a very sacred event and performed elaborate ceremonies for those who passed away, the Greeks did not share that same idea. They made grave markers, which were memorials for those who passed away, instead of preserving the body and offering it to the gods. While the Greeks differed from other cultures in their ways to honor the dead, they did worship gods like many other cultures. I enjoyed reading about all the different Greek Gods on page 86. I knew about some of them, but it was interesting to learn their functions and attributes that they had to the Greeks.

One thing I learned about Greek art was all the different styles they had throughout their civilization. Geometric, Orientalizing, Archaic, Classical, and Hellenistic all were different styles that the Greeks used. I really enjoyed reading about the pottery, sculpture, architecture of the Greeks. Unlike the previous cultures, there was many different kinds of Greek vases. There was different shapes of the vases, along with different techniques used to paint the vases. The black and red-figure painting, along with white-ground painting was interesting to read about because it was different technique than any other cultures used.

The Greek sculptures were original, yet had similarities to the Egyptian sculptures. The stance of sculptures from both cultures is relatively similar. The main difference is that the Greek sculptures were nude compared to Egyptian. I found this very interesting. I think this plays a part in the Greek art as trying to highlight realism and naturalism. I also found it interesting how it was male sculptures that were nude, but female sculptures were not. The bronze sculptures were also new. I found the process of how they made bronze sculptures very interesting and pretty advanced for the time period.

The last part I found intriguing about Greek art was the architecture. The Greek architecture is very well known. I knew about the Parthenon, but was not very familiar with the Acropolis and all the other buildings included in it. I learned about the Erechtheum, Propylaea, and the Temple of Athena Nike. All the structures that the Greek constructed were amazing and had so much detail put into them.

From listening to the podcast, “The Ancient Origins of Modern Beauty,” it makes sense to me that our modern society gets its standards of beauty from the Ancient Greeks. The Ancient Greeks were all about putting an emphasis on desire and attractiveness. I think this is evident in all the sculptures that the Greeks created. Most of the sculptures are male. Not only are they male, they are also nude. None of the male sculptures that were created by the Greeks are depicting a man who is not physically fit. As time went on, the sculptures of men showed more muscle and definition to their bodies. The Greeks valued symmetry and proportion, which is shown in sculptures and statues. The Greeks also created the Olympics, in which athletes participated in. I believe this definitely ties in with our society’s standard of beauty. Most women find men who are physically fit and athletic attractive. The last part of the Greek culture that may have shaped their standards of beauty, and our cultures, is the gods and goddesses. The male gods were depicted as strong and powerful, while the goddesses were depicted for love and beauty. I believe the Greeks’ standard of beauty is evident in our modern culture for what most men and women see as being attractive in one another.

[arthistorysarahutchinson-blog]

Week 8

I enjoyed this week’s reading on Ancient Greece. Although I know I had a unit on Greek mythology in high school, I had no other recollection of having ever studied Ancient Greece. Therefore, I learned a lot from this reading, for there was a lot of content, but I really enjoyed it.

Starting with the podcast, I enjoyed how they started the podcast by asking people “what is beauty?” and having them define it in six words. It caused me to think about the question myself, and set the stage for the rest of the podcast. I found it to be a fascinating point when they stated that if we look at Greek statues today, they seem to still fit our standards of beauty, but we don’t necessarily respond that way to other cultures statues. I agree with this statement, for I think Greek art is extremely beautiful. I then learned that symmetry, proportions, and great attention to detail are what helps make Greek art beautiful to so many people. It was fascinating to pinpoint these aspects of proportion and symmetry as being why our standard of beauty is so similar to the Greeks.

Next, with the readings, there was a lot of information, so I wanted to share the information I found to be both new and fascinating.

First, there were a few quick facts I learned. For example, I knew the Greeks started the Olympics, but I did not know that they reckoned time in Olympiads – four year periods beginning with the first Olympic Games. Additionally, I found it interesting that the Olympic games were so important that all wars on the Greeks were halted so athletes could travel safely to Olympia. Another fact I found fascinating is that the Greek language has persisted relatively unchanged to the present day.

Secondly, I learned that their gods were anthropomorphic and had human personalities and conflicts. I also learned that the Gods were referred to as Olympians because they lived on Mount Olympus after they over threw the so-called Titans. I also learned that the Greeks erected grave markers, which were memorials to the deceased rather than offerings to the gods. The use of grave markers as memorials seemed to be slightly different than the way previous cultures, like the Egyptians, treated the deceased, so it stood out to me.

Third, I learned that the best preserved examples of large scale Greek pictorial style are mosaics from the Hellenistic period. The book gave us a mosaic example of a Roman copy of a Greek fresco from around 300BC that depicts Alexander the Great defeating the Persian king Darius II at the Battle of Issos. I was not only impressed by this artworks detail, but also found a specific part of the art to be fascinating. The part I found fascinating was that the artist included in the mosaic a Persian solider who watches a reflection of himself dying on a shield. I found this to be just fascinating from both an intellectual thought process of portraying the scene and the soldier in such a way, but also from an artistic aspect of creating the detail to portray this scene occurring as a reflection on a shield.

Fourth, the Temple of Athena Nike I found to be another beautiful Greek creation. The small marble temple is stated in the book as being located on the southern edge of Acropolis and in the book it was beautiful to see it pictured overlooking the town behind it. I enjoyed the smaller size and gracefulness of this temple in contrast with heavier proportions of the Doric columns in Parthenon. The fact that the temple celebrates a military victory, but it is not known which one due to the complication of the fact of when it was designed and finished, also adds to this being one of my favorite pieces in this chapter due to the mystery behind it. Lastly, the book stated that the best surviving sculpture form the Nike temple is the relief titled Nike Adjusting Her Sandal. It was so interesting to me that Nike simply adjusting her sandal was seen as significant enough to make a sculpture of.

In conclusion, there are many fascinating and beautiful pieces of art from Ancient Greece. I think my overall take away from this chapter was that regardless of the piece of art, the Greeks naturalistic and organic forms, their understanding of human anatomy, and their attention to detail, symmetry, and proportions is astounding and breathtaking.

[arthistorysarahutchinson-blog]

Cassy,

Great post! I was also initially confused who the Aegean were, for I did not remember ever learning about them. Therefore, it has been really neat to learn about all these different cultures through the form of art in this class! I also find it interesting and odd in regards to how many cultures have gods with animal body parts. I’d love to learn more about what the reasoning is for this! Lastly, I couldn’t agree more with your statement that ‘new’ needs to be history form the civilizations that have previously been ignored by Western museums. Couldn’t have said it better myself!

Week 7

Chapter 6 covers the Aegean, and right away I was lost. Who are the Aegean? I had never heard of them before taking this class, until I read on and discovered that they were a society of islands by Greece. In history class we neglected this specific culture and rounded them into Ancient Greece, but now I know that is not the case. For example, I remember seeing “Mask of Agamemmon” featured in the chapter for Ancient Greece when I was in 6th or 7th grade.

The very first thing I noticed about the Aegean was that their paintings were much more detailed and complex than any of the other previous cultures we have learned about, specifically the one on the bottom of page 75. There’s men on boats sailing away and a village or temple inside a mountain with what appears to be deer running on top of it. To the left of the temple looks to be a treasury room filled to the brim with gold and other precious metals. The art style of that culture is astounding to me personally, because not much is known about them as a people.

Does anyone else find it strange how many cultures have god/goddesses/deities which have body parts of animals? Like back to the last chapter in Ancient Egypt where their god Anubis has been depicted with the head of a jackal. It is a bit of a random question but I have continuously noted this similarity in many, if not all of the previous chapters.

I loved how Holland Cotter started his essay, Art View; Eastern Art Through Western Eyes, with quotes from Mark Twain’s visit to India. I liked it because Mark Twain was a prominent author in his time, and he was a prime example of ethnocentrism, which is when you judge another culture based on the standards of your own culture. Twain labeled India’s art as, ‘“Crude, misshapen and ugly”’ because he did not understand the history behind the art.

Due to these essays, it had made me really think about what my role is in art history, and I believe it is my job to keep an open mind when strolling through museums and not label art of any kind as ‘ugly’ or ‘crude’ like Mark Twain did in the first essay.

Museums house history of all kinds, not just art and bones, but the sentiments, uses, cultures and long dead civilizations that created those artifacts. However, we rarely get to see anything other than western art. That is an issue Cotter brought to my attention in his essay. Under Threat: The Shock of the Old. I have been to two of three museums in my life, and only in one of them do I remember seeing a section for Asian art. That was in the Smithsonian, and even then it was not nearly as large as the section for the Ice Age or the even the room full of outfits famous people have worn. As I sit here and reflect on this new, and slightly disturbing, information, I feel a bit ashamed at our lack of cultural diversity in our museums. Everyone knows about ancient Egypt and ancient Greece and about WWI and WWII, but we know virtually nothing about Africa’s history or even Asia’s history.

Cotter says, “as the field changes generational hands, it’s crucial… to start looking again for the new in traditional…” And I believe that ‘new’ needs to be history from the civilizations that have previously been ignored by Western museums.

[arthistorysarahutchinson-blog]

Week 7

I really enjoyed the two articles for this week. After reading the articles, my thoughts on the discipline of art history slightly changed. The reason my thoughts about the discipline of art history changed is because prior to reading these articles, I didn’t realize what a lack of knowledge and research there was on Indian, African, and Chinese art history in comparison to Western art history. Before reading this article by Cotter, I was unware of the fact that non-Western art history was so under researched. I had just assumed that Western art history was focused on so much, for I figured it was the most historically rich/significant, so there was more to learn and research. Now though, I realize that is not necessarily the case, but rather the reason we don’t hear as often about non-Western art history isn’t due to a lack of its existence or importance, but rather due to a lack of research. In the future, this will slightly impact the way I view art or museums. As Cotter mentioned, museums now have this “Blockbuster fear” and are worried that if they don’t feature the most expensive, rare, or never-seen-before exhibits, people will not be interested in them, or come to view them. Rather, Cotter argues that it shouldn’t have to be traditional vs. contemporary, and I agree with that statement. My family and I will often go to the museums in Chicago, and over the years and many visits, I think I have seen an Ancient Egypt exhibit featured every time. Rather, I would now like to see museums start featuring exhibits from non-Western cultures, so I can broaden my knowledge. In regards to the role or responsibility of the study of art history, I would simply state that the focus of studying art history should not be place on just one culture. Rather, the study of art history should be responsible for studying every culture equally, so that we may gain more diverse knowledge about art history as a whole, and not just one culture.

     I also found our book reading this week to be very interesting. There were a multitude of things that stuck out to me in this reading. First, was the discoveries at Thera. I found it really interesting that as archeologists went through the remains of Thera from the enormous volcanic eruption, they found an absence of human remains. It made me extremely curious as to why there weren’t inhabitants and why they had evacuated the islands before the volcanic eruption. I also find architecture to be fascinating and therefore was intrigued by their findings of an affluent ancient town. From paved and winding streets, to houses of stone and mud, basements for storage, workroom space, upper-story living quarters, and mills attached to the homes, the high standard of living that existed in this town was fascinating. Secondly, the Frescoes were astounding. The fact that walls of public buildings and private houses were once decorated with such beautiful art is mesmerizing. My favorite painting, which was also stated as being the most significant painting is the Ship Fresco. The amount of detail of the harbors, boats, cities, villages, human figures, landscape, sea life, and land animals is amazing. I truly found it to be a breathtaking piece of art. Third, was the fact that little is known about the Minoan religious beliefs, for archaeologists have been unable to decipher their language. It was a simple fact the book mentioned, but still I found it to be very interesting that even professionals in the field can’t decipher their language. It made me really curious as to whether we will ever be able to decipher their language, especially with technology advances, etc. Lastly, the Lion Gate I found to be another great piece of art. With nearly every chapter, I am amazed by how they carved such detailed sculptures out of rock, marble, etc. without the technology we have today. This was another one of those pieces that amazed me and was also interesting in the fact that the heads of the lions were carved separately to project frontally and display their power as guardians of the entrance.

[arthistorysarahutchinson-blog]

Cassy,

Great post! You discussed how the art styles from Ancient Egypt were so detailed and how the meaning behind everything is incredibly descriptive. I totally agree with this statement and I also was captivated by how intricate every detail is, with a story behind all of it. It is purely fascinating. I was also glad that you brought up the fact of how incredible the pyramids are given the lack of technology they had. It is fascinating the mystery behind how they were ever able to create such pyramids and it rightfully deserves to be one of the wonders of the world.  

Week 6

Right off the bat, I was excited to read Chapter 5, ‘Ancient Egypt’. I have always loved learning about their culture; it was my favorite part of History class in Jr. High. My favorite part was learning about Hatshepsut, the first queen to rule in a pharaoh stature, and now learning that she revived art in Egypt during her rule? That makes her 50 times cooler in my eyes. The Egyptian’s art, much like many other cultures’s, revolved around their religion and how the gods ruled through the earthly kings and queens. The art style in their works is so detailed and the meaning behind it is incredibly descriptive. For example, the Palette of Narmer has explanations for everything on the palette. The crown on the pharaoh’s head has a symbolic meaning, as does the weapon in his hand and the way he is holding his enemy. Even the background of the palette is symbolic. The servant is holding the pharaoh’s shoes, and that means the pharaoh is walking on holy ground while taking over an enemy. Who knew art could have such intricate detail and back story? The art style was interesting too because when a person was painted, they were painted in the profile, except for their chest and arms which were faced out towards the viewer. I think I remember reading somewhere that they did this because the Egyptians believed when they painted a picture of a person, it captured a bit of their soul.

Another thing I found extremely eye-catching was the pyramids. Everyone has heard of them and everyone knows what they look like, but no one knows for sure how they were built. For the technology back then, it would have made it almost impossible to create such structures without many, many months of hard labor. Even so, the Egyptians built what we now, rightfully, classify as a wonder of the world. The pyramids were built as tombs for the pharaohs when they died, and the production of these tombs would begin almost as soon as the next pharaoh was chosen (talk about being prepared for the future). Most of what I know of Egyptian history comes from the movies: The Mummy and The Mummy Returns, but they still do a pretty good job displaying the art of the culture they’re making a movie over. In my opinion, the Egyptians were a very artistic society, even their words were pictures, I mean, you cannot get more artistic than that. They had grand elaborate temples for their leaders, crafted intricate jewelry, sculpted massive life-like statues of their pharaohs and queens, and they created their own form of writing called hieroglyphics. The lengths this culture went to help their pharaohs and queens reach the afterlife is astounding. Queen Hatshepsut had an entire funeral temple erected for her, which is still standing today. Its production started during the reign of Thutmose I and continued and finished during the reign of Queen Hatshepsut.

They Egyptian queens were what made me most impressed with ancient Egyptian culture because they were powerful women and were frequently featured in paintings on the walls of temples and tombs. Throughout most of history of that time, women were not featured in many artworks because it was, and still sort of is, patriarchal world.