week11.

It was really interesting that I learned lots of things about art history through this class. Especially, I enjoyed prehistoric art and ancient Egypt art during this quarter. I usually intrigued by the visual details. When we look through all the details we could know about the characteristic the artistic periods. However, the historical context would help to understand more and eventually the historical context is the best part for understanding these works of art. About the prehistoric art, I was surprised that how that old works of art could exist till now. And, I like the cave wall painting. It is quite abstractive but I guess that people who lived in that period wanted to express something through painting instead of letter. Also, in the prehistoric art, I really like the Woman from Willendorf and I think it is really interesting piece of work. It is quite small but it represented meaningful things. Her body expressing health and fertility that could ensure the ability tot produce strong child. And it could be a pregnant woman’s perspective to own body.  Actually I really like the Egypt arts and structures as well. Pyramid is the most interesting structure to me. I was always wondering how to make these wonderful structures in that period. The great pyramid at Giza is the one of the greatest architectural in the world. It is the true pyramid with a square base and four sloping triangular faces, and the angled sides may have been meant to represent the slanting rays of the sun, for inscriptions on the walls of pyramid tombs built in the Fifth and Sixth Dynasties (Stokstad 56).   Usually people just know as visually about the historic works of art but in this quarter, I learned lots of periods of arts with histories in detail. 

#8. Temptation and Fall of Adam and Eve and the Crucifixion

In this week, I want to talk about Temptation and Fall of Eve and Adam and Crucifixion of the Hildesheim Cathedral doors. Firstly I want to describe the panels in detail. Left panel, which is named Temptation and Fall of Eve and Adam, I can see the naked man and woman, and I feel like they are trying to eat apples off the trees. This panel is in the curve in high relief so it looks amazing and animated. According to the bible in Luke 12:5, "And the LORD God took the man, and put him into the Garden of Eden to dress it and to keep it. And the LORD God commanded the man, saying, Of every tree of the garden thou mayest freely eat: But of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, thou shalt not eat of it: for in the day that thou eatest thereof thou shalt surely die". Adam could eat of every tree, except one. God had given Adam a Command. Sin is disobeying God’s Commandments. God also warned Adam of the consequences of disobeying His Command. The penalty for disobedience was death. Adam’s obedience was going to be tested. I don’t know many of the bible stories but I absolutely know about story of the Adam and Even.  In this panel, we could know that Adam and Eve are just about to eat an apple from the tree of the knowledge. This panel was wanted to express the exact moment of before eating the apple.

The right side panel named Crucifixion of Jesus Christ. This panel also carved in high relief on Jesus Christ body. And his arms are outstretched and his body looks really weak. Beside him, there are two guards to threat him and one of the other two persons might be his mother. And four of them carved in low relief. I guess this panel has meaning of sin. Even the moment of Jesus Christ die, he said to god that forgives them. This panel also represent the moment of when Jesus Christ suffering.

Both panels have great lesson from the bible and implied the forgiveness about sin. But themes are quite opposite in that left one is showing the beginning moment of sin and the other one is showing the saving of sinners. Also the composition of these two panels feel like well organized pieces. The carving of high relief made reality and feel like they are going to pop up. And both of them related to God and God letting us the way to be free from the sin.  I think these panels are very interesting to me.

blog#7. Roman and Early christian.

Sculpture portraits of Roman imperial were very accurate and faithful portraits of individuals. Roman patrons in the republican period admired realistic portraits, and sculptors delivered leader as the power of person or symbol of spiritual power. For example, “Head of a Man (known as Brutus)” conveys strong, broad face with its heavy brows, firmly set lips, and wide open eyes. Lucius Junius Brutus was a founder and first consul of the Roman Republic. The sculpture represents very strong characteristics of him and great strength of purpose as the ancient hero. Furthermore, Roman artists of the Augustan age created a new style, a Roman form of idealism. The sculpture represented idealization of a specific ruler and imperial portraiture for propaganda. The sculpture, “Augustus of Primaporta” also illustrates the historical idealistic individual portrait. Augustus was a vigorous young ruler so he’s depicted as the image of muscular warrior figure like Greek idealistic sculpture as.  However, I think that the sculpture, ”Commodus as Hercules” conveys twisted silly leader feature. In this sculpture he took off the dress of a Roman emperor and took to wearing a lion skin over his head and carrying the club in his right hand and the golden apples in his left hand. And two cornucopiae are full of fruit hold up the bust. As the supposed reincarnation of Hecules and the incarnation of the god Jupiter, he even appeared in the arena to display his physical ability. But no painting in this eye and it also makes weak as well. I guess he wanted to hide his weakness and appear powerful and strength by using the sculpture. On the other hand, the portrait head of Caracalla looks stern and fierce man by using fine lines and contrast of the light. I feel like this sculpture is more strong and powerful than Commodus one. I guess that detail of the Caracalla’s eyes and face makes powerful ruler. Even it shows his wrinkles on his face and mustache. Unlike the Commodus one, Caracalla bust has only face part. But I only can feel the powerful and virile things in the Caracalla’s bust. In the Commodus bust, I cannot feel the powerful and virile through his face but lion skin helps it. But the Commodus one looks more luxurious.

Sculpture was a powerful source of political propaganda that generations of rulers used. They modelled themselves in stone, the bringers of peace and prosperity, and later even in the image of gods. The sculptures are also used to commemorate specific events and to remind the people of their Emperor’s military skills. I think that both of sculptures show the rules’ ability and character through their appearance. The sculpture of Commodus and Caracalla looks different but both of them are similar in portray propaganda. Commodus wanted to show as a God with wearing lion skin by showing powerful ruler. Also, the sculpture of Caracalla shows that powerful hard worker ruler. The sculptures appear their character and ability about lead as well. I guess that their looking might help them as a tool of political propaganda.

#6. Parthenon Marbles

The British Museum which is really popular in the world offer the diversity of the cultures, ancient and modern and  the collections of the British Museum were often make an offer to see the valuable things. Many people go to the British Museum for seeing Parthenon Marbles from all over the world, and some of them even do not know about what story is in it. Even before move in to the British Museum, the Parthenon Marbles had a tough life. Once it was bomb storage. Also, the Parthenon Marbles had serious damage by the Ottoman Empire named Lord Elgin and he take them off to the Greece and move to the British. Also, for moving the Marbles, they even cut into pieces. According to thedailybeast, In the course of his Ottoman escapade, he lost the following: his beautiful and rich wife to his best friend, a big chunk of his nose to a nasty infection he'd caught in Constantinople and, ultimately, his marbles, which he was forced to sell to the British government in 1816 for £35,000 (roughly equivalent to $4 million today) to dig himself out of debt after his divorce. It is quite ridiculous story and I think that it is unreasonable story for that. Now the Parthenon Marbles are the heart of the British Museum and they do not even think about to return it. From 1816, the British Museum has insisted ownership of the Parthenon Marbles. Also they claim that the marbles symbolize the beginning of civilization so they say it is not only belonging to the Greece. I think that whatever is not belonging to own culture, they should not take it forever just like the British Museum. Just for the museum display encourages aesthetics would not be the reason for keeping the beautiful monument. Personally, I am from Korea and we were once a subordinate to the Japan, so our country’s power was weak. At that time, our precious relics were taken by many other countries such as France, China, and, Japan. We are demanding the restitution of the relics but many countries still insist that they do not want to return it. Once, France has lent one of our valuable ancient records for the five years and they want to renewal the contract, but I think we will not going to give them back. Even though it could be difficult and take some times, our country will try hard to get the relics back. Seriously I understand that how Greek feels about it. I feel like the countries that taken the precious relics insist ridiculously. So I think that the Parthenon marbles should be returned to Athens. I believe that if the Parthenon Marbles move to the Athens, we could see the complete form of the temple and we could deeply move our heart. The British Museum might not want to return it but I truly wish that the valuable relics could be getting back in original place. One day I want to see the result of our efforts for get back our valuable and precious relics.