Art 101 Chapter 2&3
-Scenes of war and hunting which underscores the power of the ruler -Brutal people; mindful of possible attack and constructed their palaces as fortified citadels; -Gives a good idea of the original appearance of royal citadels
Assyrian Art
-Great pyramid symbolized the sun.. Grey -Pyramids referred as pathways to heavens; reborn every day in the afterlife -Pyramids orientated to face cardinal points of the compass -Funerary temple sight faces the rising sun -Relation to the sun god "re" -Mortuary temple with path that led down to the sphinx... happens to be bigger, leads down and you have the sphinx at the end -The sphinx supposedly was not for Kahfre, probably for Khufu (Khafre is Khufu's second son) -pyramids show strength of intelligence; underscore the greatness of the pharaoh and represent his absolute power.. glorifies him -Khufu's is the biggest pyramid, followed by Khafre's then Menkaure's --elaborate interior chambers -Menkaure has mini pyramids off to the side -Khufu had mastabas and pyramids -the valley temple is further away --the depiction of all the the pharaoh's is formulaic and rigid --> specific steps were took as to how they were depicted
Great Pyramids (Menkaura, Khafre, Khufu) and Great Sphinx. Giza, Egypt. Old Kingdom, Fourth Dynasty. c. 2550-2490 B.C.E. Cut limestone.
-Akhenaton: hiccup in the new kingdom -Come and goes and new kingdom continues -Pivotal person who changed the religion to a monotheistic religion -Actual name was aman hotep -Aman: part of the first syllable of his name -Basically new god to high name -Ahn: sun disk -Got rid fo his name from all inscription -Built his own city and shrine and called it armana -Claimed he was the son and soul profit of Aman: gave himself a divine right to rule -Religion change>... created a tension .. Because of the -new change artists decided they would change the ways pharaohs were depicted
Akhenaton and the Amarna Period
-Composite view, hierarchy of scale, They all look like they have a belly.. Soft curvilinear shapes -Sun disk shining down on them; sunken relief; domestic scene of the family -Strikingly different from pharaoh's -Akannan holds his oldest daughter and looks like he is gonna kiss her -middle daughter is pointing to her Dad -Little daughter on mom's shoulder pointing to earring -Elongated neck... curvilinear forms vs. reptilinear (rigid) breaks the tradition since old kingdom style -Cobra: supreme and only deiety -Nemes: divine power -Last two re's: symbol of unc... life looks like a wit head Placed by nose... breathing -Nefertiti's shorn shows symbol of upper and lower et (pap and lot) -Shows her power as queen -Ank is placed near their noses because they are breathing life.. The ank symbolizes life the rays shining down -Nerfertiti's throne is very ornate... lotus and papyrus plants rep she is the queen of upper and lower Egypt.. Implies she has power/importance
Akhenaton, Nefertiti, and three daughters. New Kingdom (Amarna), 18th Dynasty. c. 1353-1335 B.C.E. Limestone.
everybody has a purpose Main concern was survival Specific jobs created organization and helped city states to survive better City states religious based: revolved around a deity Priests directed all activities Agriculture under control; other sought speciality and trade Worked as a group vs. individuals Defense against enemies and nature (storms; destroy crops) Gilgamesh : Organize: tally up how many crops and animals they were growing Simplified the pictographs by the use of wedge shaped (cuneiform) signs read from top to bottom and right to left Cuneiform : wedge shaped writing
Ancient Mesopotamia and Persia
-hall contained 72 columns and two monumental stairways -The walls of the spaces and stairs leading up to the reception hall were carved with hundreds of figures, several of which illustrated subject peoples of various ethnicities, bringing tribute to the Persian king. -The Persian Empire was Conquered by Alexander the Great -Alexander was impressed by the Persian system of absorbing and retaining local language and traditions as he imitated this system himself in the vast lands he won in battle -Alexander made a point of burying the last Persian emperor, Darius III, in a lavish and respectful way in the royal tombs near Persepolis. This enabled Alexander to claim title to the Persian throne and legitimize his control over the greatest empire of the Ancient Near East -Apanda: audience hall City of persepolis.. Large empire when it was created.. The first great empire in history Built by Darius and Xerxes eventually destroyed by Alexander the Great Symbol of destruction by Persian imperial power Act of Revenge Built on top of the high plateau which was heavily fortified (do not see the walls anymore) built for recpetions and festivals Underscores power and wealth f the emperor Broad ceremonial staircase provided access to the platform and immense royal audience hall The audience hall had 36 colossal columns that covered the wooden roof Can hold up to 10,000 people in that recession hall The walls are made out of mudbrick Floors were paved in stone or brick 36 colossal columns were the main feature of the room Stairways adorned with reliefs of the festival with different cultures Cars on the stairs are immortals, kings guard.. Always numbered over 10,000 troops or members Approach ot the citadel was led through the gate of wall
Audience Hall (apadana) of Darius and Xerxes. Persepolis, Iran. Persian. c. 520-465 B.C.E. Limestone
-top of the columns are capitals.. Decorative elements -columns are the main features in the appadana -The shaft is in the column and not the capital 57 feet tall with fluting (ridges; decorative) -formed of two bulls heads, sense of scale of the royal architecture and power of the Persians -36 columns that topped appanda in the hypostyle hall: where the king would receive visitors -Double vertical volume capitals... look like scrolls with back to back animal protomes -Four legged part of the body with the animal -Columns are unique in form but derived by Mesopotamian tradition -The capital itself is very uniquely Persian in style (7 feet tall) -Eagle headed winged lion, bulls, lion, man-headed bulls... varrying animals (uniquely Mesopotamian in style) -Underscores the strength of the king -Fiercest animals and monsters to hold up the roof
capital on the Appandana
-second biggest, outer casing at the top -appears to be larger but is actually smaller than Khufu's -interior is simpler than that of Khufu's -1 single burial chamber with two passageways -the mortuary temple was more elaborate with 52 self statues displaying the arrogance and power of the Pharaoh -Khafre's valley temple, located at the east end of the causeway leading from the pyramid base, is preserved. --constructed of megalithic blocks sheathed with granite and floors of polished white calcite --Statue bases indicate that an additional 24 images of the pharaoh were originally located in this temple -the mortuary temple had a pathway that led down to the Sphinx --This close association indicates that this massive depiction of a recumbent lion with the head of a king was carved for Khafre. -Sphinx had a Nemes headdress and a fake beard representing possibly a Pharaoh -the lion was a royal symbol as well as being connected with the sun as a symbol of the horizon; the fusion of this powerful animal with the head of the pharaoh was an icon that survived and was often used throughout Egyptian history -king's head on smaller scale than in the body
Khafre's pyramid
- constructed of inner, rough-hewn, locally quarried core stones, which is all we see today, and angled, outer casing blocks laid in even horizontal courses with spaces filled with gypsum plaster -outer casing stones laid with great precision -at the very top of the pyramid would have sat a capstone, known as a pyramidion, that may have been gilt -above the King's Chamber are five stress-relieving chambers of massive granite blocks topped with immense cantilevered blocks forming a pent roof to distribute the weight of the mountain of masonry above it -seven large boat pits; brick-lined boat shaped elements were probably intended for use in the afterlife to transport the king to stellar destinations - south side of the pyramid Khufu had two massive, rectangular stone lined pits that contained completely disassembled boats
Khufu's pyramid
-near life size statue -captures the physical ideals of the time and creates a sense of eternity and immortality -the three primary pyramids at Giza were constructed during the height of a period known as the Old Kingdom and served as burial places, memorials, and places of worship for a series of deceased rulers--the largest belonging to King Khufu, the middle to his son Khafre, and the smallest of the three to his son Menkaure. -Pyramids are not stand-alone structures. Those at Giza formed only a part of a much larger complex that included a temple at the base of the pyramid itself, long causeways and corridors, small subsidiary pyramids, and a second temple (known as a valley temple) some distance from the pyramid. -Valley Temples were used to perpetuate the cult of the deceased king and were active places of worship for hundreds of years -Images of the king were placed in these temples to serve as a focus for worship—several such images have been found in these contexts, including the magnificent seated statue of Khafre, now in the Egyptian Museum in Cairo. -There were a number of triad statues—each showing 3 figures—the king, the fundamentally important goddess Hathor, and the personification of a nome (a geographic designation, similar to the modern idea of a region, district, or county). -There were 4 complete triads, one incomplete, and at least one other in a fragmentary condition. The precise meaning of these triads is uncertain. -More recent scholarship, however, suggests that there were originally 8 triads, each connected with a major site associated with the cult of Hathor -two figures supported by a shared black pillar -road-shouldered, youthful body of the king is covered only with a traditional short pleated kilt, known as a shendjet, and his head sports the primary pharaonic insignia of the iconic striped nemes headdress (so well known from the mask of Tutankhamun) and an artificial royal beard -in his clenched fists, held straight down at his sides, Menkaure grasps ritual cloth rolls -body is straight, strong, and eternally youthful with no signs of age - facial features are remarkably individualized with prominent eyes, a fleshy nose, rounded cheeks, and full mouth with protruding lower lip -Menkaure's queen provides the perfect female counterpart to his youthful masculine virility. -Sensuously modelled with a beautifully proportioned body emphasized by a clinging garment, she articulates ideal mature feminine beauty -Menkaure and his queen stride forward with their left feet—this is entirely expected for the king, as males in Egyptian sculpture almost always do so, but it is unusual for the female since they are generally depicted with feet together. They both look beyond the present and into timeless eternity, their otherworldly visage displaying no human emotion whatsoever. -The dyad was never finished—the area around the lower legs has not received a final polish, and there is no inscription. However, despite this incomplete state, the image was erected in the temple and was brightly painted—there are traces of red around the king's ears and mouth and yellow on the queen's face -king has no protective cobra (known as a uraeus) perched on his brow; this notable absence has led to the suggestion that both the king's nemes and the queen's wig were originally covered in precious metal and that the cobra would have been part of that addition. -identity of the queen is a different matter. She is clearly a royal female. She stands at nearly equal height with the king and, of the two of them, she is the one who is entirely frontal. In fact, it may be that this dyad is focused on the queen as its central figure rather than Menkaure -prominence of the royal female—at equal height and frontal—in addition to the protective gesture she extends has suggested that, rather than one of Mekaure's wives, this is actually his queen-mother -function of the sculpture in any case was to ensure rebirth for the king in the Afterlife (funerary purposes)
King Menkaura and queen. Old Kingdom, Fourth Dynasty. c. 2490-2472 B.C.E. Greywacke.
-Lamassu.. Winged man headed bull -carved at height of Assyrian civilization -lions supposed to be an imposing figure that protected the citadel (within the temple and royal palace) -Detachable from the base -Idea of motion and rest at the same time -Convey the idea of conceptual image: see the idea of that animal correctly from all angles -express the power of the Assyrian king.. stood between two arches -carved out of monolithic stone, no cuts -relief carving in the palace depicted moving these Lamassu into place -crown decorated from rosettes, double horns, ring of feathers -incised wavy hair, connected eyebrow, ears of a bull that wear earrings -marvelous rep of a beard that comes down and you see spirals that are interrupted by a series of horizontal bands -ringlets across the body: fur of the beast -text conveys power of king and damnation of the citadel -meant to be seen from a frontal and profile view (2 legs in the front overlap, however it is an extra leg) -on the side --> appears to be moving -looking frontward --> two legs are static; beast is stationary -decorative forms with sensitivity to the anatomy (naturalistic and imagination)
Lamassu from the citadel of Sargon II, Dur Sharrukin (modern Khorsabad, Iraq). Neo-Assyrian. c. 720-705 B.C.E. Alabaster.
-fragment of a papyrus stone -papyrus is the single most imp surface for writing -Ancient text with spells and prayers/cantations -pyramid text: sets of instruction -really imp texts, originally just for kings -Hu-nefer was a scribe: literate, had a high station in Egyptian culture -top: Hunefer is speaking to a line of crouching deities professing the good life that he lived and that he has earned a place in the afterlife -below: a scene of judgement, whether Hunefer has lived a good life and whether he deserves to live in the afterlife -standing on lower level, far left... recognize him because he is wearing the same white robe; he is being led by the hand by a god with a jackal head, Anubis, who is associated with the dead, with mummifhication, with cemeteries -in his left hand, Anubis is carrying an Ankh: a symbol of eternal life; exactly what Hunefer is after -to the right Anubis is now crouching and adjusting a scale, making sure that it is exactly balanced -the left side of the scale shows the heart of the dead and on the other side is a feather, which belongs to Ma'at, who is at the top of the scale -Ma'at: deity associated with divine order and ethical life -feather is lower, feather is heavier, he has lived an ethical life and is brought the afterlife -Ammit: head of a crocodile, body of a lion, hine quarters of a hippo who would've devoured Hunefers heart should he have NOT lived an ethical life -ONLY go to afterlife if you are ethical -Thot: deity with the head of an ibis who is recording the proceedings of what happens to Hunefer --he is upright and his arm is stretched out, trustworthy positions -Hunefer is then being introduced to one of the main gods in the afterlife, Osiris: important because he is in an enclosure and is enthroned, carries symbols of Egypt --sits behind a lotus blossom: symbol of eternal life -Horus' four children sitting on flower rep four cardinal points (N S E W; responsible for caring for the internal organs of the dead, preserving them) -Horus as an eye carries an ostrich feather, a symbol of eternal life -behind osiris: one is Isis (wife) another her sister (guardian of afterlife and sister of Anubis) -white platform: Natron the natural salts that are deposited, used by the ancient Egyptians to dry out all of the mummies in this room -"preservation" is key because this culture whose forms remain remarkedly the same for thousands of years -typical/traditional way to represent the human figure -mixture of writing and images
Last judgment of Hu-Nefer, from his tomb (page from the Book of the Dead). New Kingdom, 19th Dynasty. c. 1275 B.C.E. Painted papyrus scroll
-the smallest and most complex chamber -card w/ decorative panels and large niches -lined with massive granite blocks -excavations reveals the statues of the kings -This temple was still an active place of cult late in the Old Kingdom and was almost entirely rebuilt at the end of the 6th dynasty after it was heavily damaged by a flood.
Menkaure's temple
-female pharaoh Hatshepsut -she assumes the authority of Pharaoh, created a whole mythology that described her divine birth.. oracle predicted -commissioned temples, sculptures; interested in the power of art to create royal authority -representations of her as a sphinx -temple is built against a cliff face, provides a dramatic quality and contrast to the regular order and structure -sense of permanence and stability expressed is an example of stability that Hatshepsut was trying to establish -this was the beginning of the New Kingdom, each kingdom were separated by intermediate periods, which were often periods of instability/ruled by outsiders -she adopted the forms of the ancient Egyptian art --symmetry, headcloth of her as king, beard as kingship --male visual language as king --body is represented in a masculine way: broad shoulders,, --identifying words are female (hieroglyphs) -pharaoh that she overtook destroyed all of the objects depicting her -because it is made from granite, it made it incredibly hard to break -she also comissioned hundreds of images for herself, making it take a long time for the ruler to get rid of them all -these forms allowed herself to convey the thoughts of her as king -on her knees making an offering to the gods -she was seen in a negative light back then because she was seen as a usurper -nevertheless she had enormous power and influence, set a standard for the work of the New Kingdom
Mortuary temple of Hatshepsut. Near Luxor, Egypt. New Kingdom, 18th Dynasty. c. 1473-1458 B.C.E. Sandstone, partially carved into a rock cliff, and red granite.
-First of the three great kingdoms -Old Kingdom: predominantly pyramids, decoration for pyramids, tombs and afterlife -Materials that were mostly used were diorite.. Pharaoh statues -aristocracy amassed great wealth and expended it on grandiose architecture projects
Old Kingdom
-Was about two feet; shows the wealth of the owner: ornate palate -Unification of Egypt marks the end of Predynastic Egypt -The rosetta stone helps us to decipher the hieroglyphics -Back represents upper Egypt... front represents lower egypt -Back and front coming together = unification of the two kingdom -People depicted in composite view: frontal eye, frontal torso, profile legs; form rigid and stiff -The top of both of the palettes are heads of a cow with a woman's face: Hathor (divine mother of all Egyptian kings) or sky goddess Bath -Hieroglyphics: Narmer's name within the frame that represents the palace... his image and name appear on both sides of the palette -Back side: white headdress is a crown of upper Egypt -Narmer larger in scale than the attendants: hierarchy of scale; killing enemies and his attendant is carrying shoes -Falcon with human arm represents the king's protector; holding a rope binding foe's head, personifying lower Egypt (Horus is the Messenger) --Papyrus with plants with human heads represents lower Egypt... (two parts coming together) -beneath the king are two fallen enemies Right side: -Two intertwined elongated feline necks: unification, create palette for eye makeup; functional and decorative -Narmer is now in a red crown (white is upper Egypt) of lower Egypt... looks at beheaded enemies with heads between his legs -Enemies (dead) are in aerial view... mixing of two vantage points -His strength/power rep. in the lower register when a bull is shown front/staight/head on --bull knocks down the fortress walls of a rebellious city -Proportions of body changed from earlier works -Persian people with two guys holding hands... followed a "canon" rules placed in how they create the proportions -horizontal lines define the ground supporting the figures -Sculptor sub-divided the surface into registers and inserted the pictorial elements into their organized setting in a neat and orderly way -Commemorative piece v. funerary -MOST funerary... tomb... burial f dead -influence: Narmer's palette and other predynastic works established this compositional scheme as the norm in Egypt for millennia
Palette of King Narmer. Predynastic Egypt. c. 3000-2920 B.C.E. Greywacke.
-still generic; however has the appearance of sagging skin showing that he has enough money to eat -writing was a valued skill back in that day -the less realistic one was depicted, typically the more rich they were -eyes laid in with rock crystals, make him look alive -he is painted, which makes him lifelike -sitting on the ground, lower statue -he looks very informal, cross legged, holding a papyrus scroll (pose unnatural) -he looks very human and natural compared to the hierarchical way.. he is not of divine status but is still very important -middle age: loss of muscle tone, conveys sense of wisdom -funerary sculpture
Seated scribe. Saqqara, Egypt. Old Kingdom, Fourth Dynasty. c. 2620-2500 B.C.E. Painted limestone.
-Owner is upper class and rich; lapiz lazuli is very expensive -A war side and a peace side -Either a sound box or brought into battle on a pole -Single historical narrative: -Three horizontal bands: able to look at the story and decipher it for yourself; organized, readable ... reads left to right, bottom to top -Lower: donkey in strict profile drawing chariots (crush enemies, accelerate from left to right; idea of movement and picking up speed -Foot soldiers lead away and capture foes -Top: soldiers bring bound captives to king life figure who has stepped out of his chariot: -He is a king because he is bigger and in hthe middle -Lowest band of peace side (2-8) men carry provisions (war booty) on their backs; above animals transport animals, spoils of war, and fish for the great banquet -Top shows the banquet.. King hierarchy of scale Strict profile for animals composite view for position
Standard of Ur from the Royal Tombs at Ur (modern Tell el-Muqayyar, Iraq). Sumerian. c. 2600-2400 B.C.E. Wood inlaid with shell, lapis lazuli, and red limestone.
-Votive features: all these statues from the temple of Eshnuna; MORTALS not deities -Representing the donor.. Offering that stands for someone -Big eyes: eternal awakeness, show they are always praying -Two largest figures found in a burial under the floors of the temple of Eshnuna -A foot -30 inches tall -Hold a small beaker that holds a goblet; has libations in it for offerings to the priest -Forms are simplified in shape... cylindrical or conal in shape -proportion and scale are off; heads are facing upwards, wait in the waiting room for the god and the goddess to wait
Statues of votive figures, from the Square Temple at Eshnunna (modern Tell Asmar, Iraq). Sumerian. c. 2700 B.C.E. Gypsum inlaid with shell and black limestone.
-the principal religious center of the god Amun-Re in Thebes during the New Kingdom (which lasted from 1550 until 1070 B.C.E.) -one of the largest religious complexes in the world -precincts of the gods Mut and Montu. Compared to other temple compounds that survive from ancient Egypt, Karnak is in a poor state of preservation but it still gives scholars a wealth of information about Egyptian religion and art. -The site was first developed during the Middle Kingdom (2055-1650 B.C.E.) and was initially modest in scale but as new importance was placed on the city of Thebes, subsequent pharaohs began to place their own mark on Karnak - Karnak was known in ancient times as "The Most Select of Places" (Ipet-isut) and was not only the location of the cult image of Amun and a place for the god to dwell on earth but also a working estate for the priestly community who lived on site. -The main temple of Amun-Re had two axes—one that went north/south and the other that extended east/west -One of the greatest architectural marvels of Karnak is the hypostyle hall built during the Ramesside period (a hypostyle hall is a space with a roof supported by columns) - the hall would have been brightly painted and some of this paint still exists on the upper portions of the columns and ceiling today - the Egyptians allowed for clerestory lighting (a section of wall that allowed light and air into the otherwise dark space below) - temples in Egypt were connected to the idea of zep tepi, or "the first time," beginnings of the creation of the world -the temple was a reflection of this time, when the mound of creation emerged from the primeval waters -The pylons, or gateways in the temple represent the horizon, and as one moves further into the temple, the floor rises until it reaches the sanctuary of the god, giving the impression of a rising mound, like that during creation. -The temple roof represented the sky and was often decorated with stars and birds. -e columns were designed with lotus, papyrus, and palm plants in order to reflect the marsh-like environment of creation. The outer areas of Karnak, which was located near the Nile River, would flood during the annual inundation—an intentional effect by the ancient designers no doubt, in order to enhance the temple's symbolism -Façade of lower portion faces the Nile from which festival positions arrived by bat... wall was the barrier between the inside and outside world -Hypostyle hall: post and lintel design that raised the roof to let light in on the central columns; no one other than priests and pharaohs could enter this place --The side columns allowed for light to come in --clerestory allows light and ventilation -Columns had sunken relief; once painted
Temple of Amun-Re and Hypostyle Hall. Karnak, near Luxor, Egypt. New Kingdom, 18th and 19th Dynasties. Temple: c. 1550 B.C.E.; hall: c. 1250 B.C.E. Cut sandstone and mud brick.
-H known for creating the most important set of legal codes from the ancient near east -Hammurabi is standing and Shamash is seated -Shamash is the sun +law god.. Shamash is more important; handing over the laws to Hammurabi -horns show that he is Smamash, rays of light coming from his shoulder -his feet are on the mountains -They are looking eye to high; hierarchy looks slighty taller because of his horned helment -If Shamash stood, he would be taller even though Hammurabi looks as tall as his -he is still very important because he is addressing him directly -He is handing over a ring and a rod (septor) symbolizing passing down authority -King's builded a social order -Underscores Hammurabi's god given right to rule/glorifies Hammurabi -Authority is a good theme -basalt is a hard stone that comes from volcanic action -the entire stele is covered in pieces of writing: right to be king, ode to his glory, 300 specific laws (and punishments) governing Babylonia -written in cuneiform ; punishments serious
The Code of Hammurabi. Babylon (modern Iran). Susian. c. 1792-1750 B.C.E. Basalt.
-King tut had a very extravagant andelaborat e tomb... starting ruling 8 .. Minor figure -Howard Carter discovered the tomb, furniture, and jewelry largely in tact -Helps us to study the lives of ancient Egypt -Entombed in three coffins.. Most luxurious and inner most -Shows the wealth and power of that pharaoh -Made with gold inlaid with lapis lazuli and Cornelian Cult of Osiris -The image of the pharaoh is that of a god of divine quality being conveyed --Shown in his divine form in the afterlife -X-shaped arms: symbol of his right to rule... similar to Shamash giving Hammurabi the right to rule -This pose is very similar to Akhenan's -Beneath these goddesses Isis and Nephis etched into the gold lid -Monotheistic ends -Death mask laid over a person that died
Tutankhamun's tomb, innermost coffin. New Kingdom, 18th Dynasty. c. 1323 B.C.E. Gold with inlay of enamel and semiprecious stones.
-The bottom is the platform; the temple is laying on the Ziggurat -Everything is made from mud brick -Religion played a huge role in Sumerian cities -The temple complex was a city within a city -Priests and scribes carried commercial duties -Structure is made out of mud brick baked in the sun -Ceramic has more material.. More permanent, able to make super structures so that it would be tall and have height -Each temple had a central hall: cella set aside for the divinity and had a set altar -Waiting room for deity.. Didn't know if ti had a roof/what kind of roof
White Temple and its ziggurat. Uruk (modern Warka, Iraq). Sumerian. c. 3500-3000 B.C.E. Mud brick.