Art history continued
Lipstick (Ascending) on Caterpillar Tracks form
: - 24 feet high - sculpture - plywood base - red vinyl tip - remade in metal
Power Figure (Nkisi n'kondi) period
: Kongo peoples (Democartic Republic of the Congo)
Jowo Rinpoche, enshrined in the Jokhang Temple Architect
: Viswakarma
Les Demoiselles d'Avignon content
A brothel 5 prostitutes Faces of women on the right are seen as representations of African masks Figure on the left: an archaic figure Un-idealized women Table with fruit on it points to woman Woman with her right elbow raised ad her left hand on a sheet pulled across her left thigh
The Code of Hammurabi media
Abaslt/stele
The Bay Period
Abstract Expressionist
Woman, I Period / Culture:
Abstract Expressionist
Colonial tower and circular wall of Great Zimbabwe period
African Art/Shona Peoples (Southeastern Zimbabwe)
The Steerage artist
Alfred Stieglitz
Marilyn Diptych. Artist / Architect: __
Andy Warhol
Petra, Jordan: Treasury and Great Temple patron
Aretas IV Philopatris
Palette of King Narmer artist
Artist not known. Discovered in 1898 by James Quibell and Frederick Green.
Sika dwa kofi (Golden Stool) artist
Ashanti peoples (south central Ghana)
Lukasa (memory board) context
At the start of the 1500s the Luba people began to emerge as a powerful nation in central Africa The People wanted to figure out a way to remember their history so their culture would not be lost Specific people assigned by the Luba kings were trained to memorize patterns and colors in order to make a Luba and tell the story on it to the people in the Luba Tribes. This specific one was made between the 19th and 20th century
The Code of Hammurabi period
Babylonian/Susian
Buddha Contextual issues / History about the work or architect (Historical events, religious beliefs, economic considerations):
Bamiyan Valley in Afghanistan was a stop on the Silk Route - along with fertile land, ideal location for merchants and missionaries to stop - plurality and lax nature of buddhist worship created pretext for buddhist cave architecture - 1000 buddhist caves along 1300 meters of cliff face in Bamiyan - destroyed in 2001 - taliban's iconoclastic campaign - backlash to western interest and funding for maintenance - falsely claimed as an islamic act; Bamiyan was muslim by 10th century yet maintained statues - only niches and faint outlines remain
Buddha Meaning / Significance:
Bamiyan's central location along the Silk Route, along with its fertile plains amid harsh terrain, made it an ideal location for merchants and missionaries to stop during their travels. Many of the missionaries and merchants in this area during the middle of the first millennium were practitioners of the Buddhist faith Buddhism spread, in part, because it was not location specific. Believers did not need to worship at a particular temple or at a particular site as part of their practice. Worship could take place anywhere and at anytime. This freedom resulted in the emergence of Buddhist cave architecture throughout Asia
Portrait mask (Mblo) period
Baule peoples (Côte d'Ivoire)
Great Pyramids (Menkaura, Khafre, Khuf) and the Great Sphinx form
Bedrock Cut limestone Limestone casing Red granite Almost perfect pyramids Pyramid of Khafre looks the tallest (it's on higher ground) Largest pyramid= Pyramid of Khufu Second largest pyramid= Pyramid of Khafre Smallest of the pyramids= Pyramid of Menkaure Great Sphinx= carved into bedrock of the plateau Sphinx was originally brightly painted Temple in front of Sphinx, has granite pillars and two sanctuaries Khafre's valley temple was made of megalithic blocks with granite and white calcite polished floors Khafre's pyramid white washed (reflective)
Aka Elephant Mask period
Cameroon, westerngrassfields region
The Code of Hammurabi form
Carved relief at the top Inscribed cuneiform on all sides 2 Horizontal registers Hard stone Stele at top
The Migration of the Negro, Panel no. 49 media
Casein tempera on hardboard.
Wall plaque, from Oba's palace media
Cast brass
Ikenga (shrine figure) function
Celebrates the Igbos belief in the importance of individual achievement A source of strength and power for the owner Emphasize the power of the right hand This is why the right hand usually holds a sword While ikenga do resemble the people for whom they were carved, they are meant to symbolize the significance of that person in society or any past accomplishments of the person Always kept in the home of the owner, in some kind of sanctuary within the home Ikenga reflects the importance of earned status in Igbo culture, honors power and skill of a man's right hand because of success in action. Earns them recognition as warriors Figures were displayed by men on a personal shrine and made sacrifices to it, important part of the household
Female (Pwo) mask period
Chokwe
Female (Pwo) mask artist
Chokwe peoples (Democratic Republic of the Congo)
Lipstick (Ascending) on Caterpillar Tracks architect
Claes Oldenburg
Jowo Rinpoche, enshrined in the Jokhang Temple Building's Utilitarian Function:
Clearly great religious & cultural importance to the people of Tibet (as seen through its restoration and veneration over 1300 years) To act as the Buddha's proxy after his parinirvana or departure from the world So the religious significance of this buddha comes from its likeness of the Buddha as well as it having been carved by vishwakarma (the architect) 641 CE - a chinese princess is said to have brought it to tibet as part of her marriage dowry to emperor songtsten gampo Same time period as was found the earliest evidence of the sculpture This date also coincides with the foundation of buddhism in tibet ^^concludes that jowo shakyamuni isn't one of the first images of the buddha, yet it is extremely important bc its arrival in tibet coincides with the foundation of buddhism in tibet
Bundu Mask form
Dark, painted wood material forms a head that resembles a thimble A very small face with small features is central and towards the bottom of the head A sharp point extends up from the face, possibly forming the forehead Geometric designs surround the pointed forehead on either side Folds extend from the face to the back of the head A ring separates the geometric designs from the top of the head The top of the head has several points which are arranged perpendicularly to the face Fibers which represent hairs, extend down from the head
House in New Castle County location
Delaware, US
The Court of Gayumars, folio from Shah Tahmasp's Shahnama function
Depicting a secular/mythological scene, rather than religious scene Figures and animals ok because it is not religious
Dream of a Sunday afternoon in the Alameda park artist
Diego Rivera
Portrait mask (Mblo) date
Early 20th century ce.
Wall plaque, from Oba's palace period
Edo Peoples (Benin Kingdom)
Wall plaque, from Oba's palace artist
Edo peoples (Kingdom of Benin (Nigeria))
Aka Elephant Mask form
Elephant mask composed of colorful cloth and beads Mask wears its own hat Hoodlike face- round eyes with red beads and white cloth- strong navy blue tones in the cloth Cowrie shell decoration on the face and rest of mask Two long panels- represent the elephant's trunk- woven raffia fiber adorns the edges of the trunk Isosceles triangle- geometric designs- sometimes in the shape of an hourglass Two circles- elephants ears .
Statues of votive figures, from the Square Temple at Eshnunna (modern Tell Asmar, Iraq) functino
Figures represent humans/patrons and were placed in a temple praying (historians think to the god Abu) in order to be attentive to a sculpture of a god- who was believed to be embodied in the sculpture. Figures offer "forever" prayers to the god. Large eyes= (viewer focuses on eyes, due to size) attentiveness to gods Closed mouth and sealed lips= humble
Great Pyramids (Menkaura, Khafre, Khuf) and the Great Sphinx intended audeince
For each of the rulers over three generations Khufu Khafre Menkaure
Palette of King Narmer form
Found in the temple of Horus at the city of Nekhen. Carved in Slate/Stone. Made of greenish-grey siltstone. decorated with scenes. Scenes show the King Narmer and Sun god. More than 2 feet high Palettes were very flat.
The Two Fridas artist
Frida Kahlo
Great Pyramids (Menkaura, Khafre, Khuf) and the Great Sphinx building's utilitarina function
Funerary place of burial for kings and an entry point into the afterlife Tomb for pharaohs Sphinx protects the pyramids Pyramids are tombs, not temples
Buddha Period/Culture: _
Gandharan
Great Pyramids (Menkaura, Khafre, Khuf) and the Great Sphinx location
Giza, Egypt
Spiral Jetty location
Great Salt Lake, Utah, U.S.
Palette of King Narmer media
Greywacke
King Menkaura and Queen media
Greywacke/Schist
Reliquary Figure function
Guard family reliquary boxes from the "forbidden gaze of women and uninitiated boys" & evil spirits reliquary - container for holy relics Bones of important ancestors & potent substances/herbs Like a talisman (an object with supernatural properties that protects from evil and brings good luck) Sometimes were consulted when considering an important decision Sometimes used as puppets to teach their ancestral history to young men of the society Express certain spiritual ideas
Statues of votive figures, from the Square Temple at Eshnunna (modern Tell Asmar, Iraq) media
Gypsum inlaid with shell and black limestone
The Bay artist
Helen Frankenthaler
Great Pyramids (Menkaura, Khafre, Khuf) and the Great Sphinx architect
Heminu (Egyptian Architect)
Great Pyramids (Menkaura, Khafre, Khuf) and the Great Sphinx content
Huge monuments/tombs for deceased Pharaohs Each pyramid has an adjoining mortuary temple Pharaoh buried within the Pyramids Each pyramid has a funerary complex adjacent to it Different sized pyramids Temple in front of the Sphinx dedicated to worship of itself Mastabas (basic egyptian tomb- go down a shaft and underground burial chambers) Causeways (pathway that connects pyramid to Valley Temples) East Cemetery on the east side of Kufu's pyramid Valley temples (used for cult of Pharaoh) Sphinx attached to causeway that leads up to Khafre's pyramid Sphinx head has Nemes (striped head cloth worn by pharaohs in Egypt)
Ikenga (shrine figure) period
Igbo peoples
The Migration of the Negro, Panel no. 49 function
In a series that aims to depict the migration of African Americans from the rural south to the urban north after World War 1 This is part of a series depicting the struggles black Americans endured as they travelled from to the north during the Great Migration.
The Court of Gayumars, folio from Shah Tahmasp's Shahnama media
Ink, opaque watercolor, and gold on paper.
Aka Elephant Mask content
Intended to worship the elephant- this animal was always seen as a symbol of sovereignty/royal authority Beads imported from Venice and the Middle East- represent great wealth and status Black beads- relationship between living and the dead White beads- ancestors and medicines Red beads- life and women Triangular pattern of beads- similar to the configuration of a leopard's spots- this animal was also seen as a great symbol of power and authority- required a lot of respect
Standard of Ur function
Intentionally buried because of elaborate burial ritual. Main panels are known as "War" and "Peace", but we do not know what the use of Standard of Ur was meant for.
Bahram Gur Fights the Karg, folio from the Great Il-Khanid Shahnama Period / Culture:
Islamic; Persian
The Migration of the Negro, Panel no. 49 artist
Jacob Lawrence
The Two Fridas context
Juxtaposition of two self-portraits left: a Spanish lady in white lace right: a Mexican peasant stiffness and provincial quality of Mexican folk art served as direct inspiration her two hearts are intertwined by veins, which are cut by scissors at one end they lead to a portrait of her husband, artist Rivera painted at the time of their divorce CONTEXT infertile land in the background, figures against a lively sky vein = umbilical cord associating husband as a husband and a son blood on lap suggests many abortions and miscarriages and surgeries bc of polio Kahlo rejected the Surrealism label
Power Figure (Nkisi n'kondi) artist
Kongo peoples (Democartic Republic of the Congo)
Ndop (portrait figure) of King Mishe miShyaaag maMbul patron
Kuba leaders or nyim
Ndop (portrait figure) of King Mishe miShyaaag maMbul artist
Kuba peoples (Democratic Republic of the Congo)
Aka Elephant Mask context
Kuosi- elite masking society that owned and wore these Aka Elephant masks Included royal family, wealthy title holders, and ranking warriors- all came together and showed off the masks during the masquerade
Jowo Rinpoche, enshrined in the Jokhang Temple Location (city, country): __
Lhasa, Tibet
Seated Scribe context
Located in Saqqara Egypt This sculpture is not idealized the way that Pharaohs are typically depicted. That is due to the fact that Egyptians saw Pharaohs equivalent to gods and would not have represented Pharaohs this way. (in a relaxed and cross legged position) This sculpture was found in a necropolis, southwest of Cario The base at which the figure sits upon is broken, due to the wear and tear of time, but if it were whole we would be able to have more knowledge about this man; his name and title. Scribes are very highly regarded in Egyptian culture Scribes were one of a few people who could read and write This scribe had his own mastaba near a Pharaoh
Lukasa (memory board) artist
Luba peoples
Seated Scribe content
Male holding a papyrus scroll Tummy chub showing (human like) Calm/relaxed facial expression Seated on base (broken because of time) Short hair Thin lips Lifelike Painted Relatively small Sculpture Kilt Pronounced cheekbones
Female (Pwo) mask content
Mask that represents an ideal woman Would have been a tight fitted body stocking covered in raffia cloth Dancer's groin area would be covered in a loincloth and he would be wearing wooden breasts Closed eyes and closed mouth large eyes Symmetrical face Narrow chin Wide forehead accentuated by hairstyle Earrings
Lukasa (memory board) period
Mbudye Society
Power Figure (Nkisi n'kondi) form
Metal and ceramic insertions Painted eyes Hollow stomach 4 feet tall larger than most afrtican sculptures In it's torso there is a Kondu gland
The Two Fridas period
Modern Intersection
Dream of a Sunday afternoon in the Alameda park period
Modern intersection
White Temple and its ziggurat permiary builing materials
Mudbrick Whitewash White Clay Bitumen/Asphalt Brick
Petra, Jordan: Treasury and Great Temple period
Nabataean Ptolemaic and Roman
Petra, Jordan: Treasury and Great Temple architects
Nabataens
Portrait mask (Mblo) form
Oblong face shape is black in color with triangular brown markings Traces of orange and red paint remain near the lips, eyes, and nose Nose is long and mouth is closed Ears are rounded nubs on either side of the face Ribbing goes down from the ears and across the jawline and chin There are curved markings around the hairline, possibly representing hair A crown-like addition is attached to the head A rectangular shape has shapes poked into it; a cross-like set of curved triangles is centered with circles punched in on either side There are six pieces coming off of the top of the rectangle A bit over 14 inches in length
Portrait mask (Mblo) artist
Owie Kimou
The Steerage content
People on a ship traveling from America to Europe Shows first and third class Women and men on lower deck Only men on upper deck immigrants were in ghastly conditions
The Steerage period
Photography/ Modernist photography / photo-secession
Les Demoiselles d'Avignon context
Picasso is a spanish artist He painted this while he was in Paris Title translates to, "The Young Ladies of Avignon" A street in Barcelona Associated with prostitution Goes back to Degas and Manet and even the Venetian Renaissance Many (art historians) saw this painting as a break with the 500 years of European painting that began with the Renaissance Many (art historians) see this piece as the foundation that allowed Cubism to be built Radical break that points to the future changes the normal representation of how you make body in space and create a space
Lipstick (Ascending) on Caterpillar Tracks period
Pop culture
Mont Sainte-Victoire period
Post Impressionism/Modern Art
House in New Castle County period
Post Modernism
Palette of King Narmer period
Predynastic Egypt
Great Pyramids (Menkaura, Khafre, Khuf) and the Great Sphinx functino
Pyramid of Khufu= burial sight for King Khufu Pyramid of Khafre = burial sight for King Khafre Pyramid of Menkaure= burial sight for King Menkaure Great Sphinx= symbol of royal power Shape of the pyramids was a solar reference. Pyramids= place of regeneration for deceased ruler Temple in front of the Sphinx's sanctuaries connected to the setting and rising sun Mastabas were smaller tombs for important court members Sphinx is a depiction of a lion and the head of a Pharaoh (maybe King Khafre) Cobra on Sphinx: represents rebirth and references Osarius
Fountain Media:
Readymade glazed sanitary china with black paint.
Bahram Gur Fights the Karg, folio from the Great Il-Khanid Shahnama Function(s) / Meaning:
Recounts the tale of Bahram Gur's battle with the Karg using illustration and textual description
Bahram Gur Fights the Karg, folio from the Great Il-Khanid Shahnama Content/Symbols/Subject Matter:
Representation of the ideal king Shows mix of Chinese and European influences Bahram Gur wears a crown and a golden halo, which shows influence by Western Christian depictions of Jesus Bahram Gur's garment seems to be made of European fabric Chinese landscape conventions are visible in the background
Spiral Jetty architect
Robert Smithson.
White Temple and its ziggurat building utillitarian function
-Used for government and religious purposes. -Used for rituals, ceremonies, and sacrifices.
The Two Fridas function
1. Kahlo completed this painting shortly after her divorce with Diego Rivera. The painting expresses her desperation and loneliness after the separation. The traditional Frida has cut her main artery and is in danger of bleeding to death, suggesting that a part of her has died in the divorce. 2. Frida meant to portray her two personalities. One of the Fridas is the traditional Frida in Tehuana costume, with a broken heart, sitting next to an independent, modern dressed Frida.
The Court of Gayumars, folio from Shah Tahmasp's Shahnama date
1522-1525 ce
Mont Sainte-Victoire date
1902-1904 ce.
Les Demoiselles d'Avignon date
1907 ce
The Steerage date
1907 ce
The Two Fridas date
1939
The Migration of the Negro, Panel no. 49 date
1940-1941
The Jungle date
1943
Dream of a Sunday afternoon in the Alameda park date
1947-1948 ce
Fountain Date / Century
1950 ce , original 1917
Woman, I Date / Century
1950-1952 ce.
The Bay date
1963
Narcissus Garden date
1966
Lipstick (Ascending) on Caterpillar Tracks date
1969-1974
Spiral Jetty date
1970
House in New Castle County date
1978-1983
Bundu Mask date
19th to 20th century
King Menkaura and Queen date
2490-2472 BCE
Great Pyramids (Menkaura, Khafre, Khuf) and the Great Sphinx date
2550-2940 BCE.
Seated Scribe date
2620-2500 BCE.Statues of votive figures, from the Square Temple at Eshnunna (modern Tell Asmar, Iraq)
Statues of votive figures, from the Square Temple at Eshnunna (modern Tell Asmar, Iraq) date
2700 BCE.
Palette of King Narmer date
3000-2920 bce
White Temple and its ziggurat date
3500-3000 BCE.
Buddha Date/Century__
400-800 ce
Standard of Ur content
Symbol of War and Peace (like the U.S. dollar). The 4 enemies that are shown on the battle side are symbolic of more than just more people. The art piece is about war and celebration and shows two different stories during an early civilization.
The Steerage context
The Stieglitz family went on their second trip to Europe as a family. Alfred, his wife Emmeline, daughter Kitty, and Kitty's governess Left for Paris on May 14, 1907 Kaiser Wilhelm II in the first class quarters Emmeline was looking forward to shopping, but stress was overtaking Alfred (rumors about his potential affair wit Pamela Coleman Smith (a tarot-card illustrator/artist) Alfred felt uncomfortable around the fellow first class quarter dwellers His discomfort forced him to take this photograph Stieglitz is many times criticized for overlooking the subjects of his photograph Stieglitz 'father had come to the U.S. in 1849 during a mass migration of 1,120,000 Germans to the United States between 1845 and 1855. His father became a very successful wool trader who retired by 48. Clear example of "The American Dream" Stieglitz was conflicted about migration. He was sympathetic to the plight of new arrivals but was opposed to admitting undereducated and marginal to the U.S. Son of German Jewish immigrants
Les Demoiselles d'Avignon function
Title translates to, "The Young Ladies of Avignon" Ideas about the female nude, sexuality, sexually transmitted diseases Confrontational painting Tension between the sensuality the sailor indulges in and a significant reminder that life is short along with its pleasures Figure on the left: an archaic figure that goes back to Ancient Sain and goes back to the Iberian art before the classical period Agglomeration of styles (kind of an invention) Physical confrontation and danger present 2 masked figures on the right side refer to Picasso's fear of disease Left most figure to archaic Iberian sculpture Still life of fruit on a table: ancient symbol of sexuality About Picasso's intense fear that women would transmit diseases to him
Fountain Contextual issues / History relevant to the art / artist
To declare this factory-made urinal as a sculpture and enter it into a competition for an art exhibition expressed Duchamp's Dadaist theories of overturning the conventions of art and the history of sculpture while welcoming a new art that included "readymades" and
King Menkaura and Queen function
To ensure rebirth for King Menkaure in the afterlife. Captures the physical ideals during the 4th dynasty Stance of King symbolizes power, authority, leadership, and dominance The Queen's figure demonstrates idealistic femininity in ancient egyptian culture
Lukasa (memory board) function
Used as a way to record and remember important times and events in the Luba People's society Important for oral history and story-telling Alludes to ancestors and deities, recording names Only specifically trained people can read them Demonstrates hierarchy and class consciousness, as only the most accomplished and senior members of council could read the memory boards These people were known as "men of memory" Readers would hold it in their left hand and trace patterns with their right index finger
Lukasa (memory board) form
Varied in size but small enough to hold Made of large wood plank with metal and smalls beads of various materials 19th - 20th century Luba People Democratic Republic of Congo
Narcissus Garden location
Venice Biennale
The Jungle artist
Wilfredo Lam
Woman, I Artist / Architect
Willem de Kooning
Portrait mask (Mblo) media
Wood and pigment
Lipstick (Ascending) on Caterpillar Tracks location
Yale, University
Jowo Rinpoche, enshrined in the Jokhang Temple Period/Culture:
Yarlung Dynasty
Narcissus Garden artist
Yayoi Kusama
Narcissus Garden context
Yayoi Kusama is one of the most popular female artists to ever come out of Japan she voluntarily lives in a mental-health facility in Tokyo and has had a life-long history of insanity she arrived in New York City in 1958 and began to move up the ranks among other seminal artists she set up her first exhibit in 1965, which was a room full of mirrors with phallic stuffed pillows covering the floor, making it appear as though there was a continuous "sea of multiplied phalli expanding to its infinity" Narcissus Garden, from 1966, was the most famous of her exhibits
Veranda post of enthroned king and senior wife (Opo Ogoga) artist
Yoruba peoples
Marilyn Diptych. Date / Century
_1962 ce_
Standard of Ur date
_2600 BCE
The Bay media
acrylic on canvas
Great Mosque of Djenné Primary building materials used in construction:
adobe mud clay
Great Mosque of Djenné Period/Culture:
ancient europe/islamic african
House in New Castle County intended audience
built for a family
Aka Elephant Mask date
c 19th century-20th century ce
Colonial tower and circular wall of Great Zimbabwe date
c. 1000-1400 ce
Great Mosque of Djenné Date/Century:
c. 1200 ce; rebuilt 1906-1907 ce
Bahram Gur Fights the Karg, folio from the Great Il-Khanid Shahnama Date / Century _
c. 1330-1340 ce
Sika dwa kofi (Golden Stool) date
c. 1700 ce
Lipstick (Ascending) on Caterpillar Tracks intended audience
cannot go inside, in public area for anyone to see
Fountain formal qualities of this work:
curvature - shiny surface - readymade
The Jungle period
european modernism/Modern Intersection
Narcissus Garden building's utilitarian function
forces confrontation with one's own vanity and ego
Dream of a Sunday afternoon in the Alameda park media
fresco
Lipstick (Ascending) on Caterpillar Tracks function
gathered momentum in the 1950s, climax in the 1960s uses materials from everyday life -- items of mass popular culture glorifies the commonplace, bringing the view face to face with everyday reality art is not satirical
Sika dwa kofi (Golden Stool) media
gold over wood and cast-gold attachments
Spiral Jetty function
jetties are supposed to be piers, but here it is in the middle of nowhere on the northern section of the lake, it was cut off from freshwater supplies when a nearby causeway was constructed in 1959 - this encouraged the water's unique red-violet colour (concentration of salt-tolerant algae)
Power Figure (Nkisi n'kondi) date
late 19th century
The Migration of the Negro, Panel no. 49 period
later europe and americas/Modern Intersection
Spiral Jetty primiary builindg materials
mud precipitated salt crystals rock water coil
Spiral Jetty form
mud, salt crystals, rocks, water coil - on the Great Salt Lake in Utah - this was a very abandoned place, extremely remote - used a tractor with native stone to create the jetty - 1970
Les Demoiselles d'Avignon media
oil on canvas
Mont Sainte-Victoire media
oil on canvas
The Two Fridas media
oil on canvas
The Court of Gayumars, folio from Shah Tahmasp's Shahnama period
persian (iran)
Great Mosque of Djenné Intended Audience (Who was admitted inside the structure?):
place of prayer and worship open to community
Reliquary Figure period
southern Cameroon
Jowo Rinpoche, enshrined in the Jokhang Temple Primary building materials used in construction:
stones,pearls, paint
Bundu Mask artist
unknown
King Menkaura and Queen artist
unknown
Ikenga (shrine figure) media
wood
Ndop (portrait figure) of King Mishe miShyaaag maMbul media
wood
Reliquary Figure media
wood
Power Figure (Nkisi n'kondi) media
wood and metal
Veranda post of enthroned king and senior wife (Opo Ogoga) media
wood and pigment
Power Figure (Nkisi n'kondi) context
Sacred medicines and divine protection are central to the belief of the Kongo peoples (Democratic Republic of Congo). The Kongo believe that the great god, Ne Kongo, brought the first sacred medicine (or nkisi) down from heaven in an earthenware vessel set upon three stones or termite mounds. A nkisi (plural: minkisi) is loosely translated as a "spirit" yet it is represented as a container of sacred substances which are activated by supernatural forces that can be summoned into the physical world. Visually, these minkisi can be as simple as pottery or vessels containing medicinal herbs and other elements determined to be beneficial in curing physical illness or alleviating social ills. In other instances minkisi can be represented as small bundles, shells, and carved wooden figures. Minkisi represent the ability to both 'contain' and 'release' spiritual forces which can have both positive and negative consequences on the community. Nkisi nkondi figures are highly recognizable through: an accumulation of pegs, blades, nails or other sharp objects inserted into its surface. These minkisi are wooden figures representing a human or animal such as a dog (nkisi kozo) carved under the divine authority and in consultation with an nganga or spiritual specialist, who activates these figures through chants, prayers and the preparation of sacred substances which are aimed at 'curing' physical, social or spiritual ailments. Medicinal combinations called bilongo are sometimes stored in the head of the figure but frequently in the belly of the figure which is shielded by a piece of glass, mirror or other reflective surface. The glass represents the 'other world' inhabited by the spirits of the dead who can peer through and see potential enemies. Elements with a variety of purposes are contained within the bilongo. Seeds may be inserted to tell a spirit to replicate itself; mpemba or white soil deposits found near cemeteries represent and enlist support from the spiritual realm. Claws may incite the spirits to grasp something while stones may activate the spirits to pelt enemies or protect one from being pelted. The insertions are driven into the figure by the nganga and represent the mambu and the type or degree of severity of an issue can be suggested through the material itself. A peg may refer to a matter being 'settled' whereas a nail, deeply inserted may represent a more serious offense such as murder. Prior to insertion, opposing parties or clients, often lick the blades or nails, to seal the function or purpose of the nkisi through their saliva. If an oath is broken by one of the parties or evil befalls one of them, the nkisi nkondi will become activated to carry out its mission of destruction or divine protection. Europeans may have encountered these objects during expeditions to the Congo as early as the 15th century. However, several of these "fetish" objects, as they were often termed, were confiscated by missionaries in the late 19th century and were destroyed as evidence of sorcery or heathenism.
Colonial tower and circular wall of Great Zimbabwe arcchitect
Shona Peoples (Southeastern Zimbabwe)
The Court of Gayumars, folio from Shah Tahmasp's Shahnama form
Shows harmony between man & landscape Minute details do not overwhelm harmony of scenery
Palette of King Narmer content
Shows kings power through the royal beard, wearing of upper and lower crowns of Egypt, and registers. Relationship between King Narmer and the Sun god. Displays different scenes. show the triumph of the Egyptian Kings Hierarchy of scale Unification of Upper and Lower Egypt.
The Jungle function
"Intended to communicate a psychic state" Sugarcane is included in the flora of the scene, reminding a viewer of Cuba's hardworking past (which so deeply contrasted with the way foreigners saw the island [basically as a playground] it shows the unrepresented Cuban perspective) Integrates symbols from Santería, an Afro-Cuban religion with Surrealist characteristics A Surrealist painting full of Afro-Cuban symbols arranged in a narrative that seeks to explain and shed light on Cuba's complex history (especially regarding slavery on the island).
Colonial tower and circular wall of Great Zimbabwe content
- 3 areas - the Hill Ruin on a rocky hill top - the Great Enclosure - the Valley Ruins
Marilyn Diptych. Content/Symbols/Subject Matter:
- 50 images of Marilyn Monroe - seemingly careless handling of the paint - "allover composition" - viewer's eyes wander without focusing on one spot - repetition - uses publicity photo for Niagara film - heavy-lidded eyes and parted lips - inscrutable expression - literal and emotional flatness - presence of artist and actress are "ghostly" - colored images resemble embalmed corpse - lighter tones of images seem like the actress is disappearing
Wall plaque, from Oba's palace context
- Benin Empire A powerful kingdom located in present day Nigeria - Being shielded from the sun was a privilege afforded to Oba - Oba would have traveled with a large group of attendants Warriors, servants, diplomats, priests, and more - Plaque originally hung on posts throughout the Oba's palace Order of placement: have had to do with the royal lineage of the Obas The Oba dynasty of Benin traces dynasty back to Oranmiyan Oranmiyan was the first Oba of Benin Order of plaques is unknown today - Oba Esigie was a ruler from c. 1504- 1550 and he was the first Oba to travel by horse - Artists working in brass were organized under Esigie - Today: artists working in brass in Benin are a part of a brass workers guild - Small details show Benin's kingdom's trade with Portugal Portugal made contact with Benin in the late 15th century Portugese received items from Benin Peppers, cloth, and stone beads Benin received items from Portugal Coral that makes up the beads worn by the Oba and the brass that makes up this plaque - This plaque probably originated as a manilla or an armband worn by the Portuguese - The plaques were potentially derived from Chirstain crosses Brought by European traders - Horse that Oba rides was originally introduced to West Africa from across the sea - Trade declined with Portugal in the 18th century - In the 19th century, Britain was hoping to trade with Benin Filled with tension and not equally beneficial The British launched the Punitive Expedition of 1897 Seized Oba's palace Burned down the city around it Killed many people Looted the royal court This plaque was looted in the siege Norman Burrows owned it briefly He was a known trafficker of stolen Benin objects - The act of looting by the British was later condemned and thought of as a violent act of British imperialism and colonialism - There is debate today about if this plaque should be returned or not to the people of Benin
Wall plaque, from Oba's palace form
- Brass plaque - Oba is the central figure He is on horseback Coral beaded regalia - Attendants have shields - Figures range in size (hierarchic scale) Due to level of importance within this court - Made using lost wax casting technique First: a malleable wax version of the final brass work is made Next: covered in clay and fired to harden the clay Once the clay is harden, the wax comes off because it melts away in the process Then: Hot liquid brass is poured into the clay mold. As the brass cools, it hardens The clay is removed and the plaque is done - Rosette shapes in the background
Lipstick (Ascending) on Caterpillar Tracks context
- Claes Oldenburg - appeared on the campus of Yale University during 1969 student protests against the Vietnam War - made in collaboration with architecture students first installed in Beinecke Plaza, New Haven in 1969 FUNCTION: platform for public speakers; rallying point for anti-Vietnam protests put up secretly tank shaped base = anti-war male and female forms unite (tank and lipstick)
Colonial tower and circular wall of Great Zimbabwe form
- Encompasses about 250 royal houses made of clay - 3 areas - the Hill Ruin on a rocky hill top - the Great Enclosure - the Valley Ruins - Hill Ruin - incorporates a cave that remains a sacred site for the Shona peoples today - Had a structure -Surrounded by 30 foot high walls - Flanked by cylindrical towers and monoliths - Carved with elaborate geometric patterns - Great Enclosure - Walled structure - Has turrets and monoliths - Emulates the form of the Hill RUin - 32 foot high outer wall - Inside: a smaller wall parallels the exterior wall creates a tight passageway leading to large towers - Monolithic soapstone sculpture of a seated bird resting on atop of register zigzags - All of the walls were constructed from granite hewn locally - Walls have gaps or interrupted arcs - Structures built without the use or mortar
Petra, Jordan: Treasury and Great Temple content
- Hellenistic and Near Eastern architecture -Their architecture reflects the diverse and different cultures with which the Nabateans traded, interacted -Many of the tombs contain niches -No human remains have ever been found in any of the tombs, and the exact funerary practices of the Nabataeans remain unknown -The treasury was exceptional for its figurative detail and Hellenistic architectural orders -City built along a caravan route. -On the upper level, Amazons and Victories stand flanking a central female figure (on the tholos), who is probably Isis-Tyche, a combination of the Egyptian Goddess, Isis, and Tyche, the Greek Goddess of good fortune. -The lower level features the Greek twin gods, Castor and Pollux, the Dioscuri, who protected travelers and the dead on their journeys. -There are other details from the artistic traditions of the Hellenistic world, including eagles, the symbols of royal Ptolemies, vines, vegetat -the tomb also features rosettes, a design originally associated with the ancient Near East.
House in New Castle County context
- John Rausch and Denise Scott Brown - 1978-83 - Delaware - doesn't showcase a specific style a house designed for a family of three (in rural northern Delaware) surrounded by rolling hills & a forest wife = musician = the house has an elaborate, well-stocked music room (this is pictured in the upper right image at the top of this page) husband = bird watcher = large windows looking out at the trees a post-modern mix of historical styles -- makes use of many geometrical shapes the front facade = "incorporates a floating arched screen" -> used to identify the structure as a residence (also as a blind to camouflage the large windows behind it)
Wall plaque, from Oba's palace content
- Plaque From the Benin Empire Depicts an Oba (Oba is a king) and his attendants - Shapes in back
Colonial tower and circular wall of Great Zimbabwe function
- Possible Thought: Great Enclosure was built to accommodate a surplus population and its religious and administrative activities - Possible Thought: Great Enclosure may have functioned as a site for religious rituals - Monolithic soapstone sculpture of a seated bird resting on atop of register zigzags: represents a bird of prey; could have been symbolic to the power of the Shona kings - Walls likely had no military function - Enclosures symbolize the power and prestige of the rulers of Great Zimbabwe - Colonial tower: functioned as a granary - Great Zimbabwe is one of the most extensively developed centers in pre-colonial sub-Saharan Africa - Great Zimbabwe stands as a treatment to the organisation, autonomy, and economic power of the Shona peoples - Remains a potent symbol to the Shona and to the Zimbabweans
Colonial tower and circular wall of Great Zimbabwe buiding's utiliatrin function
- Shona royals and servants
Colonial tower and circular wall of Great Zimbabwe intended audeince
- Shona royals and servants
The Bay form
- acrylic on canvas - atmospheric painting painted on unprimed canvas to better absorb the paint Uses a very runny paint
Colonial tower and circular wall of Great Zimbabwe context
- The largest stone complex in Africa, built before the modern era, aside from the architecture of ancient Egypt - Constructed between the 11th and 15th centuries - Was continuously inhabited by the Shona peoples - Until about 1450 - Not a singular complex -Thought that seven states existed in this region - "Zimbabwe" comes from the Shone language Bantu -means "judicial center" or "ruler's court or house" - few have survived - clay structures -were furnished (pot-stands, elevated surfaces for sleeping and sitting, ad hearths) - 250 royal houses would have supported up to 20,000 inhabitants - Hill Ruin - dates to approximately 1250 -Cave once housed the ruler and his close family - Great Enclosure: completed in 1450 - Valley Ruins have structures that suggest that the site was used as a hub for commercial exchange and long distance trade -Archaeologists have found different objects from trading centers along the Zambezi River and from Central African kingdoms - Colonial tower: - Shona rulers shows his largeness towards his subjects through his granary, often distribution grain as a symbol of his protection - Advancements in agricultural cultivation among Bantu speaking peoples in Sub-Saharan Africa transformed the pattern of life for many - Economy of Great Zimbabwe relied on the management of livestock -Cattle may have allowed the Shona peoples to move from sustenance agriculture to mining and trade - Iron tools, copper, gold wire jewelry, and ornaments have been found - Great Zimbabwe is thought to have prospered from the gold mined 25 miles from the city - By 1500, Great Zimbabwe's political and economic influence waned - Gained independence from the British was renamed as Zimbabwe by Cecil Rhodes
Woman, I Contextual issues / History relevant to the art / artist
- Willem de Kooning - 1950-52 - often worked until painting fell apart - central abstract expressionist, but trained in a traditional way - after the war Abstract Expressionism- aka The New York School first american avant-garde art movement reaction to Minimalist version of abstraction expressionism was more active action painting
Marilyn Diptych. Formal qualities of this work:
- acrylic on canvas - silver canvases - silkscreened a photograph - monumental scale 3. Contextual issues / History relevant to the art / artist - 1962 - Andy Warhol - influenced by pop culture and art history - Abstract Expressionism - created after Marilyn Monroe died of an apparent suicide
Woman, I Content/Symbols/Subject Matter:
- border of silver on the right side - colors intentionally difficult - emphasis on breasts - sexualized, eroticized - overwhelming size - space between abstraction and figuration - aggressive, energetic painting - improvisation, experimentation
House in New Castle County building's utilitarin function
- built for a family of three - sign may have doubled as a blind to camouflage windows the rear facade = "dominated by a prominent arched screen" (this one is framed by the roof), has doric colonnades (but flat, non-supportive ones!) -> "grand & whimsical" interior = "simple & comfortable" -- lots of wood decoration and many painted, jagged arches, quirky chandeliers
Lipstick (Ascending) on Caterpillar Tracks building's utilitarian function
- claimed a visible space for the anti-war movement - poked fun at the solemnity of the plaza - not intended to be permanent - metal remade sculpture preserves protests - critiqued the hyper-masculine rhetoric of the military and the consumerism of the US
Spiral Jetty building's utilitraian function
- emphasizes size and power of nature as compared to the smallness of man - contrasts the beautiful landscape with the growing industrial nature - not commercial, intentional pilgrimage made to see work of art - intended to change over time
The Bay function
- encourages focus on physical elements - formal elements should speak for themselves - "sentiment and nuance are being squeezed out"
Woman, I Function(s) / Meaning:
- encourages viewers to try and "find" the woman's body form - creates tension - limits judgement of women or mocks judgement of women stereotypes - ironic comment on movie and advertising industries PURPOSE angry woman baring her great fierce teeth and large eyes "large bulbous breasts" are satirical, reflect those on magazine covers smile is influence by woman selling Camel cigarettes
The Migration of the Negro, Panel no. 49 content
- involved a public restaurant in the north that is deeply segregated which is shown through the yellow pole dividing the races This piece depicts three oblivious and well-fed whites and three aware and underfed blacks in a restaurant separated by a golden barrier. 2. Formal qualities of this work: - Tempera on hardboard - this is a return from the Italian masters - flat simple shapes - unmodulated colors - geometrical forms - tilted tabletops to show surface - forms hover in large spaces Casein tempera on hardboard Flat, depicts movement, unity.
House in New Castle County content
- juxtaposition of styles from distinct periods and places - sits in nature, surrounded by rolling fields beside a thickly-wooded forest - floating arched screen facade that rises awkwardly from the lower edge of the gable (functions as a sign) - Doric colonnade supports rear arched screen - classical yet slightly cartoonish - simple, comfortable interior with quirky schandeliers and painted arches
House in New Castle County form
- painted white siding - intersecting gables with unstained wood shingles - large windows
Marilyn Diptych. Function(s) / Meaning:
- references a form of Christian painting in its title - promotes worship of legendary icon - suggests that Marilyn Monroe is a one-dimensional sex symbol - references mechanical forms of reproduction - repetition de-sensitizes Marilyn's life, deadining emotional responses to her death
Great Mosque of Djenné Building's Utilitarian Function:
- sign of the chief's religious devotion to Islam - Mosque, center for prayer and community. Still has a practicing congregation - political symbol to Europe - "Epicenter for religious and cultural life" - Location of Crepissage, a festival dedicated to the replastering of the mosque. - The replastering is a communal effort.
Buddha Content / Subject Matter / Symbols:
- statues wore wooden masks covered in brass featuring facial features - pigments were applied to the stucco - cross cultural connections and influences - combined Hellenistic style with Indian images - greek drapery in robes - painted statues like in ancient greece -greek hairstyles (wavy hair)
White Temple and its ziggurat form
-Ziggurat was made from mudbrick -Temple Frame= mudbrick with white clay over it -The White Temple was built on top of the Ziggurat. -Flat portion of the ziggurat was coated with bitumen, then brick was laid on top of the bitumen. -White Temple was built on top of the bitumen. -"Bent Axis" (to face alter, you have to turn 90 degrees) -Rectangular temple -Use of whitewash
Buddha Building's Utilitarian Function:
-allowed worshippers to circulate - circumambulation is a common form of worship and meditation in buddhism - surrounding monasteries might have come to the caves to pray
Spiral Jetty context
- this is an example of Site Art - sometimes referred to as Earth art- is dependent on its location - the original environment must be fully intact to understand the work fully - time = 1970s-present day - Robert Smithson - 1970 - year of the first Earth Day - Great Salt Lake, Utah - represented by Dawn Gallery - spiral form has previously shown up in petroglyphs throughout the American West and in nature
Lipstick (Ascending) on Caterpillar Tracks content
- tube of lipstick sprouts from a military vehicle - lipstick tip could be comically inflated and deflated death, power, desire, and sensuality themes inexpensive and perishable materials FORM originally: plywood tracks and inflatable vinyl balloon tip refurbished: steel, aluminum, and fiberglass reinstalled in 1974 front of Morse College @ Yale
Fountain Content/Symbols/Subject Matter:
- turned urinal on its side - signed with company name (R. Mutt) - Marcel Duchamp - second version in 1964 - originally made in 1917, but thrown away - small series - artist went to a plumbing supplies company (Mutt) and purchased urinal - alchemy of artist transformed it - The American Society of Independent Artists sought to accept every piece of art submitted, but denied the Fountain
Spiral Jetty content
- was an intersection between land and water - near a terminal basin, a lake with no outlet, so the water is dense with minerals and salt - spiral created opportunities for water and land to interact - art changes based on natural principles - sense of the process of nature - sense of entropy a spiral jetty in the Great Salt Lake - the artist was very interested in the blood red color of the water due to the presence of the basteria that live in the high salt content
Great Mosque of Djenné Content / Subject Matter / Symbols:
-3 minarets - Earthen roof - Qibla faces Mecca -Terracotta lids cover holes on the roof -Timber poles poke out of the mosque called torons for decoration and climbing the mosque for replastering -stairs symbolize transition from everyday life of the marketplace to a sacred place.
Wall plaque, from Oba's palace function
-Attendants have shields to either: protect Oba and or shield him from the hot sun -Oba on horseback relates to Oba Esigie -Thought that the plaques were created as a way of reconciling traditional African brass sculptural forms with the illustrated books and prints that European travelers may have possessed -Brass symbolizes that the King and Kingdom will last forever -Part of a series -Represents events and characters from annual ceremonies -Record of kings (Obas) -Necklaces are symbols of beauty Used to elongate neck
Petra, Jordan: Treasury and Great Temple building's utilitaria function
-Buried their dead in the tombs cut out of the sandstone cliffs. - 500 royal tombs in the rock, but no human remains found - burial practices are unknown. -This was a functioning city, and had all the necessary facilities to be one -The main buildings are the Temple, Treasury, and the tombs -The city was a major trading hub because of its central position in the cradle of early civilization - The prominence of the tombs in the landscape led early explorers and scholars to see Petra as a large necropolis -Petra was a well-developed metropolis with all of the trappings of a Hellenistic city
Ndop (portrait figure) of King Mishe miShyaaag maMbul context
-During the first half of the 18th century, the Kuba King Mishe miShyaang maMbul was celebrated throughout his kingdom for his generosity and for the great number of his royal subjects He even got his own praise song -1720 was the height of his reign and he commissioned an idealized portrait statue called an ndop. -Ndop was eventually purchased by the Brooklyn Museum in 1961 -Ndop was first collected in 1909 by a colonial minister in what was then the Belgain Congo -History in Sub-Saharan Africa was not written down by members of cultural communities until colonialism in the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries -Oral narrative was the primary method for collective and personal histories to be passed down from one generation to the next As these spoken histories were passed down, they were changed and adapted in order to reflect the times The changing nature of oral narrative is like a complex game of telephone -African sculptures served as important historical markers within their communities -The ndop sculpture record helps freeze a moment in time that would otherwise be transformed during its transmission from generation to generation -Kuba live in the Democartic Republic of the Congo on the southern fringes of the equatorial forest in an area bounded by two rivers called the Kasai and Sankuru -The name "Kuba" largely refers to nineteen unique but related ethnic groups, which all ankolwadi the leadership of the same leader nyim -Kuba are renowned for a dynamic artistic legacy across media -Historically, Kuba artists were professional wood carvers, blacksmiths, and weavers who worked exclusively for the nyim -Kuba artists learned their art by becoming apprentices tp others who erre weel'known and accomplished in their community The apprentices imitated or copied early pieces from their teachers until they were skilled enough to develop their own designs Artists back then were sought after by name and were important to the Kuba royal court and beyond -Ndop statutes might be the most revered all of Kuba art forms -Ndop means statue -Ndop is a genre of figurative wood sculpture that portrays important Kuba leaders throughout the eighteenth and twentieth centuries -Art historians believe that there are seven ndop significant statues of historical significance in Western museums. -These seven are significant because the lives of the nyim they portaty were celebrated in oral histories that were recorded and written down by early European visitors, so we know the most about them -Ndop sculpture have rounded contours creating forms that define the head, shoulders, and stomach, and also feature a defined collarbone -All figures are sculpted using one-to-three proportion -Kuba artist emphasized the head because it was considered to be the seat of intelligence, a valued ideal. -All ndop sculpture would feature a geometric motif and an emblem (ibol) chosen by the nyim when he was installed as a leader and commissioned his ndop. -unique projecting headdress, called a shody -The arms of each ndop extend vertically at either side of the torso, with the left hand grasping the handle of a ceremonial knife (ikul) and the right hand resting on the knee. Artists decorated the surface of the sculpture by carving representations of what was conventionally worn; the finely chiseled details correspond to objects that represent the prerogative and prestige of the nyim.
Ndop (portrait figure) of King Mishe miShyaaag maMbul function
-Form of ancestor worship -Made to glorify the king -Portrayed his likeness -Recorded his reign for posterity and solidified his accomplishments amongst the pantheon of his predecessors -Ndop can help us gain an insight into information about historical individuals and their cultural ideals -The expression on the face, the position of the body, and the regalia were meant to faithfully represent the ideal of a king- but not an individual king -The geometric motif pattern and the ibol served as identifying symbols of his reign and was sculpted in prominent relief on the front of each base. -Ibol is a signifier that gives the ndop its particular identity, making it clear who the sculpture portrays and what reign it represents -A drum with a severed hand is the ibol for Mishe miShyaaang maMbul's reign Helps us identify the sculpture as his likeness -Part of a larger genre of figurative wood sculpture in Kuba aer -Commissioned by Kuba leaders or nyim to preserve their accomplishments for posterity -Ndop sculptures serve as important makers of cultural ideals Reveal a chronological lineage through their visual signifiers. -the head of the statue was sculpted to be one third the size of the total statue= value of intelligence -To hold the spirit of the king -Idol = object that links to the ruler -Oldest object that we have from Africa
Sika dwa kofi (Golden Stool) form
-Gold -Placed on side, to show it is not meant to be sat on -Has some bells
The Migration of the Negro, Panel no. 49 context
-In the Harlem Renaissance - this was a period in which African Americans migrated in great numbers to a NYC neighborhood (Harlem) - in the early 20th century (after world war one) Lawrence was a Northerner who created this piece during the final days of the Great Depression, before US involvement in World War II.
Sika dwa kofi (Golden Stool) context
-It was very important to the Ashanti people -In the early 1700's: Osei Tutu was able to unify all the surrounding lands Created the nation of the Ashanti people He was the first king of the united Asante confederacy -Golden Stool came from the sky and landed in the lap of Osei Tutu A miracle -Golden Stool said to have been made in the heavens Said to be the soul of the Ashanti nation Takes on the essence of the entire group More sacred than the Asantehene King of the Ashante kingdom Area is rich in gold They were in charge of the gold trade through North Africa -Gold was reserved for royal use -Gold would have been weighed with brass on a scale -Umbrella was a way that people could identify the king in a crowd The king would also be weaning sandals King is divine and seen as an intermediary between the everyday lives of his people and the supernatural realm Between the heavens, below umbrella, above earth symbolized by the sandals he wears -Swords are important in rule -The British were interested in securing a way to secure gold in this era -1874 British destroyed the Ashanti capital and took lots back to England British exiled King Prempeh I in the late 1800's So the Ashanti people hid the Golden Stool The British tried hard to find the Golden Stool -British governor offended many when he said he wanted to sit on the stool Yaa Asantewaa (a queen mother) assembled soldiers to fight against the British They lost, but were given some autonomy By the 1920's the British allowed Prempeh I to return and a promise was made that the Golden Stool would not be taken -Men and women are gifted stools by their parents when they become of age Central idea: not just to kings; everyday people -Stools that a person uses often take on a sunsum Ashanti concept that energy, is an aura that touches the things that you use a lot To keep sunsum in tact, you have to tip over stool so no one else sits on it, when you leave the room
Great Mosque of Djenné Formal elements of the architecture:
-Made from cylindrical adobe (mud brick) -made by hand with contribution from the whole society-- complex organization of society -"rectilinear and partly enclosed by a wall" -Supported by massive pillars -Topping the conical pillars are ostrich eggs - Contains a mihrab
Ndop (portrait figure) of King Mishe miShyaaag maMbul content
-Ndop Portrait figure that usually portrays leaders, expressionless and calm, rounded counters, defined lips, and collarbones -Had drum With a severed hand -Seated on a platform -Kept in an area in the palace
White Temple and its ziggurat intended audience
-Only priests and elite community members were admitted. -Priests: responsibility to attend to the gods and to do sacrifices/rituals.
Petra, Jordan: Treasury and Great Temple function
-Serves as a funerary tomb for the wealthy and the dead are guided by the gods/goddesses of the dead. The sculptural decoration also underscores a connection to the Hellenistic world.
Sika dwa kofi (Golden Stool) function
-Stool is more important than any single king of the Ashanti people -Golden Stool is always given its own stool or its own chair to sit next to the Asantehene -Gold symbolizes royalty for the Ashanti people -Golden Stool kept turned on side -Not for sitting -Center of political power for the Ashanti Peoples -Stool is a symbol of the soul of the nation and the soul of the people of the Asantehene -Precious piece
Ndop (portrait figure) of King Mishe miShyaaag maMbul form
-Stylized work in general Shows Mishe as fit and strong -Idealized characteristics the head of the statue was sculpted to be one third -the size of the total statue. Various ornaments and accessories -Carved wood -A large head Wisdom -Slits in eyes Sees through knowledge not eyes
Great Mosque of Djenné Meaning / Significance:
-The Great mosque is a key center of the city's culture -a religious space -a space for learning that drew in scholars from hundreds of miles away. =Ostrich eggs symbolize fertility and renewal -plastered with river mud annually for storm proofing tombs of great regions; Islamic scholars adjacent to it
Petra, Jordan: Treasury and Great Temple context
-The dating of the tombs has proved difficult -There are almost no finds like coins that enable archaeologists to date these tombs -A few inscriptions allow us to date some of the tombs at Petra, although at Egra another Nabataean site there are thirty one dated tombs. -Today scholars believe that the tombs were probably constructed when the Nabateans were wealthiest between the second century B.C.E. and the early second century C.E. -Archaeologists and art historians have identified a number styles for the tomb facades but and cannot be used date the tombs. The few surviving inscriptions in Nabataean, Greek, and Latin tell us about the people who were buried in the tombs
Petra, Jordan: Treasury and Great Temple form
-The entire city has been carved into the rock face -The ability of ancient people to carve such a large building still confuses engineers -facade is 24.9 meters wide and 38.77 meters high -The style most clearly embodies the Hellenistic style and reflects the influence of Alexandria, the -greatest city in the Eastern Mediterranean at this time. -Its architecture features a broken pediment and central circular building on the upper level -This architectural element originated in Alexandria. -Ornate Corinthian columns are used throughout -Above the broken pediments, the bases of two obelisks appear and stretch upwards into the rock
White Temple and its ziggurat functino
-The temple was whitewashed inside and outside which made it sparkle/shine in sunlight. -White Temple built for the sky god, Anu. -The White Temple and its ziggurat house god and government in one structure. -The temple is high, which is trying to get closer to heaven, in order to connect to the gods. -Sacred Space -White symbolizes purity (additionally reflective of sky and sun)
White Temple and its ziggurat context
-Uruk is where the first writing emerged from. -Uruk was one of the most important places in Mesopotamia. -Anu Ziggurat was the most important monument in Uruk. -Mudbrick was used for this building and many other projects in the area, due to the rarity of stone. -Laborers may have been motivated by religious beliefs or forced. -Located in the city center of Uruk -Summiarans called temples "waiting rooms", in which they were waiting for the deity. -Anu was the most important Sumerian deity -Theocracy (gov. in which a god is seen as the ruler and officials operate on behalf of the god) -Sumerians sifted through the clay in order to find the purest clay to use for the mudbrick.
White Temple and its ziggurat content
-Ziggurat (built raised platform with four sloping sides) -Ziggurat had recessed striped from top to bottom (would have made a pattern in sunlight) -Bright white rectangular temple -Temple was very high (raised/overlooked city) -One steep stairway that led from the ground to a ramp -Wrap around ramp -White Temple tripartite plan -3 Entrances to the White Temple -Inside the White temple, there were staircases -Chambers with wooden shelves inside the Temple -19 tablets of gypsum (found on temple floor) -Bones of lions and leopards (ritually buried objects) -Fire pit (on flat terrace of the White Temple)
Woman, I Formal qualities of this work:
-layers and layers of different textures of paint - calligraphic - garish colors slashing paint onto canvas jagged lines create an overpowering image smile is cut out of a female smile from an ad in a magazine blank stare; frozen grin vague background 1/6 in these series of this woman influenced by Paleolithic goddesses to pin-up girls thick and black lines dominate
Great Mosque of Djenné Contextual issues / History about the work or architect:
-oldest known city in Sub-Saharan Africa -largest mud-brick structure in the world - Has been rebu'ilt 3 times, the original, in 1830s, then by the French in 1906 - Current version built in 1907 - African chiefs quickly adopted Islam -built in a marketplace - Built by first converted Muslim ruler in Djenné (Koi Konboro) - Islamic culture had a huge impact on the region. -Mali emerged as a powerful empire, allowing it to be very prosperous - Ostrich eggs represent fertility - Tombs of great regional Islamic scholars are adjacent to the mosque
Wall plaque, from Oba's palace date
16th century ce
The Code of Hammurabi date
1792-1750 BCE
The Two Fridas form
1939 C.E. Oil on canvas Surrealist self-portrait visually divided vivid bright colors: purple,yellow,green 5′ 8″ x 5′ 8″
The Jungle content
A game of perception seemingly-randomly constructed figures from a wide variety of shapes (rounded backs, thin limbs, enlarged/prominent hands and feet) Cresent-shaped faces evokes African masks a tight, directionless scene -- an unorthodox landscape
The Jungle form
A large almost eight-foot square canvas with a dense jumble of body parts in the upper part and a more spacious lower half. The connections between African art and Cubist art in Europe can be seen to have an influence in the way the bodies are abstracted After Cuba won independence from Spain, the U.S. retained the right to intervene in Cuba's affairs - which destabilized Cuban politics for decades. U.S. sugarcane corporations exploited the resources and labor force of the island and U.S. tourists visited Cuba for a decadent, luxurious beach resort community while the Cuban population received little benefit from the visitors. Lam combines these socioeconomic conditions of Cuba with Afro-Caribbean culture
Lukasa (memory board) content
A wooden plank that has metal beads and other beads specifically placed to make patterns in touch in visualization to discuss the history of the Luba People Designed specifically to tell a story and remember the past easily for those who are trained to be able to do so People in the Luba tribes were specifically trained to read lukasas and their sole job was to remember the oral stories and traditions It is hard to keep the stories of the Luba people alive because it is oral tradition and the specific readers are dying and not passing down the stories and losing culture
Ikenga (shrine figure) content
An 'ikenga' is a carved wooden figure that has a human face and animal attributes (anthropomorphic and zoomorphic). Can be more realistic depictions or more abstract depictions Horns symbolize aggressiveness and ambition because they believe that rams fight with the head and the head initiates all good action Most ikenga hold a sword in their right hand (the one shown does not) The figure is carved to resemble whoever commissioned the figure to be made
White Temple and its ziggurat period
Ancient Medeterian/Sumerians
Statues of votive figures, from the Square Temple at Eshnunna (modern Tell Asmar, Iraq) period
Ancient Mediterranean/Sumerian
Mont Sainte-Victoire content
Band of foliage and houses (closest to us) Expansive plain "Craggy Mountain" Surrounded by sky Overall a deep, panoramic scene
Portrait mask (Mblo) context
Baule People About 400,000 people living in villages in Côte d'Ivoire Known for wood sculptures and ceremonial masks Have become most widespread ethnicity in the country (but are originally from Ghana) Religion: divided into three worlds Divine world, earth world, and spirit world The Côte d'Ivoire is by the ocean Baule people are majority farmers that live in family units Baule society is matriarchal A stool in each family represents the family lineage and ancestral spirits A headman and a council of elders handle the village's affairs This mask was carved in the village of Kami The Baule recognize two types of entertainment masks The carver and the subject of the mask are both known Moya Yanso danced with this mask until she was no longer physically able to These portrait mask rituals came to an end in the 1980s which no longer carved to represent specific people
Ikenga (shrine figure) form
Carved wooden sculpture Masculine sculptural genre All ikenga are much taller than they are wide Ikenga are carved with intricate designs all along the main carvings All figures include a set of ram horns but they vary in size
Great Pyramids (Menkaura, Khafre, Khuf) and the Great Sphinx context
Cats were royal animals in ancient Egypt. Lions were royal symbols and also connected with the sun (symbol of horizon) The Pharaoh's head is smaller than the body (caused by a defect in the stone) The pyramids were products of experimenting Being buried near the Pharaoh was an honor and beneficial in afterlife Egyptians believed in an afterlife, so they were buried with their belongings so that they could take their belongings with them to the afterlife Pyramids construction was aligned with stars (astronomically/celestially) There were false tomb chambers for looters Most of the limestone blocks, came from central field Sphinx was based on head of Pharaoh Menkaure had to import granite for the base of his pyramid Menkaure's valley temples have images of himself and gods (most elaborate of the three Pharoah's Valley Temples) Menkaure was seen as an egalitarian (ruled with wife)
Narcissus Garden period
Contemporary art
Lipstick (Ascending) on Caterpillar Tracks primary building materials
Cor-Ten steel, steel, aluminum, and cast resin; painted with polyurethane enamel.
Colonial tower and circular wall of Great Zimbabwe primary building materials
Coursed granite blocks
Les Demoiselles d'Avignon period
Cubism/Modernism
Fountain Function(s) / Meaning:
Duchamp's "readymade" was a found, mass-produced object that he selected to be a work of art. "Dada," French for hobby horse, was an art movement that expressed the irrational and intuitive as the antidote for the "rationality" that led to WWI Dadaists had disdain for the traditions of art and also had a sense of humor (R. Mutt the signature on Fountain was a reference to the Mott plumbing company along with a popular newspaper comic strip Mutt and Jeff).
Great Pyramids (Menkaura, Khafre, Khuf) and the Great Sphinx primary building materials
Cut limestone White limestone Paint
Statues of votive figures, from the Square Temple at Eshnunna (modern Tell Asmar, Iraq) form
Cylindrical shaped Figures stand "erect" Broad shoulders (sense of frontality) Inscribed on back Meant to be seen from the front Hair parted down the center of the head Hair falls in braids or wavelets that frame the beard, in men (formal) Fine incisizing at the bottom of the man's skirt Curving figures Flattened V-shaped torso= geometric patterning (not natural) Large eyes (made from inlaid shell)(pupils made from black limestone) Incisized eyebrows Skirt extends out and attaches to the figures forearms (creates a wide unexpected look) Static Symmetrical
Great Mosque of Djenné Location (city, country):
Djenné, Mali
Les Demoiselles d'Avignon form
Does not use linear perspective Does not use chiaroscuro Figures are close to us Space has become 3D fractured planes Curtains that weave between figures are also pressed up against those figures Sense of illusion Only goes back into space a few inches Almost like we (the viewer) are looking across at and down at the central figure while she lies on a bed Picasso worked with deeper tones (beneficial to urban interior lighting)
Bundu Mask context
During the ceremony, the women's bodies were painted with white clay make them unattractive because they hadn't yet become women Only masquerade tradition where women wore the mask Conflicts in surrounding areas make us unsure if the tradition continued Mende people Large ethnic group in Sierra Leone Mostly farmers and hunters There are secret Poro societies for men and Sande societies for women (both deal with maturation and political affairs) The societies are secret, but their existence and role in the community is known The climate and geography both aid in the cultivation of food and resources used for artistic works (wood, rafia, fibers,) The Mende are a farming people, so parts of crops that are not used for consuming can easily be used in a mask
Spiral Jetty period
Earthwork/Earth Art
Statues of votive figures, from the Square Temple at Eshnunna (modern Tell Asmar, Iraq) patron
Elite members of society
The Court of Gayumars, folio from Shah Tahmasp's Shahnama content
Excerpt shows first king, Gayumars, enthroned before his community On the left is his son Siyamaki On the right is his grandson Hishang His court appears in a semi-circle below him His court are all in court attire, for example wearing leopard skins
Reliquary Figure context
Fang peoples lived in rainforests -Equatorial Africa Over 300 years, they moved into the regions that are now Southern Cameroon & Northern Gabon -This gradual movement stimulated a value of portable objects like the Reliquary figure Fang people believe ancestors had power even in the afterlife Worshipped & preserved men who founded lineages & women who successfully gave birth to many children -These figures sit on top of the reliquary boxes The nomadic culture of the Fang people prevented them from placing these boxes in traditional cemeteries During the late 19th century, French colonizers perceived the byeri as idols, and banned them -The Fang people were forced to destroy and sell many of the carved figures
The Jungle media
Gouache on paper mounted on canvas
Mont Sainte-Victoire form
His composition was divided into roughly three equal horizontal sections 3 foot wide canvas Our viewpoint is elevated Rough patches of yellow ochre, emerald, and viridian green extend the foreground's color scheme into the middleground Blues, violets, and greys Blues accent the work Green touches enliven the sky and mountain Peak of the mountain: pushed just to the right of the center Horizon line inclines gently upwards from left to right Complicated counterpoint of diagonals: in the roofs of the houses, in the lines of the mountain, and in the arrangement of the patches in the plain (which connect the foreground to the background and lead the eye back) Overall, the painting is rough The gray and light blue brushstrokes below the triangular patch of light gray describe the downward slant of the mountain top La croix de Provence is not in any of Cezanne's pieces that depict the mountain Looks unfinished (bits of canvas still peeks through)
Veranda post of enthroned king and senior wife (Opo Ogoga) context
Influential style in Yoruba culture for centuries - Olowe considered by many the best Yoruba carver ever, died in 1938 - Most important of the four veranda posts commissioned, focal point of entry Depicts king seated (focal figure) - Senior wife behind, crowning him, large scale and pose underscore her importance: participating in coronation and political advisor to king - Small figures at feet of king represent a junior wife, trickster god Esu playing the flute, and and at one point a fan bearer, now missing - Emblematic of Olowe of Ise's style; exaggerated proportions, interrelationship between figures, and open space between them - Technical composition conveys close relationship between King and Queen Line of queen's jaw continues by bird's tail Diagonal line of breasts continues in king's jaw and is repeated in his arms Patterns of beads in queen's bracelet repeated in King's crown
Standard of Ur form
It is small in size, but beautifully decorated. Can easily be carried. One long side seems to represent a scene of peace and prosperity. divided into 3 registers. framed with pretty pieces of shell(shows us the long distance trade that this culture was involved in). Made with blue lapis lazuli, red stone and the shells. In the 3 registers you can see jobs people did and the social class organization. The most important figures (most important, wealthiest people towards the top and then the common labors at the bottom). Down at the bottom, there are human figures carrying heavy bags to what seems to be a destination and animals. In the middle, you can see people leading animals more clearly identifiable animals (bulls, rams, sheep and goats). Animals could have used for sacrifice or could have been used for taxation for the kingdom. At the top, the largest person resembles the king (wears different clothing, head hits the top frame and his chair has an animal leg on it). Lots of the figures on the top register are holding a cup (joining the king is liberation) (drinking wine or beer). There is some celebration going on (either religious ceremony or a festivity). The secondary figures in the top register are larger than the servants that are around them. 2 figures at the far end are entertainment. On the other side of the structure it is a different story. Divided again by 3 registers. We see scenes of violence and warfare. there are 4 chariots that are pulled by male donkeys. Behind the charitets you can see trampled bodies of the enemies. There is a lot of detail for the enemies (you can see the wounds and blood of the person). You can also see the specific engineering of the chariots in the picture. Bottom panel has a form of naturalism. The horse seems to be walking then trotting then galloping on the bottom scene. The middle register shows a line of soldiers ready for battle (helmets the soldiers are wearing have been found in the royal tombs). Get a sense of order from the line of soldiers. In the middle of the register there is a battle taking place and the soldiers are slaying the enemy. In the far right, the soldiers are being captured by the enemys. In the top register, the king is again the largest person in the frame. On the left there is a chariot and soldiers and on the right other soldiers are bringing prisoners of war to the king. Everyone has one eye becasue it was considered to be a perfect convention for the figures (perfect profiles) and shoulders are squared. Scale is 21.59 x 49.5 x 12 cm. The original wooden frame with the shells, red limestone and lapis lazuli had decayed and 2 main panels been crushed together because of the weight of the soil.
Jowo Rinpoche, enshrined in the Jokhang Temple Content / Subject Matter / Symbols:
Jowo Shakyamuni or Jowo Rinpoche Rinpoche = "precious one" in the Tibetan language A larger than life-size image of the historical buddha Housed in the jokhang temple in lhasa, tibet Today, seated against a resplendent gold & bejeweled throne Seated with his legs in the lotus position or padmasana His left hand is in the mudra (hand gesture) of meditation (dhyana mudra) His right hand is in the gesture of "calling the earth to witness" (bhumisparsha mudra) Together, the hand postures signify the moment of the buddha's enlightenment Shown in a thin monk's robe When dressed, the jowo shakyamuni is presented with a jeweled crown & robes
The Bay content
Landscape is the base of the imagery There is not any depth like in earlier works very 2 dimensional looking fluid blue promontory - blurring of violet to indigo to navy - title suggests that it is a landform with emblematic associations - moss green - cream border
Bahram Gur Fights the Karg, folio from the Great Il-Khanid Shahnama Formal qualities of this work:
Large painted surface area calligraphy diminished spatial recession indicated by overlapping planes atmospheric perspective seen in light bluish background similar to illuminated manuscript Areas of flat color Script is created to seem continuous; very flowing language
Female (Pwo) mask date
Late 19th to early 20th century ce
The Code of Hammurabi context
Located in the Louvre in Paris One of the most popular artworks to look at (in the Louvre) Nearly 4,000 years old Shamash is the sun god and god of justice Largely intact When it was discovered, it was broken in 3 parts This sculpture informs us about Babylonial culture family life what was important to them agriculture The cuneiform was written in Akkadian, which was used for government decrees
Female (Pwo) mask context
Made by the Chokwe people in the Democratic Republic of Congo The masker was a man The carver was a man There was an honor in Chokwe society was given to those women This culture was matrilineal The danver walked in a grateful and stately way Masker wearing a woman's face and wearing a woman's breast There is a repair on one side of the face Women wore different tattoo patterns Europeans and in particular the Portugess did not begin trading with the Choke until the early 1900's So they weren;t documented like other groups were Chokwe had been part of a larger kingdom from which they broke away
Ikenga (shrine figure) context
Made by the Igbo people of present day Nigeria Igbo civilization began in the 19th century and still survives (on a smaller scale) in the present day Live in a remote inland area where they were very isolated and independent from surrounding tribes Did not have any form of centralized government or classes or any kind of powerful chiefs which created an accepting society that celebrates individual achievement and success.
Female (Pwo) mask form
Made of a thin wood that is difficult to carve Fibers Elaborate hairstyle Mask is a deep dark red Red earth and oil White Kaelin or white powder around eyes Pounded dots arounds eyes
Female (Pwo) mask function
Masks would have been danced by a male dancer Made to honor women who were young and fertile and had successfully given birth Made to recognize the founding female ancestor of the Chokwe lineage Women retain wisdom and inner beauty Eyes are connected to spiritual realm; draws attention to the fact that women have power from being able to give birth Pounded dots arounds eyes emphasizes their cylindrical nature but also suggests women's tattoo patterns Mask shows us ideal woman and ideal virtues
King Menkaura and Queen content
Nearly life sized statue of Pharaoh Menkaure and a queen Dark stone King wearing traditional short kilt (shendjet), headdress, and fake royal beard King muscular and youthful Queen has proportioned body Queen has her right arm around the king's stomach and her left arm is touching his forearm Queen seems to be behind her husband King Menkaura has clenched fists, holding rolled ritual cloths Pillar behind Queen and King Both figures face the front Queen has a tight dress on (form fitting) Both Queen and King have left foot in front of the right foot
Woman, I Media: _
Oil on canvas
Great Pyramids (Menkaura, Khafre, Khuf) and the Great Sphinx period
Old Kingdom, 4th Dynasty
King Menkaura and Queen period
Old Kingdom, 4th Dynasty
Seated Scribe period
Old Kingdom, 4th Dynasty
Veranda post of enthroned king and senior wife (Opo Ogoga) period
Olowe of Ise
Veranda post of enthroned king and senior wife (Opo Ogoga) form
Olowe was a master of composition; he had what in Yoruba is called ojuona, or design consciousness. This term refers to the artist's sensitivity to form and to the relationship of form subject. In the artistry of Olowe, surface ornamentation complements formal properties. The scale and boldness of Olowe's figures permitted him to carve elaborate hairstyles,to incise intricate decorative patterning on the bodies, and to depict multiple strands of waist beads without diverting attention from the sculptural subject Olowe Skill as an artist reveals itself in his sensitivity to composition,for despite the openness of the sculpture of the king and queen, the clear separation of the figures, the sculptor succeeded in relating them to one another in a hieratic format.
Les Demoiselles d'Avignon artist
Pablo Picasso
Seated Scribe media
Painted limestone
Mont Sainte-Victoire function
Painting's focus of interest: top of the mountain Painting depicts Mont Sainte- Victoire in France
Palette of King Narmer context
Palette of King Narmer was found among a group of sacred implements ritually buried in a deposit in a temple of the falcon god Horus at the site Hierakonpolis (the capital of Egypt during the predynastic period). Discovered in 1897-1898 CE by the British archaeologists James Quibell and Frederick Green. upper and lower Egypt under one ruler was an important event in Egyptian history at this time. The duality of the piece with the king's two crowns and the two different faces of the palette,displays the unity, while showing their differences.
The Code of Hammurabi function
Used to justify King Hammurabi's rule This represented divine laws, which showed that all authority of King Hammarbi came directly from Shamash Legal precedents are a reference to the biblical "eye for an eye" Stele is a reminder that Mesopotamia was so advanced for a civilization 4,000 years ago Shamash is depicted as having a scepter and a ring to King Hammarbi, which represents power
Bahram Gur Fights the Karg, folio from the Great Il-Khanid Shahnama Contextual issues / History relevant to the art / artist
Part of a Persian manuscript entitled "Shahnama," which translates to Book of Kings Bahram Gur was an ancient Iranian king of the Sassanian dynasty The Karg was a mythical beast that was sometimes depicted as a unicorn, or a wolf, or a rhinoceros; here it is a combination of the three According to legend, Bahram Gur fought the Karg during his travels to India Calligraphy is not always the same; all calligraphers have very distinct styles
Portrait mask (Mblo) function
Part of a masquerade called a gbagba in the village of Kami in the early 1900s Includes drummers, singers, dancers The masks are concealed until a climactic moment when they are revealed Watched by an audience Masks kept out of sight when not in use Not meant to be hung on a wall and appreciated simply for their physical appearance Function and meaning can shift throughout time for the Baule Has power to act with simply its presence communicate with ancestors and spirits Meant to honor a respected member of Baule society
Bundu Mask function
Part of a public masquerade that celebrates a girl's maturation A female dancer appears in the costume represents Sowo (water spirit of the Sande Society) Creates an image that young girls should strive for and mimic Thought to be a spirit Mask doesn't actually speak, but it silently speaks to young girls about ideals through dance spiritual knowledge and how to be a wife When it wasn't being used in a ritual it was housed elsewhere where it would have been regarded as just a piece of wood
Mont Sainte-Victoire context
Paul Cezanne was from Aix-en Provence The peak of Mont Sainte- Victoire is at 3317 feet high Paul Cezanne has made many oil paintings and watercolors of Mont Sainte-Victoire The mountain range gradually emerged as a theme in Cezanne's work He only began consistently featuring the mountain in his landscapes after his adoption of Impressionism His works show the mountain from different points of view and many times with varying elements (trees, bushes, buildings, bridges, and fields) Some of his landscapes feature: heightened lyricism (quality that expresses deep feelings or emotion in an inspired work of art) and a consistent viewpoint (the mountain is shown from the hill of Les Lauves- which is just to the north of Aix) In 1901 Cezanne bought an acre of land on Les Lauves and by the next year, he built a studio on it. This painting is now in the Philadelphia Museum of Art Rough painting is characteristic of Cezanne's art Paul Cezanne can be considered a plein-air artist in search of motifs
Mont Sainte-Victoire artist
Paul Cézanne
Petra, Jordan: Treasury and Great Temple location
Petra, Jordan
The Steerage media
Photogravure
The Steerage form
Photogravure: An image produced from a photographic negative transferred to metal plate and etched in Black and White Realism Underlying shapes
House in New Castle County archtiect
Robert Venturi, John Rauch, and Denise Scott Brown
Bundu Mask period
Sande Society Mende peoples (West African forests of Sierra Leone)
The Jungle context
Significant to modern art as well as Latin American art Influenced by Lam's many encounters & experiences (often related to art) in different cultures: In the 1920s and 30s, Lam was in Madrid and Paris, but in 1941 as Europe was engulfed by war, he returned to his native country. Though he would leave Cuba again for Europe after the war, key elements within his artistic practice intersected during this period: Lam's consciousness of Cuba's socio-economic realities; his artistic formation in Europe under the influence of Surrealism; and his re-acquaintance with Afro-Caribbean culture.
Colonial tower and circular wall of Great Zimbabwe location
Southeastern Zimbabwe
Power Figure (Nkisi n'kondi) function
Spirit represents an Avenger/Guardian/a power figure Storage for medicine Binds oath or resolution Special specific and powerful substances were inserted into the belly and head of this sculpture When the special substances are removed, the ancestral significance leaves too Signing your signature is what happens when you insert the nail into the sculpture like in modern day actions Can either heal and or give life OR inflict harm, disease, death Nilomho would be put in Kondu Gland
King Menkaura and Queen form
Square base Carved from Greywacke or Schist (smooth dark stone) Originally painted red: around the king's ears and mouth yellow: on the queen's face High relief (subtraction method) Paint was used to emphasize certain body parts Idealistic form of King Menkaure
Jowo Rinpoche, enshrined in the Jokhang Temple Formal elements of the architecture:
Statue made of gilt metal The effect is an image of gold hue with shocking blue hair pearl paint gilt metals with semiprecious stones
Statues of votive figures, from the Square Temple at Eshnunna (modern Tell Asmar, Iraq) content
Statues/figures of patrons Very large eyes Carved on both sides Height varies Folded hands (prayer gesture) Some figures hold objects The men figures have a bare chest with a skirt and a belt covering their lower halves. The women figures have a dress draped over one shoulder. Closed mouths/sealed lips Upper Class societal members 12 figures 1-3 feet (height varies)
The Code of Hammurabi content
Stele Cuneiform King Hammurabi faces Shamash (god) King= standing Shamash= sitting and has a horned crown More than 300 laws legal precedents: give an example of an action and announce consequence for that action
The Court of Gayumars, folio from Shah Tahmasp's Shahnama artist
Sultan Muhammad
White Temple and its ziggurat archiect
Sumerian builders
Statues of votive figures, from the Square Temple at Eshnunna (modern Tell Asmar, Iraq) artist
Sumerian sculptors and artists
Standard of Ur period
Sumerian_
The Two Fridas content
Surrealism- sought to represent an unseen world of dreams, subconscious thoughts, and unspoken communication. It went in two directions - the abstract tradition of biomorphic forms - the veristic tradition of using reality-based subjects put together in unusual ways Surrealism - meant to puzzle, challenge, and fascinate. NOT didactic or clearly understood Frida Kahlo, The Two Fridas, 1939, oil on canvas, Museum of Modern Art, Mexico City
The Court of Gayumars, folio from Shah Tahmasp's Shahnama context
The angel, Surush, tells Gayumars that his son will be murdered by the Black Div The Black Div is the son of the demon Ahriman A page from the Shahnama, translating to the "Book of Kings" Shahnama is a Persian epic poem by Firdawsi Shahnama tells the history of Persia The whole book contains 258 illustrated pages
Portrait mask (Mblo) content
The mask is an idealized portrait of Moya Yanso A women known in Kami for her beauty and incredible dancing ability Mask displays her at her prime High forehead and small mouth convey intelligence and posture Left eye is slightly higher than right eye gives feeling of complexity Tubular pieces above head are just decorative (no symbolism) The folds near the mouth conveys age The brass would shine in the sunlight to represent health Could be a slight representation of animals with the horns The horns represent abstract hair, although the hair is usually not abstract -- represents Moya Yanso's inner beauty
Bundu Mask content
The full costume, made of a gown of raffia fibers and the 2-4 pound mask, represents Sowo The mask's deep black sheen and smoothness shows ideal image in contrast to the white clay The sheen is created by a coat of palm oil helps to represent healthy and beautiful skin The mask is idealized embody physical and moral beauty The stylized neck rings fertility, good health, high status The eyes are largely closed and downcast shows a woman should be reserved The small mouth means a woman shouldn't gossip The small ears means the woman doesn't listen to gossip Four lines under eyes scars are an ideal aesthetic Girls are also called a chrysalis while during the initiation because she is between a girl and a woman echoed in the shape of her neck
Reliquary Figure content
The head is symbolic of an infant, while the body represents that of an adult -Highlights continuous cycle of human development -Enlarged head - indicating intelligence -Bulging belly button & high forehead - newborn traits Infants form link between living & dead Reflects importance of ancestors Bulging muscles contrast with a contemplative/serene, expressionless face and a symmetrical pose to highlight characteristics the Fang people valued -Muscles represent readiness to ward off spirits/humans attacking reliquaries -Patient expression suggests honor, tranquility, vitality, and the ability to hold opposites in balance Represents a popular hairstyle of high status men of the time Reduced to geometric abstraction of human figure -About the idea of a guardian figure rather than portraying a human figure
Jowo Rinpoche, enshrined in the Jokhang Temple Meaning / Significance:
The invention of the buddha image dates to after the turn of the first century CE - with the advent of mahayana buddhism during the kushan dynasty And this sculpture doesn't conform to the stylistic conventions of early buddha images So, not a sculpted-from-life portrait and not one of the earliest images of the buddha, it does hold cultural & religious importance Evidenced by its continued veneration, its dressing for special occasions & feeding it (as if it were real) Its purported direct lineage to the buddha The belief that it is the most accurate portrait of the buddha
Palette of King Narmer function
The palette of King Narmer is a monumental version of a type of daily use item commonly found in the predynastic period palettes were generally flat, decorated stone objects used for grinding and mixing minerals for cosmetics. Dark eyeliner was an aspect of life in the region; like the dark streaks placed under the eyes of modern athletes, black makeup around the eyes reduces glare from sun. .decorated palettes were used in temple ceremonies, to grind or mix makeup to be ritually applied to the image of the god. Later temple ritual included elaborate daily ceremonies involving the anointing and dressing of divine images; these palettes likely indicate an early incarnation of this process.
The Steerage function
This piece is not only about the form, it also conveys a message about its subjects: immigrants who were rejected at Ellis Island or who were retrnign to their old country to se relatives, and maybe even encourage others to return to the U.S. with them Captured social division Depict class struggle
Aka Elephant Mask function
This piece of art was meant to be used in performance- the wearer also wore a tunic and a decorative headdress Very dramatic- many people would wear these masks and emerge from "a large palace compound" People often added ivory bracelets and rare leopard pelts to adorn these outfits Headdress- symbol of privilege -Made of red feathers usually (from the African gray parrot)- left the audience awestruck Purpose was to emphasize the complete power and dominance of the Bamileke king
King Menkaura and Queen context
This statue was originally located in Giza This statue was never actually finished; there is no inscription and some areas are missing the final polish. Found in King Menkaure's memorial temple courtyard. We are unsure who the Queen is maybe Queen Khamerernebty maybe the goddess Hathor The Egyptians had a very strong social structure; Pharaoh was at the top Menkaure was the son of King Khafre Hathor was: connected to the wife of the living king and the mother of the future king and she was a protector of her father Re/Ra (sungod) Menkaure was known as egalitarian ruler (ruled with wife)
Seated Scribe function
This was a funerary sculpture meant for a tomb Important because it is a rare example of Egyptian naturalism (normally Egyptian art is very idealized, structured, and rigid) Provide a scribe for Pharaoh in the afterlife
Jowo Rinpoche, enshrined in the Jokhang Temple Contextual issues / History about the work or architect (Historical events, religious beliefs, economic considerations):
Thousands of existing buddha images in the world today Of varying mediums and sizes Buddha shakyamuni Buddhism was founded by one individual: siddhartha gautama, in the 6th or 5th century BC This man, also known as shakyamuni Only one school of buddhism at this time (taught by the buddha); yet there came to be different sects of buddhism over time The sculpture has undergone restoration/reconstruction over the years Most recently, during the Cultural Revolution Unknown to what it originally looked like in the 7th century when it was made Yet the crown & robes that it is wearing today are known to be much later additions Considered the most sacred & important buddha image in tibet ^^bc it's believed to have been carved by the celestial architect (vishwakarma) in india during buddha's lifetime Potentially sculpted from a life portrait of buddha ^^yet, by actually dating the image, it comes from ~early to middle 7th century CE - contrasting with texts' claims that it is the most accurate / earliest portrait of buddha
White temple and its ziggurat location
Uruk (modern Warka, Iraq)
Veranda post of enthroned king and senior wife (Opo Ogoga) function
Veranda post, architectural, structural support for palace at Ikere One of four carved wooden posts, painted with unknown pigment king is overt power and wife is covert power, her position underscores her importance eg. political advisor, duality b/w closer-to-earth king and spiritual queen, placed at focal point of entry to the palace
Seated Scribe form
Verastic (Very realistic) Very frontal Meant to be seen from front Almost complete symmetry (exception of his hands; the right hand originally held a brush/pen and the left hand currently holds a rolled piece of papyrus that the man is writing on) White kilt Hair and rims of the man's eyes are accentuated with black Skin= rich red brown color Carved with delicacy Long and elegant fingers Inscribed fingernails Naturalistic Painted limestone Wooden dowel nipples Eyes are made of two different types of stone (crystal) Indentation carved to represent pupil
Standard of Ur context
Very expensive object found with other expensive things in a royal tomb.Came from the city-state of Ur (present day Iraq). Ur was one of the greatest early civilizations. This art piece was discovered during Leonard Wooley's excavation where he also found 16 royal tombs (found in the largest tomb). It was found above the right shoulder of a man in the Royal Cemetary of Ur. The pretty pieces of shell in the art, shows us the long distance trade that this culture was involved in. Made with blue lapis lazuli found from the mines in Afghanistan. Red stone would have come from India. Shells would have come from the Persian gulf (south of Ur). "Standard" is a flag that is often brought into battle. It was originally thought that the structure was on a pole and brought into battle, but we have no idea what it was used for. The structure tells us so much, but also tells us so little.
Veranda post of enthroned king and senior wife (Opo Ogoga) content
While the king is the focal point, his portrayal suggests a ruler's dependence on others. The stately female figure behind the king represents his senior wife. Her large scale and pose, with hands on the king's throne, underscore her importance. She had the critical role of placing the power-invested crown on the king's head during his coronation. Moreover, the senior wife used political acumen and spiritual knowledge to protect the king's interests during his reign. Olowe "became an emese or messenger of the arinjale, or king of Ise, and for many years, until his death in 1938, he had great fame in the area as a carver of architectural sculptures such as doors and veranda posts
Bundu Mask media
Wood, cloth, and fiber
Sika dwa kofi (Golden Stool) content
Wooden Stool covered in gold
Reliquary Figure form
Wooden carved figure Abstraction - emphasis on the geometric shapes of the object Emphasis on the idea of a guardian figure, instead of depicting a realistic human figure This figure is male, but female byeris were sculpted as well Elongated torso; downcast eyes; closed mouth Powerful musculature
Standard of Ur media
Wooden frame, shell, red limestone and lapis lazuli
Statues of votive figures, from the Square Temple at Eshnunna (modern Tell Asmar, Iraq) context
Worshippers were not allowed in temples, only elite members of society and priests. Worshippers would pay to have figures made of themselves and then set up in a temple or a shrine before an image of a god. These statues/figures are different from Egyptian culture, because in Egyptian culture the focus and depictions are always of the Pharaoh, while in this case it is of worshippers. The different heights reflect the hierarchy of scale. Part of a devotional practice
Jowo Rinpoche, enshrined in the Jokhang Temple Date/Century
_641 ce
Buddha Location (city, country):
_Bamiyan, Afghanistan.
Bahram Gur Fights the Karg, folio from the Great Il-Khanid ShahnamaArtist / Architect:
_Il'Khanid
Bahram Gur Fights the Karg, folio from the Great Il-Khanid Shahnama Media:
_Ink and opaque watercolor, gold, and silver on paper.
Fountain Artist / Architect:
_Marcel Duchamp.
Marilyn Diptych. Media:
_Oil, acrylic, and silkscreen enamel on canvas.
House in New Castle County primary building materials
__woodframe___________________ __stucco____________________ _paint_____________________
Dream of a Sunday afternoon in the Alameda park function
a manifestation of one man's experience with his Mexican heritage and love-life with a fellow artist could be seen as one of the precursors to the feminist/post-colonial art that shared the stories/experiences of people in minorities/people who had been oppressed and had not had their experiences ever shared in popular art before La Catrina unites two great artists: Rivera and Posada (who did the original La Catrina skeleton painting; see context) Frida Kahlo holds a yin/yang symbol represents opposite yet interdependent forces, and also masculinity/femininity this symbol represents Kahlo and Rivera's relationship: she mentored him, then they became lovers, then they broke up but remained political comrades and often painted each other uses imagery from Mexican history, like a feather boa around the Catrina's neck that is reminiscent of the Mesoamerican serpent god Quetzalcoatl
Ndop (portrait figure) of King Mishe miShyaaag maMbul date
c. 1760-1780 ce
Veranda post of enthroned king and senior wife (Opo Ogoga) date
c. 1910-1914 ce.
Lukasa (memory board) date
c. 19th century - 20th century ce_
Reliquary Figure date
c. 19th to 20th century ce.
Ikenga (shrine figure) date
c. 19th to 20th century ce.Lukasa (memory board)
Petra, Jordan: Treasury and Great Temple date
c. 400be-100ce
The Bay context
color field painting very popular in the 1960's Helen Frankenthaler worked in an avant-garde New York school Abstract Expressionism - used soak-stain method with diluted acrylic paint - tilted canvas to move the paint - Color Field painting - simplicity of line and a focus on color as the subject
Narcissus Garden content
consists of 1,500 mass-produced plastic silver globes on the lawn outside of the Italian Pavilion of the 33rd Venice Biennal she was not officially invited to the Biennale, but she had the blessing of some super important guy on the boar the balls were tightly arranged and reflective images reflected in the ball (of the landscape, the other balls, and the viewer) were "repeated, distorted, and projected" the balls were compared to fortune teller's balls "When gazing into it, the viewer only saw his/her own reflection staring back, forcing a confrontation with one's own vanity and ego." in addition to the balls, Kusama herself, dressed in a gold kimono, drifted throughout the viewers as a peddler, selling miniature-sized versions of the balls and complimentary pamphlets about her work
Petra, Jordan: Treasury and Great Temple priimary building materials
cut rock sandstone
Buddha Primary building materials used in construction:
cut rock, plaster, polychrome paint
Dream of a Sunday afternoon in the Alameda park content
depicts over 400 characters from Mexican history all joined together for a stroll in the gardens from all times of history include Hernan Cortes, Porfirio Diaz, and Sor Juana some elements are light-hearted and playful, like the colorful balloons and bright foliage; other elements are much darker, like a conflict between a policeman and an indigenous family and a skeleton smiling brightly at the viewer Rivera never officially joined the Surrealists, but the painting is nonetheless demonstrative of the Surrealist movement, which tried to depict subjects that came from dreams or the subconscious, in that this is titled as depicting a dream the fresco reads like a chronology from left to right: on the left is the conquest of Mexico by the Spaniards, then the fight for independence and Mexican revolution in the center, and modern achievements on the right the middle highlights the lifestyle of the Mexican elite in the middle--the kind of people whose lavish lives, so in contrast to the majority of the impoverished country, lead to the revolution and overthrow of the dictator Porfirio Diaz
House in New Castle County function
developed in the late 70s - early 1980s a reaction against the International Style "emphasized ornamentation, traditional architectural expressions, and references to past styles in a modern context" made to grasp a viewer's attention
Reliquary Figure artist
fang peoples
Buddha Formal elements of the architecture:
high relief sculptures - carved into cliff face but feet and head in the round Cut rock with plaster and polychrome paint. 2 monumental figures carved into the cliff face facing the valley - western buddha (Buddha Varaichona) stood 175 ft tall - eastern buddha (Buddha Shakyamuni) stood 120 ft tall - described by writings of Chinese monk as covered in metal and other semi-precious decorative materials
Narcissus Garden primiary building techniques
plastic mirrored silver color
Marilyn Diptych. Period / Culture: _
pop culture
Power Figure (Nkisi n'kondi) content
power figure nkisi Pose: Pakalala Pakalala provides a sense of alertness and imposing of power Hunting pose About to attack
Narcissus Garden intended audience
public
Spiral Jetty intended audience
public
Narcissus Garden form
spheres - silver color - plastic material - tightly arranged - 1,500 mass-produced plastic silver globes - reflective field - repeated, distorted, and projected images of the artist, the visitors, the architecture, and the landscape
Dream of a Sunday afternoon in the Alameda park form
the form of fresco/mural was famous in Mexican history-- show "both the nightmare and dreams of every epoch:" the genocide and oppression of conquest, then the dream of democracy; both religious idealism and religious intolerance, the dream of lavish living and the effects of a fiscally divided nation; Rivera's love for Kahlo and also her declining health all the figures overlap with each other; not quite interacting but also not separate in the middle, front and center, is Rivera himself, Frida Kahlo, and "La Catrina," which was a 20th century nickname for an elegant, upper class woman who dressed in European clothing, which Rivera depicts as a smiling skeleton originally used for propaganda under the post-revolution government, artists began to use it for their own purposes, highlighting the "nightmares" under the political idealism that existed in the country
Dream of a Sunday afternoon in the Alameda park context
the image of the Catrina woman was popularly known in Mexican culture at the time; around 1900 Posada had depicted a Catrina as a skeleton as a critique on the Mexican upper-class and the image became famous; Rivera appropriates this image in his fresco Rivera and Kahlo were married then divorced "Mexican muralism" was the the promotion of mural painting starting in the 1920s, generally with social and political messages as parts of an effort to reunify the country under the post-revolution government
Narcissus Garden function
the organizers of the Biennale eventually made her stop selling things but the installation remained the exhibition has frequently been interpreted as Kusama's own self-promotion (making "Narcissus" an appropriate and self-conscious title) and as her protest against the commercialization of art the exhibition was intended to be the media of an interactive performance between the artist and the viewer Kusama's Narcissus garden has repeatedly been re-commissioned and installed in various settings, including Central Park in New York City the re-creation of Narcissus Garden has changed its meaning; instead of a kind of satire of new mods of art, the exhibition, which involves the production of hundreds of pricy silver balls, has become a symbol of "prestige and self-importance" the meaning keeps evolving in the digital age: mesmerized by the distorted images in the balls, viewers snap a picture of themselves on their cell phones and post it to social media, amplifying and changing the connotations of narcissism in conjunction with the work
Female (Pwo) mask media
wood fiber, pigment, and metal
Aka Elephant Mask media
wood, woven raffia, cloth, beads
Lukasa (memory board) media
woods, beads, metal