Art History Quiz #3

Jewish Tabernacle Painting

the painting of the sacred prayer in the synagogue, like Islam, the Jewish religion does not

Entasis

a slight convex curve in the shaft of a column, introduced to correct the visual illusion of concavity produced by a straight shaft.

Colonnade

a row of columns supporting a roof, an entablature, or arcade.

Chatra

Chatras in the form of stone disks typically decorate the yasti at the apex of a Buddhist stupa. Also spelled chattra, chhatra.

Royalty have been exalted with elaborate thrones, garments, dazzling jewelry, or objects of power. Hawaiian royal objects were made of materials that were taboo to all others in the society, unlike the gold and gems in a European crown, which any wealthy individual could possess. Hawaiians considered feathers sacred and connected with the gods, so only royalty could own or wear them. Th emagnificent apparel made of red and gold feathes. ALthough feather work is common in many Pacific islands, the Hawaiian work is the most developed and intricate. Colors have symbolic value, with red representing royalty, while yllow signifies a prosperous future. Hawaiian royalty also enjoyed large, elabortaet feathered fly whisks called kahili, which were common objects transformed into luxury items and used for special occasions.

Cloak and Feather hat

Justinian dominates this image, just as he dominated the Byzantine Empire, an outgrowth of the old Roman Empire that grew in power from the sixth century onward. A devout Christian, he occupies the center spot between clergy to the right and military and state leaders to the left. As emperor-priest, Justinian wears a purple cloak and a magnificent jeweled crown and carries a golden bowl and bread used in Christian ritual. The solar disk or halo behind his head indicates divine status, a device used in Egyptian, Persian, and late Roman art. The emperor is flanked by twelve figures, alluding to Christ and the twelve apostles. The clergy hold sacred objects: the crucifix, the book of Gospels, and the incense burner. Even a soldier's shield displays the Chi-Rho, an ancient symbol of Christ. A similar mosaic, Empress Theodora and Her Attendants, faces the Justinian mosaic in the church's sanctuary. Theodora, Justinian's wife, was an able and effective co-ruler, and her image indicates her equal rank and power.

Emperor Justinian

The Buddha, also known as Sakyamuni, meaning "the sage of the Sakya clan", one symbol for Sakyamuni was the stupa, a sign of his death and attainment of nirvana. originally, a stupa was a mound tomb. It eventually was transformed into a monument that cntained the ashes or relics of Buddha. A solid, dome shaped mound of earth enclosed in brick or stone. The form of the mound represented the cosmos as the world mountain, the dwelling place of the ancient gods and a scared womb of the universe. The structure is encircled with a low balustrade wall containing four heraldic gates all highly adorned with rich carvings. The gates, called toranas, are located athte four cardinal points in the circular wall. The balustrades are also densely carved. Pilgrims would come from all over the world to walk clockwise around the stupa and chant, meditate, and pray as they observed the special meanings of the carvings. The square encloser on top of the dome symbolized the heavens, surmounted by the mast with umbrellas, called chatras, that united the world with the paradises above. The chatras signified the levels of human consciousness through which the human soul ascends to enlightenment. The stupa as a symbol of Buddhahood spread throughout Asia, although there were local variations in its design. The eastern torana in front of the Great Stupa rises thirty-four feet. The gate contains many scenes showing episodes from the life of Sakyamuni, with Sakyamuni repesented only by symbols, such as the empty throne, which represents Buddha's separation from his princely life; footprints, which represent the Buddha's spiritual journey; and the elephant, a bodily form assumed by the Buddha. Additionally, sensuous images of the nature deities have been retained from the early Vedic sculptural tradition. Small stupas carved on the gateway reliefs symbolize Sakyamuni in his attainment of Buddhahood; they look very much like the Great Stupa.

Great Stupa.

The last great king of Angkor Empire of the highly civilized Khmer people (in persent day Combodia) He was a mighty military leader who conquered invaders and fought back rival states; one campaign lasted twenty years. Jayavarman VII was also well known for his amazing building projects, including the great TEmple of bayon at Angkor Wat that boasts fifty towers, each side with a large face of Buddha. Yet in this portrait, Jayavarman chose to be represented almost as a mystic, and in fact his own conversion from Hinduism to Buddhism spread that religion in that area. His face is softly modeled with eyes downturned in meditatin, and his gentle smile became famous in Khmer art.

Jayavarman VII

To glorify his rule, his military strnegth, and the Nazi order of Aryan supremancy, A work of brilliant propaganda, Riefenstahl's film established Hitler as the first media hero of the modern age. Given unlimited funding by Hitler, Riefenstahl had a staff of more than 130 people, sixteen cameras, four soundtrucks, and cranes and dollies for dramatic shots. Skillfully edited into the film were speeches, parades, cheering crowds, and the lsuh music of the popular German composer Richard Wanger. Although the film was documentary coveringa six day rally celebarting Hitelea t Nuremberg, the imagery was entirely staged. Of course, all film and phootgraphic content can be manipulated when shot, as well as retouched and altered later. In this case, Riefenstahl carefully set the scene so that Hitler is presentd to and worshipped by the masses as Germany's avior. In closeups of Hitler's smiling face, his charisma is evident. At tthe end of the film, we seen a aaserial shot of massicve military power in rigid formation under HItle'rs control This utopain image of harmony and strenth apealeed to shoe whose lives wer ein disorder, and human history experinece one of ot hois horrendous episodes. One can wonder about Riefenstahl's motivation. Perhaps she was adevout beleiver in Hitler and Nazi dogma, or perhaps she was secuded by the opportunity to work in anew art medium with unlimited funds. Whatever the case, Riefenstahl's prototype in film would affect future capaigns for political elections as well as lay the foundation for consumer advertisting.

Leni Riefenstahl

A mandala, is a radially balanced, geometric diagram augmented by iamges of deities, humans, and symbols of the universe. Together, they form a map of the structure and relationships among all entities of the cosmos, in accordance with Hindu or Buddhist beliefs. By meditating on the mandala, people can begin to grasp these cosmic relations and understand their place within them. The mandala begins with a circle, which symbolizes the void before all creation. Into this emptiness the image of the God will appear. In our example, the deity Samvara (also referred to in this work as Cakrasamavara, who rules and sets int omotion the universe) erotically embraces his female Buddha consort, Vajravarahi. Samvara, an angry emanation of the Absolute Being, is shown with blue skin and multiple arms, symbols of his power and divinity. He is pictured here with a donkey face, because those meditating on this image learn the illusory nature of the physical body. radiating from this center are eight paths, which terminate at the sides or corners of the square. These paths refer to rays of light, the cardinal directions, and elements, such as fire, water, wind, and earth. Other fierce deities, combinations of animal and human forms, occupy these paths. While the iner circles contain deities, the large outer circle encloses charnel fields, where vultures, wild dogs, or cremation fies consume the bodies of the dead (there are generally no graveyards in Southeast Asia). The details are both gruesome and gleeful, vividly depicting harmful forces. Immediately outside the ring of the charnel fields are eight auspicious signs, such as a lotus blossom and a white conch shell, which represent divine gifts offered to Buddha. The outermost areas of the mandala are populated with images of monks, mystics, and more deities. The underlying geometry makes the mandala both simple and complex. During meditation, it can be followed from the outside inward to the center circle, indicating stages of increasing enlightenment. In reverse, the mandala represents the emanation of the creative force responsible for all life, which originates from Samvara. The mandala reinforces the belief that the cosmos, including the physical and spiritual worlds, is an uninterrupted whole of continually fluctuating energy states. Red is a common color of Tibetan mandalas and predominates here. The brilliant blue comes from lapis lazuli, an expensive pigment derived from grinding semiprecious stones. Thus, the work was probably commissioned by a wealthy patron.

Mandala of Samvara, Tibet

many heads of state throughout history have considered themselves not only royalty but also religious leaders or members of a divine or mythic family. Images helped them to spread and communicate that idea. An early example of a royal portrait, they stand side by side, united by the queen's embrace, placing the same foot forward. Young, strong, and confident, they display the Egyptian ideal of beauty and maturity. Khamerernebty is shown as large as Menkaure, as pharaonic succession was traced through the female line. The compact pose makes the sculpture more durable and permanent, befitting the pharaohs as divine descendants of the Sun God, Re. The sculpture was carved from a block of slate, a very hard stone. One view was likely sketched on each side, according to the Egyptian canon of proportions, and then carved inward until all four views met. Traces of paint were found on the piece. Menkaure was the pharaoh who built the third and smallest of the Great Pyramids at Gizeh. This shrine-like statue was found in his valley temple.

Menkare and His Wife

Among the Mesquakie people around tama, Iowa, in the mid-1800's, grizzly bear claws were signs of high status, just as diamonds and pearls might be of value in other cultures. The prairie girzzzlys nails-over three inches in length-were diffficult to acquire and were considered a great trophy. The Mesquakie Bear Claw Necklace represented the strength and tenacity of th ebear, which added to the dignity of the owner. THe unassembled materials-claws, colored glass beads, otter pelts, and silk ribbons, woul dbe given to those who owned the rights to create the neckpiece. The striking repetition of dlicate curves suggests the lethal potential of eac lclaw. The decorate otter pelt is attached ot the necklack to become an elegant train.

Mesquakie

Minaret

Muslim, Mosque, a tall slender tower, typically part of a mosque, with a balcony from which a muezzin calls Muslims to prayer.

In central Mexico, hundreds of believers leave small votive paintings called retablos at certain important religious shrines, as a form of prayer and thanks for a divine favor. Pictures with bright colors and txt dramatically record emotional, miraculous events. These artworks also may contain holy cards, pictures of loved ones, diplomas, or legal papers. The Virgin of San Juan de los Lagos is a small statue of Mary, the Mother of Jesus, in a shrine in the central Mexican state of Jalisco. Multiple scenes are common on retablos, and in this example, we see Maria twice, both as a helpless and vulnerable patient on the operating table in a foreign land and as a supplicant with her children imploring the help of the Virgin. In the retablo, the Virgin looms large in the bleak, gray room, with golden rays, miraculously intervening in a fearful episode. Extraneous details are omitted to better emphasize the victim's helplessness and the Virgin's power

Retablo of Maria d la Luz Casillas and Children

The emphasis was on the general serenity of Buddhahood. The red sandstone of the Seated Buddha, late fifth to early sixt centuries, has been carved and polished to a smooth, flawless finish. The statue seems o represent a generalized holy being rather than a specific person. The body seems almost weightless. The face is rendered as a perfect oval, and the torso and limbs are simplified into graceful lines and elegant shapes. Clothing is sheer and clinging, unworldly in its draping and its perfection. The tall arches of the brow, downcast eyes, and quiet but sensual mouth all speak of a transcendent serenity. The Buddha is seated in lotus position on a throne, under which are carved worshippers around the Wheel of the law. Abstracted foliage above and around Sakyamuni represents the Tree of Enlightenment. His hands are posed in a preaching gesture.

Seated Buddha

In other cultures, human offerings to deities also entailed sacrifice, sometimes involving the spilling of uman blood. In the various Mesoamerican cultures-Maya, Toltec, Aztec, and others in Central America-the sun was believed to be ever thirsty for blood to stave off the power of the moon and was symbolized by a fiery tongue. In this piece, we see an example of a bloodletting ceremony, in which the Mayan ruler holds a torch over his principal wife as she pulls a thorny rope through a hole in her tongue. Those participating in blood sacrifices had to be high ranking, shown by their wrist bracelets, necklaces, crowns, and garb. Their flattened foreheads were signs of beauty, an unnatural effect created by binding boards on the soft skulls of very young children of the nobility. More extreme forms of blood sacrifice were practiced, such as cutting out the hearts of captured warriors or the captains of ball teams. Ballplayers were important members of society, and ball games were important religious rituals in which the ball itself and the opposing teams symbolized the terrible balance between the sun and the moon.

Shield Jaguar and Lady Xoc

Hinduism is Pantheism, not polytheism. The God Shiva, one of the primary avatars, is the source of good and evil, male and female. He is the unity in which all opposites meet. he is the destroyer of life, who also recreates it-terrible, and at the same time, mild. Since the tenth century, Shiva has often been depicted in Hindu art as Nataraja, or the Lord of the Dance, seen here in a sculpture from c. 1000. Shiva's body is shown as supple, sleek, and graceful. Cobra heads form the ends of his hair, and he stands in perfect balance. As the Lord of the unending dance, he is the embodiment of cosmic energy, yet the balance pose also contains the concept of eternal stillness. The multiple arms tell of his power, and his divine wisdom is shown by the third eye in the middle of his forehead. his far right hand holds a small, hourglass shaped drum, the beating of which stands for creation and the passing of time. The second right arm is coiled by a snake that symbolizes regeneration, while the hand forms a mudra, a symbolic gesture that here is a sign of protection. The far let hand balances a flame that symbolizes destruction, while the other left hand points to his feet. The left foot is elevated in the dance, indicating release form this earth, and the right foot crushes the personification of ignorance. The circle of fire that radiates around Shiva shows the unfolding transformation of the universe and its destruction.

Shiva as Nataraja, or Lord of the dance.

Over the centuries, Buddhist beliefs bcame more complex. Bodhisattvas are living beings who have attained Buddhahood but have chosen to remain on earth to help others. While Buddhas in their serenity in nirvana may seem remote to struggling humans, the Boddhisattvas are immediate personal intercessors who give aid. It is the most powerful Boddhisattva, with a great capacity for salvation. Depictions of Guanyin vary radically, with two to twelve arms, often crowned, sometimes with a muscular male body and sometimes with an effeminate body. In our example, the body is graceful and the face beautiful and serene. The elegance of the body and right hand, along with the lavish carving and rich colors, make this sculpture sensually appealing. The diagonals of the figure's right leg and arm balance the verticals of the torso and the left limbs, while the flowing curves of the drapery unite all. Compare the similarities and differences of polytheistic imagery with those of the pantheistic religions.

The Water and moon Guanyin Bodhisattva, China, Song Dynasty

Votive painting

The term "ex voto" comes from the Latin "ex voto suscepto " meaning "in pursuance of a vow." It may be used in reference to a painting, a plaque or any object placed in a church or chapel to commemorate a vow or to express thanks for a favour received.

Greek gods appear in the ideal human form according to the Greek aesthetic rule of proportion. From Classical period, convincing anatomy and movement but entirely idealized and flawless, conforming to Greek standards of beauty. Shown as a mature bearded male with an ideal, godlike physique. His right hand held a thunderbolt, an attribute of Zeus, associated with sky and storms (if the figure held a trident, then he is likely Poseidon, God of the Sea) The over-life-size figure appears monumental, muscular, and ideally proportioned. It conveys a sense of action and energy and, at the same time, poise and dignity. Fully extended, Zeus's mighty body is balanced between the backward movement of his arm and its anticipated forward movement as he hurls a thunderbolt.

Zeus (or Poseidon); Early Classical

Places of worship can be natural sites: mountains, srings, and sacred trees or groves. Mountains have been meeting places between heaven and earth or dwelling places of divine beings. Rocks can be seen as containers or symbols for spirits and deities. The earth and water are the sources or sustainers of life. Trees may be seen as sources of truth and symbols of the cosmos, existing simultaneously in the underworld, the earth, and the heavens. Fire, light, and the sun are divine symbols or sometimes spirits themselves. The focus figure is a sacred artificial mountain erected by the Sumerians of the City of Ur to honor their special deity from among the Sumerian pantheon of gods Its corners point toward the four points of the compass, reflecting the movement of the sun. The word ziggurat means "mountain or pinnacle". Surrounded by flat land, this terraced tower of rubble and brick seemed to reach into the heavens. The Ziggurat of Ur has three broad staircases each with one hundred steps, leading to a temple-shrine forty feet above the ground, dedicated to protective gods and goddesses and attended to by special orders of priests and priestesses.

Ziggurat at Ur (partially reconstructed)

Hypostyle

a building having a roof supported by several rows of pillars

Flying Buttress

a buttress slanting from a separate pier, typically forming an arch with the wall it supports.

Retablo

a frame or shelf enclosing decorated panels or revered objects above and behind an altar. a painting or other image above and behind an altar.

Mandala

a geometric figure representing the universe in Hindu and Buddhist symbolism. a symbol in a dream, representing the dreamer's search for completeness and self-unity. It assists you with meditating

Register

a horizontal level in a work that consists of several levels arranged one above the other, especially where the levels are clearly separated by lines. Modern comic books typically use similar conventions.

Pilgrimage

a journey to a shrine, a physical journey

Bodhisattva

a person who has attained enlightenment but who has postponed nirvana in order to help others achieve enlightenment

Brahman

pure being, Hinduism, unbounded, supreme being