art history 3

26.1 THE FLOWERS OF BEAUTY IN THE FLOATING WORLD

Suzuki Harunobu Edo 1769 --- Polychrome woodblock print on paper. The image depicts a young woman smoking a pipe while a girl at her side looks through a telescope at the boats in the bay. The lady is a geisha with her trainee during the break. The pipe and telescope depict Western influence because these were brought by the Dutch. The telescope is humorous and sexual because of its shape. The figures are cross-eyed, craning necks, and stylized gestures which emphasize the style and capture the frozen moment. The inscription seems to sit within the cloud. The lettering is also separate. There is a sense of depth because of the diagonal bench that they sit on and the waves of the water. There is also a sense of flatness because of the stool and floor and inscriptions. The many boats emphasize the comings and goings of the ports and acceptance of Western culture. It also suggests the fleetingness of beauty and pleasure and how someone will take your place. The flowy bodies juxtapose the linear background. The bonsai tree seems to be being trained, similar to the geisha in training. The two things have the same/ similar color schemes. The telescope provides depth as it passes through the window sill. The elder geisha is less interested but still acknowledging what is behind her.

11.21 SEATED GUANYIN BODHISATTVA

- Liao dynasty 11-12th century CE - Wood sculpture with paint and gold gilding. Bodhisattvas are represented as young princes in lavish dress signifying their worldly, virtuous lives. Guanyin is Bodhisattva of Infinite Compassion. He has many guises but is depicted here as the Water and Moon Guanyin. He sits on rocks by the sea, in the position known as royal ease. His right arm rests on his raised and bent knee and his left arm and foot hang down, the foot touching a lotus blossom.

11.5 COVERED RITUAL WINE-POURING VESSEL WITH TIGER AND OWL DECOR

- Shang Dynasty, China 13th century BCE Functional pouring spout Cast bronze pouring spout and covering form the head and body of a tiger and rear of vessel and cover form an owl. The geometric decoration combines with suggestive zoomorphic forms. They could be related to the hunting life of the Shang, but deeper significance is unknown. The Shang are known for mystery and acknowledgement of the supernatural world. The ornamentation creates a sense of movement and liveliness. The piece is much like Shamanic beliefs of elemental and animal power.

11.15 THE WESTERN PARADISE OF AMITABHA BUDDHA (detail of wall painting in Cave 217)

- Tang Dynasty C. 750 - Depicts a Tang vision of the Pure Land (Buddhism idea that there are levels to reality. Our dimension, other subtle dimensions, Pure Land is filled with Buddhas- semi-divine beings.) Sandy cliffs of Dunhuang has ~500 caves filled with artwork because it was a stop on the Silk Road. The piece shows a seated Amitabha Buddha in the center, flanked by four bodhisattvas (his messengers). Other bodhisattvas are on either side. Great halls and towers rise in background depicting the Western paradise in terms of Tang palaces. (Has similar aura to Tang courts. Provides account of Tang splendor.)

29.2 KENTE CLOTH

--- Asante C. 1980 In an Asante royal household. Rayon. Asante weavers were usually men. They work on double-heddle looms, allowing them to produce long, narrow strips of cloth with vertical stripes that alternate with horizontal bands and geometric patterns. The strips are sewn together to form large rectangles. The strips are joined so the patterns do not line up exactly- this makes it more dazzling and less predictable. Kente was originally produced under royal control for royal patrons only.

28.6 ASMAT ANCESTRAL SPIRIT POLES (BISJ)

--- Asmat C. 1960 Embodied the spirits of ancestors and paid tribute to them. Wood, paint, palm leaves, and fiber. The Asmat people believed that the spirit of a dead person remained in the village so they sculpted memorial poles which embodied the spirits of the ancestors and paid tribute to them. They were placed in front of special houses belonging to the village's men's society. The bisj poles are generally carved from mangrove. The felling of a tree is a ritual act where men attack the tree as if it were an enemy. The figures on the pole represent the dead individuals who are to be avenged. Small figures represent dead children. The bent pose of the figures associates them with the praying mantis. The large, lacy phalluses emerging from the top figures are carved from the projecting roots of the tree and symbolize male fertility. The surface decorations suggest body ornamentation. The poles face the river to ensure the dead would travel to the realm of the ancestors beyond the sea. The pole also served symbolically as the dugout canoe that would take the spirit of the dead down the river. Carving the bisj poles and organizing a feast allowed a deceased family to take responsibility to avenge their dead in a headhunting raid. Mock battles were held. After ceremonies the poles were left to deteriorate in the swamp to transfer their supernatural power back to nature.

27.5 THE GODDESS COATLICUE

--- Aztec C. 1500 --- Basalt sculpture. Coatlicue means she of the serpent skirt and this figure wears a skirt of snakes. The sculpture may allude to her child's birth- she received him from a ball and her other children conspired to kill her. The other kids, the stars and the moon, attacked and her ball child emerged full grown and armed to destroy his siblings. Coatlicue died in the battle- she had been decapitated and a pair of serpents (representing gushing blood) create rise to form her head. Her arms may have also been cut off because they are made by snakes and her hands form claws around the snake's heads. Around her neck is a necklace of human hands, hearts, and a skull. The piece is intricate but has a sense of solidity and seems to loom forward. It was originally red, white, ocher, black and blue which added to the drama. Coatlicue was the patron of childbirth, but is also associated with war, government, agriculture, old women, and the earth. Her arms are bent as if she is preparing to strike. There is strong verticals and a sense of symmetry. Her upper torso is exposed and shows rolls on her stomach which indicates motherhood. The body is woven together by individual motifs. Her figure is blocky but portras a standing human. It channels life and death earth energies that are beyond human. She has a sense of power. She combines monstrous and mothering. It has a strong aesthetic impact.

27.7 A VIEW OF THE WORLD

--- Aztec or Mixtec C. 1400-1519 A manuscript of Mesoamerican cosmology. Paint on animal hide. The people acknowledged five key directions- north, south, east, west, and center. At the center of the image is the god of fire, time, and the calendar. Radiating from him are four cardinal directions- each associated with a specific color, deity, and a tree with a bird on its branches. The 260 dots that trace the 8 lobed path around the central figure refers to the 260 day calendar. The 20 day signs of the calendar are distributed throughout the image. It combines a calendar with the directions to combine space and time. A page from a book. Individual shapes and figures form the whole image. Similar to a medicine wheel and mandala.

13.4 COLOSSAL HEAD, SAN LORENZO

--- Olmec C. 1200-900 BCE --- Basalt-7'5". In San Lorenzo the first urban center of Mesoamerica flourished. Created over 100 basalt sculptures. They transported basalt boulders from a volcano 30 miles away then carved the heads weighing up to 25 tons. Ten colossal heads have been excavate with lots of speculation of their significance. Each has broad features and flat noses and wear helmets. The shape is reminiscent of balls offered at El Manatí. The game was considered mythological cosmic and generative significance. The decapitated heads of heroic ballplayers were often used as a ball. The bodiless heads could represent the balls or the ballplayers. Some think they are portraits of rulers.

29.19 THREE PLANK MASKS, BUFFALO MASK, AND SERPENT MASK PERFORMING IN THE TOWN OF DOSSI

--- Bwa 1984 Used in initiation ceremonies and funerals, and planting and harvest ceremonies The masks are made of wood, pigments, and raffia fiber- they range from 7-14 feet. The Bwa maintained their religion and traditions despite colonialism. Young men and women were initiated into adulthood following puberty- initiation instructed them on social, familial, and religious obligations. At the end of initiation they displayed their knowledge in a public masquerade ceremony. Each young man performs on eo f the masks while young women sing. After the ceremony they rejoin their families and prepare for marriage, farms, and families. The masks represent animal messengers of the spiritual figure DO. He mediates between the people and their creator god. His realm is wild, untamed nature and the life force that it generates. The imagery of the masks consist of human and animal forms combined with painted abstract symbols using red, black, and white. They draw from the natural world to depict people, animals, and insects in a highly abstract manner. The red beaks imitates those of birds, the horned figure imitates a buffalo, and the long slender mask represents a serpent, mask on far right has 3 small figures on top of central plank. Masks are commissioned and maintained by families which stresses their connection to the spirit world.

28.17 MOAI ANCESTOR FIGURES

--- Easter Island Polynesians culture C. 1000-1500 --- Volcanic stone. May be memorials to chiefs of ancestors. The yellowish brown is volcanic tuff, the hair is red scoria (top knots), their open eyes are white coral and stone. These are 36 feet but range to 65 feet. They were thought to be moved 11 miles from the quarry to sites by being rocked with ropes. Fragment remains suggest that not all survived the journey. The figures face frontal and are just large heads with deep set eyes under prominent brow ridges. They have long, concave pointed noses with small mouths and pursed lips. They have angular chins, elongated earlobes with engraved lines of earrings. They have specific styled breastbones/pectorals, small arms with hands close to the sides, and no legs. The heads emerge from the waist. They were placed near the coast.

29.14 EYEMA-O-BYERI

--- Fang Mid-late 19th century Sat on top of container that preserved skulls, bones, and family relics. Point of contact for ancestral support. Wood, metal, and shell. Height of 21''. These sculptures were attached to box with a post that came from their butt and was inserted in a hole on the top of the box. They functioned as points of contact for ancestral support and guardians to protect the family relics from malevolent forces. Byeri were carved in various forms and styles (some had big heads with long necks to represent the ancestral body). This one is a full figure with carefully arranged hairstyles, a fully rounded torso, heavily muscled legs and arms. The figure's jaw is set firm and the powerful, muscular body exudes a sense of authority. Sculptures were often enhanced with feathers, beads, clothing, and frequent cleansing and purifying palm oil. The object served as a reliquary. The French colonists saw Byeri as a threat to Christianity and banned Fang rituals. The people turned over Byeri in order to preserve the actual boxes that held their ancestry. Those seen in museums are heavily altered because the Europeans wanted them to be more sculptural and less functional- removed added pieces and created a uniform color.

11.31 MAEBYEONG BOTTLE WITH DECORATION OF BAMBOO AND BLOSSOMING PLUM TREE

--- Goryeo Dynasty Late 12th-early 13th CE Used by people of various classes, best went to the palace, nobles, or Buddhist clergy as storage container Example of Goryeo celadon-glazed ceramics. Celadon refers to high-fired transparent glaze of pale bluish-green hue, typically applied over a pale gray stoneware body. Celadon was a Chinese creation but Goryeo rivaled their best works. Early Korean celadons were simplistic in decoration but during this time potters added incised, carved, or molded embellishments. This piece uses notable inlaid decoration, in which black and white slips, or finely ground clays were laid into the lines of decorative elements which created underglaze designs in contrasting colors. This scene depicts natural scene of clumps of bamboo growing at the edge of a lake, stalks intertwined with branches of blossoming plum tree (flowers in late winter before sprouting leaves). Geese swim in a lake and butterflies flutter above, links several scenes around the bottle. Known as a "plum bottle" or maebyeong- broad-shouldered vessel used as storage for wine, vinegar, other liquids. Originally a small, bell-shaped lid capped the bottle to protect its contents and complement its curves.

12.8 WOMB WORLD MANDALA

--- Heian period Late 9th century CE Monastic, seen by elite viewers Hanging silk scroll with colors depicts Dainichi surrounded by buddhas of the four directions. Other deities branch out in diagrammatical order, each with their symbol of power and targeted to potential worshippers. (Some had multiple heads or limbs and attempted to frighten viewers into awakening.) To believers the mandala represents an ultimate reality beyond the visible world. Esoteric Buddhist images have a sense of spiritual force and potency, especially wrathful deities (flames). The work was for the educated aristocracy therefore the network of deities, hierarchy, and ritual found parallels in the elaborate social divisions in Heian courts.

14.14 ROPED POT ON A STAND

--- Igbo 9-10th century CE May have been a sacred or luxury item Leaded bronze. A skeuomorph- created from a different material than the original piece but made to resemble the original. Probably based on a ceramic water vessel tied to a basket or wooden base. The rope is non-functional but indicates the replication of another object. It was created by using the lost wax method but they probably used latex. The neck of the vessel and lower half of the pot were cast separately then connected. The rope was also cast separately then slid over and attached. The Igbo people did not hammer or plate metal but created unique cast bronze styles to mimic natural forms. The latex mold would have been covered with clay, heated so the latex melted, then filled with bronze. They then took away the clay and used molten metal to connect the pieces. It is decorative and non-functional but imitates a functional object. Was found in a ritual storeroom which suggests it was a significant piece. It may have held water so it did not touch the ground prior to a ceremony.

27.9 MACHU PICCHU

--- Inca 1450-1530 --- It was originally a vibrant city and is now one of the most spectacular archaeological sites. It is roughly 8000 feet above sea level and straddles a ridge between two peaks in the Andes mountains. It looks down on a river. The stone buildings now lack their thatched roofs and occupy terraces around central plazas. The site was royal estate of the Incan ruler. The court may have retired to a lower, warmer altitude palace in the winter. Important diplomatic negotiations and ceremonies probably occurred here. It shows the Incan architectural planning because it shows the sensitivity to surroundings. Walls and plazas frame vistas of the landscape.

12.15 DESCENT OF AMIDA AND THE TWENTY-FIVE BODHISATTVAS

--- Kamakura 13th century CE Temple of dying person's home. Hanging scroll with colors and gold on silk. 57x61". Gold paint and thin slivers of gold leaf cut into elaborate patterns suggest the divine radiance of the deities. The technique of cut gold leaf is kirikane which was one of the great achievements of Japanese Buddhist artists. The darkened silk behind the figures heightens the sparkle of their golden aura. In flickering light of oil lamps they would have appeared magical. Sensitive renderings of landscape- full of rugged peaks and flowering trees. Emphasis on natural settling may derive from Shinto beliefs and appreciation for the land they lived on. Raigo painting depicts Amida Buddha and bodhisattvas coming to earth to welcome the soul of dying believer. Golden cords were often attached to paintings which were taken to the home of a dying person. The cords were held by dying person in the hope that their soul would be led directly to paradise of the pure land.

14.19 WOVEN AND CUT-PILE TEXTILE

--- Kongo Before 1400 Prized royal item- form of currency, or small portion of wearable item. Woven of raffia fiber with both raised and plushed bands and embroidered decorations- could have been a form of currency or a small section of a wearable garment. The lightest bands are called street and was embroidered into a simple whipstitch pattern. The diamond or lozenge shapes, or blocks, created between streets were embroidered in raffia dyed a darker color. The darkest color on the textile was used to form the border. Dark brown raffia fibers are pushed forward then cut to form a velvet-like pile This provides depth and visual contrast. The primary symbol of Kongo religion is a cosmogram- a cross shape within a diamond, usually with four circles at each point. This is seen in the streets of the textile. It represents the "four moments of the sun"- they represent sunrise, midday, sunset, and night. They also represent the four cardinal (north, south, east, west) directions and four life stages (birth, adulthood, death, ancestry/rebirth). Royals used the imagery to stress the kingdom's spirituality and the divine right of the king.

13.14 SHIELD JAGUAR AND LADY XOX

--- Maya 726 CE --- Limestone. Inscriptions serve as an internal frame for figures, provide date and nature of ritual- blood-letting. (Written backwards so it was in the point of view of the event and could be read in a mirror. It is sharply outlined- forms project forward and back. Shadows enhance the figures so it seems to be in the round. Some areas are in the round. The blank background forces attention forward. The Shield Jaguars headdress is elaborate with the shrunken head of a sacrifice victim (piety to please the gods). His torch suggests the ritual was in the dark, whether at night or in a dark chamber. Xok was significant in their culture. Her tasseled headdress was related to the bloodletting ritual. She is pulling a rope of thorns across her tongue and lines show her blood sacrifice. Self-mutilation was required by royalty to maintain their royal rule and continue life on earth by gaining the gods favor. She is dressed lavishly in patterned and fringed fabrics. She also wears jade and shell collars and cuffs. Her necklace may be a deity or an ancestry. Xok is in a paratactic pose and is less defined that Shield Jaguar. He is more in a profile position but still stands over her to assert dominance. The glyphs side with him and seem to be associated with him but not Xok. It suggests that she is important but less powerful than he. They conjure ancestors with rope, obsidian, and stingray used to cut tongue. She bled onto paper which was burned so the smoke rises to the heavens to bring rain and blessings. These tools lay in the basket. There is a distinct facial style. There is a sense of geometric and non-organic. The hieroglyphs have a rounded appearance. The ritual was done when Jupiter and Saturn were aligned which suggests knowledge of astrology and logic of the heavens. It is a vertical rectangular relief field with two areas of glyphs and two figures. The figures face each other. There is a strong diagonal field that separates the couple and creates movement.

13.13 BURIAL MASK OF PAKAL THE GREAT

--- Maya C. 683 CE From Pakal's tomb. Jade, shell, and pearl. Shows the aesthetic modifications of Pakal's body. His head was elongated in infancy and an artificial bridge enhanced his long, curved nose. His chin and protruding lower lip conform to Maya ideals of beauty. Probably contributes to the afterlife.

13.15 PYRAMID "EL CASTILLO" WITH CHACMOOL IN FOREGROUND

--- Mayan 9th-12th century CE --- A massive 9 level pyramid in the center of a large plaza. A stairway on each side of the radial pyramid leads to a square temple on the summit. During the spring and fall equinoxes, the setting sun casts undulating shadows on the stairway, forming bodies for the serpent heads carved at the based of the north balustrades, pointing toward the Sacred Cenote. The building is covered in relief sculpture and paintings. The surviving works show narrative scenes that emphasize military conquests. It has serpent columns- with sturdy forms, proportions, and angularities. The chacmools may represent fallen warriors and were used to receive sacrificial offerings. The chacmool sculpture is in a reclining position.

25.4 TWO FLASKS

--- Ming dynasty 1403-1424 Used for decanting wine Porcelain with decoration painted in underglaze cobalt blue. Shape was probably inspired by Islamic glass vessels. The underglaze of cobalt blue shows various ornamental motifs and representational systems. The body of one dragon is rendered in detail with a background of delicate plant motifs. The other is a bold white silhouette reserved from the densely painted waves of its ocean habitat. Dragons were heavily symbolic in Chinese folklore. Dragons were considered powerful and sudden manifestations of nature (wind, thunder, lightning). They were also associated with superior beings. They were considered auspicious and became a symbol of enlightenment.

13.23 GREAT SERPENT

--- Mississippian C. 1070 CE --- The ground has been shaped to resemble a twisting snake form. The head is the highest point, a Y shape and oval enclosure that some see as the snake eating a giant egg. The piece is earthen and continuous. It combines natural and unnatural elements. The abstract snake implies that snakes were a celebrated part of earth with significant energy channelled in relation to the earth. The piece creates "differentiation of earth".

26.4 ROCK GARDEN

--- Muromach C. 1480 Dry garden in front of Zen temple A flat rectangle of flat gravel surrounds 15 stones of different sizes in islands of moss. The stones are set in asymmetrical groups of 2, 3, and 5. A low plaster-covered wall creates the boundary of the garden but the various trees around the wall add to the landscape. The "borrowed" scenery adds to the effect of the rock garden. The dry gardens emphasize Zen beliefs. The rocks and gravel are highly intellectual and reflect abstract versions of nature. They can be interpreted as islands in the sea or mountain peaks above clouds or even swimming tigers with her cubs or constellations in the sky. Each may or may not relate to a monk seeking clarity in mind through contemplation. It also includes the idea that each stone is in the right place and even if they were moved they would still be in the right place. Encompasses a sense of stillness, emptiness, and peace. There is intention to gardening and to rock gardens.

12.3 MAIN HALL, INNER SHRINE, ISE

--- Shinto culture May date back to the 1st century CE, rebuilt last in 2013 Main deity worshipped is Sun goddess Is rebuilt alternately on 2 adjoining sites at 20 year intervals with few breaks. The carpenters are trained from childhood. The rebuilding emphasizes the Shinto practice of ritual purification- in respect for cycle of seasons in which pure life emerges and gives way to death in winter. Only members of the imperial family and a few Shinto priests allowed within. Few pictures taken in inner compound may stem from beliefs that intimate pictures would violate the privacy of the shrine's most sacred spaces. Wooden piles elevate building off the ground, thatched roof held in place by horizontal logs, unpainted cypress wood, and natural simplicity is typical fo Shinto architecture. Building's shape seems to come from early raised granaries based on artifacts from Yayoi period. Unornamented natural materials suggests an early origin for aspect of Japanese taste that persists to this day.

11.29 BODHISATTVA SEATED IN MEDITATION

--- Silla Kingdom, 2 Kingdoms Period Early 7th century CE Gilt bronze seated Bodhisattva is around 35 in. tall. Probably the Bodhisattva Maitreya. The pose derives from late sixth-century Chinese sculpture. But the slender body, elliptical ace, elegant drapery folds, and trilobed crown are distinctly Korean. This shows Korea adapting Chinese example to suit their own styles. (Which eventually led to Korea influencing Japan.)

11.27 CROWN

--- Silla Kingdom, 3 Kingdoms Period 6th century CE Made expressly for burial (from Gold Crown Tomb) Elaborate gold crown with jade ornamentation. Cut pieces of thin gold sheet held together by gold wire, spangles of gold embellishments, comma-shaped ornaments of green and white jadeite. Tall branching gold sheets resemble trees and antlers. Within crown is a conical cap woven of narrow strips of sheet gold and ornamented with appendages that suggest wings or feathers. Strong verticals. Front is trellis like with floral implications. Gold strips have inscriptions. Thick golden rings line the base of the crown and small gold coin-like circles hang from them with floral implications. The shortest of these end with a small jade comma-shape and the longer 4 end with arrow-shaped gold pieces.

27.19 CHILKAT BLANKET

--- Tlingit people C.1850 --- Mountain-goat wool, yellow cedar bark, linen thread. Blankets were made collaboratively by men and women. Men drew patterns on boards and women wove them into blankets. The weavers didn't use looms but hung cedar warp threads from a rod and twined colored goat wool back and forth through them to make a pattern- can be defined by curving lines. The ends of the warp form the fringe. This pattern is known as the diving whale- the central panels shows the downward-facing whales, while the panels to the sides have been interpreted as this animal's body or seated ravens seen in profile. The images are composed of the ovoid (a slightly bent rectangle with rounded corners) and the formline (a continuous, shape-defining line). Subtly swelling black formlines define gently curving ovoids and C shapes. When the blanket is worn, the 2D shapes become 3D- most dramatic central figures on the wearer's back and the side panels crossing over his shoulders and chest.

27.12 WAMPUM BELT

--- Woodlands or Mississippians 1680s Commemorates an unwritten treaty when the land was ceded by the Delawares. It is made of shell beads. It depicts two figures of equal size holding hands which suggests mutual respect of the Delaware and Quakers which later collapsed. Wampum belts had authority of legal agreement and symbolized a moral and political order.

12.12 BOOK PAGE FROM THE ISHIYAMAGIRE

36 Immortal Poets Heian period Early 12th century CE Private use by courtly audience Ink with gold and silver on decorated and collated paper. 8x6''. Simple, flowing letters, characters, and syllables, interspersed occasionally with more complex Chinese characters. This style gave a distinctive asymmetrical balance to the appearance of the written words. Poems seemed to float elegantly on the fine dyed papers decorated with painting, block printing, scattered sheets, and particles of gold and silver, and sometimes paper collage. The irregular pattern of torn paper edges adds a serendipitous element. This page reproduces two verses by Ki no Tsurayuki that expresses melancholy emotions. The spiky, flowing calligraphy, patterning of the papers, use of gold and silver, and the suggestions of natural imagery match the elegance of the poetry and epitomize the courtly Japanese taste. Integrates imagery and script. Comments on the fleetingness of beauty because the paper would not last- recurring theme in Japanese culture.

29.1 GRAZING AT SHENDI

Amir Nour Contemporary African 1969 --- Steel. 202 bent stainless steel tubes of varying sizes side directly on the ground in a field in Shendi. The tubes form semi-circles and suggest minimalist structures of the time. They form an abstract image of herd animals grazing in the fields. The piece engages with the setting and the audience because nothing separates them from the viewer.

25.19 DREAM JOURNEY TO THE PEACH BLOSSOM LAND

An Gyeon Joseon 1447 --- Handscroll with ink and light colors on silk. Illustrates a Chinese tale by Tao Qian about coming across a utopia that is separate from the world while walking through peach blossoms of springs. It imitates earlier Chinese paintings because of the monumental mountains and vast, panoramic view.

27.26 THE SPIRIT OF HAIDA GWAII

Bill Reid Haida 1991 --- Bronze. The sculpture is a metaphor for modern Canada's multicultural society. It depicts various figures from the natural and mythic worlds struggle to paddle forward in a boat. The dominant figure is a shaman in a basket hat and blanket holding a speaker's pole. On the prow, a place reserved for the chief in a war canoe, sits the Bear. He faces backwards and is bitten by an Eagle, with formline-patterned wings. The Eagle is bitten by the Seawolf- both continue to paddle. At the stern, steering the canoe, is the Raven, the trickster in mythology. The Raven is assisted by Mousewoman, the guide and escort of humans in the spirit realm. The work represents a mythological and environmental lifeboat where a family of living things,with their difference, head in one direction and work together.

26.2 LANDSCAPE

Bunsei Muromachi Mid 15th century --- Hanging scroll with ink and light colors on paper. Vertical field. Natural landscape with elements. A lone figure. The background shines forward which creates a sense of distance and depth along the vertical field. The negative space also suggests space and creates 2 separate forms that juxtapose each other and are unrelated. The foreground consists of rocky land with a spiky pine tree, a craggy rock, a poet seated in a hermitage, a fence surrounds a small garden. The empty middle space is the void or water. Subtle tones of gray suggest a distant shore with fishing boats, a small hut, and two people. The areas echo each other and portray the pure, lonely, and serene spirit of Zen poetic landscapes. The bottom is heavier than the organic style of the upper half. There is a contrast of light and shadows, detailing of dimensions (2d and 3d), and a sense of asymmetry.

28.20 MAN'S LOVE STORY

Clifford Possum Tjapaltjarri Contemporary aboriginal 1978 --- Synthetic polymer paint on canvas. The piece tells the "Dream Time" story (pre-humans) that was veiled to protect secret knowledge. The information is veiled because the knowledge had to be earned. He worked on a floor to simulate the sand painting technique. The patterns and colors imitate ancient art. The work is map-like and earth based. One ancestor is a white U on the left. He is seated in front of a circling form which may be a water hole of ant's nest. He came in search of honey ants which were a delicacy. His stick lies on the right white sugary leaves lie on the left. The straight white "journey line" represents his trek from the west. The second ancestor figure is a brown and white U shape. He came from the east, leaving footprints, and sat at another waterhole. He began to spin a hair string on a spindle, which is leaning toward the upper right of the painting. But he was distracted by thoughts of the woman he loved but could not marry. When she approached he lost the hair string which is shown by the brown flecks below him and he lost all his work. Spinning hair on a string was surprisingly strong and used for utilitarian and ceremonial purposes. He may have been trying to earn the right to marry her. Four women, the dotted U shapes, came at night and surrounded the camp to guard the lovers. The white footprints are those of other ancestral figures following a woman, the wavy line at the top is the path of another. The black, dotted oval area indicates the site where young men were taught this story. The long horizontal bars are mirages, the wiggly shapes are caterpillars (food). The painting is a map of ancestor's journeys. It shows the effect the ancestors had on the earth- their tracks, direction lines, and U shapes left from sitting. The painting resembles Abstract Expressionism but is still rooted in aboriginal art- dot art- and depicts mythic narratives. It contains multiple stories in one image and shows how they overlap. The dots form movement of the landscape- flat stick dipped in paint. In connects modern practice with traditional ideas- acrylic replaces earth toned ochers- hybridity.

27.2 CALENDAR STONE

Commissioned by King Montezuma 2 Aztec C. 1500 A calendar Low (some deep) relief on basalt. The center shows the Mexica belief that the gods created the wold four times before the current era. The four squares around the face have the days the past suns were destroys- Jaguar, Wind, Rain, Water. The central face combines elements of the sun god as the night sun in the underworld with clawed hands and flint tongue of earth golds- symbolizing the night sun and hungry earth. The four glyphs and central face create the glyph for Motion which is the day the current sun dies. The central band contains the 20 day signs of the 260 day ritual calendar. The second band has Aztec symbols for the sun- triangular shapes denote the sun's rays. Two fire serpents encircle the outer part of the disk. The flames rise off their backs. Their heads meet at the bottom and human heads emerge from their mouths. Dense map of space and time. Combines astrology with religion and writing, images, and math. Has the round shape of a sun.

14.15 PALACE PLAQUE OF A WAR CHEIF, WARRIORS, AND ATTENDANTS

Commissioned by Oba and his son Edo 17th century BCE Index of cultural etiquette in this court Bronze plaque. One of 850+ brass plaques that adorned columns in the court chamber of the oba. The chamber was rectangular, with solid outer walls and a covered arcade supported by columns. The center of the room was open to the sky. It depicts a warrior and his attendants in service to oba. The central figure is in high relief and approaches sculpture in the round. The textured foliate background represents the 4 petaled water flowers which were a symbol of the water God who was a patron deity of the oba. He signified wealth, wellbeing, and fertility- it also suggests that it is a part of his realm. The figures are on a hierarchical scale- the warrior chief is taller and more central because he is most important. He also holds a spear and eben sword which was used by high ranking officers and holds mystical power. The two lesser ranked men carry shields. One of the smallest men plays a flute of ivory oliphant horn and the other carries a ceremonial box for the oba. The holes around the piece were for attachment to the columns. The field is almost square and contains lots of diagonal intersections. Some areas of the piece are fully in the round. There is a strong sense of symmetry and the figures mirror each other on either side. Their feet seem to be floating. Each figure is in frontal view with symmetrical bodies (it resembles the apse of justinian vitale because of the composition.) The outer figures seem to gaze more outwards than forward. Indicates the arrival of the warrior chief to the courtroom. Each plaque was an index of etiquette within the court. They also suggest a multiplicity of rulers- gods, oba, chiefs, etc. Represent the customs of royal court.

25.6 RETURNING HOME LATE FROM A SPRING OUTING

Dai Jin Ming 1388-1462 --- Hanging scroll with ink on silk. Bold and unconstrained landscape.

11.22 TRAVELERS AMONG MOUNTAINS AND STREAMS

Fan Kuan Northern Song dynasty Early 11th century CE Chinese landscape paintings strived to reveal nature through a distant, all-seeing, and mobile viewpoint. The piece is a hanging scroll with ink and colors on silk. It has a vertical field which is accentuated by the content. The piece is large (~7 ft tall) but it also has a sense of monumentality. The piece unfolds in three stages, like a drama. The bottom shows large rocks that create the extreme foreground. The rocks introduce the main theme of work- mountains. The middle ground shows travelers and their mules coming from the right. The size is of human scale- small against the vastness of nature. They suggest the human activity in nature. The middle ground is double the size of the foreground- variation and development of second act. The rocks here are not a solid mass, but are separated by a waterfall that is spanned by a bridge. The hills on the right have rooftops of a temple above trees. A mist veils the transition to background which creates a sudden, looming mountain. Background is twice as big as the rest- climax of a play. Mountain has weight as it extends upward- energetic bursts of brush of scrubby growth on top. To the right is a slender waterfall- contrasts upward/downward movement. The painting conveys a feeling of climbing a high mountain- leaving the human world and coming face to face with the Great Ultimate in a spiritual communion. Elements are detailed and to scale. Jagged brushstrokes show the rugged contours of rocks and trees. Layers of strokes imitate texture. Strong spatial recession. Does not depict specific location but is rational and ordered. The mountain has a highest peak and two smaller peaks on either side- reflects Confucian notion of social hierarchy (emperor and ministers) and the Buddhist concept of Buddha and his Bodhisattvas. The natural, uncorrupted landscape expresses Daoist ideals. It unites 3 Chinese strains. It also shows Chinese intangible nature of the earth. (Things are seemingly solid but still permeate everything. The painting fades from solid to sheer to solid again. Fan Kuan is one of the first great masters of Song landscape and his work is regarded as one of the great monuments of Chinese art.

26.20 SKY II

Fukami Sueharu Heisei period C. 1990 --- Ultra-modern form of celadon glazed porcelain with a wood base. He used a slip casting technique where he injected liquid clay into a mold. The abstract shape combined with the title suggests a wing or blade of an aircraft slicing through the sky. The pale sky-blue emphasizes this idea. The fusion of traditions, media, and techniques emphasizes Japanese mastery of abstraction.

27.24 WHIRLING LOG CEREMONY

Hosteen Klah Navajo C. 1925 The artists hoped the excellence of the work would make it pleasing to spirits. Sand painting woven into a tapestry depicts part of the Navajo creation myth. The Holy People create the earth's surface and divide it into 4 parts. They create humans, and bring four sacred plants- corn, beans, squash, tobacco. A male-female pair of humans and one of the sacred plants stand in each of the four quarters- defined by the central cross. The four Holy People are the elongated figures surrounding the image, and the guardian figure of Rainbow maiden frames the scene on three sides. Klah broke traditional prohibitions because he turned sand art into weavings and recorded sacred images in a traditionally woman's art form. However, he was considered the third gender so did not technically break boundaries but displayed the complexities of the gender system.

25.20 PANORAMIC VIEW OF THE DIAMOND MOUNTAINS

Jeong Sun Joseon 1734 --- Hanging scroll with ink and colors on paper. It is a new, Korean style that changed the classical Chinese style. The image depicts the ragged peaks along Korea's cost. It is also a Korean subject matter. The energetic spirit, personal style of crystalline mountains, delicate clouds of ink wash, and individual brushwork emphasizes the Korean style. There is more solidity to the ground than in Chinese paintings. It has a semi-sculptural feel to it. It is more controlled and is viewed from an upper angle.

26.14 THE GREAT WAVE

Katsushika Hokusai Edo C. 1831 From the 36 view of Mount Fuji, a book suggests individual appreciation of art. Polychrome woodblock print on paper. The most famous of scenes from the works. The great wave rears like a dragon with claws of foam, ready to crash down on the figures huddled in the boats below. It shows the point of imminent disaster, but in the distance is the most sacred peak of Mt. Fuji who slopes like the waves and whose snowy caps resemble the foam. The artist compares two separate forms.

14.16 HIP PENDANT OF THE IYOBA (QUEEN MOTHER) IDIA

Made for Oba (probably commissioned by him) Edo 16th century CE Signified the power of the queen mother for helping negotiate the end of a war. Ivory, iron, and copper. 2 nearly identical pendants were made of King's mother who had lots of power after negotiating out a civil war. The headdress and neck ruff are extremely detailed and depict portuguese men- identifiable through their round, European style hats and long hair and beards. In the headdress their faces alternate with a mudfish- local species of catfish known for its broad flat body, whiskers, and eyes on top of its head. The Portuguess were significant to Benin art because they supplies coral, satin, hats, etc. to the oba- were associated with wealth and power of the oba. (Being shown in art presents them as subjects to the oba.) The mercenary soldiers were thought to be sent from god to help the oba. Mudfish also signify the power of the oba because they dig into the mud to hibernate and seem to come back to life. Some carry electrical charge. This defeat of death and electrocution inspired their symbolic imagery of the oba. The king was said to be related to gods and had similar powers. The pendant also has scarification of the face- significant to culture. The rectangles are also symbols of the oba. Ivory was a symbol of Olokun- patron deity of the oba. Hip pendants were generally brass or bronze and used to cover the tie of a man's skirt. Unique because very few pendants were found.

25.3 THE RONGXI STUDIO

Ni Zan Yuan 1372 --- Hanging scroll with ink on paper. The painting depicts the lake region in Ni's home district. Mountains, rocks, trees, and a pavilion are sketched with a minimum of detail using a dry brush technique- the white paper breathes through the ragged strokes. The painting has a light touch and sense of simplicity and purity. A painter's style relates to his personality so Ni's spare, dry style suggests he has a noble spirit. Ni was originally wealthy and eclectic then he gave away most of his possessions and lived as a hermit in a boat, wandering on rivers and lakes. He did not attempt to capture the visual appearance of nature or satisfy others but executed freely for his own amusement of literati aesthetic. The frontal image is of trees on rocky islands and a building. Small rocks seem to lie in the abyss in the middle. The top and "back" has mountains.

27.23 KOSHARES OF TAOS

Pablita Velarde Contemporary Mexican 1940s --- Watercolor on paper. The piece illustrates a moment during a ceremony celebrating winter solstice when clowns take over the plaza from supernatural counterparts of animals, natural phenomena, and geological features. They manifest into human dancers who impersonate the supernatural. Her painting combines bold, flat colors and simplified decorative lines with European perspective.

11.32 SEATED WILLOW-BRANCE GWANSE'EUM BOSAL (the bodhisattva avalokiteshvara)

Probably commissioned by temples due to royal patronages Goryeo dynasty Late 14th century CE Probably hung in a Buddhist temple A silk hanging scroll with ink, colors, and gold pigment depicts Gwanse'eum Bosal (Chinese called Guanyin- bodhisattva of compassion). Rich colors and gold pigments reflect luxurious tastes of period. (similar paintings exported to Japan and influenced their Buddhist paintings.) A double halo with an inner sheen of gold suggests the bodhisattvas halo and aura. The second halo of his aura encompasses nature and his body- as if he sits within it. Also suggests that enlightened beings illuminate the environment. The bodhisattva is much larger compared to the human, in the bottom left corner, asking for help. The bodhisattva reaches to him with one hand in a relaxed, compassionate way. The human seems to be praying and the bodhisattva is compassionate and listens. He sits on an earthen throne. Which is separated by water from the human. One foot rests on a lotus flower and the other rests on his knee. The lotus is blooming as if awakening and suggests awakening from the darkest of places (also mirrors his crown). Background depicts a plum bottle holding a plant. Bodhisattvas is significantly brighter than background and seems to glow. The bodhisattva appears a pinkish color and their clothing is pink and heavily ornamented. Various intricate patterns and floral decorations and jewelry adorn the bodhisattva. The veil is transparent with delicate folds which is a very Korean attribute. Detailing continues into nature. Heavy diagonals acoss field from arms and legs.

28.11 TE-HAU-KI-TURANGA (MAORI MEETING HOUSE)

Raharuhi Rukupo and 18 assistants Turanga 1842-1843 --- Wood, shell, grass, flax, and pigments. The meeting house symbolizes the tribe's founding ancestor for whom it is often named. The ridgepole is the backbone, the rafters are the ribs, and the slanting bargeboards- boards attached to the project end of the gable- are the outstretched enfolding arms. The face appears in the gable mask. Relief figures of ancestors cover the support poles, wall planks, and the lower ends of the rafters. The ancestors support the house. They were thought to take an active interest in community affairs and participate in discussions held in the meeting house. Rukupo was an important leader and master carver- he included an unusual naturalistic portrait of himself. Painted curvilinear patterns decorate the rafters in white on a red and white background. A pattern of a curling stalk with a bulb at the end that resembles the young tree fern dominates the design. Lattice panels made by women fill the spaces between the wall planks. Ritual prohibitions and taboos kept women from entering so they wove the panels from the back from outside. The black, white, and orange patterns are made of grass, flax, and flat slats. Each pattern has symbolic meaning: chevrons are the teeth of a sea monster, steps the stairs of heaven that were climbed, and diamonds the flounder.

26.3 WINTER LANDSCAPE

Sesshu Muromachi C. 1470s --- Hanging scroll with ink on paper. The image depicts a cliff descending from a mist which seems to cut the composition into two parts. Jagged brush-strokes create rocky hills where a lone figure walks to a monastery. There is no gradual recession into space, but the mountain becomes flat, overlapping planes that fracture the composition into crystalline facets. The white of the paper is empty in some areas to suggest snow. The sky is shades of gray. A few trees cling to the rocky terrain. The image portrays the harsh chill of winter. The field is very filled with solid figures. There is a lot of overlap which creates depth. Flowing marks juxtapose the cross-hatching patterns of the right side of the center mountain. The mountain consists of a bright, simple side and a shadowy, linear side. The left lacks volume and the right is more hectic. It has a sense of abstraction but still completely portrays the image.

25.9 POET ON A MOUNTAINTOP

Shen Zhou Ming C. 1500 --- Leaf from an album of landscapes; painting mounted as part of a handscroll. The poet has climbed the mountain and dominates the landscape. Clouds lay below him. Before him a poem hangs in the air. The style of calligraphy and painting are informal, relaxed, and straightforward- believed to reflect the artist's character. The painting visualizes Ming philosophy which considered the mind to be the basis for reality and not the physical world. The image has a tight synthesis of poetry, calligraphy, and painting which all have the essence of Ming literati.

12.6 BUDDHA SHAKA AND ATTENDANT BODHISATTVAS IN THE HORYUJI KONDO

Tori Busshi, commissioned for sick prince Asuka period C. 623 CE Originally sat in one of the oldest temples- The Horyuji AKA Shaka Triad. Gilt bronze. Figures are high relief and in the round, halos are low relief and flat. The figures are of our realm while the halos are subtle. Depicts a seated Buddha with a standing bodhisattva on each side. Strong sense of symmetry. The Buddha has a large lotus petal/flame shaped halo that creates the throne and encompasses both bodhisattvas in its width. The halo is carved with 7 little bodhisattvas- may represent the buddhas of the past or previous manifestations (they have an aura- repetition). The figures are all frontally posed with outsized faces and hands, and linear treatment of drapery- which suggests knowledge of earlier art and shows advanced skills. Buddha sits in lotus position, his hands signify peace, tranquility, and a path to salvation. He smiles a gentle welcome. His skirts form a waterfall of drapery. Buddha is bigger, elevated, has a bigger halo, is seated, and has different hand poses. The halos are mandala like with organic, radiating patterns. Buddha seems to share his halo and light the way for the bodhisattvas. The bodhisattvas stand on flowery figures and are grounded (Lotus flowers bloom from mud which signifies awakening). It was commissioned for a sick prince so the bodhisattvas mudras signify the removal of sickness which can also spread to the viewers. Sense of hierarchy and bilateral symmetry which builds off of natural bodies. Center is more decorative in figures and auras. Bulge on head is the opening of the crown chakra. Heads imitate the almond shape of the aura. Drapery and aura decorations are elemental forms and extend upward and below- fire, water, clouds.

28.1 THE BARUNGA STATEMENT

Various aboriginal artists Aboriginal 1988 A call for broader Aboriginal land rights. Ochers on composition board with collage of printed text on paper. The left style is from Arnhem Land and the right is from the Central Desert area. The left is painted in natural ochers with cross hatching and zigzag patterns from the north. The right is more fluid curved lines and dots. Both sides used a dazzling array of symbols to retell stories about the adventures of ancestral beings. The Australian High Court rejected the land rights request. The indigenous leader asked for the piece back to be buried. However, it still hangs in parliament and the struggle for full rights continues. This art is used to express and preserve their personal cultural identities.

29.24 LE NOBLE SAUVAGE

Wangechi Mutu Contemporary African 2006 Exhibition Ink and collage on Mylar (7'7''x4'6''). Mutu spins off the colonial-period stereotype of non-European women as being exotic or savage due to their skin color, clothing, and their body shape. The collage contains cut-outs of stereotypical "African" animals- parrots, lions, cheetahs, water buffalo, and snakes. Shredded papers create grass, palm fronds, and the woman's skirt. The figure is part woman and part tree- it seems wild and untamed. The lions are eating their prey which makes it a gruesome image. The woman's skin is ambiguous with random spots and geometric shapes of light and dark skin which suggests she is a universal female. Snakes emerge from her head similar to Medusa. Combines African and Greek stereotypes of dangerous women to emphasize how society negatively views women of color. Their bodies are viewed as dangerous, uncivilized, and animalistic. Ironically, the bodies Mutu uses comes from fashion magazines which alternatively depicts women. Her work points out how beauty is contrived and how women are held to unnatural beauty standards in regards to looks, behavior, and cultural backgrounds.

25.22 UNIVERSE 5-IV-71 #200

Whanki Kim Contemporary Korean 1971 --- Oil on cotton. The image presents a large pair of circular, radiating patterns composed of small dots and squares in tones of blue, black, and gray. It seems very modern and western but relates back to Asian monochrome ink paintings. It suggests transcendence that seems Daoist or Buddhist. It also illustrates a struggle to find a personal style- combining traditions, international styles, and personal narratives into artwork. The piece has a square field that is split in the vertical center. The two radiating patterns seem separate but also intermingling. This could emphasize the split between North and South Korea. There is a combination of convergence and divergence and parallels. There is levels of order within the large blue field and a quasi hierarchy of singularity and patterns.

25.16 PINE SPIRIT

Wu Guanzhong Contemporary Chinese 1984 --- Ink and color on paper. Combined his French artistic training with his Chinese background to develop a semi-abstract style of depicting Chinese landscapes. He made preliminary sketches on site then developed free interpretations in his studio based on his feelings and vision. This image depicts the Yellow Mountains. He uses sweeping gestures of paint which is linked to abstract expressionism and is western and modern. However, the painting also relates to the Chinese tradition of landscapes. Combines techniques of Chinese calligraphy and abstract modernism.

11.25 SECTION OF TWELVE VIEWS OF LANDSCAPE

Xia Gui Southern Song dynasty Early 13th century CE - A horizontal handscroll with ink on silk. Depicts an intimate and lyrical view of nature. Careful brushstrokes and ink washes evoke a landscape veiled in mist, while some darker brushstrokes seem to "show through" the mist. We see grass growing by the bank, fishers at work, trees laden with moisture, two figures carrying loads. The piece has simplified forms, stark contrast of light and dark, asymmetrical composition, and great expanses of blank space suggest the world is fleeting and can only be captured in glimpses. It combines tangible with intangible in a complex way. Simplicity evokes deep feeling for what lies beyond. This type of artwork parallels philosophy of the time. Allows text, image, and stamps to coexist in the same field.

25.5 HUNDREDS OF BIRDS ADMIRING THE PEACOCKS

Yin Hong Ming Late 15th- early 16th century --- Hanging scroll with ink and color on silk. The painting depicts birds-and-flower genre. The subject takes on symbolic meaning because the peacocks represent the homage of court officials to the imperial state. The style is related to Song culture but the large format and intense attention to detail are traits of Ming culture.