Favorite Pieces!

I enjoyed most about this quarter was learning about the Aegean Art! But more specifically I liked learning about the Minoan culture. They are very interesting to me because they were naturalistic and cared most about their surroundings. I really liked that they were very in-touch with animals.  Also, they were very bold and brave when it came to warriors. They seemed very powerful, I liked that most of their artwork ad architectural pieces were with raised arms as a symbol of power and embrace.  One of my favorite pieces of art is the “Woman or Goddess with Snakes” (c.1700-1550 BCE), because it seems like a strong female symbol. With her upraised arms she is powerful and not afraid. The texture of her is also very interesting because it seems sturdy and unbreakable. Not only do the upraised arms and the rough texture stand out, but also the snakes make her seem impossible to touch to whomever she is facing. I think that is an important symbol because she is bare-breasted and it makes me think that the snakes are protecting her fertility and life because they are so fragile.

            I also enjoyed learning about Greek art. I find the Greek culture very interesting and unique. What makes me drawn to them most is the fact that the Gods meant everything to them.  For example, the reconstruction of “The Statue of Zeus at Olympia” was very appealing to me because of not only the size, but also the meaning. The statue is nearly 43 feet high! That is not the only thing that captures your eye though; all the gold it’s made it is beautiful! The materials made of the reconstruction are absolutely gorgeous. Both the history and physical appearance of this statue makes it all more the better. I like that he is holding the goddess of victory and the fact that he’s decorated in naturalistic things like lily’s, stones, ebony, and ivory. It is interesting that the eagle was not included in this reconstruction, but the scale of this statue makes the piece extremely intriguing. I hope to one day visit some Greek artwork in Europe. The pool is of oil makes this piece the most interesting. It adds extra character even though it’s for weather erosion.

            Another one of my favorite Greek pieces of the geometric period is art piece of the attributed to the Hirschfield Workshop, Funerary Krater (“Dipylon Krater”), c, 750-700 BCE because it has so much character! They started using similar resemblances to the Minoan and Mycenaean vases, but with more shapes like spirals and diamonds. Even though the humans in this vase are not naturalistic, they are interesting and unusual which is why they are so interesting to me. Each section on the vase shares it’s own section of a story or symbol. There is always something to look at, at the incredibly detailed vase. I love the figures of the humans and how oddly shaped they are. It makes me wonder why they made the humans this way. Maybe it’s because you can’t tell the difference between the men and the women. The chariots and horses were an interesting detail that I think definitely entails death. I also like that there is not a lot of color throughout the vase, it gives it a smoother theme and more concentration on the details. Which is strange because I love vibrant colors and lots of detail, but this vase is striking to me, it is definitely one of my favorites!

Early Medieval Art

I have first chosen the piece, “Page with St. Matthew the Evangelist, Coronation Gospels” on page 442 in our textbook in comparison to “Page with St. Matthews the Evangelist, Ebbo Gospels” on page 443. The Ebbo Gospels piece is very different from the original piece. The Coronation Gospels piece is a very lifelike representation. The colors are dull and old looking, nothing too vibrant. The Ebbos Gospels piece is not natural looking at all. His face figure looks more cartoon like, along with a different hairstyle than the other piece. There is a lot more going on in this piece, details in the background give it more energy and also there are more specific parts of his clothing you can see. The background gives you a part of some history. The colors are vibrant and there’s more in the picture to look at. There is definitely more gold in this frame than the other. I personally like the more deviant picture; it seems more “alive”, although he seems more stressed, this piece definitely shows more emotion. Although it’s not naturalistic, it seems to bring out more liveliness. It’s interesting to me because the Byzantine icons have flat gold halos and in the Coronation Gospel picture, he has one and the other manipulated picture does not.

Secondly, I chose “Page with Christ Washing the Feet of His Disciples, Aachen Gospels of Otto |||” on page 451. This piece is very interesting because the colors are so ecstatic. The buildings behind Christ seem unreal because they are so manipulated and stylized. There is a lot of gold and vibrant colors shown in this piece compared to a similar piece called “Presentation Page with Abbess Hitda and St. Walpurga, Hitda Gospels” on page 450. In this picture the colors are dark and gloomy, but definitely more naturalistic. There’s not really a lot of energy in this picture. The Aagen Gospel picture seems more cheerful with bright colors. The detail is more embraced in their clothes, faces and the buildings. Their eyes are bigger then normal especially compared to the other piece. It’s very unnatural and stylized, also showing more colors than you would see in a naturalized piece. I do like the manipulated pieces better because they give you more to look at and they are more appealing to the eye. There are more excitable features.

Hercules & Caracalla

The portrait of head Caracalla (c. 217-230) from the Roman age is a very sacred piece. This portrait seems a lot similar to the portrait of an Elder (c. 80 BCE) and that piece was very important to the Romans because they valued age. I think the sculpture of head Caracalla represents wisdom and experience, just through the sense of this man’s eyes and the details of the expression of his face. I automatically think that he has gone through something in his life, to have such a fierce appearance. The expression on his face seems strong and proud. I feel like this sculpture carries itself that way because when other ancestors see this piece, they are proud to see one of their own with such gratification.

As for the Commodus as Hercules (c. 191-92 CE), he is not quite as fierce as Caracalla, but they do share some of the same qualities. What it seems to me, Hercules and Caracalla both seem like they’ve been through battle, war, or some sort of interrogation. They both seem well put, strong, and proud. One thing I noticed that is extremely different, are the eyes. Even though Hercules sculpture shows more detail, the eyes are what really make these pieces separate. Caracalla’s eyebrows seem more like he is angry or waiting for battle. Which in a sense is not a bad thing, it makes him seem robust and convincing. Hercules on the other hand, what really gives away the solid attitude is the lion hanging over his head. As I would assume, lion’s are a symbol of strength and threatening, maybe he’s using this lion head to show how strong he is, that he killed a lion. The claws wrapped around his chest are very interesting as well. He seems content, yet ready for anything. Even though his eyes don’t show anger or sadness, the lion really gives away the boldness of this sculpture. Also, at the bottom of the sculpture there is a headless woman taking a knee next to this man. I wonder why this woman is headless and why it’s there in the first place. My assumption is that this man was brave and she is admiring his courageousness. Even though the portrait of head Caracalla does not have any lions or women bowing down to him, his face just seems so daring and fearless. I think this ruler wants people to realize that he is fearless and he’s ready to take on anything. I believe he wants his people to feel safe and remember him as a brave emperor. As for the portrait of Hercules, I think he wants his people to feel proud and protected. Not as angry as Caracalla, but still fearless and impressive. Both of these emperors have a sense of honor throughout these sculptures. I think that it’s important for a ruler to seem intimidating, yet still honorable. What would an emperor be if he were weak?

The Parthenon Marbles

I think the Parthenon Marbles is very unique and has interesting features. The location of the Parthenon Marbles I find really odd and I don’t believe it should be in the British museum. It’s not where it originated and I think it should take part of its history where it belongs. Maybe even split some for the British and then the rest in Athens. But I really think it’s important that at least some of the Marbles be moved back to its original homeland. It would make a very interesting story if later on, the marbles were split into two different countries. It is said that the reason the Marble statues were moved is because they wanted to rescue them, but I don't think it's fair that they were moved to a completely different country.

         I believe the Greeks took pride in their work and for the British to take some of these characteristics away, I think it’s an insult to them. They shouldn’t be changed just to look beautiful, it’s about history and the meaning behind the piece. I think that it’s problematic that the British encourages aesthetics over historical context because it’s original value makes it that much more important.  Sometimes it’s about the deep meaning behind the pieces rather than on beauty. Lots of art pieces are not very beautiful but the meaning of them makes you want to appreciate them more. Having the Marbles in the British Museum would not have as much meaning as it would if it were back in Athens, Greece.

         I think that the Marbles should be moved back because Its such an important part of art history that it only makes sense for it to be in its original area. If the British are concerned with aesthetic art pieces, why don’t they re-new the Parthenon Marbles with modern technology and put the copy in the British Museum and return the Marbles back to their home.  

The Vase & The Fisherman

The first piece of art I looked at was the vase. It has a very smooth texture and it is very rounded. I definitely feel like this piece of art belongs to the Minoan civilization. It seems to have a very “bold” feel and its shape is very interesting. Just like the Harvester Rhyton, the vase tells a story of battle or warriors. The Mycenaens like to show brutality or war. The Mycenaean’s Vases are shaped wide at the top and small at the bottom just like this vase does. It is also a crater shaped, which the Mycenaean’s used for mixing water and wine. The crater form is very popular with the Mycenaean’s. It also compares to the interior of Tholos, because the tressed stone is smoothed down so much, just like the exterior and interior of the vase. The Mycenaean’s also painted their human figures until the Minoan’s would. Also, Mycenaean’s men are more cartoon-like structures, which these characters look like.

            The fisherman on the other hand does not look like something the Mycenaean’s would have made. The fisherman looks like the Minoan’s made because of the style used to make this man. Just like the Bull leaping fresco, c150-1450 BCE because the style and texture are very similar. The Minoan’s have a lot to do with strength and power, a lot of that is in their artwork, just like this piece. The Minoan’s had a lot to do with natural and being part of nature. They enjoyed the beauty of life and the world around them. The fisherman is part of everyday life and surviving. They have to fish to eat and it definitely represents a part of nature. The Minoans also have a very distinct relationship with the sea. That I feel is also another reason why the fisherman is so important because fish are apart of the sea. Most of the Minoan culture has fresco art influences throughout most of their art. The style of the way they create people is also very familiar in the fisherman. The detail from the “Flotilla” Fresco form Akrotiri, c 1650 BCE compares to the fisherman because of the marine life. The ocean is their lively hood and what they know best.