Take Home Test- Christian, Byzantine and Early Medieval

This a tour through the Christian, Byzantine and Early Medieval world and the decline of the Roman empire.

We'll begin with an example of Roman art. It focuses on mythology and the gods. This is a wall painting from Odyssey Landscapes series in a house on the Esquiline Hill in Rome named The Laestrygonians Hurling Rocks at the Fleet of Odysseus. It tells of one of Odysseus' adventures.

A great example of early Christian art in Rome is found in the ceiling paintings of the Catacombs found throughout the city. These particular Catacombs are the Catacombs of SS. Pietro e Marcellino. Rome began the center of the world for Christianity after the emperor Constantine legalized it with the Edict of Milan in 312 AD. The style of these paintings are very similar to those of the Odyssey Landscapes and the other pre-Christian Roman artwork. However the subject matter is different. Instead of depicting mythical stories about gods the Christians depict different bible verses in their ceiling paintings.

Next is an example of architecture from the early Christian period, St. Peter's Basilica, located in Rome. It is built on the actual site of St. Peter's grave. In fact, the altar is built over the exact spot that he was buried. The design of the basilica is the same style of the ancient roman law courts that were also called basilicas. The design features a long nave with an alcove in the center and two wings.

In the fourth century Constantine moved the capital of the the empire to Constantinople, which is present day Istanbul in Turkey. The artwork created here was called Byzantine art. Icons were very prominent throughout Byzantine artwork. Icons usually depicted Christ, the Madonna, or saints. They were used to help the viewer focus in prayer. They had a characteristically gold background and rich primary colors were used for the figures in the icon. Hagia Sophia is an example of an ancient church that held many icons. It became a mosque and now is used as a museum.

The moving of the Roman empire's capital from Rome to Constantinople created a divide in the empire- the Western Empire and the Eastern Empire. That division is still pertinent today and visible especially in the Catholic Church. The Western branch of the church became the Roman Catholic church and the Eastern branch became the Eastern Orthodox Church.

In the sixth century Ravenna, Italy was known as the Western Empire's capital. Ravenna is famous for its beautiful mosaics. An important mosaic is found in a church named San Vitale, the portraits of the emperor Justinian and his wife, the empress Theodora. The mosaic features the army to one side and the clergy to the other which shows that the emperors wanted to be viewed as powerful and holy. There are many pagan symbols found in these mosaics and in other artworks coming from Ravenna. They were not necessarily viewed as pagan symbols anymore. For example the peacock is featured on coffins as a symbol or eternal life.

San Vitale is a testament to the changing times in the empire. Not only in religion, but also in safety. The Barbarians were beginning their attacks on the empire. This is evident because the walls of the church were fortified. The church is also a testament to Roman architecture. It features the Roman arch and several domes (which were still growing in popularity).

The Barbarians were beginning to invade the empire-groups such as the Huns, Saxons and Vandals. Their artwork is mainly found in metal pieces, such as brooches. Many of their artwork is found at Sutton Hoo where Barbarians buried ships with their dead captains in the seventh century. The Barbarians were sea faring people, so their ships were very important to them. Their artwork normally depicts animals or other designs of some meaning on them. Below is a Barbarian brooch.

The Vikings were also invaders of the sea and experts with metal. The circular pendent is an example of Viking art. Viking art focused on designed inspired by nature, such as the circular design found on the pendent below.

8th century- Charlemagne was the hero of the Middle Ages. He introduced the idea of Camelot, a society based on intellect and chivalry accompanied by a higher appreciation of the arts and education. Churches built to be fortresses were very common in this time because of all the attacks from the invaders. (Before Charlemagne times were rough because of the Barbarian "eye for an eye" type mentality spreading throughout the empire). The church below is the Palace of Charlemagne located in Germany. It features the Roman Arch and columns. The dome is also prevalent.

Where did the Qur'an come from?

Islamic people believe that the Qur'an was given to the prophet Muhammad from Allah. The book was revealed to him over a period of 23 years.

Muhammad did not know about Allah when he was given the first part of the Qur'an, but he knew that he hated the fake idols that his people worshipped. He regularly went to a mountain called Jabal an-Nur (Mountain of Light) which was located outside of his home town of Makkah which was in Arabia. He used to go to the mountain to think about his beliefs - he wanted to know the truth and find the one true god. Allah chose Muhammad to be His "Last Messenger" to people on earth. One day Muhammad was on the mountain in a small cave called Cave Hira when an angel appeared to him and said, "READ". He had never learned to read, but the angel insisted. Muhammad asked, "What should I read?" The angel gave him a message from Allah, “Read in the Name of your Lord Who created humans from a clot of blood (embryo). Read for your Generous Lord. He is the One Who taught people with the pen what they didn’t know before.” He ran home to his wife and told her about the vision. However, from then on the angel, Jibra'il, visited him often and continued to reveal more of the Qur'an and teach him about Islam.

Take home test

1. The portrait of Augusta Prima Porta depicts the power and divinity that he was trying to express through his sculpture. He is barefoot in his portrait which reminds those who look at it that he is a god and that he is a member of the Julian family, which claimed to be descended from Venus. The breastplate shows his power. It depicts his victory over the Parthians in 39-38 BC that avenged a Roman defeat at their hands nearly 15 years earlier. It was known as the battle that set off the Pax Romana. It reminds the viewers that Augustus was responsible for their time of peace and prosperity. Hadrian kept the empire relatively peaceful throughout his reign. He patronized the art and even wrote poetry himself. In one full statue of him he is shown stepping on an opponant. That shows his power to control other peoples and protect the empire. Caracalla is most known for his slaughtering of over 20,000 people in response to an insulting satire made of him. His portrait looks harsh. His eyebrows are furrowed and he appears serious and controlling. He kept a very tight leash on his people.

2. The Coliseum was architecturally significant because it was such a staple of Roman culture during it's time. It was huge and could seat 50,000-75,000 people. It was used for entertainment purposes such as gladiator battles, chariot races and it could even be flooded to host mock naval battles. There was a wooden stage above the basement part. In the basement they held the gladiators, lions and prisoners that would be used to entertain the public later. It is also a great example of the Roman arch and all three of the types of columns they used. The columns were connected by the arches that surrounded the entire circular or ovular building. The Coliseum is comprised of three levels or columns connected by arches. The bottom level has Doric columns that represent strength and stability. The middle level has Ionic columns and the top has Corinthian columns. The Coliseum is also significant because in the Middle Ages the bronze was taken from it to make weapons.

The Pont du Gard was also built on three levels and used the characteristic Roman arch. It is a perfect example of the high caliber of Roman engineering. Marcus Agrippa ordered its building. They didn't use mortar to connect the stones. They cut each one perfectly to fit into each other. They used a block and tackle system to lift the huge stones on top of each other. That system had one or two pulleys that had a rope that was used like a lever to lift heavy loads. It was made to be an aqueduct, but it is also a bridge over the Gard river. The name actually means bridge over Gard River. The aqueduct brought water from the Fontaines d'Eure springs near Uzes to the Castellum in the Roman city of Nemausus. It delivered about 5 million gallons of water a day. During the ninth century it was neglected and unusable as an aqueduct. From the Middle ages to the 18th century it was only used as a footbridge. Today it is a popular tourist spot.

The Mausoleum of Hadrian was built by Hadrian and finished by his adoptive son, Antoninus Pius. It was used to store the ashes of the dead emperors and their families. In AD 271 it was turned into a fortress by Aurelian. It is the second largest building in Rome after the Coliseum. It has Roman arches and is a circular building which is like the Coliseum and takes after the Mausoleum built by Augustus. It was converted into a castle in the 14th century and renamed the Castel Sant'Angleo.

3. The Odysseus paintings from the House of Livia are about the adventures of Odysseus. They are in the second style and they are usually a continuous stretch of landscape. It is divided into 8 compartments and separated by faux columns (pilasters). There are huge gaps in the story, however. They are symbolized by blue skies and waters that seem to encompass the scenery of the Odyssey. The Villa of the Mysteries is also in the second style. It is named the Villa of Mysteries because no one knows really what it is about, unlike the paintings from the House of Livia. They have an intense air about them that is almost the opposite of the Odysseus paintings. They were figures in the painting were on a green stage that circled the whole room. They combined human and mythical realities into one story.

4. The potraits of the Tetarchs and Constantine are portraits that were used as propaganda. Whereas the portraits of the early imperial rulers were seen as more of a true portrait, simply showing the ruler as they might have really appeared "warts and all". The Tetarchs appear to be supporting each other or leaning on each other for protection from the hard times of conflict during their reign. The statue itself was made of porhyry, which is a stone with a purple tint. The color purple was used for royalty and the fact that their portrait was purple speaks for the amount of power they held. Constantine's portrait is different from the early Roman imperial portraits because it is not realistic. The head itself is eight feet tall. He was probably sitting in the whole statue, which is a sign of a god. He meant to make himself appear as a god, which means that he had great power. Both of the later portraits tell little of how they actually looked, but tell alot about how they wanted to be viewed and how powerful they were.

5. A basilica is really just a type of building with a long nave that has an alcove in the center. However, a basilica in today's terminology is a large church that has the long nave with the alcove in the center. In ancient Rome a basilica was a Roman law court. In gratitude to Constantine, Christians built their large churches with the same form and called them basilicas. They used the huge arches that are a characteristic of Roman architecture.

Age before Beauty

This is Homeless Mike. The photographer of this picture was not mentioned on the website I got it from (http://flickr.com/photos/wd9hot/66751018/). I thought that this post is fitting for what we've concentrated on this week which is portraits, especially of Roman emperors. The portrait evokes sadness, but also wisdom. This portrait is a window into the actual person, unlike many modern "Wall-Mart" portaits. His clothing and his scruffy appearence are testimony to what is probably a hard life for him. The wrinkles on his face tell stories. These types of portraits are windows into the person's souls because they are real life. They don't try to make the person into someone they aren't. They are genuine and honest.

There are some things money can't buy: for everything else, there's origami

These are some pictures of origami made from paper money. The picture to the left is a camera and the picture to the right is two fish.

Fun facts about origami:

• The exact origin of origami is unknown, but some say that it began in the sixth century BC which was soon after paper was introduced to Japan.
• Most origami traditions were passed down orally, until the book "How to Fold 1000 Cranes" by Senbazuru Orikata surfaced in 1797
• The kindergarten movement in Germany (introduced around 1835 by Friedrich Froebel) included origami.

What is real?

Above is a picture of the bust of a 1st century B.C.; Republican Roman man. He represents the ideals that the Roman empire began with: honesty, modesty, and realism. He was shown as he probably actually appeared with wrinkles and bags under his eyes. He wore those signs of age proudly because they were also signs of his wisdom and experience. Those were the two most valued traits in ancient Rome, but must one be old to be wise?

This is a bust of the Roman emperor Augustus. It is drastically different from the bust of the Republican Roman at the top. The bust of Augustus shows that youth is strength. The first bust shows that wisdom is strength.

"cause tomorrow's just another day; and i don't believe in time"

The works of Richard Serra encompass that line (which is the title of this post) from the song "Time" by Hootie and the Blowfish. He doesn't try to make the viewers experience his sculpture from his point of view, but lets them discover what feelings it gives them and the meaning that it has for them. He is inspired by the connection between movements and time and how the combination of those two effect our thoughts. His works are called "Torqued Torus Inversion", "Torqued Ellipses", "Band" and "Sequence". They are all shown at the Museum of Modern Art in New York City and they are all made of steel, but appear to be made of wood. They are mammoth in size and there are no straight edges and the walls are never straight up and down, but curve outwards or inwards. The top picture is "Sequence" and the bottom is "Torqued Torus Inversion".

Everything's Bigger in Texas

Houston, Texas: In 2004, Dan Havel and Dean Ruck, took the siding off the exterior of the building and used it to build a giant funnel-like tunnel that curves through the house. It looks like a missle was shot and made a vortex like hole through the house. It took the two men 300 hours (over a four week period) to transform the condemned art studio into art itself. This sculpture stopped traffic and passersby. However, you can no longer view it because it was torn down.

Greek Art Test II

1. Dipylon Vase
8th century
it is a massive vase and it shos the burial customs of the ancient Greeks
it has an altar and a procession all for the dead warrior.
you can tell that it is a warrior because the procession is made out of warriors.
warriors were regarded very highly in Greece and dying in battle was considered the highest honor.
the geometric patterns of the vase will remain a tradition throughout Greek pottery

2. 8th century
vase
black figure pottery

3. this is a black figure pottery
7th century BC
it shows two warrior playing a game during war
its significance is that it shows the true nature of warfare which mostly consists of sitting around waiting for something to happen that would call for you to need to take part in a battle

4. Kouros
5th century BC 580?
He is free standing which is a major step up from Egyptian sculpture that was not yet freed from the block
it has the Egyptian static pose though
and patterned musculature
introduction of the archaic smile

5. Kroisos
525 BC
He has more modeled musculature than the other Kouros. He still maintains the static pose, however he makes a major step forward with the modeled musculature
note the archaic smile

6. Kritios Boy
4th century BC
he merges the Archaic and the Classical Greek periods together
he has a modeled musculature
and the most significant thing about him is his tilted hips
that move from static to movement is a major improvement from Archaic to Classical Greek sculpture

7. Dying Warrior
525 BC
He shows real emotion
and shows the loss of the archaic smile- another difference between archaic and classical Greek sculpture
His body is sculpted in a way that has never been done before
he breaks the mold of only making safe, powerful poses in sculpture

8. another dying warrior
6th century
he is archaic
note the archaic smile- it misleads the viewer to think that he is happy while he is dying
the proportions of his body and the execution of the right leg are not yet perfect.
it will take the mathematical formulas of the classical Greek sculptors to perfect that art

9. Its a horse
6th century
its archaic because it doesnt show too much attention to detail
however animals are not normally sculpted so that was different

10. Greek ruler
Classical 4th century bc
it is classical because of the modeled musculature and the attention to detail in the facial expressions - no archaic smile

11. Diskobolos
5th century
by Myron
Myron catches the discus thrower in the process of throwing the discus
it is the perfect example of movement in Classical Greek Sculpture
he has modeled musculature and his body is in perfect proportion
they used mathematics and formulas to create this perfection

12. Doryphoros
5th century
by Polykleitos
it is the perfection of the Archaic Greek forms and officially crossed over the period from archaic to classical
his body is in perfect proportion and it is balanced.
he is in a natural pose
he is standing on one engaged leg and the other is balancing him

13. Temple of Hera
5th century
Doric architecture
it is obvious that it is Doric because the columns are only slightly tapered and the top part of the columns are plain
the temple is accessible from all sides

14. Maidens
4th century
the seven maidens are holding up the temple
the feminine sculpture is unusual in this time period

15. Theater at the Akropolis
4th century
shows and speeches were performed here and it was carved out of the side of the mountain
it could seat alot of people for its day

16. Parthenon
6th century
Greek architects used mathematics to perfect this building
it was in the Akropolis
it is still one of the most intact buildings of its time

17. 6th century
the columns to the left are doric

18. Charioteer
5th century
he introduced the severe style
the folds in his clothings fall the way they really would
hes shows the force of gravity on humans unlike other sculptures before him that were idealistic
this is a realistic sculpture

19. Riace Warrior
4th century bc
He was found in the sea and he is one of the few remaining original bronze statues
his marble eyes are still intact

20. Poseidon
5th century bc
he shows the power of the gods as seen through Greek eyes
he remains stable through throwing a trident at someone
he shows the Classical Greek movement in sculpture
he is made out of bronze which is rare

Greek Architecture and Sculpture

Archaic and Classical Greek architecture are very similar to the untrained eye. However, there are a few major differences. For example, the first Archaic architecture in Greece was made out of wood (that changed later though) and Classical architecture is always made from stone. Archaic architecture had columns that were not tapered, as opposed to the tapered columns of the Classical Greeks. They tapered them to make the buildings appear as though they were not bulging. Both periods had fluted columns. The fluted columns made the buildings appear taller, however that method worked best when paired with the tapered columns. Another major difference is the entryways in the buildings. The Archaic Greeks made buildings that were accessible from any point around the entire building. The Classical Greeks made buildings that had solid walls and were only accessible from usually two places around the entire building. The Classical Greeks used mathematics to create the perfect measurements that made the flawless temples such as the Parthenon (shown below).

The changes that developed from the Archaic and late Classical Greek sculptures can be summarized in three major changes. First, the move from static to motion. Let's take Kroisos(I) for example. He is locked in a static pose that represents power and stature. It is the same pose used by the Egyptians in their sculptures. Doryphoros by Polykleitos (II) has a naturalistic pose. He has an engaged arm that shows that he had to move it in order to get it there, but perhaps the best example of motion in Classical Greek architecture is Diskobolis by Myron(III). The second major change is the loss of the archaic smile in Classical Greek sculpture. The third major change is the porportions of the sculptures in the Classical Greek sculpture are perfect because the artists used mathematics to perfect it.

I. II. III.

Comparison Essay

Humans do what they know. They learn from those who went before them. The Greeks during the Archaic Period knew what the Egyptians had done, and they modeled their sculptures after the Egyptians’. However, they added their own flair to them. Likewise, the Greeks during the Classical Period enhanced what the Archaic Greeks did. The Classical Greeks perfected the Archaic Greeks’ human form sculptures. This pattern of taking ideas from people who preceded them and enhancing them is evident throughout human history. It is an example of how all peoples’ ideas are connected.
The Egyptians’ sculptures reflected their lifestyles. They were, emotionally, a serious civilization. They were completely obsessed with death and the afterlife. Their culture placed a huge emphasis on power and their gods. Their lives were static and lacked diversity. Therefore, their sculptures and lacked diversity. They all had the similar poses that evoke feelings of power and stature. Egyptian sculpture had patterned musculature. Another major Egyptian trademark is that they never made freestanding sculptures; they were never completely carved out of the stone. Their sculptures were of their gods; they considered the pharaohs to be gods. They (being the gods) were always shown barefoot. The bareness of the feet became a sign of a deity. That is one of the many traditions that the Greeks borrowed from the Egyptians.
The Archaic Greeks borrowed many ideas from the Egyptians and enhanced them. In fact the earliest Kouros found are very similar to Egyptian sculpture. The Egyptian sculpture is shown on the left is Menkaure and his wife (I) and the Greek sculpture shown to the right is a Kouros (II). Both have patterned musculature, the exact same static pose, and they even have similar hairstyles. The Kouros are also barefoot. That means that the Greeks gave men who died in battle the same amount of respect that they would give to a god. However, note the one major difference between the Greek sculpture and the Egyptian sculpture: the Greek sculpture is freestanding while the Egyptian sculpture is still not completely carved out of the rock. Freestanding sculpture will continue throughout Greek and later Roman sculpture. Kroisos (c.525 B.C.E.) (III) introduced modeled musculature. His body looks more realistic, yet is still frozen in the static Egyptian pose. Another major difference is the introduction of the Archaic smile into Greek sculpture (which Kroisos is sporting). It suggests that the Greeks valued the finer things in life and they enjoyed themselves as opposed to the serious expressions of Egyptian sculpture.
Times were changing in Greek sculpture. The Kritios Boy (c. 480 B.C.E.) connected the Archaic Period to the Classical Period in Greece. He introduced the tilting of the hips to create a relaxed stance (otherwise known as contrapposto) that looked more realistic as opposed to the static poses of Egyptian sculpture and older Archaic Period sculpture. He also has a more realistic modeled musculature than previous sculpture. Polykleitos’s Doryphoros (c. 450-440 B.C.E.) (IV) perfected human form sculpture. The body was perfectly proportioned and contrapposto. The sculpture pays great attention to detail, even portraying the veins of the arms and definition in the muscles. The Greeks used numbers and formulas to perfect proportions. Having discovered the mathematical formulas needed to create a perfectly proportioned sculpture, they were able to create amazing sculptures of people in motion. Perhaps the best example of a Classical Greek human form sculpture in motion is Myron’s Diskobolos (c. 450 B.C.E.) (V). This sculpture is amazing because is captures the true essence of motion. It appears as a snapshot of a discus thrower in the act of throwing the discus. The sculpture of Poseidon or Zeus (c. 460-450 B.C.E.) (VI) is another great example of motion and an example of how the Greeks viewed their gods. The sculpture depicts either Zeus throwing a thunderbolt or Poseidon throwing a trident. However, scholars cannot know for sure because the statue no longer has the lightning bolt or trident attached to it. The sculpture shows that the Greeks viewed their gods as powerful. The god in the sculpture manages to stay balanced and stable while hurling either a lightning bolt or trident at someone.
The human tendency to borrow ideas as the Greeks did from the Egyptians is good because it connects people. Ideas acted as a metaphorical bridge with which two cultures are forever connected. Through many of those metaphorical “idea” bridges humans have come to where they are today. Without building upon the works of those who preceded them, humans would still be hunter- gatherers. Improvement on preexisting ideas has led to modern technology and a greater understanding of people and how we relate to each other. Humans still have quite a way to go in relating to each other; but if they continue on this path of borrowing the good qualities of those who preceded them and building upon it, they should develop that understanding in time.

I. II. III. IV.

V. VI.

Workin' at the car wash

Scott Wade is an artist that was inspired by his dirty car window. He recreates major works of art or just cartoons that come out of his head. He lives on a mile and a half of dirt road. The blend of limestone dust, gravel and clay result in a fine white dust on the back of his car. He has recreated artworks such as the Mona Lisa, Girl with a Pearl Earring, Poker Dogs and many more.

There's more to life than being really really ridiculously goodlooking

UGLY models is a modeling agency that began in 1969 by two photographers that thought that there was a lack of "interesting" faces in the modleing world. They find beauty in the "everyday person". Their pictures are artworks that emphasize the importance of self expression and individuality.