...Ancient Art By Tiffany Roy HUMA 205 AIU Online Abstract This is a comparative essay that will take two pieces of ancient artworks and explore their meaning and culture. It will explore subject matters, form and content of the pieces as well as compare them to one another. The artworks chosen for this essay are: The Nike of Samothrace (Greek) and a funerary sculpture (African) made by the Bara or Sakalava people of Madagascar, Africa. When it comes to ancient art, there are many different cultures that can be compared and interpreted with one another. The subjects of this essay come from ancient Greek art and ancient African art. Greek art mostly depicted humanism, gods, power, harmony, order, adoration, etc. It served as a symbolization of political, religious, and/or ethical purposes. Greek art upheld spiritual views as well as unity and the dedication to great rulers. In a sense, Greek and African art are similar in many way with only a few differences. African art depicted deep spiritual and religious views. It also expresses the true respect for the human figure (humanism) as Greek art does. Sculptures of warriors and powerful people were often made to hold their spirits in a way of making them live on forever. African art expressed harmony and balance as well as vigor in detail and orientation. The first artwork to be explored will be the Nike “Victory of Samothrace”. (The Meaning of Greek Art, 2012). (Evans, 2010). This is a three-dimensional sculpture that...
Words: 744 - Pages: 3
...Ancient Art is more than one type of Art. Such art was produced by advanced cultures of ancient societies, with some type of writing. These societies were China, Persia, Israel, Egypt, Greece, Rome, and etc. Ancient Art has been part of our world history for thousands of years. It represented the development of the human artistic mind, in telling stories or expressing the facts that where happening on that period of time. These Art work have been protected and displayed in museums so the going generations can explore it and learn the history of Art. Ancient Art I am writing about two different Ancient Arts. The Ancient Art I picket, are the Egyptian Art, and the Greek Art. These nations provided the world with the most amazing Art from B.C.E.-C.E. period of time. Their Art though the world plenty of their history culturally, and what where the happenings of that period of time. The Egyptian Art is in two- dimensional form of work, but also had a few three-dimensional Art. The Greek art work is in three- dimensional form of art work, but also had some two-dimensional art. The Egyptians artists used vertical and horizontal reference lines to maintain the correct proportions in their work. The Greek artist worked on pottery, sculpture as well as architecture. The Egyptian paintings were prepared by whitewash or a layer of coarse mud plaster. The pigments mostly were mineral, chosen to withstand strong sunlight without fading, after painting a varnish or resin was...
Words: 750 - Pages: 3
...Ancient Art The trip I took to the Getty Museum was very interesting and informational. I had always wanted to go to the Getty and now that I had purpose in writing a term paper on art of ancient civilizations it was worth my time. I mainly learned about art in Egyptian, Greek and Roman culture while I was there. Before the portrayal of the human body or any piece of art can be critiqued, you must understand the artist's culture. As man evolved over centuries, his views of the body and art transformed. My tour definitely showed the drastic changes in different cultures' art. Each culture and era presents very distinct characteristics. Through time and experimentation, we have expressed our views of the human body clearly with our art. Egyptians were the first people to make a large impact on the world of art. Egyptians needed art for their religious beliefs more than decoration or self-gratification. The most important aspect of Egyptian life is the ka, the part of the human spirit that lives on after death. The ka needed a physical place to occupy or it would disappear. Most of the important men of Egypt paid to have their body carved out of stone. That was where the spirit would live after the man dies. They used stone because it was the strongest material they could find. Longevity was very important to the Egyptians. The bodies are always idealized and clothed. Figures are very rigid, close-fisted, and are built on a vertical axis to show that the person...
Words: 290 - Pages: 2
...Ancient Art Ancient art is the types of art in the cultures of ancient society. Art is any human endeavor thought to be aesthetic and have meaning beyond any simple description. Ancient art is the types of art in the cultures of ancient society. Unlike modern times, our ancient ancestors believed in many gods and goddesses to look over their beings from gods and goddesses of war to the goddesses of fertility. I have chosen to review The Nude Goddess Figurine, late 8th – 7th century B.C., ancient Lachish (metmuseum.org, 2008) and Plaque, Nude Goddess Standing on Crescent, 13th century B.C. Both figurines are felt to represent fertility (louvre.fr, 2008). Nude Goddess Figurine and The Plaque were found in Syria, in different eras. The Nude Goddess Figurine was created from clay or is ceramic in nature. She is a large woman holding her breast outward as to state that she is mother or to represent that she is fertile. Her neck is long and her hair is cap like with very tight curls. Her face seems to be from a mold the face shows much more detail than the body of the figure. The faces display smiles females were to be alluring. Possibly the mother of the gods this pillar figurine was created in large numbers in the kingdom of Judah (metmuseum.org, 2008). The Plaque or Nude Goddess Standing on Crescent was created from gold leaf over a carving of a sturdier sculpture. The Plaque was created to be e a charm for a necklace. She too is a large curvy woman her arms are bent but...
Words: 590 - Pages: 3
...Ancient Art The pieces of art that will be compared comes from the Egyptian art collection; one from the Old Kingdom of the 4th Dynasty, the other from the New Kingdom of the 19th Dynasty. The works from the 4th Dynasty is called Princess Nefertiabet and her food, dating between 2590-2565 b.c. and the works for the 19th Dynasty is called The Goddess Hathor Welcomes Sethos I, dated between 1290-1179 b.c.. Both paintings reflect the lifestyle of the Egyptian beliefs through the use of hieroglyphics. The Egyptians were strong believers in the sun god Ka, and that there was life after death and “that part of human being that defines personality and that survives life on earth after death”(A World of Art,6th ed., 2009). A lot of the paintings created are about the afterlife. Priness Neferiabet was the daughter of Snefru and the best artists of their times were commissioned to create a painting depicting all the riches the princess would have in the afterlife. The stele is 37.5 cm in height and 52.5 cm in width and painted on limestone, with vibrant colors of red, yellow, black and green. The various inscriptions tell the onlooker about the various items such as food and clothing that were taken with the princess. They are also deliberately placed on the limestone in various ways. For instance, the pictorial for libation is placed in front of her face possibly meaning the importance of food. The painting of Hathor and Sethos I carries a different story of the...
Words: 786 - Pages: 4
...Art is an almost limitless vehicle for expression. It takes a wide variety of forms and is always evolving into new avenues of expression over the centuries. People have used art since the beginning. In prehistoric times cave art was used as a form of storytelling using pictograms. For example, cave people used charcoal to draw onto the roofs of caves. To this day, these drawings depict the hunting of animals and record part of the lives of people long ago. This is an example of one of the first purposes of art as a historical record. Throughout time various cultures would use drawings on tablets, walls, and buildings to depict important events and everyday occurrences. Over time, gradually art took on other roles and forms. For example, in ancient Rome villas would depict pleasant scenery. These murals can still be viewed today in the ruins of Pompeii. In addition, both Rome and Greece used sculptures to celebrate and memorialize the human form. Thus, in ancient times art took a big leap by providing an outlet for self expression and pleasure to its admirers....
Words: 873 - Pages: 4
...Egyptian art is expressed in many forms, such as paintings and sculptures. It is both physically attractive, and highly symbolic. Because of the highly religious nature of Ancient Egyptian civilization, many of the great works of ancient Egypt depict gods, goddesses, and Pharaohs, who were also considered divine. During my visit to the Metropolitan museum of art, I performed an analysis on the Egyptian sculpture of Isis-Aphrodite, a symbolic goddess in Egyptian culture. The sculpture of Isis-Aphrodite dates to the Roman period. This time period was around the second century A.D. The Metropolitan museum of art purchased the sculpture in 1991. The piece of Isis-Aphrodite is a terracotta figure. It is made of alluvial clay. It is painted with brown, black, red, and pink paint on a white englobe. This rather small delicately painted figurine of Isis gives great gratification to sight upon first glance. It has a height of only 19.5 inches, and a width of approximately 5 inches. It is however, truly astonishing. The sculpture has a narrow expressionless face. She has brown shoulder length hair is fixed with twists like curls, and bangs. Aside from a few elaborate accessories, Isis is nude. Isis wears a large attention grabbing crown on her head, which steals the emphasis from other features. The crown is actually an exaggerated calathos (the crown of Egyptian Greco-Roman deities) emblazoned with the sun disk and horns of Isis. She also wears a bracelet, anklet, and sash. The...
Words: 467 - Pages: 2
...religious histories in the world. The level of advancement of the ancient Egyptian culture was higher than that of its neighbors. The Egyptian culture helped in the advancement of various aspects of humanity. The significance of the Egyptian culture in the modern day world makes it one of the most studied cultures in the world. Contemporary mathematics has its roots in the ancient Egyptian culture. Ancient Egyptians used various form to express their culture. Of all the forms used to express Ancient Egyptian culture, none is more significant than the Egyptian art. Ancient Egyptian art give insights into the ancient Egyptian culture. In ancient Egypt, sculpture had a significant religious and political importance. Art symbolized various seasons and religious practices. Sculpture continues to have a significant political and religious importance in the contemporary world, just as it did in the ancient Egyptian culture. The giant stone head of King Amenhotep III is one of the sculptures that symbolize ancient Egyptian culture. The giant stone head of King Amenhotep III is 2.5 meters high and is a portrait of the king with very youthful features. The head has double crowns, which represent the unification of the Upper and Lower Egypt. The upper crown of ancient Egyptian kings was white with the lower crown being red. In essence, the king was the symbol of the unification of the ‘two lands’ (Kuhrt 125). Egyptian art for kings was usually slightly different from that of normal people...
Words: 775 - Pages: 4
...Ancients Arts Found in Museums Niurby Martinez AIU Online Abstract In this essay is to compare and contrast between two different Ancient Arts. The first one is the head of a lion and the second is the head of a pharaoh. There are a few similarities but more differences. Each one had their own meaning why they were created in their times. Ancients Arts Found in Museums For this assignment I have chosen two Ancient Arts; one from the New York Museum, the Head of the Roaring Lion and the second is from the Washington D, C Museum and the Head of a Pharaoh. The Head of the Roaring Lion was created in the Neo- Assyrian period found in Mesopotamia, Nimrud between 9th-8th B.C. The second Ancient Art that I have chosen is the head from the Head of a pharaoh was created the in Old Kingdom Dynasty 5 or 6 in 2675-2130 B.C.E. These two Ancient Arts where made different materials; the head of the roaring lion was made of ivory carving, while the head of pharaoh was made of stone and copper. However they were both representational and 3- dimensional head figures. Even though the Arts where similar in one ways, they also had different meanings I believe in those times it had to do with power and leadership. The lion represented the strength of the Neo- Assyrian period. The head of the Pharaoh was created for the pharaoh of that time and was used in his tomb for respect and most of all discipline. The meaning was more symbolic. In the ancient Egyptians made such statues to place...
Words: 593 - Pages: 3
...Throughout the history of the world, art has its own history as well. The Ancient art period started before 500 B.C with its characteristics were about God, Goddess and Heroes. Women, in ancient Greek and Roman societies, did not have high status and they were considered as properties of men. During that time, woman was just being a wife and being a mother and stayed at home to take care of the house for her man. Women did not have any role in politics therefore they could not vote and they did not have any right for themselves. The roles of women could be learned by reviewing how female figures were created through the ancient Greek and Roman art works. Most of the female figures, in any art work during this period, were either goddess; such as statue of Athena goddess of wisdom,warfare and women's craft, or monsters; such as Sphixn in Greek mythology. Therefore, during the ancient...
Words: 839 - Pages: 4
...Art personally to me has different meanings. When I think about Art, I mostly think about nature, graffiti, music, actors, etc. To me art is not only about drawing a picture, but it’s about expressing yourself through different colors, textures, patterns. For example dance could be art, or when the orange/yellow leaves fall from the tree in the month of October could also be art. Like I said before Art is not only about drawing or painting a picture, it is expressing your feelings, and being creative. What I find very interesting about Ancient Art is that it was not planned to be made. The patterns and the designs were so much different than now. For example the Cyclades that were sculptured in c. 2600-2400 BCE. Is it a very...
Words: 841 - Pages: 4
...The idealized naked male form that has become the standard for the majority of western art, was developed from Ancient Greeks and their cultural importance surrounding the human form. Based off of the assumption that the development of naturalism occurred with the emphasis on the body and bodily experience, the evolution of the figurative representations of human forms and the meaning behind each component can be traced with the cultural progression. Starting with their adoption from the Egyptians to the canon of Polykleitos, the Greeks centered their art work around the praising of life and the contemporary. Each stage of transition would be influenced by their religious beliefs, societal structure, and the maintaining of roles in society....
Words: 931 - Pages: 4
...Many of the great works of ancient Egypt depicts regular and detailed depictions of human beings and the nature. Moreover, due to the highly religious nature of ancient Egyptian civilization, Egyptian artists have depicted gods, goddesses, and Pharaohs. The function was to describe their divine nature. Ancient Egyptian art is characterized by the idea of order. Symbolism and the use of simple geometry played an important role in establishing sense of order. Nonetheless, many Egyptian arts were not meant to be seen and were hidden from the commoners. For instance, the magnificent treasures of Tutankhamun were not to be seen by people. The first dwellers of the Nile Valley started making engraved drawings on the steep high faces of rocks, in the early eighth millennium BC .They were believed to be a manner of recording data. The depiction of the essential day today activities of their lives, like wild games, hunting scenes, river boating and domesticating animals were among the drawings. The art of the Predynastic period has endured in the form of carved stone , ivory grave goods, pottery vessels, which were placed near the dead body in burial cavities. Figures of living beings dedicated in fulfillment of a vow, were often female statuettes made of pottery and ivory. They may have related to early fertility followers of religious beliefs, as they amplified sexual features. Some of the painted scenes on pottery vessels show the prehistoric rock-carvings and styles and preoccupations...
Words: 1365 - Pages: 6
...Ancient Greek developed stylistically in three main periods. These periods were the Geometric and Archaic period, Classical period and the Hellenistic period. Ancient Greek art started off stylistic and through experimentation, by the end of the Hellenistic period, Ancient Greek art had developed to become naturalistic. The Geometric and Archaic period was from 900 BC to 450 BC. The idea of a perfect physique fascinated the Ancient Greeks, so an abundance of their sculptures depicted what they believed was the ideal human body. During this period the sculptures were stylised. They had patterns and geometric shapes. They also had hardly any negative space and showed little movement. An example of a sculpture created in this period is Kourus from Anavyssos. An Ancient Greek sculptor would have stylised this figure to make it resemble the ideal man. The hair is an example of stylization. This...
Words: 588 - Pages: 3
...and Hittite Empire Ancient Art By Christopher Mincey 09/08/2014 Art Appreciation (HUMA205 -1404A-01) There are so many different types of art form that I could have chosen. I want to possible see the similarity of Art in the same ancient time period but among different cultures. I have chosen art work of the Canopic Jar Lid from the Egyptian Dynasty and the Seated goddess with a child from the Anatolia and the Caucasus or Hittite Empire. Both of the work of art is from the time period of 2000 BC to 1000 BC. Both of these pieces of art is part of their own culture but holds an magnificent piece of their own cultures past. The Ancient Egyptian Jar lid was an very important piece in this ancient civilizations culture. The jar lids main purpose was to store the internal organs of the body. The organs that were individually wrapped were the stomach, liver, lungs and the intestines. According to the history of Canopic Jars the heart was left in the body due to the Egyptians believed the heart carried the soul or spirit of an individual. For each organ that was removed they placed them all four different containers. The Metropolitan Museum of Art list the Canopic jar of Queen Kiya which has been identified by the hieroglyphic and the outer appearance of the facial lid part of the jar. The Egyptians placed the face of whoever may have died on the upper jar lid. The art form of the lids was that of pottery, this piece of Egyptian history is a three dimensional art piece. The material...
Words: 1110 - Pages: 5
