Transcript Third Critical Thinking

By: Brittany Rood
Holli Phillips
Brian Potter
Emily Prout
Whitney Purvis
Heidi Sales
Amber Santi
Menkaure and a Queen
2548-2530 BCE
Museum of Fine Arts, Boston
Sources: 1. pg 60
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Menkaure and a Queen is a sculpture of King Menkaure and a
queen who is believed to be Khamerernebty II. This sculpture
was found in the Menkaure’s valley temple on January 18, 1910.
King Menkaure is depicted like most Egyptian royalty: “athletic,
youthful figure nude to the waist and wearing the royal kilt and
headcloth” (1). Menkaure stands with his left foot out as if
walking, clasping cylindrical objects within his hands in an
Egyptian pose. Menkaure’s queen is also walking with her left
foot out but with a smaller stride, showing that the king is
slightly more superior than she is. The queen has her right arm
around Menkaure’s waist and her left hand placed on his arm,
embracing him. The queen is wearing tight clothes so that the
sculptor was able to show her figure of a well-built beautiful
woman. This statue was not fully completed but there were
remnants of red paint on Menkaure and black paint on the
queen’s hair. Red paint was traditionally used to paint sculptures
of males.
Discus Thrower (Diskobolos)
c. 450 BCE
Created by Myron
National Museum in Rome
Sources: (1) pg 509
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Although the original bronze copy has been lost,
numerous Roman copies have been rendered both in
marble and in bronze. This sculpture was particularly
important because it is one of the earliest sculptures that
captured athletic movement and the complexity of the
muscles at work. The athlete in the sculpture is nude, as
was natural in ancient Greek athletics. Myron also
introduced perfect body proportioning and symmetry
through his art. Critics have observed the unnatural lack of
muscular strain in the torso although the athlete seems to
be midway through throwing a heavy object. The face also
does not accurately depict an accurate expression of
athletic strain. Even with these flaws, Myron has created
athletic energy through art, and has captured a moment of
rhythmos (harmony and balance).
Gallic Chieftain Killing His Wife
and Himself Sculpture
Roman copy after the original
bronze of c. 220 BCE.
Marble, height 6'11",
National Museum in Rome,
Italy.
Sources: (1) pg 160-162 & (4)
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This sculpture is a classic example of the Hellenistic
characteristic of expressionism. These figures were
created to elicit the emotions of the viewer. Here,
you see the Chieftain has already killed his wife, and
is in the act of killing himself. With one hand he
drives the knife into his heart, while still supporting
the body of his dead wife with the other. The details
are exquisite, but it is the overall symbolism that
draws the eye. It makes the viewer wonder why this
murder-suicide is happening, for there is tenderness
in the hand holding his wife’s body. The drama of
this piece can be found throughout the Hellenistic
period, and help to influence future expressionists. It
was this drama, and the mystery of “why?”, that drew
me to this piece.
Found near Rome in the
Villa Ludovisi,
Dated back to 250 AD
Made of Marble and
approximately 5 foot
in height.
National Museums of
Rome, Palazzo
Altemps.
Sources: (1) pg 222
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The imagery and style has roots in the sculptural traditions of the Hellenistic
Pergamon. Where the sculptors portray painful moments rendered expressive with
three-dimensional compositions, often V-shaped, and anatomical hyper-realism.
Battle Sarcophagi was common in the late 2nd century in the wake of Marcus
Aurelius' army campaigns, these often show "historical" battles against barbarians.
The general is often seen in the "Heroic Rider" pose. The sarcophagi generally are
sculpted to create "black and white" stylistic effects, but the figures remain fairly
classicizing.
The Ludovisi Battle Sarcophagus is not done in a realism of the actual battle. It is
designed to fit within the space alloted for the artist so the figures over-lap into
each other. The movement is convulsive and frenzied, and the strongly drilled
relief figures express the violence of their emotions through their bodies as well
as their facial expressions.
The Romans are clean shaved and have their tradition helmets while the
Ostrogoths have beards and curly hair allowing for separation of the two and are
distinct in their style representing their culture. The Romans considered anyone
living outside the Empire to be Barbarians, so the representation of the
Ostrogoth's style with long beards and hair not styled would be the impression of
the Romans of Barbarians not being refined as the Roman culture. Also the Roman
soldiers wearing battle gear and the Germans not wearing armor indicate the
Romans were more advanced as a civilization.
You can see the most notable person is the center Roman lacking a helmet
symbolizing a General or leader of the army with his arms out stretched showing a
sign of victory. On the top left you are able to see a Ostrogoth with a war horn
and he is blowing into another type of instrument possibly to sound for retreat.
Gero Crucifix
C. 970
Archbishop Gero: Presented the
sculpture
Located: The Cologne Cathedral,
Germany
Sources: (1) pg 468 & (2)
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This life size sculpture appears to be one of the very few, last surviving
sculptures of its’ time. It is made of gilded and painted oak, and stands
six feet, two inches off the ground. Though it can be obvious by the
sculptures name, this sculpture was made to show the crucifixion of
Jesus, as well as the body of Christ within it. Jesus appears to be
withered and yet his small piece of covering extends the length of his
limp body. The limp impact of Jesus gives the sculpture its’ emotional
and yet very natural state of mind. According to research the back of
Jesus’ head is now used to hold the communion bread, and for this the
sculpture is also known as reliquary. I felt as though this sculpture also
had a touch of realism as well not just because of its’ life size
appearance, but because of the detailed stomach muscles, visible
tendons in his legs, and even the way that the artist added toenails to
Jesus. I chose this artwork because a few weeks ago I went to the
National Art gallery museum in D.C. with my in-school art class and we
were asked to walk through the Scared Made Real showing, where there
were many sculptures of the crucifixion, and I just wanted to see if there
were any similarities between those that I seen and the one that I chose
for this project. To my surprise both comparisons show the same
emotional status and some from the art showing were also made of
wood.
The Mouth of Hell
c. 1150
No artist identified
The British Library, London
Sources: (1) pg 106
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This ink and tempera on vellum piece is representative of the
strong hold religion had on the Romanesque period
In 1099 the first of three crusades set forth, and Christianity was
at war with the Islamic faith
Art from this time period was very indicative of Christianity
The Mouth of Hell depicts how damnation does not discriminate
and how even a holy man has a vulnerable soul.
The artistic techniques in this page reveals the use of free pen
work, a popular technique of the period, and strong framing
devices
An ornamental frame is glorified all on its own and seems to
sway the viewer’s eye from the hopelessness of the damned
souls
An angle locks the gateway to the hellmouth and as with other
pieces of the Romanesque period, the emotionless face depicted
on the angle’s creates an even more frightening image
Madonna and Child
Created by Giotto
Completed 1320-1330
National Gallery of Art in
Washington, D.C.
Sources: (1) pg 554 & (3)
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During the 14th Century in Europe, art had a new orientation toward humanity that
was combined with a revived interest in classical learning and literature to form
what is now called humanism. “Humanism embodied a worldview that focused on
human beings; an education that perfected individuals through the study of past
models of civic and personal virtue; a value system that emphasized personal
effort and responsibility; and a physically active life that was directed toward the
common good as well as individual nobility (p. 554)”
This piece relates well to the humanist movement in art during that time
period and has many characteristics of Gothic era art. The relationship between
mother and child is very natural in this piece. Instead of Christ being portrayed as
a philosopher, the baby Jesus is grasping his mother's finger and reaching for the
flower in her other hand; much like that of a real baby in his mothers arms.The
baby has adult like features because artists of the that time period had not yet
figured out how to portray child-like features in their work. Giotto used a
luminescent color palatte, which became a characteristic of Gothic art, to give a
sense of three demensional beings occupying real space; and not the feeling of a
painting on a flat surface. Giotto used gold leaf in the background to portray the
kingdom of Heaven. The white rose that Madonna is holding represents her purity,
emphasizing common good and personal virtue.
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1.Stokstad, Marilyn. Art History. Vol. 2 New Jersey:
Prentice Education, 2008. Pgs. 60, 106, 160-162,
222, 468, 509, 554.
2.
http://www.bing.com/images/search?q=Gero+Crucif
ix+sculpture&go=&form=QBIR&qs=n&sk=#focal=93
4bab1f1171c9ad08d1a274bc007727&furl=http%3A%
2F%2Fwww.msu.edu%2F%257Ewursterj%2FL3319b.jpg
3. http://staff.fcps.net/aaford/art/giotto.htm,
http://www.nga.gov/collection/gallery/gg1/gg1397.html
4.
http://www.museumsyndicate.com/item.php?item=3
6569&tag=35