Week 9 Hum Final

TRAVELINGTIME FOR brilliance

A HISTORIAN’S VIEW OF ART

__________

TRAVELING TIME FOR brilliance
Copyright © 2013 by

All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted in any form, or by any means without written permission from the author.

ISBN (HUM/205)

Printed in USA

Dedication

I would like to dedicate this book to my Instructor. has taught me so much about the art. Because of her I have a new found appreciation for art.

Table of Contents

Cover 1 Dedication 3 Introduction 5 Chapter 1 6 Chapter 2 8 Chapter 3 10

Introduction

The purpose of this book is to give an overview of the many different types of arts all over the universe. The history of art from around the world is absolutely amazing. It not only serves a purpose , it also gives people a review of art throughout all eras. Each painting, sculpture, literature, musical piece produced by the different artists and civilizations classify cultures; establish a determination and observation of the unique and powerful distinctiveness of art. The revise of the history of art was initially developed in the Renaissance, with its limited scope being the artistic production of western civilization. Nevertheless, as eras have passed, it has presented a more extensive view of creativity. When looking back in history for some of the best art be on the lookout for a wide-ranging overview of all the civilizations and examination of their artistic production in reference to every cultural values (cultural relativism), and not just western art history. This is what I did and the outcome brought me to three era’s; Classical Greek and Hellenistic civilizations, Indian civilization, and the Italian civilization.

Chapter One: Classical Greek and Hellenistic Civilizations

The Greek culture had a dominant influence on the other civilizations near them. For this very reason Ancient Greece is generally considered to be the decisive culture which provided the groundwork of modern Western culture. With that statement being made it is obvious that the Classical Greek and Hellenistic era was a very influential one and so was their art. But out of the two the Hellenistic period’s art is more dimensional and embodied more than just beauty. The Hellenistic period was one that was very peculiar. This era went through a retrogression. Before pointing out the art of review a little history is needed about how this period was founded. “The founders were, respectively, Epicurus and Zeno, who were residents of Athens, though the former was born on the island of Samos, while the latter was a native of Cyprus, probably of Phoenician descent. Epicureanism and Stoicism had several features in common. Both were individualistic, concerned not with the welfare of society “primarily, but with the good of the individual.” (Greek Thesaurus) The piece of art that well represents the Greek culture and its beliefs is the sculpture of Laocoon and his two sons is a Greek monument and is on display in Museums. This artwork was a display of the torture and death of Laocoon; who was a blind Trojan priest of Poseidon (the God of the sea in Greek Mythology). He was an intriguing character in Greek mythology. He played a small but significant role in the notorious Trojan War, and his memorable contributions to myth were celebrated in this famous Hellenistic statue.

The statue which is made from seven interlocking pieces of white marble that stood almost 8 ft. tall; It shows Laocoon, and his two sons Antiphas and Thymbraeus being killed by giant snakes. This artwork was created/depicted as described by the Roman poet Virgil (70 BCE - 19 CE) in his classic poem the Aeneid. . The story behind the statue is this; In this epic tale, the Roman poet Virgil describes the dramatic scene in which the Trojans notice an colossal Wooden Horse standing outside the city of Troy. It was given to them by the Greeks as a gift to Athens, but in actuality it was a trick so that they could come into the city of Troy and destroy it. The prophetic priest Laocoön warns the people in opposition to bringing the gigantic Horse into Troy but they do it anyway. The plan to trick the people of Troy worked despite the warning from the priest. While Laocoon is making a sacrifice to God the two giant serpents come out of the sea and attack Laocoon and his sons. The Trojans took this grotesque punishment as a sign that Laocoon offended the gods, whether it be Athena or Poseidon “The emotionalism in Laocoon and His Sons was highly influential on laterBaroque sculpture (c.1600-1700) as well as Neoclassical sculptors (c.1770-1830). The German art historian Johann Joachim Winckelmann (1717-68) saw the statue as the embodiment of Neoclassical nobility and heroicism, although he admitted the inherent difficulty - for any observer of Laocoon - of appreciating beauty in a scene of death.”

Chapter Two: Indian Civilization

This is the second culture that I have chosen to demonstrate in this book. The art from the Indian culture shows how India 's civilization is so vast that it would take a lifetime to experience and understand it all. That seems very interesting like many other civilizations. Each era is unique in its distinctive culture. In the same way Indian art forms have continuously evolved over thousands of years. In ancient India, various art forms like paintings, architecture and sculpture evolved. The history of art in ancient India began with prehistoric rock paintings. The art from the Indian civilization that I have preferred is the Taj Mahal. This Indian architecture was Taj Mahal way built by the Mughal emperor Shah Jahan. As the history of Taj Mahal goes, it was built in the memory of his beloved queen Arjumand Bano Begum, better known as "Mumtaz Mahal". “Known for its equilibrium, the Taj Mahal sits on a raised platform surrounded by four minarets. Inside are delicate mosaic works and marble walls adorned with intricate patterns of inlaid precious stones. The emperor Shah Jahan is said to have celebrated the anniversary of his wife 's death in the mausoleum, kneeling before the monument of white marble studded with gems and semiprecious stones, as prayers were offered up for the peace and repose of the empress’ soul.” Mumtaz Mahal, whose name means Chosen One of the Palace, had been more than the emperor’s wife. Certainly, Shah Jahan had a number of wives. But Mumtaz Mahal was the love of his life. She was his best friend and his most trusted political adviser. Mumtaz Mahal bore 14 children; seven of them survived. She died in 1631 after giving birth to a healthy baby girl.

Many people may not know it but the Tah Mahal is one of the Seven Wonders of the World. For the monument to his wife, Shah Jahan chose a site occupied by sprawling gardens on a bend in the left bank of the Yamuna River. Through this monument people have been inspired to recreate different architectures such as a Taj Mahal hotel, casino, etc. this is really a demonstration of artistic beauty that is lasting throughout time.

Chapter Three: Italian Civilization

This historian’s time traveling journey for art is now coming to an end with this last civilization. This Italian civilization and culture is one that has influenced many artists around the world and this culture is well known for the different artists that have come from here. If you were to mention the Italian Culture and Renaissance Art and one is immediately reminded of Michelangelo lying on his back on uneven planks which were being held up by scaffolding and painting the Sistine Chapel’s ceiling in Vatican City, Italy. The Sistine chapel used to have a different view on its ceiling, then the Pope wanted a change. The most famous chapter in the history of the Sistine Chapel began when Michelangelo was commissioned by Pope Julius II to repaint the vault. Julius was determined that Rome should be rebuilt to its former glory, and had embarked on a vigorous campaign to get the job done. Originally painted as stars on a blue sky, the Sistine Chapel ceiling was transformed into a work of art through the vision and hard work of a great artist. The painting by Michelangelo is centered around how God attempted to make the vreation of the world perfect and place the life of humans into it. Eventually humanity disgraces it creator and was separated from God. The Sistine Chapel is alos one of the Seven Wonders of The World because of how exquisite this artwork was and still is. There are more than 300 painted figures on the ceiling. Michelangelo painted well over 5,000 square feet of frescoes.
Works Cited

1. of, t. p. (n.d.). Hellenistic Culture: Philosophy, Literature and Art. Ancient greek thesaurus. Retrieved June 2, 2013, from http://greek-thesaurus.gr/hellenistic-age-culture.html

2. The Taj Mahal. (n.d.). Islamic Arts and Architecture Organization. Retrieved June 2, 2013, from http://www.islamicart.com/library/empires/

3. Putatunda, R. (n.d.). Italian Culture: Renaissance Art and Artists. Buzzle. Retrieved June 2, 2013, from http://www.buzzle.com/articles/italian-culture-renaissance-art-and-artists.html

Cited: 1. of, t. p. (n.d.). Hellenistic Culture: Philosophy, Literature and Art. Ancient greek thesaurus. Retrieved June 2, 2013, from http://greek-thesaurus.gr/hellenistic-age-culture.html 2. The Taj Mahal. (n.d.). Islamic Arts and Architecture Organization. Retrieved June 2, 2013, from http://www.islamicart.com/library/empires/ 3. Putatunda, R. (n.d.). Italian Culture: Renaissance Art and Artists. Buzzle. Retrieved June 2, 2013, from http://www.buzzle.com/articles/italian-culture-renaissance-art-and-artists.html