Western Art Midterm

prehistory , mesopotamia, ancient egypt

formal analysis

explores visual and material characteristics

contextual analysis

considers the circumstances in which a piece is created

paleolithic age

50000 → 9600 BCE

development of imagery

homo sapiens arrive in europe to replace neanderthals

neolithic age

9600 → 6000 BCE

introduction of a fixed permanent dwelling (emergence of architecture)

domestication of plants and animals

flint knapping

early version of a chisel used on soft stones like limestone

marcos-pangkep caves

stenciled

negatives

could have been used as educational piecez

pigment blown over outstretched hand

cave paintings of monte castillo

before homo sapiens were in europe

able to be carbon dated by calcium deposits

cueva de las manos

11,000 → 7,000 BCE

hand stenciled piece

megalocerous gallery

chauvet cave

30,000 BCE

charcoal material

950 images painted in cave

shows use of outlining and shading, abstraction of form

hall of bulls

lascaux caves

shows off animals from the area and range of species

created for artistic pleasure

used to show respect and appreciation for the animals and to manifest a good hunting season

lion human sculpture

made of mammoth ivory

broken into 300 pieces

took around 400 hours to sculpt

conveys a sense of power

used as a way to unite man and animal

appropriated power of the animals

woman of willendorf

limestone

more for holding purposes

may have been used as a way to communicate with other clans

stone henge

circular form

stones imported from 22-200 miles away and had a weight of 5-26 tons per stone

adobe

mud brick usually sun baked

tell

mound settlement

catalhoyuk

houses made of adobe

dead buried under houses

ancestor skull

filled with plaster and shells to be displayed

cuneiform

wedge shaped writing system

written mostly by scribes for the wealthy class

used for record keeping (reciepts etc)

heirarchical scale

when a figure is larger to show dominance or importance

cylinder seals

carved stone (jade, lapis lazuli)

used to roll onto clay

earliest form of printmaking

way to show authenticity

saved time and education

uruk vase

found in cache of objects

carved all over

separated into registers to show hierarchy (also uses hierarchical scale)

standard of ur

found in royal tomb

shell, limestone, lapis lazuli, bitumen

shows clear understanding of the afterlife

anu ziggurat

based off normal housing

utilized stairs and ramp

long journey to top used for preparation and reflection

not just anyone was allowed inside

structure emphasized with slits and doors

nanna ziggurat

has multiple layers

became a hub of some of the most important events of the city

sculptural objects found in precinct

votive statues

used to carry out devotion to a god

used as a way to ask for blessings

all figures have hands clasped to hold a libation cup

inscribed with cuneiform description of person

stele of naram-sin

testament to his victory over lullubi people

hierarchical scale

twisted perspective to show power and movement

enemy identifiable by not being in lock step

stele

stone slab

taller than wide

used for commemoration or memorials

stele of hammurabi

created under babylonian period

cuneiform is law code

art at top depicts him getting the laws

created out of black basalt

nile river

floods annually to bring fertility

black land vs red land

divine order

ma’at

divine order

constant tension with the idea of chaos

isfet

chaos

kennet

red land in flood plain

destret

red land in desert area

palette of narmer

found in temple dedicated to horus

used as mortar and pestle sort of object

low relief carved

separated into register

uses hierarchical scale

falcon in corner is horus

canon of proportion

agreed upon

used a fist to measure

consistent and orderly to produce same results (shows that all kings are reincarnations of ra)

king djoser mastaba

mastaba to the extreme

centered around 6 mastabas stacked on top of each otehr

built over 10-15 years

used to continue legacy

not used as a temple

used for funerary purposes

ka statue

spirit statue

neme

possible first king of egypt

djoser funerary complex

old kingdom

3rd dynasty

step pyramid

part of larger necropolis in saqqara

not a family tomb

ka statue in serdab visible through hole in the wall

entire complex is built so ka can travel

pyramids

under guidance of imhotep mastabas became these

shows power and statement of perfection

shows importance g

great pyramids of giza

dedicated to khufu khafre and menekaure

topped with gold to show importance and help communicate with the gods

part of larger necropolis

built by seasonal workers, slaves, and professionals (engineers etc)

built atop a plateau

took 20-30 years to build each

causeway leads to funerary temple

sphynx

240 feet long

largest sculpture in ancient egypt

head is always that of a male king

mix of limestone and quarried rock

potentially acted as a ka statue

facing the nile and cairo across river to show that king is always watching over city

located in potential second temple

statue of khafre from valley temple

dons same headdress and features as sphynx

more typical depiction of a king

shows similar pose to sphynx

carved out of diorite

ideal vision of youthfulness

shows power and perfection of king

one of 23 ka statues for khafre to embody

falcon behind khafre is horus

horus

egyptian god of the sky (zeus-like)

personified as a falcon in many works

osiris

egyptian god of fertility and the underworld

not personified as an animal

menkaure and queen

graywacke

king and queen depicted alike

possibly queen khamerernebty II

both in same position

traces of paint found

seated scribe

found near tomb of kai in saqqara

5th dynasty

painted limestone

more relaxed

not wearing headdress or false beard

holding papyrus and cuneiform pen

not athletically built

might be smiling

amenhotep III

from temple at thebes

18th dynasty

diorite

9.5’ tall

identical to khafre statue

shows role of king has not changed

pantheon of gods extended

amun-ra

fusion between amun and ra

creator god

symbolized as a ram

amenhotep IV

changed pantheon of gods to monotheism

worship aten now

moved capital to akhetanen

18th dynasty

son of amenhotep III

figure is abstract and feminine

kilt is more form fitting than previous blocky kilts

aten

sun disk god

sole god in 18th dynasty after amenhotep IV (akhenaten)

isis

goddess of protection

weighed souls to transition to afterlife

stele of akhenaten, nefirtiti and children

sunken relief

more stylized

limestone painted

more fluid composition

figures seated on cushions

found in private dwelling

family scene as opposed to single king