Art History 150: Works of Art

Albrecht Dürer, The Four Horseman of the Apocalypse, 1498

• Woodcut print from Durer’s Apocalypse in Pictures (Illustrated scenes from the Book of Revelations)

• Show the four horsemen: Death, Famine, War, and Plague

• Retain a strong gothic influence

• Placed the horsemen diagonally to create kinetic energy

• Late gothic intensity and early renaissance structure

Albrecht Dürer, The Martyrdom of Saint John, 1498

• Woodcut print from Durer’s Apocalypse in Pictures

• Saint John was condemned to boil in a pot of oil

• Showcases his incredible use of line work and hatching/cross hatching

• Includes his signature symbol at the bottom center

• Late gothic intensity and early renaissance structure

Albrecht Dürer, The Opening of the Fifth and Sixth Seals, 1498

• Woodcut print from Durer’s Apocalypse in Pictures (Illustrated scenes from Book of Revelation)

• Showcases his incredible use of line work and hatching/cross hatching

• Separates the heavenly realm from earth

• Stars reign down on all ranks of people to show judgment of all

• Late gothic intensity and early renaissance structure

Albrecht Dürer, The Opening of the Seventh Seal, 1498

• Woodcut print from Durer’s Apocalypse in Pictures (Illustrated scenes from Book of Revelations)

• Eagle crying a warning of woe to the inhabitants of earth

• Showcases his incredible use of line work and hatching/cross hatching

• Late gothic intensity and early renaissance structure

Albrecht Dürer, The Beast with Lamb’s Horns and Beast with Seven Heads, 1498

• Woodcut print from Durer’s Apocalypse in Pictures (Illustrated scenes from Book of Revelations)

• Showcases his incredible use of line work and hatching/cross hatching

• Late gothic intensity and early renaissance structure

• Seven headed beast forces people to worship the first beast and performs false miracles

The Last Judgment Portal from Chartres Cathedral, France, building of cathedral 1134-1260

• High gothic

• Includes jamb figures

The Last Judgment Portal from Saint Lazarus Cathedral, Autun, France, 1132-1146 

• Romanesque art

The Last Judgment Portal from the Notre Dame Cathedral, Paris, France, 1163-1345 (portal from 1220-1230)

• High gothic era

• Archivolts

Dipankara Jataka, ca. 2nd century, Pakistan (ancient region of Gandhara, Swat Valley), Metropolitan Museum of Art

• The ascetic Megha appears three times (Buddha from his past life)

• Schist relief panel with gold leaf

• The Buddha is predicting that the next Buddha will reach enlightenment

Yamantaka, Destroyer of the God of Death, Tibet, 18th century

• Painting on a small cloth that would have been located in a Tibetan monastery

• Yamantaka is standing on Yama, the God of Death

• Prevents the Yama from preventing enlightenment by breaking the cycle of samsara

Wheel of Life, Tibet, 19th century

• Representation of Buddhist beliefs about the cycle of life, death, and rebirth known as samsara

• Past actions (karma) are the force that keeps beings within this cyclic existence (black and white section)

• The entire wheel is clutched by Yama, the Lord of Death, symbolizing that all worldly existence is subject to death

Chenrezig Sand Mandala, created and exhibited at British House of Commons in 2008, during Dalai Lama’s Visit

• Mark the visit of the 14th Dalai Lama

• Made from sand and used to meditate

• Destroyed once finished and deposited into the river

• Represents celestial palace and impermanence

Shiva Nataraja, Chola Period, bronze, 11th century, Metropolitan Museum of Art

• Copper alloy (bronze) cast

• Shiva performs a cosmic dance (dance of bliss)

• Embodying the continuous rhythm of creation, preservation, destruction, and release

• Surrounded in a ring of fire

The Great Stupa of Sanchi, India, The Great Departure torana

• Aniconic

• Buddha’s presence is symbolized by an empty horse

• Multiple moments of the Buddha’s story to enlightenment

Falnama of Shah Tahmasp, “Day of Judgment”

• Opaque watercolor, gold, and ink on paper

• The composition features prominent winged archangels (trumpets to sound day of judgement)

• Groups of sinners who face deformations as punishment

Temptation of the Buddha by Mara and His Armies

• Siddhartha Gautama confronted and conquered illusion, desire, fear, and self-doubt on the night before he attained enlightenment beneath the Bodhi tree

• Siddhartha reached down and touched the ground with his right hand, calling upon the Earth Goddess to bear witness to his lifetimes of spiritual preparation and virtue