Wednesday, October 19, 2011

Art of the Ancient Aegean

This unknown piece of artwork, fisherman, would be placed in the category of the Minoan Culture. I say this because there is a great deal of resemble to the artwork of the woman or goddess with snakes, on page 88. One main resemblance is the fact that the fisherman and the woman with the snakes both have very skinny waists. I know it has to be from the Minoan culture because that skinny waist was mentioned in one of our lectures this week. I also think that fisherman artwork is from the Minoan culture because of the use of all those bright colors. Even the woman or goddess with the snakes on page 88 has a lot of bright colors as well.  As I remember from our lecture the Minoan culture uses many of these bright colors in their artwork. The artworks are also similar to each other because each person in the art is holding something in each hand outward.

Another unknown artifact is the vase. With its features it was hard to place into Cycladic, or Minoan cultures. So I think this artifact belong with the Mycenaean culture. The Mycenaean culture really liked the krater; they were popular among the people. I think that it is more Mycenaean culture because the vase looks like it has something to do with war, and the Mycenaean were really into war or warriors. As you can see on the robes of the figures you can tell they are warriors. The robes are spotted and are made to think that the warriors are important. On the vase you can tell that the vase is related to war with the chariot and the swords and the body armor of the people-like figures. There is a figure that looks like it’s a woman, and I think maybe the warriors are going off to war and she is saying good bye to them.  Another thing that leads me to think that it’s the Mycenaean culture is because of the unnatural proportions of the bodies, and the people don’t look like people they look like animals. The Minoan artifacts have very tiny waist and the people are made to look more real-like. The Cycladic cultures have artifacts with people who have long slender bodies, and that have really no detail in the structures. Therefore the chariot vase is categorized with the Mycenaean culture.

Wednesday, October 12, 2011

Ziggurats in Near East and Pryamids at Giza

Comparing the ziggurats of the ancient Near East and the pyramids at Giza they have so many similar capabilities and structures. But yet they are so different in the ways they are used or how they are built. The pyramids and the ziggurats are both built for gods or pharaohs, each have power over the people. The ziggurats and the pyramids of Giza are very similar temples but yet they are very different in structure. Most people today have somewhat an idea of the pyramids, but there are many people that don’t know about the ziggurats. When looking at pyramids and ziggurats they both have the resemblance of a hill and both have strong structures. Although they are similar in the structure they are very different in size the ziggurats are smaller than the pyramids.

Ziggurats are very similar to the step pyramids, they are layered tombs on each other and each structure supports another. It looks like the ziggurats are built into a hill and have been stacked on another. The pyramids of Giza are much bigger than the ziggurats. The ziggurats are used for worshiping gods just like the pyramids are used to worship and protect the pharaohs. But they differ than the pyramids because they are temples that bring the gods back down to that temple to communicate. There isn’t much around the ziggurats expect the rocky bricks that are stacked on and around them. As I think of ziggurats I think of the movie Hercules, I picture that scene with him in a temple like building talking to a giant statue of a god. Thinking of this helps me remember that ziggurats are used to communicate for the gods. I know the one I picture from the movie is way different than the ones that are in the Near East, the stepped pyramids look alike.  

The pyramids are made of numerous blocks creating the four sides of the triangles. Pyramids are built of limestone while the ziggurats are built from a brick. The pyramids are the most popular and they are known to be temples for the pharaohs. The peaks of the pyramids are said to lead the pharaoh’s soul to the heavens.  The pharaohs are then protected by the pyramids. When I think of pyramids I think of all the hieroglyphics, but that is just from what I have seen in movies or books. Reading about them now shows me that they are there for protection. Most pyramids are built in groups rather than just being along structure. The Pyramids are used to worship and pray to the pharaohs, people would do this inside of the pyramids.

Each of the ziggurats of ancient Near East and the pyramids at Giza has differences yet some similarities. I think that they have one of the most important similarities which are to why they were created in the first place. Each was built for someone with great importance. Wither one is to bring the gods to us or to protect the pharaohs in death each are both of great importance.  Even if they have their differences they share the importance of being built.

Wednesday, October 5, 2011

Assurbanipal and His Queen in the Garden

Assurbanipal and His Queen in the Garden


The composition also has a 3D element to it. You can tell that the people are standing in front of some trees and other artifacts. It creates a more real life picture; rather it is just made of stone. The carving creates a pathway for the eye to follow from the king outward to his servants. There is that sense of visual balance in the carving just because of how your eye leaves the king and goes towards his servants. The composition gives the stone unity because each piece of the stone is working together to tell the story of the king. I also like that there are birds flying in the sky, it also adds to the real life image effect. The position of the king is not in the center which adds the rule of thirds to this stone carving. I also like that there is small detail in the trees and the vines. It must have taken a long time to create this carving. I think that simple detail adds to the realness of the composition. It is crazy to think that someone can create such amazing photos in a stone and the photos have such detail.
The piece of Assurbanipal and His Queen in the Garden has composition that tells somewhat of a story. In the stone work there is a king relaxing in his garden with his servants. You can tell the king is relaxing because he is leaning back in his chair, without his expensive king necklace. You can tell the difference between the servants and the king because the servants have fans hovered over the king. The king is also positioned the most highest in the photograph to represent the most important and most powerful. The king being higher in the stone carving is one of the elements of art, because he creates a strong view point and it shows the importance of him being king. Also every other person in the stone carving is facing him this adds drama to how important the king is.
In the carving there doesn’t seem to be a noticeable number of odd objects to make the king also stand out more, so it creates a more symmetry composition. Another visually observation is the usage of shapes in the carving. I see that there is one big triangle in the carving. I see it from the king’s head downward to the two set of servants on the left and the right of him. The queen is considered to be important but just not as important as the king so she is placed inside the triangle and a little to left.
I also think that there is a tiny hidden image of a man’s head hanging from a tree. I would have not noticed it if it wasn’t for the description in the book. I think without knowing that head was there you don’t get the sense that the carving is of a celebration. But knowing that it is there now I do see how the story of the king is him celebrating with his queen and his servants in his peaceful garden. I also noticed that the king’s face has been chipped off along with the queens. I am not sure if it was done on purpose or if it was by accident. I thought it might have just been because it’s an old artifact. but in the images I have seen on the internet the faces seem to be just fine, I think it might be the books copy or people have edited the face. I am not sure. I also notice that the king’s right hand has been chipped off as well. Seeing this made me rethink the chipping off the king and queens face. But I am still uncertain as to what actually happened to the carving.
I learned that creating something with a big subject is a good way to show that the subject is the most important. Thus, it happened with this carving. The king is in such a significant location that he quickly recognized as the superior king. I also think that it gives a little insight as to how society was back in ancient history. The king is the most superior in the carving, yet while the women are the servants. The queen however is higher than the servants but not as high as the king, this makes her superior to the servants. All in all I think that the carving is telling a story of the kings relaxing days after war. He likes to spend those days in his garden with his queen by his side.