Category: 11 AM Class

Final Project Outline

Topic: The Significance and Differences of Female and Male Nude  Sculptures

Thesis: When examining sculptures throughout various eras of art, it is evident that many are are nude. The nude is a significant part of art and it’s implications are just as significant. However, it appears that more often than not, there are more male nude figures than the female figures, which poses the question of why this is. Further exploration of nude sculptures from the time periods prove that there are in fact many differences between the nude sculptures of men and women.

The artworks are related to my topic because they can all be used to compare the similarities and differences in the design of the statues based on gender.

(All the art I will be using is from The MET)

The Marble Statue of Diadoumenos: youth tying a fillet around his head (69-96 A.D); Roman; Attributed to Polykleitos 
Marble Statue of a Seated Muse (1st or 2nd Century AD); Roman copy of a Greek of a 3rd century statue
Marble Statue of a Wounded Amazon; (1st or 2nd Cetury AD); Roman copy of a Greek bronze statue of ca. 420-425 B.C 
Marble Statue of Aphrodite (3rd–2nd century B.C.); Greek; Artist Unknown
Perseus with the Head of Medusa (1804-6); Italian, Rome; Artist: Antonio Canova

 

 

The MET Visit

The MET has always been one of my favorite places to visit despite the long lines and large groups of tourist. Its size makes it is easy to get lost in, however, you still find something to look at and admire even if you can’t seem to figure out which part of the museum you are in. I have been there numerous times yet still find many things I have never seen before. The art from various cultures and eras makes it so that every corner of the museum has something that will pique someone’s interest, even those who aren’t fans of museums and find them boring. This visit was particularly fun because I saw many pieces that we actually studied in class, such as the sculpture of the Roman man’s portrait.

When examining the differences in Renaissance and Baroque art I focused mainly on paintings. At first it was difficult to tell the difference between the two eras because there are so many similarities. For example, in both Renaissance and Baroque art there was an emphasis on religion and religious figures. However, after looking for a while, it became more apparent that Baroque art was more dramatized and depicted scenes of chaotic emotions and actions. Meanwhile, Renaissance art, mainly from Italian origins, was much more natural with clear linear perspective and a focus on still life.

For the Renaissance era I used Fra Angelico’s “The Crucifixion,” dated to the 1420s. This is a great example of Renaissance art because it focuses on a violent religious event, however, the artist manages to make the scene appear delicate. The picture depicts Christ crucified on the cross with people surrounding him and angels in the background. Some of the men appear to be holding spears that have caused the wounds on Christ. There is blood coming out Christ’s chest, but true to Renaissance qualities even that appears still and light, like the other hues of red in the painting that are also light. Even the Virgin Mary passed out on the floor lacks the dramatic chaos of what would be seen if this were to be a Baroque painting. 

 

“The Rape of Tamar,” by Estauche Le Seur from the 1640s, is the Baroque painting that caught my attention because of what was being shown. Although there are only three people in the painting, it seems like there is a lot happening. At the forefront is a man with a dagger held high, aimed at a woman with her breasts peeking out of her disheveled dress. Both of their faces show fear, which adds to the mayhem surrounding them. True to Baroque era qualities, there is real sense of dramatic disorder, especially upon looking into the context of the story which is one of a man named Amnom- the son of David- raping his half-sister. This action in the painting is illustrated through the running maid in the background, the vases scattered on the floor, and the flying sheets and clothes. Despite being a painting, there is no stillness to the painting and the audience can practically feel the urgent emotions that are being shown.

Met visit: The Renaissance vs. Baroque

The Renaissance began approximately in the 14 century in Florence, Italy. The era ushered in a period in which Artists rediscovered Greek and Roman technology and incorporated the concept of humanism to their pieces. This era included famous pieces such as David, The Last Supper, The Sistin Chapel, Gatamelatta, and The School of Athens whose qualities distinguished them from the darker and less realistic art of the medieval ages. The Boroque period began in the early 17 century and lasted until the mid 18 century. This period succeed the Renaissance, and like the Renaissance it had specific and unique characteristics that made more interesting and different from other art periods. While visiting the European art exhibit at the Met, I was able to compare art pieces from both the Renaissance and the Baroque. From the Renaissance period I was intrigued by Andrea Solario’s Salome with the Head of Saint John the Baptist, and from the Baroque period I was also intrigued by Eustache Le Sueur‘s The Rape of Tamar. Comparing and contrasting both of these clear and beautiful pieces made it easier to identify the distinguishable qualities of the these pieces respective periods. For example, despite the subject matter in the Renaissance painting and the depiction of a severed head, the Rape of Tamar seems to be more dramatized and successful in capturing not just a moment but  the emotions that each person in that moment might feel. Another difference between both paintings is that although Salome with the Head of Saint John the Baptist and the Rape of Tamar  are capturing a specific moment, the Rape of Tamar actually feels like a snapshot of the moment as demonstrated by the mid-action depictions. Finally, another main difference is the use of diagonals in The Rape of Tamar, every single person portrayed in the painting is at positioned diagonally as well as their view. This use of diagonal allows for the artist capture a  more realistic portrayal of events.

The Rape of Tamar

Salome with the Head of Saint John the Baptist.

Final Project Outline

Theme: Humanism of the Gods and Goddesses in Greco-Roman Art

Thesis Statement: These works of art illustrate the value of humanity as something that is not to be belittled through its humanized representation of its very own gods, something not common in other depictions of gods throughout the span of human art.

Image List:

Statue of Dionysos leaning on a female figure ("Hope Dionysos"), Restored by Pacetti, Vincenzo, Marble, Roman

Title: Statue of Dionysos leaning on a female figure (“Hope Dionysos”)

Artist: Restored by Pacetti, Vincenzo

Date: 27 B.C.–A.D. 68

Museum: Metropolitan Museum of Art

How It Relates To My Project: This god is portrayed as having very anatomical human features. He holds himself as a human male would when showing off his strength. His head tilt and bent knee show that his body functions the way a human’s would, so the humanism is clear here.

Marble head of a goddess, Marble, Greek

Title: Marble head of a goddess

Artist: unknown

Date: 4th century BC

Museum: Metropolitan Museum of Art

How It Relates To My Project: This goddess looks very human in her bored or irritated expression. She is shown as having human emotions, and as reacting to such emotions in an utterly human way. The humanism is her carved features is present as well.

Bronze statue of Eros sleeping, Bronze, Greek

Title: Bronze statue of Eros sleeping

Artist: unknown

Date: 3rd–2nd century BC

Museum: Metropolitan Museum of Art

How It Relates To My Project: This artwork highlights how Eros, the god of sensual love and desire, is illustrated in a completely human stance. Most gods, at this time, and, even still today, would not be interpreted as sleeping. Yet, here is one of the Greco-Roman gods sleeping in a way that looks so characteristically human.

Marble head of Athena, Marble, Greek

Title: Marble head of Athena

Artist: unknown

Date: ca. 200 BC

Museum: Metropolitan Museum of Art

How It Relates To My Project: This work makes humanism in her facial structures very visible. She has a human emotion on her face, of a slightly surprised disgust. Her head is caught in a motion of turning that looks very characteristic of a human turning their head to look at something.

Eros Stringing His Bow 21

Title: Eros Stringing His Bow

Artist: Lysippos (Greek original); Roman copy artist unknown

Date: 2nd Century AD

Museum: Onassis Cultural Center

How It Relates To My Project: This artwork highlights how Eros is, yet again, taken down to an almost human stance. He stands like a human would when stringing a bow as he is doing. He does not look ‘god-like’ when he strings his bow; he looks like an average human doing this. His body moves in a human fluidity, and the specific carvings also illustrate humanism.

SN: Final Project (Creative Portion)


Above are images of my artwork at different angles that I created for the creative aspect of my final project in this art class. The artwork that I have chosen for my project was Egypt’s architecture, more specifically, Egypt’s Pyramid of Giza. I chose this topic because I am fascinated by how this pyramid is one of the longest lasting pyramid to date today and its structure is very intricate.  By recreating this pyramid, I wanted to focus on the bright color the pyramid contains, its dimensions, reflections and structure. Although the pyramid is 455 feet tall, I created a miniature version of it. The Pyramid of Giza is made out of almost 5 million blocks of limestone and was casted with agglomerated limestone concrete. Because I do not own those materials, I chose to improvise and use cardboard, and then draw many lines to represent the bricks. The Pyramid of Giza insists of tawny tones, which match the Desert it is located in, and the sparkle it has gives the pyramid a polished look. The shine comes from slabs of highly polished white limestone and stones were plated with gold, contributing to the sun reflection upon the limestone. In order for me to capture the exact architecture layout of the pyramid, the looks mattered, which is where the paint comes as an essential aspect. I chose a golden yellow paint to replicate the real pyramid. The shine in the paint shows the shine when the sun reflects the Pyramid of Giza and the sparkle the stone releases. In addition, while making this pyramid, I focused on the elements of composition: line, shape, color, value, texture, form, and space. These elements were vital in depicting a smaller version of the pyramid because when all of them are used together and are organized neatly, it determines what the outcome would be of my art piece. Knowing this, I made sure that the bricks are approximately evenly spaced and the lines show the formation the bricks took to form a triangular prism shape. Although the texture is difficult to portray through cardboard, I made sure to use the color to show the shine and bright colors that the Pyramid of Giza exhibits. Antonio Beato’s,  “Giza, Family of Tourists” art piece accurately displays the bricks, dimensions and texture the pyramid has, which helped me choose how to outline the bricks. It is noticeable that the limestone bricks reflect a dark shadow, which shows the distinction and space between each brick and using a marker, I was able to define the dark shadows and arrangement of it as well. Antonio Beato’s other art piece, “Pyramids at Giza”, shows the pyramid in its original location, in the outskirts of Cairo, and its dimensions as well, which I took into consideration. Successfully, I was able to create the exact artwork using many materials to create what I had in mind. With doing so, I made sure that it was a true representation of Egypt’s Pyramid of Giza, an important structure that holds a lot of history for Egypt.

 

SN: Final Project Bibliography

Annotated Bibliography

“The Great Pyramids of Giza.” Smarthistory, smarthistory.org/the-great-                         pyramids-of-giza/.

This article gives a history of the famous Egyptian pyramids and how they came to be, along with the meaning it has for Egyptians. Each pyramid built takes part of a royal mortuary complex that also contains a temple. It provides a detailed description of the Pyramid of Giza’s structure, methods used to make it and close up images of the pyramid that I could use to help create a replica of it for my project.

Roehrig, Catharine. “Egypt in the Old Kingdom (Ca. 2649–2130 B.C.).”             The Met’s Heilbrunn Timeline of Art History, www.metmuseum.org/toah/hd/oking/hd_oking.htm.

This article tells the history of how during Egypt’s Old Kingdom era, artists began to express their culture’s worldview as architects mastered techniques needed to construct monumental structures made out of stone. Their structures were important to the culture because they preserved life after death. This offers my project insight on Egyptian history and how their monumental structures came to be, as well as helping me understand Egypt’s background and the importance of their monumental structures.

“Giza Pyramids.” Civilization.ca – Haida – Haida Art – Masks, Museum of History, www.historymuseum.ca/cmc/exhibitions/civil/egypt/egca14e.shtml.

This article specifically focuses on the Pyramid of Giza and how it is known to be built by the three pharaohs, Cheops, Chephren and Mycerinus. According to the article, this pyramid is one of the only ones that survived the passage of time and it provides images of the pyramid iteself. The insight this article gives helped me learn more about the pyramid, especially because I recreated it myself for this project.

Forman, Werner, et al. “Standing Tall: Egypt’s Great Pyramids.” National Geographic, National Geographic, 24 Jan. 2017, www.nationalgeographic.com/archaeology-and-history/magazine/2017/01-02/egypt-great-pyramids-giza-plateau/.

The National Geographic article focuses on pharaohs and their placements in the pyramid after death, as well as how inscriptions in the pyramids have helped scholars discover new facts about Egypt. Not only does the article offer new information, the images included have helped me define the color, shape and texture of Egypt’s pyramids, which helped me define that in my project.

“Ancient Egyptian Art and Architecture.” Scholastic.com, Scholastic, www.scholastic.com/browse/article.jsp?id=3753871.

The article states that Egypt’s temples have been built as palaces and daily rituals, along with seasonal festivals, have been placed as artwork inside the temples. Beliefs of life after death was an important practice to them and it was believed that in order for a spirit to continue living, the body had to be preserved and buried with valuable possessions along with food and water. Due to the fact that my project is about Ancient Egyptian Architecture, this article helps me understand Egyptian civilization, what tombs and temples have provided to Egyptian life and more insight into Egyptian religion and beliefs.

SN: Final Project Outline

Image 1

Title: Giza, Family of Tourists

Artist: Antonio Beato

Date: 19th Century

Museum: Met Museum

Image 2

Title: Sphinx et la Pyramide de Chephren

Artist: Antonio Beato

Date: not determined

Museum: Met Museum

Image 3

Title: Pyramids at Giza

Artist: Antonio Beato

Date: late 19th Century

Museum: Met Museum

Image 4 

Title: Pyramid at Saqqara

Artist: Antonio Beato

Date: late 19th Century

Museum: Met Museum

Image 5

Title: Study of a Pyramid

Artist: Jacques Louis David

Date: not determined

Museum: Met Museum

Image 6 

Title: The Temple of Dendur

Artist: not determined

Date: 10 BC

Museum: Met Museum

Each of these works of art are Egyptian themed and more specifically, they focus on Egyptian Pyramids, which is what I created for the creative part of this project, the Pyramid of Giza. Several of these artworks depict the Pyramid of Giza in a detailed way with a family of tourists and an image of the pyramid from afar to show the surroundings. The others are the Temple of Dendur, a sketch of a Pyramid, and two other well known pyramids Sphinx et la Pyramide de Chephren and Pyramid at Saqqara. All these images show the details of Egypts pyramids and helps me highlight their dimensions, color and surroundings.

Thesis/Argument:

Egyptian pyramids are well known for their massive structures, such as the Pyramid of Giza, one of the only structures to remain intact, and it identifies well with my topic and the works of arts I have chosen due to it being one of the oldest and largest of Egypt’s pyramids in the Giza Pyramid complex.

SN: Met Museum Trip

My experience at the Met Museum was fantastic. I have been to the Met Museum a few times when I was younger, but I was glad I went again because on this trip, I had a better understanding of art, which led me to better evaluate artwork. Everything was spacious. There were many people there who were fascinated by the artwork as was I and there was so much to see that I would definitely make another trip to the Museum as soon as I can. One Renaissance Art that stood out to me the most was named Scenes from the Story of the Argonauts. The artist is Jacopo del Sellaio and he created the painting in 1465. The painting illustrates Jason retrieving the Golden Fleece on his horse consulting with Hercules and Orpheus. The Golden Fleece was guarded as Orpheus tries to make the dragon sleep.

One Baroque artwork that stood out to me was the painting made in 1632 named Robert Rich, Second Earl of Warwick. Anthony Van Dyck, made this painting with oil canvas of a Puritan sailor of fortune who dressed like a Aristocrat.

These exceptionally well done artworks highlight the differences between Renaissance and Baroque art. Renaissance art, born in Italy, contained the themes of philosophical and theological, where in the painting, Hercules and Orpheus were present. Hercules is a Roman god and hero as Orpheus is a hero with superhuman music skills. The painting also told a story and acquired knowledge. Baroque art focuses on a religious motif and insists of emotion and movement and in the oil canvas, the Puritan sailor can be seen with a smile on his face and focusing his body weight on one leg more than the other, standing with a specific position. Artwork in the Baroque era was also influenced by the Roman Catholic Church, the divide between Protestants and Roman Catholics, and religion ties into who the artwork was about, which was Robert Rich. The Baroque artwork has more emotion than the Renaissance one and there is more of a stillness in the way Robert Rich was painted than of those in the other painting.

What is art to you

For me art is a reflections of ones feeling conveying an important historical moment for that person. All throughout history you can see leaders, kings, and other political figures have been glorified after victories. Using marble, bronze, paintings, and architecture these leaders were recreated displaying honor, leadership, wisdom, and strictness.
But in our current times I believe art shifted from displaying people in position of power and to self expression. Everyday people expression themselves through music, drawing, and painting for just the simple reason of self expression. I personally turn to music everyday to make my day better and smoother. I want to be able to take knowledge of important figures and the arts created to represent them pre Renaissance period.