A basic history of western art

Art History

What conclusions can you draw about the social, political, economic and aesthetic values of the 3 cultures (Prehistoric, Ancient, Egyptian) if all you had was their art on which to base your interpretation?

With prehistoric art, circa 30,000 years ago, by looking at the cave paintings found in southern France and northern Spain, particularly at Altamira and Lascaux, it is clear that the art had special meaning. Socially, artifacts found in these caves suggest they were gathering places where the social bond was reaffirmed and strengthened. Aesthetically, the paintings found in these caves suggest that the artists celebrated some type of religious or pagan rites, probably most closely linked to hunting and food gathering. With ancient art, circa 6000 B.C.E., the best example is Stonehenge, a megalithic monument in England. Because its orientation is clearly related to the movement of the sun, Stonehenge may have served as a social or political gathering place where ancient astronomers could track a number of heavenly events. Some anthropologist suggests that this site was important for major public ceremonies, such as planting or harvest rituals linked to the economy of the people who designed and built Stonehenge.

With Egyptian art, many examples express all aspects of this ancient society, being social, political, economic and aesthetic values. The prime example is the Palette of Narmer (ca. 3150 B.C.E), a slate slab carved in low relief on both sides with scenes and identifying inscriptions. For example, with King Narmer as the central figure, these scenes proclaim the king as the great unifier, protector and leader of his people. Politically, Narmer is the king of Egypt and rules with a firm but understanding hand; economically, Narmer controls all of the daily functions of Egyptian society, especially those related to farming and agriculture; aesthetically, this palette uses pictographs and symbols as a way of expressing the important role of art in not only the lives of the ancient Egyptian artisans but also the people themselves.

QUESTION #2: What evidence is there in Greek art forms that show a belief in idealism as well as in the importance of humankind and nature?

During the Classical Period of ancient Greece, two important pieces of sculpture were created, namely, Nike Fastening Her Sandal (ca. 410 B.C.E. And once part of the parapet of the Temple of Athena Nike) and the Doryphoros (ca. 450 B.C.E.) by Polykleitos, both of which express the Greek trait for idealism and their love for beauty and naturalness. The first piece symbolizes the classical perfection of the human form, especially through the supple beauty of the body of Nike which is an idealized form of true womanhood. This piece also expresses the importance of nature in sculpture, for Nike is draped in fabric in such a way that it reminds the viewer of being drenched in water. The second piece, with its mighty body, broad shoulders, thick torso and muscular limbs, stands as the embodiment of the Spartan ideal of the warrior physique. Yet this piece of sculpture does not truly represent the human body as it appears in reality, for its details are somewhat ambiguous and smooth. As a symbol of nature, the Doryphoros shows man in all his natural beauty as an idealized youth with physical power and animal magnetism.

QUESTION #3: Describe Etruscan murals and tombs. How do the wall paintings compare and contrast with Roman, Minoan, Egyptian and Greek wall painting?

The most common Etruscan tomb type is the tumulus, a round structure partially excavated and covered with soil. The interiors of these tombs are generally rectangular and reproduce the rooms of domestic homes. A striking example is the Tomb of the Reliefs (5th century B.C.E.), a large underground chamber with massive capitals supporting a slanting and beamed ceiling. In tombs like this and in many others, the walls were usually covered with paintings in the form of murals, mostly drawn from Greek legends. Most of the time, these murals provide scenes of banquets, feasts and revelry, such as in the Tomb of the Leopards in Tarquinia, Italy. This tomb is decorated with a banquet scene and groups of dancers and musicians. These wall paintings are similar yet different from those of other ancient societies, for in ancient Roman, the murals were more focused on the family and familial ancestry; Minoan murals also express the daily lives of the Minoans, celebrating at banquets, sporting events and religious ceremonies; Egyptian murals, however, usually expressed religious activities, especially those of the gods and goddesses, such as Osiris and Isis, and with Greek murals, those of the Etruscans are very similar in theme and execution, yet are sometimes more architecturally dominant.

QUESTION #4: How and why did Early Christian sculpture differ from the Roman sculptural style of depicting man?

As to the form of man in Early Christian sculpture, there occurred a shift from Greco-Roman naturalism to a style that incorporated religious symbolism and themes as found in the Holy Bible and in the teachings of Jesus Christ. One prime example is the Good Shepherd Sarcophagus (3rd century a.D.). As compared to Roman sculptures of man, this object, rather than having a pagan theme, depicts man as a symbol of redemption through the blood of Christ. Also, Early Christian sculptural images of man are not as stylized nor as realistic as those of ancient Rome, a trait which carried over to the Medieval Period, especially when images of man were used as pictures to educate the uneducated on the mysteries of faith and the theme of God as all-powerful and divine.

QUESTION #5: How did Charlemagne influence art, architecture and education?

Charlemagne was a great admirer of learning and the arts and often invited to his court at Aachen the best minds and the finest artisans of western Europe and the Byzantine East. In painting, Charlemagne was most influential in his patronage of illustrators and designers for such works as the Coronation Gospels and the Gospel book of St. Matthews which contained much sophisticated realism. In architecture, Charlemagne re-established the Imperial past and encouraged the revival of Roman building techniques which set the stage for Medieval artistic designs. In education, Charlemagne and the scholars under his patronage imported whole libraries from Italy and Byzantium and encouraged every person in his realm to read and write, particularly the Holy Bible and the scholarly writings of religious leaders, such as St. Augustine.