Comparative analysis and contrast of key concepts

¶ … shield is oblong; almost a perfect oval shape except the top half is slightly narrower than the bottom half. There is a figure of a human in the center of shield that looks almost like a prophet of some sort because of the way the arms are held upward and to the side. It also looks like he is wearing a robe of some sort. The main colors of the piece are brown, black, gold, tan and dark orange. The central human figure takes up the majority of the shield. There are a lot of uneven lines going around the perimeter of the shield, and there are bunch of short lines grouped together at the bottom of the shield underneath where the human figure is standing. There is also a grouping of lines above the head of the figure, but not as many as are below. Most of the lines in the bottom part of the shield are curved lines, while the ones that are going up the sides of the shield are straight lines.

Analysis:

Lines play a significant role in this piece. The straighter lines going up the left and right side of the shield are in alignment with the shape of the sides of the piece. The curved lines at the top and the bottom are in alignment with the curved shape of these parts of the shield. This helps to create a sense of balance and symmetry even though the lines themselves are uneven. In regard to the different tones in the different areas of the shield, the darker (black) shapes are in perfect symmetry as they designate the right and left side of the robe worn by the human figure. The brighter, 'shinier' hues (gold and orange) are used to flank the main figure, helping the dark areas to 'pop'. The gold areas are must less solid and more wispy than the other tones, giving the shield a more majestic feeling than it would have if the gold had been left out of it. The form is a combination of open and closed because although the lines around the perimeter of the shield create a sense of enclosure of the human figure, at the same time they are broken lines, so there is a sense of openness as well. Overall, the piece is very solid and has a heavy volume.

Interpretation:

I believe that the artist is trying to show that a person can have power and be regal, but still can feel somewhat trapped by his responsibilities and duties to the people he rules. I have made this interpretation based on the manner in which the human figure appears to be dressed in royal robes and is holding his arms out as if to bask in his power, but he cannot spread his arms out completely because there are barriers blocking the way.

Piece 2: Mask

Description:

This is a bronze mask depicting a young male face. The eyes are hollow, which would allow the wearer of the mask to see, and there are holes in the nostrils and the mouth that would allow him to breathe. He is wearing an ornate crown and there is either rope or hair going across the top of the forehead and partially down the left and right sides of the face.

Analysis:

There is a variety of different patterns, particularly in the crown where the lines are thick and curved. The face appears to be perfectly symmetrical -- you could cut a straight line down the middle of it and easily match both sides together. Because of the holes in the mouth, nose and eyes, it has an open form. The shades of the skin seem to vary with the darker areas forming the sides and bottom of the face and the lighter areas highlighting the cheekbones and the protrusion of the chin.

Interpretation:

The face looks very intimidating; with the mouth turned down into a frown the overall expression on the face looks like that of a warrior. The hollowness of the eyes provides an eeriness to the mask that would likely be even eerier when a man's actual eyes were peering through them. It also appears as if the face is looking down on someone by the way the eyes are spread so wide and the way the face narrows at the bottom. This could be the artists way of trying to make the mask look even more intimidating, as if the person who is wearing it is somehow 'above' the person they are looking at.