Luxurious forms redefining Mediterranean international style, 1400–1200 BCE

Art

Luxurious Forms

In Marian H. Feldman's article, "Luxurious Forms: Redefining a Mediterranean 'International Style,' 1400-1200 BCE," the author makes the argument that during the Bronze Age, many Mediterranean civilizations created luxury items that resembled each other, and so displayed an "International Style" because of interaction and trade between the civilizations of the time. She attempts to break down and clearly define this International Style by conducting extensive research into a variety of artifacts from the region and the time. She concentrates on an ancient civilization called Ugarit.

Ultimately, instead of attempting to find out where objects originated and who made them, Feldman is more interested in "why" they made them and what their iconic meanings might be. To go even further, she attempts to define the "cultural styles" of pieces, rather than a specific maker or workshop style. All of this is different because most art historians are concerned with who made a piece and where it probably originated, while Feldman is more interested in the style of the piece and why it was formed and decorated the way it was. Thus, her study is unique from many others.

While Feldman acknowledges there has been a definition of International Style before, she delves more deeply into what makes up an International Style and how it occurs. Her study of Ugarit looks at a number of pieces, compares them with other known examples throughout the region, and indicates there is indeed an International Style that permeates pieces of the time.

At times, the author makes her points quite clearly. For example, early in the article she writes, "In other words, people/society and material objects validate each other through processes of exchange and possession" (Feldman, pg. 3). She makes it clear artistic works are a result of culture, negotiation, and a variety of factors, and that prestigious artifacts give hints to culture, politics, and tradition. The Kingdome of Ugarit was a wealthy kingdom busy with trade and economically healthy, and so it suits her study of International Style well, because the items used for trade, the economy, and the location all worked together to give her a major sense of style and production for the area.

All of the items she assessed were obviously important items that were expensive and precious at the time. She found them in a palace, which indicates how rich the royalty were and that they prized symbols of their power and wealth. She also paints an interesting portrait of the area of the time, and how trade flourished throughout the region. Trade was one of the most important aspects of society, and her information shows how society revolved on trade, and how much wealth circulated throughout the region. The countries managed to get along politically, which is interesting, since the region today is so far removed from that. It is also interesting to speculate how these wealthy locations spiraled downward into the Middle East today, which is largely poor and based on oil, rather than flourishing trade and political relationships.

It is also interesting that the author is less concerned with chronology and more concerned with general spans of time. Most historians are quite fond of dates and eras, while Feldman is concerned with the objects, their ultimate purpose, and what they say about the culture as a whole, above all else. As with many cultures, symbolism is highly important in much of the Ugarit artworks, and the descriptions of the many figurines showed religious and cultural overtones. It was interesting that ivory was such a prevalent medium for the work, and indicates the detail of the work and the craftspeople, because ivory is a relatively soft medium and can be broken or chipped if it is not crafted with care.

Throughout the article, the idea of "International Style" comes through as the author uses illustrations of Ugarit works with those of other cultures. She proves her point by doing this, and makes the article a bit more interesting, too. It seems many items may have been created in one place, and spread out throughout the country, which also backs up Feldman's theory of "International Style." Ultimately, her assessment shows that the items created during this time throughout the Mediterranean had many commonalities, and it seems that they are telling a story of cohesiveness rather than diversity. Each civilization was different, but shared more commonalities than we might think today. It shows that people are more alike than different, and art can transcend differences to unite cultures in harmony and beauty.