I love Egyptian art

MY favorite era of art is the Egyptian art. I think that information that we are still learning from the hieroglyphs and the mathematical formulas used to create the human form are extremely interesting. As a girl my father and I would share time together reading the national geographic magazines and I gained a love for Egyptian hieroglyphs. It is very intriguing that we are able to read this complex language and I think that the Rosetta stone which is a tablet not covered by art but rather containing the writing of three languages is one of the greatest discoveries of Egyptology history. It is these three languages on a granodrorite stele they include ancient Egyptian, demonic, and ancient Greek. Having been found at the location known as Rosetta this stone broke the language barrier in reading hieroglyphs.
The finding and opening of a pharaohs tomb untouched and forgotten has brought to light many great treasures. To my mind one of the most important of these is the golden mask of a king whom died at the beginning of the prime of his life. The death mask of Tutankhamen is breathtaking. Made from solid gold and painted to give realism to the headdress and facial features gives the viewer the experience of being watched. Perhaps it is not so far fetched that many believed that opening the tomb of this young pharaoh was releasing a curse. On the other hand it spoke of a great man not much more than a child who was loved beyond all to buried so well he became forgotten.
I have always been fascinated by the history of the pharaohs and the rituals that were taken so seriously to preserve the body. I find that the Egyptians ability to see beyond their current existence into the future of their lives after they are dead. It is too bad that we have forgotten how to see beyond the fabric of this existence. In a way it is their ability to express who they are in a written and visual form that so intrigues me. Over all I looked forward to this period in history and it did not disappoint.

Week 9 Punishment and Blessings

In the panel on the left we see the labor and sorrow of men after being expelled from the Garden of Eden. Adam labors in the field working diligently to bring in the food that will feed himself, his wife and children. While Eve labors to bring forth children while fulfilling the duties in their home. We see pain and hard labor for failing to heed the word of God. This is your punishment and we see the fear in the face upon the knocker handle. Eyes spread wide, ears alert and listening, jaws firmly shut and ready to run. We also see the angel of God who seems to bring comfort and offers hope.

In the second panel Mary and the infant Jesus are seated greeting the three kings. They have come to worship the child and offer gifts of gold, frankincense, and myrrh. We also see the star, which has lead them to the manger where he had been laid. The face of the knocker upon this door is very relaxed although he is paying rapt attention as his ears signify he is listening closely. His teeth are closed gently and you can tell he is at rest. This is a moment of pomp and circumstance our salvation is only through this child.

Each of these panels is very different and yet they speak of the same concept. If we listen and give our lives over to God we will be blessed. Each tells the story that God is a loving god and because he cares about us we are given a savior to save our immortal soul from damnation. Because we will never be good enough for God or heaven as we are humans and that means that we are born to sin and therefore damned to hell and damned to die. It speaks of the punishments that we can endure because we are descendants of Adam and Eve and they sinned so therefore we will sin in perpetuity.  

I feel as if I am on a religious tirade in this case the panels are very different hard labor and pain versus being worshipped and given gifts. There are the perils of sin on one side and the blessings of those whom believe in God on the other. The strange relief of the figures gives a sort of eerie effect on the human characters in the scenes making them seem to fall toward the viewer in this picture. And that could be just the effect of the way the photo was taken.  The knockers however are magnificent the faces are so realistic and yet so human and in a way they steal the show. Do you dare to enter here they seem to say. Now that you know what the penalties and blessings are will you live the life God planned for you? Well do you?

Week 8 Commodus and Caracalla

In the Bust of Commodus he is using the god Hercules to associate himself with the immortal gods. Therefore giving the appearance of being the logical choice for a ruler. Dressed in the lions skin he provokes a image of strength and power that is re-enforced by the youthful body and luscious curly hair but not by the stance of the body. The staff in his right hand speaks of a willingness to use force when necessary to preserve his position. While the fruit in his left hand symbolises an ability to provide for those in need yet no real desire to do so as the fruit is not offered to the viewer. The original support bespeaks the horns of plenty and support of the people.

The Bust of Caracalla is of a very stern looking man. A warrior or soldier whom has suffered  what appears to be a very nasty injury to his face. This piece was perhaps once part of a larger life size if not larger statue of this great leader. While portrayed as a man of more advanced years and perhaps greater experience this leader still has a youthful appearance. Perhaps this is belied by the closely shorn hair on the head and face. This face says that he has seen much and survived more. It stirs the heart of the people of the times perhaps having survived some great battle.

Each of these men used strong symbolism to evoke a central idea. Commodus by dressing himself as Hercules brought forth the idea that rulers were chosen by the gods and supported without question by the people. Caracalla on the other hand with his deformed stern face seems to say I am one of you, I have stood beside you and fought for the same cause we are brothers. Each is promoting the idea that the people deserve a great ruler like themselves.

We see the battle between youth and experience, power demanded and power earned. In Caracalla we find a warrior of a man who has had time to practice and hone his skills in the furnace of war thereby earning his powerful reputation. This gives the impression of his being a man whom can handle even the toughest situation while leading the people with a strong hand. In Commodus we find a man willing to go to great lengths to retain the power given to him and a not quite assured way of welding power. This youth seems uncomfortable in his stance from the way he hold out the fruit in his left hand to the club held like a scepter in his right. Like the great warrior he strives to emulate, Commodus comes off as uncomfortable with the responsibility that is his to bare.

I would say that for the average person if they did not know who's face they are gazing upon Caracalla would seem an average man of the people and go unnoticed if it were not for the war that this writer is presuming caused the disfigurement of his face. The viewer might be fooled into believing that the Bust was of a less important member of society. Commodus with his Bust full of symbolism, power, and strength lends a more royal and godly appearance. For this period of time none of the people would have wondered about the strength of this youth.

Week 7 Should the Parthenon Marbles be returned to Greece?

At first it would be easy to think that the Parthenon Marbles should be returned to Greece. As in every country cherishes its culture and the icons that represent it anyone could understand how the people of Greece feel about the loss of their cherished sculptures from the Parthenon. While there is the legal claim of sale of the Parthenon Marbles by Lord Elgin to the British government per the article Romancing The Stones, “. . . he was forced to sell to the British government in 1816 for £35,000 (roughly equivalent to $4 million today) to dig himself out of debt after his divorce.” The British Museum seems very reluctant to take the government of Greece for face value. Too many veiled threats and perhaps broken promises seems to cause the current proposal to fall short of gaining the day for the Greeks.

While on the table there is a tasty offer, return the Parthenon Marbles and gain a huge bounty in an ever changing store of Grecian wonders including a set of replacements to boot. The authors of these articles make is sound like a huge conspiracy by the Greece government, people, and representatives of museums are out to steal away forever their property. In reality this may be exactly what they plan to do and yet then why ask for a permanent loan of these most valuable works of art.

‘We had them first’ is an argument that is made it seems in half jest. Pushed aside by representatives of the government of Greece as unimportant and not an issue in their request while at the same time one can hear the loud protestation of ‘We have them now’ by the British Museum. In the concerns voiced by the curators for the safety of these valuable works we hear the spoke reasons to postpone a return to the Parthenon Marbles to their native soil. But this still begs who should have them to display? Should they stand by the remaining ruins where they were taken from or remain in their current berth? These questions can only be answered by a willingness to compromise on both sides and that seems a long time from happening at this time.

 Will fewer viewers see them if they are returned to Greece and replicas take their place or if Greece gets the replicas and they stay just where they are? No, but fewer people would get the chance to see some of the art that could be on display. Many museums have an overflow of art work some rarely spend time out of storage and it is sad that these pieces may not be available for all to see. I believe what we are really trying to decide is if the pieces that would possibly be on display at no charge for the people of the world to see in one of the most prestigious museums of the world is worth returning these priceless works to stand in relative safety on the same ground as the building they came from. There should be no issues with this legal contracts are created and signed all the time and both sides have some very smart lawyers so sit down and work it out. Either way consider the pros and prepare for the cons but return the Parthenon to its former glory and share the art with the world.  

http://www.thedailybeast.com/newsweek/2009/06/06/romancing-the-stones.html