Non Western Blog: Middle Kingdom Art in Ancient Egypt

I have always been fascinated with Ancient Egyptian culture and history. When I was a child I had the opportunity to see the King Tut exhibit at the Field Museum of Natural History in Chicago. I was able to see his mummy as well as many pieces of beautiful artwork from his tomb; an experience I’ll never forget. That is why I chose to do this exhibit on art from Egypt, but I picked an older time period so that I could explore art I haven’t seen before. From what I’ve gathered, art improved tremendously between the Middle Kingdom and New Kingdom in Egypt.

Statuette of a Hippopotamus Meir, Egypt  1981–1885 B.C.

I am amazed at the sophistication of artwork from the Middle Kingdom Dynasty in Egypt (2030 – 1640 B.C.) This hippopotamus has astonishingly survived over a thousand years and still maintains this electric shade of blue, as well as the painted river plants on its exterior. With the Nile River being of such importance to the ancient Egyptians, the hippopotamus posed a great threat to the people. Hippos could capsize fishing boats and rafts. They were also believed to be a threat to travelers in the afterlife. Thus, this statue was found with 3 of its legs broken off, in hopes of protecting the deceased from encounters with the beast. I think the detail that can be seen in the toes and face of the statue are noteworthy, as well as the river plant decoration.

Cosmetic Jar in the Form of a Cat, Egypt 1991–1783 B.C.

Most people know the high status felines held within Egyptian culture, but this piece of art really demonstrates just how important cats were at the time. This is a jar that would have likely held some type of scented oil. The attention to detail is amazing for this being as old as it is. You can see the different muscles outlined in the shoulder and hind leg. The cat depicted seems fit and agile, as well as brave and alert. It appears to be ready to hunt or pounce at any minute. The eyes are amazing to me; they are formed of rock crystal and were injected with pigment to form the green glow. They were also outlined with copper that corroded leaving the dark outline seen in this picture. It seems that Egyptians always paid special attention to eyes; if you picture an Egyptian coffin, the eyes are one of the first things that comes to mind.

Fish, Lisht North, Egypt  1981–1640 B.C.

Necklaces with charms like this were given to young girls in ancient Egypt to help avert drowning. It is believed that the charm allowed the wearer to acquire the abilities of a fish if she were to fall into the water. This particular charm was made of gold and a mineral called beryl. I like the simplicity of the charm, because it seems that its main purpose was to defend the wearer rather than “wow” a crowd. I am impressed that jewelers of the time were able to work with such small, delicate pieces of gold and find stones to fit their desired shapes. This reminds me of Pandora charms available today, or something you could buy on a necklace in Florida; it’s simple but beautiful.

Senwosret III Hierakonpolis, Egypt  1836–1818

Senwosret III ruled during a time of great prosperity in Ancient Egypt. Here he is depicted in traditional royal attire: the head cloth with a cobra in the middle, and a pleated kilt. This particular king had a very different and recognizable face that can be seen in all his sculptures. He has heavy eye lids and worn cheeks with small lips. This look is much softer than the typical king was generally depicted, which may or may not have been to represent his humanity and virtuous qualities. In my opinion, it did make the king appear wiser and more approachable in comparison with the typical harsh, youthful, all-ruling king face. I think the attention to detail in the face of Senwosret’s sculptures is remarkable. Sculptors were able to set him apart from the rest of the kings and archaeologists and historians always know when he is depicted in a sculpture.

Works Cited

“Exhibitions: Egypt Reborn: Art for Eternity.” Brooklyn Museum: Egypt Reborn: Art for Eternity. N.p., n.d. Web. 06 Aug. 2014. <http://www.brooklynmuseum.org/exhibitions/egypt_reborn/senwosret_iii.php>.

“Heilbrunn Timeline of Art History.” Twelfth Dynasty of Egypt in the Middle Kingdom. N.p., n.d. Web. 06 Aug. 2014. <http://www.metmuseum.org/toah/hi/hi_egypt26.htm>.

Post Modern 3D Street Art

 

Kurt Wenner Dunkin Donuts Promotion, Boston, Massachusetts, 2006

Kurt Wenner was born in Ann Arbor, Michigan and did his first commissioned mural at age sixteen. Wenner uses a technique known as anamorphosis to create his artwork. At one point in time he was employed by NASA as an artist to create conceptual drawings. This piece is clearly a promotion for Dunkin Donuts, and a very good one I must say. If I saw this smoothie on a hot day I’d definitely want one. The 3D effects simply amaze me and I am so impressed with this style of art.

Edgar Mueller Mysterious Cave in Germany Geldern, Germany 2008

Edgar Mueller was born in Germany and began painting as a child. Mueller makes a living traveling around Europe performing his street art. Mueller tends to do his street paintings over large public areas. This one in particular, is part of Mueller’s  The Cave series. It depicts a cave that was discovered in the German village Geldern.  In the cave, something causes the lake to glow intense green, even more intense than what is depicted here. I love this image because of the technicality of the 3D art, and the mystery of the cave. It makes you wonder what causes the green glow. I would love to see this cave in person someday.

Edgar Mueller Ptuj, Slovenia Slovenia, 2009

This piece of street art is also part of Mueller’s The Cave series. This one depicts a cave similar to the cave discovered in Geldern, with the same eerie green glow from within. Mueller must have really found these caves fascinating, he drew three in total.  I love the green glow of this image as well; again, it is filled with mystery and wonder; not to mention the awesome 3D effect. Looking at this you almost forget that you’re not actually looking in a cave, but instead at a street.

 

Nikolaj Arndt Orca 2007

Nikolaj Arndt was born in 1975 in Russia. Once in college, Arndt had the opportunity to pursue his passion for painting. He has been participating in street art festivals since 2009. I love that many of his works of art depict animals because I too have a love for animals. I especially love whales and dolphins so when I saw this I fell in love with it. I am just in awe at his ability to make it appear that the whale is actually jumping out of the “water” onto the sidewalk.

Nikolaj Arndt Alligator Den 2002

Although this image isn’t technically “street art” it’s the same concept; 3D art drawn on the ground. I actually find this drawing someone neater because it is inside a home. All the other pieces are eventually destroyed by whether, while this one should last for quite a while. Also, who doesn’t want an alligator den in their living room? He again uses amazing 3D technique here and his attention to detail is astonishing.

Nikolaj Arndt Running Horse 2006

I love almost all of Arndt’s works, but this is another of my favorites. Mainly because I love and miss my horses so much! I think he did a fantastic job drawing the horse coming from the sidewalk. He even managed to perfect the horse’s emotion and the shine of his coat. The owl is also a nice touch. I like that even though he could have simply drawn the horse and had all the viewers intrigued, he continued to go into depth with the background.

 

Works Cited

“3D Pavement Illusions By Kurt Wenner.” Bored Panda RSS. N.p., n.d. Web. 04 Aug. 2014. <http://www.boredpanda.com/3d-pavement-illusions-by-kurt-wenner/>

“Edgar Mueller [Project] Mysterious Cave in Germany.” Edgar Mueller [Project] Mysterious Cave in Germany. N.p., n.d. Web. 04 Aug. 2014. 

<http://www.metanamorph.com/index.php?site=project&cat_dir=The-Caves&proj=Mysterious-Cave-in-Germany>

“About.” Nikolaj Arndt. N.p., n.d. Web. 04 Aug. 2014. 

<http://nikolaj-arndt.com/about.php>

The Great Depression and Early Modern Art

The Great Depression was the period of economic decline that began in 1929 and lasted about 10 years. It is believed to have started as a result of the New York Stock Exchange crash on October 10, 1929. Many factors may have contributed to this crash, such as individuals playing the stock market, lack of regulation in the stock market, and banks financing bad loans. Regardless of what caused it, it was no doubt one of America’s most difficult times. 25-30% of the work force was unemployed during the depression, and people everywhere were hurting. Many families went without food, and had to leave their homes in search of new work.  The Great Depression is one of the topics that I remember most from my history classes because it was so impactful. It is not only impacting today, but it also influenced many artists of the time to depict and document the pain and hurt that was felt by such a great percentage of the country during this crisis. Through their art, artists hoped to inflict the emotions of despair and grief felt by many at the time. The Great Depression was the subject matter of many Regionalist painters during this time.  Regionalists wanted to depict the life of the working and middle class in a more realistic matter than abstraction art.

Mervin Jules- Dispossessed, America, 1938

Mervin Jules’ painting Dispossessed clearly depicts despair and hopelessness felt by victims of The Great Depression. The couple shown above has lost their home, and is surrounded by what few belongings they have left. Being old and out of work makes the couple shown even more vulnerable to the devastation caused by The Great Depression. In what appears to be a mirror, you can see the reflection of others suffering from the effects of the depression. This painting is particularly saddening because the viewer knows that this elderly couple will have an even more difficult time finding work because of their age. You can’t help but wonder what their outcome was; both have strong facial appearances and are looking forward in the distance. This gives the viewer a slight glimmer of optimism that these two are going to make it through this tough time.

Thomas Hart Benton- Prodigal Son, America, 1936

Benton’s piece Prodigal Son is another depressing depiction of The Great Depression and the damage it caused. Depicted in this painting is a man returning home after traveling for work during the depression. What he finds when he arrives is a house that is falling apart, a skeleton of a deceased cow, and unkempt yard. The desperation and horror can be seen and felt by looking at the man’s face. The pointy tips of the clouds even seem to add to the sting and pain that this image brings. Thomas Hart Benton was a regionalist painter of the time, but here in this painting, you can see some aspects of abstraction in the odd shapes and angles. The image seems to be off kilter and appears as though you’re looking through a convex lens, larger on the parameters and smaller in the center. I feel that this distortion almost takes away from the emotional impact that this image could potentially have. The odd proportions and bright colors make the painting seem almost cartoon-like and it is harder to take seriously.

Dorothea Lange- Migrant Mother, Nipomo California, 1936

Photography of this time was artistic and journalistic. Dorothea Lange’s photos of this mother are artistic in the poses and the strong bond shown between mother and child, as well as journalistic by documenting how damaging the Great Depression was to some families. Depicted in Migrant Mother is a mother of seven, who are hungry and homeless. The family had been surviving on frozen peas and dead birds. Lange’s photos capture one of many heart wrenching stories from this time period. Lange’s documentation of the camp and family are what drove the government to send food relief. The mother’s face in this photograph says it all; you see pain, worry, and despair, but you can also see hope, affinity, and strength. The woman’s emotion comes right through the image and is felt by the viewer. What a sad, but beautiful moment Lange managed to capture here.

http://www.valpo.edu/artmuseum/permanent/morgan/pg9.pdf

http://americanart.si.edu/collections/search/artwork/?id=12782

http://www.english.illinois.edu/maps/depression/about.htm

http://www.eyewitnesstohistory.com/migrantmother.htm

Impressions of Impressionism

Though Impressionism may have gotten off on the wrong foot in France, I really enjoyed it, just as France eventually did as well. In general, I find impressionism very appealing; especially the works by Claude Monet. Impressionist art was done relatively quickly, and in the moment, with fast, loose brush strokes of color that would blend together when viewed. Unlike a lot of previous artwork until this point, impressionist artwork did not depict historic events, heroes, or religious figures. Instead, impressionist art depicted pleasant moments in time and nature. Subjects of impressionism included nature, entertainment of the middle and upper class, and effects of light and weather. Some of the popular impressionist painters were Monet, Renoir, Pissarro, and Degas.

In contrast to impressionist art, was realist painting. This became very popular in France just before the dawn of impressionism. While similar to impressionism in the fact that realist paintings depicted realistic events and subject matter, they were very different in style. Realist paintings were obviously realistic; they would almost look like a photograph at first glance. This is very different from the impressionist paintings which were more abstract. Realist and impressionist paintings were also similar because neither style depicted heroes, kings, or theatrical events, however, realist artists chose to focus on the “ordinary” things in life, such as farming, chores, livestock, while impressionist artists tended to focus on not just ordinary, but the beautifully ordinary things in life, such as nature, city skylines, and ordinary people doing leisurely activities.  One clear difference between the two styles is the stroking method, which is much more subtle in realist paintings than impressionist. Some of the popular realist painters were Courbet, Bonheur, Manet, and Homer.

Claude Monet- Woman with a Parasol- Madame Monet and Her Son, 1875 Argenteuil

I love Monet’s work Woman with a Parasol. The colors he used are beautiful; the green and blue of the grass and sky with wisps of purple, pink, and yellow for flowers. I also love the angle, where it seems that the woman is either on a hill or Monet is lying on the ground to paint this. This angle not only makes the sky appear much larger, but it also leaves wonder as to what is on the other side of the hill. This painting gives me feelings of ease, pleasure, relaxation; it’s a breath of fresh air. Looking at this painting you can almost smell the flowers and feel the sun shining in the 70 degree weather with a cool breeze blowing across your skin. I feel that for this image to make this “impression”, it needs to have the impressionist style of light, loose strokes and colors that are not mixed, but appear to blend when viewed.   I think that if the same image were painted with realist style, the feelings evoked would be much different. The image would not be as light, it would be much harsher, and it seems that the lightness of this image is very important for invoking the appropriate emotions.

Rosa Bonheur- Plowing in the Nivernais 1849, Paris

The realist painting Plowing in the Nivernais is a clear depiction of the style that realist paintings had. The painting is life-like, depicting “ordinary” activities done by “ordinary” people. The painting is beautiful, but in a different way than Monet’s impressionist works. This image is beautiful to me because of the technicality of it; the precision, scale, proportion, and detail. This image does not evoke emotion like impressionist works, though this was not the intent behind this style of painting. Realist style was a reaction against Romanticism, which aimed to elicit emotions. This style is better at awakening the senses; I can almost feel the cool soil under my feet as well as smell that signature smell of livestock.

While I do appreciate both styles of painting, personally, the emotion provoked by an image is more influential than how visually correct it is. This is why I enjoyed impressionism works so much. A few more of my favorite impressionism pieces are shown below for your enjoyment. 🙂 

Claude Monet- The Cliff at Fecamp 1881, Normandy

I love the color of the water and sky in this painting. At first glance it looks like the perfect beach paradise, but if you look closely at the water, you can see his bold strokes of different colors. It amazes me how well they all blend to create beautiful ocean waves. This is another of Monet’s works that is just so light and airy; it feels like a weight is taken off your shoulders when you look at it.

Pierre-Auguste Renoir- Oarsmen at Chatou, 1879 France

Renoir’s work, Oarsmen at Chatou, is another impressionist painting that I enjoyed. Again, I love the use of color and strokes to make waves in the water. The seaside grass is beautiful to me with its hints of blue. I also love how laidback everyone seems to be, even the woman in a gown. This brings back memories of relaxed summer days in the sunshine out on the lake with friends, without a care in the world.

http://www.nga.gov/content/ngaweb/Collection/art-object-page.61379.html

http://smarthistory.khanacademy.org/impressionism-france.html?searched=impressionism&highlight=ajaxSearch_highlight+ajaxSearch_highlight1

http://www.impressionism.org/salon/salonIndex.html

https://www.nga.gov/collection/gallery/gg86/gg86-39759.html

 

Morality of the Classical Era Depicted Through Art

The first half of the Classical Era was known for having Rococo style artwork. Rococo style art was very light and lavish, often depicting leisurely activities. Later on in the era, thanks to the Enlightenment, people began to question the moral content in art which resulted in the neoclassical style of art taking over. The neoclassical style was anti-Rococo, and often inspired by the ancient Greeks and Romans who were thought to have been more virtuous.  Neoclassical artwork often depicted moral virtue, patriotic self-sacrifice, goodly deeds, and Roman ideals.

 

Angelica Kauffmann – Cornelia, Mother of the Gracchi, Pointing to her Children as Her Treasures, Circa, 1785.

Kauffman’s piece Cornelia, Mother of the Gracchi, Pointing to her Children as Her Treasures is representative of morals and ideals during the Classical Era in several ways. This image depicts Cornelia, Roman mother of Tiberius and Gaius Gracchus, in white, with her children and their visitor in red. The woman in red is showing Cornelia her “treasures” which consist of pearls, gems, rings, and other materialistic things. When the woman asks Cornelia what treasures she has, Cornelia points to her children as her treasures. This painting represents moral virtue in a couple ways. One way this painting represents morality is that the mother is depicting an ancient Roman, who were thought of as quite righteous at the time. She is wearing white to represent her purity. Also, Cornelia’s most precious treasure is not material, which shows a great reason and intellect. It was this capacity to reason that brought about the shift in moral values of the time. This is a lovely depiction of motherly sentiment and bond for her children. I love how lighthearted the children and Cornelia seem to be.

Jacques-Louis David- The Oath of the Horatii, Rome, 1785

The above painting by Jacques-Louis David depicts morality of the Classical Era in several ways. Similar to Kauffmann’s work, this painting also has Greek and Roman influence as shown by the attire of the Horatii brothers. These brothers are reaching for their swords while taking an oath that they are willing to give their lives for their country. As the story goes, the Horatii sister was married to one of the men from the other side, a Curiatii. When the lone surviving brother returned, she was upset that he had killed her husband. In response to this, the brother killed his sister because she was behaving selfishly by putting herself before her country. This image overall suggests that rationalism, character, heroism, patriotism, and self-sacrifice are all values that should be admired and practiced. This image is inspirational and sad at the same time with the 3 warriors leaving their 3 women and children behind. The strength of the warriors is beautifully presented.

Jacques-Louis David- The Death of Socrates, Paris, 1787

The Death of Socrates is one of my favorite paintings from the classical era. Similar to the other two paintings, this image also uses ancient Greece to suggest virtue. Socrates, an Athenian philosopher, is representative of moral reasoning and intelligence. The Athenian government didn’t like Socrates’ teaching methods so Socrates was forced to choose between exile and death.  Socrates chose death by Hemlock poisoning. The image depicts his grief-stricken friends by his side as the executioner shamefully hands Socrates his poison. What is inspiring about this image is that Socrates is still teaching and demonstrating his ideals even in the face of death.  Socrates is choosing to sacrifice himself before he will sacrifice his beliefs; a virtue we should all strive for. I particularly enjoy Socrates’ enthusiasm for his ideals as it is represented in this image.

 

Hackett, Lewis. “The Age of Enlightenment.” The Age of Enlightenment. History World International, n.d. Web. 02 July 2014.<http://history-world.org/age_of_enlightenment.htm>.

“The Death of Socrates – Jacques-Louis David.” The Neoclassicism and French Revolution. N.p., n.d. Web. 03 July 2014. <http://www.bc.edu/bc_org/avp/cas/his/CoreArt/art/neocl_dav_soc.html>.

Martin, Dana. “Kauffmann’s Cornelia Presenting Her Children as Her Treasures.” – Smarthistory. Khan Academy, n.d. Web. 02 July 2014. <http://smarthistory.khanacademy.org/kauffmanns-cornelia-presenting-her-children-as-her-treasures.html>.

“What in the World…”: Cornelia, Mother of the Gracchi, Pointing to Her Children as Her Treasures, Angelica Kauffman, circa 1785. N.p., n.d. Web. 03 July 2014. <http://uncgartgrads.blogspot.com/2008/04/cornelia-mother-of-gracchi-pointing-to.html>.

 

The Council of Trent’s Influence on Caravaggio’s The Crucifixion of Saint Peter

 

 

The Crucifixion of Saint Peter–  Michelangelo Merisi da Caravaggio, (1600 – 1601) Cerasi Chapel, Santa Maria del Popola, Rome

 

The Council of Trent was a council for the Catholic Church with the goal of countering the Protestant Reformation. Eventually, the council was able to come up with several ways to counter the Protestant Reformation and restore faith in the Catholic Church. One of the methods they conjured for restoring faith was through art.

The Catholic Church embraced the religious power of art at nearly the same level as written or spoken word. This is because art was accessible, and could be understood by anyone, even those that lacked an education. The Council decided that religious art should be clear, persuasive, and powerful. It should be moving to the viewer and inspire emotion. Clear, powerful religious art could do two important things at the time: 1) educate the viewer and help them visualize the Church’s teachings, and 2) emotionally inspire feelings that make the viewer feel stronger connection with their faith and the Church.

Even a person who lacks a strong religious background could nearly figure out what’s being depicted in Caravaggio’s The Crucifixion of Saint Peter because it is a very direct and clear representation. Saint Peter was one of Jesus Christ’s 12 Apostles. Under Emperor Nero Augustus Caesar of Rome, Saint Peter was crucified. Saint Peter chose to be crucified upside down because he didn’t believe he was worthy to die the same way that Jesus Christ died.

 Caravaggio’s artwork was clearly influenced by The Council of Trent. For one thing, the image is very straight forward, and doesn’t require a lot of background knowledge. The image lacks complex symbols and features previously seen in mannerist work. Caravaggio also utilizes light contrast in his image to highlight main features and create dramatic effect. The light is shining on Saint Peter who is facing upward, while the three Romans are in the shadows looking down. This was a visual way of clearly depicting the good vs. evil in this image, and possibly foreshadowing which individuals will be going to heaven or hell. It is clear that the three men are struggling to carry Saint Peter; this is symbolic for the heavy weight of their crime. Just as the Council wished, this image does make the viewer feel strong emotion. The viewer feels sympathy for Saint Peter, and anger toward the Romans. The way the light shines on Saint Peter makes the viewer feel secure about Saint Peter’s fate, despite the terrible crime being committed.

 Although this is a rather gloom image, I am impressed with Caravaggio’s ability to retell the story through his art. His use of color impresses me as well; he uses hardly any color except for the red clothing draped over one of the Roman’s shoulders. I feel that this dramatic red is representative of blood, death and evil. However, it is Caravaggio’s use of contrasting light is what really makes this image astounding. To be able to say so much just by the placement of light is remarkable. Caravaggio did an excellent job inspiring my emotions as I looked at this image. This image evokes hope, resentment, pain, despair, and makes the viewer see the love between Saint Peter and God.

Camara, Esperança. “The Baroque:Art, Politics & Religion in 17th-century Europe.” 1600-1700: The Baroque: Art, Politics & Religion in 17th-century Europe. N.p., n.d. Web. 21 June 2014. <http://smarthistory.khanacademy.org/1600-1700-the-Baroque.html?searched=Baroque&highlight=ajaxSearch_highlight+ajaxSearch_highlight1>.

McGinness, Frederick. “Council of Trent by Frederick McGinness.”Council of Trent. N.p., n.d. Web. 21 June 2014. <http://www.oxfordbibliographies.com/view/document/obo-9780195399301/obo-9780195399301-0191.xml>.

McKay, Brett. “The Basics of Art: The Baroque Period.” The Art of Manliness. N.p., 18 Oct. 2010. Web. 19 June 2014. <http://www.artofmanliness.com/2010/10/18/the-basics-of-art-the-baroque-period/>.

“Saint Peter.” Wikipedia. Wikimedia Foundation, 21 June 2014. Web. 21 June 2014. <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint_Peter>.

Zucker, Steven, and Beth Harris. “1500-1600 End of the Renaissance and the Reformation.” – Smarthistory. N.p., n.d. Web. 21 June 2014. <http://smarthistory.khanacademy.org/1500-1600-End-of-the-Renaissance-and-the-Reformation.html?searched=Council+Trent&highlight=ajaxSearch_highlight+ajaxSearch_highlight1+ajaxSearch_highlight2>.

Humanistic Influence in Raphael’s The School of Athens

The School of Athens – Raffaello Sanzio (1509-1510) Apostolic Palace, Vatican City

 

One of Raphael’s masterpieces, The School of Athens, is an ideal representation of humanistic influence on art during the Renaissance. This piece is one of four Raphael paintings that cover the walls of the Stanze della Segnatura in the Palace of the Vatican. At first glance, and even just by reading the title of the piece, it is clear that education is a major theme. Humanism during the Renaissance included a shift toward individual worth, potential, and scholarly pursuits. In a sense, the driving force behind this movement was the rebirth of work by ancient Greek and Roman scholars.

In light of this rise in appreciation for the antiquities, this piece of art is filled with numerous references and symbols relating to great minds of the past and present. In the center of the piece are Plato and Aristotle. Plato is on the left wearing a red and gray robe and Aristotle is on the right in a blue and brown robe.  A close look will reveal that Plato is pointing toward the sky; this is symbolic of Plato’s curiosity in abstract knowledge. Next to him, Aristotle is holding his hand out over the ground in representation of his interest in concrete science.

All the figures in the painting are representations of important figures in education and advancement. Pythagoras can be seen in the front left seated with a red and white robe. In a red robe on the right side is Euclid; he is bent over teaching a small group of people.  Even Raphael’s attention to detail is representative of the humanism of the day. On the left side with Plato he includes the intellectual thinkers who were similar to Plato, and on the right with Aristotle he includes the great thinkers of tangible sciences.  Another humanistic idea was that man had “unlimited potential” and that “education stimulated the creative powers of the individual” (Humanism in the Renaissance). This painting is very symbolic of this potential that education can provide an individual.

The attention to detail in this piece is astounding. Apart from the scholars included in the image, Raphael does amazing work with the structure of the building the scholars are depicted in. He was able to effortlessly make the 2 dimensional surface appear 3 dimensional. In addition to promoting creativity of the mind via the subject of the painting, he also inspires the viewer to really think about the piece. Raphael did not leave any key or identification chart for the figures depicted in the painting. Thus, he leaves the viewer responsible for determining who each person is, and expects anyone who can view the painting to have enough education to do so.

Works Cited

“AP Test Prep: Humanism in the Renaissance.” AP Tests: AP Test Prep: Humanism in the Rennaissance. Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, n.d. Web. 08 June 2014. <http://www.cliffsnotes.com/test-prep/ap-tests/ap-test-prep-humanism-in-the-rennaissance>

 

Kreis, Steven. “Renaissance Humanism.” Renaissance Humanism. N.p., n.d. Web. 08 June 2014. <http://www.historyguide.org/intellect/humanism.html>

 

“Raffaello Sanzio Biography.” Web Gallery of Art. N.p., n.d. Web. 11 June 2014. <http://www.wga.hu/frames-e.html?/bio/r/raphael/biograph.html>

 

Raphael’s School of Athens. Perf. Dr. Steven Zucker and Dr. Beth Harris. School of Athens. N.p., n.d. Web. 11 June 2014. <http://smarthistory.khanacademy.org/school-of-athens.html>

All About Me

Hello, my name is Lauren Gravatt. I am currently enrolled at University of Alaska, Fairbanks working on my B.S. in Biology. When I’m not in school, I work as a Veterinary Assistant. My husband and I moved to Alaska a year ago, and really love living here so far. My hobbies include riding/showing horses, snowboarding, fishing, gardening, and playing with our two young dogs. After graduation I plan to become a Licensed Veterinary Technician and possibly pursue a nursing degree.

When I was younger I used to draw in my free time and play the flute. Though I no longer actively participate in music, art or theater, I still appreciate all of the above; especially music. I love all kinds of music from country, to R&B, rap, pop, piano, oldies, rock, alternative, etc. Many people might disagree, but I think that rap/hip-hop music is one of the most intellectual art forms because the lyrics are often extremely creative with a good storyline. I’ve seen several plays including The Lion King on Broadway, and Wicked the Musical; I thoroughly enjoyed both and would love the opportunity to see them again. I’ve also been to a few concerts and enjoyed those very much as well.

Here is a link to the Wicked official page, I would recommend this musical to anyone with the opportunity to see it. http://www.wickedthemusical.com/broadway-tickets