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SJSACCOMEN
Its a shame so much art was destroyed. Would have been kind of neat to see what was just too offensive to keep, even if it were just in defiance of the second commandment.Early Jewish and Christian artists assimilated imagery and forms from Roman culture and gave them new meanings. This process, something that we have seen throughout this semester, is a type of syncretism, or the blending of cultures and ideas from different places. Reflect on how this manifests in the artwork we looked at this week?
It’s interesting to see the syncretism between roman and this Christian art. Despite their varying beliefs, the art we looked at this week carries an abundant amount of Roman influence. The architecture is the most obvious, OLD SAINT PETER’S BASILICA displays the pillars of Roman time nicely. Additionally, the sculpture has a Romanesque flair. THE GOOD SHEPHERD, in particular, is dressed in attire reminiscent of Roman time.
Laura-
Totally agree that some of the other humans could be interpreted as idols. SO much of these images were meant for storytelling though, so I suppose with a back story, that interpretation would be eliminated or at least reduced.The Second Commandment warns against the creation of images that could be used as false idols. “Do not have any other gods before Me. Do not represent [such] gods by any carved statue or picture of anything in the heaven above, on the earth below, or in the water below the land. Do not bow down to [such gods] or worship them. I am God your Lord, a God who demands exclusive worship.’ (Exodus 20:3-6) How does art in early Jewish and Christian art reflect or circumvent this?
It appears they did pretty well to adhere to this idea. With the examples in the wing, I’m hard pressed to find a representation of their God. SYNAGOGUE AT DURA-EUROPOS does illustrate stories of the bible (I think they are in the bible), but there aren’t any second commandment rules being broken. ZODIAC MOSAIC AT THE BEIT ALPHA SYNAGOGUE shows the hand of God, but I think that’s acceptable. It seems that much of their art was for storytelling rituals and reminders to be “moral”, which I suppose could be looked at as a means to serve God even more so. It all honestly kind of gives me the creeps. It very much supports self-suppression in the name of maintaining control.
Laura-
Your cookie dough Venus of Willendorf is fantastic. It made me laugh & she looks delicious. Nice work & way to use food as a medium!The Roman Empire ended nearly 2000 years ago but traces of it are all around us today. How do you see the influence of Roman art and culture in contemporary global society?
There are many influences from the Roman Empire that are apparent today. Sports stadiums, one of the most notable, with their oval design and staggered upward seating. This design was actually established by the Romans. We can see an example of this in the Colosseum and many other amphitheaters. Additionally, the Colosseum is made of concrete, a material widely used today. The Roman aqueduct of Pont du Gard displays a series of arches. The Romans began the use of arches architecturally. This idea is still widely used for strength and design. We see it in our modern society everywhere we turn. As a society we continue to fashion our sculptures after achievements and achievers, something the Romans also began doing, rather than of gods, though we honestly still do that also.
Kaitlyn-
Excellent examples of the propaganda used during the roman time. The Augustus of Primaporta is a great representation.Much of the art that we have seen this semester was made (or later appropriated) for propagandistic purposes. How do you see this coming in to play with Roman art and architecture?
Often times roman art depicted everyday life alongside mythological ideas. We see this especially on the murals and architectural designs of the leaders. We see this in the arch of Titus, which depicts great gifts of Jerusalem being brought to him. This gives the public the impression that they are not only politically entitled to their position, but also spiritually. This type of art has a way of morphing the public’s minds, not much different than the propaganda utilized today.
https://docs.google.com/presentation/d/1HtDrB-OKC2_f4otZcAAgdRZ67dOr2BPU_7kDAX0m6Hg/edit?usp=sharing
https://docs.google.com/document/d/1QweyhHY14-4hqjx2CEHjWsyOY3fJD6m7Pf2aTQ7afc4/edit?usp=sharingI painted one of the bulls from the caves of Lascaux, using acrylic on canvas. Above are the links to my slide show and paper.
SARCOPHAGUS OF LARTH TETNIES AND THANCHVIL TARNAI along with CERVETERI SARCOPHAGUS both show male/female couples. Though it is simply a representation of the living couples, I cant help but to have this idea of value placed on women in regards to the Etruscan art. They seem to show women by their side, rather than at their feet as servants.
Additionally, CAPITOLINE SHE-WOLF depicts a female form of power. Though animalistic and viewed as nervous and slightly malnourished she is still providing the nourishment needed for Romulus and Remus. It is an understanding and a great show of the role of a woman.
Also, knowing that women commissioned art, shows us that the culture was a step ahead in recognizing a woman’s ability and worth. This differs from the other cultures that we’ve looked at, where women were merely a fixture.
