art history

Buddha. Bamiyan, Afghanistan. Gandharan. c. 400–800 C.E. (destroyed in 2001). Cut rock with plaster and polychrome paint. Prior to their recent destruction, the 6th-7th century, rock-cut Buddha sculptures in the Bamiyan Valley of central Afghanistan were considered the largest in the world. Known collectively as the Bamiyan Buddhas, the two monumental sculptures have amazed both Buddhist and non-Buddhist visitors for more than a thousand years. Importance of the Buddhist faith and the Bamiyan Valley during this period. Bamiyan is located between the Indian subcontinent (to the southeast) and Central Asia (to the north), which made it an important location close to one of the most important branches of the Silk Route.  The Silk Route was an ancient series of linked trade routes that connected the East to the West and carried both material wealth and ideas. Bamiyan’s central location along the Silk Route, along with its fertile plains amid harsh terrain, made it an ideal ...

Veranda post of enthroned king and senior wife (Opo Ogoga). Olowe of Ise (Yoruba peoples). c. 1910–1914 C.E. Wood and pigment. vertical sculpture; structural posts of a palace porch; celebration of king's power; source of power; community exaggerated proportions; while the king is the focal point, his portrayal suggests a ruler's dependence on others. This veranda post is one of four sculpted for the palace at Ikere by the renowned Yoruba artist Olowe of Ise. It is considered among the artist's masterpieces; unique style, interrelationship of figures Olowe was a master of composition; surface ornamentation complements formal properties elaborate hairstyles, decorative patterning on the bodies, waist beads; details don't distract The pattern of the layer of beads around the queen’s wrist is reiterated in the beaded pattern on the crown.  Of the three veranda posts commissioned, this one—the central post of the outer courtyard of the palace of Ise—is the m...

Wall plaque, from Oba’s palace. Edo peoples, Benin (Nigeria). 16th century C.E. Cast brass. brass plaque, dated between 1550-1680 depicts an Oba (or king) and his attendants from the Benin Empire—a powerful kingdom located in present-day Nigeria.  Oba has distinctive coral beaded regalia.  Attendants hold shields above his head, either to protect him from attack or possibly from the hot, tropical sun. hierarchic scale; figures vary in size The Oba would have travelled with a large cohort of attendants, warriors, servants, diplomats, chieftains, and priests. The plaque originally hung alongside many others on posts throughout the palace of the Oba. The order of their placement on these posts would have told the history of the royal lineage of Benin’s Obas.  the sequence of plaques is lost to us since they were long held in storage when found by westerners in the 19th century.  Today, artists working in brass in Benin are part of a brass workers gui...

Reliquary figure (Eyema-o-Byeri) Fang peoples (southern Cameroon). c. 19th to 20th century C.E. Wood. wooden sculpture; reliquary; talisman; warned off harm; warning to others; guardian of family bones, sacred relics; meant for high status; noble person; special warriors, talented craftsmen; fertile women; nomadic/semi-nomadic; elderly men consulted them when a great decision was to be made elongated torso; large rounded head; closed mouth, eyes looking down; arms clasped; powerful musculature; calm and contemplative; power and strength; coiled up energy; umbilical cord/belly button highlighted; childbirth/fertility valued in society  puppets during an initiation; figures presented as symbols of unity of the clan; popular hairstyle; high status; intentionally not natural; meant to represent spiritual ideas; abstract  limbs very cylindrical and rounded; conceptual; idea of a guardian figure; realism not an interest; ward of people; guardian of an important box/re...

 Pyxis of al-Mughira. Umayyad. c. 968 C.E. Ivory. hunting scenes  cylindrical box with a separate lid  royal workshops produced luxurious objects detailed sculpture  A pyxis is a cylindrical box used for cosmetics. This particular pyxis was a gift to the then-eighteen-year-old al-Mughira, the son of a caliph, perhaps as a coming-of-age present.  is among the best surviving examples of the royal ivory carving tradition in Al-Andalus (Islamic Spain). It was probably fashioned in the Madinat al-Zahra workshops and its intricate and exceptional carving set it apart from many other examples; it also contains an inscription and figurative work which are important for understanding the traditions of ivory carving and Islamic art in Al-Andalus. carved ivory objects had been important elements of the artistic canon of the Mediterranean. Ivory was durable, smooth, elegant, and easily carved, making it highly desirable for the creation of diptychs, pyxides (the...

Ikenga (shrine figure). Igbo peoples (Nigeria). c. 19th to 20th century C.E. Wood. 177. Nigeria, Ikenga are carved wooden figures; made for a warrior; seated on a stool, important signifier of honor; right hand holds a sword, expression of power; left holds a human head Ikenga means "Power of the right hand"; personal spirit of one's achievements, ability; motivates the user; ram horns big as the entire body; curl at the top; vertical and horizontal abstract horns  saying that they take things head on; emphasize power, aggression; decorative patterns; reference scarification; scars on forehead mean higher status; not a portrait; symbolic representation of power; authority and accomplishment 

Bundu or Sowei Helmet Mask (Ndoli Jowei) Sande Society, Mende peoples (West African forests of Sierra Leone and Liberia). 19th to 20th century C.E. Wood, cloth, and ber. helmet mask; Sande society; several groups participated in masquerade; tradition; worn on top of head; person's face obscured; men made mask; women wore it; ritual for/made by women deep black sheen; smooth, glistening surface; small mouth, petite ears; downcast eyes; reserved; elaborated hairstyle; continuing tradition; rolls of fat under chin; suggest enough weight to bear children; after initiation, meant to marry event intended to fatten her up; scarification marks on cheeks. 

Female (Pwo) mask. Chokwe peoples (Democratic Republic of the Congo). Late 19th to early 20th century C.E. Wood, ber, pigment, and metal. Chokwe people, Democratic Republic of Congo Meant for dancing; resembles woman, worn by men Made by man; meant to honor women; particularly those young, fertile, or successful in childbirth; mothers; important stage in life Matrilineal culture; wood; very thin; graceful, fluid dancing; whole bodysuit sense of calm in the face; closed eyes, mouth; respected; doesn't need to open eyes, she's already knowing deep red; earth, oil; white powder around her eyes; symmetrical face; wide forehead accentuated by hairstyle; constant circles; pounded eyes around the eyes; tattoo patterns Broke away from larger culture; ideal woman; ideal virtues; fashionable hairstyle at the time; performed for women

Power gure (Nkisi n’kondi). Kongo peoples (Democratic Republic of the Congo). c. late 19th century C.E. Wood and metal. Sacred medicines and divine protection are central to the belief of the Kongo peoples (Democratic Republic of Congo).  Nkisi: represented as a container of sacred substances which are activated by supernatural forces that can be summoned into the physical world.  Visually, these minkisi can be as simple as pottery or vessels containing medicinal herbs and other elements determined to be beneficial in curing physical illness or alleviating social ills. In other instances minkisi can be represented as small bundles, shells, and carved wooden figures.  Minkisi represent the ability to both ‘contain’ and ‘release’ spiritual forces which can have both positive and negative consequences on the community. A power figure is a magical charm seemingly carved in the likeness of human being, meant to highlight its function in human affairs A nkisi nkond...

Ndop (portrait figure) of King Mishe miShyaang maMbul. Kuba peoples (Democratic Republic of the Congo). c. 1760–1780 C.E. Wood. During the first half of the eighteenth century, the Kuba King Mishe miShyaang maMbul was celebrated throughout his kingdom for his generosity by a  great number of his loyal subjects.  At the height of his reign in 1710, he commissioned an idealized portrait-statue called an ndop. With the commission of his ndop, Mishe miShyaang maMbul recorded his reign for posterity and solidified his accomplishments amongst the pantheon of his predecessors. The ndop that portrayed his likeness.  frican sculptures served as important historical markers within their communities. The ndop sculptural record helps freeze a moment in time that would otherwise be transformed during its transmission from generation to generation. Since information and history was transferred orally in Africa, sculptural traditions like the ndop can help us gain insight ...

Sika dwa ko (Golden Stool). Ashanti peoples (south central Ghana). c. 1700 C.E. Gold over wood and cast-gold attachments. Incredibly important to the Ashanti peoples, still used today; falls from the sky, miraculous object; wooden stool covered in gold, a symbol; more important than the ruler; sacred; symbolises royalty of Ashanti people; area rich in gold; responsible for gold trade in North Africa; gold reserved for royal use Taken by colonisers; Ashanti people hid the object; British hunted it down. Stools/inanimate objects valued in this culture; objects hold personal aura, the soul of the person. The gold stool is the soul of the Ashanti nation. 

Black-on-black ceramic vessel. Maria Martínez and Julian Martínez, Tewa, Puebloan, San Ildefonso Pueblo, New Mexico. c. mid-20th century C.E. blackware ceramic To make the pottery stronger it had to be mixed with a temper made from sherds of broken pots that had been pounded into a powder or volcanic ash. When mixed with water, the elasticity of the clay and the strength of the temper could be formed into different shapes, including a rounded pot. Only the artist’s hands as the potting wheel was not used. Community job; many people worked on one sculpture; pioneered a style of applying a matte-black design over polished-black. rain clouds, bird feathers, rows of planted corn, and the flow of rivers. These designs are exaggerated due to the low rounded shapes of the pot, which are bulbous around the shoulder then narrow at the top.  The shape, color, and designs fit the contemporary Art Deco movement, which was popular between the two World Wars and emphasized...

Maize cobs. Inka. c. 1440–1533 C.E. Sheet metal/repoussé, metal alloys. gold-silver alloy corncob sculpture. It mimics the appearance of a ripe ear of corn breaking through its husk, still on the stalk but ready to be harvested. Inka metalsmiths expertly combined silver and copper to mimic the internal and external components of actual corn. While many ancient Andean art traditions favored abstract and geometric forms, Inka visual expression often incorporated more naturalistic forms in small-scale metal objects.  After the Spaniards arrived in the Andes, the European invaders soon desired the gold and silver belonging to the Inka. After the defeat of Inka leadership in the 1530s, spaniards looted Inka objects in large quantities and sent many back to Spain. The Inka commonly deployed small-scale naturalistic metallic offerings, like the silver alloy corncobs, in ritual practices. 

Templo Mayor (Main Temple). Tenochtitlan (modern Mexico City, Mexico). Mexica (Aztec). 1375–1520 C.E. Stone (temple); volcanic stone (The Coyolxauhqui Stone); jadeite (Olmec-style mask); basalt (Calendar Stone). Destroyed by the Spaniards Aztec temple devoted to two main deities: Huitzilopochtli (God of War/Sun) and Tlaloc (Rain/Agriculture) Center, surrounded by many other temples; modern Mexico city is consists of complicated layers of colonial and pre-colonial history  Located in the sacred precinct at the heart of the city, the Templo Mayor was positioned at the center of the Mexica capital and thus the entire empire. The capital was also divided into four main quadrants, with the Templo Mayor at the center. This design reflects the Mexica cosmos, which was believed to be composed of four parts structured around the navel of the universe, or the axis mundi. Two grand staircases accessed twin temples, which were dedicated to the deities Tlaloc and Huitzilopocht...

Chavín de Huántar. Northern highlands, Peru. Chavín. 900–200 B.C.E. Stone (architectural complex); granite (Lanzón and sculpture); hammered gold alloy (jewellery). Chavín de Huántar is an archaeological and cultural site in the Andean highlands of Peru. with motifs and stylistic elements traveling to the southern highlands and to the coast. The location of Chavín played a role; the temple built there became an important pilgrimage site that drew people and their offerings from far and wide.  It is also located near the confluence of the Huachesca and Mosna Rivers, a natural phenomenon of two joining into one that may have been seen as a spiritually powerful phenomenon. Over the course of 700 years, the site drew  many worshipers to its temple who helped in spreading the artistic style of Chavín throughout highland and coastal Peru by transporting ceramics, textiles, and other portable objects back to their homes. The interior of the temple was riddl...

Ecstasy of Saint Teresa . Cornaro Chapel, Church of Santa Maria della Vittoria. Rome, Italy. Gian Lorenzo Bernini. c. 1647–1652 C.E. Marble (sculpture); stucco and gilt bronze (chapel). TERESA OF AULA WAS A NUN WHO LIVED IN 16TH CENTURY SPAIN; HEIGHT OF REFORMATION CORNARO FAMILY COMMISSIONED THE CHAPEL; SEATED FIGURES IN THEATRE BOXES; PATRONS   TYPICAL FEATURE OF BAROQUE ART; BREAKING DOWN THE BARRIER BETWEEN THE WORK AND THE VIEWER

  David . Donatello. c. 1440–1460 C.E. Bronze. RUGGED TORSO; STURDY LINES; LARGE HANDS/FEET; SWELLING VEINS; GRECO ROMAN STATUES-HEROIC PHYSIQUE; FEATURES OF HELLENISTIC SCULPTURE; PENT UP EMOTION, TRANSFERRED HIS OWN INTO THE FIGURE

Röttgen Pietà . Late medieval Europe. c. 1300–1325 C.E. Painted wood. VIRGIN MARY HOLDING DEAD CHRIST IN HER LAP; SUFFERING OF JESUS AND GRIEF OF HIS MOTHER; CHRIST STIFFENED IN DEATH, COVERED IN STREAMS OF BLOOD; VIRGIN CRADLES HIM; MATERNAL ANGUISH; EXPRESSION OF GRIEF; DOES NOT EXPRESSES SERENITY OF OTHER PERIODS; AGONY, DEATH, SORROW; DISFIGUREMENT Christ clearly died from the horrific ordeal of crucifixion, but his skin is taut around his ribs, showing that he also led a life of hunger and suffering. Pietà statues appeared in Germany in the late 1200s and were made in this region throughout the Middle Ages. Röttgen Pietà is made of wood and retains some of its original paint. The Röttgen Pietà is the most gruesome of these extant examples. Mary in the Röttgen Pietà appears to be angry and confused. She doesn’t seem to know that her son will live again. She shows strong negative emotions that emphasize her humanity, just as the representation of Christ emphasizes h...

Lipstick (Ascending) on Caterpillar Tracks . Claes Oldenburg. 1969– 1974 C.E. Cor‐Ten steel, steel, aluminum, and cast resin; painted with polyurethane enamel. A monumental tube of lipstick sprouting from a military vehicle; visible space for the anti-war movement while also poking fun at the solemnity of the plaza.  The sculpture served as a stage and backdrop for several subsequent student protests. Oldenburg and the architeciture students never intended for the original Lipstick (Ascending) on Caterpillar Tracks sculpture to be permanent.  In the Yale sculpture, the artist combined the highly “feminine” product with the “masculine” machinery of war. In doing so, he playfully critiqued both the hawkish, hyper-masculine rhetoric of the military and the blatant consumerism of the United States. In addition to its feminine associations, the large lipstick tube is phallic and bullet-like, making the benign beauty product seem masculine or even violent.  The jux...

Object (Le Déjeuner en fourrure) . Meret Oppenheim. 1936 C.E. Furcovered cup, saucer, and Spoon. Gazelle fur.  Oppenheim’s Object was created at a moment when sculpted objects and assemblages had become prominent features of Surrealist art practice.  Fetishistic qualities of the fur-lined set—as the fur imbues these functional, hand-held objects with sexual connotations.  Object insists we imagine what sipping warm tea from this cup feels like, how the bristles would feel upon our lips.  With Oppenheim’s elegant creation, how we understand those visceral memories, how we create metaphors and symbols out of this act of tactile extension. Provides feminine and masculine symbols