Research Paper 1

Research Question 1

            Today, just as in the past, people believe that different things will happen when they die. Christians believe in God, and that they will go to heaven or be resurrected by God and live forever on earth. But, the Egyptians believed in reincarnation. When the Egyptians would die they would become immortal and live with the Gods or deities that they worshipped. The Egyptians would depict this practice through drawings, etchings in walls, and writings. According to Art through the Ages, “The Book of the Dead…depicts the weighing of Hu-Nefer’s heart against Maat’s feather before the deceased can be brought before Osiris, god of the Underworld;” figure 3-36 is the Last Judgment of Hu-Nefer (p. 76).

However, the Egyptians also believed it was important to embalm (preserve) their bodies, so that the Egyptians could return to their bodies if they wanted too. That is why the Egyptians put forth so much time and effort building burial sites for their departure. Figure 3-5 and 3-6 (p.58) of Art through the Ages show Djoser’s pyramid and “mortuary” which is “a 37 acre rectangle”. As time went on the burial sites increased in size and complexity; for example,   figure 3-22 and 3-23 (p.69) are portraits of Ramses II ‘rock-cut’ temple which has images ranging in size from “65 to 32 feet.” Egyptian architecture, sculptures, and paintings support the Egyptians belief in the after-life.

Research Question 2

            Egyptian rulers varied in their abilities and vision of what it was that they wanted to create and build for themselves. I find it hard to make a blanket statement, “that the spirit of the Old Kingdom is best expressed in the pyramids, that of the Middle Kingdom in its sculpture, and that of the New Kingdom in its painting” (Mr. Trinchera Instructions). The Great Pyramids at Gizeh, figures 3-8 and 3-9, were created during the Old Kingdom (p.59-60); however, during that time period many sculptures were created that contained the spirit of Egypt. For example, figures 3-12 Khafre enthroned and 3-13 Menkaure and Khamerernebty?(p. 62).

            If the Egyptians were ruled well they remembered their king or pharaoh after they died; departed to go live with their Gods. But, if the king or pharaoh was cruel or something happened to displease the next ruler, then they would remove, destroy, eradicate anything that they felt would remind others to follow of them. Therefore, what we have today to remind us of the Egyptians is remarkable and captures the spirit of the Egyptian culture -no matter what the time period. Architects today continue to study the buildings and designs of the Egyptians.

Research Question 3

            The Greeks were influenced by gods and goddesses, and as such they built temples and alters to worship these deities. The Lady of Auxerre was sculpted during the Archaic period (p. 105). The sculptor clothed the woman and gave the shape of the female body, but it lacks realism. The Temple of Athena Nike, figure 5-56, portrays the female Nike as being beautiful no matter what she is doing (figure caption reads Nike Adjusting her sandal on p. 133).

As time went, during the late classical period, the female body was expressed and not repressed behind clothing. The naked sculpture of  Aphrodite of Knidos is appropriate, since she represents the Goddess of love (p.137). The attention to the body appears to be more natural than the Archaic period. The setting is important because it depicts the Goddess as doing something that humans do. The sculptor was open in displaying the breast, but took care not to go too far.

Old market woman, figure 5-86, portrays an old woman (p. 152). This is very different from the other time periods, because upon first glance it is not as appealing as the younger, beautiful women of earlier times. 

Research Question 4

The Egyptians learned when building the great pyramids that the numbers mattered. The degree of the tilt and the size/shape of the material being used were important. If they were not careful and precise with the math, then the project would not be completed and time would be lost. The Greeks learned a similar lesson as well. “The Parthenon architects and Polykleitos were kindred spirits in their belief that beautiful proportions resulted from strict adherence to harmonious numerical ratios…” explains Fred Kleiner (p.127).

The Greek architects created a formula to use when designing their temples. The Temple of Athena Parthenos, figure 5-44, is the result of the architects sticking to the formula that they came up with (p.126-127). The architects wanted to create a structure that would be beautiful and that would last. Since the structure still stands today, the architects are remembered for their design and achievement. 

Research Question 5

            The Greeks honored the Gods and Goddesses by worshipping them. Part of worshipping them was building the Gods and Goddesses temples and alters. Inside the temples and alters were sculptures. I believe that the sculptures of the Mount Olympus Gods reflected their beliefs and customs the most. Figure 5-31 is a portrait of several sculptures of the Greek Gods and goddesses: East Pediment from the Temple of Zeus (p.119).

            The Olympian deities were sculpted in different stances or positions to give the appearance of motion. The sculptures portrayed the deities as humans, so the Greeks were able to better relate to them. Since, the Greeks could relate to the Gods and Goddesses they were able to build their culture around the deities. Most of the Greek art has some aspect to the Gods and Goddesses during the classical period.

References

Kleiner, Fred. (2011). Art through the ages: a global history (13^th ed). Boston, MA: Wadsworth.