HISTORY OF ART: Ancient Mediterranean (3500 BCE to 200 CE) and Early Europe I (200 CE to 1400 CE) - J Martin

By J_Martin37
  • Period: 3500 BCE to 465 BCE

    Ancient Mediterranean I

    Citations:
    Kleiner, Fred S. Gardner's Art Through the Ages: A Global History. 15th ed. Boston: Cengage, 2016. 2016. Web.
  • 2560 BCE

    Great Pyramids (Menkaura, Khafre, Khufu) and the Great Sphinx. Giza, Egypt

    Great Pyramids (Menkaura, Khafre, Khufu) and the Great Sphinx. Giza, Egypt
    Located in Gizeh, Egypt, the pyramids were built thousands of years ago to serve as tombs for the Kings of the 4th Dynasty: Menkaure, Khafre, and Khufu. Believed to be a stairway to the heavens, the pyramid shape is a modification from earlier tomb structures, and was (and still is) considered one of the seven great wonders of the ancient world. Photo source: By MusikAnimal - Own work, CC BY-SA 3.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=40954313
  • 2400 BCE

    Standard of Ur from the Royal Tombs at Ur (modern Tell el-Muqayyar, Iraq). Sumerian. 2400 B.C.E. Wood inlaid with shell. lapis lazuli, and red limestone.

    Standard of Ur from the Royal Tombs at Ur (modern Tell el-Muqayyar, Iraq). Sumerian. 2400 B.C.E. Wood inlaid with shell. lapis lazuli, and red limestone.
    A two-sided piece that depicts two idyllic halves of Sumerian society: one at piece (prosperous people and abundance of crops)
    Photo source: By Unknown - "Royal Standard of Ur" - Mosaic With Sumer Images, Awesome Stories., Public Domain, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=458495
  • 1335 BCE

    Akhenaton, Nerfitii, and three daughters. New Kingdom (Amarna), 18th Dynasty. c. 1353 - 1335 B.C.E. Limestone

    Akhenaton, Nerfitii, and three daughters. New Kingdom (Amarna), 18th Dynasty. c. 1353 - 1335 B.C.E. Limestone
    This piece was part of a new era of relatively experimental art called the Amarna period. This period was ushered in by Akhenaton, who instilled a brand new (and short-lived) monotheistic religion during his rule. By extension of this, he pushed for an overall change in Egyptian culture; this culture had been stagnant in traditional ways for thousands of years beforehand. Photo source: CC BY-SA 2.5, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=505828
  • 1275 BCE

    Last Judgment of Hu-Nefer, from his tomb (page from the Book of the Dead). New Kingdom, 19th Dynasty. c. 1275 B.C.E. Painted papyrus scroll.

    Last Judgment of Hu-Nefer, from his tomb (page from the Book of the Dead). New Kingdom, 19th Dynasty. c. 1275 B.C.E. Painted papyrus scroll.
    This work is important mostly due to how it vibrantly and clearly depicts an integral part of Egyptian religion: the final judgement before the afterlife. The piece also contains detailed and vibrant depictions of various Egyptian deities, including Osiris. Photo source: By unknown Egyptian artisan - Jon Bodsworth (photographer), Public Domain, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=3200639
  • 465 BCE

    Audience Hall (apadana) of Darius and Xerxes. Persepolis, Iran. Persian. c. 520 - 465 B.C.E.

    Audience Hall (apadana) of Darius and Xerxes. Persepolis, Iran. Persian. c. 520 - 465 B.C.E.
    Started by Darius and finished by Xerxes, the remains of the apadana (numerous half-columns and reliefs depicting tribute bearers from throughout the land) serve as a testament to the luxurious lives of the Persian people as well as the logical conclusion of thousands of years of architectural advancement in the Near East. Its destruction by Alexander the Great in 330 BCE is truly unfortunate.
    Photo source: CC BY-SA 2.5, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=655691
  • Period: 200 to Jan 1, 1400

    Early Europe and Colonial America I, continued references

    https://www.khanacademy.org/humanities/art-islam/islamic-art-medieval/a/pyxis-of-al-mughira
    https://www.khanacademy.org/humanities/medieval-world/early-christian1/a/santa-sabina
  • Period: 200 to Jan 1, 1400

    Early Europe and Colonial America I

    Kleiner, Fred S. Gardner's Art Through the Ages: A Global History. 15th ed. Boston: Cengage, 2016. 2016. Web.
    http://www.bayeuxtapestry.org.uk/
    https://www.khanacademy.org/humanities/medieval-world/latin-western-europe/romanesque1/a/bayeux-tapestry
    https://www.khanacademy.org/humanities/medieval-world/byzantine1/constantinople-east/v/hagia-sophia-istanbul
    https://www.khanacademy.org/humanities/medieval-world/early-christian1/v/vienna-genesis
  • 432

    Santa Sabina. Rome, Italy. Late Antique Europe. c. 422-432 C.E. Brick and stone, wooden roof.

    Santa Sabina. Rome, Italy. Late Antique Europe. c. 422-432 C.E. Brick and stone, wooden roof.
    The Santa Sabina is an early example of using basilica (a building with a dominant central axis) architecture for Christian churches. The most significant aspects of the church lies in the choice to move away from the weight-bearing, solid construction of Imperial Rome to a style emphasizing weightlessness and light. Such "divine" construction would be incorporated in later religious buildings.
    PS: By Dnalor 01 - Own work, CC BY-SA 3.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=32487553
  • 500

    Rebecca and Eliezer at the Well and Jacob Wrestling the Angel, from the Vienna Genesis. Early Byzantine Europe. Early sixth century C.E. Illuminated manuscript (pigments on vellum).

    Rebecca and Eliezer at the Well and Jacob Wrestling the Angel, from the Vienna Genesis. Early Byzantine Europe. Early sixth century C.E. Illuminated manuscript (pigments on vellum).
    The image and manuscript here, using silver and paint on treated animal skin, depicts Jacob's transformation into Israel. Despite being an early Byzantine work, the painting incorporates elements of classical art through its emphasis on human forms and classical architecture. The photo, while telling a linear story, is warped in direction and perspective to fit the width of the book.
    PS:By en:User:Dsmdgold - English wikipedia, Public Domain, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=230928
  • 537

    Hagia Sophia. Constantinople (Istanbul). Anthemius of Tralles and Isidorus of Miletus. 532-537 C.E. Brick and ceramic elements with stone and mosaic veneer.

    Hagia Sophia. Constantinople (Istanbul). Anthemius of Tralles and Isidorus of Miletus. 532-537 C.E. Brick and ceramic elements with stone and mosaic veneer.
    Despite the many cultures that claimed it and the sheer size of the building, the Hagia Sophia still stands intact today. Its construction (specifically its overarching dome) required cutting-edge engineering and mathematical prowess. The interior, beautifully decorated with marble and mosaic, uses the previously mentioned "divine" attributes to additionally create a sense of flowing movement.
    PS:By Arild Vågen - Own work, CC BY-SA 3.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=24932378
  • Jan 1, 968

    Pyxis of al-Mughira. Umayyad. c. 968 C.E. Ivory.

    Pyxis of al-Mughira. Umayyad. c. 968 C.E. Ivory.
    Photo source: By Workshop at the court of Medina Azahara - Marie-Lan Nguyen (2005), Public Domain, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=303871
  • Oct 14, 1066

    Bayeux Tapestry. Romanesque Europe (English or Norman). c. 1066-1080 C.E. Embroidery on linen.

    Bayeux Tapestry. Romanesque Europe (English or Norman). c. 1066-1080 C.E. Embroidery on linen.
    The Bayeux Tapestry chronicles the events leading up to and including the Norman Conquest and the Battle of Hastings. This is accomplished over 75 scenes borders by animal imagery, The work not only demonstrates an important historical moment in the Anglo-Saxon style, but utilizes storytelling techniques reminiscent of the Column of Trajan (movement creating narrative) and the Standard of Ur (register breaking)
    Photo source: Public Domain, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=684174