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Prehistoric, Ancient Mesopotamia, Ancient Egypt, Ancient Greek, Ancient Rome, Byzantine, Islamic, Romanesque, Gothic, African, Renaissance, and Southern Baroque.
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The Woman from Willendorf is a 4 1/2'', limestone figure representing the time and effort used in order to create a portable figure for nomadic travels. Looking at it, you can see that the artist took time to emphasize the woman's body, suggesting that it's a figure used to represent fertility, reproduction, and child rearing.
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The Bird-Headed Man with Bison is located in the cave of Lascaux, France where it's telling a narrative. Here, a bison is looming over a bird-headed figure (theorized shaman due to the bird like staff nearby), who is the reason for it's internal organs spilling from a wound, as shown by the broken bow and arrow.
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The Bison Reliefs are greenware clay sculptures that are 2 ft in length, 18'' in height, and about 3-4'' deep in the ground. It gives impression that the two bisons are ready to mate, which is shown as the female is calling out to the male while the male is sniffing the air. It's believed that a group of nomadic travelers remained in Tuc d'Audoubert in order to participate in rituals that's associated with this cave art.
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The Palette of Narmer is a shield shaped, plate of schist that has two engravings. One side shows the First Dynasty King Narmer about to strike down his barely clothed enemy in order to unit Upper and Lower Egypt, behind him is a loyal servant, and a bird, presumed to be the god Horus, watching over his victory and blessing him. On the other side, he is wearing the White Crown of Upper Egypt and the Red Crown of Lower Egypt, symbolizing that he was successful in his quest of unification.
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Lyre with Bull's Head is one of the earliest known musical instruments. On it are four panels, the first depicts a heroic figure grasping onto two human-headed bulls, the second depicts animals acting as humans, the third depicts an animal orchestra, and the last depicts the deceased meeting the guard of the underworld entrance. These images represent aspects of early Mesopotamia funerary rituals, like how the golden bull represents Shamash, the sun god who can enter and leave the underworld.
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This sculpture of the seated scribe is one of the most important examples of Egyptian art because it's one of the rare cases showcasing Egyptian naturalism. You can see that a lot of time was spent on this sculpture through the details of the eyes and it shows how much ancient Egypt thought highly of scribes.
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Stele of Naram-Sin tells the story of Naram-Sin, a king who successfully conquered a group of people that lived in the mountains. We understand the extent of his power through his large figure; him trampling over his fallen enemies; towering over two mountain individuals pleading for their lives; and he's carrying a horned helmet that represents his god-like status, a bow, and spear.
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The Ziggurat of Ur is the largest and most preserved ziggurat of the Mesopotamia. It was built by King Ur-Nammu for the god Nanna, who was the divine patron of the city state. Not only was it a place to seek spiritual nourishment but physical nourishment as well, as it's where citizens would bring agricultural surplus and receive their food there.
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This mask originally rested on the the shoulders of Tutankhamen's mummy inside of his innermost gold coffin. It's created out of two sheets of gold with an inlay of enamel and semiprecious stones. It depicts him wearing the striped nemes headdress, a false beard, a broad collar that ends in terminals that are shaped as falcon heads, and an excerpt from the Book of Dead located at the back in order to help him in the afterlife.
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During the Archaic Period, Greek artisans continued to develop their skills and create more realistic portrayals of the human body. Their attempts are seen in this sculpture, however, it also shows that it was influenced by ancient Egyptian sculpture. As shown by how the kore stands rigidly, is never nude, her form is draped in layers of fabric, and she's adorning jewelry and a crown.
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Identified as A and B, the statues’ arm and hand position show that they held a spear and shield and the shape of their heads suggest they wore helmets. A (Tydeus) is younger then B (Amphiaraus) but both have silver coated teeth, glass eyes, and copper lips. You can see that the artists exaggerated the body, as shown through the matching length of the legs and upper body, appearing unrealistic and showing that the ancient Greeks cared about idealistic representation of the human body.
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Built in Athens, the Parthenon is a marble temple that was masterminded by Perikles. Within the temple stood a large statue of Athena, the patron goddess of the city, that no longer exists and decorated with many Parthenon sculptures. The Parthenon represented the architectural refinement of its time, in addition, it was a symbol of the birth of democracy. It’s because of that that it’s influenced the design of buildings around the world. For example, Jefferson Memorial in Washington DC.
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This portrait tells a lot about Augustus' ideology, as it shows him being a military victor and supporter of Roman religion. This is shown in the military regalia he is adorning, along with his right arm outstretched, addressing his troops. At his feet, there is a cupid riding a dolphin, representing that he's descended from the gods. Overall, it’s not simply a portrait, as it expresses his military victor, his connection to the gods, and how he is the bringer of peace.
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The Pantheon remains as one of the most revolutionary and best-preserved buildings of ancient Rome because its kept the classical styles of Ancient Greece alive, for example, its Corinthian & Portico columns. Engineers still marvel at how it stands, being one of the largest unreinforced domes in the world. The Romans utilized new technology in order solve the Pantheon's heaviness problem. They used Tufa and Pumice, reduced the dome's thickness, designed an oculus in the center, and more.
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This is a densely carved sarcophagus for an unknown, wealthy individual. Looking at it, we are able to decipher who are the Romans and who are the enemies. This is shown in the heroic and ideal features of the Romans while the enemies are depicted as being barbaric. After Augustus' rule, there was a lot of civil war and instability, therefore, it's possible that this tomb represents the political and historical changes of that time.
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The Hagia Sophia was built in 360 AD by the Greek Orthodox Christian Church. It burned down then rebuilt in 415 but burned down again. In 532, Justinian rebuilt it. In 1553, the Ottomans captured Constantinople, renaming the city Istanbul. Since Islam was their religion, the Hagia Sophia was renovated into a mosque, such as covering the mosaics with calligraphy. In 1935, it was converted into a museum by the national government and remains politically and religiously contentious.
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One of the most famous images from the Middle Ages that depicts political authority is the mosaic of Justinian, which is located in the church of San Vitale. At his left side is members of the clergy with a group of soldiers and at his right are members of the imperial administration. It’s possible that the mosaic gives visual testament of two of Justinian’s ambitions during his reign: Seeking to restore territory boundaries and establishing religious uniformity within the Empire.
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One of the thousands of important Byzantine books, documents, and images is now preserved at St. Catherine’s Monastery, Mount Sinai. It's the icon painting of the Virgin (Theotokos) and Child between Saints Theodore and George, which depicts the Virgin Mary and Child who are surrounded by two soldiers, St. Theodore, and St. George. Meanwhile, above them are two angels gazing upwards toward the hand of God that’s emanating light on the Virgin Mary.
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Located at the top of Haram al-Sharif, it serves as a testament for power for the new Islamic faith in the 7th century. In the center is a large rock, believed to be where Abraham prepared to sacrifice his son, Ismail. Today, it's believed to commemorate Muhammad's night journey, where he went to heaven and met other prophets, witnessed paradise and hell, and saw God. Inside, it contains an inscription that includes some of the Quran's earliest verses. Including the bismilla and the shahada.
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In 670 CE, General Sidi Okba conquered and constructed a Friday Mosque in Tunisia. It was a critical addition, as it stated that Kairouan would be under strong Muslim control that would establish a cosmopolitan metropolis; it was used for communal prayers on Friday, the Muslim holy day; and was an early example of a hypostyle mosque, reflecting how pre-Islamic and eastern Islamic art was incorporated into religious architecture in Islamic North Africa.
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This wall painting is located in the church of San Clemete and is an example of Romanesque style. It depicts a large figure of Christ in a mandorla at the center, which shows how he would appear once the end of time appears. On either side of him are the Greek letters alpha and omega, meaning beginning and the end, while one hand is gestured in blessing and the other holds an open book. Below is the Virgin Mary who is holding a chalice of Christ’s blood, representing the Holy Grail.
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While Romanesque art is influenced by Roman art, it was also influenced by classical arts, like the Byzantine and Ottonian art. This is seen in the Bury Bible as it’s similar to the Byzantine wall paintings located in a church at Asinou in Cyprus. This painting is a good example of the remarkable achievements of monastic scriptoria during that time period.
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At around 475, the first church was constructed over a Constaninian chapel, however, it was rebuilt under the Frankish, Carolingian, and Capetian kings. It is believed that at this site, St. Dionysius, the first bishop of Paris and apostle of Gaul, was buried there and was named the patron saint of French kings. And since the connection to with the French monarchy was strong, the church became the necropolis of French kings.
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Chartres Cathedral is known for its architectural innovations, numerous sculptures, stained glass, and it’s association with the Virgin Mary (as it’s believed her veil is kept in its treasury). This made it the ideal destination of pilgrims during the Middle Ages. The purpose of sculptures and stained glass was to preach and educate, as many depicting scenes and figures from the Old and New Testaments. For example, the rose windows portraying figures from the Old Testament.
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During the Capetian monarchy, they expanded their territorya nd increased their power. One way to show their increasing power was creating churches like the Reims Cathedral. It incorporated several new architectural techniques, such as flying buttresses, groin vaults, and more. This allowed the buildings to be so tall and pierce the walls, allowing light to enter the building and symbolizing a heaven on earth, making it a site of 25 coronations of French Kings.
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Known as the “speaking” reliquary because it contains the body part of a holy figure it once contained. This particular reliquary is shaped like an arm, as it held an arm bone of St. Pantaleon, the “Holy Doctor” who was martyred in 305 AD and later become the patron saint of physicians.
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Ife is regarded as the spiritual heartland of the Yoruba people and is the place of African art and culture achievement. Between 12th-15th centuries, Ife flourished due to their access to the Niger River trade routes. And this naturalistic sculpture, most likely depicts an Ooni, a ruler of the Kingdom of Ife, showing the development and advancement of West African kingdoms that was unlike any other African art during that time.
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This work signals the return of nude sculpture, as it’s the first work similar to this in over a thousand years. For example, Greek sculptures. It depicts a young David wearing nothing but boots and a shepherd’s hat, as he is in a triumphal moment after his battle with Goliath. After cutting off Goliath’s head with his sword, he is standing with one foot on top of his severed head.
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Commissioned by Pope Sixtus IV in 1481, this fresco is located on the walls of the Sistine Chapel. It is part of the New Testament narrative cycle that depicts events from Christ’s life on the north wall, while the south wall illustrates the Moses life in the Old Testament. This fresco depicts the moment when Christ gives the keys of the heavenly kingdom to St. Peter, a scene that comes from the Gospel of Matthew, with the gold and silver keys becoming St. Peter’s attribute.
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Leonardo da Vinci’s Last Supper depicts Jesus Christ’s final meal with his twelve apostles, this was before Judas identifies Jesus to the authorities who arrest him. Here, two important events occur: 1) Jesus says to his apostles that “One of you will betray me,” as a result, the apostles react strongly. 2) Jesus is depicted blessing the bread and wine, transforming them into the body and blood of Christ.
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This pendant mask is believed to have been created for the oba (king) of Benin to honor his mother, Idea. The mask is ivory, a symbol of ritual purity and associated with Olokun, god of the sea. Its tiara and collar are adorned with mudfish, representing the king’s dual nature as human and divine, and the faces of Portuguese, those who brought wealth and power to the oba.
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This sculpture depicted an idealized vision of an oba (king), wearing a woven cap with strands of coral suspended around his ears. The face is rendered with precise naturalism, it's wearing a rolled collar on its neck, and the circular opening at the summit of the head would have held a carved elephant tusk. This sculpture would have been placed at an altar in an Benin palace, as it reinforces the idea of familial succession and emphasizes that the leader's responsibility for the kingdom.
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Made for Caravagggio's patron, Vincenzo Giustiniani, the theme of pain and sadism is central to the work. The painting depicts Christ having two torturers ram a thorn crown down with the butts of their staffs, meanwhile, Christ is depicted as a figure suffering pain with patient endurance.
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Bernini’s David is a Baroque sculpture that depicts David like a pitcher on a baseball team with the way he is throwing a stone at Goliath. In Baroque art, it wants to relate to the image within our bodies and minds. When we look at it, we feel what David is feeling, as empathy is an important aspect in Baroque art. Bernini’s David depicts a more realistic version of David, one who is actively fighting Goliath; showing the varying style and perspectives of artists within different periods.
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The painting depicts Serapion's death where he was nailed to a cross and disemboweled, however, none of the explicit details are seen. Instead, Zurbaran chose to depict this event as a still and contemplative scene. The figure takes up a majority of the space, his body robed a beige habit, the tenebrism dramatically illuminates the body, and he’s emerging from a dark background with his arms stretched and tied to a faintly visible tree; his pose reminiscent of Christ on the cross.
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Many believe the Taj Mahal to be a symbol of love, as it's the resting place that Shah Jahan built for his favorite wife's cenotaph, which was later joined by his own. However, there are other theories: one suggests that it's not a funeral monument and that he would have built it eventually, based on the metaphoric specificity of the Qur'anic inscriptions as a representation of a Divine Throne on the Day of Judgement. Another theory is that it represents a replica of a house of paradise.
