DGP: Chapter 3: Art

DGP: Chapter 3

Representing the Human Form

Art as historical evidence can explain a variety of things about a culture; technological, ecological, aesthetics, & culture


Understanding artistic skill may be difficult because of the lack of a cultural context. Ideas must be understood in order for the artists purpose to be fully understood. Whether we 'like' or 'dislike' a work of art is irrelevant, in order for it to be used as historical evidence we need information on the culture.  One of the common subjects for art throughout human history is the human form.


How do these cultures depict the human form? What do these depictions tell us about the values of these cultures? 


I turned to the evidence pages prior to reading the background information, as the book suggested. I tried to be observant of the style, and use this to determine what each culture may consider to be aesthetically pleasing, starting with Egypt.


The Egyptian's seem to favor the profile of the human face. The art is very stylized, and detailed, especially when it comes to depicting jewelry, hair and headpieces and nature. The people have very long fingers, and slender bodies. The eyes are big, dark and almond shaped. In the jewelry and backgrounds there are often reoccurring shapes and patterns.  In ancient Greece, the bodies have a bit more shape to them than the Egyptians. The eyes are smaller, and it seems that they prefer very strong, angular noses. In their sculptures the human form is very accurately portrayed, and there is much attention to detail and texture. In India, the women are pictured as very voluptuous, and again the eyes and ears seem to be a bit exaggerated. There is great detail put into the attire as well.


Background Notes::

• In ancient Egypt, statue of a deceased person in tomb was a home for his ka, the spirit or immortal alter ego
• Egyptian artists attempted to portray scenes or figures not as they appeared to the eye, but as they actually were, what we might call a depiction of their essence. aspective rather than perspective, basing size of figures on their importance in the social hierarchy (similar to Plato's philosophy on art)
• Greek statues erected in memory of individuals -- they started very stylistically, somewhat akin to the Egyptians and then over the years became more accurate representations of the human figure
• Plato viewed the world as a microcosm of the universe, a universe that was itself a living creature. Soul is immortal, as is the perfect form of the universe and all that exists within it.
• Plato thought the chief purpose of art was to represent eternal forms as understood by the soul, not to imitate fleeting external appearances. 
• Purpose of sculpture in Indian religion is to give concrete shape to an invisible spirit within the body. Indian sculpture does not aim to record the appearance or structure of the body, but instead to express the awareness of life within the body, of the breath that sustains and moves the body.
• Sculptures achieve this, not by looking at other bodies as models, but by feeling the breath and pulse of life within their own bodies and by meditating or contemplating.
• Buddhist teachings built on these ideas
• In Mayan culture large scale art was produced to record actions and deeds of rulers
• Writing and art depicted gruesome blood letting rituals
• Much of Nigerian art came from royal courts, and professional artists
• The portraits from Ile-Ife are extremely individualized
• Obalufon sculptures were idealized like Egyptian art was except they were also still slightly individualized like the Ile-Ife art
• Artists in Benin more concerned with providing information about life and events, using detailed clothing and symbols rather than facial features as identification.
• Benin figures appear shown from the front, usually standing
• Heads often enlarged -- Yoruba people of Ile-Ife and the Edo people regarded head as the site of a person's nature and life force; & the purpose of representing the body was to make these living principles within the body visible.