Arts

Humans are group mammals, meaning; since the beginning of time, people have flocked towards each other and stayed together. Societies develop in these groups of people and rules are established, homes are built, and some people are put in charge because of their ability to take charge in doubtful situations, are usually charismatic and have an influence on the people. This is how humans operate no matter where you are in the world or what time period. Sculptures were made by the people who followed and worshiped some political leaders and rulers. One can only assume that not only did they want to honor their leaders, but they wanted others to honor them as well. There are many reasons why humans have used art to depict leaders and rulers from different time periods. These artists created the best version of their leaders from their point of view; They appear strong, rich, attractive and wise. It is not only beautiful how humans have preserved these memories of their time period but also helps everyone to have a glimpse into the past.

Paragraph 2 ICONIC PORTRAITURE OF LEADERS

The sculpture QUEEN TIYE OF EGYPT is a wooden sculpture of the queen’s head from 1355 BCE. The 3-D artwork embodies the Queen as a powerful, strict woman whom also possesses beauty and elegance. The original sculpture had a enormous crown on her head which implies her prestigious position and the impact she had as the Queen of Egypt of the 18th dynasty(Mark). As wife of the Pharaoh Amenhotep III, Queen Tiye had more power and responsibility than most women during the time period. Being one of the only strong female rulers of her time, Queen Tiye is recognized as an iconic leader. “She exerted an enormous influence at the courts of both her husband and son and is known to have communicated directly with rulers of foreign nations.” (Mark).

The painting ISABELLA D’ESTE is a 2-D art form that presents Isabella D’este as an important figure. Isabella sits in such an uptight and tense position, that viewers can only assume of her high societal rank. Ruling on behalf of her husband at times and taking part in political intrigues, the people of Mantua Italy trusted and respected D’este. Her detailed turban and fine embroidered dress is a sign of wealth and refinement, and Isabella’s piercing dark eyes portray a sense of strength. Viewers of ISABELLA D’ESTE get the impression of a strong intelligent woman that upholds an ideal beauty and gender role(Goffen). D’este not only represents herself in this portrait, but also many other iconic female leaders who ambitiously demanded a say in their government and broke all rules as to what women can or can’t do.

Paragraph 3-Art to Demonstrate Absolute Power

The sculpture Queen Tiye of Egypt exhibits Queen Tiye’s societal ranking through her royal head piece. Her crown, which is partially made of gold, indicates her authority and wealth. More specifically, the artwork has a 3-D form that depicts various lines on her face as well as shapes such as oval eyes to display her serious facial expression. Queen Tiye appears to be angry or upset, which can invoke a sense of fear. People in lower social classes may have feared the queen due to her monarchical status as “Nubian queen of Egypt of the 18th dynasty and wife of the pharaoh Amenhotep III… (Mark)” The female ruler possessed a great amount of influence over Egypt. Furthermore, the queen’s serious demeanor is common in artworks that convey absolute power.

The painting ISABELLA D’ESTE is a 2-D art form that depicts a portrait of the political figure. Isabella’s upright stature and fine clothing portrays her wealth and authority. For instance, her fur scarf and circular head piece indicates that she is a woman of the upper class in society. Furthermore, the painting features subordination and space in the background to emphasize the matriarch. The black background in the painting helps viewers of the artwork focus their attention on Isabella. Overall, these elements aid in displaying Isabella’s absolute power.

Paragraph 4 Art as Societal Control

The Isabelle d’Este is representative of a woman who was of a cultural and political importance. In the oil painting, she appears youthful but still commands political allegiance. The portrait adds raises the issue of societal control particularly in the historical and cultural period of the subject matter. Firstly, Isabelle d’Este was a powerful political figure, which implies that she commanded the respect and allegiance of her followers. This implies that the citizens of Mantua faithfully assimilated her values and ideologies both political and social. Because of her popularity, she was also able to influence the fashion culture of Italy, and from the painting, she has an elaborate sense of style. Secondly, she is one of the feminist pioneers of her time, which was challenging considering it was majorly a patriarchal society. This opened doors for other women to incorporate themselves into a male dominated field to spread their own ideologies.

The “Queen Tiye.” wooden sculpture is also a representative of an important figure in the Egyptian society. The facial features of the sculpture indicate a woman who possesses both beauty and brains since at the time political leaders were the embodiment of power and beauty. The sculpture represents a form of societal control during the historical and cultural context of Egypt. Firstly, it was a period in which women rose through the ranks as both political and religious leaders. The subject matter, who is queen Tiye, commanded a following as she comes from a royal ancestry. The sculpture also shows stern facial features indicating that she was authoritative of both men and women. Secondly, the sculpture represents women’s abilities to shift attitudes, beliefs and ideologies. Queen Tiye was responsible for counselling the Pharaoh on both political and religious matters. The pharaoh then executed the new directives in turn affecting his subjects.

Bibliography

Egyptian, Queen Tiye of Egypt portrait head,c. 1355 BCE from Medinet el-gurob,

constructed of yew wood, ebony, gold, silver, lapis lazuli, textiles and faience,

4 x 3 x 3¼”

Titian, ISABELLA D’ESTE, 1536. Oil on canvas,

40 ¼”x 25 ¼” . Kunsthistorisches Museum, Vienna, Austria.