The artwork by English artist John Martin titled The Destruction of Pompeii and Herculaneum is
my first creation. Richard Greville was given the painting contract, and it was finished in 1822. It
is a wonderful work of art that depicts the historic Mount Vesuvius explosion that entirely
destroyed the city of Pompeii. The Great Wave, a mural by Japanese artist Katsushika Hokusai,
is my second creation. It was made in Japan during the Edo era and published between the
years of 1829 and 1833. The powerful topic of natural disasters is beautifully portrayed in each
of these pieces of art, despite the stark differences in culture, genre, historical period, and artists
between them. This is demonstrated by the Great Wave in The Great Wave, which, as its name
suggests, is a tremendous tsunami that crashes down on the hapless fisherman below, and by
the colossal eruption in The Destruction of Pompeii, which obliterates everything in its course.
Every person in my audience should be affected by the topic of natural disasters. Regardless of
where you are from, we have all in some way been affected by the force of nature. Everyone
has experienced seeing a natural disaster, whether it was floods on their social media feed or
their neighborhood itself. As individuals view these pieces and recollect their own experiences, I
actually believe that the human experience of natural disasters may bring people together. I
wish to assist my audience to have a better appreciation for the beauty in nature and natural
calamities by illustrating the common theme in both of these works.
There is a lot of evidence to back up the claim that both of these works have a natural
catastrophes theme. The term "destruction" is also there in the title of the first piece, leaving
spectators wondering what kind of damage they may expect to witness when they finally have a
chance to see the artwork. When you look closer, you can plainly see the eruption, which is
covered in vivid red and orange hues, demonstrating just how large this major calamity was to
blanket a whole town. Landow (2016) asserts that Martin was widely recognized for his superb
renderings of catastrophic disasters as well as insurmountable problems, providing more proof
that the topic was unmistakably based upon a catastrophic event. The Great Wave painting also
contains data that unequivocally links natural calamities to their occurrence. It shows a huge
tsunami as the sailors in the little ships do their hardest to remain afloat in the face of the furious
storm. One of a number of murals depicting Mount Fuji, this one's appeal is, in my opinion,
mostly attributable to its topic of natural catastrophe and people's interest with such disastrous
occurrences.
I like to acknowledge the issue of natural catastrophes since it is meaningful to me personally.
Worldwide, there are preventable natural disasters, and I have personally been through several
of them. Every year, whether it's through the news or firsthand, I witness a number of calamities.
When I was a little child in 2011, a very massive and terrible cluster of tornadoes struck my
hometown. In the days that followed, I can still recall riding around town and not even being able
to identify entire blocks of it. The power of nature is truly astounding. I currently work as a
paramedic/firefighter. Every time a large earthquake occurs, we are prepared and can respond
immediately to the call. Throughout my tenure, I have witnessed the devastation caused by
comparable storms as well as floods and fires. I picked the pieces because I am fascinated by
calamities caused by nature and by the strength of the earth. Natural catastrophes were a
recurring motif in both of these works, making it simple to recognize the topic.
Understanding how others perceive the world and how their perspectives might differ from your
own can broaden your perspective and enable you to comprehend the greater picture of human
existence. Greater connections with prospective employers or workers will be possible as a
result, and it will also help you develop your personal ties. You could never fully grasp
something in the world if you only saw it from one aspect, but by combining many viewpoints,
you can get a bigger image. Studying the humanities can also teach you how to truly put
yourself in another person's shoes while they are suffering, which will assist you to empathize
with them and delay taking action when necessary. For instance, if you simply contemplate how
rude someone was to cut you off in traffic, you may not know that they may have been hurrying
to the hospital with a lady who was in labor. Then there is the bond that all people have; if you
realize this, your interpersonal connections will prosper since everyone will have a feeling of
belonging. This also applies to the connections you have at work since, when you make
someone feel valued, they will want you to flourish.
No matter how hard they may attempt to convince others that they are, humans are flawed
beings; there is not a single individual in the world who is flawless. However, defects and
imperfections can sometimes be the best instructors. It's possible that revealing your failures
teaches you more than appreciating others' perfections. It is stated that your friends may reveal
a lot about who you are. Studying the humanities may enhance our sense of belonging and help
us better comprehend our group identities. By providing insight into the views, feelings, and
experiences of others outside of our group, this may inspire and transform both personal and
professional life. The humanities also contribute to the development of a more well-rounded
person. There are people in our world who just pay attention to one part of life and are experts
in that area. Consider an intellectual who spends all of their time studying facts but never about
people; despite having a wide knowledge base, this intellectual is unable to relate to others or
comprehend stressful interactions. The arts are crucial to our culture and way of life for this
reason.
