Art Appreciation Unit VIII Assessment Questions (Mathguy18 ONLY)

ART 1301, Art Appreciation 1

Course Learning Outcomes for Unit VIII Upon completion of this unit, students should be able to:

1. Justify visual arts in relation to history and culture.

2. Examine the characteristics of works of art, including the purpose and structure of the work.

3. Interpret artworks using the elements of design.

Reading Assignment Chapter 18: Traditional Arts of Asia Chapter 19: The Islamic World Chapter 20: Africa, Oceania, and the Americas

Unit Lesson Chapter 18: Traditional Arts of Asia Each region has its own local culture; however, ideas do transfer and morph to local regional tastes. India: We start out in India, the core of the continent both culturally and geographically. In the advanced city of Harappa, there are artifacts that tell of a high level of art and advanced city planning. This area was the focal point for civilization for 1,000 miles along the fertile Indus Valley. Male Torso (page 303 of your textbook) shows a sharp contrast to what we were seeing in Mesopotamia around the same time with Head of an Akkadian Ruler (page 249 of your textbook). The Male Torso is much fleshier, meaning the bone structure is not easily seen. Little art from this time period survived (Frank, 2014c). Buddhist art: Early Buddhism did not allow the production of images, but the practice began to need visual icons to inspire devotion. The Great Stupa (located on page 304 of your textbook) is an early Indian Buddhist dome structure, which evolved from the burial mound. It is oriented to the four cardinal directions and marks a sacred location since relics are buried at the core (Frank, 2014c). The layers of relief structure tell the story of Buddha’s life. After Alexander the Great’s conquest of large parts of West Asia, we see an artist fusion take place. Bodhisattva (located on page 305 of your textbook) is an excellent example of this fusion. The artist shows a knowledge of Roman portraiture and the classical Greek method of showing the body beneath the drapery, and the subject is Buddhist. A bodhisattva is a person who has reached enlightenment, but stays on earth to teach others. Hindu art: The Hindu temple is a distinctive architectural form of India. The Kandarya Mahadeva Temple (located on page 307 of your textbook) is one of the best-preserved temples, complete with a porch for preparation and purification of the worshipper and an inner chamber called the Womb Chamber, where an image of the god is kept (Frank, 2014c). The sacred chamber is marked with a tall tower, which is often done to show the most important part of a temple. Southeast Asia: One of the major works of world art is Borobudur in Indonesia. This is a very elaborate Indian stupa, or sacred mountain. Ten miles of relief sculpture describe the struggle of existence and the cycle of death and rebirth. A high wall prevents seeing out, and curves limit the view ahead; the whole path

UNIT VIII STUDY GUIDE

Art beyond the West

ART 1301, Art Appreciation 2

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imitates life. You cannot see what is coming next nor can you see where you are in your journey until you reach the end. When you finally reach the upper level, it is as if you have reached the ideal world; now you can look out over the landscape, and this broad view is now enlightenment. China: Most people were buried with most of their belongings to improve their afterlife, but one emperor took it to the extreme. Emperor Qin Shihuangdi, who unified China, wanted to guard his afterlife and had an army of life-size clay soldiers created for his protection. The Terra Cotta Warriors (located on page 313 of your textbook), all six thousand, are not made from a mold! There are archers, foot soldiers, and cavalrymen, and each one is unique and different. Can you imagine creating that many sculptures? Traditional Chinese painting involves both calligraphy and landscape. Leaders were expected to show their character and strength through elegant writing, so painters decided to introduce calligraphic brush techniques to elevate painting to the status of calligraphy and poetry. A great example of this is Travelers Among Mountains and Streams (located on page 315 of your textbook). Fan Kuan uses intricate brushwork to show the spirit of the rock and trees. This place does not exist; it is from his imagination and is aimed at creating and capturing the energy of nature. Chapter 19: The Islamic World

The Mughal Empire governed a broad mix of cultures in the 16th and 17th centuries. Their subjects were Hindu, Jain, Zoroastrian, Christian, and Muslim. During the rule of Akbar, there was a sense of tolerance unseen before or since then. Akbar ordered the ministers to learn about all religions, so that he could better serve his subjects. He did not want disputes over religion, so he also had his ministers create a new religion that included all of the religions, so subjects could worship together (Frank, 2014c). Akbar’s throne room, the Divan-i-Khass, is dominated by an ornate pillar that he would sit atop. Four passageways lead to the throne, in a sense creating an intersection for all religions.

(Frank, 2014a, slide 13)

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Chapter 20: Africa, Oceania, and the Americas Africa: Traditional arts from Africa are made from perishable materials, extremely varied, and few. Arts from sub-Saharan Africa are not for visual pleasure, but for religious rituals, civic life, and community functions. A great example of art that was used for civil and community functions is the Mangaaka Power Figure (located on page 341 of your textbook). Mangaaka, or justice, is personified in this figure, and used to finalize civil cases, ratify a treaty, or change a law. Tribal members would hammer a metal piece into the statue’s surface to show that they were affected by the change and agreed with it. Oceania and Australia: It is very hard to generalize such large areas, but overall when discussing Oceanic art, there are a few common beliefs. Much of the art has to do with a world created by an Earth Mother and a Sky Father. Also, most art shows how the ancestors influence events on earth and that there is a spiritual

power active on earth. A great example of the latter two beliefs is Protective Prow Figure from a War Canoe (located on page 346 of your textbook) from New Georgia Island. This woodcarving serves a purpose of protecting the boat. The figure and bird act as protective spirits that guide the voyagers through safe waters. Birds are seen as messengers from the spirit world, and while the figure is only six and a half inches tall, the forward thrust and boldness of form make it appear larger than it really is.

References Frank, P. (2014a). Chapter 19: The Islamic world [PowerPoint slides]. Boston, MA: Pearson Education. Frank, P. (2014b). Chapter 20: Africa, Oceania, and the Americas [PowerPoint slides]. Boston, MA: Pearson

Education. Frank, P. (2014c). Prebles’ artforms: An introduction to the visual arts (11th ed.). Boston, MA: Pearson.

Suggested Reading If you would like to learn more about this unit’s reading, review the below chapter presentations that align with the textbook required readings: Click here to access the Chapter 18 PowerPoint Presentation. Click here for a PDF version of the presentation. Click here to access the Chapter 19 PowerPoint Presentation. Click here for a PDF version of the presentation. Click here to access the Chapter 20 PowerPoint Presentation. Click here for a PDF version of the presentation.

(Frank, 2014b, slide 18)