AP Art History: Stonehenge-- #8

Sunday, August 29, 2021


 Stonehenge

    An Neolithic wonder to so many or so long, Stonehenge is in Avenbury, Wiltshire, England and is a very popular tourist location. So amid many cheesey- clickbait videos--What is it? A market place? Place of worship? Home? 


Bio of the work: 

Date: 2500-1600 BC
Title: Stonehenge
Medium: Indigenous bluestone and sarsen
Location: Wiltshire, England

Analysis: 
    
     Aside from being one of the most recognizable and famous Neolithic archeological sites, Stonehenge was very revolutionary, showing many signs of early technology. Many stones were fit together in joints and the stones were brought long distances. While there have been many theories around the purpose of Neolithic peoples building this monument, the most accepted one is that of a temple, as the monument is aligned with the sun. Stonehenge is also some of the earliest examples of trilithons, 3 stones together in a post and lintel fashion.  



Citations: 
https://www.english-heritage.org.uk/visit/places/stonehenge/history-and-stories/history/description/

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Zooming In: Alberto Giacometti

Wednesday, August 11, 2021


 

Meet Alberto Giacometti! What do you think of this sculptor?


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AP Art History: The Calling of Saint Mathew-- #85

Thursday, August 5, 2021

 


The Calling of Saint Mathew by Caravaggio 


       Caravaggio's The Calling of Saint Mathew is a wonderful example of a Baroque piece. Caravaggio includes tenebrism, use of light in a very dramatic and strategic way, (click to learn more about it) and a biblical subject matter. 


Bio of the work: 

Title: The Calling of Saint Mathew
Date: 1599-1600
Medium: oil on canvas
Museum: Contarelli chapel, San Luigi dei Francesci, Rome

Analysis: 

    In Caravaggio's biblical scene, Jesus calls Mathew to become an apostle. At this moment, Jesus points his finger a Mathew, emphasized by the strong stream of light flooding in. Saint Mathew points to himself in confusion. Caravaggio depicts Mathew's spiritual awakening through this Baroque masterpiece. Click here to learn more about the Baroque.  

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Art Movement: Hellenistic Sculpture

Tuesday, August 3, 2021

 
    Beginning shortly after the death of Alexander the Great in 323 BCE, the Hellenistic period lasted almost 300 years, ending with the suicide of Cleopatra and Mark Antony. After Alexander's death, the empire was split up by his many successors, and these leaders became very wealthy. Thus, the Hellenistic Period was born along with many of the most famous art we know today. 


    Venus de Milo is a very famous example of Hellenistic sculpture. Hellenistic sculptors took on many new subject matter, but also made changes to the existing ones such as Greek gods and goddesses, as seen above.  Venus is depicted as much more human than the more religious and earlier representations. Although she is more human, Venus is represented as an ideal version, and her stance being most notable. Her body is contorted to not only express her outer, but also her inner beauty, as was only a goal in Hellenistic sculpture.



    
    In traditional sculpture, the Greek athlete would be a typical subject matter, but the Hellenistic take on The Boxer of Quirinal or The Seated Boxer is depicted differently Instead of the triumphant young man, the Hellenistic boxer is beaten up and defeated, possibly looking up at his opponent. The figure's hands are rapped in leather, and his forehead bleeds from a few cuts. Contrasting with many classical examples of Greek athletes, The Boxer of Quirinal evokes empathy from the viewer. 




    The Winged Victory of Samothrace is yet another example of Hellenistic sculpture. Click here for a separate post on this work.


    Hellenistic sculptors strove to evoke emotion and push the classical boundaries through their art. 



Sources: 
Gardner, Helen, and Fred S. Kleiner. Gardner's Art through the Ages: A Global History. Fifteenth edition, Student edition. ed., Boston, Cengage Learning, 2016.
"Hellenistic Sculpture." Greek Landscapes, GreekLandscapes.com, greeklandscapes.com/hellenistic-sculpture/. Accessed 3 Aug. 2021.
Hemingway, Colette. "Art of the Hellenistic Age and the Hellenistic Tradition." Edited by Seán Hemingway. The Metropolitan Museum of Art, Metropolitan Museum of Art, Apr. 2007, www.metmuseum.org/toah/hd/haht/hd_haht.htm. Accessed 3 Aug. 2021.
 
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Zooming In: Jan van Eyck

Monday, August 2, 2021

 


Meet Jan van Eyck!!!


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