Mosaics Kylie Palmer ARTS 2351 02: Art History November 16, 2017 Mosaics are an art form made up of mostly tiny pieces of materials such as glass or stone of various colors to create a larger image or pattern. Originating hundreds and thousands of years ago, mosaics have always been a popular way of portraying images, decorating a space, and showing devotion to whomever the patron or artist admires. They remain popular today as well, although they were most popular during the Greek and Roman period. In these ancient times, various materials were used, the methods of creating them were established, techniques were perfected, and the art lives on. By definition, mosaic is a “decoration of a surface with designs made up of closely set, usually variously coloured, small pieces of material such as stone, mineral, glass, tile, or shell.” These materials are applied to a surface that will allow the material to adhere to it such as mortar and is left to dry until the masterpiece is complete. There are thought to be multiple originations of the word mosaic, with one being from the terms mousaikon and musaicus, terms used in the Byzantine period, and opus musivum. Each of them reference …show more content…
There is one belief that it was simply influenced by decorations used on floors and walls, such as carpets and tapestries, that were then desired to become permanent décor through the use of solid materials adhered to a floor or wall throughout time, and there is another opinion that the true art form began with the Greeks during the Greek and Roman period when techniques were perfected. Before then, it is thought by some scholars that it was just dabbling in the arts. However, there have been pieces recovered from the 8th century BCE that are considered some of the oldest forms of mosaic art. These pieces were made of very primitive materials, and it was not believed that there was a true method to the art at this
Many works of art can be considered artifacts that hold volumes of information regarding the culture of the people that created them and the historical context in which they lived.
This paper will discuss and compare A Faun Teased by Children sculpture, of the Italian Baroque style, and the Little Fourteen Year Old Dancer of the French impressionist style. These two sculptures give us a clear insight and allows us to peer in on the moment that is taking place. The active movement, strong diagonals and dramatic facial expressions of the figures in A Faun Teased by Children tells the on looker a vivid detailed story of the actions that are taking place and what role each figure is taking on, in a mythical scene, while the stagnant and serene pose of the Fourteen Year Old Girl resonates calmness and a moment that has not taken place just yet.
The compositions that each piece displays is different and prestige in its own right. Flemish panel painters were largely influential and created extraordinary developments in composition. The artwork tends to be very detailed and filled with symbolic meanings from surrounding objects or even coloring. Jan van Eyck was especially credited for paying exceptional attention to detail that creates such a realistic form, the figures seem lifelike. Much of this realistic appearance is due to the medium that was widely used in the North. The use of oil paints and techniques, such as finer detail with smaller brush strokes and layering of oil paints to create a glaze, were used and developed giving the Northern art distinct characteristics and composition. Italian painters created frescos by applying pigments to wet plaster. The result is a dull, flatter color and they were unable to achieve intricate detail. The com...
Two main devices used in Egyptian art from the fourth dynasty, that also help classify it, are a strive for naturalism and the use of sculpture in the round. In addition to the large burial monuments being built, portraiture became quite popular at this time in history. Paintings featuring humans used their own form of "sculpture in the round" by painting in ...
In order to understand the meaning of an artwork, besides the overall aesthetics of an artwork, it requires the viewer to have knowledge on the context in which a work of art is produced. With this knowledge, the viewer employs a holistic approach towards an artwork. For example, Pete Fecteau’s “Dream Big” is a mosaic is made of 4,242 officially licensed Rubik’s Cubes, as shown in the image below. When looked as the whole, the icon, Martin Luther King Jr. is seen. A historical icon that embodies freedom and hope, for people who are aware of his social and cultural influence, at that time. The simple components in this case would be the image of Martin Luther king Jr. and 4,242 well-arranged Rubik’s
The past history have a huge impact on the future. From the ancient art history until current years it is safe to say that the art changed drastically, it shows that people nowadays have different values, styles and priorities in life. The past teaches people about the future and helps to avoid mistakes. In the Paleolithic period, where folks were focusing on hunting and gathering, where everyday life was dynamic, meaning they were moving from one place to another in search of better resources (Upper Paleolithic, 28) to Mesopotamian period where things were more certain and people liked to stay in one place. Paleolithic period did not consist of writing which is the main reason people can only guess and interpret the culture based on their own guesses what was the society like back then.
Greek Art today is known as, "Classical Art." Some of the most famous Greek architecture was presented in the medium of: sculptures, pottery or even built in temples more than 2,000 years ago in ancient Greece. We know about some of the Greek masterpieces that have been lost, such works as: writings, journals and other remains of Greek history. Archeologists and scholars have been searching for centuries for the lost pieces with little success.
While doing my research on Marela Zacarias, my eyes have opened up more when it comes to art. I’ve come to like sculptures more than I do portraits. I like that you can actually feel the outlining and curves of a sculpture than you would a flat surface portrait. The thing I love most about Zacarias’s sculptures, is that it’s so unique and comes at you with beautiful colors and patterns. It also seems as if it were a linen drapes coming at you or a linen bed cover drying outside and the wind is blowing it, causing it to get that rippled effect. Art can be many things in one’s eyes. But what is art to
At this point the cubist artists stared to experiment with foreign objects, and made the background subjects of the work just as important or significant as the subject in the foreground. They started to incorporate the use of more expressive colors, and pictures became more embellishing than they were before. They also began to experiment with textured patterned surfaces like cutouts, wallpaper, newspaper, sheet music, etc. Today the use of various different materials all together in one work is called collage. The use of collage in their art allowed Picasso to extend the style of cubism to sculpture. Before that period in time sculptures were modeled or carved to be precise, this introduction gave artists permission to make a sculpture out of anything they desired.
All in all, the artworks of Mesopotamia, Ancient Egypt, Aegean cultures, and Ancient Greece have similarities that not only reflect objects and images, but also the media, style and representation, these cultures are vastly exclusive works ranging from triangular depictions of form, to breezy depictions of nature, to sturdy architectural innovations for their citadels. Because of the existence of these major cultures of art in our world, it has made what art is today. These four unbelievable time periods have learned from each other and improved the way they accomplish their art techniques. These amazing cultures set a foundation that we were able to build on for thousands of years now with much more to come.
Byzantine mosaics developed depicted subjects with shimmering skin and shinning halos which brought up an effect of an accomplished gold leaf and smalti. The Roman mosaics featured domestic scenes, animal sacrifices and geometric patterns which led to the creation or display of Christian imagery in terms of depicting Christ.
The Fragment of a Fresco is dated to 50-25 B.C., generally categorizing it into the Second Period of Roman paintings and placing its creation during the time of transition of Rome from a Republic to an Empire. This particular fresco was discovered in Pompeii, which is considered one of the leading sites of such pieces of art. While many Roman frescos throughout all four styles depict scenes of historical importance in both military and cultural aspects, this particular piece, Fragment of a Fresco, provides more of an architectural and interior design quality than that of other pieces from this time period.
The Romans have adopted many features from the Greek style of art and architecture during the third and second centuries B.C. During that time period the Romans discovered that they have taking a liking to Greek statues, which they placed in many different places. The Roman sculptors then decided to also start making statues alongside the Greeks. The statues that the Romans created were realistic looking with, sometime, unpleasant details of the body. The Greeks made statues with, what they thought of, ideal appearances in the statues figure. Sculpture was possibly considered the highest form of art by the Romans, but figure painting was very high considered as well. Very little of Roman painting has survived the tests of time.
..., the contrast of light byzantine mosaic tiles against a background of dark mosaic tiles mimics the appearance of stars in a vast galaxy.
It was humanism. From patriarch's original concept, his ideas grew into new mindsets of studying humans and humankind. After these ideals were taken place, artists started to display it in their painting. For example, Michelangelo created David (1501-1504) out of marble. Usually people would make sculptures for God and religion, but Michelangelo did not. He was showing the beauty of humans and that humans had power and were beautiful. Another example was Raphael’s painting, School of Athens (1509-1511). This painting showed balance, harmony, and order that represented the principles of the Classical Period. It also focused on the Greco-Romans. This piece of art represented famous ancient philosophers like Aristotle, and Plato, and many others. This painting showed great humanism and it caused a pope to have it in his private library even though he was religious and was about God and it showed that the churches began to weaken while the mindset of humans became