Abstract This paper examines theories found in the field of aesthetics, or the philosophical qualities found within art, to clearly address the question of whether humans create art or whether humans are art. This conflict of qualities has long perplexed philosophers and artists alike, where there is no real distinction as to whether art comes from an essential human nature, or whether art is the manifestation of that nature in a detached form of media.
Abstract This paper will argue - through a comparison of these two works of art - that the physical aesthetics of both sculptures can only be understood in terms of the cultural contexts that produced them. Their significance and that of their respective visions of male beauty, thus requires those who approach them to do so with reference to the specific talents and genius of the men who created them.
Abstract This paper will argue that were it not for the revolutionary spirit fostered by the war, the revolution in design that the Bauhaus represented would never have come to fruition.
Abstract In realizing, through an interview with a host, how the tattoo plays a part in the study of modern body art, we can see how this creates an impression of art in our culture. By examining a 'Gaelic' tattoo design, we can learn how this interviewee responded to certain questions of cultural awareness of the times and will show how culture is passed on this way.
Abstract This paper will discuss the history and aesthetics of lacquerware in Japan. It will be seen that although the origins of this art form - like much of Japanese culture - lies in importation from China, Japanese artisans have over the course of centuries imposed their own unique styles and sense of aesthetics upon their lacquerware production.
Abstract This paper will explore the development of the representation of the human figure on classical Greek ceramics. Given the sheer range and scope of the production in question, discussion will be focused on the tradition of the representation of human figures upon Athenian ceramics in particular. As will be seen, this limitation is not entirely arbitrary. While Greek pottery was dominated by Corinthian production for much of its early history, as Athens grew in commercial and political importance it began to dominate the market for ceramics in the Greek world. From about the sixth century BC onwards, it will be argued, the representation of the human figure upon Athenian pottery grew increasingly sophisticated in both technique and theme. As will be seen, gradually the rigid poses and mythological themes yielded to figures and scenes more reflective of the everyday life of the population. This increasing sophistication, to some extent, reflects the prosperity of the Athenian industry and its capacity to bring in artists from outside Athens whose talents were to transform Greek ceramics.
Abstract This three-page undergraduate paper discusses Renoir's painting, "Two Sisters on the Terrace" and evaluates the artist's masterful use of line, color, light and dark, texture, area, perspective and volume.
Abstract This paper provides a thorough comparison of two pieces of art. It compares and contrasts them ,not only on their aesthetic properties, but also their historic and symbolic value.
From the Paper "Of all of the ancient cultures, few are as compelling as the Greeks. Their relatively short lived culture has had a larger influence on its modern counterparts than any before or after it. They gave us grounding in our architecture; very few of our government buildings don?t borrow something from Greek architecture, especially in the use of columns, and the golden ratio, developed by Eucliud, is still a common fall back for many designers. The political philosophy of Greece also continues to inspire us. As the first truly successful democracy, their ideas on court and jury systems, as well as the fundamental "on man, one vote" practice, can be seen in our everyday lives. Most importantly, Greek art transformed all art in the world forever after. Though we don?t encounter many examples of it in our everyday lives, current art is owed much credit to the Athenians and their kin. Greek art took leaps and bounds in just a couple hundred years, especially in the area of sculpture. Huge changes in the way cloth and drapery was represented as well as the change to more natural poses of human figures took place at this time. Two wonderful examples of these modernizations were the Three Seated Goddesses of the Parthenon and the Nike of Samothrace, which are so alike at first glace, yet are such opposites on any deeper level. They are practically identical in technique, yet their themes and other subtle qualities differ in many ways."
Abstract This paper is based on how surrealism came into existence and how it revolutionized the form of art in the 20th and 21st centuries. It also highlights the contributions of many noteworthy figures in this arena by looking at the works of Antonin Artaud, Man Ray, and Salvador Dali.
From the Paper "Surrealism is the by-product of the defunct dada movement, which
is termed as an inhuman artistic reaction against the inhuman world created during world war one. This is because all movements were characterized by rage, extinguishing the age of dada, and many of its leaders, especially Andre Breton took up the new surrealist movement. Surrealism emerged at the beginning of the 1920's, a period characterized by the confused and inert perplexity of a collective bourgeois dedicated to nothing less than the mustiness of the balance sheet."
Abstract This is an African art history paper discussing the elaborately decorated costumes worn by the Yoruba tribes of Nigeria. These costumes are worn during Egungun festivals, which honor death and ancestors. The religious beliefs and traditions behind the costumes & ceremonies are discussed. Additionally, detail is given to describing these costumes, which offer a great example of an ancient, African artistic tradition still surviving today.
From the Paper "Egungun masquerader costumes are worn by the Yoruba people during Egungun festivals and hold great cultural importance. These costumes and the festival they are worn during are both fascinating and interesting to learn about. The costumes are multicolored and detailed, with an intricate pattern that a viewer can study and enjoy for long periods of time. When worn during a performance, the fabric of the costume flies out, appearing lively and vibrant. This makes the Egungun masquerade costumes both visually appealing and intriguing to learn about."
A review of the paintings ?The Third of May 1808? by Francisco Goya, Eugene Delacroix's ?Liberty Leading the People 1830?, and Ernest Meissonier's ?Memory of the Civil War (the Barricades) 1849? .
Abstract This paper discusses how revolution and social turmoil have always been accompanied by artistic creation. It examines Francisco Goya's ?The Third of May 1808,? Eugene Delacroix's ?Liberty Leading the People 1830,? and Ernest Meissonier's ?Memory of the Civil War (the Barricades) 1849? and shows how they are three great pieces, which portray the glory and atrocity, the tragedy and humanity, of three revolutions.
From the Paper "Francisco Goya's "The Third of May, 1808? tells the story of an execution in the aftermath of the Spanish insurrections that protested Napoleon's invasion of Spain. In this famous painting, a line of soldiers take aim at a single prisoner. To his left a pile of bleeding corpses demonstrate his inevitable fate. To his right a line of frightened, sobbing prisoners illustrate the immediate backstory for this moment. He is caught in the spotlight between anticipation and culmination, at the very second before death. Yet unlike the living he is not portrayed as frightened or even defeated, but as a gloriously triumphant figure. The scene is painted in dark earth tones, and all the figures have shadowed faces and dark clothes. The only light in the entire picture radiates from the prisoner's central figure (strictly speaking, he is illuminated by a spotlight, but the still shines brighter than the light itself)."
Abstract This paper compares the style, subject matter, and treatment of two 15th-century art pieces, "The Holy Trinity" and "The Annunciation". It looks at the style of art that was popular at the time the objects were painted, the similarities and the differences in the artworks, and the concept of time present in both works.
From the Paper "But a look inside the central panel reveals that although the figures are supposed to be the historic Mary and the angel, the clothing, furniture, pottery, windowpanes, fireplace?all these are of the period in which the painting was created. That suggests that the apparently 15th century figures in the left panel are as historical as Mary and the angel, and the artist has simply chosen to portray them all in "current time" with current props. Still, the possibility that the artist was playing with time while presenting a miraculous event is seductive, and cannot be ruled out. After all, it was the age of alchemy, and many believed in things far stranger than that a 15th century priest could be "viewing" an event that happened 9 months BC."
Abstract This research paper discusses art therapy in a well-rounded explanation of the nature of this form of treatment, its usefulness, history, and how important it is considered to be. It looks at how it has been found that art therapy is useful in a variety of physical and mental health conditions. It also examines how the therapists are all professionally trained and how the client is facilitated to explore his innermost thoughts with this form of therapy.
From the Paper "Art therapy can relieve addicts of their afflictions. I shall discuss art therapy the most here out of all creative arts therapies because this is the form of therapy I am most suited to and comfortable about. All my life I have held interest in the visual arts very much so in painting. This is my preferred genre of creative art therapy. Why? it is rather accessible if we look at it as a field that allows free membership. Anybody can paint even if he is not trained for the job. And art therapy is not done on a novice basis alone. Skilled therapists deal with their clients to help them release unconscious matter (where culture also is ingrained) in their minds; see it clearly by representation in order to resolve conflicts among themselves and with their fellow beings."
