Sculptures

Paper Summary:

This paper discusses the two works of art - both of which are on display at the Chicago Institute of Art - as examples of sculpture although their creation is separated by 13 centuries. It looks at their differences and their similarities. The paper includes a picture of each sculpture as well as essential facts.

From the Paper:

"Indeed, it is the differences in these two works that are more glaring than their similarities. The bodhisattva is a religious icon. It has extremely practical uses in Buddhist worship. It also acted as a sort of moral compass for its viewers; bodhisattvas were beings who had almost achieved enlightenment and could have attained nirvana, but their feelings of charity have caused them to stay in the world and attempt to help others achieve Nirvana. As a result, the bodhisattva provides an image of what a charitable being looks like. In this sense, the bodhisattva, although a beautiful work, has a moral and religious dimension that is as primary as its aesthetic appeal. Also, the statue was created according to strict rules of tradition, with little room for individual innovation. Brancusi's statue on the other hand is a nonrepresentational form created according to no traditional template. Brancusi claimed that his material was the major guiding force in his work. He believed that the forms presented themselves from out of the material itself. Thus, although the two artifacts are both examples of sculpture, the bodhisattva is a devotional piece that has major religious and ethical implications, whereas Brancusi's Golden Bird is a self-sufficient meditation on form that attempts to reveal its own essential nature by the free play of its forms."

More papers on Sculptures:

• Research Paper # 122630 : "Donnatello Sculptures"
• Comparison Essay # 46569 : "Understanding Two Modern Sculptures"
• Descriptive Essay # 117122 : "Romanesque Tympanum Sculptures"

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