Abstract
This essay gives the historical and social background of modern art, explains the general ways that modernist work can be seen as uniquely different from art that came before, and looks at two specific examples of modern art's radically different approach. It clearly defines modern art and explains the foundations and philosophy behind art of the past hundred and fifty years.

From the Paper
"When defining and discussing modern art, it is first important to clarify exactly what the term means. Modern art refers primarily to painting, sculpture, and architecture created since the blossoming of technology and modern society. In broader historical thinking, the word modern refers to that time after the Renaissance and the Age of Discovery, however, the modern art movement is generally agreed to have been between the 1860s and 1970s. Like many discussions about art history, these dates are subjective. Painting, sculpture, and architecture from this period of history are called "modern" or "modernist." For many art historians, modern art began with the work of Edward Manet. Manet was one of the first impressionists and modern artists, those who reacted to the very formal and rigid style of painting done inside studios and set by traditional institutions in the nineteenth century. Modernism ended with the start of what many refer to as "post-modernism" in the 1960s and 1970s. This essay will give the historical and social background of modern art, explain the general ways that modernist work can be seen as uniquely different from art that came before, and look at two specific examples of modern art's radically different approach to painting. When compared to Renaissance and other western "traditional art" up to the late nineteenth century, it will be seen that modernism was a totally new paradigm for art."

Tags:architecture, art, modern, painting, sculpture, history, 19th, century, radical, change

Abstract
In this paper, the writer explores Leon Trotsky's ideas about the role of art in the struggle for socialism by discussing Trotsky's definition of art and its general importance to man. This is followed by an analysis of the basic role that art should play through various stages of the road toward socialism. To accomplish this, the paper further examines the themes of revolutionary art, proletarian culture, socialist art and the ideal communist policy toward art. Additionally, the author examines the dissolution of artistic freedom under Stalin which prompted Trotsky to re-evaluate the place of art as an important cultural factor in a socialist society.

From the Paper
"In order to understand Trotsky's theories on the connection between art and Socialism, one must explore his basic ideas about what art is, where it comes from, and its role in society and revolution. First, art is part of culture. Trotsky defines culture as, "everything that has been created, built, learned by man...in distinction to what nature has given him". Culture contains many different institutions with art being one of the main foundations. For the purpose of this paper, 'art' will refer to many different forms of artistic creation but mostly literature, painting, and poetry. In "Art and Politics in Our Epoch," art is defined as "an expression of man's needs for a harmonious and complete life." Art is a very important part of the human experience because it gives people a way to express themselves without being forced to be completely transparent. "

Tags:Socialism, artistic freedom, proletariat, revolution

Abstract
This paper discusses epigraphic and vegetal bowls from the early and late Medieval periods of Islamic art. The paper details the decorative elments of Islamic art and explores why Islamic art is generally devoid of naturalism.

From the Paper
"Given the strict nature of Islam and the prohibition against any compromise of the unity and transcendence of God, Islamic culture and tradition established early on an absolute ban on any image or representation of God or Muhammad. Many Arab Muslims extended this ban to any representation in art of the human form. This attitude resulted in the use of calligraphy, Arabic script and Arabesque geometric and floral design as dominant forms in Islamic art. Regardless of whether one refers to architecture..."

Tags:Islamic Art, bowls, epigraphy, vegetal, decorative, naturalism

Abstract
The writer of this paper centers on the fields of Far East and Near East art also known as Orientalist art. This paper presents figures and facts pertaining to the genre of Orientalist art from the auction houses of Christie' and Sotheby's as well as others. This well-researched paper discusses the general status of the art industry, while also delving into current trends. This paper examines how the 9/11 terror attacks caused sales and prices in the art industry to drastically fall around the world. This paper discusses the published reports that claim that even prior to 9/11 the art market was showing signs of slowing down. This paper contains published statistics and data pertinent to the art market in general while also presenting 6 illustrated charts and graphs relevant to this particular topic.

Table of Contents:
Introduction
General Art Market Analysis
Orientalist Art Market Analysis
Conclusion
References

From the Paper
"Luckily, the art market was able to rebound quite quickly, despite challenges in other sectors. "After the tragedy of September 11th, the art market has consistently trumped the performance of sluggish equities markets" ("Art investment", 2003). For this reason, the art market, in general, has seen a resurgence, despite the downturn attributed to September 11th. However, not all is smooth sailing for the industry. This was evidenced just prior to perhaps one of the largest events in the art market history was the sale of artwork collected by the late Malcolm Forbes. Forbes was an obsessive collector. From Faberge eggs to Orientalist paintings, Forbes collection grew for more than three decades. 361 pieces of art, from this lifetime of collecting went under the hammer at Christie's in London, in 2003."

Tags:art, business, industry, loss, gains, economy, terror, attacks, sotheby's, christie's

Abstract
The paper discusses "Frederick the Great on the Art of War" and relates that Frederick is considered one of the greatest generals ever to have lived. The paper explains that "Frederick the Great on the Art of War" is a compilation of Frederick's musings about war and give insight as to how Frederick formulated his strategy over the course of his most famous and unexpected success, Prussia's triumph during The Seven Years War. The paper reveals that although Frederick was a king, the book gives most attention to his role as a general of war. The paper concludes that the book is an important snapshot of how warfare was viewed at a particular point in human history and portrays the nascent efficiency of the German approach to battle.

From the Paper
"Germany is such a powerful nation-state today, and played such a decisive role in shaping the map of Europe during the 20th century, it is easy to forget that it is a land with a fairly recent birth date. Germany was forged, over the course of the late 18th and early 19th century, as the result of the mighty nature of the Prussian military regime. At the helm of these forces during the conception of Prussia, the region that was to give birth to the men who created the core, military backbone of modern German regime, the Prussian general and leader Frederick the Great stands proud. Frederick is widely considered one of the greatest generals ever to have lived, and his writings on the reasons for his success are compiled in Frederick the Great on the Art of War."

Tags:Prussia, general, leader, The, Seven, Years, War, warfare

Abstract
The paper explores Walter Benjamin's, "The Work of Art in the Age of Mechanical Reproduction" and specifically look at how digital cinema may be interpreted as a classic instance of technology democratizing the creative and artistic process, and as an instance of how technology can de-fetishize artifacts. The paper discusses how the camera in general is a tool that, given its mediated state, can become exploited to the full by those with political objectives in mind. Lastly, the paper looks at the redemptive aspects of modern mass-produced art (especially art as captured on film) and at how art can be used to "fine-tune" the "human apparatus of perception" - even as modern art is faced with distracted masses. The paper shows how the age of mass-produced and mass-replicated art is an age that offers much that is promising, much that is redemptive, but also some genuinely troubling challenges, as well.

Tags:work, art, reproduction

Abstract
Using a compare and contrast methodology, this paper explores the propagandist values and themes present in both "The Death of General Wolfe" by Benjamin West, and "Oath of the Horatii" by Jacques-Louis David, as well as examining the artistic and stylistic differences of each.

From the Paper
"Eighteenth century virtues such as honour, valour, and love of one's country were believed to produce great people and great deeds (Gardner's 846). Other virtues including courage, patriotism, and self-sacrifice were considered 'natural' and find their place in patriotic or propagandist works of art. The theme of the 'death in battle' of young military heroes has been expressed since antiquity, both in statuary and other forms of art. This same theme of the death of a military hero is portrayed in Benjamin West's The Death of General Wolfe."

Tags:benjamin, classical, david, death, general, horatii, jacques, louis, neo, oath, west, wolfe

Abstract
The purpose of this study is to provide a general overview of the discipline of commercial art. To do so, a number of topics will be touched upon so that readers can gain a broad understanding of the importance of commercial art in contemporary culture, as well as some of the means by which commercial art is produced.

From the Paper
"The importance of commercial art and the artists who create it cannot be overemphasized. Western, capitalist societies depend upon the skills that commercial artists possess. Quite simply, "commercial artists create a moving record of social moods and public perceptions ... because art, emotion, and business interests converge in advertising" ("Area of Study" par. 2). Put another way, capitalism is built on advertising. Without advertising, producers would not be able to convince consumers that they have an artificial need for a given product. Commercial art is the medium through which advertising operates and the proverbial glue that holds together the economic systems of Western nations. The purpose of this study is to provide a general overview of the discipline of commercial art. "

Tags:commercial, art, overview

Abstract
The paper examines how the Art Nouveau Movement played a large role in transforming how normative geometric designs were used in creating type fonts at the beginning of the 20th century. The organic and natural design schematics of Art Nouveau made it possible to bring curvature and fauna forms into letter formats. The paper explains that the highly styled kind of typography that this created may not have been proper for reading large amounts of text, but certainly it offered an exterior design appropriation that allowed greater freedoms and creativity in general printing techniques.

From the Paper
"In this study, typography and its design history will be examined. By examining examples of typography related to the Art Nouveau Movement, one can realize the power this form of design had on typesetting. By analyzing the details of how this has become to be a important artistic influence on typography, the letters and designs of Art Nouveau played a revolutionary new approach at the turn of the 19th century. In essence, the Art Nouveau Movement had a large influence on typesetting in typographic history, marking it as a historically important artistic approach well into the early 20th century. The importance of Art Nouveau at the end of the 19th century and into the 20th century is incalculable."

Tags:art, type, nouveau

Abstract
The paper begins with a general overview of the meaning of religion in Michelangelo's art and then moves its focus to the panel of the Drunkenness of Noah. It explains the basic story that this piece hopes to capture and compares how this Biblical story differs in a way to what is portrayed in the picture.

From the Paper
"Michelangelo's frescoes for the ceiling of the Sistine Chapel are regarded by nearly all art historians as being amongst the most significant and most lovely -- of all works of art created in the West since the beginning of the Christian era. It is no doubt because of their artistic importance that it is easy to overlook their religious significance, for while the religions stories that Michelangelo gave vision to are well known and in no way original to the artist, the images were overwhelmingly original. We cannot fail to be impressed by their beauty when we look at them and so we may forget to see what is actually contained in them."

Tags:Noah, flood, Seth, Ham, Japeth, Genesis, Italy, art