Abstract This essay surveys the literature for opinions on the purpose of the mysterious and appealing marble figures of the Bronze Age in the Aegean islands of the Cyclades. Since the sculptors left no writing, scholars are left to speculate based on evidence from nearby cultures. Arguments from many scholars are compared to try to find the best solutions to the problem. The paper includes photographs of the figures.
From the Paper "Van Schaik points to the fact that too few of the figures were found outside of burial contexts for the figures to be a assigned to a cult of the Mother Goddess like the one in Anatolia. However, as stated earlier, the similarity in form of the Cycladic figures to those of Anatolia cannot be discounted, whether or not one believes that they serve the same purpose".
Abstract This paper examines the art, form and traits of the carved marble female figures attributed to the Schuster Master whose real name is unknown and is identified only by the style of his work. It shows how these remarkable pieces dating back to 2400 BCE and sculpted in marble serve as reminders of the evolution of ancient Greek art and all have a prominent, linear nose, a curvaceous forehead and hints of pregnancy in the belly. The Schuster Master may have intended simply to convey the power of pregnancy or of the female spirit but Cycladic art is deceptively minimalist and original pieces, painted and decorated have exhibited the sophisticated understanding of the artist for his media.
From the Paper "However, the model's arms are tightly crossed and drawn across her torso. This pose is reposed, relaxed, resolute, and refined. The folded arms form a square that balances perfectly with the otherwise cylindrical nature of the statue. The elbows are pointy, perhaps suggesting a stubborn nature. This is no pushover. The Cycladic woman sticks to her guns; she is an effective leader. Her decisions are final, evident by her stoic stance. The artist's lack of detail in depicting her form also indicates a lack of frivolity in the female personality."
This paper discusses the importance of the Neolithic period to the art historian. It is important because it laid the foundation for all consequent art.
Abstract This paper explains that, like archaeologists, art historians play the role of detective by studying, analyzing, and interpreting the earliest known works of art not only to explain their aesthetic beauty or significance, but also to demonstrate how they represent the unwritten history of humanity. The author points out that the art from the area called Catal Huyuk demonstrates both figurative and abstract components, showing that art was already conceptual at this time, being about ideas and not things. The paper relates that Cycladic art and the megalithic architecture, which are represented in structures of cromtech design, or circular and spiral arrangements like Stonehenge, reveal the unifying feature of art and its movement from Europe to the Middle East to Europe.
From the Paper "Only when the context of a work of art is known can we go beyond an appreciation of its formal qualities and begin to analyze its place in the history of art - to trace the evolution of art through the ages" (23). Within this historical goal of the study of art, also being a study of human evolution, the Neolithic period is of great importance. This period of human evolution was among those that witnessed "the birth of art," and lasted from approximately 6000 BC to 3500 BC (25). The Neolithic paintings and artworks illustrate the way in which early man interacted with his environment, his level of development as in the tools he had fashioned, his culture, his vision of himself in relation to the world and other living creatures, and his beliefs, further providing a link between the different stages of human evolution and art development through analysis of the different techniques and materials used, and the different subjects portrayed as well as the differing methods of portrayal."
Examines the works of the pre-Greek era ("Harpist") and of Pierre Le Gros ("Saint Thomas") and Auguste Rodin ("The Burghers of Calais") and their cultural/historical significance.
2,025 words (approx. 8.1 pages), 6 sources, 1999, $ 71.95
Abstract "Sculpture is an expression of the world reshaped in wood, stone, or some other material in three-dimensional form. Sculptors express themselves differently in this form of art in different times periods. Sometimes sculptors are reflecting community concerns and using these materials as a form of magic or religious expression and sometimes as a personal expression of deep-seated views of how humans relate to the world.
From the Paper "Sculpture is an expression of the world reshaped in wood, stone, or some other material in three-dimensional form. Sculptors express themselves differently in this form of art in different times periods. Sometimes sculptors are reflecting community concerns and using these materials as a form of magic or religious expression and sometimes as a personal expression of deep-seated views of how humans relate to the world. Early sculpting tended to have a magical element, as in ancient fertility images to encourage the having of children, or in images of heroes in later eras to encourage others to have courage as well.
The Cycladic or pre-Greek era is represented at the Getty Museum in California by a number of works, such as the Greek island marble figurine "Harpist," from about 2500 B.C. This is ..."
Abstract This paper provides a brief overview of the ongoing struggle between Greece and Turkey. The paper describes the history of their relations, the wars fought between the two countries, massacres of populations and occupations of land, British involvement in the struggle, present day relations, as well as the current political situation in Cyprus.
From the Paper "Despite many commonalitities, Greece and Turkey have been at odds for hundreds of years (Turkey pp). Although many subscribe to the myth of ancient hatred, there is however, a history of conflict that dates back to the entry of Turkish nomads into the Byzantine Empire in the 11th century, the eventual collapse of the Byzantine, the fall of Constantinople in 1453, and the long dominance of the Ottoman Dynasty over Greece and the Eastern Mediterranean islands (Turkey pp). Throughout history, the strategic location of the small Mediterranean island of Cyprus has been of interest of several states that sought to gain a foothold for Middle East invasions (Meier Pp). Greece gained control of the island in the 13th century B.C. and dominated the island until the Ottoman takeover of 1571, after which Turkish immigrants began to inhabit the island (Meier Pp). During the fall of the Ottoman Empire in the wake of its war with Russia, the United Kingdom negotiated to become the protecting power over Cyprus and officially gained sovereignty over the island in 1923 under the Treaty of Lausanne, making the island a British Crown Colony until its independence in 1960 (Meier Pp). Since Greece won its independence from the Ottoman Empire in 1832, relations between Greece and Turkey have been marked by mutual hostility resulting in four wars, The Greco-Turkish War of 1897, the Balkan Wars of 1912-1913, the First World War 1914-1918, and the Greco-Turkish War 1919-1922 (Ottoman pp)."
