New media and the Arts

Prehistory to 15th century Art

Royal standard of Ur c.2600-2400BC artist unknown In Sumerian Art , figures are shown in Hierarchical , size is altered to indicate level of power.this painting was made by red limestone and lapis lazuli typical for art ork in this time.

Modern Art

Art History Collection

This historical art image shows a Stonehenge from Salisbury Plain, England. The Stonehenge ages to Ca. 2900-1500 BCE. This artwork consists of Megalithic architecture: The word "megalithic" describes structures made of such large stones without the use of mortar or concrete, representing periods of prehistory characterized by such constructions. For later periods, the term monolith, with an overlapping meaning, is more likely to be used.

It also has Post and lintel: In architecture, post and lintel (also called prop and lintel or a trabeated system) are a building system where strong horizontal elements are held up by strong vertical elements with large spaces between them.

This historical art image shows the Royal Standard of Ur From the Royal Cemetery of Ur. It is said to be aged to Ca. 2500 BCE. The Royal cemetery at Ur: is an archaeological site in modern-day Dhi Qar Governorate in southern Iraq. The initial excavations at Ur took place between 1922 and 1934 under the direction of Leonard Woolley in association with the British Museum and the University of PennsylvaniaMuseum of Archaeology and Anthropology in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.

This historical art image shows the Senworet lll Standing in a Devotional Attitude From the Temple of Mentuhotep Nebhepetre in Egypt from the Middle Kingdom 12 Dynasty. This image contains Isfet: (meaning "injustice", "chaos", or "violence"; as a verb, “to do evil”) is an ancient Egyptian term from Egyptian mythology used in philosophy, which was built on a religious, social and political affected dualism. The King of this image was known for maintaining Ma’at: was the ancient Egyptian concept of truth, balance, order, harmony, law, morality, and justice. Maat was also personified as a goddess regulating the stars, seasons, and the actions of both mortals and the deities, who set the order of the universe from chaos at the moment of creation. Her ideological counterpart was Isfet.

This is a piece of art of Akhenaten and his Family from the New Kingdom, 18th Dynasty. This image shows the king as Feminine. Akhenaten was known for changing Egyptian's religion from polytheistic to monotheistic. Here are some Art key terms related to this Art image.

Smiting scenes: symbolic of the king’s obligation to the Egyptian people. Kings suppose to eliminate chaos “isfet” and maintain order“maat” Isfet: (meaning "injustice", "chaos", or "violence"; as a verb, “to do evil”) is an ancient Egyptian term from Egyptian mythology used in philosophy, which was built on a religious, social and political affected dualism. Ma’at: was the ancient Egyptian concept of truth, balance, order, harmony, law, morality, and justice. Maat was also personified as a goddess regulating the stars, seasons, and the actions of both mortals and the deities, who set the order of the universe from chaos at the moment of creation. Her ideological counterpart was Isfet.

This is an Art Image of The Temple of Parthenon from Athens, Greece. There are some important Art terms to know about this work of Art. This architecture building contains a Doric Order and a Metope. Below is an explanation of what these terms are:

Doric Order: was one of the three orders of ancient Greek and later Roman architecture; the other two canonical orders were the Ionic and the Corinthian. The Doric is most easily recognized by the simple circular capitals at the top of columns.

Metope: in classical architecture, a metope (μετόπη) is a rectangular architectural element that fills the space between two triglyphs in a Doric frieze, which is a decorative band of alternating triglyphs and metopes above the architrave of a building of the Doric order. The Pediment, Triglyph or Metope on the upper Part of the building was destroyed due to a battle with the Persian.

This is an Art Image of The Temple of Portunus. Pizza della Bocca Della Verita, Rome Ca. 80 BCE. There are some important Art terms to know about this work of Art. This architecture building contains an Ionic Order, a Pediment, Entablature, the Architrave and a Pseudo-colonnade. Below is an explanation of what these terms are:

Ionic Order:  The Ionic columns are the thinnest and smallest columns out of the three canonic orders. The Ionic capital is characterized by the use of volutes

Pediment: the triangular upper part of the front of a building in classical style, typically surmounting a portico of columns.

Entablature: a horizontal, continuous lintel on a classical building supported by columns or a wall, comprising the architrave, frieze, and cornice.

Architrave: the main beam resting across the tops of columns, specifically the lower third entablature.

Pseudo-colonnade: the temple is one with free standing columns in the front whereas the columns along the sides are engaged in the peripheral walls of the naos or cella.

This is an Art Image of The Pantheon located in Rome, Italy. aging to 118-125 CE. There are some important Art terms to know about this work of Art. This architecture building contains a Corinthian Order, a Pediment, Entablature, and an Architrave. Below is an explanation of what these terms are:

Corinthian Order is the last developed of the three principal classical orders of ancient Greek and Roman architecture. The Corinthian, with its offshoot the Composite, is the most ornate of the orders, characterized by slender fluted columns and elaborate capitals decorated with acanthus leaves and scrolls.

Pediment: the triangular upper part of the front of a building in classical style, typically surmounting a portico of columns.

Entablature: a horizontal, continuous lintel on a classical building supported by columns or a wall, comprising the architrave, frieze, and cornice.

Architrave: The main beam resting across the tops of columns, specifically the lower third entablature.

This is an Art Image of Nave of Hagia Sophia from Istanbul, Turkey aging to 532-37. There are some important Art terms to know about this work of Art. This architecture building contains a Basilicas, a Clerestory, Central nave, and an apse. Below is an explanation of what these terms are:

Basilicas: a large oblong hall or building with double colonnades and a semicircular apse, used in ancient Rome as a court of law or for public assemblies. Clerestory: the upper part of the nave, choir, and transepts of a large church containing a series of windows. It is clear of the roofs of the aisles and admits light to the central parts of the building. Central nave: The nave is the long narrow part of a Roman basilica or a Christian church - the part where people sit in a modern church. apse: a large semicircular or polygonal recess in a church, arched or with a domed roof, typically at the eastern end, and usually containing the altar.

The Paris Psalter embodies a complex mixture of the classical pagan past and the medieval Christian present—all brought together to communicate a political message by the Byzantine emperor who ruled areas of the eastern Mediterranean from the 14 to the 15 centuries, The emperor left these pieces of art that has influenced other cultures at that time especially the Christians. The word “Psalter” in the name of this manuscript.

This image shows the Great Mosque of Damascus which was built during the Umayyad period at 709-15 in Damascus, Syria. This mosque was built by the order of the Umayyad Khalifa Alwaleed bin-Abdulmalik. This mosque is considered to be the fourth most famous Islamic mosque.

This is a historical narrative which talks about a historical conflict that happened between Harold and king William the conqueror who was the king of Normandy who invaded England in order to get his rightful place on the throne. It is also about his legitimacy. It explains to people that he was promised this role in England and then he was betrayed by Harold who swears not to seize the throne. On the right side, we see Harold sitting on the throne. We also see an Image of Halley's comet that’s flying above the skies. We also see people on the left who are pointing at it. We also see a person who is talking to Harold and telling him about Halley's comet and that perhaps this is a bad omen because he broke the promise. In the lowest section of the texture, we see long boats which are representative of when the concur came to England to take this rightful place.

Title: The Traveling Boat Rowing (O). Medium: Wood, paint, plaster, linen twine, linen fabric. Provenance: The Middle Kingdom, Ancient Egypt. Date: ca. 1981–1975 B.C. Museum Accession Number: 20.3.5

An Art Research Assignment That I "Mohamed Alguhiem" Did For My Art Class. I though It would be useful to use it in this wiki.

The Metropolitan Museum (MET) is filled with valuable and amazing historical sculptures that encompass not only American history and culture but also the history and culture of many different countries. I made a visit to the museum to discuss some of the arts it includes in this wiki. During my visit, I went to different cultural sections and saw a great deal of amazing art. However, the Egyptian art section was the one that caught my attention the most, particularly, the ancient "models" of workshops, a garden, a funerary demonstration, and the six great ships. These miniatures express the daily lives of ancient Egyptians. I picked one of the six magnificent ships, The Traveling Boat Rowing (O) to analyze. It stood out a bit more than the others in my opinion. The level of details and care is amazing; it conveys posture and expression in great details. At first glance, I thought “wow, that is a lot of people in one small boat!” The body of this boat is colored green. It has vertical rows and double steering oars. I noticed that every figure had a shaved head and a serious expression. Moreover, some figures were standing, some were paddling, and some seemed to be watching the river (nice team work, I thought). There were two figures that seemed like they were having a conversation, the expression of these two figures seemed different from the rest; they seemed relaxed. I thought one of these two figures, the one sitting in the shade, was a noble or high-ranking individual. That is because, even though he was seated, his figure seemed to be bigger than the others. In ancient Egyptian culture, size usually represents importance. Pharaohs and kings showed their importance by making large sculptures of themselves that are even bigger than the sculptures that represent the gods. Also, the figure was sitting in the center of the ship under the shade on a chair with his hands on his thighs like a pharaoh. He was sitting up straight and had eye makeup on too. The person that seemed like he was having a conversation with looked like he was a servant because he was standing outside the shade with his hands held together near his chest. Another thing that I stood out to me was a long vase. The vase seemed like it was very important and expensive because it was placed in the center of the ship under the shade near the high-ranking individual. The servant seems like he is staring at the vase. At first, I thought that the vase contained food, spiritual water, or some sort of treasure. I also thought that this was a normal boat ride that a noble decided to go on to have fun. However, when I read the description, I realized that I was not even close to correct in my interpretation. Apparently, this boat was used during Meketre’s time, the 12th Dynasty. According to the description, the boat is being paddled northward, against the wind current. The large vase signifies an offering, as the funeral ritual is being performed. I was right with my prediction about the two figures that are facing each other and seemed like they are conversing. The one setting was a statue of Meketre, and the one standing with his arms crossed is his servant. According to the description, Meketre was heading to Abydos, a scared temple of Osiris, the god of the underworld. The "pilgrimage to Abydos" was part of the Egyptian funerary ritual since the Middle Kingdom. The Egyptians strongly believed in the afterlife. They made great efforts to preserve the bodies and spirits of the deceased and ensure the survival of their souls after death. Some of the things that they did for the deceased were building magnificent tombs, mummifying the dead to preserve their bodies, providing grave goods, and making offering rituals. This boat trip is one of the offerings that ancient Egyptians use in the funerals ritual during the 12th Dynasty.

Figure 1: Spring Dawn Over the Elixir Terrace Artist: Lu Guang (Chinese, ca. 1300–after 1371) Period: early Ming dynasty (1368–1644) Date: ca. 1369 Culture: China Medium: Hanging scroll; ink on paper Classification: Paintings Accession Number: 1982.2.2

Figure 2: Living Aloft Artist: Wen Zhengming (Chinese, 1470–1559) Period: Ming dynasty (1368–1644) Date: dated 1543 Culture: China Medium: Hanging scroll; ink and color on paper Classification: Paintings Accession Number: L.2001.85.2

An Art Research Assignment That I "Mohamed Alguhiem" Did For My Art Class. I though It would be useful to use it in this wiki.

One of China's greatest contributions to the world of art is the landscape painting. For centuries, and still today, the philosophical ideas of Confucianism, Daoism, and Buddhism have had a significant influence on the Chinese culture and art. The first philosophical idea, Confucianism, was developed during the Zhou dynasty, in which Confucius was born c. 521 BCE. It is all about people’s place in society. According to this philosophy, a society can be flawless if the people living in it learns to behave accordingly. Also, Confucianism is a hierarchical system; it puts men over women, powerful people over weak ones, and the rich over the poor. The second philosophical idea, on the other hand, ignores society and focuses more on the interactions between the world and nature. The philosophy of Daoism began with Lao Zi who lived during the fifth century BCE. The idea of Daoism is to be in perfect harmony with nature. It states, “all natural phenomena can be explained by the yin and yang, opposing forces in nature that blend together in perfect harmony”. Buddhism came to China in 65 century and introduced beliefs that differed from the other two philosophies. Buddhism works with the notions of “samsara and karma,” which is the belief that life is an endless cycle of rebirth, and that deeds from past lives decide an individual’s place in this life and future lives as well. These philosophies influenced the Chinese art greatly. The Chinese art turned from security and sacrifice to the expression of human understanding of these forces, in the form of the painting of landscapes. The importance of nature is shown greatly in the Chinese art. Because China’s society relied heavily on agriculture, nature was believed to be the work of a higher supreme power, which is observed through the interaction of the yin and yang. Yin and yang are associated with contrasts mixing together to form perfection, such as heaven and earth, the feminine and the masculine, the light and the dark, the solid and the liquid, the kind, and evil, etc. Mountains and water form an ideal yin and yang pair; they are polar elements joining together to establish one entity. Chinese people believe that mountains are spiritual elements and possess sacred powers. In fact, ancient Chinese mythology is full of tales of mountain mysticism. It is believed by Chinese people that caves in the mountains were viewed as gateways to other realms that can lead them to the Taoist paradises, where they can live without aging and in harmony with one another. Also, mountains “not only attracted the rain clouds that waters the crops, they also concealed medicinal herbs, magical fruits, and alchemical minerals that held the promise of longevity.” All of which are important and very desirable to the Chinese people. I can understand and I agree, to some extent, with the perception of mountains as mystical things. However, I also think that mountains represent power and independence. Mountains are huge and solid. They offer people protection as well as material goods. Many hanging scrolls in the Metropolitan Museum of Art show great paintings of natural scenes; most, if not all, of these paintings, contains mountains. One example of a magnificent piece is the Spring Dawn Over the Elixir Terrace (Fig 1). Lu Guang painted this piece in the early Ming dynasty. According to the description of the painting, Lu Guang painted this piece during his refinement trip. The mountains in the paintings were tall and very elegant. A stream of water runs down the mountain, and at the center of the mountain, a terrace was painted. When looking at the painting one can think that the artist is seeking peacefulness and a relaxing place. It is understandable because the painting seems very beautiful. However, I think the painting ALSO shows the artist’s desires for power, stability, and independence. This painting was painted soon after the transition from the Yuan dynasty to the Ming dynasty. Confusion and uncertainness about the new dynasty might have led the artist to paint mountains, which in my opinion represents solidity, independence, and power. Also, the mention of the Elixir in the title of the painting not only shows the Daoism influence, the artist seems to be in pursuit of immortality. It is common to think that people who seek immortality also seeks power. Thus, I think this painting hides the artist’s desire for power in the peaceful image. Living Aloft (Fig 2), by Wen Zhengming, is anther example of a great painting that hides the desire of stability and power in a peaceful image. According to the description of the painting, Wen is presenting a vision of life in retirement. Again an image of a huge mountain and a terrace surrounded by trees, which seems peaceful and gives the impression that the artist would like to live a peaceful life alone. However, it also shows that the artist is being protective and secretive, because he hides the terrace among a forest of trees and near a mountain. Suggesting the need for protection and power. Of course, we would have to ask the artists for the true meaning of their paintings. However, I still think that there is a hidden desire for power in all the images that shows peaceful images of mountains; power as well as the need for stability and protection. And it makes sense for the artist to have such desires because these paintings were painted soon after a transition from one dynasty to another.

Definition

Modern Art or Modernism is the loose term given to the succession of styles and movements in art and architecture which dominated Western culture from 19th Century up until the 1960's. Movements associated with Modern art include Impressionism, Cubism, Bauhaus, Surrealism, Futurism, Pop Art and Op Art. It is also the creative world's response to the rationalist practices and perspectives of the new lives and ideas provided by the technological advances of the industrial age that caused contemporary society to manifest itself in new ways compared to the past. Artists worked to represent their experience of the newness of modern life in appropriately innovative ways. Although modern art as a term applies to a vast number of artistic genres spanning more than a century, aesthetically speaking, modern art is characterized by the artist's intent to portray a subject as it exists in the world, according to his or her unique perspective and is typified by a rejection of accepted or traditional styles and values.

History

The birth of modernism and modern art can be traced back to the Industrial Revolution, a period that lasted from the 18th to the 19th century, in which rapid changes in manufacturing, transportation, and technology profoundly affected the social, economic, and cultural conditions of life in Western Europe, North America, and eventually the world. New forms of transportation, including the railroad, the steam engine, and the subway changed the way people lived, worked, and traveled, both at home and abroad, expanding their worldview and access to new ideas. As urban centers prospered, workers flocked to cities for industrial jobs, and urban populations boomed. Prior to the 19th century, artists were most often commissioned to make artwork by wealthy patrons, or institutions like the church. Much of this art depicted religious or mythological scenes that told stories and were intended to instruct the viewer. During the 19th century, many artists started to make art about people, places, or ideas that interested them, and of which they had direct experience. With the publication of psychologist Sigmund Freud’s The Interpretation of Dreams (1899) and the popularization of the idea of a subconscious mind, many artists began exploring dreams, symbolism, and personal iconography as avenues for the depiction of their subjective experiences. Challenging the notion that art must realistically depict the world, some artists experimented with the expressive use of color, non-traditional materials, and new techniques and mediums. One of these was photography, whose invention in the 1830s introduced a new method for depicting and reinterpreting the world. The Museum of Modern Art collects work made after 1880, when the atmosphere was ripe for avant-garde artists to take their work in new, unexpected, and “modern” directions.

Most important movements

Medieval Art (500-1550)

Medieval Art was produced in many different form such as sculptures ,illuminated manuscripts,stained glass ,metal work and also mosaic.Medievil art mostly referred to religious beliefs such as Christianity .

Illuminated manuscript are religious text bold in color and also had bits of gold and silver.

Impressionism (1870-1880s)

Impressionism refers to an epoch of art history, which is to be found in the second half of the nineteenth century and was mainly used for the visual arts, but applied to literature in France in 1879. Music, photography and film are also impressive impressions. Pictures, which are regarded as impressionistic, show above all the nature and impressions of life in the big city. Revolutionary is the reproduction of momentary shadow and light effects, the elimination of black, which brightened the works and the immediacy of the momentary picture and the seeming randomness of the picture excerpt, whereby the technique of painting reminds one another of juxtaposed strokes.

Fauvism (1905-7)

In modern art, the term Fauvism refers to a highly fashionable, if short-lived, art movement associated with the Ecole de Paris, which formed around friendships between French artists around the turn of the century. Famous above all for their bold use of colour, the 'Fauves' received their name at the 1905 Salon d'Automne exhibition in Paris, from the influential French art critic Louis Vauxcelles, who insultingly described their vividly coloured canvases as being the work of wild beasts (in French, fauves), and the name stuck. Curiously, while Matisse (1869-1954) and his French colleagues were dubbed fauvists, neither Wassily Kandinsky nor the 'Russian Matisse' Alexei von Jawlensky - both of whom exhibited alongside the Fauves at the Salon - were given the same treatment.

Bridge Over The Riou 1906 By Andre Derain

Expressionism (from 1905)

Expressionism as an art direction originated around the year 1910. Simplified, this style can be understood as an art of enhanced expression. In contrast to Impressionism, which attempted to portray only fleeting and superficial moments, Expressionism aims to address the viewer emotionally and to shake him inwardly. Vincent van Gogh (1853-1890) and Edvard Munch (1863-1949) are considered precursors. The images of reality are often distorted as abstraction and with strong colors

Dada (1916-24)

Dada was a literary and artistic movement born in Europe at a time when the horror of World War I was being played out in what amounted to citizens' front yards. Due to the war, a number of artists, writers, and intellectuals—notably of French and German nationality—found themselves congregating in the refuge that Zurich (Switzerland) offered. Far from merely feeling relief at their respective escapes, this bunch was angry that modern European society would allow the war to have happened. They were so angry, in fact, that they undertook the time-honored artistic tradition of protesting.

Surrealism (from 1924)

Surrealism is a concept from French and literally translates to overrealism. As a literary and artistic direction, the term was shaped after the First World War in France. Surrealists try to use artistic means to realize dreams and experiences of the unconscious. The real world of experience loses its importance in Surrealism and is mixed with fantastic motifs. In his "Manifesto du Surréalisme", French writer André Breton laid the theoretical foundation for this art genre. Two types of surrealism are known: the veristic surrealism places the objects in concrete terms, but changes the spatial cohesion. In absolute surrealism, imaginative forms and strong colors predominate.

The Persistence of Memory Salvador Dalí 1931. Oil on canvas

Pop Art (Late-1950s, 1960s)

PopArt comes from Popular Art and opposes the classical conception of art by seeing the alternative "beauty" in advertisements and everyday objects of everyday use, preservatives, & c. If you are looking for Andy Warhol or Robert Rauschenberg, you can find a few explanations. In a sense, Popart is the successor to Dadaism, who had also shattered the art scene with provocation. Both art directions have made the relative and the accidental. Art can also arise out of coincidence or from the interpretation of an everyday life. It only depends on how the art object or image is seen by the viewer. There is no absolute work of art, everything is relative.