HUA 101 Assignment 1

Art has existed since the beginning of time and has been expressed in various ways. One cannot really define art, as the definition of art retires with the beholder. One definition of art is the expression and use of an individual's creativity. Throughout history empires such as the Egyptian, Greek and Roman have left their mark on the Earth by carving pictures, sculpting statues and telling their stories. Many get lost in trying to find the meaning of art and forget how to appreciate what ancient art reveals to our modern societies.

Egyptian Art

This ancient Egyptian statue carved sometime between 1550 B.C. and 1070 B.C. was brought into the Field Museum in Chicago by philanthropist Edward E. Ayer. The woman represented by this statue is wearing an elaborate wig, which is usually mistaken for a royal form of head-dress. Geometric shapes and lines were carved into the wig of the statue. A line of 'heart' shapes spans around the wig. The nose tip of statue is gone; however, this was a common practice among ancient Egyptian sculpting. The noses of statues were forcibly removed by occupiers who practiced idolatry (the worship of statues).

Although not the most carefully preserved limestone sculpture, it is said this statue was not buried underground, but hidden in plain sight for centuries. The woman carved into the statue has an extremely special meaning to several American music lovers. It strikingly resembles the late 'king of pop', Michael Jackson. Whether or not Michael Jackson's look was inspired by this statue remains a mystery. The sculpture has been on display at the Field Museum's permanent exhibition since 1988.

Greek/Roman Art

This statue is known as the 'Winged Victory of Samothrace'. Also known as the 'Nike of Samothrace', it was discovered in 1863 by Charles Champoiseau. Made out of marble, it represents both the goddess of victory in the form of a winged woman who is standing proudly and a sea battle. She is supposedly standing on the prow of a ship, as she embraces the winds blowing through her garments. Predicted to previously stand at 3.38 meters high (about 10.75 feet), the statue today stands at 2.44 meters high (about 8 feet).

The arms and head of the statue have never been found; however, several other fragments of the statue have been found. The missing right hand, thumb and ring finger have been recently unearthed and reunited with the statue. At the base of the statue is an inscription of the word "Rhodios". This indicates that the statue was made to celebrate a sea victory by Rhodes. Because of this it is believed the statue dates back to 288 B.C. at the earliest.

Roman/Greek Art

Known as 'The Townley Vase', it was discovered in 1773 by antique dealer Gavin Hamilton. It is a large Roman vase made of marble from the 2nd century A.D. According to the British museum website, the vase is decorated in high-relief with a Bacchic scene, featuring Pan and followers of the wine-god Bacchus dancing in revelry. It stands at 1.06 meters high (about 3 feet) and is accompanied with various symbols, relating to the Eleusinian Mysteries.

It received its name from a collector by the name of Charles Townley, who brought it from Hamilton in 1744. It has massive handles and is in the shape of an oval, which made it easier to portray the story sculpted on it. Today it can be found in a collection at the British Museum in London.

Similarities and Differences

Egyptian, Greek and Roman artwork, sculpting and carving all attempt to tell a story of something that happened in the history of their empires. According to the YouTube lecture

'HarmonIntroEgyptianGreek', Egyptian art qualities are defined by the compact figures that contained strength and geometric clarity. Greek art overall symbolized humanism. In other words man was the most important creature in the known universe. Most Roman art is based on Ancient Rome and represents occurrences in the times of the great Roman Empire.

In the Egyptian sculpture, a representation of beauty is portrayed through the face and definition of the statue. The missing tip of the nose symbolizes a 'non-human'. Inner strength and clarity is also presented. However, in both the Greek and Roman sculpting a story is being told. The Greek statue show how humans are extremely powerful and are important in the world, whilst the Roman vase tells a story of a dance done in revelry. Although expressed in the art of sculpting, each piece of artwork tells very different stories.