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• Etruscan Architecture

  Posted on November 16, 2012 5:23 pm by Elena Comment

  Etruscan Architecture

   

  Studies based on different aspects of science, history and archaeology have provided invaluable information about how the etruscan lived based on the remainings graves; the constructions that were made to perpetuate the memory of their dead. Those graves were made resambling the world of the living with all the accomodations; so they love ones could enjoy also confort in their way beyond the realm of the living.

   

  

   

  The Etruscans imitated the distribution, constructive and architectural model of the cities in which they lived and reproduced them in the tombs where supposedly, according to their religious beliefs; those who died should rest in an environment similar to one they had in life.

  They came to make of the tombs real cities, only which these were made for funerary purposes. It has been found by the archeologies; Etruscan tombs with distribution and interior design imitating the rooms of a house, especially the one that corresponded to aristocrats, important personalities and wealthy people. Inside them has been found stone sitting areas, personal objects, ornaments, jewelry and sculptures among other things that have stood the test of time and which are in many cases true works of art.

   

  

   

  Etrucan Types of burials

   

  • The Tomb in the form of trench  or pit: dug into the ground and covered by a horizontal headstone or two tombstones  form a single roof. It is the simplest type of burial for lowest class people. Many polls Etruscan containing ashes of human remains have been found.

   

  • The molder or CANOPEN, on which were drawings with scenes of Banquet, the handles and lid had form figures. Over time these vessels take on human form, being the top head and handles arms.

   

  • The Cipo is another important  menhir-shaped funerary vessel, will be decorated with mundane scenes, procreation and life in the future.

   

  

   

   

  • The Settimello is another type of funerary monument that is placed to the inputs of the tombs, a Cipo with four Lions lifting their legs threateningly, and also ornaments resembling Palms between them.

   

  

   

  • The Hypogeum (around the 6th century) Was a camera excavated in the rock. Destined for people of greater power purchasing, noble and aristocrats. The interior mimics the inside of a house, are located side by side forming streets and creating real cities being called graves. They also have decorated the walls and placed the rooms structured imitating the houses inside.

   

  • Burial Mound. They existed in the 7th and 6th  B.C. were mounds of Earth to the outside that could have up to 40 meters in diameter. They were not perfectly aligned; but they also have the  distribution of cities. An interior hallway leads to different Chambers decorated with reliefs that mimicked the interior of a House. They had  pilasters, Windows, stone benches, chairs, vessels, ornaments, small  sculptures creating a pleasant atmosphere as if the dead were still alive. Those Mounds have a circular shape, is a low wall built of ashlars, is vaulted and on the outside imitates a natural Hill. The burial chamber is  decorated with various murals paintings or reliefs with fight scenes, games, banquets and festive themes where the characters are alive, happy and at the height of their health and well-being.

   

   

  

   

  Etruscan temples

   

  The Etruscan temples were located in an Esplanade in the outer part of the city. Although in the beginning they were open; delimited only symbolically, then the temples are covered and take the same square structure that was used in civil buildings for housing, like a big house that collectively surrendered tribute to their deities. The type of structure of Cellar that sometimes has three of them to accommodate more people was the characteristic building typology.

   

  

   

  The stone used for the basement was the strong and long-lasting material; in fact this is the only thing that has been left as evidence of these Etruscan religious buildings. The rest of the structure was used with very perishable materials subject to the destruction of the time such as wood and clay. They coat the surface of the walls and columns with ceramic plates that were decorated with different shades of vivid colors dominated by the reds, oranges, and yellows.

  A grand staircase in the front of the building led Access to these Etruscan temples consisting of a big open room with columns as a vestibule or lobby; without walls but with roofing. It has been found these columns in some temples also in the sides but never in the back of the building. In this aspect they differed from the Greek pantheon that fallow with rigor the perfection of the mathematical measures in the design of the plants in its buildings.

  The structure of the etruscan temple was semi-circular exhibiting a splendid double slope to the outside. They were covered by a single roof which unified all the interior Cellars which the meddle one wider dominating the space.

  These temples have in the pediment, since the 6th century, sculptures in terracotta, which of course have been lost. These sculptures were apparently large and could be seen from a considerable distance. This is another aspect that differs from the Greeks temples that the sculptures in the pediment were in perfect proportion to the building measures therefore were smaller and scarcer. The Etruscan temple did not possess Krepis or crepida, a protruding structure as if has the Greek temples. The Etruscans never used a back porch.

   

  

   

  The Etruscan columns

  They used columns preferably as a support system but these were simple did not have fixed parts; they resemble a little Doric style columns, and its form and structure changes over time giving way to the column that is known as Tuscany. It is noted that the capitals of these columns is working with freedom in their forms which gave rise to various designs according to the inspiration of its builders. Compared to the Doric capitals order the Tuscan capital was a little more decorated.

  – The shaft of the Etruscan columns was smooth as is the case of the temples and used the polychrome.

  – Strong basement.

  – These columns have the equine, abacus, the plintio, and the hipotraquelio.

   

  Etruscan Civil constructions

  Virtually all rest with only few exceptions of civil structures belonging to the Etruscan culture has been lost but studying the funerary constructions has been known that they used the baked brick and the rammed earth. Of course they also used wood for doors, frames and covers. The Etruscans did not used marble; they used more like a stone that did not have much quality to strengthen the structures of the bases and also the angles of these constructions.

   

  Etruscan cities

  The Etruscan cities were square and divided into grid. It is known that these cities were surrounded by thick walls and accessed the city through a large main entrance doors and arriving for them at the two main streets that were crossed. The doors were guarded by figures of protective genies and were of simple construction virtually no decoration but strong and reinforced by placing them under an arch at half point between two towers.

   

  

   

  In the most ancient period of this culture houses of the inhabitants of the cities of humble extraction were very simple, with a circular form and were manufactured with rammed earth and were covered with light wood and branches. The houses of wealthy people were built with more quality materials but were equally circular. Approximately in the 7th century began to be built those houses following squares plants.

  There was always a clear difference between the constructions that were made for humble people of those for the wealthy class; but even more marked in this period of the 7th century when best materials and new constructive techniques only affordable for the wealthy ones were made. Houses began to be built larger and taking advantage of the possibilities that the quadrangular plant allows; design the rooms around a central courtyard.

  The Etruscan Patio

  Was made:

  – With impluvium in the Centre and cover with four slopes towards the inside.

  – With the despluvio with the cover with four slopes towards the outside.

  These houses had a single door of entry or access; there were no doors to the outside, the rear   or by the sides of the housing. Shingles that covered the roofs were flat and the columns were made with poor materials such as wood.

  With the help of awesome constructive models inherited from Greece; which were adapted to their needs and taste, from the 6th century BC the Etruscans, had already created the first quality buildings and the early works of engineering in the Italian peninsula. With the fusion of their inherited architectural models and their own characteristic the Etruscan left an important legacy to the Romans; based on which they created the cities.

   

  The most important contributions of the Etruscan architecture :

  – The use of the arch and the dome which comes from Eastern influences.

  – As in the Greek art; also in the Etruscan architecture predominate adinteladas structures. The buildings do not have almost sculptural decoration except some sculptures of terra cotta in the pediments of temples.

  – They created a new order, the Toscana, derived from the Greek Doric order; simple base, smooth shaft and similar to the Doric capital.

  – The structure of the Etruscan temples which lacked columns at the rear as in the Greek plants was taken by the Romans later as a construction model for their religious buildings.

  – The doors of the fortifications with semi-circular arches between two towers.

  – Construction of tombs placing in the likeness of the houses in the cities with a quadrangular structure and forming blocks with their corresponding signal. This was the structure that Rome inherited and extended for the rest of the world up to our days.

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• Ancient Sumerian Culture

  Posted on July 2, 2012 3:31 pm by Elena 1 Comment

   

  Ancient Sumerian culture

  History traditionally established the beginning of civilizations; either in Egypt first or in the fertile valleys of the Euphrates and the Tigris latter, were indeed took place one of the earliest forms of coexistence which could be considered civilized forms of social organization, although they were not the first. This region is referred to as “Mesopotamia” which means between two rivers. From the Neolithic period were uncovered recently some man made stone structures, probably ceremonials,  located no far from where the two rivers run fertilizing this land.

  This structures in Gobekli Tepe had been dated  from around 12 ,000 to 10,000; although the civilization who build the ceremony structures, most has been already developed much early. Some human settlements  were established in the immediate zone to where the ceremony circles were made, although they most have to walk considerable distances to get to the ceremonial place nevertheless. This recently uncovered settlements, are subject of intense studies to determine this people level of evolution and complexity  of their social gathering.

  The same depp studies are carry up to other human settlements in different places of the planet: like for example Mohenjo Daro and Dholavira in India or in other places like China, because they are showing  rest of developed ancient civilizations as well, olders than the ones formed in mesopotamia and Egypt.

   

   

  

   

  The circular stone pillars in Gobekli Tepe reveal that Stone Age man had a surprisingly high level of artistic sophistication and that is proof of an already extremely complex specialization that mark the beginning of a more multifaceted  society. The stone circular complex date 2,000 years before man settled permanently to farm.

   

  

   

  This important recent discovery had radically change our understanding of the birth of civilization. The new knowledge reveals that hunter-gatherer societies in the Neolithic Period were more organized than we previously think.  Historians and archeologist had become to the conclusion that the planning and organization of this structures in the valley of Gobekli Tepe show organized societies of man even that they are not completed settled, because they still are hunters and gathering people who nevertheless initiate some form of primitive storages rooms for food, to distribute to all participants in the ceremony monument construction. It seems that for the Gobekli Tepe men’s religion lead them to form group and meet resources and efforts to construct such big ceremonies carved stone figures, leaving their mark in man made artistic monuments starting 10,000 years ago.

  The agriculture enable nevertheless a development that transformed what is was until then a society forced to ride a wandering or nomadic life into civilized societies with sedentary features, factor that provide the possibility for improving the artistic manifestations, initiated with the adoration purpose first  and then extended to other expression like decoration with the intention to narrate other important aspects of their daily life.

  SUMERIA

  Many years later others people settled in the Mesopotamia region and more complex civilizations were found, starting by the Sumerian culture and following by Babylonians and Assyrians.

   

  

   

  Sumer – Ubaid culture

   

  We will now focus in the civilization that settled in Sumer in the southwest region of Mesopotamia, which corresponds to the present-day IRAQ. They emerged and subsequent  flourishing between the period that corresponds to the late copper age and the beginnings of the Bronze Age. This civilization called “UBAID” can be considered the first who established and becomes a predominant force in this region after coming from northern of Mesopotamia.

  Their settlement and development can be positioned between the 3600 and 4000 B.C. Although these first settlers of Sumer did not speak the Sumerian language.

  The cities of Sumer were the first to develop a system of agriculture involving work carried out throughout the entire year, with its stages of planting, cultivation and harvesting. They  installed an irrigation system that allowed them to gather these crops with considerable success and attended by a force of labored farmers  specialized in it.

  The invention of the wheel and a better technique in the production of metals allowed this culture with important advances in the field of agriculture.

   

  

   

  In addition to agriculture, the Ubaid culture developed a commercial exchange, established certain industries such as weaving and also worked the skins, the masonry, metallurgy and ceramics.

  The unique works of art of the Ubaid period that are known to us are their clay figurines made by hand, almost always naked female figures, they are carefully made with detail in the finish; the bodies show to be subject to certain conventions, such as the marked angularity of the shoulders.Figures are quite realistic but static; showing a geometric simplification in shapes and large eyes.

  These minor arts are characteristic of the Ubaid culture; but it was in the architecture were Ubaid made an immediate and most lasting contribution.

  In a land devoid of stones to be used in the construction and without hard wood that would serve for this purpose, they only could count on the materials provided by nature, and these were the mud and reeds. But thanks to immigrants from the delta; who have brought with them knowledge of the realization of raw clay bricks it was possible that those were used in the construction of temples. They also used immensely high and rugged reeds  and most of its buildings were carried out with these.

   

  Dynasty of Sargon

   

  Sumer was formed by several City-States, each of which was a political unit in itself with its own sovereign and laws; these City-States were unified by King Sargon I, in the year 2300 B.C. It is known by those scriptures that they had slaves and that the monarchy was  dynastic, the Kings and dynasties mentioned in the Sumerian Kings list can be traced back in the middle of the third millennium.

  In Sumer, most of its inhabitants in this historical period were already talking Sumerian language that is not related to other ancient languages that are known. Each city had a  protector God with their corresponding temples, storages and houses and its inhabitants attended the religious function and management their large agricultural properties; while others were specializing in different trades such as weavers, potters and goldsmiths.

  The dynasty of Sargon between (2300 – 2223 BC) has left few samples in monuments. Highly sophisticated cylindrical clay seals were used to mark documents or property, they are so numerous and informative that they constitute a key element understanding the many factor about this culture in general.

   

  

   

   

  Cylinder seals of the SARGON period presented a change in the topics they represent. The ritual feast scene preferred in the early dynastic period is lost completely and are introduced a whole series of religious scenes and mythological themes represented in a rather dramatic way.

  There is also a change in style. They moves from a crowded representation of the elements of the composition in the scenes; to be these free and independent figures gaining themselves a lot more importance within the entire “Assembly”.

   

  

   

   

  Some sculptures have been found in the Temple of ABU, Tell Asmar, dating from a period  approximately between the (2700 and 2600) they are a good statement about the sculpture of this Sargon period.

   

  

   

  Most have overlapping hands on each other and crossed over the chest in reverential position, while the main figures represented by its high headdresses, have reptiles forms rather than human, a quality that is perhaps due to lack of skill of the artist, although this claim  has not been proven, so also may have been intentional and with a meaning to represent accurately as possible the reality around them, since other figures representing animals are very well depicted with success.

  Many of them are nude male statues in static position from the waist upwards carrying  what looks like a skirt of woven wool. Men are show wearing long hair with a beard of wavy  hair. The female figures were a kind of headgear. Sometimes the hair of these female figures is covered with a kind of cloth of linen; with which holding the hair. It is worth highlighting the fact about the hierarchical representation of the size of the figures; they are in order of importance from the gods to the worshipers.  This custom is displayed both in the early period and in the subsequent periods as well, keeping as a  constant in the Sumerian art and passing it along to other cultures with which they had contact. This formula have passed the test of times.

   

  

   

  Have been found some sculptures in metal and also others made with the process that is known as the “Lost wax” as well as made of diorite, copper, gold and silver in warehouses, in which was kept not only grain, figs, etc., but also vessels, weapons, tablets of ceramics with detailed records of businesses, sculptures and possible anything related to the  use and the administration of the Palace and the temple.

  There are some figures showing a ritual nudity who have been also found and belong to this culture but; in a rather limited quantity representing figures of priests.

  Was in Sumer where writing was developed for the first time, progressing from a stage of proto-writing prior up to the actual writing in the third millennium. However this literary awakening most of the population was illiterate, only scribes knew and developed this ability as it was the case in the majority of ancient cultures. It is not yet determined from where came the sumerian language as is not yet determined ether where the writing abilities come from.

  Printed cuneiform tablets of pottery and cylinders has been of priceless value to know and understand many aspects of its social, administrative, political and religious system some of the parameters governing then displays a curious similarity to those governing today throughout the world.

   

  

   

   Reliefs carved in stone ware apparently a popular artistic expression that enabled them to capture important events, legends, celebrations and of course respect for the gods as well as passages from their hostilities. The picture below show some genies from the Sargon II period.

   

  

  Sumerian architecture seems to have developed two types of temples:

   

  – Varied platform.

  – Built at floor level.

   

  The temples were; a kind of house of mud brick to which the gods supposedly; as the Sumerian disclaim, came to visit regularly, those homes were on platforms made of mud bricks also and were growing in size and height according to the course of the years. These platforms are known with the name of  “Ziggurat”, and can be considered as one of the first large architectural structures.

   

  

   

  In the Ubaid  period (5200-c.3500 BC); the temple satisfied the formula with the majority of  the architectural characteristics of the typical Temple of Sumerian platform. It is built of  mud bricks on a raised plinth made of the same material, and its walls presented in its outer surface elements that fuse decorative look and structural reinforcement at the same time alternating between buttresses (brackets) and gaps on.

  In both types of temples mentioned above decorative elements are made quite well and in which the appearance of the finish is carefully maintained. That is also the case of walls in the decor in which they used a mosaic artwork attached by cones of terracotta and sunk into the wall, its exposed ends look bright colors or they are coated in bronze.

   

   

   

  UR Dynasty

  The city of Lagash was a city of great importance in the Sumerian period and approximately in the 4th millennium BC still retained that preponderance and was a centre of artistic development under the supremacy of the Kings of “Ur”. It is known that during this period, this city had extensive commercial communications with distant realms. In this city the most important treasures of artistic value of the Sumerian culture have been discovered  by archaeologists.

   

  

   

  The sculpture representing a bull was used it with the purpose to decorate a harp

  found in the tomb of Puabi date from around 2600 BC, exhibits a wealth of surprising decorative elements and is made of gold and lapis lazuli.

   

  

   

  The standard of UR belonging to Sumerian Culture  and from the UR dynasty is a very important art piece that shows the artistic skills rich by them in with the images represent different aspects in the life of these early civilizations. Some of them are rituals, ceremony, battles and the political and social division.

  During the reign of Ur; the time in with some important developments contributed to the prosperity of the region,  important events took place and modifications were made who elevated this civilization to a higher level.

  1. –  Reforms were carried out: It was drafted the so-called code of “Ur-Nammu”.
  2. – They unified jurisprudence.
  3. – Established the equivalence between different currencies.
  4. – Existing channels were opened.
  5. – The temples were rebuilt.
  6. -In this period of splendor of the Sumerian arts were also made important sculptures with materials brought from far away as it is the case of the diorite; that have been found in excavations in this area.

  

   

  Sumerian Art final conclusions

   

  This culture has been known through their representations of art in different manifestations such as: architecture, sculpture and ceramics, these men had  knowledge quite advanced for their time in many other subjects also as mathematics, chemistry, alchemy and medicine among other no less important as the astronomy and physics. How they come to such knowledge in a short amount of time remains still been an incognito. 

  These skills were enriched and evolving until amazing achievements were obtained during different periods by which the Sumerian culture crossed.

  This claim could be verified thanks largely to the Scriptures, which were left in its buildings, sculptures, as well as different artifacts that were found in their warehouses. Some artifacts of funeral character were located in their buried sites and show not only functional  value but also have a high artistic level.

   

  

   

  In short, it can be said based on the important evidence found in these areas that Sumerian Ancient Culture was a solid foundation for many of the ones who also established later in this region, such as the Assyrians and the Babylonians.

  

   

  Reliefs and exempt sculptures use religious themes and were also placed in these temples; not only as decoration element since they were also used as protection, devotion and  adoration. It is considerable little what is known about the palaces and other buildings of the Sumerian culture.

   

   

   

   

   

   

   

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• Persian art. Main History Elements

  Posted on June 5, 2012 1:13 pm by Elena Comment

  Main History elements in the Persian Art

   

  

   

  The art of Persians people in ancient times reflected their inclination to represent the reality of their lifes and history with clarity; without complications in the messages that the art works  intended to transmit. In the great Iran which corresponds to the present-day States of: Iran, Afghanistan, Tajikistan, Azerbaijan, Uzbekistan and neighboring regions was born  one of the richest artistic heritage in the world, The Persian Art; where diverse disciplines including architecture, painting, fabrics, ceramics, calligraphy, metallurgy and masonry were developed with highly advances techniques and imaginative artistic expressions.

  History is obviously a very powerful factor not only to shape the cultural identity of a region, but also to give color and local identification to it. History contributes to be able to define the dominant cultural characteristics of the people in each region and for instants their art tendencies. This statement in Persian art is very important to take in consideration, since in each period of this imaginative culture the art expression of the people was very aware of their social, political and economic surroundings. Their art was a reflection of their every day issues and was represented in all the drama and poetic means they could use. Not only was the architecture, painting sculpture, ceramic, golsmith or silversmith they extend this means of expression to poems, historical narratives, and fantastic stories.

   

  The Persian Achaemenid Dynasty

   

  The Achaemenid Dynasty marks the emergence of an important stage in the culture of Persia. Aqueménides Persian rulers embraced the artistic achievements of foreign civilizations and absorption occurred in their culture, but this artistic achivements did not satisfy the Persians who gradually created new and particular artistic and technical patterns much more related to the imagination and the histrionic expressiveness of facts and feelings of the Persian people.

  The historical archives which refer to the civilization of the Persians show data ranging from 1000 BC to 600 B.C. These historical data are not marked relevant for the Persian Art until the emerge of Cyrus I (550 until 530 BC).

   

  

  The reign of Cyrus the Great

  During the reign of Cyrus the Great, Persia expands to the West and Northwest beyond the borders of what is today Iran to include Babylonia, some of the Aegean Islands and Anatolia (Asia Minor known in our days by Turkey).The son of Cyrus, Cambyses (530 to 522 BC), forces the Pharaoh of Egypt and the islands of Cypress to accept the Persian rule.

   

  

   

  The reign of Darius

  Persia empire reached its geographical peak during the reign of Darius I (522 to 486 BC) Dario’s Government reaches from sea Eral to the Persian Gulf. It also stretched from the first cataract of the Nile River to the Valley of the Rio Hindu.

  The rule of Darius covers many cultures. He and his son used foreign artists to promote and strengthen its image of power dare carefully using certain amount of sculptures. This has resulted in the proliferation and the splendor of artistic monuments and buildings with great architectural value. Among these monuments are the Palace of Persepolis sculptures. Susa, Parsedae and Persepolis where the three most important cities of Persia.

  Darius listed skilled artists and craftsmen natives of Egypt; Greek Ionian and Mesopotamia. They constructed the buildings on a large scale to propagandize his power, so that the effect on the spectator should be daunting.

   

  

   

  The Palace of Darius was a resulting stylistic amalgam of influences from countries and regions where all these artists that he recruited came from.

   However nevertheless to concur hear so much artistic talent with different inheritance, the constructive design and the decoration of each of the parts of the Palace answered perfectly the needs of expression, ideological and religious of Persian culture as well as a grandiloquent representation of power, the main intension of the message transmitted.

   

  The Sassanid period

   

  The Sassanid period  which comprises the entire final period of classical antiquity that even survive a few centuries, is considered one of the most important and influential of the Iran historical periods. Here occurred the greatest achievements of Persian culture, and constituted the last great Iranian Empire before the Islamic conquest of Persia and the adoption of the Islam as a religion throughout the territory.

   

  

   

  Persia had an important influence on the Roman civilization culture and also spread their influence well beyond, reaching as far away as Europe, the India, China and the Africa territories.

   

  The Persian culture plays a key role in the formation of the medieval, European and Asian art, reaching the budding Islamic world as well.

  The aristocratic and exclusive culture of the Sassanid dynasty became a Persian ‘Renaissance’. The precedence of what would be later known as ‘Islamic culture’ (architecture elements, draperies mastery, jewelry, writing and other skills) were adopted by the broader Islamic world from the Sassanid Persians.

   

  

   

  The famous tapestry, the beautiful works of precious metalwork, reliefs worked in different types of materials as well as the frescoes of bright colors and eloquent expressiveness are today invaluable art work and palpable testimony of the importance of the Sassanid culture; who saw themselves as successors of the Aqueménides after the interlude of Hellenistic and Parthian rule, and were convinced that their destiny was to restore the greatness of Persia.

  The art of this period reveals an astonishing vitality, anticipating in some respects to the key elements of Islamic art. Sassanid art combined elements of traditional Persian art with elements and influences of Hellenistic art.

  The conquest of Persia by Alexander the great began the spread of Hellenistic art into Western Asia. These artistic influences were accepted only externally, the essence; never were complete assimilated.  

  Hellenistic art was interpreted freely by the peoples of the Near East. Thus the Sassanid period was a reaction against these art forms. Sassanid art revived traditional native Persian forms and, and already in the Islamic period, these forms reached the shores of the Mediterranean.

   

  

   

  With the rise of the Sassanid’s, Persia regained much of the power and stability they long had lost leading to the resurgence of the art based on the traditions of the time of the Aqueménida culture.

  The unique characteristic of Sassanid architecture is the distinctive use of space. Sassanid architects conceived his buildings in terms of masses and surfaces. This led to the use in abundance of brick walls decorated with molded or carved stucco.

   

  The Islamic Period

  After the completion of the Sassanid Persians period of predominance Persia integrated the list of regions that embrace Islam. This religion resulted in important changes in the Persian culture covering all areas of the spiri­tual and intellectual elements which determine the life of a traditional society.

   

  

   

  If we define the culture as the one to cover these basic elements, “according to Western concepts”, then, there is undoubtedly a unique Islamic culture with different ‘zones’ or worlds contained therein, ‘worlds‘ that are United by the spirit and the sacred form of tradition and are separated by local factors, geographical, linguistic, ethnic or otherwise.

  Many factors alone, or in combination could be enumerated, as they have been responsible for the creation of these Islamic cultural ‘worlds’ and they can be used as criteria for the delineation and description of each.

   

  

   

  It is clear that the racial and ethnic characteristics of the peoples who have embraced Islam have been a very decisive factor in local cultural variations. These features have affected the language and literature, artistic forms of all kinds, which include clothing, ornamentation, the various styles of calligraphy and architecture, music, the creation of tapestries and metalwork; as well as painting and ceramics processing.

  Once Islamism converted, the Persians became the main instrument of the expansion of Islam in most of the rest of the Asian territory, at least until Malaysia. The Islamic period has given; as predecessors History periods in the Persian Culture, innumerable and invaluable works of art that resonate in perfect accordance with the traditions and the religious fervor with which they were made for and shown, as in the previous periods evolutionary characteristics inherent not only to the history but also to the region in which they were created.

   

  

   

   

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• The Ancient Persian Art

  Posted on June 5, 2012 12:18 pm by Elena 2 Comments

   

  The ancient Persian Art

  The ancient Persian culture awarded a preponderant importance to the decorative aspect in their art; which they used as resource and vehicle of expression with a deep philosophical meaning about life. This decorative aspect shows the daily events of the man in his perennial struggle for survival. Although in other articles we will detail their artistic manifestation; is important to begin with general aspects of their history and idiosyncrasy in order to understand better why the produced their art in the way they did it.

  The profuse decorative symbolism express their desires and aspirations as well as its particular way of seeing life with security, self-confidence and great inner power. Their art It is an attractive form of express their poetic way to see life, doing that with a refined show of and detail exquisite decoration; aimed directly at the heart of the viewer through the emotions that communicates.

    

  

   

  They designed these objects using figurative patterns; where the images of the original objects in real life as well as the human figure in it are easily recognized. The slow process of finding and establishing an ideal formula for a decoration to express their emotions and concepts about life; began since the first artists, the primitive painters of ceramics made the conventions of great clarity and expressive power in which laid the foundations for the type of decorative design so characteristic of the imagination of the Persian’s. They opened the doors to endless possibilities of illustrations, techniques and ways of development their art; evolving since them though thousands of years.

   

  

   

  Persian art has a close relationship with poetry as well as the religious and philosophical thinking. Thousand years of literary developments corroborate that the Persians are about other cultures the most poets and imaginative. This feature of desbordable imagination translate as well to their works of art in all its artistic manifestations.

   Persian artisans and artists certainly achieve in their designs to express emotional strength, they are not just limited to represent the purely intrinsic character of the object, because in their hands; these works of art come to life, they achieve to represent expressions such as joy or sadness, as well as a wide range of deep and intense sensations in a way comparable to the sensations we feel when we listen to music.

  Broughted by the overriding need to show emotional expression, so specific of the culture and tradition of Persian people, the artist explore a wide range of possibilities of expressing the beauty using a lot of resources in which are not ruled out even elements of other people culture.

   

   

  

   

  Persian art slowly mature and developed their own specific canons proving to be so effective; that passed the test of time and the borders they influenced.

   Fantastic legends, stories of fairy or even the way they delineated the monsters features always had a realistic and convincing air with a dramatic and emotional load where it is perceived that they rejected the dark, confused and irrational aspects.

   

  

  Persians Miniature painting 

  The Persians were skilled masters in the development of miniatures; which they executed with exquisite detail, but were also able to develop monumental works with astonishing ingenuity and amazing technical fanfare.

   

  This emphasis on the enlightenment does not produce a cold or abstract art; because they manage the way of expressing movement in lines, expressiveness and bold colors. They obtain definition of the forms; with the use of contrasts between the figure and the background. Although; It is true that sometimes seems a little calculated or excessively conscious and fussy in search of consistent, concentration and balance. Those elements at the end, help to achieve expressiveness in their work and the successful communication of feelings; rather than detract from the effectiveness of their intention.

   

  

   

  The Persian designers were able to achieve balance, even in works with intricate motifs. They proved to have a peculiar ability in reducing images to its simplest terms without losing the expressiveness.

  They could achieve in those miniaturized works a perfect communication with the viewer, even with just silhouettes. They knew how to represent  facts or abstract ideas; without violating the terms of coherent visual appreciation, eliminating the frustration that ambiguity can produce in the viewers.

   

  

   

  Persian art tendencies and evolution in their style

  In the explorations to find and develop their own identity throughout so long time, in certain moments we can see some compulsion occurs towards either the realism or naturalism. They were also influenced by the art of Rome or Greece. But their style did not satisfy the Persians, it seemed relatively superficial, particular and individual. They favored more towards a universal and timeless presentation.

  Although the formulas that they were developed in Persian art were numerous and many of them efficient and rational too; often they became standardized models executed with reiteration.

  Nevertheless,  this culture must be acknowledged as one who occupies a predominant place; in terms of the amount of artistic formulas implemented in their art, the achieved supremacy in many ways in which stand out the frescoes, showing universally valid forms of artistic expression that go along with the rest of the Persian works, certainly been a precious heritage for current and future generations.

   

   

   

  Please visit the other articles about this interesting culture in which can be appreciate more particular aspects of their art like; architecture and other manifestations of their poetic, ingenious and particular art.

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  📂This entry was posted in Main Persian History Elements that Influence Art The Ancient Persian Art 📎and tagged expressiveness. Fantastic Persian legends Persian Miniature

• Egyptian Sculpture

  Posted on May 29, 2012 8:36 pm by Elena Comment

   

   

  Ancient Egyptian Sculpture. 

  

   

  The sculptor in Egypt was not considered or assessed as an artist or first character, was a character in the second category (and was not so in the case of the architect).This occurred because sculptors were engaged in a manual activity purely on request, by what the initiative or the creative aspect were not precisely what was required of them, only the one that  conducted to the realization of the commissioning or order to be done to perfection; according to the specifications of the client (Church and State) the only ones that could have scope to acquire these ornamental and decorative pieces. So the execution of the work was made not taking in account the artisan point of view or creativity. The results of those commissioned labor today are works of art of unquestionable value nevertheless.  

   

  

   

  Interesting sculptures from the Roman Egypt period like the one who represent the god Horus with roman style clothes and shoes; show the fusion of elements from those culture were; the typical rigid egyptian position of the figure have variations with one foot slightly forward and his knees apart draped in a garment. From the waist down, he could be a senior Olympian deities or Roman emperor, while from the waist up keep egyptian elements as the bird head with the hieratic expression. (Click on the photo to learn more about this sculpture and the work made by the scientific at the British Museum).

   

  

   

   

  General characteristics of Egyptian sculpture:

  1. They are utilitarian in nature.
  2. A purpose is not aesthetic (the beauty of them is something secondary).
  3. It is a hieratic sculpture.
  4. Solemn and ceremonious.
  5. The human figures excessively respected the rules of the official label. (Front to dignify the character) if it is round and with the head of profile if it is highlighted.

   

   

  

   

   

  The exempt Egyptian sculpture’s

   

  – They are rigid.

  – Static.

  – Idealized.

  – Without movement.

  – They show no feelings or emotions, expression serene without passion.

  – The arms are attached to the body (sculpture block for technical reasons and to ensure strength and durability).

  – Use of paste artificial eyes of glass to accentuate the depth of his gaze.

  – They are limestone, polychrome wood and the most important in granite and basalt.

   

  The egyptian sculptures in relief

   

  – Polychrome use in low relief and is address to meet the contour of the figure (hole-relieve).

  – They show no effects of perspective.

  – All the figures are of the same size except the Pharaoh to emphasize their power.

  – Completive technique is used: (parts of the front, the bust and the eyes and parts of the head, legs and feet of the profile).

  – The compositions are always symmetrical and perfectly arranged symbolically.

  – Items ranging from everyday scenes and agricultural work to the great feats of the Pharaohs, always counted by selecting the main and most appropriate moments and counting in a horizontal row, one after the other as a narrative sequence.

  – Seeks to not leave any empty space (HORRO VACUI).

   

   

  

   

   

  Famous sculptures; very well preserved many of them; are the admiration of millions of people today; they are true works of art showing a high degree of expertise, they are made in various materials, some more durable than others, but nevertheless because thousands of these works were kept in the tombs for their owners this artifacts were preserved in good condition thanks to been stored in special conditions where they were not directly exposed to the severity of the desert.

   

   

  

   

   

  

   

  The Egyptian ceramic and Pottery will be explained better in a separate post because this manifestation have a wide range of important elements that shoul be adressed separate.

  

   

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  📂This entry was posted in Egyptian Sculpture and Ceramic 📎and tagged Egyptian Sculpture. Ceramic horro vacui