Audrey DeStefano's History of Art I Blog

  The cross has always been an important symbol (the most important symbol, in fact) of all sects of Christianity, and African Christianity is no exception. The cross represents the Crucifixion of Jesus and is the embodiment of redemption, death, and faith. The symbol is central to the faith of Christians, so it’s no surprise that it has been implemented into art all over the world. The African take on the cross is particularly beautiful, as they take a uniquely complex and elegant approach to the design. This piece, attributed to Ezra, is the most widely admired as a work unrivaled in its elaborate motif. It is made of wood, most likely a purposeful choice, as wooden crosses are said to possess the power to bless and heal. Some believe that the intricating interlacing at the bottom of the cross symbolizes the Tree of Heaven (also known as the Tree of Paradise), which represents resilience and strength.   Works Cited Ross, Emma George. “African Christianity in Ethiopia.” In Hei

Introduction As someone who was raised in a secular, atheist family, I have always somewhat distanced myself from religious ideas and culture in general. I’ve been generally discouraged from engaging with religion and its more harmful ideologies. However, as of late, I have found myself fascinated by the reach that religion has through culture and arts, such as music and artwork. Religion has been a significant pillar in the lives of many people, and while there are certainly detrimental things that accompany them, these philosophies have also been a great deal of help for some people. They have helped people through times of hardship, such as identity crises and poverty. Some have proven tremendously charitable and benevolent in theory and execution. The same could also be said for art, with much greater outreach and receptiveness. So the expansion of art to include religious figures, scenes, etc. is not the slightest bit surprising. It fact, it all but guarantees that some peop

  Chinese paintings are very unique in style and methodology. Calligraphy was very important, as it would create somewhat of a story around the piece on display for views and artists alike to connect to. This piece, “Finches and Bamboo”, an early twelfth-century painting Emperor Huizong, is a display of just how masterfully paintings and calligraphy can blend to create a gorgeous, profound piece. The small size of the finches and the large size of the calligraphy shows that Huizong followed a similar philosophy to his fellow Chinese painters – capture the essence of your subjects and their environment, not just a physical representation.   Works Cited The Metropolitan Museum of Art: Asia. New York: The Metropolitan Museum of Art, 1987, pp. 68–69, pl. 38. https://www.metmuseum.org/art/collection/search/39936

  The Heian period was a significant period in Japanese artistic culture, defined by elegance, opulence, and poetic expression. Illustrated Legends of the Kitano Tenjin Shrine (Kitano Tenjin engi emaki), a thirteenth-century piece from this very period, illustrated a Japanese legend that aggrieved spirits could bend forces of nature to their will. In this particular piece, the death of scholar and poet Sugawara no Michizane following his unjust exile is believed to have made his spirit restless. Therefore, according to legend, his spirit brought upon natural disasters and diseases, only to be curbed once a shrine was dedicated to his memory and he was deified as the god of agriculture (and later would become associated with literature, learning, and music, presumably due to his being a poet and a scholar when he was alive).   Works Cited Dr. Sonia Coman, "A brief history of the arts of Japan: the Jomon to Heian periods," in Smarthistory, December 2, 2019, accessed Oct

  Religious groups are known for forming their own cultures around their belief systems and lifestyles, and artistic expression can be a large part of that. There are many paintings, sculptures, etc. that depict religious figureheads, scenes, and scripture. The most well-known is the Buddha, made to represent Siddhartha Gautama, who was the founder of Buddhism. He was born into a wealthy, royal family, but gave up his opulence to seek fulfillment in poverty. He would soon discover this fulfillment in between the wealthy and the poor – the “Middle Way”, the modern-day equivalent of a middle-class lifestyle where one would not be deprived or overly indulged. He spread his teachings of enlightenment for the rest of his days, and his followers did the same after he passed away. His impact not only left an impact on his followers, but the art they crafted in his honor. Like in this piece, he is often depicted in the form of Amitabha. His posture indicates meditation, a practice that is

  The Saljuq rulers of the region that is presently Iran and Turkey, while only in power for a brief time, were significant in both education and artistic culture. In fact, art crafted by Anatolian Saljuqs was so distinctive from its counterparts that it is regarded as its own period of culture. Goods such as incense burners and perfume containers, (particularly ones modeled after animals, as most pieces were in this time period), were a common and popular artistic outlet. This piece, titled, “Incense Burner of Amir Saif al-Dunya wa’l-Din ibn Muhammad al-Mawardi”, is a bronze incense burner fashioned after a lion, notably large and engraved with Arabic calligraphy. Its style and height are unique – certainly markers of its time.   Works Cited Glenna Barlow, "Arts of the Islamic world: The medieval period," in Smarthistory, August 8, 2015, accessed September 22, 2020, Canby, Sheila R. "The Scented World : Incense Burners and Perfume Containers from Spain to Central Asia.&