Roman and Christian art.

The equestrian statue of Marcus Aurelius is a bronze portrait from 176 CE. This sculpture, like most others from the imperial era, was an object of propaganda. Marcus Aurelius was a triumphant commander in the Roman military, as well as one of the most important Stoic philosophers. During the middle ages, this statue was saved from being melted down when it was mistaken as being a statue of Constantine, the first Christian emperor. Marcus Aurelius is depicted with thick, curly hair and a very full beard reminiscent of the philosopher portraits of Greek art and in the Imperial tradition of appearing rugged and unconcerned with vanity. In addition, Aurelius does not carry weapons and has no armor. Leaders were often shown as effortless conquerors that were victorious based simply on divine will. He is also reaching out to the audience in a sort of rhetorical address, another common element of Roman art. The sculptor skillfully balanced Aurelius and his horse so as to keep the viewer’s attention on the legendary leader.



The Catacomb of SS Peter and Marcellinus dates back to the late third to early fourth century. Several relics of SS. Peter and Marcellinus were found inside this Roman catacomb. The men buried in this catacomb were third-century Christians who were martyred for their faith. A Good Shepherd is shown at the center of the medallion, a round compartment in the ceiling. It is posed similar to sculptures from the classical period. The Good Shepherd represents a promise made by Jesus in the book of John. Surrounding the Good Shepherd are semicircular compartments depicting the story of Jonah from the Hebrew Bible. The left compartment shows Jonah being thrown from the ship, the right compartment illustrates Jonah being spit up by the monster, and the center compartment portrays Jonah in paradise. This story has been reinterpreted as a parable of Christ’s death and resurrection, one of the distinguishing factors of the Christian faith. Between each semicircular wall section, or lunette, stand several orant figures, or people with arms stretched out in worship and prayer. These figures are presumed to be images of other Christians buried in the catacomb.

When Christianity began to overtake Rome, art was quickly and directly affected in every aspect. Sculptures transformed from illustrations of history and leadership to depictions of stories from the Christian Bible. Elaborate, beautifully adorned exteriors of classical Roman buildings were exchanged for more grandeur on the interior that was intended to encourage worship of the Trinity, or Jesus, God, and the Holy Spirit. The catacomb of SS Peter and Mercellinus, for example, contains many illustrations of Bible stories and allusions to Christ. These images promoted the worship of God and aimed to draw attention away from man and his accomplishments. Roman art, on the other hand, was heavily based around leaders, achievements, and history. For instance, the equestrian statue of Marcus Aurelius shows the military commander and Stoic philosopher as a rugged conqueror. The statue demands respect and attention not only for its artistic merit, but also for the great legacy it represents.
On the other hand, both classical Roman and emerging Christian art are heavily rooted in the traditions of Greek art. For example, Marcus Aurelius is shown with one arm reaching out in a rhetorical address resembling the traditional philosopher pose of Greek portraits. Similarly, the Good Shepherd in the catacomb of SS Peter and Marcellinus is posed much like sculptures in traditional Greek art as well. In addition, both cultures expected viewers to be able to identify those depicted in each sculpture and image. This is why Roman art so often included distinguished leaders and historical elements. Likewise, the Trinity and other important stories from the Bible consumed Christian art.

The Parthenon.

The curvature on the exterior of the Parthenon is an architectural element whose purpose has been much debated. The three main theories, as documented by Pollitt, are the compensation theory, the exaggeration theory, and the tension theory. The first suggests that the variations are “‘betterments’ to counteract optical illusion” that would “make the appearance of the temple fit their [the Athenians] mental conception of it”. That is to say, it would compensate for what the eye sees and the mind’s distortion of it. An example of this compensation can be found in the corner columns, which, according to Vitruvius, should be thicker “ ‘because they are completely set off against the open air and [without compensatory thickening] appear more slender than they are’”. (Pollitt 75). The second theory, contrary to the first, proposes that the curvature “was intended to amplify normal optical distortion so that the temple appeared to be more immense that it actually was”. And still the third conjectures that the deviations serve “the purpose of creating a tension in the mind of the viewer between what he expects to see and what he actually does see…a fascination which makes the structure seem vibrant, alive, and continually interesting”. (Pollitt 76).



The west pediment, which would have faced the entrance to the Acropolis, shows the contest for Athens, the battle between Athena and Poseidon for deity-ship of the city and rule over the Athenians. Poseidon offers the power of the sea while Athena, who ultimately wins the battle, offers the olive tree. This sculptural narrative provides a good example of the Greeks’ affinity for expressing their history through the idiom of myth. Athena’s offering symbolizes the importance of the olive tree to Greek culture (for agriculture, export, and affluence) and the accreditation of this wealth to the goddess.



There are 92 metope reliefs featured in the exterior frieze of the Parthenon (Stokstad 133). Each metope depicts a legendary battle between two opposing forces that is symbolic, as is the Parthenon in its entirety, of the Greeks’ defeat of Persia and, in such, the triumph of reason over barbarism. In the metopes on the south side of the Parthenon, the Persians are represented as centaurs, half men and half brutes, while the Greeks are symbolized in the form of mythical Greek Lapiths. This sculptural interaction is another example of the Greeks’ tendency of historical expression through myth. It also thoroughly illustrates both their humanizing and generalizing impulses (as well as their demonization of enemies) that are direct correlations of Periclean Athens’ social consciousness.



The statue of Athena located in the interior cella of the Parthenon is not the same warrior Athena that is depicted on the east pediment, but the Athena Parthenos, Virgin and patron goddess of Athens. The figure, designed by Pheidias in ivory and gold, is outfitted in armor and holds both a shield (bearing an Amazonomachy on its exterior and Gigantomachy on its interior) and a Victory (Stokstad 130). These symbols, along with the reliefs on her sandals representing a Centauromachy make “the goddess who was the embodiment of Athenian intellectual and cultural attainments” a symbol “of the triumph and order and civilization over chaos and barbarism on all levels” (Pollitt 98). She is a cult image, framed by Doric columns and colossal in size to emphasize her importance as the presiding deity of Athens and benefactor of its cultural and civil wealth and prosperity.

Pottery.

Greek vases have become an important piece of material culture, offering countless keys to information about the past. Vases were generally sculpted using a wheel, and the separate pieces were pieced together once dry using wet clay. The handles were always placed last. After the time consuming firing process, the pottery was painted in several different fashions, sometimes depicting the vase's purpose, others showing mythological stories or historical references. Some vases were used for drawing or drinking water, while others were used to hold oil, among many other uses.

Black figure vase painting was the first style to bring many artists to fame. Figures appear almost as silhouettes typically on a red background. This style is also often indicated by scoring, however many pieces do without. Red figure vase painting developed around 530 BC, replacing black figure pottery within the a few decades. Unlike black figure vase painting, red figure pottery features red figures on a black background. This technique allowed painters to use more detail in their work. However, the black background also made it difficult to use some older techniques, bringing more difficulty into the style and transforming the process to create the works of art that have taught so much about Greek culture to subsequent generations.

Egypt Newspaper.

The Parthenon

I really enjoyed talking and reading a bit about the parthenon in class this week. I went to Greece with my family when I was much younger and vaguely remember visiting the acropolis, so getting a more in depth look at what the structures meant and how they were constructed has been really interesting. The mixture of Doric and Ionian forms in the columns is a really creative means of combining the cultures of the two societies. I also found the different theories explaining why certain parts of the parthenon are exaggerated, for example the curves along the sides and the wide corner columns. These variances in design definitely make the parthenon a more exciting work to view and ponder. One of the most memorable things about seeing the Parthenon first hand was simply taking in the vastness and beauty of the structure. I look forward to visiting Nashville's replica of the Parthenon next week and gaining further insight into this incredible piece of architecture.

Downtown Presbyterian Church.

The site of the Downtown Presbyterian Church is perfect. Located in the midst of a busy downtown area, the building blends in very well with its surroundings despite how differently it is used compared to most other buildings in the area. This contrast really adds to the experience of the church and I cannot think of a better place for it. There is a great deal of open space within the church that seems to dwarf human importance upon entering the main room. However, the size and openness of the room is also very peaceful. In the balcony, space has a different effect. From above the rest of the church, it is easier to appreciate the vast space surrounding me and to take everything in. Much of this peaceful atmosphere can certainly be attributed to light. The church has many stained glass windows on either side that not only dims the bright rays from the sun, but also brings more color to the room and adds a different perspective to the artwork at the front of the sanctuary. The sanctuary is ornately decorated, giving it a very different feel from what we are used to today. It was surprising to find such unique decoration, as it was not what I expected. The bright colors of the artwork is surprising, but makes the work very true to its time period. It gives a lighter, more informal feel to the church that, while it probably was not the intention of the Egyptian architects, made me much more comfortable in the sanctuary. The materials also have an enormous effect on the feel of the space. The wooden chairs in the balcony and pews on the floor add a sense of comfort, while the stained glass windows seem to slow time and put away the rush of the day. The regularity of the pews give the room a steady rhythm, making the room appear more formal, but without causing it to become boring. Arguably the most distinctive feature in the room is the organ. It is the center of the front wall and it demands attention, especially in the way light reflects from its pipes. Altogether, it was a really cool visit and I am glad we had the opportunity to spend some time exploring and observing the church.

Treasures from the Royal Tombs of Ur.

This article revolves around an art exhibition called “Treasures from the Royal Tombs of Ur” that traveled around the country several years ago, showing off incredible Mesopotamian artworks. I stumbled upon it while doing a little bit of research regarding the Great Lyre from the Kings Grave, which was featured in the art show. The article was very interesting because it exposed me to several other pieces of Mesopotamian art, such as the Silver Head of a Lion. This is an important work because the lion is a huge piece of Sumerian mythology. The show explores the many great accomplishments of the near east, including cuneiform and many other works of art. Hopefully someday I will have the opportunity to view these art works and learn about them more directly.