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Non- Western art in the Ming Dynasty

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    The early Ming Dynasty was a period of cultural restoration. There was a re-establishment of a Chinese ruling house that lead to court-dictated styles and arts. Sutra box with dragon amid clouds Ming Dynasty(1368-1644) Yongle period(1403-24)     this box was made to hold a sutra which is a sacred Buddhist text. The fact that it has a dragon indicates that it was made in an imperial workshop and used by someone of high status. This lacquered box was created by building up layers of resin. In this case, the sap was very toxic and people would have to take several measures to deal with that toxicity. The red color is associated with good fortune, and the pigment cinnabar was likely used to create this color. Gold inlay was used to create the design of the dragon and the clouds.  Two Hawks in a Thicket Lin Liang Mid-15th century     These hawks are portrayed as sitting on branches surrounded by bamboo. Hawks are birds that represent heroism and valor and are normally atop a mountain
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Early Modern art and the influence of WWI

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      World War I was a tragic time for many people. Families were broken when men left to go fight in the war and times changed forever. This time in world history was so grand that of course, it would have an impact on the art world. The Tunnellers Christopher Richard Wynne Nevinson (1916)     The Tunnellers is a very dynamic piece. It uses dark colors to create an eerie feeling. The man is wearing a gas mask which is common in WWI when it comes to the mustard gas that was often used to get soldiers out of the trenches. There is only one singular light source that illuminates that dark tunnel ahead. This piece definitely shows the dark side of the war and the sadness that accompanies it. Blood and Iron Charles Ernest Butler (1916)     There is a very emotional response for me and this painting. It depicts a Belgian woman who is being comforted by Christ and the German Kaiser behind them has death looking over his shoulder. This painting shows the amount of destruction that the war
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The Classical Era and the morals of Neoclassical art

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      Neoclassical art had a strong focus on moral virtue, patriotic sacrifice, and good and moral deeds. The Neoclassical era focused on subjects that were very patriotic and subject to Greco- Roman material. Unlike the original Greek and Roman art, these pieces do not focus on the ideal human body.  The Death Of General Wolfe painted by Benjamin West (1770)     As described by the title, this painting shows the death of General Wolfe at the Battle of Quebec. He was killed by musket fire and is surrounded by his fellow men in his last moments. There is a strong similarity to the way that this painting is set up which is reminiscent of many paintings of Christ. The light is centered on General Wolfe making him the subject of the painting and your eye is drawn to him immediately. The morals in this painting are great, saying that your country is worth fighting for. The Oath Of Horatii painted by Jaques-Louis David (1784)     This painting depicts three brothers that are pointing toward
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The Baroque Era and Scientific knowledge expansion

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      The Baroque era was a time of great scientific knowledge expansion with Antonie Van Leeuwenhoek creating the microscope to discover microorganisms, and Galileo confirming Copernicus's Theory. With all of these discoveries, people created art surrounding this topic. The Astronomer, painted by Johnannes Vermeer (1668)     The painting done by Johannes Vermeer depicts an astronomer with several objects that were popular in astronomical areas in the Netherlands. There is an astrolabe, which determines the locations of celestial bodies. There is a celestial globe that shows the stars and  constellations. There are many aspects of this painting that can show just how much was discovered when it came to astronomy during the Baroque period. There is even a reference to Moses in the picture in the background, who had learned everything that the Egyptians knew about Astronomy.     This painting does a great job of using contrast to literally shed light on the work that the astronomer i
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The Renaissance and Humanism

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       Jan Van Eyck created an intriguing piece that left its viewers with more questions than before. Painted in oil, on an oak panel, the Arnolfini Portrait is something to be recognized as an intriguing piece. Arnolfini Portrait, 1434     The painting itself is stunning with its bright colors in the woman's dress and the various textures displayed in this small room. Within the room, the presented textures range widely based on the metal of the chandelier, the carpet in the corner, or the hair on the dog in the foreground. The colors are vibrant in the woman's dress and the bright red bed in the back suggests that this couple is wealthy considering that having a large bed was quite expensive. The male figure in the painting is also clothed in furs and expensive pieces. In the background, you can also see that there are oranges, which were not an easy commodity to the general public. All of these things considered, they do fall right into the humanist ideas of dynamic self, a
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The Vietnam War Mid Modern Art

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The Vietnam War began on November 1, 1955, and ended on April 30, 1975. This timeframe is right in the middle of the mid-modern period of art. Many people had family who was serving in the war and those that did serve were never the same. Many of the pieces chosen were meant to create a certain type of feeling when looked at. All of the pieces displayed were created by veteran artists, trying to document U.S. history through art. Attack At Twilight By Roger Blum (1966) The Attack At Twilight painting was done in acrylic and depicts himself gazing at a hut on fire while serving. The use of color in this piece causes an emotional response when a perfectly green field is then marred by bright red and black. The tone of the painting is very dark which creates a sense of foreboding and anticipation as to what occurred after this scene is depicted.  The texture of the brush strokes is loose in detail which in a way makes the image perceived as a memory. Waiting By David N. Fairrington 1968 W
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The Romantic Era

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     Art nouveau came into being at the end of the 19th century. It was originally created to oppose the official world of academic art. It brought vivid colors and bold forms that are often found in Japanese art. The style has organic forms, natural hues, and asymmetric forms embellished with curving lines. The piece above is called La Femme Animee en Fleur by Alphonse Mucha is a great example of art Nouveau. This piece was lithograph on silk. The subject matter definitely has the intention to oppose what was considered art in academic art. Mucha's art often had women as the subject and he was well known for his poster illustrations. The piece The Kiss  by Gustav Klimt uses vivid color and asymmetric forms that are known in the style of art nouveau. He was most influenced by Japanese art and its methods. He was also famous for his controversial paintings. When it comes to intentions, his intention was to make something different from what was the norm of academic art. The colors a
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