Agricultural and Commercial Center of the Roman Empire - Essay Example

Pat 2 Introduction Expansive middle residents with a palate for extravagance and beauty occupied Antioch, which was a vital agricultural and commercial center of the Roman Empire and economic success. Villas, in this region, were often opulently decorated with spectacular wall frescoes and floor mosaics like the medallion of the wine god Bacchus (the Greek Dionysos). This piece of art, even though currently displayed on the Museum’s wall, was initially displayed at the entrance hall of a Roman villa as part of a much larger floor pavement. At first, I thought that the Floor Mosaic Fragment Depicting Bacchus was merely created through stitch or other form of material, but I discovered that this extraordinary piece of art was created before the 5th century ( 325-330 CE) using tiny pieces of limestone tesserae. The Floor Mosaic Fragment Depicting Bacchus is a piece of art that has left many astonished for many years. It clearly portrays the amount of work the artist put in to come up with this remarkable sculpture. It is made up of carefully placed limestone tesserae with well-defined dimensions of 117.5 x 117.5 Cm. According to the RISD Museum, this particular piece of art was created before the 5th Century in Antioch modern day Antakya, Turkey. The entire form of this figurine is a perfect square. This square bounds a circle with a series of waves, which further portray the image of Bacchus. Orange is the dominant color, and it creates the image of a pure nature of Bacchus due to its drenched form. One is emotionally drawn to the art as it has this tender and soft appearance. It is also evident that Bacchus is among the elite in the roman society due to the fact that he is wearing classic roman attire with laurels on his head. The artistic style itself has common features with that of a more recent artist, Rembrandt, who manifest thick marks of brushes as seen in the Floor Mosaic Fragment Depicting Bacchus. Both of these artistic works may look rough when closely analyzed, but it is not until one examines them from a distance that they really appreciate the way the colors blend to distinctively bring out the true nature of both works of art. Some of the most outstanding individual features can also be seen from a distance. These are the signatures of the artists that really endorse the art. For instance, a close examination of Bacchus cannot reveal the roman leaves in his head as they are seen as mere pebbles or just limestones. However, the elaborate detail of this particular artwork can be generally appreciated from steps back. The fact that such artworks were made centuries ago when technology did not exist and could still be able to magnify the detail shows the amount of work the artists put in to give the audience such priceless products. Installation of the Floor Mosaic Fragment Depicting Bacchus This piece of artwork takes center place in the ancient Greek and Roman galleries. From a distance, almost every detail is clearly visible, and this draws visitors’ attentions significantly. Carefully laid down limestone pebbles form a unique line that is appreciated for the way the different colors fall in place to create such a profound whole from a distance. Each color has a role-play, and they all mimic the natural appearance of the object and consequently evoke an emotional response among the audience. Color harmony plays a significant role in the whole portrait due to the way it harmonizes to produce this spectacle look. Created when there were no brushes or any of the formal drawing material, the artist had to improvise a painting tool and dedicated himself to bring out every detail of Bacchus. This amount of detail makes the installation of this object rather simple because it is eye-catching. The whole surface of the sculpture is clearly illuminated by the source of light. This light compliments the detail and increases the visibility of the object as it positively affects the color. The eyes of Bacchus appear to be in motion following every move. Additionally, the different components of the artwork relate well to one another and can all be seen from the same single angle. The installation of the object ensures that there is no illusion of space, this ensures that every detail is perfectly illustrated, there is no overlap, and there is a faultless relationship with the environment around the object. The installation further takes care of the texture illusion by ensuring that nothing appears too soft, fuzzy or shiny. The entire granular surface of the artwork made of different colored limestone pebbles combine impeccably. The artist makes use of familiar shapes such as circles, squares, and places them at strategic places in a balanced manner to further advance the artwork. It is hence palpable that the museum takes into consideration all the amazing features of the Floor Mosaic Fragment Depicting Bacchus before deciding on its installation. They prepare a space that will commend it and ensure that it stands for what it is worth. I personal perceive this work of art as a masterpiece; something that gives it the much attention it normally receive from the audience and other artists. I am inspired and intrigued, by this piece of art, and together with the irrefutable worth of this artwork, accord it magnum opus title. It can be, therefore, be concluded that this particular mosaic has been installed in this manner to stand out and attract as many visitors as possible into the museum. Dead Bird This painting is displayed at the painting and sculpture gallery in the RISP Museum. It is an intriguing piece as it delves into a person’s psych and makes them curious to determine what the artist Oudry Jean-Baptiste wanted to illustrate when he made it. A French artist, who lived from 1686 to 1755, is believed to have drawn this piece between the 1640’s and 1650’s. It is done using oil on a canvas and with an estimated size of 36.8 x 26.7 cm (14 1/2 x 10 1/2 inches). This makes it a captivating piece of art. This item definitely belongs to another culture and time. It contains some form of modernity with the oil and canvas available for the artists of that time. The same detail and total commitment to detail are still carried forward by Jean-Baptiste. He ensures that the color, texture and different shapes are aligned to produce such a chef-doeuvre. I observed that the compositional categories remain important in these two different objects from different time and cultures. The final comparison of the installation of the two objects shows some alterations. The line, lighting and space surrounding the artworks are disparate mainly due to the different material used in making both objects. While the Floor Mosaic Fragment Depicting Bacchus needs more attention and devotion in guaranteeing that it is easily visible due to its age and material used, the Dead Bird in the painting and sculpture gallery asks for little yet enough fitting in order to stand out. In conclusion, it can be determined that the two object come from centuries apart and are further distinguished by the different type of material they are made of. This additionally differentiates the installation platforms they are accorded. Artists from different ages with access to completely different material still managed to produce masterpieces that continue to dominate the modern galleries and are expected to impress further in the future. Work Cited "About." Floor mosaic fragment depicting Bacchus – Objects. N.p., n.d. Web. 2 Oct. 2014. Retrieved from: http://risdmuseum.org/art_design/objects/2 Read More