The Impact of Geography and Economic Activity - Assignment Example

1. Analyze the impact of GEOGRAPHY AND ECONOMIC ACTIVITY as influences on any TWO(2) of the civilizations we have studied. (Aegean, Egyptian, Mesopotamian, Greek, Roman, and Byzantine).  All civilizations and cultures are born and developed due to geographical and economic factors. Rivers have been one of the influencing geographical factors in the birth of all civilizations. The terrain or the landscape plays another major role in the development of the civilization. It decides the system of life and culture as developed by the people of each civilization. Economy is crucial for any civilization to survive and sustain. The trade and connections with the neighbors decide the economic activity. The earliest civilizations in the world, the Mesopotamian or the Sumerian civilization is one the best examples that rivers play the deciding factor in the birth and growth of civilizations. Any human colony can survive only on the availability of food and water. The word ‘Mesopotamia’ means “the land between the rivers” or “the land between two rivers” (Ancient Mesopotamia 1). Euphrates and Tigris are the birth place of Mesopotamian civilization. The people of the region find certain farming, irrigation and water management systems out of necessity. There are seasonal floods in both the rivers and the fertility of the land was utilized for cultivation. They have to protect themselves and the crops from floods. They build walls and cities come into existence. Economy required writing and maintaining of accounts. World’s first writing art, the cuneiform using stylus on clay tablets, was introduced here. Economic activities centered round the temples in the Sumer region. “Sumer close to the mouths of the Tigris and Euphrates is where the first Mesopotamian towns develop. Each grows up round a local temple, which acts as the centre of the region’s economic activity. The Sumer temple priests, needing to keep accurate accounts, are the first people to develop a system of writing” (History of Mesopotamia 1). Nearly 5000 years back, the next great civilization, the Egyptian, is born on the banks of the great river Nile. Nile and its surrounding landscape decided the geographical division of the civilization. The seasonal floods in Nile flood the fields and people have to find alternate employment. Huge architectural wonders are created and construction is much developed during this period. The river and its inundation decide the life in Egypt. The region is divided into the Upper and Lower Egypt and the Red land and Black land. With huge differences in the landscape, with the fertile river irrigated land and the dry desert without any rainfall and oasis on the other side, the people of Egypt find ways to mine and explore the rich natural resources like gold, granite, quartzite, sand and limestone. Economy thrives on the gold trade with Africa and Middle East. Coin metals are introduced and money came into picture. The geographical features and the economic activities decide the flourish of civilizations and set requirements for new systems to be developed. 2. What do surviving works (art or architecture) tell us about culture? Compare Pagan Art to Christian Art AND Greek Art to Roman Art.  Art reflects social, cultural, political systems, beliefs and practices. In turn, it also gets influenced by them. Any surviving piece of art or architecture stands evidence to the contemporary influences. More recently, this idea has given rise to a new branch of research called as the Art culture or the visual culture. The Christian Art is born in the Greco-Roman empire and is influenced by it. Till Christianity was legalized, the art tradition was maintained secret. The symbols and images imitate the pagan art that immediately surrounded the artists. For example, “the pagan image of Endymion sleeping under the watchful eye of the goddess Selene became the prototype of Jonah asleep beneath the vine. Likewise, the scenes of jovial dinners (symposia) that were often depicted in Greek funerary contexts (and later in Roman ones, with a slightly less exuberant tone) became models for the Christian funerary images of the rewards of heaven” (Yeomans 2). David singing praises to the Lord is compared to the Pagan Orpheus with his love of music. The “instances of David depicted with Orpheus imagery are well and firmly documented” (Yeomans 3). The symbol of Orpheus is also connected with the Christian resurrection of Jesus. Eggs are pagan symbols of rebirth and became associated with resurrection in the Christian Art. “Scholars have long hypothesized that the image of Mary nursing or holding the Christ child close to her breast is an iconographic image borrowed from the ancient Egyptian motif of the goddess Isis nursing the infant Horus” (Yeomans 4). The tradition continues into the Renaissance art as well. “Pagan figures such as Orpheus, Apollo and Hercules were often firmly placed within a Christian context by the Renaissance period. One of the most notable examples is Michelangelo’s use of the noble face of the Apollo Belvedere as the face of Christ in the Last Judgment” (Yeomans 5). The Greek and the Hellenistic tradition of Art show interest in high intellectualism and idealism. Architecture is marked by raised ionic columns and is seen in temple structures. Much importance in the form of aesthetics is given to the effect of art on humans. Plato and Aristotle explored the nature of art. Stick figures, painted vases, the great Elgin marble sculptures of Olympia and Parthenon and huge buildings mark Greek Art. Athletic Greek is reflected in its sculptures of male figures. On the other hand, the Roman art is influenced by the art in the regions it conquered. Later, when Roman Empire succeeds the Greek, Roman art is influenced by the mathematical accuracy of the Greek Art. Roman Art is not as imaginative and idealistic as the Greek but borrow the sculptures and art from Greece. Their art is more realistic than idealistic. Art is much employed for decorative purposes in contrast with the spiritual purpose of the Greek Art. Greece is the master of the Roman Art. According to Kleiner and Mamiya, “If Greece was peculiarly the inventor of the European spirit, Rome was its propagator and amplifier” (164). 3. Identify cultural conventions and visual symbols and discuss their social, political, economic, religious meanings as represented in painting, sculpture, or architecture.  Art during all ages have reflected society and its cultural, political and religious systems. Any work of art employs visual symbols. These are placed in relation to cultural conventions of the age and increase the visual efficacy of art. When only a few could read, these visual symbols were powerful vehicles of meaning. The Early Art is used as historical documented evidences for the moral, political and religious beliefs of the period. Later, the Church has been one of the major patrons of art during the Medieval and Renaissance art and the symbols get a more religious significance. The architectural forms of the Egyptian pyramids symbolize the primordial hill that the Egyptians believed in. The Pyramids and the Great Sphinx express the divinity of the Pharoah. The Khafre statue denotes the godlike nature of Egyptian kings. They clearly reveal the mythological base of Egyptian art. Symbols such as amenta and ankh show their belief in the underworld and after life or eternal life. Death is looked upon as a gateway to eternal life. Nebu represents gold and is associated with gods and used in temple sculptures as well as in Pyramids. The economic wealth around the region and the use of slaves are deciphered from the pyramids. Later geometric patterns are used in the work of art. “Circle and semicircle patterns were replaced by linear designs, zigzags, triangles, diamonds, and meanders” (Cunningham and Reich 40). Greek art is an example for this. It perfects geometrical accuracy in art and exponents perfect human form. Olympian Gods are humanized. The sculptures of the Acropolis show the Greek involvement in the human anatomy and mathematics. The art of storytelling is evident in the visual representations. According to Kleiner and Mamia, slavery is common in ancient Greece and “free men and women appear with their slaves in monumental sculpture” (108). The cultural convention of intellectualism in the Hellenistic Art has given rise to the Aesthetics. They stand for Humanism in art. Economy flourishes and the Greek art and architecture develops during this period. The Olympians are attributed with specific symbols which distinguish them from one another. For example, the mythological Artemis, the protector of children and huntress Goddess is symbolized with a bow and deer. The ruler Zeus, the God of the sky, is symbolized with thunderbolt, oak and eagle. All these show the Greek belief in their mythological origins and the efforts to document these in the idealistic art forms. The Doryphoros represent a perfect male athlete and stands for Polykleito’s perception of perfect forms. Though inspired by the Greek art, unlike the Greek art, the Roman art is more concerned with the pride and pomp of the empire and the rulers. However, the architecture of Rome has imported the conventions of Greek art. Roman art has more sculptures of its emperors and served for their propaganda. “The Battle of Actium is also alluded to with the swan symbols of Apollo. This is a good example of the propaganda which Augustus used in his art. He wanted the people to connect the gods and his coming to power after the Battle of Actium, a battle in which he had received divine help. The historical event is intermingled with the supernatural” (Mason 1). The Augustus of Prima Porta attributes Augustus with divinity. A miniature Cupid sculpture at his feet speaks of his divine lineage (Cunningham and Reich 150). The visual symbols and conventions in the Roman Art have left a legacy behind for the world to follow and in its purpose is a precursor to the “contemporary political campaigns” (Kleiner, Mamia 298). In the Christian art and architecture, various symbols represent Christ’s divinity, eternal life, spiritual illumination, Heaven and the Holy Trinity, Virgin Mary as the Divine Mother and other Biblical truths. A burning candle symbolizes illumination of the spirit or means the light in darkness. Halo as a symbol of divinity evolved only after its use in the artistic representations. Many conventions are passed from the Byzantine, Roman art and architecture. The association of chains with slavery, eggs with rebirth and fertility, and the female body as a symbol of art have been passed on till the modern times that they are now not only restricted to art but are extended to the field of advertising as well. Work Cited “Ancient Mesopotamia.” hypermedia.educ.psu.edu. 13 Apr. 2009. Cunningham, S. Lawrence and John J. Reich. Culture and Values A survey of the h humanities. Vol.2. 6th ed. Auckland: Cengage Learning, 2005. Elner, Jas. “Double Identity: Orpheus as David. Orpheus as Christ?” Mar. 2009. BAR. 13 Apr. 2009. < http://members.bib- arch.org/publication.asp?PubID=BSBA&Volume=35&Issue=2&ArticleID=8> “Greek Vs Roman Art.” History World. Org. Ed. Guisepi. R.A. Jan. 2007. 13. Apr. 2009 Hill, Suzanne. “Symbols and images in art have hidden meaning.” Weblog entry. Suite101.com. 22 Feb. 2009. 13 Apr. 2009. Read More

2. What do surviving works (art or architecture) tell us about culture? Compare Pagan Art to Christian Art AND Greek Art to Roman Art.  Art reflects social, cultural, political systems, beliefs and practices. In turn, it also gets influenced by them. Any surviving piece of art or architecture stands evidence to the contemporary influences. More recently, this idea has given rise to a new branch of research called as the Art culture or the visual culture. The Christian Art is born in the Greco-Roman empire and is influenced by it.

Till Christianity was legalized, the art tradition was maintained secret. The symbols and images imitate the pagan art that immediately surrounded the artists. For example, “the pagan image of Endymion sleeping under the watchful eye of the goddess Selene became the prototype of Jonah asleep beneath the vine. Likewise, the scenes of jovial dinners (symposia) that were often depicted in Greek funerary contexts (and later in Roman ones, with a slightly less exuberant tone) became models for the Christian funerary images of the rewards of heaven” (Yeomans 2).

David singing praises to the Lord is compared to the Pagan Orpheus with his love of music. The “instances of David depicted with Orpheus imagery are well and firmly documented” (Yeomans 3). The symbol of Orpheus is also connected with the Christian resurrection of Jesus. Eggs are pagan symbols of rebirth and became associated with resurrection in the Christian Art. “Scholars have long hypothesized that the image of Mary nursing or holding the Christ child close to her breast is an iconographic image borrowed from the ancient Egyptian motif of the goddess Isis nursing the infant Horus” (Yeomans 4).

The tradition continues into the Renaissance art as well. “Pagan figures such as Orpheus, Apollo and Hercules were often firmly placed within a Christian context by the Renaissance period. One of the most notable examples is Michelangelo’s use of the noble face of the Apollo Belvedere as the face of Christ in the Last Judgment” (Yeomans 5). The Greek and the Hellenistic tradition of Art show interest in high intellectualism and idealism. Architecture is marked by raised ionic columns and is seen in temple structures.

Much importance in the form of aesthetics is given to the effect of art on humans. Plato and Aristotle explored the nature of art. Stick figures, painted vases, the great Elgin marble sculptures of Olympia and Parthenon and huge buildings mark Greek Art. Athletic Greek is reflected in its sculptures of male figures. On the other hand, the Roman art is influenced by the art in the regions it conquered. Later, when Roman Empire succeeds the Greek, Roman art is influenced by the mathematical accuracy of the Greek Art.

Roman Art is not as imaginative and idealistic as the Greek but borrow the sculptures and art from Greece. Their art is more realistic than idealistic. Art is much employed for decorative purposes in contrast with the spiritual purpose of the Greek Art. Greece is the master of the Roman Art. According to Kleiner and Mamiya, “If Greece was peculiarly the inventor of the European spirit, Rome was its propagator and amplifier” (164). 3. Identify cultural conventions and visual symbols and discuss their social, political, economic, religious meanings as represented in painting, sculpture, or architecture.

  Art during all ages have reflected society and its cultural, political and religious systems. Any work of art employs visual symbols. These are placed in relation to cultural conventions of the age and increase the visual efficacy of art. When only a few could read, these visual symbols were powerful vehicles of meaning. The Early Art is used as historical documented evidences for the moral, political and religious beliefs of the period. Later, the Church has been one of the major patrons of art during the Medieval and Renaissance art and the symbols get a more religious significance.

The architectural forms of the Egyptian pyramids symbolize the primordial hill that the Egyptians believed in.

Read More