Visual Arts and Film Studies - Essay Example

The first artifact is the bronze statue of Eros sleeping. Currently situated in the Metropolitan Museum of Art (“The Metropolitan Museum of Art”), the origins of this statue are not clear. Historians believe that it was created during the third century B.C. While Eros has been famous as the symbol of love and sexuality, his depiction in the form of a disarmed, sleeping child has been equally famous. During the fifth century B.C., it was commonplace to show Eros as a youngster accompanied by women. However, during the Hellenistic period, accurate depiction of the age of the subject became a standard. It was during this time that Eros was first portrayed as a young child without his characteristic bow and arrows. This is a significant phase of art history since this is arguably the first instance of realism used in art. The slightly plump body, along with the intricate details suggests that the statue was modeled on a real child. The refined bronze indicates the metallurgical advances of the era and is the main reason behind the survival of the statue across centuries. The three-dimensional artwork is full of minute details such as a drooping head, the delicate curls of hair, relaxed wings, and a calm contour with an open mouth. The void created by the missing base indicates that the statue was commissioned to be used in a villa. A deeper observation of the features shows that the statue was cast in multiple pieces and that the casting is thin and even. Considering that the Greek sculptors of this age were claimed to be capable of making statues talk, the life-like features of Eros in this work come as no surprise (Mattusch, 1996).

            The Terracotta figure of Isis-Aphrodite is another important piece of art. The figurine made of alluvial clay and decorated with black, brown, pink, and red paint symbolizes the religious tolerance of our ancestors. It depicts Isis, the goddess of fertility and motherhood in ancient Egypt, and Aphrodite. The work is a perfect blend of the Greco-Roman and Egyptian cultures resulting from the Roman conquest of Egypt. A nude goddess standing tall with her hands resting on her thighs was commonplace in Egyptian art. However, in this version, she also wears the characteristic Egyptian Greco-Roman crown known as Calathos along with a sun disk. The three-dimensional figurine was double-molded and immersed in white slip and painted with a myriad of colors. The pink paint adds an Egyptian blush to the thin face while the firmly upheld head indicates a strong Hellenistic woman. The full breasts along with the soft folds near the abdomen give her a more feminine and maternal appearance.