Ancient Aegean Art: Lion Gate and the Mask of Agamemnon - Research Paper Example

November 12, Ancient Aegean Art: Lion Gate and the Mask of Agamemnon The Bronze Age civilizations include pre-Hellenic Greek cultures, one of which is the Aegean civilization. Ancient Aegean is the place of Homer’s Iliad. The Mycenaean Bronze Age is part of Ancient Aegean civilization. Mycenae, Greece is believed to be the home of King Agamemnon (Thomas 4). The Mycenaean were believed to be more militaristic than Cycladic Islanders and Crete (Thomas 4). They created large fortified cities that were near the ocean. The Lion Gate is one of the entrances to the city’s citadel. See Appendix A. The first ring of the wall of the Lion Gate was built on 1150 B.C.E., although the gate was constructed a century later. Besides this Gate, the Mycenaean also buried their dead with masks. A notable funerary mask is the golden Mask of Agamemnon that Heinrich Schliemann discovered in 1876. See Appendix B. The Mask is from Grave Circle A of Mycenae, Greece and dated at around 1600-1500 B.C.E. It is beaten gold with stylized features of the human face. These works have similarities in their Minoan influence and attention to details, although they have marked differences because they have different compositions and functions. These works are the same in terms of Minoan influence. The artists of these artworks are not known, except that these works were dated during the Bronze Age. Minoan art and culture have a strong influence on Mycenaean art, particularly on the sculpture of two lions in the Lion Gate (Jenkins; Fichner-Rathus 288). The Gate is a post and lintel structure. It has large stones piled in courses above the lintel and beveled to create a triangular structure. It has two nine-foot lion guardians. It is Minoan because of how these lions flank a Minoan-style column (Fichner-Rathus 288). It is not known if the Mycenaean also believed that lions were ideal guardians because they did not sleep (Thomas 4). The lion’s heads could be removed and may be made from bronze or gold, since a number of Mycenaean works were made of these elements (Thomas 4). These lion structures are, in addition, Minoan because of the emphasis on the movement of going up the column and facing people entering the gate. It shows that these lions are watching all those who enter and that they are protecting the whole of Mycenae. Furthermore, the column may symbolize a god or goddess (Fichner-Rathus 288). It could stand for the protective sphere of the city. The Lion Gate is Minoan in its structure and symbolism. Like the Lion Gate, the Mask of Agamemnon also shows Minoan style in its metalwork abilities. It was first believed to be Agamemnon’s mask, but later on disproved because it was dated three hundred years before Agamemnon’s time (Thomas 5). This mask was created from thin sheets of hammered gold that were placed on the faces of the dead (Fichner-Rathus 288). It is believed to be a death mask because of the closed eyes and because such masks were also made of gold based on other artifacts (Thomas 5). The Minoan style is on the details that combine stylization and careful replication of the facial structures of the deceased (Jenkins). The mask shows the shape of the human face, the figure and height of the nose, the form of the forehead, and the contours of the face. The stylized features are the eyes that look like coffee beans, the eyebrows, and the ears. The stylization attempts to give more human features to an otherwise un-stylized mask. Besides their Minoan influence, these works have similar attention to details that can be seen through their lines, shapes, and texture. The lions of the Lion Gate have clear muscle lines. They are shaped to be strong figures to probably signify the city’s defense and offense systems. Their arms and legs have curved musculature, while their feet have long paws. The effect is a regal standing for royal symbolic guards. Furthermore, these lions appear to be ready to pounce on the entrants of the gate. Their posture is one of easy attack in case entrants want to harm the royal family or inhabitants. They look like true soldiers in their lifted-up legs and the way they have their heads up. Their texture also has a smooth three-dimensional effect because of the presence of lines and muscular forms. As for the column, it has Minoan details. Its upper part has circular forms, while the lower part has four levels with some form of curved design at the second row from the bottom. The column also has rings on the upper part before the structure with the circular forms. It may indeed stand for a god as if this is a usual column also used in temples. The Mask of Agamemnon also has its own intricate details. It has flowing lines that fit that of a human form. It has a tall and wide forehead with vertical lines to hint the age of the dead. The musculature of the face suggests a fit user of the mask since there are no sagging or puffy parts. The eyebrows have stylized details that are like half a feather. The closed eyes are like coffee beans with an outer almond shell. The nose is thin and high, while the mask also has a stylized beard and moustache. Details of these facial hairs are etched into the gold. The ears have curled lines that look like the letter C. The lips of the user are closed too like the eyes. They seemed to be a little bit tightly closed because of how this affects the muscled at the chin part. The way that this metal work looks like may feel like a true human face with contours, such as on the forehead, cheeks, and chin. These works are different, nevertheless, because of composition and function differences. Lion Gate is a sculpture on top of a wall, while Mask of Agamemnon is a mask, most likely a death mask. Mask of Agamemnon is made from a hammered gold sheet, while Lion Gate is made of sedimentary rock, clay, and possibly gold. Lion Gate greets entrants to Mycenae and is a public figure, while the Mask is more of a personal artifact. Lion Gate has a military and spiritual symbolic function, while the Mask represents the human form and death. In conclusion, both these works are characteristic of Mycenaean culture that speaks of the militaristic and artistic abilities of its people. The Minoan influence is clear on the column design of the Lion Gate and metalwork details of the Mask of Agamemnon. They have the same attention to details that give a strong realistic texture, but because they are different kinds of artworks, they have varying forms and composition. Lion Gate is a rock sculpture, while the Mask of Agamemnon is a hammered golden sheet mask. Despite differences, they showcase the beauty of Aegean art and Mycenaean culture. Appendix A: Lion Gate at Mycenae Source: Cartwright Appendix B: Mask of Agamemnon Source: Cartwright Works Cited Cartwright, Mark. “Mycenae.” ancient.eu.com, 2 Sept. 2009. Web. 6 Nov. 2014. Jenkins, Deborah. “Minos and the Heroes of Homer: The Art of the Prehistoric Aegean.” Introduction to Art History, 2014. Web. 6 Nov. 2014. Fichner-Rathus, Lois. Understanding Art. 10th ed. Boston, MA: Wadsworth Cengage, 2013. Print. Thomas, Suzanne. “Chapter 4: The Aegean.” Art History I Online, no date. Web. 6 Nov. 2014. Read More