Near Eastern Art Per5

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ANCIENT NEAR EAST Janin Alfonso AP Art History Per.5

Transcript of Near Eastern Art Per5

Page 1: Near Eastern Art Per5

ANCIENT NEAR EAST

Janin AlfonsoAP Art HistoryPer.5

Page 2: Near Eastern Art Per5

ZigguratUr, Iraq 2100 BCE

Built using mud bricks Colossal scale Resembles mountain Whitewash applied to disguise muddy

appearance Four corners oriented to the compass Three staircases lead to upper story entrance

from three different directions and a guardhouse can be accessed where the stairs meet.

Top temple was small and removed from populace

Tapers out so that rainwater washed off Dedicated to moon god Nanna

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Lamssu Louvre, Paris c. 700 BCE

Ceiling-to-floor limestone animal guardian figures

Winged, human headed The sculpture’s five legs when

seen from the front seem to be standing at attention; when seen from the side appear to be walking past

Purpose is to ward off both visible and invisible enemies

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Standard of Ur British Museum, London c. 2600 B.C.E.

Panels inlayed with shell, lapis lazuli, and limestone

PractiComprised of two sides: a war and a peace which could have been two sides of a narrative (early example of historical narrative)

Purpose: Perhaps part of soundbox for a musical instrument

Residents of Jericho buried dead family members under floor boards

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Tell Asmar StatueIraq Museum, Baghdad c.2700 B.C.E

Composition: limestone, alabaster, gypsum

Purpose: Representational figures of middle-eastern people found in temples. Meant to pray in the stead of their human counterparts.

Large wide eyes and folded hands give impression of worship

Height denotes hierarchy scale Men: bare chest, long skirt, wavy

beard Women: dress draped over one

shoulder

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LyreUniversity of Pennsylvania Museum, Philadelphia

C. 2600 BCE

Lyre with bull’s head Four panels on side:o Top: Sumerian wrestling

two man-headed bullso 2nd level: wolf carries a

table with animal parts, preparing for a ceremony; lion bears wine, jug, cup

o 3rd level: donkey play a bull-harp; bear dances; seated fox plays a rattle

o 4th level: jackal (?) waves rattles; scorpion-man

Animals in profile; people have frontal shoulders

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Gudea Louvre, Paris c. 2100 B.C.E.

• Folded hands with long thin fingers

• Right arm uncovered• Broad shoulders,

narrow waist, simple outlines

• Peaceful, pensive• Diorite, the stone it

is carved out of proclaims the wealth of the owner and importance of subject

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Victory Stele of Naram-SimLouvre, Paris 2254-2218 BCE

Sandstone Depicts victory over Lullubi Naram-Sin deifies himself as

composition leads him up the mountain to the heavens

Heavens indicated by three stars Sun represents victory blessed by

the gods, however Naram-Sin acts independently

King wears horned crown of divinity, holds a bow in one hand, arrow in the other, battle axe in hollow of arm

Defeated soldiers beg for mercy Hierarchy scale

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Stele of HammurabiLouvre, Paris C. 1780 BCE

Basalt Bas relief, 8 ft One of the earliest law codes ever written is

engraved upon it Sun god/patron of justice, Shamash, sitting

on throne atop ziggurat handing Hammurabi a rope, ring and rod of kingship (authority)

Hammurabi greets him Shamash wears horned helmet signifying

divinity Images powerfully convey close link between

the human and divine rulers, Hammurabi had god-given authority to enforce laws on stele

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Persepolis Iran c.500 B.C.E.

Built by Darius I and his son Xerxes, destroyed by Alexander the Great

Included enormous audience hall, apadama

Apadama was supported by 36 colossal columns, each surrounded by bull’s heads of gray limestone

Purpose: receptions and festivals Carved onto stairs are the

Immortals, the King’s Guard, who were called this because they always numbered 10,000

Relief sculpture of people form all parts of empire bringing gifts to treasury; selected to protect treasury

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Palace of Shapur I Ctesiphon, Iraq

250 C.E.

Built by Sassanian Persian rulers

Brick audience hall Influence of

Roman architecture in the barrel vault and arches