Art Appreciation 2014 - 2015 October 2014 Latin American Art A
Trip Around the World
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1 st Stop: Latin America Charlotte, NC #1: Latin America Modern
Latin America is made up of 22 countries stretching from the
southern border of the US to the tip of South America; includes the
Caribbean
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Latin American Art Pre-Columbian Period Pre-Columbian literally
means the time preceding Christopher Columbuss voyages of 1492
Includes remarkable civilizations such as the Olmec, Maya, Inca,
and Aztec Art typically inspired by spiritual concerns and war with
neighboring cultures LaVenta Monument 1 - Colossal Head, Before 900
BC Artisans unknown Sculpted from Basalt Boulder Parque LaVenta,
Villahermosa, Mexico This is one of 17 remaining Colossal Heads
created by the Olmec, the mysterious 1 st great culture of Latin
America Each stand around 8 feet high and weighs over 20 tons
Historians still debate whether the heads were modeled after Olmec
Rulers or conquered enemies
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Maya civilization was one of the richest, most advanced, and
most populated on the globe by 500 AD Known for their stelae, which
are monuments of tall sculpted stone shafts often placed near round
altars Stelae often depicted Mayan rulers disguised as gods The
largest ever found is over 34 feet high and weighs 65 tons Stela
51, 731 A.D. Limestone From Calakmul, Mexico Depicts king Yuknoon
Took Kawiil Stela A, 732 A.D. Sculpted from Volcanic Tuff From
Copan in Honduras Latin American Art Pre-Columbian Period
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Latin American Art Pre-Columbian Architecture The Inca city of
Machu Picchu sits 8,000 feet above sea level and is surrounded on 3
sides by cliffs. The 4 th side is a mountain Built over 550 years
ago with dry- stone technique. Rocks were cut to fit together so
perfectly no mortar is required to hold them together. Successfully
built to withstand frequent earthquakes Includes 140 buildings and
100 flights of stone steps Machu Picchu is Perus most visited
tourist attraction and South Americas most famous ruins, welcoming
hundreds of thousands of people a year Inca City of Machu Picchu,
constructed around 1450 Machupicchu District, Peru Stone walls at
Manchu Picchu were constructed without the use of draft animals,
iron tools or wheels.
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Latin American Art Colonial Period Indochristian Art The
arrival of the Spanish to Latin America beginning in 1492 almost
completely wiped out the indigenous population. (Many were
conquered, but even more died of diseases brought by the Europeans;
mainly smallpox) Native culture was largely forbidden and countless
works of art and early literature were destroyed Europeans
introduced their religious beliefs and art techniques The mixture
of indigenous artistic styles and European painting techniques led
to a distinctive style of Latin American art known as Indochristian
The Legend of Santa Sophronia, Late 17 th Century Circle of Diego
Quispe Tito Oil on canvas Brooklyn Museum
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Latin American Art Colonial Period Indochristian Art Reds,
yellows, and gold leaf were popular in Indochristian art very
different from the more subdued paintings with similar subjects
being produced in Europe at the time. The Divine Shepherdess, c.
1780 Anonymous artist from Quito, Ecuador Oil on canvas Private
Collection La Pascua de Mara, 1698 (Easter Mary) Juan Correa Oil on
canvas Private Collection
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Latin American Art Gaining Independence Beginning in the early
1800s Latin American countries began to fight for and win
independence from Spanish and Portuguese rule. Art was often used
to promote political and social change and establish national pride
This painting depicts the death of Atanasio Girardot of Columbia, a
hero killed by Spanish troops while trying to raise the national
flag during the Battle of Brbula territory (present day Venezuela)
The Death of Girardot in Brbula, 1883 Cristbal Rojas Oil on Canvas
Bolivarian Museum of Caracas
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Latin American Art Gaining Independence El Pan Nuestro (Our
Daily Bread), 1905 Ramn Frade Oil on canvas Institute of Puerto
Rican Culture, San Juan, Puerto Rico After 400 years of Spanish
colonial rule, Puerto Rico won independence Only months later is
was claimed as a territory by the US and remains so today; the
transition was difficult for most especially the poor This painting
shows a jibaro (hee-VAH-roe), a farmer who works on the land The
painting title refers to the plantains the jibaro carries because
this fruit was eaten by most Puerto Ricans every day, often at
every meal
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Latin American Art Modern Style A Glimpse of the Past
Contemporary Latin American often incorporates its rich artistic
history especially that of the native cultures This enlarged
portion from the lower left side of a mural painted in 1942 shows
ancient Toltec artisans carving a stela Unin de la Expresin
Artistica del Norte y Sur de este Continente, 1940 (Marriage of
Artistic Expression of North and of South on this Continent) Diego
Rivera Al fresco on ten steel-framed panels City College of San
Francisco
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Latin American Art Modern Style A Glimpse of the Past Peligro
de Cortar Flores y Bajar Barriletes del Da de los Difuntos, 2004
(Danger in Picking Flowers and Bringing Down Kites on the Day of
the Dead) Diego Isaas Hernndez Mndez Oil on canvas Collection of
Charles Davey This contemporary Maya folk artist describes his work
as pinturas polulares, (paintings of the people) and uses art to
help preserve ancient traditions His use of bright colors and
repeated shapes are similar to those found in ancient Maya weavings
The Day of the Dead is a popular holiday in Mexico and many other
countries. It is spent celebrating deceased relatives; its origins
can be traced back to an indigenous Azetc festival
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Art Appreciation - A Trip Around the World Next Stop: AFRICA
Charlotte, NC #1: Latin America #2: Africa