Midterm Exam Review Flashcards
San Culture Rock Engraving,San culture, Namibia 3000 BCE
- The lion is the most important aspect of the engraving.
○ TheLion(feline),as per other cultures,may be used as a manifestation of evil/power (similarly to the panther, leopard, etc)
A lot of different animals
Garlake speaks about Lions
Garlake argues there’s reasons for them not look right basically because they connect primal with human and mystical spirituality
San culture, Rock painting, South Africa, circa 150 CE.
South African rock painting usually features figures that are not exactly human but not animal (therianthropes)
- The painting aren’t highly stylized (humans and animals lack distinguished blemishes)
- This painting was found in a spiritual place where the San came to engage with spiritual practices
and rituals
- The Ile (bovine creature) was seen as god’s favorite creature. By painting these creatures, the
painters were increasing the amount of spiritual power in the cave and therefore imbuing it with
spirituality (much like western churches use objects to do the same)
- Painters are quite skillful they are able to produce brightly colored figures
- Important to note that this is a cumulative art that continues to be improved upon.
- Qing provides the explanation that we are looking at figures who’s lives have come to an end along
with that of the Ile.
Elan , mythical antelope or bull with dimension we are not used to seeing
Hunters are also depicted , thoranthropic
Great Zimbabwe Enclosure 1500 CE
- House of Stones / House of Rulers
- Included a grainery
- Center of trade and commerce for Great Zimbabwe
- Failed due to deforestation
Great Zimbabwe, Naletale Ruins, showing ironstone-colored and chevron, herringbone, checkerboard, and cord-laid stone masonry, Naletale, Zimbabwe, circa 1500 CE
Showing ironstone-colored and chevron-, herringbone-, checkerboard-, and cord-laid stone masonry
Patterns are on the wall
Architecture decorative arts how patterns can be included in exterior
Nubian Civilization, Hathor Pendant 1,000 BCE
- made out of gold and rock crystal
- Symbol of interconnections between Egyptian culture and Nubian culture. Hathor, as moon
goddess, was a symbol of motherhood and protection. Aside from the godly connection, this pendant also features distinct South Saharan features. Indicating the strong connection between Nubia and Egypt.
Made out of gold and rock crystal
Hathor, she’s the mother of fertility and sustenance
Regional context of the deitis of ancient egypt
About the time where the power shifts
Cows and being bovine are also associated with fertility
Point south more recognizable figures such as nose lips
Nubian Civilization, Sudan, Kerma Scarab 2000 BCE.
- green glazed steatite, gold mounted
- Could be used as a stamp / seal for members of royalty.
- Itw
- as frequently found in Burial sites indicating the spread of Egyptian tradition over Nubia.
Often other side had some type of hieroglyphs
Has flies to create hair
Steatite
Nubian Civilization, Sudan,Statue of Amun (goat god) protecting Prince Taharqo. 700 BCE.
- Once again we see distinct African features on the young prince
- The two snakes on his headgear as symbolic of him belonging to the 25th dynasty of Egypt / Nubia
Amun is god in form of ram is protecting King Taharqa (700 BCE generically 1000 BCE time frame)
Granite
Cultural aesthetics but also shows body features
Double orei on King symbolizes Nubian kingdom
- 400 BCE, ETHIOPIA AKSUM (LIME STONE)
Aksum Civilization, Altar to the Moon God Almaqah :
southern arabian complex of ideas
Dr. Powell seated at the foot of the Stelae of Aksum, Rome, Italy, 1995
orginally ethiopia, aksum civilization 200-400 ce granite
Zagwe Civilization, Ethiopia, Church of Saint George (12th Century)
- While a shift from the Aksum to the Zagwe kingdoms was at play there was not a rupture in the
aesthetic practices chosen by artists of the region.
- Stone masons were able to carve these out of Volcanic tufa rock on a grand scale. Subtractive
sculpture was done to sculpt away the building out of a free standing bedrock.
Zagwe Civilization, Ethiopia, Murals in the Church of Debre Berhan (17th century)
tempera on gesso-covered wood
Church has no windows helps to keep things together
Deposition of christ
135 angels
Work that speaks to religiosity as well as visual imagination
Local indigenous adaptation giving us features that don’t look like they’re from france but reflected the bodies of Africans
Fre Seyon, Virgin and Child, the Archangels Michael and Gabriel and the twelve apostles . mid-15th century
- Christ holding goldfish relate to birds and resurrection
- tempera on gesso-covered wood
Jenné-Jenno Civilization, Kneeling figure with snakes, Inland Niger Delta, 13th century
- teracotta
- Snakes are particularly important to cultures of the Inland Niger Delta since they are aquatic
creatures that also habituated land. ○ While
snakes may carry negative connotations, they are also spiritually connected to rebirth
Jenné-Jenno Civilization, Seated figure with back deformations, Inland Niger Delta, Mali, 13th century
- Posture is especially symbolic because of its connection to a state of mourning
- Similarly the pustules on his back are indicative of the culture’s willingness to portray negative
phenomena such as disease.
- Terracota
Nok Civilization Dinya Head, Nigeria 500 BCE
- Named after the place where it was discovered.
- The Dinya head may have been a part of a larger figurine.
- fragment probably connected to a body speaks to a lot of art history using fragments of what we can get our hands on
Terra-cotta
Nok Civilization, Elephant Head, Nigeria 500 BCE
- Elephant head hints at cultural obsession with ivory?
- Hollow structure
- terracota
Ife Civilization Figure of an Oni,Nigeria late 13th century. Copper.
- Rotund figure symbolizes cultural acceptation of well fed bodies
- The figure is casted in copper, a very difficult process.
- The head is particularly large because of the Ife focus on the head as being a repository for the
mind.
Found in Tada points north
Speaks to how objects get switched around for where they originated
People thought it was a power idol and thats why there are pot marks
Ife civilization Ornamental vessel in the form of a queen. Zinc brass. 14th century
- Snake like figure, calls back to other Nigerian civilizations
- An abstraction of the body that calls to the connections between the animalistic spiritual world and
the natural human world.
Ife Civilization Nigeria Mask of an Oni, 14th Century
- Markings / striations on the face call back to previous African rulers of the Ife Civilization
- Punctures on the top of the head could indicate that it was used as a ceremonial mask
- Ife civilization masks and heads could’ve been commissioned during the same reign.
Ife Civilization, Nigeria, Head of a deformed person, early 14th century. Terracota.
Aesthetic is the antithesis of the cool calm and collected works portrayed before. ○ Showcasesthecultureswillinglesstoshowtheperfectandtheimperfect
Owo Civilization, Nigeria, Hands holding animal 15th century
Hands represent and offering
Terra-cotta
Owl = east of Kfe but west of Benin influenced by both side
British Punitive Expedition, Benin City, 1897
Also known as the great plundering, as I like to call it, this moment cemented the end of the Benin Kingdom.
After constant attempts to enter the Benin kingdom were blocked, the Punitive expedition succeeded in deploring the kingdom of Benin from all of its treasures. Most of the pieces were spread all over the world including major
Photograph of soldiers sitting among the Oba’s royal artifacts
Moment where british come and decide to take over the kingdom of Benin
Get collected and sent to germany new york chicago, etc
Comparison: ends up a french museum
Benin Kingdom, Nigeria, Hip Mask of Idia, Queen Mother (Iyoba) 16th century
- ivory
Portuguese traders adorned around the top of her head
○ Monetary power as well as spiritual power are embodied in this piece since the water is associated
with different stratospheres of wealth
Also kind of look like mudfish (symbols on head)
Helmet Mask of Ododua, Benin Kingdom, Nigeria (18th century)
Benin Kingdom, Nigeria, Helmet Mask (Ododua), 18th century. Brass
○ Speaks to something that is both authoritative but dreadful
○ A rough genesis that is fraught with pain and anguish.
○ Some of these al so include crucifixes
○ The serpent image,along with other watery creatures,and olokun.Powerful diety that has to do with the watery
○ realm which is symbolic because of the life giving properties of water.
Helmet mask
Brass
Makes an illusion to poisonous animals
Genesis of life coming from water and primordial (snakes and crocodiles)
References Ododua , Ife - kingdom that receives its official ruler as ododua
Holes in mask allowed for appendages for hair or cloth
Benin Altar to the Hand, 18th century
○ Created for individuals who have acquired acertain level in the kingdom.
Swahili Culture, Great Mosque of Kilwa, Tanzania 15th century
- coral and stone masonry
- Islam a great influence in Swahili culture do to trade routes to Arab nations
- Deploying Islam served to be wise economical
- lly as it unified all players under one relatable factor.
Two places of ritual and art
Islam allowed to influence that area especially through trade
Trade and faith become interlocked traders that come to the east coast inter marry with eastern people and build mosques
Becoming muslim enables people to become a part of the prestige people
Extent of trade even reached india
Swahili Culture, Kenya,Mihrab of the Great Mosque at Gedi, 16th century.
- Used for spiritual observance
- Archaeological evidence suggests that its been shifted for more accurate location of Mecca.
- coral and stone masonry
A man blowing into a side blown-trumpet (siwa), Swahili, Pate, Kenya (17th century)
- Need to use instruments like this to call people
- So much of African culture art is SUPER
- DUPER utilitarian
- blown into the middle of ivory and brass
Bird Frieze from the cathedral of Faras, nubian civilization, Egypt 7th Century
- Sandstone
- Represents cross pollination of faith and cultures at this part of the world
- In both cases we see the christian faith but they still reflect local art sensibilities
- Mix of indigenous cultures + foreign cultures
Nok Civilization Jemma Head, Nigeria 500 BCE
- Could have been used to prevent misfortune
- Used as a scarecrow head
Nubian Civilization, Lion Temple, Sudan, 100 CE, granite
- A temple imbued with the spiritual feline energy of the Nubian lion god. This temple is indicative of
classical Sudanese aesthetics found in their architecture as well as their demographical phenotypes. The individuals engraved on the walls of the temple are full bodied and exhibit distinct African features.
Igbo- Ukwu Civilization Nigeria, Ornamental pendant with bird and 2 eggs 9th century , leaded bronze and beads- Metaphor for chain of life as animals down the chains consume each other.
Benin, Nigeria, Plaque with warrior and attendants, 17th century. Bronze. ○ Sizeandfiguresspeaktocertainformsofhierarchy.
Triptych idea of king and dual servants is often found in Benin iconography
Benin, Nigeria, Box in the form of a palace, 17th c entury. Bronze.
Political and militaristic state
○ s in which this culture functioned.
Owo civilization, Nigeria, Head of a bearded man, 15th century. Terracotta
