Looking at the diversity of expressions from the great civilizations of non-western cultures - PowerPoint Presentation

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Looking at the diversity of expressions from the great civilizations of non-western cultures

Art of the Non-Western World

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Non-Western vs Western

Western art encompasses art from North America and Europe

Non Western art is essentially everything else- comprising of art from Africa, Middle East, South America, Asia and everything else

There are fundamental differences between the two that must be understood

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In this Unit:

Multitude of perspectives

India

China

Japan

Southeast Asia

Oceania and Highland Asia

The world of Islam

Sub-Saharan Africa

Pre-Columbian art

Native America

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Multitude of perspectives

Traditional non-western art frequently contains functional, religious and decorative aims.

The enormous variety of visual endeavors from cultures around the world reflect both the differences and similarities among humankind.

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So why discuss western and non western at all?

It’s a way to simplify art history so you can begin to learn how it developed.

Most of what you have seen, and the majority of the art that you have probably been exposed to, has been that of Western culture.

The study of a multitude of cultures enriches, enlightens and expands

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Why do you think it is separated like it is?

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study

Ma Yuan

Bare Willows and Distant Mountains

Ink on silk/ fan

12

th

century

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Ando Hiroshige

Hodogaya Station

1832-1834

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Areogun

Door from Palace at

Ikerre

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evaluation

What do all of these art pieces entail?

What visual images in America today reveal information about people’s existence?

In addition to paintings and sculpture, where else do we see images on a daily basis?

Would these visual forms deepen a non-western visitor’s understanding of American life? How?

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Understanding non western art

In non Western societies, art has many purposes including magic, worship, status and politics.

Much of the artwork produced has a basis in religion- symbols and motifs.

Symbol- shape, object, picture that stands for something

Motif- recurring images that hold significance in the piece

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Religion and non western art

Because it is such a major part of non Western art, no understanding of art from these cultures would be complete without understanding the religions

The more you know about what shaped the art, the more you can understand and appreciate it.

*****What are the big 4 religions of the world?

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Major world religions

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Religion: quick overview

Between 12 and 19 major world religions

Each of these is broken down into smaller subgroups

Every civilization also developed religious practices

Based on worship of nature: planets, animals, fertility

etc

Western art typically depicts Christianity and ideas that reflect the Judeo-Christian tradition

Many other religions- Taoism, Confucianism, Shinto,

Bah’ai

, Sikhism- all influence their respective areas in non-western art

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hinduism

Originated in ancient India around 2000 BC

Brahma the Creator, Vishnu the Preserver and Shiva the Destroyer

In art, Brahma appears in white robes, often shown with 4 heads- Vedas, carries a scepter

Vishnu holds a discus, conch shell, mace and lotus.

Shiva often entwined in snakes with a headdress of skulls, sometimes dances around fire

Gave order to the universe- 3 zones- earth, middle space and sky

Animals and humans often used to depict power within these zones

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Hindu art

The Descent of the River Ganges from Heaven

10

th

century

Mamallapuram

, India

Dancing and active human figures represent the source of life. Elephants symbolize the power of nature, have mythological ability to call upon the clouds to produce rain. Due to the size differences, nature is shown as much more powerful than humanity. Gods portrayed as more important than humans. Different registers correspond with social castes ruled over by king with divine power.

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Hindu art

The portrait of Rama, (

Basohli

style,

Pahari

, circa 1730

)

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Hindu art

King

Dasaratha

and His Retinue Proceed to Rama's Wedding: Folio from the Shangri II Ramayana Series

Artist: 

Bahu

Masters (active ca. 1680–ca. 1720)

Date: ca. 1690–1710

Culture: India (

Bahu

, Jammu)

Medium: Opaque watercolor and ink on paper

Dimensions: Page: 8 5/8 x 12 1/2 in. (21.9 x 31.8 cm) Image: 7 3/4 x 11 5/8 in. (19.7 x 29.5 cm)

Classification: Paintings

Credit Line: Purchase, The Dillon Fund, Evelyn

Kranes

Kossak

, and Anonymous Gifts, 1994

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Buddhism

Emerged in India in the 6

th

century BC as a Hindu reform movement

Founded by Buddha- enlightenment through meditation

Major

t

eachings- charity to all creatures, equality of all beings and the practice of moderation

Goal- achieve nirvana, final state of eternal bliss

Bronze and wood figures of Buddha most prevalent

Mahayana Buddhism- salvation of souls and importance of saints- bodhisattvas- believers who had achieved enlightenment but chose not to enter nirvana but to remain and help struggling mortals

Avaloketisvara

, known in China as Guan Yin and in Japan as

Kannon

- goddess of mercy with meditative countenance and reassuring confidence

Introduced in Japan in 6

th

century

Several forms of Buddhism in Japan

Zen Buddhism -14

th

century

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Buddhist art

Nyoirin

Kannon

(Bodhisattva)

645-647

Nara Period

Bronze

Oka-Der-a Temple, Nara, Japan

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Buddhist art

Jizo

is a compassionate deity

8

th

century

Concerned with needs of suffering humanity and patron saint of children

Usually shown as a simple monk

Jizo

Bosatsu

12

th

century

Wood

Late Heian period

Japan

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Buddhist art

Torso of a Bodhisattva

Artist: Probably

Sahri-Bahlol

Workshop

Date: ca. 5th century

Culture: Pakistan (ancient region of

Gandhara

,

mondern

Peshawar region)

Dimensions

: H. 64 1/2 in. (163.8 cm)

Classification: Sculpture

Credit Line: Purchase, Lila Acheson Wallace Gift, 1995

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islam

Much of Asia dominated by Islam

Founded by prophet Mohammed

In a vision, told that he was messenger of Allah, the one god.

Mohammed received his revelations in Mecca, city in Saudi Arabia in the 7 century

Spiritual writings of Mohammed contained in the Koran, sacred book of Moslems

Major teachings- way to Allah lies in learning the sacred writings and in service to him

Islam forbids use of religious images of any kind

Religious sculptures can not depict human figures, however miniature pictures are allowed to include men and women as illustrations for tales about successful Islamic rulers, their loves and their adventures

Representational art was done principally in service of rulers

Themes of power and courtly life most prevalent

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Islamic art

Shah

Nama

(Book of Kings)

Illustrated history

16

th

century

Watercolor on paper

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Islamic art

Mosque Lamp for the Mausoleum of Amir

Aydakin

al-'

Ala'i

al-

Bunduqdar

Object Name: Mosque lamp

Date: shortly after 1285

Geography: Egypt, probably Cairo

Culture: Islamic

Medium: Glass, brownish; blown, folded foot, applied handles; enameled and gilded

Dimensions: H. 10 3/8 in. (26.4 cm) Diam. of rim 8 1/4 in. (21 cm)

Classification: Glass

Credit Line: Gift of J. Pierpont Morgan, 1917

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Islamic art

Maker: Zain(?) Hasan

Sulaiman

Isfahani

Object Name: Qur'an stand

Date: dated A.H. 761/A.D. 1360

Geography: Iran or Central Asia

Culture: Islamic

Medium: Wood (teak); carved, painted, and inlaid

Dimensions: W. (when closed) 16 1/8 in. (41 cm) H. (when closed) 51 1/4 in. (130.2 cm) Dimensions when open: H. 45 in. (114.3 cm) W. 50 in. (127 cm) D. 16 1/2 in. (41.9 cm)

Classification: 

Wood

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discuss

Using three words, how would you describe the personalities of the people portrayed in the previous works?

What characteristics do they exhibit that seem to be valued by their cultures?

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Major differences: Media

Western painters tend to work within a frame, but many non-western artists work on screens and scrolls

Materials used include stone, brick, wood, paint and clay

Non-western artists also use bark, glass, silk, hide, stone, textiles and lost-wax casting more frequently than western artists

Much non-western art is also made of perishable items, feathers, flowers, leather, grass, bark and shells

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Major differences: color

Over centuries, western artists have used color differently

Roman and Renaissance painters used realistic colors

Impressionists dabbed in color as it was reflected from objects, scientific approach

Expressionists used color to symbolize feelings and emotions

Asian painting examples of non-western art- color is arbitrary

Monochromatic colors, typically only using color for emphasis

Wood cuts- color kept flat

Color and value, in non-western art, typically not used together to describe form

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Major differences: Perspective

Perspective was approached very differently in the East and West

Perspective- shows realistic spatial relationships of objects in drawing or painting

Western- converging lines to show perspective

Non-western- three planes, foreground, middle distance and far distance- each parallel to the picture plane

Eye moves back, but doesn’t converge

Aerial perspective- details in back look less distinct

X-ray views- internal parts can be seen at same time as exterior, depicting more that surface

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compare

Shen Chou

Landscape in the Style of Ni

Tsan

1484 Ink

Raphael

School of Athens

1503-1513 Fresco

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discuss

Who are Brahma, Vishnu and Shiva? How are they represented in Hindu art?

How do we know that artists considered nature more powerful than humans?

Who are

Jizo

and

Avaloketisvara

? How are they usually represented in Buddhist art? Why?

Explain the relationship between Islam, Mohammed and the Koran.

Why are there no sculptures in Islamic mosques?

On what did traditional Chinese and Japanese artists usually paint?

Describe the use of color in Asian paintings.