SUMERIAN ART 3000 BCE SUMERIAN CITY STATES Settled in Mesopotamia birth place of Judaism Garden of Eden Christianity and Islam Continued the development of sustainable agriculture canal construction crop collection and distribution ID: 794420
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Slide1
Art of the Ancient Near East Part 1
SUMERIAN ART, 3,000 BCE
Slide2SUMERIAN CITY STATES
Settled in Mesopotamia – birth place of Judaism (Garden of Eden), Christianity and Islam
Continued the development of sustainable agriculture: canal construction, crop collection and distributionThese developments allowed portions of the population to focus on manufacturing , trade and administrationComplex Urban Societies called CITY STATES THEOCRACY: Each CITY STATE was under the rule and protection of different Mesopotamian deitiesSumerian kings were the god’s representatives on earth and they directed all communal activities of their CITY STATE
Monumental temples were erected in honor of the Gods and their power on EarthOften at war with each other – WAR and power are common themes in Sumerian art.
Slide3Writing
Pictographs –
pictures standing in for wordsCuneiforms –
clay tablets carved with wedged shaped forms – beginning of writingEpic of Gilgamesh pre-datesThe Odyssey. Tells the story
of the legendary King of
Uruk
.
Slide4What are the facts? (F)
Artist:
Trades People
Patron:
Rulers of Sumer
Title:
W
hite Temple
Date:
3,000 BCE
Size:
Monumental
Location:
Uruk
, Modern Iraq
What is the medium
and technique? (M)
No access to stone.
Constructed of
Mud Bricks
Slide5How is the structure
constructed? (FA)
Temple (
cella
)
Ziggurat
Bent-axis Plan
Slide6Why was it created? (CA)
1. Physical LocationTheocratic society and the central role of god’s in daily life
The main temple dedicated to the city’s chief god, Anu (sky god). Temple was the nucleus of the city. 2. Patron - Priest-King, City3. Historical Events
- Constant war and disease = fear of Gods4. Concepts and Ideas - Temples were called waiting rooms: believed the deity would descend from the heavens and appear before the priests and rulers
in the
cella
.
-
Commercial and administrative decisions tied to worship and ritual
Slide7Devices used to declare sacred spaces
ExclusivityMaterial wealth / decorationRitual and CeremonyHistory of location adding to the site
MEANING / FUNCTION? (MF)Discuss how the building’s exclusivity, material wealth and ritual function support the religious beliefs and political system of its time?
Slide8What are the facts? (F)
Artist:
Trades PersonPatron: Citizen of SumerTitle: Sumerian Votive OfferingDate: 3,000 BCE
Size: VariesLocation / findspot: Square Temple at Eshnunna
What is the medium and technique? (M)
Carved Stone, with shell and
Black Limestone eyes
Slide9What is the artworks content / subject matter? (SM)
Mortal rather than deities - Worshippers
How is the subject matter visually represented? (FA)
Standing or sittingHierarchial scaleSimple forms: cones and cylindersStiff
Frontal, hands clasped
Clothing and hair, physical types
Large eyes, awe, fear
Slide10WHY WAS IT CREATED (CA)
1. PHYSICAL LOCATION
Placed in temples facing altars or statues of Gods2. PATRONCommissioned by worshippers for specific gods.
3. HISTORICAL EVENTSConstant threat of war and disease = fear of death4. CONCEPTS AND IDEASTheocracy, belief in an unpleasant afterlife
FUNCTION? (MF)
Surrogate for worshipper, offering
c
onstant prayer, awe and reverence to
t
he God to ensure a long life.
Slide11Discuss how
Sumerian society and beliefs shape the form and function of the artwork?
Slide12What are the facts? (F)
Artist: Trades PersonPatron: Sumerian
AristocrayTitle: Standard of Ur (War and Peace)Date: 3,000 BCESize: Varies
Location / findspot: Royal Cemetary, Ur
What is the medium and technique? (M)
Mosaic:
Wood, lapis lazuli, shell and red limestone
Slide13What is the artworks content / subject matter? (SM)
- WarPeace
Slide14How is the subject matter visually represented? (FA)
Narrative Devices:3 Registers. Read left to right. Bottom to top
Sequential ordering of story:1: Narrative Frieze of battle2: Gathering and leading away the conquered foe3: Delivering the captured
Hierarchy of ScaleTwisted perspective, Conceptual representation
Slide15Slide16WHY WAS IT CREATED (CA)
1. PHYSICAL LOCATION
Placed in burial chamber2. PATRONCommissioned by family members of the dead or the aristocrat himself.3. HISTORICAL EVENTSMay depict actual war and the victory celebration
4. CONCEPTS AND IDEASExpresses the idea that the Sumerian King has two principle roles: Mighty warrior and chief administrator who, with the blessing of the Gods, assures the prosperity of the land during peacetime
Slide17Meaning / Function?
Meaning: Communicates two sides of Sumerian society and the Duties of the KingFunction: Unknown objectExplain how the narrative devices used in the Standard of Ur make meaning
?
Slide18ART OF LATER MESOPOTAMIA & PERSIA
Akkadian 2200 BCE
Neo-Sumerian 2100 BCEBabylonian 1750 BCEHittite 1500 BCEAssyrian
1000 BCENeo-Babylonian 500 BCEPersian 350 BCE
Slide19POWER AND AUTHORITY
Sumer City States come under rule of outsider, Sargon of Akkad
Sargon’s name means “True King”Empire brings new concept of royal power as loyalty to the king rather than the city-stateTheocracy turns to MonarchyKing is likened to a God – has God-like sovereignty
Vandalized head of
Akkadian
Ruler
Slide20What are the facts? (F)
Artist:
UnknownPatron: Naram
-Sin (Akkadian)Title: Victory Stele of Naram-SinDate:
2,250
BCE
Size:
6’ 7”
Location /
findspot
:
Susa, Iran
What is the medium and technique? (M)
Carved Stone Relief
Slide21What is the artworks content
/
subject matter? (SM
)
Naram
-Sin leading his army up a
mountain
Slide22WHY WAS IT CREATED (CA)
HISTORICAL EVENT
To commemorate the victory of battle in a violent an unstable time
PATRON / CONCEPTNaram-Sim: King as God
Slide23How is the subject matter visually represented? (FA
)
The king stands alone at the top, taller than the rest – rising into the heavens like a ziggurat
He wears a horned helmet signifying divinity gained through victoryHe steps on the fallen bodies of his enemiesEnemies are in disarray while his army is ordered = rule / order
Artists no longer using a horizontal frieze.
Tells story by placing figures in a landscape
MEANIG / FUNCTION (MF)
Slide24What are the facts? (F)
Artist:
Unknown
Patron:
Hammurabi (Babylon)
Title:
Stele with the laws of Hammurabi
Date:
1,780
BCE
Size:
7
’
4
”Location / findspot
:
Susa, Iran
What is the medium and technique? (M)
Bas relief
Slide25What is the artworks content
/ subject matter? (SM)
Top: Shamash (sun God) presenting
King with a rod and ring symbolizingAuthorityBelow: Code of Law
Slide26WHY WAS IT CREATED (CA)
HISTORICAL EVENTSReturn of City States – Babylon is a City State
The conception of written law codes PATRON Hammurabi - establishes his authority as a divined leader, pious theorcrat and micro-manager
CONCEPTS/IDEASLeadership and order –Society needs clear social ruleLaw is divine – Precursor to Judeo/Christian beliefs
Slide27How is the subject matter visually represented? (FA
)Hammurabi raises hand in
respect to Shamash Nearly same size a the godShamash hands him a rod
and circleSymbols are builders tool = builder of social orderTwisted perspective.
Foreshortening and depth
MEANING/FUNCTION (MF)
Slide28What are the facts? (F)
Artist:
Unknown
Patron:
Sargon II
-
Assyrian Royalty
Title:
Lamassur
Date:
720
BCE
Size:
13’ 10”
Location /
findspot
:
palace
,
Iraq
Slide29What is the artworks content
/ subject matter? (SM)
Lamassu
= Winged, man-headed bull
WHY WAS IT CREATED (CA)
HISTORICAL
EVENTS
Assyrian Empire
Mindful of possible attack
Built citadels – fortified palaces
LOCATION
Placed
at entrance to throne room – ward off king’s enemies
CONCEPT
King as ruler or all – including beasts living and
mtyhological
Slide30How is the subject matter visually represented? (FA
)Massive and immobile = intimidating
guardian figureVisually intimidating monster –Possibly face of the king because wearing go crownHigh relief
Twisted perspective = 2 distinctive viewsStylized patterns and naturalism
MEANING/FUNCTION (MF)
Slide31What are the facts? (F)
Artist:
UnknownPatron: Ashurnasipal II
Title: LamassurDate: 875 BCESize: 2’ 10”Location /
findspot
:
Palace,
Iraq
What is the medium and technique? (M)
Slide32WHY WAS IT CREATED (CA)
LOCATION
Placed
walls– Assyrian kings decorated palace walls with narratives establishing their authorityHISTORICAL EVENTS / PATRON documentary detail in artwork. Every relief is inscribed with Ashurnasirpal’s name and describing his accomplishments
Slide33How is the subject matter visually represented? (FA
)Condenses space to tell the story clearlyEnlarges human actors so they stand out – they are bigger than the architecture
Uses multiple perspectives to capture decisive moment in historyMeaning/Function (MF)
What is the artworks content / subject matter? (SM)
Ashunasirpal
driving enemies into the Euphrates
Slide34NEO - BABYLON: IT’S MASSIVE ZIGURAT BECAME IMMOTALIZED AS THE TOWER OF BABYLON IN THE BIBLE
Nebuchadnezzar (604-561 B.C.E.) largely rebuilt this ancient city including its walls and seven gates.
What are the facts? (F
)
Artist:
Unknown
Patron:
Nebuchadnezzar (neo-
Baylonian
)
Title:
Gates of Ishtar
Date:
575 BCESize: Monumental
Location /
findspot
:
Babylon
, Iraq
Slide35What is the artworks content
/ subject matter? (SM)
What is the medium and technique? (M)Mud Brick glazed with lapis lazuliBricks treated like a mosaic
Slide36WHY WAS IT CREATED (CA)
PATRONRecord of the kings triumphs and contributions to the empire
HISTORICAL EVENTSRebirth of Babylonian Empire – conquered Jerusalem Great building campaign to reinstate glory and authority of Babylon and its king
LOCATIONSurround / Fortified the city but also welcomed friendly guestsCONCEPTVisual wealth is a signifier of triumph.Architecture as an intimidatorArchitectural decoration as a signifier of God-like control and order
Slide37What
are the visual characteristics of the structure?
(FA)Processional leading to the gate lined with nearly life size lions – lions are at eye level, ferocious but under the order and control of the king = fear of the king
Lions are the symbol of the God Ishtar (god of war and wisdom)Aruk (ancient bull) is the symbol of the god Adad – god of storms and fertility of the land and harvest = under the king’s rule the
aruk
ensures prosperity
Blue lapis glaze + expensive, and visually stunning – testimony to grandeur,
intimidaing
and impressive
Slide38Nebuchadnezzar’s Inscription
I Nebuchadnezzar laid the foundation of the gates down to the ground water level and had them built out of pure blue stone. Upon the walls in the inner room of the gate are bull and dragon, and thus I magnificently adorned them with luxurious splendor for all mankind to behold in awe.
Discuss how the presentation of the subject matter that adorn the Gates of Ishtar express Nebuchadnezzar’s power and authority.