Unit 1 Written Assignment The statue of Memi and Sabu Introduction The Royal Acquaintances of Memi and Sabu is a statue dating circa 2575-2465 BC. It is thought to have originated from the Western Cemetery in Giza, in the Memphite region of Egypt. This piece depicts two companions, presumably a husband and wife. To understand this piece and indeed its function we could firstly look at the context of the setting. It is likely this could have been a memorial of a couple whom were important to the royal court at the time. The very idea of a sculpture being produced would have meant some degree of significance, although it is important to stress the size of the piece. This can help interpret the sculpture further. As the piece is quite …show more content…
Another reason why I believe this to be a memorial piece is the detail used in the sculpture including the clothing being worn. They appear to be a couple because they appear quite close and clearly show a bond. The statue is simple being made from limestone a common material, but also would have appeared quite clean and bright when produced. This material also suggests that they were acquaintances (The Metropolitan Museum of Art A, n.d.). Statue of Gudea Introduction The Statue of Gudea is a statue which is believed to have originated in Girsu (modern Tello), Mesopotamia. Upon the first glance of this statue is that it is somewhat more significant in comparison to the previous piece analyzed for this paper. Although it is smaller than the previous statue, one can come to this conclusion by firstly observing the material being used by the artist. It is formed by stone and more significantly, it has inscriptions which appear to convey a message (The Metropolitan Museum of Art B, n.d.). To understand the significance of the piece, it is important to understand a little of the context behind this piece and why it was commissioned to understand the function of the piece. These statues were actually commissioned by Gudea himself, a ruler committed to rebuilding the great temples of
This pair figures represent Yuny and his wife, Renenutet seated with rigidly formal posture next to him. This statue depicts a powerful couple that looks straight ahead, with their heads held up and blank eyes widely open. The form of their features and
non-royal married couple. The website explains that the purpose of this type of statue was that
There are a couple of major differences in the sculptures, one being the difference in materials. The Royal Acquaintances Memi and Sabu are carved from limestone, a softer easier stone to carve, whereas the Statue of Gudea is carved from Diorite, a very hard stone. The Statue of Gudea is honoring Gudea, the ruler of the Dynasty of Lagash; his greatness and his ability to communicate with the gods. (Metropolitan Museum of Art, n.d.) The sculpture of The Royal Acquaintances
The Muse or Terpsichore is considered one of the most mysterious and realistic pieces of art in the Carlos Museum on Emory's campus. The Muse is a statue of a woman who is made out of marble. The statue lacks arms which adds to its mystery. Moreover, the marble itself gives the statue a rich and elegant design. As for the usage, the statute was possibly used as a decoration for homes around Greece because the statue is small and portable compared to a human size statue. The statue also has the features of a goddess, which could of indicated that she was possibly used as a protection or luck charm as well. The goddess look comes from the facial expression and the pose, which adds to the statue’s power and leadership. The woman’s face is smooth and soft, which adds to its beauty. Moreover, the powerful features that makes the statue stand out are
I cannot speak as to how well-written this essay will end up, but in it, I will attempt to examine two sculptures, the Statue of Memi and Sabu – an Egyptian work – and the Seated Statue of Gudea, which is a Mesopotamian work.
The Statue of Gudea is one that serves its purpose as well, in another way. Gudea is seen praying in front of his subjects, showing his praise towards the gods, but still, portrayed in greatness himself, to be remembered more than two thousand years
It is intended to exalt the King for the renaissance of Sumer and humanist manifestation. Gudea, never formally titled, was known for his peaceful piousness, and his statues were found in each of the temples resurrected during his reign (The Louvre Musee, 2001). The simplicity of the statues is in line with the widely accepted beliefs of Gudea’s priest-like “prayerful presence”. It is unknowable if the sculptures are an accurate resemblance of Gudea, but it appears as a realism work.
While this sculpture is not depicting a figure in a position that can be seen in Roman sculptures, this piece is relevant to the topics and themes of Art of the Roman World due to it being both a duplicate as well as it being a bronze sculpture. This duplicate was
The sculpture has its nose gone and slight scratches on the forehead. The fragmented neck of the sculpture seems to suggest that it used to be attached to something, most likely a body made
When examining the statue, there is an old woman bent and weary. Her posture helps clue us in, with her age and the state of her health. The figure is dressed in cloth that drapes off her body as she carries a basket that is filled with what we may think are offerings. On her head, there are vines that create a band around the top of her head used to signify the festival that was going on during that time. The specific detail that is seen on this statue persuades us to want to know the story of this woman. Doing so, the process involves lots of research about the time and art. During the hellenistic period, artists begin to introduce more inner beauty than physical beauty. There is an opportunity to learn more about the structure itself, then settle for what is given and seen.
The statue of Gudea is simple but intricate all at once. With him sitting in a seated position and folding his hands as the gesture of prayer and greeting it seems simple. When you look in more detail you notice his robe and the writting on it and see the details in the statue. Adding all of the temples that he had built or renovated.When looking at this statue it makes you feel like he understood that his subjects were also people and that he was there to listen to them and to do what he needed t take care of them.
Furthermore, the statue connects to the theme in the comedy genre of the renewal of the human spirit. Before the Renaissance, people in Europe went through a period called the Dark Ages. This was a time when life in Europe was terrible - diseases struck killing two-thirds of the population, economic collapse after the fall of the Roman Empire, etc. People did not know what to do as they felt powerless; they lost all humanity in them and had no sense of life anymore. Similar to the men on the ward in One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest before McMurphy’s arrival, they were dehumanized because of the conditions they lived in. However, once the Renaissance period began, everything changed. Ideas developed that allowed people to see their lives in
What message do you think the creator of this piece intends to express? What do you think it means? Provide specific evidence from the image to support your ideas.
From my observation at the Met, this sculpture is inside a medium glass and space. Also, it is by itself in the glass. It is a three-dimensional sculpture created by modeling and merging hard materials. Next to it there are other deities (Vishnu, Parvati, Ganesh etc.) and sculptors from the Chola Dynasty. The other works near it complements the sculpture as I have stated above they are from the same time period so, they are related to each other some way and
Two examples of historical sculptures are the Statue of Memi and Sabu, and the Statue of Gudea. The statue of Memi and Sabu depicts a man and his perceived wife carved in limestone, with hieroglyphics at the base. The statue makes both Memi and Sabu appear as a loving couple standing side-by-side, with slightly proud grins