The artwork I chose to write about is The Indian Triumph of Dionysus which I came across on my visit to the Museum of Fine Arts. The artwork was commissioned by a wealthy Roman during the end of the second century A.D. Although the Dionysus cult may hold many mysteries it is known that this artwork originated in Rome. The individual who funded that creating of this sarcophagus desired to commemorate his beliefs. Desiring for others to know what he associated himself as is what gave birth to this masterpiece. Their were multiple different art works that caught my attention at the museum although through the semester it was the Roman chapter that captivated my attention the most hence forth I chose this artwork. Each piece of art present in the museum deserved their own acknowledgment respectively from the gold and marble jewelry present to the large sculptures rich in detail non stood out more to myself than The Indian Triumph of Dionysus.I found this piece of art to be appealing because there are many different people and beings within this piece of work that are well known in ancient Greek and Roman mythology. The entire piece is centered on Dionysus, yet everyone plays an important role in the overall story of the piece. Also, I found it very interesting that someone took a great interest in building a monumental sarcophagus for a man who was known for introducing wine. As Dionysus and his followers journeyed to the East to introduce wine and culture they were sometimes
The art piece that I selected for my analysis is called The Triumph of Divine Love by Peter Paul Rubens. The artwork is an oil painting on canvas, circa 1625. This piece of art was commission by Isabella Clara Eugenia, Infanta of Spain and Portugal. The Triumph of Divine Love was one of eleven art pieces in a series portraying the Eucharist cycle, an important issue in the Catholic-Protestant strife. Its purpose was to aid in the Catholic Reformation and the artwork was to be displayed at the Convento de las Descalzas Reales in Madrid. (Ringling Museum n.d.)
This paper will focus on the Statue of Dionysos leaning on a female figure. Also known as the Hope Dionysos. The statue is displayed at the Metropolitan Museum of Modern Art and is located on the first floor Roman and Greek art chamber. Upon entering this sector, you will notice a grand statue that catches your eyes and captivates you as it welcomes you in gracefully. The exhibition is set up in the back center of the room, and is noticeable due to the largeness in scale and the enigmatic yet calming disposition the statue portrays. My first impression of the sculpture was how detailed and realistic the statue is. Since the statue was so defined you would be able to identify what he was wearing and how his body was shaped to how long his hair was during this time period. I was profoundly intrigued by how peaceful the statue of Dionysos embodied and found myself coming back to it and looking in awe. In curiosity, I would choose this statue for my assignment because I wanted to learn more about the history of the Hope Dionysos. In this essay I will be describing my formal analysis of the artwork, the subject matter behind it, the artist and the historical content of the statue of Dionysos.
Various pieces of art found thousands of years ago depict characters based on certain events and legends. I will be analyzing two works of art: The Sound Box of the Great Lyre, a wooden music box (33 x 11 cm) found in present-day Iraq c. 2600-2500 BCE, and Lapith Fighting a Centaur, a high metope relief (1.42 m) on the side of the Parthenon in Ancient Greece c. 447-432 BCE. The former represents a bull with a low relief under its head, depicting animals mimicking the lifestyle of humans. The latter exemplifies a nude man struggling against a mythical creature that is half-man half-horse2. Although these works are from across the world with completely different cultures, they both have similar
Since then I have returned many times, just to enjoy this exhibit. Walking through the Temple of Dendur is a unique experience since it sits on a marble platform surrounded by water. The temple is especially impressive at night when no light can shine through the windows. Only the temple and its sculptures are illuminated. A sense of mystery surrounds visitors, especially those of us who have been fortunate enough to visit the pyramids in our native land. In fact, viewing the sarcophagus, sculptures, and paintings gives me a sense of nostalgia and pride in the magnificent artwork created by my ancestors.
City Dionysia, also referred to as Great Dionysia, was an ancient dramatic festival and was, by far, the most spectacular of the Bacchic festivals. The festival was held in Athens on the Elaphêboliôn 9th to 13th days, which ideally would be on the last days of March in the contemporary calendar. The festival was carried out in honor of Dionysus, the god of wine and pleasure. The celebration allowed individuals to stop working, drink wine, and dine while enjoying or participating in a number of ceremonies, processions, divine acts and theatrical presentations. The festival was open to all and was attended by Athenian citizens as well as visitors.
Throughout different time periods and civilizations come many different types of art that would never be comparable to those of another time or place. There are also the pieces that come from a completely different time and place, but yet they can still be compared to one another. The Torso of a God (Egyptian, New Kingdom, Dynasty 18, last decade of the reign of Amenhotep III, Granodiorite, 1359-1349 B.C.) and the Statue of Asklepios (Greek, Hellenistic period, Pentelic Marble, 2nd century B.C.) are two sculptures made hundreds of years apart, yet they both display many similarities and show how art is constantly changing whilst keeping the same core ideas.
There have been countless duels between two opposing sides in the history Roman artistry. This sculpture relief signifies the classic battle of good versus evil. Time and time again, benevolent heroes find themselves in a struggle to combat worthy yet malicious adversaries. The Roman sarcophagus, a two by five feet marble coffin, is certainly no exception. It represents another division to this timeless good-evil epic, its visual characteristics, emphasis on contrasts, and its extensive array of details give it an identity that is uniquely its own. It portrays a sense of legendary fantasy to the viewer, one pertaining to hostility, violence, and pure anger. The sculpture seems overly shallow due to
The name of my art work selection is the Osiride statue of Senwosret I. It is a limestone statue from the Middle Kingdom also referred to as “The Period of Reunification” from 1961–1917 B.C. in Egypt. It can be found in gallery 110 at the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York City. When on the Metropolitan Museum of Art’s website, it can be easily found by typing the accession number of 09.180.529 into the search bar in the upper right hand corner.
The chosen art piece, from Roman origin, is titled “Dionysus” and portrayed Dionysus, the god of wine, with his follower Pan. This artwork is a great example of Greek art’s influence in Roman artwork. The main elements of Greek’s naturalistic art, specifically of High Classical period, are rendered beautifully in this piece combined with distinctive elements from verism, unique to Roman art. So, the idealism of Greek art and the individualism of Roman art come together to create an art piece that is divine, mythical, and yet very human and therefore, relatable.
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.
From an historical perspective, this piece is an excellent example of early classical Rome. You can sense the respect and admiration that the average Roman citizen had for Augustus, in the fine details of the sculpture.
The guards’ ropes fell apart, their latches opened, and they realized that they could not imprison Dionysus and his followers. Dionysus was taken to Pentheus, and tried to explain his worship. Pentheus only listened to his own anger, and insulted Dionysus. “Dionysus gave up and left Pentheus to his doom. Pentheus pursued Dionysus followers up into the hills where they had gone after walking away from his prison. Many of the local women including Pentheus’ mother and sister had joined them there. Then Dionysus appeared to his followers in his most
The Art pieces that I pick was from the Ancient Egyptian Galleries. The art piece is a little unconventional but I think it a piece of work. I choose the Mummy of Nesmin. The artist who did the mummification is unknown. Nesmin was a priest for the fertility god Min and Khonsu. Nesmin had duties that include cleaning the shrine, to offering clothing and sacrifices to the Mini statue. I believe that this is a piece of art because of the time and practice that was put into the mummification. According to the RSID museum that the black resin on the wrappings on Nesmin’s body was some type of molten resin that was commonly used during the time before wrapping the body in a lien. Not only do I think preparing a body like that is some type of artwork.
Dionysian art is an imageless art. The person who created it does not bring attention towards a single person but lets the art be beautiful as a whole. The Dionysian drives towards the transgression of limits, the dissolution of boundaries and the destruction of individuality and excess.
The work of art that I chose is The Death of Socrates, painted by Jacques Louis David in 1787 and exposed at the MET. This painting is oil on canvas. In person, it looks much bigger than I expected; in fact, it measures almost 1.3 meters in height, and almost 2 meters in length. The colors are a little dull, especially in the areas far away from Socrates, who is the focal point of the painting. Through a detailed work of colors, lights and shadows, the emphasis is put on Socrates and on his followers close to him.