We are seeing so many more portraits being panted during the Renaissance because this era saw a switch from scholasticism to humanism. People during this time are more interested in creation and innovation and there is a new emphasis on humans and their roles in these practices. This is also the first time that some artists are able to experience pagan art. Artists no longer a restricted by certain religious boundaries and can paint a variety of new subjects, including themselves.
![]() 1. How is Durer responding to the art being made in Italy during the Renaissance? Durer chooses to go away from naturalism in order to show his mastery of Vitruvian ideals. He takes from Italian and classical tradition when making his art. He mirrors classical proportions in his work. Durer reflects the Renaissance, though, by making the physical proportions of the body correlate with the interior harmony of the humors. Theories of idealized proportion. Adam and Eve stand like classical sculptures with perfect proportions. 2. What are some Medieval aspects of Durer's print? The four animals found in the print represent the medieval idea of the four temperaments. The cat represents choleric, the rabbit sanguine, the ox phlegmatic, and the elk melancholic. These humors are included to show the harmony of when Adam and Eve were at peace but the unbalance that resulted from them being expelled. The serpent and forbidden fruit symbolize evil and temptation. 3. Durer is often called one of the greatest printmaker of all time. Why do you think he perfected this particular skill? What makes him one of the best? I think Durer preferred this skill because, like Leonardo da Vinci, Durer had a scientific mind and a curious intellect. He relied on his prints for profit and recognition because making multiples of a work of art allowed the images to be seen by a variety of unknown viewers under a variety of circumstances. I think that Durer is known as one of the best because he took classical and well known ideas but turned them into something new and refreshing. Like the Adam and Eve print, Durer used a known story but presented in a new light as he imagined it. Durer was also able to blend classical practices with his own artistic innovation and modern ideas. I believe that, as an artist, Leonardo da Vinci cared about the innovative aspect of art. Leonardo da Vinci was also a scientist. This means that he was interested in discovery and new ideas. His innovative side can be seen in his paintings such as The Virgin of the Rocks and the Mona Lisa. In these drawings his invention, sfumato, can be seen. His lightning techniques were not the only way in which he associated himself with a more scientific or inventive approach to art. In Two Drawings da Vinci shows his scientific side once more by creating figures and the human body as exact and evenly proportional as possible.
![]() The Circular wall of Zimbabwe - Zimbabwe means house of stone and the country was named after this monument. The kingdom was founded by the Bantu - speaking ancestors of the Shona people from the Sahara Desert. The site of stones was originally built as a monument to the king and has ritual sites and cemeteries. Echoes can also be heard from the wall to the bottom of the hill. This was used to pass on messages. There is a town at bottom of hill. The kingdom was trading civilization that became wealthy due to the gold mines located nearby. Between the town and royal hill is a circular wall of bricks known as the great enclosure. This is believed to be either the queen's residence or a temple. There are no straight lines or right angles used and it is entirely built in curves. This shows that stone masonry techniques at the time were highly developed. The conical tower inside is believed to represent the power of the king. The descendants of the Shonas still live in the area. The walls were constructed from granite blocks from exposed rocks that can be found on surrounding hills. All walls were fitted without use of mortar by laying stones on top of each other forming an inward slope. Over the years the technique was refined. The ruling elite of the Bantu - speaking people controlled the wealth through the management of cattle. The great walls are the best - preserved testaments of Great Zimbabwe's past and largest example of an architectural type seen in archaeological sites throughout the region. The walls served a martial purpose. Cattle and people were valued above the land and walls thought of as symbol of authority to preserve privacy of royal families and set them apart from and above commoners. The wall tells is that the Zimbabwe people cared about authority and power above everything else. They were an organized kingdom and worked to refine building techniques. I would think that the people of Zimbabwe are literate because of its position as a trading society which means that they would be exposed to a variety of cultures and need to be able to communicate with others. The Great Mosque of Djenné - The ancient city is most famous for its mud mosque. The Great Mosque is the largest mud brick building in the world. Everything in Djenne was built with mud bricks. The town is a United Nations World Heritage Site. The heritage status has lead to tension among homeowners because, under UN rules for homeowners, they are not allowed to modernize. Any remodeling, even inside, must stick to the original design. All the buildings, especially the mosque, require constant upkeep. Rain storms can wash the plaster away. Bricks are made by hand and hand marks are visible on the bricks. Traditional restoration methods take money. Restoration of great mosque alone is a 900,000 dollar project. There is no money for homeowners, though and they feel like they are just there for tourists. The people of the community want to find ways to evolve the architecture to improve the community without hurting the quality of the mud brick architecture, which is the heart of the identity of Djenne. The town is full of garbage. open sewers in streets. climate change lowered river waters and damaged the mud bricks and buildings. Djenne was founded between 800 and 1250 CE and is in present day Mali. It flourished as a center of commerce, learning, and Islam. The great mosque became a political symbol for local residents and colonial powers like the French who took control of Mali in 1892. The mosque has become epicenter of religious and cultural life of Mali. The Great Mosque today is rectilinear in plan, has an earthen roof, and is supported by pillars. Holes in the roof to provide the interior with fresh air. It also contains a special court for women and earthen pillars to signal the graves of local religious leaders. The Great Mosque of Djenne shows a cross of cultures because it takes the whole community to keep the mosque in its conditions. Due to the fragile state of the mud bricks comprising the mosque, it takes full community involvement to re - plaster the building and make more mud bricks for other buildings in the community. The Great Mosque of Djenne is also an epicenter of religious and cultural life which means that it would bring in people from all different areas to visit the mosque. |
Mackenzie K.Student at Freeman High School Archives
April 2016
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