Download Near Eastern Art Chapter Two

Near Eastern Art Chapter Two
Mesopotamia
 Growth of agriculture, surplus of food, spurred development of city states. Less
people had to work so they could do other things such as specialize skills.
 More monumental architecture because it didn’t have to be constantly transported.
 Cuneiform-written wedge language originally born so they could keep track of
records of agricultural wealth.
Sumerian
 Subject is worshippers or important mythological stories.
 Style: used expensive materials, traditional dress, hierarchy of scale (the most
important figures are the largest) and registers (a narrative band).
 Many works were meant as votive offerings (gifts for the gods) or items to honor
God.
 Standard of Ur-War and Peace Side. Royal Cemetery. Discovered by Sir Leonard
Woolley.
 Figures have broad frontal shoulders. Their bodies are in profile with an emphasis
on their eyes, eyebrows, and ears.
 Registers read left to right and from bottom to top.
 Lapis lazuli is a very important and often used blue stone.
 It is common to see animals acting like people.
 Inlay- a stone or jewel placed into another surface. Examples include carving, et
cetera.
Sumerian Architecture
 Each city state was planned around a ziggurat (high stepped platform with a
temple on the top). The ziggurat was aligned with the cardinal directions. The
“Home of the gods” was above. Temples were visited by deities so they were
sacred spaces where the divine and earthly met.
Akkadian
 Subject: kings and deities
 Hierarchy of scale, horns and celestial bodies to represent the gods.
 Stele-large vertical stone monument that marks a location or documents an
important event
 Square beards were common
 Head of Akkadian rule-2200 BCE-Copper
 Lost wax casting-a clay model is created. Then a mold is created around the
original model. Then wax is poured into the mold. Once the wax is cooled, the
mold is removed. A new mold was applied to the exterior of the wax model and a
clay core was poured inside the hollow wax. The wax is melted out and replaced
by molten metal.
Babylonian
 Rulers and deities
 Horns on gods, hierarchy of scale, twisted perspective, stele
 Hammurabi ruled from 1792-1750 BCE.He was famous for his conquests and his
set of law codes.

Famous Stele of Hammurabi-Made of Black basalt. Shows Hammurabi standing
before the sun god Shamash. Hammurabi raises his hand in respect, which shows
his divine appointment. Shamash usually has a helmet of 8 horns, but only 4 are
shown. His beard is also twisted strangely and foreshortened to make him appear
more natural. Shamash extends a rod and a ring to Hammurabi.
 Stylus-a tool used to press into a soft surface and leave an imprint.
Neo-Babylonian
 The Babylonians were conquered by the Hittites around 1595 BCE. Then
Assyrians conquered much of Mesopotamia and ruled until they were defeated by
the Chaladeans around 600 BCE.
 Nebuchadnezzar II rebuilt much of Babylon. The city’s hanging gardens were one
of the seven wonders of the ancient world. Babylon also had the Tower of Babelthe tallest ziggurat.
 Subject-guardian figures (lions, bulls, dragons) painted on bricks to protect the
city.
 Style-glazed brick (waterproof)
 Significance-Blue color shows importance and wealth in Babylon.
Ishtar Gate
 Blue glazed brick covered the mud walls
 Animals guard entrance to the city. Lions represent Ishtar, the goddess of war and
wisdom. Dragons represent Marduk, the patron god of Babylon. Bulls represent
Adad, god of harvest and storms.
 Crenellation is a decorative cutout top that gives the gate a more war-like
appearance.
Assyrian
 Subject-lamassu (winged 5 legged human headed creatures). Composite creature
(made from parts of different animals) and warriors.
 Style- 3 quarter view. Combination of frontal and profile view. Meant to be
viewed from the side and head-on.
 Significance-Guardian figures protect a special place. Often flank an entrance.
 .Relief sculpture-sculpture which projects from a flat background
Persian
 Subject-monumental architecture
 Style-columns topped by bull shaped capitals (the top element of a column)
 Significance-monumental architecture was used for festivals and grand
ceremonies.
 There are relief sculptures throughout Persepolis depicting people bringing gifts
and bounty to the treasury.