Duane Hanson and the prehistoric sculpture of the Venus of Willendorf. Do you see any similarities?
Discussion should be 250 words and need one reply. Answer the given questions from chapter 1 slides.
I need initial post in few hours.
After reviewing slides 40-43, please answer the following questions on the discussion board. Start with viewing the slides and answering all the questions below each slide. After you have written, the answers to the questions review your answers and then retype and post them on the discussion board. You will be required to read all the forum notes posted by your fellow students. Then select ONE answer to the questions posted by a classmate, you find particularly interesting and comment on its content. Please remember to be respectful of your classmates. I will take off points for any responses or postings that I think are inappropriate and not relevant to the discussion. We are all adults and need to be mindful of our posts. Personal opinions need to be supported by the slide content in the form of an example.
Answer the following questions:
· Slide 41-Note here the contemporary supermarket shopper sculpture by Duane Hanson and the prehistoric sculpture of the Venus of Willendorf. Do you see any similarities? Do you see any differences? Survival is still a vital concern for humans, even if we demonstrate the need for food and reproduction through methods other than hunting and gathering. Or do we? This is an actual sculpture of a supermarket shopper in a museum. It is made of plastic and steel. The sculpture is by Duane Hanson. Ask yourself, does it represent the culture we live in today?
· Slide 42-Perhaps these images of contemporary female figures are more representative. Are they? Who do they represent?
· Slide 43-Is this image of a contemporary mom more representative of women in the twenty-first century, then the Supermarket Shopper? A mother could be a working woman and/or a stay at home mom or both.
,
1
Culture is a way of thinking and living that is handed down by generation to
generation. Early forms of human life developed a cultural legacy that was
apparent through their artistic endeavors. Therefore, as we explore the
cultural history of humans, we will be exploring their artistic legacy. Their
customs, arts, writings and intellectual pursuits were all recorded in this legacy.
Early forms of human life began replicating their reality through the use of
artistic invention. The first invention recorded of human creativity was
developed during the Paleolithic and Neolithic stone ages. As you will see,
early cultures were concerned with survival. Early forms of human life grew up
in a very violent arena. Early humans were controlled by the animal kingdom
and by their environment. Humans did not possess the necessary physical
attributes to defend themselves against animal prey. For example, humans
did not possess claws or fangs to aid them in the hunt. Humans were prey for
animals. Once humans developed weapons, they were capable of fending off
the animal kingdom. The environment played a critical part in the development
of humans. Humans were victims of volcanoes and natural disasters, as we
still experience in modernity. As our ancestors moved from Africa to Europe,
they were able to live in a setting that would allow them to begin to understand
the forces of nature that controlled them. It is here, we will find the earliest
forms of our human cultural history through art. Therefore, the earliest
creations of art occurred out of a need for survival of the human species.
2
The need for survival manifested itself in the various art forms listed above.
We will explore each of these artistic mediums.
3
During the Paleolithic period, humans had developed spears and were able to
maintain their need for food by hunting and gathering. The cave paintings
were illustrations and representations of animal figures. The animal paintings
included bison, mammoths, reindeer, boars, etc. Because early forms of
human life perceived the animal kingdom as a threat, the representation of
these animals proved as a way for the artist to fasten the animal’s spirit onto
the walls. This act would in turn offer protection during the hunt and bring
good luck to the hunter. Thus, the paintings are a visual statement used to
guarantee food through a successful hunt and thus human lives were
sustained.
4
The caves were founded in Lascaux, France in 1940. They were closed in
1963. There were thousands of visitors who entered these caves yearly. The
visitor’s breath acted as a form of moisture and had an acid rain effect on the
paintings. The original paintings that had lasted for thousands of years
underground were now developing pock marks from human intervention.
5
The caves were located underground this stick was used as a pole to enter the
underground caves.
6
This stone oil lamp was filled with animal fat and a twig acted as a wick. The
painter would use this to light the underground area while painting.
7
A flint knife and animal bones were found at the site of the paintings. The knife
was used to cut meat off the bones of an animal by the painter for food.
8
Paint brushes were made of twigs with shredded edges. The walls were
limestone and moist this allowed the painter to use twigs filled with emulsified
colored stone to paint the figures on the walls. Charcoal was used to outline
the images.
9
Bulls.
10
Take note of the size and the quality of detail of the figures. You will see large
animals and smaller animals on the walls. It is believed that several different
painters from various tribes created the animal figures seen here. As the
nomad tribes moved from place to place, another tribe would occupy the
vacated area. It was believed that by painting over or around the images that
already existed that it would bring good luck to the newly relocated tribe.
11
Horses in motion.
12
There appears to be some sort of sun rays or spears directly pointed at the
moving horse.
13
There are no human figures in these caves.
14
The tribes did not live in these caves. The entire cave walls and ceiling were
painted with animals. The paintings were believed to have magical powers, so
this cave would have served as a ritual or religious site.
15
Some animals are not identified. It is thought that the animals may have
become extinct or there was a lack of skill regarding the painter’s recollection
of the image. The artist is painting from memory, therefore the image may be
distorted. Although, if you consider that the artist is painting from memory,
some of these images are extraordinary.
16
Antlers.
The paintings in Valtorta Gorge in Spain are thought to be dated later than
Lascaux. Humans are shown with weapons, as they attack the herd crossing
a stream on the right. We see the early hunting techniques illustrated for us.
Another key element here is the addition of humans to the paintings. Again,
the images will reinforce the hunters ability to be successful in the hunt.
17
18
This underground natural stone formation is located in Pech Merle, a cave in
France. Note the image. It will appear again in a cave drawing on Pech
Merle’s walls.
19
Here is a similar image located in the cave.
20
This is a sketch by a hunter of what is believed to be a female mammal. Do
you see similarities to the natural stone formations? Remember the artist is
drawing from memory. Could the stone formations have prompted the artist to
recall this image from his or her memory?
21
Here again are drawings of animals made from charcoal.
22
It is believed sketches were ways for the artist to create a magical spell on an
animal without spending a lot of time on detail. The hunter may have been
passing through or spending the night here. This sketch would offer some
form of protection and luck.
23
The caves at Pech Merle are dated later than the caves at Lascaux. Look in
the upper left hand corner of these rocks. What do you see?
A human hand. Is this a signature of the artist? Is this image fixing the hand
in place to bring success in the hunt?
24
25
Note how many hands appear in this painting. The hands are probably the
artist’s hands fixing the figures in place.
26
A closer view of the hand. It is as if it is airbrushed into the painting. Bones
were found in caves with colored stone marks on the inside and outside of the
artifact. The artist would blow the colored stone through the open bone and
create an airbrush effect.
27
This animal’s head is created by the natural shape of the stone.
28
Here is a human footprint found in this cave. It is believed to be from a small
child who tripped, thus the heavy indentation in the front by the toes.
29
The caves at Chauvet were founded in 1994. The animals here appear to
have a softer more animated quality. These caves are much older than
Lascaux.
30
This human handprint was found in Chauvet. It is interesting to note the
progression in thinking that occurs as humans become more developed. It is
obvious that early forms of human life were only concerned with the animal
kingdom. Why would humans begin to incorporate hands into the paintings?
Was this a statement of power? No one knows.
31
American Indian cave paintings encompass the same qualities of replicating
nature as seen in the European cave paintings. Note circles and animals.
32
American Indian paintings. Here we see the introduction of the wagon wheel
evidence of the time period as the covered wagons traveled west. There is an
Indian on a horse with a bow and arrow hunting an animal. These American
Indian cave paintings show an active life of hunting and metaphors for the
lifestyle of Indian culture.
Here we see a Red Elk or Deer image. Notice how its body assumes the lines
of the shape of the rock. Cave rock art was an intricate part of life in American
Indian culture.
33
These handprints were found in American Indian caves. These universal
symbols appear throughout the world. Our handprint is an identification of who
we are…each handprint is unique.
34
35
There are several etching in caves throughout Europe. The etchings were
believed to be created as a form of ritual for protection. The hunters not only
painted and charcoaled figures, they etched into stone as well.
36
Etching of a horse’s head found at Chauvet.
37
Domestic objects: lamp, needles for sewing, jewelry
38
Another art form embraced by early forms of human life was sculpture. Here
you see two clay Bison. The artist carved the protruding figures by taking
away the stone. Thus, the figures are attached to the background in what is
known as low relief sculpture.
This brings the discussion of creating animal figures as a form of protection
and good luck to a close. We can see how the different art forms were utilized
as ways of expressing the hunter’s concern with survival.
39
The Venus sculptures and the cave paintings both represent various aspects
of survival. While the cave paintings focused on the animal kingdom for food
and survival; the Venus sculptures also focused on reproduction as a form of
survival. For example, the Venus sculptures are images of pregnant women.
The pregnant woman stone carving would have been an idealized version of a
female with the focus on her ability to procreate. These figures were painted
red and displayed jewelry made of shells. See next slide.
40
You will notice here the female figure is full. The head appears to be looking
internally into the reproductive organs of the figure. These sculptures were
found in the homes of early humans.
41
Note here the contemporary supermarket shopper sculpture by Duane Hanson
and the prehistoric sculpture of the Venus of Willendorf. Do you see any
similarities? Do you see any differences? Survival is still a vital concern for
humans, even if we demonstrate the need for food and reproduction through
methods other than hunting and gathering. Or do we? This is an actual
sculpture of a supermarket shopper in a museum. It is made of plastic and
steel. The sculpture is by Duane Hanson. Ask yourself, does it represent the
culture we live in today?
42
Perhaps these images of contemporary female figures are more
representative. Are they? Who do they represent?
Is this image of a contemporary mom more representative of women in the
twenty-first century? A mother could be a working woman and/or a stay at
home mom or both.
43
44
Prehistoric cultures expressed themselves through a variety of art forms.
Architecture was another art form utilized by early cultures. We will examine
the architectural structure of Stonehenge. It was designed using a post and
lintel system. It was a horseshoe shape with a circle of inner stones. Was it
used for religious ceremonies? We will view and discuss all of these
concepts.
45
It is believed to have been a sun clock or a calendar. Note how the heel stone
was used to determine the seasons. If the sun rose and struck the center
altar, it was summer. If the sun set on the outer mounds, it was winter. This
gives credibility to the idea that Stonehenge was used as a calendar and a
clock. Ancient cultures associated the seasons with religious practices. Does
this make Stonehenge a place where religious ceremonies were performed?
No one knows for sure.
46
Note the center altar in the middle of the circle and the heel stone at the
entrance to Stonehenge.
47
This is what Stonehenge looks like today.
48
How was it built? Some stones weighed 50 tons and were six to twenty four
feet high. The stones were lifted by human labor using ramps and ropes.
49
The top stones were hoisted and placed by building a ramp around two or
three supporting stones.
50
A view of the post and lintels. The posts are the vertical standing stones and
the lintels are the top horizontal stones.
51
Are these structures similar to monumental structures built today?
52
The sunlight on the stones that speak of time and seasons.
53
Was this animal bone that was found in a cave from the Neanderthal period
used as musical instrument? Were holes in the upper part of the bone were
used to create the sounds of the instrument? Were the holes made by humans
or animals? This is an argument that is still debated today.
However recently this Neanderthal flute was discovered in Germany and it is
believed to thousands of years old. It can still be played today! See next
slide.
54
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