This week I chose to discuss the two unknown works of art, and to try and identify whether the works of art are Cycladic, Minoan, and or Mycenaean.
The first piece (shown below), is of a person holding two bundles of fish, one in each hand. The person looks to me like a man who is fit and appears healthy. The two bundles of fish could represent a plentiful environment and a constructive hunting method.
I believe that this piece is both Mycenaean and Minoan. I think the piece is Mycenaean because their art includes common themes of hunting. And the fish bundled strongly represent the idea that the man is a hunter. Although the Mycenaean culture was influenced by the Minoan culture, so from that aspect I am leaning more toward assuming the painting is from the Minoan culture. Minoan art was full of creative patterns including spirals, triangles, curves, and linear patterns. This painting demonstrates these aspects. For example, the formation of the body is made up of curves creating a thin healthy figure. Triangles are used to create all of the fish, it looks as though they are made of four or five triangles. Minoan art was also known to commonly incorporate fish to demonstrate a naturalistic design and this painting has bundles of fish.
The second unknown piece is a pot (shown below), it starts out extremely small and curves up into a very large pot with two handles. On the center section of the pot there is a scene painted. The scene, to me, portrays a battle. It looks as though one character is on a watch-tower, while the other two are on a carriage being pulled by bulls or some type of animal. These characteristics make me think it is Mycenaean, especially because it demonstrates a battle scene. Mycenaean art was commonly known to depict battle scenes, bull leaping, and hunting scenes as I stated earlier, so it is kind of a given that it must be from the Mycenaean culture. Mycenaean art was said to be brightly colored, which this pot is just showing shades of brown, but maybe time has worn out the bright colors that it once was painted with. The piece is extremely well made and a well description of art from the Mycenaean culture.
Both of these pieces are well made and interesting pieces of the world’s history. The two pieces also relate to pieces we have been talking about previously because of the linear lines, curves, naturalistic elements, and geometric features, so they tie in well.
You made some good points to back up your thoughts of which piece belonged to what culture. I noticed a lot of well-used vocabulary. Good job connecting the two pieces and describing their aspects.
ReplyDeleteI don’t know your guessing is correct or not, but I was enjoyed reading this blog. I also thought that first piece of a person looks healthy and he might get fishes from hunting. I think that you spoke convincingly about the first piece from hunting culture.
ReplyDeleteAnd I liked you describe the second piece in detail about shape and pattern. I am not sure but maybe your guessing will be right. Depict battle scenes could be carved in this pot.
Very interesting way to look at the first piece as I didn’t see anything that was related to triangles but in looking in it a bit more closely it does portray some. Your description was nice in how you looked upon not just the piece itself but focused a lot on how the piece was put together in all the curves and the image/reason it was to show to other people that’d be looking at it for the first time. As for the second piece compared it seems like a good idea involving the battles and such as looking at that it does show some possible fighting but it is very hard to do so. All together you had made a very good explanation for what you had come up with.
ReplyDeleteI too wrote about these unknown pieces. You described the pieces well and had convincing arguments as to why which piece belongs to which culture. For example, how you describe the triangles being used in the fisherman relates to the Minoan art. I believe the pot belongs to the Mycenaean culture and the fisherman belongs to the Minoan culture. Overall this is very well written and you made good points.
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