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Example research essay topic: Classical Greece And Early Twentieth Century Art - 1,436 words

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The classical Greek period of art is between 480 323 B. C. This era is believed to be the most influential time in the history of western art. It was during this period that artists sculpted statues of perfectly proportioned and flawless bodies.

The faces on these figures displayed a sense of serenity and human dignity. The meticulous attention to detail of the human anatomy set the standard for flawless beauty. In addition to sculpture, the Classic Greek artists were master painters. The majority of paintings told a story and was displayed on black and red figure vases. Painted murals adorned the walls of some buildings during this time and, like the painted vases, they too illustrated a story.

Another influential period in art is that of the first half of the twentieth century. Many new styles of art emerged during this time, the ever-changing moral and social climate allowed sculptors and painters to abandon traditional artistic concepts for more unconventional methods. Art movements such as the surrealist, cubist, and Harlem renaissance produced works that were considered disturbing, expressive, and thought provoking. Although these two eras of art are separated by style, technique, and two thousand years, the study of art would be incomplete without emphasizing the importance of sculpture and painting produced in the periods of classical Greek and early twentieth century. The brief period of time between the close of the Archaic period and the height of Classical period brought a remarkable transformation of style and tone known as the Severe Style. Facial features that represented the dignity, self-control, and moral ideals of the time characterize sculpture created during this era.

Unlike the pointed features of the Archaic period, the severe style is constructed with a broad nose, wide open eyes, full lips, and a rounded firm jaw and chin. The most important change in style during this time was that of the mouth; the tight slim smile so prominent in archaic pieces has been replaced by an expression of harmony. As stated by art historian, Frederick Hard, The firm beauty of the features and facial proportions preferred by the severe style is seen at its grandest in the Blond Youth. (159). (Illustration 1) The blond color that could once be seen in the hair gives this statue its name. The hair is meticulously detailed, framing the young boys face with individual tresses that fall into curls at the forehead and temples. The eyes are wide and heavy lidded. The softly blended lips, nose, and chin give the face a serene expression typical of the art work of this time.

Not unlike the transformation of art from Archaic to Classic, is that of the Harlem Renaissance. Beginning in the 1920 s black artists flocked to Harlem, New York where they produced artwork that expressed their identity and lifestyle. As David Driskell writes, In the 1920 s, Harlem, the cultural capital of Black America, was host to some of the finest and most daring writers, actors, musicians, and artists. Almost every Harlemite seemed to be writing, producing sizzling shows on Broadway, or leaving for Paris to paint and sculpt. Alongside writers Langston Hughes and Claude McKay and musicians Duke Ellington and Louis Armstrong, black artists contributed to Harlem's excitement by creating art which expressed their identity and introduced Black themes into American modernism. (1) Prior to this period, artwork often depicted blacks with exaggerated stereotypical facial features. As the success of the Harlem Renaissance grew many talented sculptors created pieces of meticulous detail, the facial expressions represented not only the true physical characteristics of African Americans but also provided some insight into the hardships of their culture.

One such piece is that of Richmond Battle, The Negro Looks Ahead. (Illustration 2) This plaster sculpture, created in 1940, gets its name from the far off gaze of the woman. A prominent brow crowns her deep-set, heavy lidded eyes. Her nose is broad and her cheekbones are high and chiseled. Her full lips tilt down at the corners of her mouth. This extraordinary sculptor successfully captured the troubled expression of sadness and hardship that plagued so many black women during this time.

The statues of the Blonde Youth and The Negro Looks Ahead are both excellent examples of art representing the culture of the time. The Blond Youth, with his perfectly coifed hair, was quite possibly a young man of noble means; while The Negro Looks Ahead, with her hair long and matted, was probably a workingwoman with more to worry about than a stylish hairdo. The serene and dignified expression on the face of the Blond Youth is in stark contrast to the expression of The Negro Looks Ahead, however, comparatively they both portray true emotions. Each piece is equally meticulous in detail portraying the emotional and social aspects of each of the subjects respective cultures. In the year of 470 B. C.

Polyzalos, tyrant of the Greek city-state of Get in Sicily was the victor of the chariot races in the Delphic games. In honor of his victory an artist was commissioned to produce the statue Charioteer of Delphi. (Illustration 3) This statue is one of the earliest examples of the rare Greek life-size bronzes. The six-foot form of the male charioteer originally stood in a bronze chariot pulled by four large horses. Today remains only the male statue holding the horses bridles. Typical of Greek classical art, this polished bronze statue portrays a dignified and calm man. The lips and eyelashes are made of inlaid copper and the eyes are made of glass paste.

The folds of the charioteers long tunic seem to drape softly across his chest and fall to the floor in realistic tubular folds, looking very similar to the Doric columns so often seen in the architecture of the time. The nature of sculpture changed dramatically in the first half of the twentieth century. The work of Alberto Giacometti is considered among the most provocative and brilliant of this time. Giacometti became interested in many styles of art including primitive and pre-historic as well as cubism and surrealism. According to Robert Hughes, Giacometti tended increasingly to think of sculpture as a means of connecting points in space, rather than setting volume imposingly before the eye. (63) In 1950 Giacometti stayed true to his form when he created The Chariot. (Illustration 5) One of his later works, The Chariot is typical of his strangely elongated forms with rough, irregular features.

It is painted bronze measuring 56 - 1 / 4 x 24 - 1 / 4 x 27 inches. An extremely thin figure stands on a platform between two disproportionately large wheels. The figure is void of any facial features or realistic human anatomy. The work has been compared to an eighteenth century Egyptian battle chariot, however, Alberto Giacometti wrote that the inspiration came from a pharmacy wagon being wheeled around a room that he observed in a clinic. For the exception of the names, it is difficult to compare the Charioteer of Delphi with Alberto Giacometti's The Chariot. Realistic perspective was the favored art form during the period of Classical Greek.

Sculpture was expected to represent a flawless and beautiful human form, depicting the high ideals of the period. During the early twentieth century an incredible shift occurred in the art world. Artists during this time became more interested in psychological insightfulness and expression than with naturalism and realism. In the middle of the fourth century B. C. a frieze was carved on the mausoleum, Halikarnossos.

A portion of this marble frieze, entitled Battle of Greeks and Amazons, (Illustration 5 a- 5 b) currently resides at the British Museum in London and is believed to be the work of famous Greek sculptor, Skopas. Skopas was born on the island of Paros and professionally trained in Athens. He is well known for his ability to convey drama and a sense of movement in his works. This quality is quite apparent in Battle of Greeks and Amazons. In this section of the frieze two Greek warriors are about to kill an Amazon woman that has fallen to her knees, while another Greek warrior pulls an Amazon woman from her horse. The sense of speed implied in this sculpture is achieved by the wide spacing of the figures.

A considerable area of blank background is left between the forms forcing the viewer to follow the carving horizontally, giving a sense of animation to the work. In celebration of the return of World War I soldiers a victory arch was constructed in Newport News, Virginia. Architect Thomas Hastings who commissioned many prominent artists, as wel...


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Research essay sample on Classical Greece And Early Twentieth Century Art

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