Week 8 Blog

The image of Panel from the Amazon Frieze reminded me of a scene right out of Saving Private Ryan. The horrific images that we as a race have come to know from war have been burned into our minds. Wars no matter what era or time they take place are still wars. Even with our technology people including soldiers and innocent victims lose their lives. Coming out of the Army this panel to me just really represented the art of the fight. The whole good v. evil idea that we have all come to know. The funny thing is that even from a portrait or painting no one can tell which side is the good side and which is the bad. People in images like this may look like the victim, butin reality may be the original aggressor. While I was in boot camp we were often called to classrooms for lectures. In these lectures we would learn about the horrors of war and how we had to be prepared to even kill children. An image like this one proves that it is in mans nature to fight and kill for what he/she believes is right. And again proves how mankind, no matter how much technology or education we have, is still just a society of people not unlike the societys of the past. Holding jobs, raising families and fighting wars.

The Landscape (spring fresco) is a beuatifully detailed and intricate work of art. It is most amazing because its color and size are phenomenal and easy to appreciate. When I saw this piece of art in my reading I immediately thought of the wall murals that are becoming such a popular trend for nursery's today. As a nanny with over 8 years experience in my job field I have seen many different mural paintings done. Everything from lifelike animals to nature scenes to fictional disney characters are all played out on the walls of childrens bedrooms now. And it is no wonder. Who wouldn't want to wake up every morning to see something peaceful or fun. Often times murals like these bring happiness not only to the children, but to the parents who commission the murals. Not unlike the Minoans, the people of our civilization have a natural desire to bring peace and beauty to the indoors. The need to almost bring the outside inside has been a growing trend for quite a few years. Every blog I seem to do is yet another bit of evidence that proves to me how much the human race hasn't changed in terms of life and art. Other than the advancement of technology we really aren't that different. I included a sample mural from a childs room above next to the spring fresco. Notice the choice of calming colors the artist chose to reflect nature. The mural is very realistic and natural in what I can only assume was th artists intent. Both works of art relay the feeling of natures peace and beauty just in different ways.

Blog 5 Week 5

The Narmer Pallette from the Early Dynastic period of Egypt includes two major pieces of history that can be related to today. The first is written communication. Much like the newspapers and magazines we read today the Narmer Pallete tells us a story. Thanks to pieces of art like these we are able to attain a better understanding of the people of early Egypt and their daily lives. It gives us an insight to the politics of the day and the rulers of the time. Much like the written news of today it informs us of what major changes or news had taken place recently while at the same time making the people of Egypt aware of any new power or ruler that may have come to the thrown. The Narmer Pallete is also a work of art. The finely chiseled pictures and heiroglyphs portay a visual scene to the viewer. The person responsible for a piece like this was not only an author, but an artist as well. If you really look at this kind of portayal of power you kind of can see how it relates to the drama of today in tabloids and magazines. People are inclined to want not just gossip and fact, but they want it in the "juiciest" possible way. Here we can see that this has been done visually by the incorporation of graphic scenes depicting violence, power and control. The further I get in my reading the more I realize that the only thing that separates todays society from society's past s our technology.