2+Mesopotamian+Art

= = = CONTEXT = **-History**: Constant political change in the region (Sumerian > Ahkkadian > Nep-Sumerian > Babylonian   Hittite > Assyrian > Neo-Babylonian > Persian) due to geography · **Politics****:** slow to construct unified communities because of __openness to outside world__ · **Religion**: king / ruler was not a god- king but merely his delegate – few kings were deified + city states · **Geology**: building restricted by available materials, no stone quarries / forests = sun baked brick

= WORKS OF ART  (Sumerian period only)   =

[|Sumerian votive offerings] c. 2700 BCE p. 36 [|Standard of Ur] c. 2600 BCE p. 38 [|Ziggurat of Ur] c. 2100 BCE p. 41

= VOCABULARY =

 **Cuneiform**-having the form of a wedge; wedge-shaped **alluvial deposits** **polytheism** **Conical-** having the form of, resembling, or pertaining to a cone.  **Votive** - means offered, given, or dedicated in accordance with a vow. **surrogate-**a substitute **reverential** **supplicant**

= TECHNIQUES =

Architecture: **ziggurat** **mud brick** **building’s axis / orientation**  Two-dimensional art work: **profile vs. frontal** **register** **twisted perspective**  **hierarchical** **“cookie cutter”** **mosaic**  Three-dimensional art work: **additive vs. subtractive method of making sculpture**  **bas relief** **gypsum** **lapis lazuli **

= IDEAS / CONCEPTS =

1. List 2 contextual issues that help explain the __function__ of each of the three works listed above <span style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Times New Roman','serif'; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'"> 2. <span style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Times New Roman','serif'">What was the Sumerian view of the afterlife? (Epic of Gilgamesh) How is it reflected in art work? <span style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Times New Roman','serif'"> Know the idea of art ( a sculptural image) as a “surrogate” for a person (donor). <span style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Times New Roman','serif'; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'"> 3. <span style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Times New Roman','serif'">Know the four different ways of thinking about context introduced in class. <span style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Times New Roman','serif'; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'"> 4. <span style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Times New Roman','serif'">Idea of __sacred space__ – what is “sacred space” in ancient cultures? <span style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Times New Roman','serif'; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'"> 5. <span style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Times New Roman','serif'">Know __devices used to declare “sacred space__” : exclusivity <span style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Times New Roman','serif'"> material wealth / decoration <span style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Times New Roman','serif'"> ritual / ceremony (liturgy) <span style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Times New Roman','serif'"> history / religious event <span style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Times New Roman','serif'; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'"> 6. <span style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Times New Roman','serif'">How availability of materials can determine engineering and function <span style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Times New Roman','serif'; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'"> 7. <span style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Times New Roman','serif'">Know the following __narrative devices__ used in two-dimensional compositions (and reliefs): a. Registers b. Hierarchical organization **<span style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Times New Roman','serif'; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'"> c.  **<span style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Times New Roman','serif'">Sequential ordering of story <span style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Times New Roman','serif'; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'"> 8. __<span style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Times New Roman','serif'">Why __<span style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Times New Roman','serif'"> was twisted perspective “//two points of view in the representation of a single figure//” used? = RESOURCES = = = [|ARTstor] - Over 300,000 digital images documenting traditions across many times and cultures and embracing, among others, architecture, sculpture, photography, decorative arts, and design. <span style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Eras Medium ITC','sans-serif'; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'"><span style="COLOR: #6f60dc; FONT-FAMILY: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif"> [|Grove Art] - Users can access more than 23,000 subject entries, 21,000 biographies, 500,000 bibliographic citations, 40,000 image links and 5,000 images contained within //Grove Art Online//. = WEBSITE: = [|Mesopotamian Art]