A blog that seeks to extend the conversation outside the traditional classroom environment.
Friday, October 26, 2007
More mosaics
5th century 'Arian' Christian baptistery ceiling at Ravenna. (A pagan river god looks on)
Comments due by Monday 10-29.
12 comments:
Anonymous
said...
This one looks very complex. I really like it though. They made mosaics to tell stories which i think is more fun to look at the just the normal carving or drawing that they did.
Yes this is very complex with again a mix of Christianity and Peganism....they really couldn't let go of one belief so they would just make a melting pot of their beliefs.I do like this one because it tells a story but most of the time, any piece of art, carvings or painting, tell a story. I think if we didn't know the story to a certian piece of work then we just imagine what might have been going on.
I love that the pagan river gods are watching the Baptism of the Lord. The pagan gods watching the baptism by St. John the Baptist shows the abandonment of the old gods by the ancients. The pagan gods are witnessing their own death. When the people who worship them start worshipping a new god--the Triune God, they stop being of importance; and they stop being of any importance. The mosaic portrays the abandonment of the old gods in favor of a new one.
I don't really care for this piece at all. The perspective just bothers me that the center image seems to obey the laws of gravity and the outer aspects do not. Not that it is supposed to be realistic, but I wouldn't like having to move around to appreciate the entire work.
This mosaic kind of reminds me of the painting on the ceiling in the movie The Pagemaster. Each section tells its own story, but it all revolves around the center image. I do like the mosaic and it's intricate details, although as Marc kind of mentioned, I wouldn't want to have to turn round and round to see all of the images and make myself dizzy.
I think its cool how the gods are equally rotated around the center piece like minutes in a clock... However, I bet its difficult determining whats going on by looking at the piece from the ground. The artwork in the middle is kind of interesting, i think viewers are probably drawn in mostly to the water, the perspective is a little off but the realism is in the way the legs of the person being baptised are transparent through the water. good pick, i like this one
I think the placement of the figures around the outside of the mosaic are a little off also. For this piece I think that I can appreciate the piece and the technique used, but I don't neccesarily like the art. There was one thing I found interesting. Between the different religions who ever was in favor ,"depended a great deal on who had the ear of the emperors and kings at the time." And when, "Arianism fell into disfavor, the baptistery was stripped of all its decoration except for the dome. (Perhaps they couldn't reach it.)" So, in effect, this is how it came to be that just the ceiling is decorated today.
I really like this piece because it feels like the gods around the circle are looking at you and the scene in the middle is you with christ. The detail is great I dont think the perspective is off at all, just to different scenes in one piece.
Most of the mosaics had very religious symbols, which can be seen throughout a lot of cultures. It has always been important for people to represent beliefs and emotions through their art. The talent that comes from these mosaics is very impressive. It makes me wonder how much we are capable of creating now when they didn't even have a lot to work with back in those days.
As most of these peeps here have said, I as well really like this piece! I thinks its the way the ring kinda seems to keep out the other gods...I dont know, its pretty neat.
5th century 'Arian' Christian baptistery ceiling at Ravenna.
12 comments:
This one looks very complex. I really like it though. They made mosaics to tell stories which i think is more fun to look at the just the normal carving or drawing that they did.
Yes this is very complex with again a mix of Christianity and Peganism....they really couldn't let go of one belief so they would just make a melting pot of their beliefs.I do like this one because it tells a story but most of the time, any piece of art, carvings or painting, tell a story. I think if we didn't know the story to a certian piece of work then we just imagine what might have been going on.
http://www.frammentiart.com/Mosaic-history.asp
I love that the pagan river gods are watching the Baptism of the Lord. The pagan gods watching the baptism by St. John the Baptist shows the abandonment of the old gods by the ancients. The pagan gods are witnessing their own death. When the people who worship them start worshipping a new god--the Triune God, they stop being of importance; and they stop being of any importance. The mosaic portrays the abandonment of the old gods in favor of a new one.
I don't really care for this piece at all. The perspective just bothers me that the center image seems to obey the laws of gravity and the outer aspects do not. Not that it is supposed to be realistic, but I wouldn't like having to move around to appreciate the entire work.
This mosaic kind of reminds me of the painting on the ceiling in the movie The Pagemaster. Each section tells its own story, but it all revolves around the center image. I do like the mosaic and it's intricate details, although as Marc kind of mentioned, I wouldn't want to have to turn round and round to see all of the images and make myself dizzy.
I think its cool how the gods are equally rotated around the center piece like minutes in a clock... However, I bet its difficult determining whats going on by looking at the piece from the ground. The artwork in the middle is kind of interesting, i think viewers are probably drawn in mostly to the water, the perspective is a little off but the realism is in the way the legs of the person being baptised are transparent through the water. good pick, i like this one
I think the placement of the figures around the outside of the mosaic are a little off also. For this piece I think that I can appreciate the piece and the technique used, but I don't neccesarily like the art. There was one thing I found interesting. Between the different religions who ever was in favor ,"depended a great deal on who had the ear of the emperors and kings at the time." And when, "Arianism fell into disfavor, the baptistery was stripped of all its decoration except for the dome. (Perhaps they couldn't reach it.)" So, in effect, this is how it came to be that just the ceiling is decorated today.
website:
http://www.sacred-destinations.com/italy/ravenna-arian-baptistery.htm
I really like this piece because it feels like the gods around the circle are looking at you and the scene in the middle is you with christ. The detail is great I dont think the perspective is off at all, just to different scenes in one piece.
Most of the mosaics had very religious symbols, which can be seen throughout a lot of cultures. It has always been important for people to represent beliefs and emotions through their art. The talent that comes from these mosaics is very impressive. It makes me wonder how much we are capable of creating now when they didn't even have a lot to work with back in those days.
As most of these peeps here have said, I as well really like this piece! I thinks its the way the ring kinda seems to keep out the other gods...I dont know, its pretty neat.
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