What are ways that societies express their values?
What are some ways that societies express their vanities?
Monuments Symbols of Society’s Values or Vanity?
excavated from surrounding rock Monoliths
Stonehenge, England 2500 B.C.E.
Easter Island (off coast of S.America) A.D.
Olmec, Mexican
any man-made structure used or intended for supporting or sheltering any use or continuous occupancy, Buildings
Taq-I Kisra, Ctesiphon, Ancient Persia
Kuala Lumpur
Twin Towers, NYC
is an object which serves as a focus for memory of something, usually a person (who has died) or an event. Memorial
Lincoln Memorial, Washington, D.C.
Canadian National Vimy Memorial 1922
is a tall, narrow, four-sided, tapering monument which ends in a pyramid-like shape at the top Obelisks
Obelisk of Senurset 1970 (?) B.C.E.
Washington Monument, Washington, D.C.
is an external free-standing building constructed as a monument enclosing the interment space or burial chamber of a deceased person or persons. Tombs and Masoleums
The Sphnix (c.1400 B.C.E.)
Taj Mahal, Agra, India 1653
a physical structure used for religious activities Religious Sites
Ellora Caves, India 5 th – 10 th century
Ankgor Wat,Cambodia 12 th century
St. Peter’s Cathedral, Rome
a structure that spans a space while supporting weight Arches
Arch of Constantine 315 A.D.
is a sculpture in the round representing a person or persons, an animal, or an event, normally full- length, as opposed to a bust, and at least close to life-size, or larger. Statues
Buenos Aires, Argentina
Statue of Liberty, New York
The Florence Baptistry Doors A competition for immortality
“The Italian Renaissance began the opening phase of the Renaissance, a period of great cultural change and achievement from the 14th to the 16th century. The word renaissance (rinascimento in Italian) literally means "rebirth", and the era is best known for the renewed interest in the culture of classical antiquity after the period that Renaissance humanists labelled the Dark Ages.”* * excerpt from Wikipedia
Madonna, by Duccio, 1311 an example of a painting done in the time known as the Dark Ages
Comparison of two Madonnas. from the Dark Ages. from the Renaissance Duccio, Madonna and Child, 1280’s Raphael, Sistine Madonna, 1514
The Italian Renaissance began in Florence. The Medici family ruled there and they were great patrons of the arts.
The Big Three of the Italian High Renaissance These artists actually came later than the period we’re talking about here, but they are names you’ll probably recognize. Michaelangelo Raphael Leonardo da Vinci
A view of the city of Florence
The square of the Duomo, the great cathedral, was the focal point of the Florentine society.
The Duomo facade
The Campanielle designed by Giotto
The dome was designed by Michaelangelo
The Battistero di San Giovanni sits at the center of the square. It is the first cathedral in Florence, built around the 6 th or 7 th century.
The Battistero di San Giovanni (Baptistery of St John)
The Baptistery’s ceiling
South Doors, Andrea Pisano
The Baptism of Christ, Andrea Pisano,
In 1401 a competition was announced to find an artist to design the doors for the north side of the building. Two sculptors, the well known Filippo Brunelleschi and the unknown Lorenzo Ghiberti became the two finalists.
Brunelleschi, Sacrifice of Issac, Ghiberti, Sacrifice of Issac, The entries for each artist in the competition
Lorenzo Ghiberti, the North doors,
In 1425 Ghiberti started another set of doors for the baptistry which he did not finish until when Michaelangelo saw these doors he said they “were fit to be the Gates of Paradise”. They are know to this day as exactly that.
Lorenzo Ghiberti, Porta del Paradiso,, The Fall of Jericho