ART HISTORY BY HUSIN ALI BIN MOHAMMAD AFFANDI

Marble statue group of the three graces The Hellenistic Period of Greek art lasted from the fourth century b.c.e. to approximately the time of Jesus (Christ) of Nazareth, a period of more than 300 years.  Unlike earlier Greek art, which consisted predominantly of art of Greece itself, Hellenistic art was more diverse culturally and geographically. Because Hellenistic art arose after the conquests of Alexander the Great, it also included art from the Greek-influenced regions of Alexander’s empire.  Hellenistic Art Alexander’s empire broke apart on his death, with several Hellenistic (Greek-like) kingdoms appearing. The great art centers of the mainland gave way to cities on islands such as Rhodes or in the eastern Mediterranean (Alexandria, Antioch, and Pergamum). Sculpture had tendencies toward classicism, rococo, and baroque in other words, no clear direction or restriction. Art glorified the gods and great athletes, but it also served to decorate the homes of...

Gandhara 1st Century Buddhism was introduced to Tibet by the seventh century and was proclaimed the state religion by the end of the eighth century. Although Buddhist influence waned during persecutions between 838 and 942, the religion saw a revival beginning in the late tenth century. It rapidly became dominant, inaugurating what is known as the “later diffusion of the Buddhist faith.” Many sculptures and paintings were made as aids for Buddhist meditation. The physical image became a base to support or encourage the presence of the divinity portrayed in the mind of the worshipper. Images were also commissioned for any number of reasons, including celebrating a birth, commemorating a death, and encouraging wealth, good health, or longevity. Buddhists believe that commissioning an image brings merit for the donor as well as to all conscious beings. Images in temples and in household shrines also remind laypeople that they too can achieve enlightenment. Buddhist art is t...

IMPERIAL ROME For several centuries Ancient Rome was the most powerful nation on earth, excelling all others at military organization and warfare, engineering, and architecture. Its unique cultural achievements include the invention of the dome and the groin vault, the development of concrete and a European-wide network of roads and bridges. Despite this, Roman sculptors and painters produced only a limited amount of outstanding original fine art, preferring instead to recycle designs from Greek art, which they revered as far superior to their own. Indeed, many types of art practised by the Romans - including, sculpture (bronze and marble statuary, sarcophagi), fine art painting (murals, portraiture, vase-painting), and decorative art (including metalwork, mosaics, jewellery, ivory carving) had already been fully mastered by Ancient Greek artists. Not surprisingly, therefore, while numerous Greek sculptors (like Phidias, Kresilas, Myron, Polykleitos, Callimachus, Skopas, Lysippo...

Piero di Cosimo, Italian Renaissance art The Renaissance is a period in Europe, from the 14th to the 17th century, regarded as the cultural bridge between the Middle Ages and modern history. It started as a cultural movement in Italy in the Late Medieval period and later spread to the rest of Europe, marking the beginning of the Early Modern Age.  The Renaissance was a time of re-birth and awakening in Europe. The images that emerged from the Renaissance continue to represent beauty and intellect for people around the world. There has simply never been a time in history when artists stretched their wings to bring their mediums to such new heights. One can also question if there has ever been an era in history in which so many great thinkers and artists were born. The Renaissance birthed the great talents of artists like Leonardo da Vinci and Michelangelo. The first blossoms of the Renaissance emerged around the year 1400 A.D. in Italy. It rose from the ashes of medie...

Bison depicted at the Cave of Altamira in Cantabria, Spain, dated to the Upper Paleolithic period      Prehistoric is something belonging or pertaining to the period of prehistory. This last term,in turn, is linked to the existing human life before the development of writing. (which has arisen around the year 3000 B.C)         Anthropology is the study of mankind's behaviour and origins, and asides from studying bones and fossils, it also studies the ancient architecture, tools and artwork mankind left behind. Very few art pieces stand the test of time and only the toughest sculptures and paintings made with plenty of pigment (and presumably sheltered from the elements) have managed to last tens of thousands of years. Like we do, prehistoric people often represented their world and beliefs through visual images. Art emerged with the appearance and dispersion of homo sapiens from Africa, Europe, Asia, Australasia, and the Americas. Pain...