Questions

1. By studying the images and text presented in Lecture 6 and in your book, why do you
think early nomadic cultures made the kind of artwork they did? Select two works,
describe them and draw some conclusions about their possible significance to these
cultures. For example, you might begin with the cave paintings as Lascaux and Chauvet.
What kind of function might they have served for the people that made them? Note: make
sure your selected works are made by early nomadic cultures, not later civilizations.

I believe that such artwork was made by early nomadic cultures with the intention of studying
and understanding the hunting animals; also, in my opinion, such artwork was admired by them.
Definitely, in my opinion, they strategized "The Lion Panel" for the reason that they understood
the lion as a powerful animal. Hence they had to get a game plan ready.
In another painting "Women and Cattle," the artist shows his admiration toward the women,
along with telling the people the way he sees women. People also have compared women to
cattle, so they believe that this picture relates to themselves as their place in the tribe. The
painting’s overall function is admiration and stratergy.

2. Page 256. Identify the major characteristics (at least 3) in Egyptian Art as seen in
"Menkaure and Khamerenebty", 2460 BCE. Why did Egyptian artists make the sculptures
look as they did? Be specific in your description of the object.

In egyptian art, for example, Menkaure and Khamerenebty, the key characteristics include their
facial expressions’ horizontal counterbalancing. Furthermore, how she holds him indicates that
she is a balance for him. Furthermore, the hair of the male counterpart is being carved from the
geometric shapes of trapezoids and triangles. Also the hair of female counterpart is shaped as
cyclinders. I believe that these sculptures are made by egytians for symbolizing status and
relationships. This was mostly only for richer people for the reason that only rich people could
afford it. Furthermore, the afterlife has its own importance in the Egyptian culture for the reason
that after their death, it was the place where their souls went with the intention to continue living.

3. Page 259. Identify the major characteristics in Greek (at least 3) art as seen in
"Apoxyomenos", 320 BCE. Why did Greek artists make the sculptures look as they did? Be
specific in your description of the object.

In Apoxyomenos, the key characteristics include the counterbalance, which is a slight "S" shape
an individual makes while getting his body ready to move. The other characteristic is
contrapposto, which indicates counter pose. Furthermore, athletic shape is another characteristic
that can be seen in the big shoulder and abs of the sculpture. The body, according to Greeks is a
very beautiful space to spend life, and this is the reason that most Greek artists make their gods
as they did.

4. Page 439. "Buddha Preaching the First Sermon" 465-485 CE. Which characteristics of
early Buddhist art in India can you identify in these sculpture? Provide at least 3 and
support your conclusions with specific examples.
The jewelry and implied lines of his robe are the key characteristics of the “Buddha Preaching
the First Sermon.” The dressing of jewels is the way one can see how weary his sleeves are on
his robe. The sculpture is made of sandstone and is very smooth. The sculpted figure seems at
peace and calm. This sculpture is very detailed in certain areas, for example, the top plate near
the head of the figure.

5. Page 463. "Riverside Bamboo Market. Kyobashi" by Hiroshige. What style of Japanese
printmaking is this an example of? Using the ideas discussed in Lecture 7 on Asian art,
comment on what visual elements and principles of design Hiroshige used to depict this
scene (at least 3). Describe it.

Hiroshige has used wood cut for making this artwork. In Japan, woodblock prints initially were
used as early as the eighth century for disseminating texts, particularly Buddhist scriptures.
Woodblock prints was a more advanced way to do this as blocks were use by Hiroshige for
achieving this effect. It was described as Ukiyo-e meaning for reflecting a continually changing,
pleasurable and beautiful, but mortal world. When one looks at this piece of art, it gives the
distance feeling because the trees get small. The water and the waves, the moon and the sky, and
the boaters are made beautifully. For ukiyo-e prints, some characteristics include contour lines,
unmodulated colors and being flat.