Medieval Art
The medieval art of the Western world covers a vast scope of time and place, over 1000 years of art history in Europe, and at times the Middle East and North Africa. It includes major art movements and periods, national and regional art, genres, revivals, the artists crafts, and the artists themselves.
Major periods and styles during Medieval art: Byzantine and Romanesque art.
Byzantine art
Byzantine art is the term commonly used to describe the artistic products of the Byzantine Empire from about the 4th century until the Fall of Constantinople in 1453.
Certain artistic traditions that originated in the Byzantine Empire, particularly in regard to icon painting and church architecture, are maintained in Greece,Serbia, Bulgaria, Russia and other Eastern Orthodox countries to the present day.
Just as the Byzantine empire represented the political continuation of the Roman Empire, Byzantine art developed out of theart of the Roman empire, which was itself profoundly influenced by ancient Greek art. Byzantine art never lost sight of this classical heritage. The Byzantine capital,Constantinople, was adorned with a large number of classical sculptures, although they eventually became an object of some puzzlement for its inhabitants
Example of Greek Orthodox visual hagiography,During the Byzantine period many religious Christianity art was produced.
Byzantine art is still used in many cultures at present day,Many Orthodox Christian churches still use Byzantine art
This is a Byzantine image of virgin Mary with baby Jesus
I personally think Byzantine art has a specific look to it, every art is produced in the same style consistently
This is a modern Greek church using Byzantine icons.This shows that Byzantine art still exists today.
http://www.fotolibra.com/gallery/361010/inside-greek-church/
St Mark's Basilica in Venice, where imported Byzantine mosaicists were succeeded by Italians they had trained.
The Empire faced acute crisis with the invasions of the Avars, Slavs, Persians and Arabsin the 7th century. Constantinople was also wracked by religious and political conflicThe most significant surviving monumental projects of this period were undertaken outside of the imperial capital. The church of Hagios Demetrios in Thessaloniki was rebuilt after a fire in the mid-seventh century. The new sections include mosaics executed in a remarkably abstract style
Mosaic from the church of Hagios Demetrios inThessaloniki, late 7th or early 8th century, showing St. Demetrios with donors.
Romanesque art
Romanesque art refers to the art of Western Europe from approximately 1000 AD to the rise of the Gothic style in the 13th century, or later, depending on region. The preceding period is increasingly known as the Pre-Romanesque.
Sculpture work
Precious objects in these media had a very high status in the period, probably much more so than paintings — we know the names of more makers of these than painters, illuminators or architect-masons. Metalwork, including decoration in enamel, became very sophisticated, and many spectacular shrines made to hold relics have survived, of which the best known is theShrine of the Three Kings at Cologne Cathedral by Nicholas of Verdun and others (ca 1180–1225). The Stavelot Triptych and Reliquary of St. Maurus are other examples of Mosan enamelwork.
Stavelot Triptych, Mosan, Belgium, c. 1156–58. 48×66 cm with wings open,Morgan Library, New York
The Stavelot Triptych and Reliquary of St. Maurus are examples of Mosan enamelwork. Large reliquaries and altar frontals were built around a wooden frame, but smaller caskets were all metal and enamel.
Paintings
The Three Magi from the St. Albans Psalter, English, 12th century.
Japanese art
History of Japanese art: Jomon art, Yayoi art, Kofun art, Asuka and Nara art, Heian art, Kamakura art, Muromachi art, Azuchi-Momoyama art, Edo period art, Pre war art, Post war art and Contemporary art.
Jomon art, comes from the first settlers of japan called the Jomon people,they were known for there cord markings that decorated the surfaces of their clay vessels
Small figurine, Final Jomon period (ca. 1000–300
B.C.)
Clay figurines (dogu) modeled in human and animal forms were made throughout the Jomon period, particularly during the latter half, and establish the beginnings of Japan's sculptural tradition.
Source:Small figurine [Japan] (1978.346) | Heilbrunn Timeline of Art History | The Metropolitan Museum of Art
Deep bowl with sculptural rim, late Middle Jomon period (ca. 2500–1500
B.C.), ca. 1500
B.C.
The swirling, dynamic appearance of the rim of this deep bowl is one of the most recognizable characteristics of wares made during Japan's oldest known civilization, the Jomon. Forming a dramatic contrast to the flamboyant ornamentation along the top is the relatively simple cord-marked lower portion of the vessel.
Source:Deep bowl with sculptural rim [Japan] (1992.252.1) | Heilbrunn Timeline of Art History | The Metropolitan Museum of Art
Contemporary art
The contemporary art in Japan is naturally influenced by the world contemporary art. But the power of the Japanese traditions, the oppressive presence of a dense urban environment and the various traumatism undergone by Japan for 60 years (defeat of 1945, Hiroshima, earthquakes, economic crisis, etc.) involve a production very rich, original and little known.
http://nezumi.dumousseau.free.fr/japon/japcontarta.htm
Japanese modern art takes as many forms and expresses as many different ideas as modern art in general, worldwide. It ranges from advertisements, anime, video games, and architecture as already mentioned, to sculpture, painting, and drawing in all their myriad forms
Anime
The earlest known Japanese animation dates to 1917 and made original Japanese cartoons were produced in the ensuring decades,the characteristic anime style developed in the 1960s notably with the work of Osamu Tezuka and became known outside Japan in the 1980s.
Anime is also very popular in Japan with large audiences and recognition throughout the world.Anime is both hand-drawn and computer animated.
Personally anime is one of my favourite type of art,mainly because I find it interesting and unique. I'm also interested in anime because i occasionally watch anime programs
Hokusai
Kanagawa wave, I personally like this work as its a classic and i have also created the Hokusai wave using different materials for previous courses.I think the colours stand out
Katsushika Hosika was a japanes artist , ukiyo-e painter and printmaker of the Edo period,hokusai is famous for his woodblock print series of Thirty six viws of mount fuji,this includes his most famous work The great wave of Kanagawa.
Buddhism
During the Asuka and Nara periods, so named because the seat of Japanese government was located in the Asuka Valley from 552 to 710 and in the city of Nara until 784, the first significant invasion by Asian continental culture took place in Japan.
The transmission of Buddhism provided the initial impetus for contacts between China, Korea and Japan.The earliest Japanese sculptures of the Buddha are dated to the 6th and 7th century. They ultimately derive from the 1st-3rd century CE Greco-Buddhist art of Gandhara, characterized by flowing dress patterns and realistic rendering
The earliest Buddhist structures still extant in Japan, and the oldest wooden buildings in the Far East are found at the Hōryū-ji to the southwest of Nara. First built in the early 7th century as the private temple of Crown Prince Shōtoku, it consists of 41 independent buildings.
Graffiti Art
Graffiti is any type of public markings that may appear in the forms of simple written words to elaborate wall paintings Graffiti has existed since ancient times, with examples dating back to Ancient Greece and the Roman Empire. In modern times, paint, particularly spray paint, and marker pens have become the most commonly used graffiti materials
One famous graffiti artist is Jean-Michel Basquait who was an American,his career in art began as a grafiti artist.Continuing his activities as a graffiti artist, Basquiat often incorporated words into his paintings. Before his career as a painter began, he produced punk-inspired postcards for sale on the street, and become known for the political–poetical graffiti under the name of SAMO.
"untitled (skull)," 1984 Basquaits works looks very strange and weird,but will always have a meaning to it.Lots of his work has alot of detail and colour which adds great effect to his work.
Banksy is another famous graffiti artist born in England,known for his street art.
On 13 June 2009, the Banksy UK Summer show opened at Bristol City Museum and Art Gallery, featuring more than 100 works of art, including animatronics and installations; it is his largest exhibition yet, featuring 78 new works.Reaction to the show was positive, with over 8,500 visitors to the show on the first weekend. Over the course of the twelve weeks, the exhibition was visited over 300,000 times
Queues outside Bristol City Museum and Art Gallery for Banksy's Summer Show, June 2009
Graffiti depicting graffiti removal by Banksy. Created in May 2008 at Leake Street in London, painted over by August 2008. Notice the animals resembling cave art from Lascaux or Altamira
I think the piece of art is just amazing the detail in his work is unbelievable,Banksys work also looks real life as it includes so much clear detail.
