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Topic: Asian art history

Course:

1. Stories often inspire artists or art commissioners. Throughout the course, we have looked at
a wide range of stories in the form of historical accounts, biographies, fictions, legends of
gods and demons, and religious texts. Using three different examples (one from each part of
the course), discuss how the artist condense a complicated narrative in each image. In your
analysis, make sure to consider the subject matter, composition, style, material, and historical
context in order to explain your specific examples. Your essay should include appropriate
arguments from two readings of your choice.

Chinese earthenware bowl with the decoration of 2 men’s head and 2 fish

This represents a Chinese earthenware bowl with a decoration of 2 men’s heads and 2 fish. It
was created between 5000-4000 BCE. This earthen bowl is red in color, red in Chinese is
highly valued because it symbolizes luck, joy and happiness. In most cases, the bride used to
wear red color during wedding ceremonies and on this occasion, it meant vitality and a sign of
fertility. According to the article of Chinese culture and art, the Chinese believed that
wearing a red color was a way of keeping off the devil. On the bowl, the fish appear so visible
and to my analysis, this tends to pronounce the value fish has to the Chinese culture, indeed it
is a symbol of wealth. The fish are in pairs to purpose a binding factor in a marriage with
harmony. And in totality, the pair of fish is a source of a happy marriage which will lead to
bearing many children. This bowl was majorly used in Chinese during the wedding ceremony
because of its rich cultural show.

Head of Buddha in Taxila Pakistan

This is a sculptural work representing the head of Buddha in Taxila Pakistan. The sculpture
was created between the 4th -5th centuries. It was made of stucco with traces of paint. From
the article the Budhist religion, it is stated this artistic work is a representation of the stucco
style of sculpture. In a close look at the work, there is a circular dot on the forehead that looks
like a third eye. this third eye would mean that Buddha was able to see well and interpret with
wisdom many hidden things normal being would not see. There is a hair curl knot on
Buddha’s’ head that culturally portrayed wisdom. Buddha has elongated the earlobe
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seemingly there was one time Buddha used earrings, on the other hand, it creates attention
that Buddha has abandoned earthly values like earrings and now he is totally religious. The
head appears bald, this baldness is a key point to place this a sculptural style of the stucco.
This work is a rich portrayal of Indian religious culture and how much they value their
goddess.

Fujiwara no Takanobu, Portrait of Yoritomo

This is a portrait of Yoritomo, created by Fujiwara no

Takanobu in the early 13th century. The work is a
painting with ink and color on silk. The painting is of
the Kamakura style. Fujiwara in this painting was
creating attire for the National treasure of Japan in line
with the Japanese art of America . A national attire that
almost represented the Japanese culture. The attire has
square shoulders and straight sleeves which was most common with the formal court
costumes in Japan during this period. This costume forms a triangular and stable composition
which tends to create a dignified atmosphere. The use of the perfect shapes as square and
rectangle makes this work appear more realistic. The portrait appears in three- dimensional
with expressions of the faces clearly reflect a new development of art towards realism. The
combinations of shapes, lines colors, tones, and texture represent a real object. The dominant
black color in the work is trendy Japanese culture which always symbolizes dignity.
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2. The creation of artifacts and monuments are often associated with powerful figures in
societies. Throughout this course, we have looked at various examples related to historical
personages who possessed and exercised power politically, religiously, economically, and/or
intellectually. Please select three examples (one from each part of the course) in which power
is evident in the visual form. Your answer should discuss an artwork’s subject matter but also
how its material, technique, size, and respective viewing situation contributed to the
representation of power. You should refer to two specific readings to back up your claims.

Standing figure, Sanxingdui

According to the Chinese art history and culture article, this standing figure was made with
Bronze between 1300-1100BCE and it was associated with the Shang dynasty. The Bronze
standing figure is big in size with a dimension of w48.5 x h260.8 cm. The choice of
material, Bronze is a depiction of the strength and power of the Shang dynasty. The figure
rest on the crisp square base, this enhances its stability and makes it not easily toppled. The
raised motifs have smooth surfaces. The horns and claws appear sharp and powerful, claws
and horns in most cases are parts of animals that are used as defensive mechanism so their
existence in this standing figure indicates the defensive mechanism of a powerful dynasty.
The decorations and the patterns blend well on the figure and give it a very aesthetic look.
The projections closer to the neck which appears as hands, they are curved in a manner
suggesting that it is defending itself from attack, this borrowing from the war nature of the
Shang kingdom one can conclude it depicts the dynasty protecting her territory.

Central Tower, Angkor Wat, Cambodia

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This monument represents Central Tower, Angkor Wat in Cambodia. It was built in the 1st
half of the 12th century. It was built by huge sandstone bricks. The temple walls were
decorated with bas-reliefs, the bas-relief represented Important goddess and figures in the
Hindu and Buddhist religion and also some important narrative tradition events as stated in
the article Angkor Wat. This monument purpose for religion as it was dedicated to the
goddess of Hindu Vishnu but later converted to become a Buddhist temple. They used the
high classical style of Khmer architecture. The temple is one of the biggest worldwide and
forms the major visitors' attraction in Cambodia. The temple comprised of three galleries (a
passageway running along the length of the temple) with a central sanctuary, marked
by five stone towers. The five stone towers are intended to mimic the five mountain ranges of
Mt. Meru—the mythical home of the gods, for both Hindus and Buddhists.

Illustrated History of the Mongol Invasions

, this artwork is an Illustrated History of the Mongol invasions. It was created in the late 13th
century. It was a handscroll with ink on paper. The scene of the Illustration is chaotic, as the
three men seen are portrayed charged with arrows aiming at the opponents. The stability of
the men is in good shape as their legs are shown spread apart majorly to gain stability and
shoot at the enemy. In my view, the three powerful men are Mongol soldiers. On the
horseback I believe are invaders who appear as fierce retaliating back to the armed Mongol
soldiers. There are some red shades underneath the horse and this tends to show defeat by the
Mongol soldiers. In accordance with the article of Chinese art history and culture the use of
scattered brushstrokes shows a thin spread of colors generally visualizes an uneasy
environment. This illustration fully demonstrates a powerful dynasty at war with her invaders
which according to my analysis from the scene the horse is wounded and blood is gushing out
and this is a sign of defeat.
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References
1. Chinese art history and culture
2. Angkor wat
3. The Budhist religion
4. Japanese art society of America