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Deities from Ancient Egypt

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     When thinking about non-Western art forms, the first thing that comes to mind is the country Egypt. Their writing is known as hieroglyphics, a mixture of symbols and images. Often, these are depicting stories of their deities.  Ra-Horakhti, Amun, the deified king , Ma’at, and Andjeti in the tomb of Ramses V/VI It is unknown exactly who or when this piece of art was created. It tells the story of a king named Ra-Horakhi, who was combined with the god Amun, who renamed him Amun-Ra (Calvert 2022). The form you see in this image of the artwork is not the only way that Amun-Ra is depicted. He can be depicted as a circular disk, falcon, or many other ways. He was a fluid deity known to soar through the sky on his "boat." Something I find beautiful about this art form is the precision it took to add details. Each figure is clothed in gold, which "represents the divine and eternal" (Dabney 2024). Something interesting is that in all paintings I have observed or carvin...
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Freedom of Drip Painting and the Likes

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     When I think of the post modern art era, I think of abstract art that you either hate or love. The most common style of art is drip painting. Many people have said that they feel a profound amount of emotion coming from it by the use of colors that are being used. While I cannot feel any emotion from it, they are interesting to look at. Every time that I look at them, I will notice a new detail. I would first show off the art of Jackson Pollock to start off the discussion of drip paintings. Instead, I want to introduce all of you readers to Janet Sobel. She is thought the be the one that inspired Jackson Pollock and was actually the one who started drip paintings. The National Gallery of Art went on to say "Sobel would later be singled out by the critic Clement Greenberg as a direct influence on Jackson Pollock’s drip painting technique" (NGA Year Unknown).  Janet Sobel, Milky Way . 1945, Enamel on Canvas, 44 7/8 cmx 29 7/8 cm.   The painting while I feel d...
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Harlem Renaissance During Early Modern Era

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     In the Early Modern Era of art, there was a movement called the Harlem Renaissance. This took place after WW1 and during the Great Depression. This was a movement where African Americans moved from the South to the North to look for more opportunities for work. "the period is considered a golden age in African American culture, manifesting in literature, music, stage performance, and art" (History 2025). The artwork of this period reflected "these artists' pride in and control over how the Black experience was represented in American culture and set the stage for the civil rights movement" (History 2025). The Harlem Renaissance was not just about painting but also all forms of art, such as musicians, actors, poets, and painters. This was a way for them to express their views to the world, which they had not previously had much experience with. Many of the people who moved to the North moved into predominantly white neighborhoods, and many people moved away ...
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Romantic Era: Pre-Raphaelite Painters Versus Impressionism Painters

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         The first time I heard "Romantic Era," I immediately thought that the artwork would be full of people professing their love or having a deep love for their artwork. Instead, it seemed to be full of judgment and change. Several different kinds of art were made during this time. My personal favorites were by pre-Raphaelite painters.  John Everett Millais, Ophelia , 1851–52, oil on canvas, 76.2 x 111.8 cm  Ophelia by John Everett Millais is one of the most well-known paintings from the Pre-Raphaelite period (SmartHistory 2025). It is based on the Hamlet story by William Shakespeare. What Millais chose to paint was the moment in the Hamlet play when Ophelia was "driven mad by Hamlet's murder of her father, drowns herself was very unusual for the time" (SmartHistory 2025). There was so much attention to detail at all points of the painting. At first glance, one may assume it was a photograph of a woman. Instead, it was a painting brought to life t...
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Classical Art in the Rococo Style

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     In classical art, various styles come to mind. A personal favorite of mine is the Rococo style, which is "a celebration of joy, wealth, and careless pleasure" (Kirpalov 2024). This art style caused many in the lower classes to start expressing resentment toward the nobility because it showed their lack of care and low morals. A particular piece of art that stands out to me is called The Bolt by Jean-Honore Fragonard, which Louis-Gabriel Véri-Raionard, Marquis de Véri commissioned, but they had to wait four years for it to be completed (Kirpalov 2024). The Bolt , Jean-Honore Fragonard. 1777. Oil on canvas, 73 x 93 cm Musée du Louvre, Paris.           Various themes can be seen within this painting: the Baroque style with the play on light and the diagonal forms that the man and woman make, and the Rococo style through the embrace between the man and woman as he bolts the bedroom door. It is clear to all the viewers what sort of acts will ...
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After the Renaissance Era Came the Successor known as the Baroque Era

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      Artwork during the Baroque Era connects to emotions on a physical level. The contrasts of light and dark create an illusion that they are a part of our space. Moments that a painting seems to be real moments, whether they are in the middle of pouring a liquid or looking out of a window. During this era, the Medici family was still commissioning artwork. One of those artists is assumed to be Artemisia Gentileschi. The Medici family commissioned Donatello for the sculpture of Judith moving to cut off Holofernes' head. Donatello, Judith and Holofernes , 1460, bronze, 236 cm high (Palazzo Vecchio, Florence).      While it is not entirely sure, it is believed that they were interested in the story of Judith and Holofernes, which is why they are supposed to have commissioned Artemisia Gentileschi for her four paintings of this story from the Jewish. Bible, "The Uffizi Judith was likely either commissioned by or gifted to the Medici, Florence's ruling ...
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Humanism in the Italian Renaissance

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       During the Renaissance, there was a movement towards humanism, in which artists focused on humans' intellect and achievements rather than solely on religion. Humanism relates to art, where the artist highlights the people and actions within the pieces. Leonardo Da Vinci was a key person during the Italian Renaissance (1452-1519) for humanism. Da Vinci was a man who was constantly in pursuit of knowledge, "In his explicit turn back to an ancient model in search of knowledge and wisdom, Leonardo follows early humanist practice" (Jones). This often led to his sketching various parts of human forms and even plants. An example of the human form is the Vitruvian Man , a sketch created in 1490. When it was created, it was not so much for artwork but rather a process of research where each line was carefully thought about and how to display the scientific concepts.  Leonardo da Vinci, “Vitruvian Man,” c. 1490, pen and watercolor over metalpoint on paper, 34....
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