Art Appreciation Essay

Ancient art is art from cultures of ancient societies such as China, Rome, Greece and Egypt and most of these types of art shows gods, goddesses and pharaohs. The Egyptian art work is usually clear and simple that is put together with simple lines and flat areas of color that show order and balance. Most of the art from china show religious rituals and geomancy and it also shows continuity between ancient and modern times. Greek art has a lot of pottery, sculpture and architecture art and are will known for its standing figures. Roman art seems to show beauty and nobility with an expression of life-like qualities. The first painting is by Lorenzo Lotto and is called Venus and Cupid and is oil on canvas painting and shows Venus sitting on a dark blue satin cloth with her weight resting on her arm. Her color is a pretty off white with a ribbon around her chest called diaphanous stophein which is worn by new brides. There is a brown shell hanging above her head which represents her birth from the sea and the flowers shown on the bottom half of her body represent a symbol of love. The head dress she is wearing is decorated with gems and pearls that rest perfectly on her red hair. She is holding a wreath with incense burning while cupid is peeing through the wreath towards her. Cupid is a short figure with wings on his back with brown curly hair with a devilish look upon his face. The room has red cloth drape upon the back wall that accent the painting with all the other colors in harmony. This artist was portraying love and marriage and the room was more than likely a bride’s chamber in this two dememenional piece of art and is representational of sexuality, vitality and happiness. This piece could be a little controversial and is truly in the eyes of the beholder. Cupid and Venus. (n. d. ). Retrieved from http://www. wtfarthistory. com The second painting is by Paul Gauguin which is oil on canvas painting with stretch wood and is called Ia Orana Maria (Hail Mary) which was inspired by Polynesian religious beliefs and is of an angel who revealed Mary and Jesus who are Tahitian to two other Tahitian women. Mary is wearing a red dress with flowers and Jesus is sitting on her shoulders naked and the two of them seem to have a halo around their heads. The other two women are shown looking at Mary and Jesus with wraps around their lower bodies and the upper half is exposing their breast. The painting have a jungle like atmophere with flowering trees and a dark blue path and emerald green with the foreground and bananas of the left of Mary. This two demensional piece is representational of religion, mystery and revelation and of the Tahitian culture. This piece is very colorful with reds, blues, greens and yellows that come together beautifully.