This is the first time I have come to Dallas Museum of Art, this is really one of the biggest museum in the country. They have such a huge collection, various types of art, almost every main culture in the world, spreading out from acient to modern world. Visiting Dallas Museum of Art appeared to be the most excited thing that I’ve done so far, having new experieces, seeing new things. I have realized that art is not only about painting, it’s about creatity and imagination of human being.
Inside the museum, there are tons of art pieces, it’s not obvious to understand all of the art pieces, it’s normal to be obscure of what you’ve seen, you would ask yourself “what is the meaning of that? ” or “why people create that piece of art? ” or “what is the beauty of it? ”. Despite of lacking the experiences in art, somehow I still have feelings of enjoying these pieces of art. Below are art pieces that I found interested which represented for function and purpose of that masterpiece. The first piece I would like to discuss here called “Adam and Ave” which was created in 1933 bay Alfredo Martinez, Mexican artist (1872 – 1946).
Martinez depicted the first human beings created by God as having the physical features of people in his own country(Mexico). Adam and Ave are depicted in muted colors at the base of tree with snake slithering around them. Eve holds an armadillo while a jackal looks on. It’s kind of strange compare to other versions in other culture. They look like people. I thinks this piece is an example of art for commemoration because the title,”the fisrt Americans” is intended to honor the native dwellers. The second piece is called, ”Head of the rain god Tlaloc and two frogs”, created in (1300 – 1500) by Mixtec culture.
These sculptures was used by Mixtec people in praying for the rain, the head is Rain God Tlaloc, made from ceramic, looks old, strange mysterious, the god of rain is sculptured with big eyes,wearing a shamanlike hat, accompany the God are two frogs which are the symbol of the rain, and I think the frogs are the servant of the God of rain. Because of their purpose of use I think this is a great example of art for worship and ritual. The third piece is called “the blue chair” which war created in 1931 by a Mexican artist named Rufino Tamayo, who was born in 1899 and died in 1991.
This piece was made from oil on a canvas, picturing a black woman sitting on the blue chair wearing a weak pink dress and a gray hat, she looks sad as if she was worrying about something, the whole paint is dominated by dark and sad colors, it’s like the artist was trying to express his feelings through the woman, that’s the reason why this piece is an example for art of self-expression. The next piece is called “Mask” which was created in middle formative period 900 – 500 B. C by Gulf coast Olmec culture. This Mask was made from jadeite.
There are signs of use that this mask was put in fire for a ritual activity, the mask I think that was from a Olmec people’s face. The mask looked natural without any expression on the face. Because of purpose of use, I think the mask is an art of worship and ritual. The next piece is called “Bowl with ceremonially costumed figures”, which was created in late classic period A. D 600 – 900 by people of State of Veracruz, south cetral region. This piece was made from ceramic. The bowls depict scenes in which ceremonially costumed human figures engage in ritual activity.
On the outer of the bowl, there are six male figures seated or kneel in one knee. Everyone of them wearing a patterned hip cloth, a necklace of a circular beards, a buccal mask which coves the lower part of the face. I think this bowl was made to remember ritual activity of Veracruz people, that’s the why its an example for art of commemoration. The next piece is called “The Silversmith Jose Maria Rodellega” which was created in 1975 by Rafael Ximeno y Planes (1759 – 1825), a Mexican artist.
This piece was made from oils on canvas, an masterpiece of Spanish colonial art, this piece is about a portrait of a silversmith name Jose Maria Rodallega. He, Jose Maria Rodallega is one of the most famous silversmith in Mexico. In this paint, he is hoding a hammer on the left hand and a piece of iron stick on the right hand, doing his job to fix a crown-liked shape in his working place. I think it is an art of persuasion because Rafael seems to trying to persuade the viewers that Rodellega is the best silversmith in Mexico.
The next piece is called “Drouth stricken area” which was created in 1934 by Alexandre hogue(1898 – 1984), a American artist. This piece was made from oils on canvas. The whole theme of this paint is the scene of drought in desert, a skinny cow waits for the water right next to the windmill that seems to never come, a buzzard awaits for the cow’s death, although there is a house in the picture, it appears as if the area was abandoned for a long time. I choose this paint as an example of delight because of my feelings when I saw this paint.
The next piece is called “Grey, Blue & Black – pink circle ” which was created in 1929 by Georgia O’keeffe (1887 – 1986), a American artist. This piece was made from oils on canvas. In the center of the paint there are “nodes recall the headdress of Hobi Kachina dancers. The surrounding whorls of color amplified the suggested motion of the dance and the consonant rhythms of the universe” – quote. This piece is colorful and abstract, makes people hard to understand but enjoy it with delight, that’s why I choose this piece of art as delight.
The next piece is called “At the piano” which was created in 1890 by Cecilia Beaux (1855 – 1942), a American artist. This piece was made from oils on canvas. This piece depicted a man sitting in front of the piano wearing a suit and perhaps practicing. The main color of this paint is brown, kind of peace and quiet, the face of the man look calm and gentle, I think this piece of art is self-expression because I can see what the arist want to express himself through “the man at the piano”.
The next piece is called “The peaceable kingdom” which was created in 1846 – 1847 by Edward Hicks born in 1780 and died in 1849 . This piece was made from oils on canvas. This piece depicted fantasie situation in which all kind of animals and human beings appear and share the environment, in the picture there are lion, jaguar, cow, goat, tiger, fox and kids enjoying with each other, without fighting. That is not real, but I think the artist want to show that how the world is beautiful when every single animal include human share the world with peace.
Paul claude – Micheal Carpentier was born in 1787, a French artist who created the piece “Self-portrait of the artist and his family in his studio” in 1833 was one of the greatest example of art of self-expression, this piece was made from pencil on paper and another version was made from oils on canvas. He picturing himself and his family include his wife and a daughter sitting in his studio and watching him do his paint. It is such a clolorful paint: background is black with his wife on a red dress and his daughter in a white and blue outfit and the artist is weaing a brown coat with his brushes and oils in both hands.
I can see the happiness in the face of each person. The next piece is called “Canopic jars with lit” , these jars were used to store the soft organs of the mummy which was made in 1550 – 1070 B. C by ancient Egyptian. These jars were made from alabaster. There are for of them have the head of the four protective Sons of Horrus : the Baboon Happy-protector of the north, the hawk Qebsenuef-protector of the west, human head Emsety, protector of the south, the Jackal Duamutef-protector of the east. This art is for worship and ritual.
The next piece is called “Head and upper torso of Seti I” , which was made in 1559 – 1085 B. C by ancient Egyptian. The Head were made from black granite. This sculpture depicted the face of King Seti I, to honor and keep the memory of the pharaon, they created the portrait of him, it is meant to be last forever so they use black granite as the material for the sculpture. This sculpture represent for art of commemoration. The next piece is called “The conversion of Saint Paul” , which was made in 1786 B. C by Benjamin West (1738 – 1820).
The paint were made from oil on canvas. This altarpiece depicted the conversion of St. Paul, one of the father of Christian church, the purpose of this paint is as a model for a paint glass window in St. Paul’s cathedral in Birmingham, England. The next piece is called “York factory sketch no. 1” which was created in 1970 by Frank Stella born in 1936. This piece was made from acrylic on canvas. This piece is a combination of geometry shapes which are half circles in various color, these half circles were knitted together in vertical and horizontal angle.
This piece is really beyond my knowledge, the idea appear in my mind is the color and the way these geometry shapes were sticked one to another which make me feel abtstract and the beauty of artist’s creation, I choose this art for art of delight because of that reason. “Seated beard man” is a sculpture Maya culture, was created in northern Maya lowlands, state of Campeche, jaina island, around the Late Classic period, A. D 600 – 900. this sculpture was made from ceramic and paint, this is an statue of a Maya nobleman wearing a a large shell on his chest.
The Maya loved spiny oyster shells, bright red on the outside, and the lord wear them on important festivals, he also wears a turbanlike headdress, he seat with one leg on another, and left hand holding the right hand wrist, he looks serious which show us that he is one of the most important member in his society. This sculpture represent for art of commemoration because it reminds that how a Mayan look like and perhaps the man itself. The next paint is called ”The virgin of the Immaculate conception”, was painted in late 18th or early in 19th century.
The artist remains unknown, we just knew that this paint came from south America, probably Bolivia or Peru, like other paints, it was made from oil on canvas. The piece includes the standard depiction of the Virgin standing on a crescent moon, beneath the Virgin is a dragonlike Satan, around the Virgin are angels with the symbol of the Virgin(Lily flower) in their head, at the bottom left of the paint is St. John as the prosecutor of Christ and at the bottom right is St. Francis looks to the Virgin. This paint is an example for art of worship and ritual because of its tenor..
The last piece I want to discuss about is called “Seated warrior figure”, which was created in 100 B. C – A. D 250, it is from State of Jalisco, Mexico, made from ceramic and slip. This were common in the visual art of culture during that period of creation. The warriors are depictedveither sitting or standing and wielding a weapon or shield, the purpose of use remains uncertain, but such figures were often placed in funerary context. Because of that use I think this piece is an art of worship and ritual.
