Donatello’s Equestrian Statue of Gattamelata: A Renaissance Masterpiece
Donatello’s Equestrian Statue of Gattamelata
This is a monumental sculpture in the round, made of bronze in 1453 for the square of the Basilica of San Antonio de Padua (Italy), commissioned by the heirs of Condottiero Erasmo of Narni, dictator of Padua. The picture itself is built on a horizontal elliptical block, isodomous perfect, as the bronze unit makes them appear together as if they were born conjointly.
The sculptor Donatello was proposed in this example to leave the typical Venetian funerary
Read MoreIndian Art: Raja Ravi Verma to D.P. Roy Chowdhury
Rama Vanquishing the Pride of the Ocean (Raja Ravi Verma)
Title: Rama Vanquishing the Pride of the Ocean
Artist: Raja Ravi Verma
Medium: Oil on canvas
School: Modern School
Subject Matter: The theme is from Valmiki’s Ramayana, depicting Sri Rama vanquishing the ocean’s pride. Sri Rama, with his monkey army, prepares to go to Sri Lanka to rescue Sita from Ravana. The ocean blocks their path. Rama requests passage, but the ocean refuses. Angered, Rama threatens to dry up the sea.
This episode illustrates
Islamic Art: Origins, Influences, and Characteristics
Islamic Art: Origins
The term Islamic art covers the artistic production of all countries where Islam is the predominant religion. This religion originated in the early twelfth century in the Arabian Peninsula, centered around the figure of Mohammed, who, during his time in Mecca, began receiving revelations from the angel Gabriel. These revelations were collected and written in the Quran, the Islamic holy book, which contains all Islamic precepts for Muslims to observe.
After Mohammed’s death,
Read MoreUnderstanding Culture, Civilization, and Intercultural Dialogue
Culture and Civilization
The word ‘civilization’ comes from the Latin terms civis (citizen) and civitas (city). Speaking of civilization is to talk about the city itself. In the eighteenth century, the Encyclopedists modified the meaning of the term. According to them, historically humans progress from a state of savagery to the perfection of civilization. In this sense, ‘civilization’ does not support plural: it is the progress of humanity. Today, when we speak of ‘civilization’ in different ways,
Read MoreRomanticism: Historical Context, Art Features, and Evolution
Romanticism: Historical and Cultural Context
Romanticism shares some historical and cultural context with Neoclassical features, including the Industrial Revolution, the emergence of the proletariat, revolutions in transport, the Academy, and the Salon. It was a period of bourgeois revolutions, where the bourgeoisie faced absolutist and monarchic restorations in the riots of 1820, 1830, and 1848. There was a generic concept of people as a whole, not just privileged social classes. The proletariat
Read MoreBrunelleschi’s Dome: Architectural Marvel of Florence Cathedral
Brunelleschi’s Dome of Florence Cathedral
The Dome of Santa Maria del Fiore
Location: Florence, Italy
Dates: 1418-1446 (Quattrocento)
Dimensions: 114 m (height) x 41.7 m (diameter)
The magnificent dome of Florence Cathedral, also known as Santa Maria del Fiore, is an architectural marvel of the Italian Renaissance. The cathedral itself, a Gothic masterpiece, was begun in 1296 by Arnolfo di Cambio and continued by Giotto, designer of its iconic campanile, and other architects. The cathedral follows
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