Essays and Research Papers on Art From Ancient Cultures

This is a 6 page paper discussing the man eating bird “Hokhokw” mask of the Kwakiutl Indians as displayed at the American Museum of Natural History. The mask was used in potlatch and secret ceremonies of the Kwakiutl and is an excellent example of the transformational masks of that time as the hinged beak opens ...

This 8 page paper discusses the use of Art and Artists by the Church from the time of Constantine to the pre-Renaissance era. Examples of artwork and artists given/cited. Bibliography lists 5 sources.

This 6 page paper considers the main metalworking techniques used in Western Europe during the period c.1100-1250 AD including a discussion on metalwork techniques that also involve the use of other materials such as enamels. The bibliography cites 8 sources.

This 11 page paper deals with how Africa was viewed by early nineteen hundred Europeans. The continent was not only considered intriguing to them, but also influencial. This paper cites seven sources.

A 5 page paper which compares and contrasts the world views of India and China, with particular emphasis on religion. Bibliography lists 6 sources.

This is a 6 page paper discussing the features of Romanesque and Gothic art and architecture. The 11th to 15th centuries saw a great surge of the Christian Church within Europe which was emphasized by the persuasiveness of the Crusades. The growing population of the Church increased the demand for the increased presence in architectural ...

(3 pp). After 1900 BC, when the Amorites conquered all of Mesopotamia, the Sumerians lost their separate identity, but they bequeathed their culture to their Semitic successors, and they left the world a number of technological and cultural contributions, including the first wheeled vehicles and potter's wheels; the first system of writing, cuneiform; the ...

A 15 page discussion of the evolution of Greek sculpture with an emphasis on drapery treatment over time. Bibliography lists eight sources.

A 5 page paper that discusses some of the great works of architecture and art, and then examines how these were influenced by classical forms. Bibliography lists 4 sources.

A 5 page examination of Indian art. The author explores the many factors which have impacted Indian art, identifying it as one of the more complex and captivating art traditions in the world. This paper then proceeds to trace the continuity throughout time which characterizes many elements of that art, some of which ...

A 5 page paper which compares two sarcophagi, both from Rome, “The Return of the Body of Meleager to Kalydon” and “The Indian Triumph of Dionysus.” Bibliography lists 3 sources.

A 10 page paper which examines the Bodhisattva Maitreya, Indian from the 3rd century BC, which resides at the Cleveland Museum of Art, or may have recently been purchased by the Lowe Museum of Art in Miami. The paper also discusses other Bodhisattva Maitreya sculptures and the development of Buddha sculptures in general. Bibliography lists ...

A 6 page essay describing this famous sculpture by Thumose. Also discussed are mystery embodied in the artistic methods and political and societal concerns surrounding this work. Bibliography lists 2 sources.

An 8 page overview of La Parisienne, the fragment of a wall painting unearthed at Knossos Palace. Describes the painting and discusses its relevance to Minoan art and culture. Bibliography lists 6 sources.

A 7 page research paper describing the world and religious views of each tribe and their impact on arts.The writer describes how certain worldviews of each tribe contribute to the art forms including sandpaintings of the Navajo and kachina dolls of the Hopi. Bibliography lists 6 sources.

This 5 page report discusses Tom Wolfe's essay on modern art and then reviews the work of one of the artists who fits into his dismissive description of 'modernism.' Bibliography lists 3 sources.

A 10 page analysis of the similarities and differences between the religions practices by these two ancient cultures. The writer explores processional practice, festivals, cult-wagons, and semantic expressions. Bibliography lists 7 sources.

This 5 page paper looks at gender in Ancient society as depicted by Apuleius's The Golden Ass. The role of the female is discussed in terms of the society in reality as well as how it was depicted by the author. Bibliography lists 3 sources.

This 5 page paper examines Penjing, the formal and real name for 'Bonsai,' the art and science of growing miniature trees and shrubs in decorative pots. This green art form has been labeled the 'pearl' in the art of Chinese ornamental horticulture. Bibliography lists 5 sources. ...

A 5 page paper discussing various perspectives from which Praxiteles' nude and her effects are studied. The ancient Greeks had a god or goddess for every reason, many of which were personified in statuary which was then located in the various temples built in honor of these forms of deity. Study of these ...

This 5 page paper explores the seventeenth century as the age of artistic Chinese individualists, as shown through the work of Kung Hsein (1616-1689) and Shih T"ao (1641-c1717). Their use of line expresses both a traditional approach to painting combined with their own life experiences. Bibliography lists 5 sources..

This 12 page paper explores the sculptural form of Greek art which evolved steadily and achieved elegance over a period of seven hundred years. The beauty and emotional appeal of an object, or its aesthetics, was essential, or at the core of Greek thinking. As Plato said, 'If there are arts, there is ...

A 6 page discussion of the wall paintings of the Etruscan tombs. References the paintings of Tomb of the Triclinium, the Tomb of the Baron, the Tomb of The Bulls, the Tomb of the Lionesses, the Tomb of Fishing and Hunting, the Tomb of the Augurs, the Tomb of Orcus and the Tomb of ...

(5pp)Most indigenous peoples have a similar symbology which gives them a framework for their own personal movement in the Universe. Their life is related to the seasons, their brothers - the four legged, and the natural elements of earth, fire wind and water. It is natural that the expression of these constants vary since ...

(20pp)For centuries, the Chinese have been using Feng Shui to create harmonious living environments that promote well-being (Rossbach 3). When man aligns himself with the natural forces of good energy he will experience good fortune, however, if man aligns himself with disturbing energy, he will be met with misfortune. The Chinese feel ...