Ahist 1404 Written Assignment Unit 1 PDF

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Art as we know it comes in different forms and is created by the artist for its own particular purpose. Whether it is used as something to enjoy in museums and exhibitions or as decoration in luxury parlors they are interpreted and analyzed differently from individual to individual. Two different people can look at the same sculpture and have two different emotions. They may like or dislike the design or proportion of the sculpture or not necessarily appreciate the effort put into creating it. In this paper two statues will be analyzed. I will compare and contrast the two statues namely, the statue of Memi and Sabu, and the statue of Gudea. The sculpture Memi and Sabu was made of limestone and paint, which was a common resource at the time in Egypt around 2575-2465 B.C. Memi and Sabu is a sculpture widely believed to have been a sculpture of husband and wife as pair statues usually represented couples. At first glance it’s clear to the eye that the male and female in this statue are facing straight forward, stiff rigid and standing up. They seem to be standing in a rather uncomfortable way. The man appears to have his arm draped over the woman’s shoulder resting on her left breast, and the woman has her arms around the man’s waist, which shows a sign of intimacy. On contrary belief although the statue evokes the intimacy of Memi and his companion, Sabu it does not signify romance. Certain aspects of the sculpture are detailed such as the decorative clothes and the attention to the styling of the hair. As much as the subjects are different heights their features are proportionate. The statue was initially found in a tomb. The old Egyptians believed that the spirit could use the statue as a home when they could not use the embalmed bodies. Pair statues we believed to act as a home to the spirits of the deceased, allowing them to reap the benefits of the gifts placed in the offering chapels of the tombs. So Memi and Sabu was most likely a funerary item. The sculpture of Memi and Sabu fits perfectly with the characteristics of its time. The statue of Gudea is a man sitting down with his hands folded across his lap and his feet are together which shows a real sense of quiet dignity and presented in a respectful manner. This sculpture was made of diorite stone which is uncommon and incredibly hard to carve but is extremely durable. It was made in 20290 B.C in Lagash, which is a city state in the area of southern Mesopotamia. The inscription engraved on his robe indicates that it is dedicated to the

God Ningishzida. This sculpture was created to last for an eternity. As one can see there are no projecting parts as the arms are close to the body and there are no gaps between the chair that he sits on and in the legs or between his feet and the base. Gudea is always shown barefoot and on the head it shows that he is wearing a hat that could maybe be made out of wool or fur. The clean shaven face of Gudea appears to be calm and collected. Gudea the prince of Lagash built the temple Ningersu. The statue of Gudea was dedicated to the God’s continuing to offer prayer for Gudea. Both these statues are made of very different materials one being a more common stone and the other being an uncommon stone which had to be imported. Both sculptures presented impeccable detail. When comparing both sculptures not only do their appearances differ their purposes are very different too. One had a more spiritual and paranormal function while another was a respectful tribute to the God’s. They were both made in different times and were of great importance and significance to the creators. Word count: 648 References: Seated statue of Gudea. In the Metropolitan Museum of Art. Retrieved June 24, 2015, from http://www.metmuseum.org/toah/works-of-art/59.2. Statue of Memi and Sabu. In the Metropolitan Museum of Art. Retrieved June 24, 2015, from http://www.metmuseum.org.toah/works-of-art/48.111. Gudea, prince of Lagash, seated statue dedicated to the god Ningishzida. Department of Near Eastern Antiquities: Mesopotamia. Retrieved from (date unknown), from https://www.louvre.fr/en/oeuvre-notices/gudea-prince-lagash-seated-statue-dedicated-god-ningishzida...