Art History

 The Great Zimbabwe is the largest stone complex in Africa before the modern era. It was constructed between the 11th and 15th centuries.   It was inhabited by the Shona people until about 1450. The ruins that survive are about 4 hours from Zimbabwe's present day capital of Harare.   The word Zimbabwe translates from the Bantu language of the Shona to "judicial center" or "ruler's court or house." Only few of these houses have survived the exposure to the elements over the centuries. Within these clay structures, excavations have revealed interior furnishings such as pot stands, elevated surfaces for sleeping and sitting, as well as hearths.             The stone construction of the Great Zimbabwe can be categorized into roughly three areas, the Hill Ruin, the Great Enclosure, and the Valley Ruins. The Hill ruin dates to approximately 1250 and incorporates a cave that remains a sacred site for the Shona peoples. The cave once accommodate...

                                    Buddhism was a faith that was founded by Siddhartha Gautama, "The Buddha", more than 2,500 years ago in India. With about 470 million followers, scholars consider it to be one of the major world religions. The practice of Buddhism has historically been more prominent in East and Southwest Asia.                    Followers of Buddhism don't believe in a supreme god or deity. They instead focus on trying to achieve a state of enlightenment - a state of inner peace and wisdom. When followers reach this state of enlightenment they are said to have reached nirvana. The path to enlightenment is attained by utilizing mortality, meditation, and wisdom. Buddhists often meditate because they believe that it helps awaken the truth. The religions founder, Buddha, is considered to be an extraordinary man, but not a God. Buddh...

                When people think of the word Gothic in the modern day they usually think of things that are dark, haunted houses, or people wearing black nail polish, dark clothes, and ripped fishnets. The original Gothic style was actually created to bring sunshine into people's lives. It was mainly used in churches, castles, and other buildings with great meaning.                 To get past the modern definition of Gothic, it's best to go back to the very start of the word. The Goths were a so-called barbaric tribe who held power in different regions of Europe, between the collapse of the Roman empire and the establishment of the Holy Roman Empire. These people were not known for great achievements in architecture though.                 The Gothic style grew out of the Romanesque architectural style. From roughly 1000 to 1400, several significant cathedr...

  The ancient Greeks viewed the nude form very differently than we do today. Male nudes were the ideal form. Women were depicted as clothed in the ancient times. Female nudes were rare at this time in comparison to the countless male nudes.  Most classical artists' goal was to create a convincing illusion for their viewers. Artists who sculpted the images of gods and goddesses tried to make their statues appear like a real life figure.   An example of this is the sculpture Aphrodite of Knidos by Praxiteles, who was one of the most renown sculptors of the 4th century BC. He was also the first to sculpt a nude female form in a life size statue. This sculpture was so lifelike that legends were spread about the statue coming to life and speaking to people.  The "Aphrodite of Knidos" was one of Praxiteles' most famous works, and quite possibly one of the most famous sculptures of Classical Greece. His work inspired artists for centuries to come.  This sculpture was s...