Art History: The Definitive Guide

Adam and Eve 1504 Engraving 

This engraving portrays the first humans to exist on earth. In Durer’s engraving, the humans are depicted in some dark Germanic forest. By employing the theory of perfect human geometry, Durer developed two life-sized figures of Adam and Eve in an artwork full of symbolism (Kosinski, 2018). The engraving depicts the nude figures of the first humans standing side by side in contrapposto positions with only leaves covering their private parts. A fig tree trunk that stands at the center of the engraving symbolizes the tree of knowledge just as is mentioned in the holy books. On Adam’s right hand is a branch of mountain ash with a parrot perched on it. The branch symbolizes the Tree of Life. A keen observation shows a total of eight other creatures including a bull, elk, rabbit, cat, goat, mouse, parrot, and snake. Four of these creatures symbolize the four human temperaments or humor (Durer, 2019). The rabbit symbolizes a sanguine personality; the bull signifies a phlegmatic personality; the elk represents a melancholic personality, and the cat represents a choleric personality (Sterling and Francine Clark Art Institute, 2011). The four animals are portrayed in serene poses that exhibit a tranquil state of perfect equilibrium.

In addition to these, a goat perched perilously on a cliff edge is depicted in the background of the engraving. Traditionally, the goat would be a symbol for damnation and lust (Durer, 2019). On the other hand, there is a parrot perched on a branch just above Adam. This parrot symbolizes wisdom and the virgin birth. Similarly, a mouse that stands at the feet of Adam represents male weakness upon confrontation by a woman (Sterling and Francine Clark Art Institute, 2011). Apparently, there is a cat that is strategically positioned at Eve’s feet with its attention fully focused on the mouse. Finally, there is the serpent entwined around the fig tree trunk with an apple on its mouth. Eve appears to be holding this apple as well. The symbolic representation of the serpent in this engraving is the evil. The bent over a nail that fixes the serpent’s tail to the tree trunk is also symbolic of Durer’s artistic skill and knowledge of theories and techniques of art (Durer, 2019).

The Founding of Tenochtitlan page from the Codex Mendoza (1542) 

This is a book (codex) created by the Aztec scribes years after the Spanish conquest of Mexico. This codex that features traditional Aztec pictograms with Spanish commentary records the descriptions of the Aztec people’s daily life, the history of the Aztec rulers and their conquests, and a list of the tribute paid by the conquered (Shaw, 2019). The first page of the Codex Mendoza depicts an idealized symbol of the city of Tenochtitlan. The city’s symbol is the eagle that is perched on a prickly pear cactus that appears to grow from a stone. The city is divided into four quadrants by waterways from the lake that surrounds the city. To symbolize the nearby cities conquered by the Aztecs are the victorious warriors and early leaders that are depicted sitting in the quadrants. The central quadrant was the space dedicated to the most important ritual buildings for the Aztec people and their culture.

Among these ritual buildings is the Templo Mayor which is simply a twin-pyramid specially designed for the worship of Huitzilopochtli, the war patron and Tlaloc, the rain god (Shaw, 2019). The ritual precinct featured a skull rack set in opposition to the twin pyramid building. Individuals would be sacrificed by priests from the top section of the temple onto the stones and their hearts quickly pulled. This sacrificing symbolized the survival of the sun.

The Hip Pendant Representing an Iyoba (“Queen Mother”) 

This is the ivory hip ornament made for the famous king Oba Esigie of Benin City, Nigeria during the Middle period, c. 1550 CE to symbolize an Iyoba (queen mother). Idia, the Iyoba was tasked with protecting and advising her son Esigie, the King. The headdress and neck ruff ornaments are symbolic of the Portuguese mercenary soldiers who were easily identified by their round European-style hats, long hair, and beards. The headdress features a Portuguese soldier’s face and a mudfish. The Portuguese’s face symbolizes great wealth and military power brought to Nigeria’s Oba kingdom. Mudfish are used as symbols for Edo kings due to its ability to survive in dry riverbeds during dry seasons.

Tar Beach, Acrylic on canvas, and pieced cloth (1988) by Faith Ringgold 

Tar Beach as used by Faith Ringgold does not literally point to a geographic beach near an open ocean but a rooftop where Cassie Louise would escape to with her family during the hot summer (Shmoop, 2019). Escaping to the roof is symbolic of how Cassie escapes from reality into imagination especially following the distress she suffers after her father leaves. Ringgold uses the imagery of tar to draw the reader’s attention to the power of Cassie’s imagination and ability to make the best out of a difficult situation. More importantly, it must be noted that the book is set during the Great Depression when families such as Cassie’s were going through difficult financial challenges. Therefore, Tar Beach is symbolic of Cassie’s family’s skill of changing simple materials into adorable experiences (Shmoop, 2019). Also, Cassie’s family would not easily get a real beach as most beaches within their reach were segregated.

There is a lot of symbolism around the pierced cloth as illustrated by Ringgold. The quilt is symbolic of Cassie’s family and heritage. The colors of the fabric squares of the quilt are symbolic of the garden-like border and sense of familiar warmth for Cassie especially during these hard times of Great Depression. Just like the colors surrounding the page gives the book a warm, cozy feeling, so are the memories and daydreams that Cassie experiences add warmth, color, and happiness of a quilt to her life (The Art Story Foundation, 2019). On the other hand, pulling the quilt would imply darkness which actually represents the challenges facing her family which include the Great Depression, racism, and her family’s situation as African-Americans. Cassie’s imagination of a free bird that can take a flight is symbolic of her desire to fly away from her family’s problems and oppression as African-Americans (The Art Story Foundation, 2019). This theme was significant given that she lives at a time before the era of heroic civil rights activists such as Martin Luther King Jr. and Rosa Parks.

Part B 

Analysis of the Functions of the Above Works 

Durer’s engraving of Adam and Eve borrows from the opening biblical scene of Adam and Eve in the Garden of Eden to fulfill his desire of deriving humanism into renaissance art in Europe. It was the norm of the Renaissance artists to use the theme of Adam and Eve to produce idealized canonical proportions of the nude that depicted classical models of beauty and harmony (Kosinski, 2018). From the contrapposto pose, skin texture, muscular form, to the tonal variation between human bodies and the forest behind them, Durer found a vibrant relief and three-dimensionality of the figures in his artwork (Kosinski, 2018).

On the other hand, the hip pendant depicting an Iyoba was meant for political purposes. Idia who was the Iyoba played a leading role in the talks that saw an end to a lasting civil war and stabilization of the Edo kingdom during King Esigie’s reign (Rain Queens of Africa, 2012). It is for this purpose coupled with her role in protecting and advising the king that the pendant mask was made to pay homage to her for her political achievements. Therefore, during the 16th-century, kings could wear this ivory pendant during important ceremonies as a hip decoration and in memory of the Iyoba (Rain Queens of Africa, 2012).

Similarly, the Codex Mendoza which was commissioned by Don Antonio de Mendoza, the then viceroy of New Spain after was named after him for his role in the Mexican conquest. The manuscript that dates as early as 1529, is believed to have been prepared in haste to be sent to Spain for it to be seen by Charles V, the Holy Roman Emperor and King of Spain. According to the conquistador Jeronimo Lopez’s testimony, the manuscript was prepared as a tribute for the conquered towns (Shaw, 2019). However, while on board to Spain, French privateers attacked the Spanish fleet and seized the codex to France where Andre Thevet wrote his name on five places on the codex.

Finally, Ringgold’s Tar Beach takes place during the time African-Americans faced challenges such as Cassie’s family’s financial struggles over the period of Great Depression, racism, and her family’s situation as African-Americans (Shmoop, 2019). As a feminist, Ringgold’s message was timely in encouraging women to liberate themselves by confronting huge masculine icons symbolized by “the bridge.”

Use of Imagery in the 21st Century 

In the 21st-century marketing and communication, brands have embraced digital media over the traditional methods. This is due to the changing target market characteristics. Attention is shifted to the generation Z that grew up in social, mobile, and digitally connected world (Brenner, 2015). This generation’s communication is more of emojis as compared to text messaging. The main reason why brands are embracing emojis is to reach their target audience in elegantly easy ways and demonstrate how they are on top of the latest communication trends. The use of emojis and other computer-guided communication imagery has been on the rise in the present digital world. Today, computer-mediated communication is the primary means through which people connect with one another for professional and personal reasons (Bliss-Carroll & Nicole, 2016). Emojis support this communication by relaying thoughts, emotions, and attitudes. Generally, emojis and GIFs serve to insert certain relational cues into digital interactions that lack in text-based communication (Ouzká, 2018). However, emojis are used within unspoken, social limitations or rules.

References  

The Art Story Foundation. (2019). Important art by Faith Ringgold. Retrieved from https://www.theartstory.org/artist-ringgold-faith-artworks.htm 

Bliss-Carroll, & Nicole, L. (2016). The nature, function, and value of emojis as contemporary tools of digital interpersonal communication.  MA in English Theses ,  15 , 1-74. Retrieved from https://digitalcommons.gardner-webb.edu/english_etd/15 

Brenner, M. (2015, February 25). The rise of the emoji for brand marketing. Retrieved from https://www.theguardian.com/media-network/2015/jan/26/rise-emoji-brand-marketing 

Durer, A. (2019). Adam and Eve engraving by Albrecht Durer. Retrieved from http://www.albrechtdurer.org/adam-and-eve-engraving/ 

Kosinski, R. (2018, April 24). How and why does Albrecht Durer's engraving, Adam and Eve, reflect his interest in Italian Renaissance theories of ideal human proportions? Retrieved from https://www.rebekahkosinskigallery.com/blog/2018/4/22/how-and-why-does-albrecht-durers-engraving-adam-and-eve-reflect-his-interest-in-italian-renaissance-theories-of-ideal-human-proportions 

Ouzká, J. (2018, May 24). Translating 21st century symbols. Retrieved from https://www.gala-global.org/blog/translating-21st-century-symbols 

Rain Queens of Africa. (2012, November 4). Iyoba Idia: The hidden Oba of Benin. Retrieved from http://rainqueensofafrica.com/2012/11/iyoba-idia-the-hidden-oba-of-benin/ 

Shaw, J. (2019). Codex Mendoza: History & origin. Retrieved from https://study.com/academy/lesson/codex-mendoza-history-origin.html 

Shmoop. (2019). Tar beach symbolism, imagery, allegory. Retrieved from https://www.shmoop.com/tar-beach/symbolism-imagery.html 

Sterling and Francine Clark Art Institute. (2011, March 13). The strange world of Albrecht Dürer. Retrieved from https://www.clarkart.edu/exhibitions/durer/content/symbolism-adam-eve.cfm