Art Appreciation Essay, Research Paper

Page 84, 3-22 Hungry Tigress Jataka, Tamamushi Shrine. (Stokstad)

Page 159, 7-3 Finding of Baby Moses, Synagogue at Dura-Europos, Syria. (Stokstad)

Page 233, 10-13 Bishop Odo Blessing the Feast, Bayeux Tapestry. (Stokstad)

I chose three works of art created during different time periods and different cultures: Bishop Odo Blessing the Feast Bayeux Tapestry, is from the Romanesque Period, Finding of the Baby Moses panel of wall from the Synagogue at Dura-Europos, Syria is an example of Jewish Art, and Hungry Tigress Jataka panel of Tamamushi Shrine from the early Asian period in Japan. I plan to compare 7-3 and 3-22 with the story telling of present day culture aspects whereas, 10-13 tells a story but nothing like the others. (Stokstad)

Finding of the Baby Moses (second half of 3rd century) is a biblical story based on Moses being found in the Nile. Moses mother set him afloat in a basket down the Nile in an attempt to save him from the decreee of the reigning pharaoh that all Jewish Male infants be put to death. The pharaoh’s daughter found him when she came down to the river to bathe. She raised Moses as her own child (Stokstad, p159). This is a detailed wall painting from the Synagogue Dura-Europos, Syria: tempera on plaster.

Bishop Odo Blessing the Feast, Bayeux Tapestry (1066-1082) is based on the Norman Conquest of England in 1066. The Tapestry is embroidered in eight colors of wool on eight lengths of undyed linen stitched together to form a hanging 230 feet long and twenty inches high. The Tapestry was made for William the Conqueror’s half brother Odo, Bishop of Bayuex in Normandy and Earl of Kent. Bayeux Tapestry is a major political document, celebrating William’s victory. This piece shows Odo, William, and others feasting at a curved table on the eve of the battle of Hastings. This piece of the Bayeux Tapestry is sections 47-48 (Stokstad, p233).

Hungry Tigress Jataka (7th century), Buddha is shown nobly sacrificing his life in order to feed his body to a starving tigress and her cubs. The tigers are at first too weak to eat him, so he jumps off a cliff to break open his flesh (Stokstad, p85). Hungry Tigress Jataka is from a panel from the Tamamushi Shrine, Horyu-ji. This piece of art is made out of lacquer on wood, with a height of 2.33 meters.

7-3 and 3-22 (Stokstad) seem to tell stories based on cultural aspects: these pieces of art display somewhat of a step by step story outline. The Finding of Baby Moses is shown as a panel with a continuous narrative set in a narrow foreground space. In this artwork the story is laid out as to how Moses was placed in the Nile and then when he was found. This is very similar to the Hungry Tigress Jataka where this also tells a story in a step by step manner. In this panel at the Tamamushi Shrine the Buddha is shown in different parts of the story. Buddha is shown jumping off the cliff, his bones breaking and then him feeding the cubs with is body. 3-22 makes more use of colors than 7-3, 3-22 is made out of lacquer whereas 7-3 is just a simple wall painting.

In today’s culture, works of art tell stories very similar to 7-3 and 3-22. During the time period that Hungry Tigress Jataka was created most artist told stories about Buddha and his good doings. Finding of the Baby Moses is during the Jewish art phase were most artists created works telling biblical stories. These works of art were very much welcomed during this time period, everything was based on religion. Whereas today’s culture is based upon so many different things and ideas, but yet artists still create works of art that tell stories.

Bishop Odo Blessing the Feast, Bayeux Tapestry is completely different compared to the other two works. In this Tapestry this piece is from the sections 47-48. In this section is shown the feast before the Battle of Hastings. This piece of art doesn’t necessary tell a story, this section of the Bayeux Tapestry, Bishop Odo Blessing the Feast was created in honor of two very important gentlemen. During the Romanesque period things were more created to show history or to make something look better than it really is. This piece of art catches the eye with all of its different colors, the length, and the design. It was really unique at the time, and still there is nothing found quite like it in the world. This Tapestry shows history at its most crucial time, whereas in today’s culture there isn’t much history that is being created into art.

All three of these works of art are very different compared to today’s standards. In today’s culture there are still works of arts telling stories just as they are informing us on history that is happening.