Existing comment:
Arts of the Ancient Mediterranean and the Ancient Americas:
From the earliest civilizations to present-day society, art has served a variety of functions. Egyptian rulers used art to express their power to the illiterate masses. The hierarchical composition of their artwork, where the largest images are the most important, successfully communicates the nature of their society. The Greeks' interest in humanism is demonstrated by their idealized representations of the human figure. The art of Italian civilizations reflects its integration in everyday life and demonstrates that Italians decorated life's objects with their art.
In the New World, civilizations flourished along the Pacific coast, from Guatemala and Mexico down into northwest Argentina, beginning in 1250 BC and ending with the arrival of Spanish conquerors in the early 16th century AD. Throughout this pre-Columbian world and its many cultures, art became an integral part of society, both religious and secular, political and ceremonial, public and private. The works of art on display show the role of art in society, from mundane drinking vessels to ceremonial pendants and figural deities.
Look for similarities between the pre-Columbian pieces and their counterparts from the ancient Mediterranean. |