Art Objects Created During the Western Zhou Dynasty

Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on Art Objects Created During the Western Zhou Dynasty specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More The bronze vessels, including the You, as they are on display together, represent simultaneously art objects, objects of ritual significance, and a medium of social exchange. Created during the Western Zhou dynasty (1046 – 771 BCE), they were used for funerary and other ceremonies involving wine and possibly food. As such, they reveal something about the craft and artistic sensibilities of their makers, but they also may show relationships between individuals, families, and the living and the dead. In their display in the Metropolitan, they share with other objects of religious value on exhibit there an ambiguous position. This is because the museum itself functions as a surrogate temple to the aesthetic and intellectual deities of modern life (Duncan 1995, 478). The assemblage of funerary vessels, container, and altar table are arranged in what appears to modern western eyes as a tea or coffee set, either set out for a reception, or offered for sale. All the pieces are together, none are in use, and everything is placed to show at optimum advantage. It seems, however, that this may not have been the way these objects would have been seen by the Bronze Age folk who crafted, commissioned, traded, presented, and buried them. The archeological evidence is still murky regarding the specific uses of all these items although it is known that they figured prominently in funerary, commemorative, diplomatic, and kingly ceremonial activities (Yan 2011). These bronzes are the product of a casting method quite different from that of other Bronze Age peoples. They are cast in pieces, and then assembled. This allows for more elaborate and detailed decoration on the interior of the mold (Metropolitan Museum of Art 2011). In addition, since these are very heavy items, easily reaching 50 pounds, this technique sounds like it might have made the casting process easier on the arms of the craftsperson. The piece under specific discussion here is the You, or wine container. It apparently functioned as a individual serving piece for wine.Advertising Looking for essay on art? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More The wine would have been heated up, perhaps on the small ritual altar table. There is room underneath for a brazier or dish of hot coals and it looks somewhat like more modern Asian bed warmers. Wine, when heated up, gives off fumes that alter consciousness. It is tempting to speculate that there was some mental connection between the evanescent fumes of the wine, and the persistent but non-corporeal aspects of the human spirit. The use of wine in all sorts of ceremonial activities was not new, and had been present in the previous Shang dynasty. The Zhou, however, apparently tried to reduce the amount of drun kenness by changing the shape and size (Travel China Guide 2011)(and presumably therefore, the capacity) of the containers. The wine container has a decorated heavy strap handle, which terminates in a mask-like face of some sort of creature. This mask is typical of such bronze pieces, and such masks were termed taotie. The exact significance of such figures is not fully understood (Metropolitan Museum of Art 2011). However, it is tempting to draw a comparison with the presence of totemic animals throughout native American spiritual beliefs and practices. The totemic animal represents the characteristics of the person or family, e.g., cleverness, bravery, persistence, etc. This one has some of the look of a fox or other member of the family canidae, although it is highly stylized to the point that it is not recognizable to modern eyes. It also has some resemblance to certain modern dragon faces. The eyebrows are raised, and prominent, as are the eyes. The mouth is open and the ears a re up and alert. The possible animals shown in taotie masks might include tiger, dragon, deer, sheep, ox, bird, human beings, phoenix, or cicada (GG Art 2011). There are repeating designs all around the lowest register, and the top one. These may have been stamped into the interior of the mold before casting, representing an advance in mass-production (Metropolitan Museum of Art 2011). It is possible these designs had symbolic significance, perhaps as invocations or messages to the dead (GG Art 2011), or were actually characters in early Chinese pictographs, Certainly, some similar pieces can be ‘read’ this way, revealing how these pieces were presented, or captured, or left as legacies from one person to another (Yan 2011).Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on Art Objects Created During the Western Zhou Dynasty specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More However, whether the repeated symbols around the middle of t he piece constitute symbolic images or writing, the ability to reproduce them accurately and clearly over and over again would have offered obvious advantages. The symbols, repeated precisely and in volume, might well have seemed more ritually or magically effective to those who cast these pieces and those who used them. Both this piece and the larger wine vessel have protruding ‘horns’ which are very reminiscent of the shape of more modern pagodas. This shape, as used in house and temple design, has been popularly believed to duplicate the shape of mountains. The protrusions also look as though they could help in lifting these objects to move them around. They also add to the conspicuous complexity of the overall design, which was doubtless a marker of status and prestige for whoever commissioned this piece, presented it, or received it. As noted earlier, the museum display may not reflect at all what their use would have been like in real life. They are known to have been buried with prominent individuals, and presented as gifts and to seal treaties. They were also used in banquets to honor the dead, termed sacrifices (Rawson 1967). Where did these take place? Did they occur in the ancestral hall? How many people would have been involved? Did they involve a seated meal together? None of such applications would necessarily have involved the arrangement shown in the glass case. The altar table, for example, is of a size to allow it to be carried to a gravesite in order to carry out commemorative or appeasement rituals to the ancestors and the recently deceased[1]. On the other hand, these items were passed from one family member to another (Yan 2011) , and presumably, before they were interred with the deceased, they were on display, but how, and in what setting? The piece termed You is for individual service, although it seems not significantly different in mass from the largest piece in the display. All these pieces must have been examples of co nspicuous consumption, given the immense amount of fuel and raw material that needed to create these objects. In the Metropolitan Museum, the You and its companions are presented as a ritual assemblage imprisoned in a glass case inside a building that thousands come to with greater regularity than their church, synagogue. There is a great deal of layering of meaning in this. The original meaning of the vessels as funeral furniture is long lost.Advertising Looking for essay on art? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More However, the beauty of the artisanship allows viewers to appreciate them as sculpture rather than as either utilitarian (which they are) or ritual (which they also are). The museum functions as a frame (Duncan 1995, 476) that permits viewers to place their own meaning on these fascinating examples of ancient Asian craft, art, and spiritual observance. Works Cited Duncan, Carol. â€Å"The Art Museum as Ritual.† In Civilizing Ritual, by Carol Duncan, 473-485. London: Routledge, 1995. GG Art. â€Å"Copper.† GG Art. 2011. Web. Metropolitan Museum of Art. â€Å"East Asia.† Metmuseum.org. 2011. Web. Rawson, Jessica. â€Å"Ancient Chinese Ritual Bronzes: The evidence from tombs and hoards of the Shang (c. 1500-1050 BC) and WesternZhou (c. 1050-771 BC) periods.† Antiquities. August 1967. Web. Travel China Guide. â€Å"Western Zhou Dynasty.† Travel China Guide. 2011. Web. Yan, Sun. â€Å"Inscribed Bronzes in Early Western Zhou Tombs: Funerary Gifts, Giftin g and Social Network.† University of Chicago. 2011. Web. Footnotes The weight of all these items, however, suggests that some help was needed to haul them around. Since human sacrifice was apparently a feature of funeral practices, perhaps the unlucky individual who was left in the grave with the deceased could help to carry the items. This essay on Art Objects Created During the Western Zhou Dynasty was written and submitted by user Elaine Hahn to help you with your own studies. You are free to use it for research and reference purposes in order to write your own paper; however, you must cite it accordingly. You can donate your paper here.

Compare and Contrast on Marriage essays

Compare and Contrast on Marriage essays Marriage to me is a give and take relationship between two people who love and understand each other. I am twenty-six years old and my wife is twenty-five so we are pretty close to the same age. We started dating in 1994 and were married in 1999. My wife and I have been together for about eight years now and have seen the good times along with the bad. My wife and I have many differences, but our similarities are enough to make it all worth it. Nythosia, my wife, has a problem with making decisions. If we were going to dine out for the evening and the choice of restaurant was up to her it would be time for breakfast before she decides. This makes her special to me because she takes her time and thinks about what she really wants. On the other hand, I have something in my head that automatically shuffles all our choices and pops an answer out almost immediately. Secondly, Nythosia has a temper that is like a stick of dynamite with a short fuse. She has the tendency to blow up at the smallest of things, but thats okay I still love her anyway. As for myself, I am as relaxed as they come when it comes to most situations. You would have to work pretty hard to get me upset over something. Although we have different temperaments, when it comes to relaxation we are in agreement that it is a necessity of life. Next, when it comes to money, Nythosia could stretch a dollar like a rubber band. If they would appoint my wife in charge of the national debt, she would have it straightened out quickly. Now with me, a dollar does not stand a chance. If my dollar were a rubber band it would be a very small one. One thing we have in common is that we believe in working hard for our money. We agree that working hard for our money makes us appreciate it more. Procrastination is a word I am very familiar with. I will put off a bill or payment of some kind in a heartbeat. On the other hand, Nythosia will pay bills a month early if she can. ...

Aviation Security Case Study Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words - 1

Aviation Security - Case Study Example The aviation industry has historically been an attractive target to terrorists; this is by far the most potent threat facing the aviation industry. Several steps have been taken to heighten security in the aviation industry. Security systems were first implemented in airports on a large scale in the 1970s after cases of commercial aircraft hijackings became common (Harris 2002). This involves usage of metal detectors to check luggage and passengers, scanning of passengers with metal detection wands, physical checks on luggage, interrogation of suspicious passengers and strict verification of identification documents. To some extent, these measures have succeeded in reducing the levels of insecurity that existed in the aviation industry. However, criminals always find other ways to defeat the system, as is evident in the September 11 terrorist attacks in the United States of America and past airliner bombings. The current security policies and regulations in airports could be enhanced in order to become more effective. Security personnel in airports should be paid higher salaries, as a way of motivating them to perform well in their duties. They should also be better trained, since inattentiveness on their part could result in the smuggling of well-hidden bombs and weapons into aircrafts by terrorists. It is also necessary to subject these personnel to frequent background checks; there have been cases of staff assisting terrorists to commit their crimes. An example of this is the hijacking of TWA Flight 847, in which staff members aided terrorists by hiding weapons in the washroom; these were later used by the terrorists to carry out their deed (Harris 2002). Potential candidates for security personnel jobs in airports should be selectively chosen with regard to their ability to handle these jobs. Such criteria would include possession of cognitive abilities, abstract reasoning and alertn ess. Another feature that should be incorporated in