Art is a unique phenomenon that people view as a way to express their feelings or capture the moment and guarantee that it will be remembered and appreciated by the next generations. At the same time, art represents the state of society at a certain stage of growth as it demonstrates the technological progress needed to create a specific piece, dominant values embodied in a work, and perspectives on the concept of beauty that were appreciated by people of that time. That is why analyzing different objects, it is possible to create an image of an epoch and understand the culture and stylistics of the era, along with other meaningful aspects.
Historical Art Periods
For instance, Medallion with a Portrait of Gennadios can be considered a bright representative of a specific period. It is a Roman artwork made in around 250-300 (“Medallion with a Portrait of Gennadios,” n.d.). It is made of gold on dark blue glass and looks attractive and exquisite. From the object’s description, one can see that the port city of Alexandria is presented in the artwork (“Medallion with a Portrait of Gennadios,” n.d.). The Medallion can be viewed as the typical representative of the art of antiquity. Ancient Greece and later, the Roman Empire contributed to popularizing the unique style across the world (Stokstad & Cothren, 2017). Being the leading power in the world, the Roman state spread its influence to distant regions, and the city of Alexandria, once founded by Greeks, was also influenced by it. For this reason, the Medallion can be considered a typical representative of the Roman art of that era. The face of a person looks similar to antique statues, while the choice of materials and the general style help to conclude the existence of visible similarity.
The second artwork chosen for the analysis is called Moses Gill. It is also a medallion depicting a Boston hardware merchant and governor of Massachusetts and used as a wedding gift for his wife (“Moses Gill,” n.d.). It is made of oil, gold, and copper (“Moses Gill,” n.d.). The object radically differs from the previous one, mainly because it was created in a distant epoch characterized by new ideas and visions of art. The materials used previously, such as gold and glass, are replaced with oil and copper because these materials are more typical for the USA of that time. At that epoch, the state was governed by the British Empire, and its art was influenced by European visions and ideas. However, American art also had its own unique features, and the selected medallion represents them.
Elements of Arts and Principles
Analyzing both works, it is possible to admit some art elements and principles of design used by their creators. Thus, Medallion with a Portrait of Gennadios is created in following doctrines dominant at that epoch. The face is beautiful and attractive, with straight lines and curvy hair. The given style was often used in antiquity by ancient artists to emphasize the human body’s beauty and represent its most important features (Honour & Fleming, 2013). Moreover, the figure is placed in the middle of the medallion following the basic principle that can also be noticed on other objects of that era (Honour & Fleming, 2013). Finally, the materials, gold, and blue glass, were also elements of Roman art and can be found in other famous objects (Stokstad & Cothren, 2017). In such a way, the Medallion combines typical features of art and reflects that time’s culture.
Moses Gill is created following other principles. The artist selected oil to create a naturalistic and recognizable image of a merchant. Realism and attempts to represent various details of the image were among the popular approaches in America of that time. The lines are soft, and the colors are not too bright, making the picture similar to other works created by using oil during that period (Honour & Fleming, 2013). The choice of colors is also linked to the dominant tradition of realism and the method used by artists of that period (Honour & Fleming, 2013). The portrait is also placed in the center of the medallion; however, it can be seen that the picture is asymmetric, which differentiates it from the first work made by Roman masters. Moses Gill demonstrates the principles that were employed by artists at that epoch.
Similarities and Differentness Between Artworks and Other Objects
Stylistically the two selected artworks are completely different; however, some cultural aspects link them to other forms of art or objects. As stated previously, the Medallion with a Portrait of Gennadios is a representative of Roman art with features typical to that period. For this reason, it can be compared to statues or even buildings erected during the dominance of the giant Empire. The majority of antique figures made of marble have faces created by using the technique similar to the approach that can be seen in the Medallion (Ramage & Ramage, 2014). Straight and confident lines are used to create the perfect image of a beautiful person (Ramage & Ramage, 2014). The architectural forms of the Roman Empire were also similar. Many ancient temples or palaces were created using squares and straight lines with multiple columns (Ramage & Ramage, 2014). Moreover, they were decorated with glass and gold, demonstrating the similarity between objects and their belonging to the same epoch.
Moses Gill represents the dominance of other values, which is reflected in the way it is made. Stylistically and culturally, it is a bright representative of the art of the 18th century. Portraits were created by artists to demonstrate the unique features of every person and their unique skill in creating images that looked similar to the real-life prototypes (Stokstad & Cothren, 2017). For this reason, Moses Gill resembles other artworks of that period. Moreover, similar patterns can be found in the architecture and buildings erected at that period. Curvy shapes and specific forms can be found in the construction of the Capitol, founded in1793 (Stokstad & Cothren, 2017). The Empire style, which emerged at the end of the 18th century, incorporates all epoch values and demonstrates people’s desire to create unusual and attractive elements of art (Stokstad & Cothren, 2017).
Conclusion
Altogether, art is a unique tool that helps people to express themselves. However, it also represents the world at a particular stage of its development. The artists follow styles dominant in society at the moment. Moreover, the use of materials, the choice of shapes, and elements of art are also preconditioned by the existing understanding of art, its functions, and trends. For this reason, the works Medallion with a Portrait of Gennadios and Moses Gill can be considered typical representatives of their epochs. They show viewers the ideas and methods employed by creators and, at the same time, help to understand the concept of beauty peculiar to people in that era.
References
Honour, H., & Fleming, J. (2013). The visual arts: A history (7th ed.). New York, NY: Laurence King Publishing.
Ramage, N., & Ramage, A. (2014). Roman art (6th ed.). New York, NY: Pearson.
Stokstad, M., & Cothren, M. (2017). Art history (Vol 1, 6th ed.). New York, NY: Pearson.
Medallion with a Portrait of Gennadios. (n.d.). Web.
Moses Gill. (n.d.). Retrieved from Web.