The Humanization of Gods and Kings in Renaissance Art

The Renaissance period of history was one that provided profound changes in the way in which people viewed traditional modes and models of thought, self-awareness, science, religion and art. What is interesting is the in the art of the Renaissance period is that the pulse of the time period is clearly reflected because much that was not explicitly stated in other modes is clear in the subtext of the artwork as subtext often appears below the radar of, for lack of a better term, censors of the period.When Galileo announced that the earth revolved around the sun and that the commonly held belief that the sun revolved around the earth was a fallacy, he was promptly thrown in jail. Therein lies one of the most forgotten aspects of the revolution of the Renaissance: much of what has become accepted in today’s day and age that derived from the brilliance of the Renaissance thinkers was not exactly welcomed by the traditionalists of the day. However, if there was a common flaw presen t within the realm of traditionalists it would be the fact that traditionalists are not known for possessing the common faculty of creativity.As such, much of the anti-traditionalist viewpoints of the Renaissance are present within the artwork of the Renaissance period and this anti-traditionalist, anti-classical approach found in the artwork are revealed upon closer examination of said artwork. Caravaggio’s The Calling of St. Matthew looks somewhat benign on the surface, but its underlying subtext betrays a profound departure from what is commonly considered the imagery of artistic representation of gods and kings.In order to understand this radical departure one must examine what was the common classical imagery of religious figures in the traditional era. That is to say, the traditional and classic imagery of religious figures was primarily one of idealization. The figures presented in Greek sculpture, for example, were generally depicted as flawless entities. The imagery was devoid of imperfections and it was clear that those represented and displayed in the artwork were presented as being ‘otherworldly’ and definitely not representative of the average person.(This lack of imperfection in the imagery of the gods is where the colloquialism â€Å"a body like a Greek God† derives) Now, this imagery of perfection was not designed in such a matter to be deceptive. Rather, it was done in such a way because there needed to be a distinct representative difference between Gods and Kings vs. plebian populace members. To a great extent, this was done in order to facilitate a belief in the gods. While there are many myths and legends found in the tales of the Greek gods, much of what is found in these tales was completely absent from the average daily life of the Greeks.The entirety of their religion was based on the premise of the existence of constant interference in the lives of ‘regular’ by mythic creatures, deities and enti ties, despite the decided lack of presence of any of these fantasy images in the daily life of those who believed in the legends. Hence, the legend of the myth must b preserved and in order to preserve the belief clearly no representation of the gods could invoke any criticism. Because of this, the visual imagery of the gods often wallowed in images of absolute perfection as a way of separating the gods from the common people.In Caravaggio’s world, the artist takes the opposite approach and in doing so the artist is consistent with the Renaissance approach to art which generally promoted a radical departure from classical art. To put it bluntly, classical art had long since become passe and was fairly boring and repetitive by the time the Renaissance occurred. The art world required a compelling new format and in The Calling of St. Matthew there is clearly evident a major departure from the classical art because religious figures are clearly de-mythicized and made far more hu man.Hence, religion becomes more real because it is in the hands of the people and not in myths. When one looks at the image of St. Matthew in the painting, there is an interesting psychology present within the frame: it is clear that St. Matthew is an everyman. That is, he is not a mythic god or a hero born of the gods. He is a normal person who lives in the real world surrounded by real people. Hence, St. Matthew is far more believable and more credible a figure than a mythic legend. Furthermore, to be like St. Matthew is attainable.For the average human to be like Hercules is impossible. However, to be like St. Matthew is attainable for all one needs to do is to turn one’s back on vice and live a life of faith. In the painting, there is a clear representation of Matthew turning his back on the world of money lending which is a life of vice. As such, to be like Matthew is attainable and this is an ideology that is thoroughly removed from the classical representation This ty pe of imagery is further seen in the neoclassical work of Jacques Louis David’s The Death of Marat.Jean Paul Marat was a hero of the frnch Rvolution who gave up a very successful life as a scientist to join the â€Å"good fight. † This would prove to be his undoing as he would later be assassinated. As such, Marat has bcome a symbol of selflessness and revolution in world imagery. What makes this painting interesting is the fact that there is a mix of humanizing and deifying the subject matter that while seemingly paradoxical on the surface is crafted into logical sense in the actual presentation within the painting.In other words, Marat is pictured at the moment of his death and his death appears remarkably unremarkable. In other words, he does not die in a cinematic or melodramatic manner. He collapses and dies like any other human. While a hero and an individual who achieved in his life more than what any other person in the world may achieve, he returns to â€Å"n ormalcy† in death. In a way, the subtext here is that any person can be a hero if they so seek to achieve such heights and one does not need the mythic powers of the classical heroes in order to make a difference,Additionally, Marat’s death imagery is very derivative of the common images of Jesus Christ’s death. Again, there is much subtext at work here as the similarity in the imagery would infer that Marat’s sacrifice was Christ like and selfless. Furthermore, it would also infer that the ability to be like Christ is found within everyone and can be achieved if one dedicates his or her life to such Christ like values. This is a RADICAL departure from the unattainable heights the classical gods and heroes embody in the ancient myths of antiquity.If there ever was a painting of the period that thoroughly lambasted the classical notion of gods and kings it would be Goya’s Saturn Devouring One of His Own Sons. In the legend of Roman (Greek) myth, Satu rn believed that his own sons would supplant his rule so he ate them. Now, this may seem morbid when reading the words, but there never was an image that depicting such a description much less one that depicted Saturn in such an unflattering manner. There is good reason for this: in Ancient Rome one would have been tortured and put to death for such an unflattering image.With Goya, the image is presented and it is presented in about as unflattering a manner that it could possible be presented: Saturn is depicted as a homicidal, maniacal lunatic. The expression in his face is that of insanity and mania. He is depicted about as far from a god as possible and the ugliness of his actions is clear for the world to see. In a way, this painting provides the proverbial final nail in the coffin of the traditional image of gods and kings by essentially stripping away any veneer of anything positive.The actions of the god are despicable and there is no attempt to put a positive spin on it. In a way, it would seem that those classic thinkers who repeated the tale of Saturn were nothing more than apologist for bad behavior and with his painting Goya essentially kills off the classical notion of what it was to be a god not by creating a false image, but by creating a realistic image. Bibliography Schneider, L. (2001) Italian Renaissance Art. New York: Westview Press. Snyder, J. (2004) Northern Renaissance Art. New Jersey: Prentice Hall.

A Change of heart About Animals Essay

Although much of modern day technology is focused on materialistic things rather than the issues, such as animal rights, which are more important. â€Å"A Change of heart About Animals†, by Jeremy Rifkin, is an article where he argues how animals have feelings and should have their own rights. He describes how animals have the ability to learn. What he doesn’t do is describe animals as a lower class, but as â€Å"Our fellow creatures† so he states in his article. In Rifkin’s article he uses language such as ethos, pathos, and logos while using a persuasive tone. Ethos is expressed when Rifkin credits the scientists at Oxford University with the testing of two crows and their ability to snag a piece of meat from inside a tube. Pathos is also expressed towards the end of the article when he emotionally calls animals â€Å"our fellow humans†. Last but not least logos is expressed when he states how the European Union outlawed the use of isolating pigs in stalls. Some have argued that by simple jester’s animals can live happier lives. For example, in Germany pig farmers are encouraged to give pigs twenty seconds of human contact each day. Some of the sponsors that provide this research are fast food purveyors, such as McDonalds, Burger King, and KFC. Their contribution has eased the pressure off of animal rights activists. Even though steps have been taken towards research development, there is still more to be learned. Because of such inhumane behavior shown by some farmers, some universities have introduced law courses on animal rights. Some of these Universities have filed law suits for animal rights. As a result of this Germany became the first nation to guarantee animal rights in its constitution. It just goes to show that there are still some good people out there. It’s obvious that more action needs to be taken towards achieving our goal at animal rights. With the help of animal activists and some major universities, we can achieve animal rights. It isn’t fare to them. That’s why it’s up to us to give our fellow creatures the rights and protection that they deserve. Just think, would you like to be caged all day with no say on what to eat, and live in hard conditions? A Change of Heart about Animals Essay In â€Å"A Change of Heart about Animals† Jeremy Rifkin says that animals have the same human qualities that humans have. And with that they deserve more if not the same amount of respect as human beings. He gives many examples on how some animals are human like emotion and skilled wise. I disagree with Rifkin. I think that most animals should not get more respect than human beings reason being that most of the animals he listed are going to be killed and be used for reasonable human use. To begin with, Rifkin gives many examples that are self contradicting to what he is trying to argue. First Rifkin says â€Å"Studies on pigs’ social behavior funded by McDonalds at Purdue University†¦ they crave affection and are easily depressed if isolated†¦ lack of mental and physical stimuli can result in deterioration of health.† Here Rifkin is saying that pigs need attention in order to stay healthy. I disagree with this because in the end the pigs are going to be killed and be used for human consumption so why would it care if they are depressed or not. Also, it contradicts itself because the people funding it are one of the major corporations killing thousands of pigs day in and out so it makes it seem like they are trying to save the pigs. Later he states â€Å"Philosophers long argued that other animals are not capable of self awareness because they lack individualism†¦ At the Washington National Zoo, orangutans given mirrors explore parts of their bodies they can’t otherwise see, showing a sense of self.† Here he is stating how animals do in fact have a sense of self awareness and that orangutans are a prime example. I disagree with this reason being that Rifkin didn’t give the name of the philosophers who said this, making it not credible because anyone could have said that. Also they are not really giving the orangutans to freely observe themselves because they have them locked up in enclosure at the Washington national zoo. All in all I think Rifkin does not give a strong enough argument. He gives examples that easily contradict him making his argument not credible enough for the reader. With this I think Rifkin is in no position to say that animals deserve more rights than human beings.

“I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings” Essay Essay

In the autobiography I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings, the main character, Maya, and her older brother, Bailey, have a very close relationship at the beginning of this novel. As children, they were each other’s best friends and they were inseparable. They did everything together and they even thought they had their own language that no one else knew. However, when they first moved in with Mother Vivian, their relationship starts to fall apart. â€Å"When spring came to St. Louis, I took out my first library card, and since Bailey and I seemed to be growing apart, I spent most of my days at the library†¦Ã¢â‚¬  (Angelou 76). As the two of them become older, their relationship grows more distant because of their different genders and the different activities each of them enjoyed doing. In the autobiography I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings, the main character, Maya, and her father have a very estranged relationship. Whenever Maya sees her father, she thinks of him as more of a stranger. Towards the end of the book, Maya’s father invites Maya to come visit him for the summer. When she gets there, she is shocked to see that her father lives in a trailer with his girlfriend who is roughly Maya’s age. Maya’s father invites Maya to come to Mexico with him to go get groceries. Maya agrees to go, and her father ends up leaving her in a shabby bar by herself to run off with his other girl. This just proves he is an unfit parent. â€Å"How could he leave in that raunchy bar and go off with his woman? Did he care what happened to me? Not a damn, I decided, and opened the flood gates for hysteria† (Angelou 236). Maya realizes that her father doesn’t give two shoes about her and has no interest in trying to be a father to her. In the autobiography, I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings, the main character, Maya, is moved from place to place and always has the feeling of displacement, or not belonging. I can relate to Maya’s feelings of displacement. Throughout my life, I too have moved to many different places and schools. I was used to being the new kid and having no friends. I used to be afraid to even make friends because I knew that I wouldn’t be in that school for too much longer after I did. After going to five different schools and living in seven different houses, I’ve felt the feeling of displacement many times and like Maya, had my issues with trying to connect to people. While reading this novel, I knew how Maya felt all those time she didn’t feel like she belonged and all the times she moved. Those parts are what go to me the most because I know how it feels to leave behind the  people you love.

12-Years a Slave Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

12-Years a Slave - Assignment Example He seems to be thinking hard about his present situation. The lighting of this particular picture is dull and unclear with the contrast being low. The colorization also, black and white, portrays a man who is sad, devastated and stressed because of his present situation. In the second birds-eye-view shot, a flashback, Northup appears to be contented with his state of being. He seems satisfied sharing bed with his wife and appears to be â€Å"at home." The picture colorization is bright and presents a situation where Northup is optimistic about the future. The difference in picture colorization presents different emotions and situations. The black and white picture color portrays a dull, unhappy mood while the colored picture presents a happy mood. In the first birds-eye-shot, Northup’s mood is depressed. Obviously, in his state as a slave, he is feeling lonely because his family is not with him. With his apparent state of being locked up and beaten, he also seems heart broken. In the second birds-eye-shot, Northup being with his family, the mood the pictures presents are warm. He is not only harmonious with his being but also calm and warm having his family around him. In the same setting, in the bed, Northup is even planning of the future with his wife. The shots and camera movements used in 12 years a slave are a variety. Sean Bobbitt the man behind the camera positioning of the film says most shots were taken when camera was handheld especially for the extended shots. With the handheld technique, Bobbitt explains that most people overuse the technique and at times do not bring out the intended results or does not tell the story effectively. A single camera was used in the shooting of 12 years a slave scenes. This is because, a single camera is more effective as it takes the whole idea unlike many cameras that will consume time during editing and make work difficult at the same time likely to compromise some information. Single camera

Social Security Programs Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Social Security Programs - Research Paper Example This was meant actually to ensure the retirees had some money at their disposal so as to ensure cash flow which would in turn stimulate the economy. In addition he also wanted this program to be an income supplement. This was also supposed to ensure that most people especially the old and disabled were to be entitled to a social security insurance program especially those who were of the aged (Dilnot, 1989). Over the past year there has been much to say about the social security fund though most talks don’t seem to be very appealing. The truth of the matter is the Us government is really having it rough now as far as the social security fund is concerned since the dependants today compared to the time when this project was initiated has rose by millions. In the coming 2-3decades this fund will be practically impossible to run and offer the citizens of US that social security it was intended for (Sacks, 2000). One major blow to the social security fund is the fact that the group of beneficiaries have been increased over time from just the elderly and disable to the spouse or minor children of a retired workers and another benefit was also included for the family of a worker who has dead prematurely. Now if you put together these facts together with the fact that Americans are living longer then this is a big blow to the success of this fund in the coming years (Sacks, 2000). According to the additional views by the Senator Robert J. Dole, the long term deficit that will be in the non-medical social security program translated to 1.8% of the taxable payroll. when one On closely looking at the projections of the actuaries, in the next 75years the benefits of this program shall be very challenging to payroll tax income translating to about $25 billion per year in deficit. This deficit is seen practically a big problem to the success of the social security fund and if not addressed this program has a very terrible

Minorities and culture Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Minorities and culture - Essay Example A concept of whiteness often comes up in different contexts. Â   Social sciences, linguistic studies, psychology, social work, gender studies and many others are focused on the ideas of whiteness. There is no doubt that the concept of "whiteness" is an integrative element of the modern social context. It is often claimed that dark color of skin is similar to peoples inability of a high-level performance. A modern society is well known for the presence of full kaleidoscope of skin colors. The scientists have often agreed upon the existence of a certain biological and genealogical basis, which identifies peoples performance in the global society. A concept of whiteness includes knowledge of body language, ideologies, behavioral norms and some practices, which have been developed for many centuries. The American colonies and the history of European white roots have been often considered as the dominant in development of the concept of "whiteness" (Barrett, 1977). We think about race in a different way and whiteness is based on different social insti tutions, such as legal, economic, educational, political and religious etc. Rothenberg underlined that a concept of whiteness and a rigid differentiation between a concept of "blackness" and "whiteness" are deeply rooted in America. On the one hand, the Europeans were focused on the differences in skin color, but on the other hand, they did not emphasize theirs. White people have often been ruling. The European monarchs have reigned for ages and it should come as no surprise that a stereotype of white dominance became a wide spread one. A power of control often belonged to white-skinned people. Only a small part of elite gains its power because of the color of their skin. It can be often argued that white race is not the greatest benefit, but the inner contents. W.E.B. Du Bois claimed that a "white blindspot" was the name of interests, which related to some white people. A concept of whiteness has a

Human Resources in Organisation Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2250 words

Human Resources in Organisation - Essay Example Had the management drafted a detailed employment contract where a proper notice period was outlined, the process of dismissing Karen would have been very easy. However, upon reasonable notice, the human resource manager can always terminate the employment of an employee should the employee become a bother within the company (Henry, 1999). In any company, a reasonable notice period for an employment to be terminated will depend on how senior the employee is, the length of service, their age, remuneration, etc (John, 2008). Catastrophe Concepts can use the statutory minimum notice period where for the case of Karen who have worked with the company for eight years, two weeks for the first three years and a week every year for the remaining five years are the minimum time that the company can give to Karen as the notice period. This sums to a total of eight weeks notice period that the company must give to Karen in order to successfully terminate the employment. If the employment is term inated without this period on notice, Karen has a right to sue the company for wrongful dismissal. The company may be required to pay compensation for wrongfully dismissing her.Instant DismissalIf Catastrophe Concepts want Karen to stop working immediately, instant dismissal is the most effective. The reason for this could be that the management is worried that Karen may not work effectively in the company if she is allowed to remain in the company knowing that she is just about to leave not willingly but being dismissed by the company. The management could also be worried that Karen may be disruptive in the work place and may even disrupt the operations of the machines so that poor quality products may be produced. However, for instant dismissal, the company will have to pay a particular amount of money for compensation for their failure to give notice. This payment is also known as a sum in lieu of notice. Since there was no detailed employment contract for the case of Karen, the payment made will be tax-free and will be up to a limit of '30,000 and national insurance deductions will not be included (John, 2008). When the calculations for the amount will be made, Karen's benefits such as the car will have to be included in addition to her salary