Essay Example on Exploring Art History: Analyzing Visual Arts Objects

Introduction

Art history is can be defined as the study of art objects in their stylistic backgrounds and historical improvement. The art history as an academic discipline offers an opportunity for research of visual acts to determine their history, format, style, design, and genre (Stokstad & Cothren, 2016). The academic discipline analyzes different arts such as furniture, photography, sculpture, ceramics, painting, and architecture among other decorative materials. The discipline distinguishes art from criticism that aims at comparing the value of different artwork but focuses on the study of movement and trends. Art history as an academic discipline aims at observing and analyzing the different historical forces that influence certain creation. The discipline also connects art to historical factors affecting the society by relating it to economic, religious, social, and political matters. Art history enhances the understanding of the core areas of decorative objects. Moreover, the academic discipline helps the current society to understand their ancient way of life; because the research analyzes the time the object was created. The objected is also associated with different issues that were happening at that particular time.

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Human and Natural Threats to Artwork

According to Kushner (2016), several natural changes and human activities pose a threat to the ancient artwork. These threats continue to affect the arts and could lead to their non-existence in the future. One of the significant human threats to the artwork is the increase in population. The global population continues to increase tremendously, but the size of land they inhibit remains the same, resulting in an imbalance. The difference between humans and natural resources has been increasing because they need more resources to survive than the earth can provide. Therefore, in efforts to seek satisfaction and life fulfillment, humans introduced urbanization, hence they invade lands that have been preserved for arts. Construction of roads, industries, and railways is important because it enhances the transport of goods and people. However, these developmental and industrialization initiatives come at the expense of artwork, and they may be destroyed forever. Other human threats to artwork include pollution resulting from industrialization. Water and air pollution destroy most of the historical sites and monuments across the world. Pollution cause discoloration of monuments because of the smoke emitted from vehicles and factories. Industrial production of electricity through burning coal and other fossil fuels leads to the emission of poisonous gases to the atmosphere. Green-house gases such as Carbon IV oxides, nitrogen, hydrogen, and sulfur oxides cause acid rain that corrodes the art's surface gradually until it loses the original appearance (Kushner, (2016). Acidic rain destroys many arts that are located in cities and towns where industrialization takes place.

Heavy and high-speed winds are natural threats to artwork because they destroy trees that act as a cover wall for the monuments. One of the covers is destroyed; the winds also cause the collapse of the monuments (Kushner, 2016). Moreover, winds may carry salt and sand that destroys the surface of the monument by destroying its surface, leaving an unprotected one that is sensitive to other threats. Another natural threat to the artwork is increased humidity that creates a favorable environment for corrosive reactions even in the absence of rain. Global warming is one of the issues affecting the world today and has a direct effect of the artwork. It causes increased heat from the sun that destroys the appearance of the arts. Wildfires especially in areas that experience long summers pose threats to the artwork. For instance, Greece has dry vegetation and high winds hence fire spread easily during hot summer destroying arts near forests (Hall & Thomson, 2017). The responsible department should develop strategic measures to control both human and natural threats to the artwork. Arts are important because they reflect an individual's culture at different periods; hence there is a need to preserve them.

Megalithic Architecture

The construction of the Megalithic Architecture was derived from the Greek. "Megalith" is a Greek name "Megas" meaning high. Likewise "Lithos" is also a Greek word that means stone. Therefore, megalithic is a term used to describe buildings that are constructed with large stones without concrete or mortar (Taylor & SFrancis, 2015). However, not all structures constructed of large stones are called megaliths because the term is only used to describe a specific class of monuments. The structures are not only constructed with big stones but they have sepulchral as a sign of commemorating graveyards. Megaliths architecture is associated with death rituals, and it describes burial places that are constructed with large stones away from the living dwellings (Kushner, 2016).

Newgrange is made of various graphics of Neolithic rocks that are well-carved on its surface. The rocks are carved in different shapes that form a curvilinear design. The shapes include arcs, circles, serpents' shapes, and spiral. However, the designs of the structure depend on the skill level of the artisan. The carvings were prepared before the construction of the monuments to save time and also improve on quality.

Likewise, the interior of the Tholos Tomb in Mycenae Greece is also a spherical building believed to have existed between 1300-1200 BCE (Hall & Thomson, 2017). The structure is constructed in a hillside with stones and craved blocks along with the doorways. It has different small columns of stones decorated by spiral motifs and chevron patterns. The main hall is constructed by a corbeled design, and the passway to the outside leads to a beehive tomb. The stones are designed in an overlapping style that decreases at the top forming a peak. One large stone called a capstone covers the peak of the building. However, the building is covered with mound from the accumulated dirt over time.

The Pantheon is an architecture that looks like the Roman Empire believed to have existed 1500 years ago (Hall & Thomson, 2017). Originally, the structure was constructed as a temple because 'Pantheon' is a Greek word that means honor all gods. The entrance of the structure represents a rectangular temple. However, the circular shape was concealed to create a dramatic effect that attracts and surprise tourists. Rotunda was a large spherical hall constructed with bowl-shape.

Located on page 148 and 149 in the textbook.The construction of the Dome of Florence Cathedral started in 1296 in the Gothic style and completed in 1436 (Hall & Thomson, 2017). Designed by the Filippo Brunelleschi, the Dome is enclosed with polychrome panels. The dome was the first octagon structure constructed without a temporary supporting frame. The design forms the Latin cross with a large vault with an opening at the top to brighten it with sunlight. The inner structure is protected by the shell with an octagon drum sitting on the outside. Brunelleschi, the artisan, was inspired by the Pantheon, and he developed the double-shell to support the large dome. The shell was constructed by marble and sandstone. Brunelleschi built the dome with bricks because it was lighter than that of stones (Stokstad & Cothren, 2016).

References

Hall, C., & Thomson, P. (2017). Inspiring school change: Transforming education through the creative arts. Routledge.

Kushner, R. (2016). National Arts Index 2016: An Annual Measure of the Vitality of Arts and Culture in the United States Americans for the Arts.

Stokstad, M. & Cothren, M. W. (2016). Art: A brief history (6th ed.). Boston: Pearson Education, Inc.

Williams, H. (2015). Beowulf and archaeology: megaliths imagined and encountered in Early Medieval Europe. Oxford University Press.