Essay Sample on Cradle of Civilization: Exploring 10000 Years of Mexican Culture

Introduction

The culture of Mexico was inhabited for more than 10000 years ago and became one of the cradles of universal civilization. Mexico was a crossroad for the people culture by then, under Spanish rulers, it influenced most people around the city. The independent government of Mexico later promoted the share of cultural traits as an identity. Individual Mexican culture had significant impacts on religion, gender, location, and social class. Today, Mexicans are among the most traditional conservers around the globe (Matsuk 2015). Mexican culture is proud of the art and architecture inputs in the innovative world. This research paper discusses the art achievements, legacies, and elements of art and architecture by Mexicans with concrete examples of analysis.

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Earliest Art in Mexico

The Olmecs, currently the civilized Mexicans, had their first art invention in architecture in 1000 B.C- there came the rise of pyramid-builders (Matsuk 2015). The architecture arts are up to today the unique art ship among Mexican heritage as Mexicans base their Deities conservation to the pyramids. The building materials were purely hardened clay, and workers obtained from voluntary engagements. Beliefs made each Olmec individual contribute to the construction.

The pyramid of the sun remains a matter of conjecture in the Mexican heritage. Sun pyramid is the largest pyramid from ancient times as it is 216 feet above the earth's surface and its base measures 730 by 760 feet. This pyramid is unique as it dominates the east side of the dead, main north, and central Teotihuacan areas of Mexico City, and at around 1000000 cubic yard area. The pyramid has been on modification with time, but structures and models kept original. Mexicans believe there was a temple at the top of the pyramid where intercessory with their gods were done (Matsuk 2015). Sacrifices including human sacrifices to plead the gods occurred here, and therefore up to today, the pyramid is a sacred place to the Mexicans. Later revelations discovered mud pots, stores containing shards, obsidian pieces, creature bones, greenstone human molded figures, and greenstone vizard. In 2013, two pillars summited from pits located in the pyramid, and it represented the figures of ancient Mexican gods (Matsuk 2015).

In the Spanish colonial periods, art craft curving started by Olmecs. Original carvings made from wood logs and stones. The head shapes of believed gods' natural looks were done and preserved in religious places. The god of fertility stature and that of the god of thunder were the first successful curving (Matsuk 2015). Earlier trials had failed due to the breakage of stones and inappropriate wood cracks. Later, along the streets were curving of legends, including kings, worriers, and religious leaders.

Mexico's paintings started in 1500 BC by the wild Mexicans called Nahua. A great achievement was in the work of Juan Gersonwho decorated the early Mexican churches with individual scenes of the old testament. By this time, there were no unique additions to the drawings, but efforts resulted in the acquisition of tequitqui, which was a motif filler from foliage, pineapples, and corns. The paintings had to be church-based, although secular arts were silently made in fear. The first religious drawing was the Mass of Gregory. The picture that also incorporated featherings and wood arts. The sketch had a Christian message of prayers, church engagement, symbols of Christianity, and supremacy of Christian God. The artist to this painting was Diego, a lady who loved the culture and concentrated in indigenous writing and sketches.

Famous Artist in Mexican Heritage Art

Saturnino Herran Guinchard is a famous Mexican artist. He applied to describe community activities, including farming, hunting, religious, and traditional activities. Saturnino Herran Guinchard was also a book illustrator, draughtsman, and a stained-glass colorist. Saturnino Herran drawing 1917 is one of his drawings with several colors and illustrations that depicts multiple races in the community, natural habitats for both human being and animals, their strengths, dignity, and inherent beauty. A smoking port shows the preparation of Mexican meals. A shield signifies hunting and gathering as one of the activities in the community (Matsuk 2015). Two people are bowing while one is facing up in the sky; this indicates the religious norm in society.

In another painting, The Offering (1913), Herran describes modernisms with its figurative illusion to life's excursion. A small vessel in a canal with blossoms describes death in tradition. Featuring is a young man, a baby, and an older man offering blossoms to the dead, and an event that is done when someone dies. Each character represents an alternate phase of life though they are generally following a similar end goal and regarding their course as depicted in the community.

In his career, Saturnini finally became a muralist to become a revolutionary of society. In this art, he describes how the forces of goodwill confront evil forces represented by conquistadores and capitalism. In his other well-known triptych, Our Gods, he displays amazing goddess Coatlicue who gave birth to sun, moon, and stars.

Personal Art Interpretation

According to Saturnino art named La Cosecha, 1909, community activities, for example, farming, transportation, and allocation of duties are depicted. The four-strong men carrying heavy luggage to represent the role of men in society. Two cows show that the community practices mixed farming (Matsuk 2015). All men are putting on hats to show the hot climate in the region. A lady carrying a baby in her arms represents the role of women in society. Every man is helping one another to load the luggage on a courier to represents the unity in the community. The art depicts a sunny day and dry land to express the conducive weather for harvesting. A portion of the painting representing a blue sky indicates the climate in the region. All men are masculine, which depicts the strength of a man in society. The ratio of men to ladies can be used to indicate a high population of males than females in the community. Saturnino paved the way for other artists by creating masterpieces with deep and relatable meaning like brevity and strength by using masculine men (Matsuk 2015).

Elements of Art and Principles of Design Application in Mexican Arts

Color is one of the features used widely in art in Mexico to represent many of their lifestyles. For example, Amate paintings are made in black and whites, which represents many activities in the community. Brown colors apply identification birds, flowers and rabbits, and also daily community activities like hunting by use of vegetation, and harvesting (Ann, 2007). This is shown by the color representing the vegetation in many parts. The white color made with pen and ink is used to describe cultural events, celebrations, and also analysis of many activities. A colorful plate of fruits, mostly in three dimensions with different types of fruits, is also used to represent the culture of the community.

A wooden fish, mostly in three-dimension has two painting styles, and a larger fish is decorated with activities of the community, which include farming and dancing. Small fish have painted images of animals like birds found in the city. Blue colors in a drawing represent the sky (Ann, 2007). Painting with feathers represents a precious element, unlike when other colors are used, for example, silvery art.

Rotable paintings as a type of Mexican art portray the religious influence in the region, which mostly found dominance in catholic Nahuatl paintings that are done by Nahua people and are used to reflects the indigenous practices which refer to people in their original homelands. Various geometry is used to prehistoric the prehistoric methods in Mexico, pyramids, temples, and textiles that portray ochre red to distinguish them from other structures (Ann 2007). Parallel lines identify a cross contour. Cross contour sketches typically follow the rules of viewpoint, with lines drawn closer together in the space and further apart in the forefront. In this type of drawing, the illusion of three-dimensional volume is created exclusively with a line.

Talavera pottery is used to portray the influence in the region, which includes Chinese, Arabs, and Spanish. Baroque, which is a very decorative style, is used to indicate abuse always related to colonialism in the prehistorical periods. However, lines of different density, for example, implied lines are used to indicate various environments.

Mexico's culture remains a significant influence on social activities up to date. Preservation of beliefs and traditions can be secure through the method of art ships. Legends of Mexican art contributes a lot to the conservation of heritage. Therefore, art should gain respect and have maintenance. The architectural work in Mexico is the best example of all heritage on how artwork can help in maintaining traditions and culture preservation. The entire generation of Mexico can quickly learn and understand their culture through the artwork present.

Work Cited

Matsuk. (2015). Mesoamerican Civilizations-The Evolution of Mesoamerica." Imperialism and the Origins of Mexican Culture, 2015, doi:10.4159/9780674286412-001. Accessed 20 Feb. 2020.

Anne Tobert. (2007). Art and Design. Elements of arts and principles of design, doi:10.7816/idil-06-33-03