judaism. christianity. islam. hinduism. buddhismthis is an important side note: really part of last...
TRANSCRIPT
Religions and Women
Judaism. Christianity. Islam. Hinduism. Buddhism
IMPORTANTPOINTSUptothispointinthesemesterwe’vebeenlookingatimagesofthefemalefigureinart.BeginningwiththeRiverValleyCivilizaGons,inaddiGontothefemaleswelookedat,thereweremanyotherimages,includingofmen.Menareusuallydepictedaswarriors,godsorhero’s.Lessdiscussioninhistoryisgiventothefemale’srole,whichiswhywearehighlighGngithere.IwantedtoshowimagesofthefemalefigurebeforetheJudeo-ChrisGanerainart,becauseeverythingchangedaNerthat.
ThefemaleinChrisGanArt---SaintsorSinners.WeseemanyimagesofEveandtheVirginMary.Imagesofwomenandrolesforwomenarelimited.
IMPORTANTPOINTSTheothercivilizaGonswe’velookedatthusfarhavehadpolytheisGcbeliefsystems.Thismeanstheybelievedinmanygodsandgoddesses.JudaismandthenChrisGanityaremonotheisGc.Theybelieveinonegod.TheshiNfrommanygodstoonegodeliminatedcompletelythefemalefromgodstatusintheWest.SeemynoteonthenextslideregardingAristotle.TheeliminaGonofthegoddessfigureandthephilosophyofAristotleworkedtodiminishthefemaleroleinartandsociety.
FrommulGplegodsandgoddessestooneGod
Thisisanimportantsidenote:Reallypartoflastweek’sGmeperiodbutplaysoutthisweekTheGreekphilosopherAristotle,wroteaboutmanythings.HisviewsonWomenlaterinfluencedWestern(ChrisGanandJewish)andIslamicideasaboutgenderroles.1. Hewroteextensivelyonhowwomen
wereinferiortomen.2. InaddiGon,fair-skinnedwomenwere
superiorto‘darker-skinned’ones.3. HebelievedrelaGonsbetweenmen
andwomenwerehierarchical,withmenatthetop.
4. Healsodualized(tomakesomethingastwodifferentparts),maleandfemalecharacterisGcs.
AccordingtoAristotlemenare:RaGonalIntelligentAcGveResponsible(semen)forlifeFemalesare:IrraGonalEmoGonal(pronetojealousy,voidofshameorself-respect)DecepGvePassiveHisideasshi)edtheroleofthefeminineinsociety.Weares5lllivingwiththefall-outtoday.
TheendoftheRomanEmpireRomeeventuallybegantocollapseundertheweightofit’sownsize.InvadersfromoutsidetheempireandfighGngfromwithin,weakenedit’sstrength.ConstanGneemergedfrompowerstrugglesaNerthedeathofMarcusAureliusassoleemperorofareunifiedRomein324CE.HemovedtheRomancapitaltotheGreekcityofByzanGum,whichherenamedConstanGnople(wecallitIstanbul).ConstanGnemadeChrisGanity(onceanobscureJewishsect)Rome’sofficialreligion.Thischangedeverything.
PortraitofConstanGne,fromtheBasilicaNova,Rome,Italy,ca.315–330CE.Marble,approx.8’6”high.PalazzodeiConservatori,Rome.
TheByzanGneEmpireTheByzanGneEmpirebeganinabout330CEwhenConstanGnededicateditasthe“newRome.”ThewesternpartoftheRomanempirefellafewyearslater(476)andforabout1,000yearswhileEuropedeclined,theEasternpartoftheempiresurvived.TheChrisGanChurchreplacedRomanemperorsasthemostpowerfulforceinartandmostartfromthisGmeisChrisGan;storiesfromthebible.TheByzanGnestyle,basedontheirideas,wasverydifferentthanthatoftheGreeksandRomans.
ByzanGneartisstylized.Linear,flat,designedNOTtolooknaturalisGc.Commissionedbythechurch,theartworkwasdesignedtoseparateChristfromrealpeople.HeisaGod.ThisisamosaicfromachurchinRavenna,ItalythatdepictstheChrisGanstoryoftheloavesandfishes.Ca.504
ChrisGanImagesChrisGaniconographyincludeChurchsancGonedimagesof:• Christ(andcertainstoriesfromhislife)• Theholyfamily(Mary,Josephand
storiesfromtheirlives)• Storiesfromthebibledesignedto
teachthereligionandfordevoGon• Angelsandotherheavenlybeings• ChurchsancGonedstoriesfromthe
OldTestament(theHebrewBible)
InorderforpeopletoidenGfycharactersasholy,theyweredepictedwithhalos.TheearlyimageswereintheByzanGnestyle,thenlaterweseemorenaturalisGcstylesintheGothicandEarlyRenaissance.
ChristasPantokrator(theJudge),domemosaicintheChurchoftheDormiGon,Daphni,Greece,ca.1090–1100.
TheCultoftheVirginMaryEventhoughtherearefewreferencestotheVirginMaryinthebible,shebecameverypopularamongpeopleoftheGme.TheleadersoftheChrisGanChurchfoundawayofincludingherintheiconography(images)bydeemingherthe‘Theotokos’or‘MotheroftheGod’atacouncilin431.ANerthatGme,manyimagesarefoundandcathedralsdedicatedtoher.MaryseatedonathronewithChristinherlap.SheissurroundedbysaintsanddepictedintheByzanGnestyle.
OneoftheoldestimagesoftheVirgininByzanGum,thisencausGciconfromSt.Catherine’sMonasteryisfromca.600
TheCultoftheVirginMary
HerearetwomoreimagesofByzanGneVirginMaryimages.Botharemosaicsfromthewallsofchurches.AllimagesoftheVirginMaryfromthisGmeshowherthisway,withtheChristchildinherlap.
Thisone’sinSantaSofiainIstanbul
TheMiddleAgesinEuropeOnceEuropebegantorebuild,monkstravelingthroughItaly,France,SpainbringingChrisGanitywiththemareresponsibleforbuildingmonasteries,whichincludedchurchesthatgrewtotowns.TheRomanesqueperiod(c.1000to1150)andthentheGothicthatfollowed(c.1150-1300),weredominatedbyChrisGanArt.MostoftheartworkwassculptureandIlluminatedManuscriptpainGng.IlluminatedManuscriptsarebiblesthatwerehand-wrimenwithpainGngstorepresentthestories.DotheseimagesoftheVirginandChildremindyouofanything?
VirginandChild,1175-1200,wood,French
TheMiddleAgesinEuropeRomanesque(meaningRoman-like)isastylegiventoartworkfromabout1000-1150.DuringtheRomanesqueperiodsculpturesappearontheoutsidesofchurchesandcathedralsasawayofremindinganilliteratecongregaGonthestoriesofthebible.ManyofthesechurcheswerededicatedtotheVirginMaryasshehadgainedgreatpopularitybythisGme.Someofthemostpopularstoriesinclude:AdamandEveTheNaGvityTheSecondComingandJudgmentStoriesfromtheLifeofMary
ThetopimageisRomanesque,styleisflat,morelikeByzanGne.BomomisGothic,statuesarebecomingmorenaturalisGc.
TheissueofEve–thefirstmotherTheChrisGanOldTestamentisreallytheHebrewBible.SinceJesuswasaJewishmanwhoChrisGansbelievewasthepromisedsavior,theChurchleadersincorporatedtheHebrewBibleintotheChrisGanonearguingitprefiguredthecomingofChrist.ThestoryofAdamandEveisonethatisrepresentedextensivelyinart.EveisdepictedastheonewhotemptsAdamtodisobeytheWordofGodandhenceisresponsibleforthedownfallofmankind.Asaresult,sheisrepresentedasatemptress.She’sthesinner,responsibleforalloriginalsin.
ThetopimageisEvegivingtheappletoAdam,fromVezelayCathedralBomomis,Thetempta5onofEve,originallyonAutunCathedral.
TheMiddleAgesinEuropeBytheGothicPeriod(1150-1300)westarttoseesculpturesonthesidesofcathedralswithstoriesfromthelifeofthevirgin.Therearealsomanycathedralsdedicatedtoher.Astoryofherlifeemergesandartworkrepresentimportanteventsinherlife. TwoscenesfromthelifeoftheVirgin
Mary,TheAnnunciaGonandVisitaGon,ReimsCathedral,
NotreDameCathedralinChartresisdedicatedtotheVirginMary.InatympanumsheisenthronedwithChrist,surroundedbyangels.SheisworshipednowastheQueenofheavenaswellasthebodyofthechurch.
TheCultoftheVirginMaryInaddiGontothetradiGonalimagesoftheVirginwe’veseen,thousandsofstatuesandpainGngsofthe‘BlackMadonna”havebeenfoundthroughoutEurope.TheBlackMadonnaisamuchmisunderstoodfigureinArtHistory.Duetoracismandignorance,differentexplanaGonshavebeengiventowhyherskinisblack.Recently,LaGnAmericanscholar,Dr.MalgorzataOleszkiewicz-Paralba,aNerextensiveresearch,hassuggestedthesefiguresrelatetomuchearlierMotherGoddesses.
BlackMadonna’sfromthe12thtothe15thcenturies.
EarlyChrisGanArtTheearliestChrisGanartworkcomesfromDuraEuroposineasternSyria.DuraEuroposwasacityatthecrossroadsoftheGreek,PersianandRomanworlds.AtDuraEuroposweseeseewallpainGngsthatrelatetobothJewishandChrisGanthemes.
CrossingtheRedSea,DuraEuropos,3rdCentury,wallpainGng
ChristastheGoodShepherd,DuraEuropos,3rdCentury,wallpainGng
Judaism–theHebrewBibleThereareanumberofversesintheHebrewBiblethatmenGonaprohibiGonagainstthecreaGonofvariousimages.ThestrongestcomesfromtheTenCommandments,infact,thefirstoftheTen.“YoushallhavenootherGodbeforeMe.”Donotrepresent[such]godsbyanycarvedstatueorpictureofanythingintheheavenabove,ontheearthbelow,orinthewaterbelowtheland.Donotbowdownto[suchgods]orworshipthem.IamGodyourLord,aGodwhodemandsexclusiveworship.WhereMyenemiesareconcerned,Ikeepinmindthesinofthefathersfor[their]descendants,tothethirdandfourth[generaGon].ButforthosewholoveMeandkeepMycommandments,Ishowloveforthousands[ofgeneraGons]Exodus20:3-6
ReligiousleadershavecometointerpretthisprohibiGonasmostlyaboutsculpture.However,forthisreason,thereislessartworkinhumanformintheJewishtradiGon.Asaresult,artworkinJewishsynagoguesisoNensymbolicandhighlydecoraGvewithgeometricandnaturalelements.
Islam-ImagesofhumansandanimalsareoutlawedintheMuslimtradiGon.Theytoo,believethatmakingthesekindsofimagesbringshumanstooclosetoGod.Asaresult,theirmosquesandmanuscriptsaredecoratedbyintricateorganicdesignsandcalligraphyfromtheKoran.
MihrabfromtheMadrasaImami,Isfahan,Iran,ca.1354.GlazedmosaicGlework,11’3”X7’6”.MetropolitanMuseumofArt,NewYork..
Koranpagewithbeginningofsurah18,al-Kahf(TheCave),ninthorearlytenthcentury.Inkandgoldonvellum
HinduismThestoriesofHinduismcamefromtheVedicTexts.InthecourseofthefirstMillenniumBCEtheVedasweresucceededbytheUpanishadsandBrahmans.Thesewerenotwrimendownbutrecitedorally.Itwasn’tunGlthe2ndCenturyCEwhereweseethestoriesshiNtothecurrentHindugodsofShiva,VishnuandthegoddessShakG.Thentherearemanystoriesaboutthem.ThoughtheyaremenGonedmuchearlier,artworkdoesn’tshowupunGlthe2ndcentury.WhilethereisawidearrayofimagesinHinduart,thereisconsistencyinrepresentaGon.Thisisbecausetherearecanons(orcodes)forarGstsastohowtodepictthegodsandgoddess.
Themaingodswere:Shiva(hisfemaleconsortisShakG)VishnuThegodsandgoddessesalsohaveavatars.Thismeanstheycanshowupindifferentforms.SomeGmesShakGshowsupasDurga,anangrymothergoddess.ShivaandVishnuhavemanydifferentavatars.
HinduismImenGonedthereweremaingods(3really;Braman,ShivaandVishnu).ShivaandVishnuappearinanumberofdifferentforms.HereareafewoftheformsforShiva.NoGcethemulGplearms.Bemertoprotectwith.
Maybethemostwellknownisthecosmicdancer.
AsSadashiva,with3facesseatedonalotusthrone.
Verypopularisthe‘linga.’Shivaasaphallus.
Andaswehaveseen,Ardhanarishvara,halfmaleandhalffemale.
Hinduism—Shiva--ShakGFromtheearlierlotusgoddessweseetheevoluGonoftheyoni.ThisabstractedimageofthefemalevaginaisfoundinmanyHindutemples.ItissGllconsideredsymbolicoflifeandgeneraGonoflife,includinggoodfortune.
ShakGastheferGlityGoddess,
YonifromatempleinVietnam,
Hinduism—Shiva--ShakGShivaandVishnubothhavefemalecounterparts.Hinduism,unlikeChrisGanity,doesnotdualizemaleandfemale.ShakGisthefemalecompanionofShivabutsheisnotsubordinate.Shehasherownamributesandpowers.Shakti’s appearances range from goddesses of annihilation and death to those who guarantee peace and prosperity. InthisimageShakGisstandinginasimilarposetothe‘limledancer’fromtheMohenjoDaro,IndusValleycivilizaGon.TheScurveofherbodyisgracefulandsensual.Sheiswearingjewlryandacrown.Pantsbutnotopandstandingonalotus.
ShakG,.
Hinduism—Shiva--ShakGShakGalsoappearsasamulGarmedgoddess,Deviwhoisafierceprotector.Herlegendsdepicttheangry,ferociousaspectsofamothergoddess.
AlsoknownasDurgaShemanifestsasagoddesswitheightortenarmsholdingweaponsandskullsofdemons,andisastrideonaGgerorlion.
Hinduism-Vishnu-LakshmiVishnu’s wife is Lakshmi, the Hindu goddess of wealth, fortune and prosperity (material and spiritual). TheworshipofLakshmi,predatesthatofVishnu.ImagesofherhavebeenfoundintheIndusValleyareaasfarbackas1,000BCESheisalsoworshipedasaJainGoddess.AbeliefsystemthatpredatesHinduismandiscurrentlypracGcedinIndia.
ThisimagecarvedintothesideofatempleshowsLakshmiseatedonalotusthronebeingbathedbytwoelephants.Sheiswearingacrownandholdingheramributesineachhand.
Mainpointsthisweek1. Aristotle’s views on women
2. Representations of women in Christianity
The Virgin Mary Eve
3. The argument on use of Imagery to represent deities 4. Comparison of Christian images and roles for females and those of Buddhist and Hindu 5. Art is not created outside social, cultural (including religious) beliefs. The art we look at reflects and reinforces beliefs. This is really important for us.