Time Traveler’s guide to Elizabethan England

Posted on July 7, 2013 by acc1313

Time Traveler’s guide to Elizabethan England, Part I The Common People

Here is the first chapter of a delightful little BBC series. We are taken through history by a knowledgeable historian, right back to the 1550s. He retraces the everyday lives of the people. It is quite fascinating to explore the “golden age” of England through the perspective of the poor peasant people, to get a glimpse of their miserable lives. The host shows us the very different culture and beliefs of the time. Be prepared for shock as you learn the favorite past time of Elizabethans, Bear baiting… the cruel battle between a chained bear and English mastiffs, for the pleasure of the crowd. Or how beating your children was recommended, or how going to church was required by law…

Times change…. and values have as well. The process is fascinating. The world has changed dramatically since Queen Elizabeth the First, and many of those changes we so easily take for granted.

This documentary is filled with fascinating tidbits and snapshots from nearly 500 years ago.

Time Traveler’s guide to Elizabethan England, Part II The Rich

Time Traveler’s guide to Elizabethan England, Part III Brave New World

(Unfortunately All the episodes were removed from Youtube, due to the lovely Copyright infringement bots. Truly a shame, as these were excellent documentaries. I tried tracking it down but to no avail… However, Amazon carries both the original book and audio book the series was based on)

Geoguessr, Where are you?

Posted on July 7, 2013 by acc1313

Up for a little challenge?

Geoguessr photo Brazil

I came across this amusing online game, (Thanks to the Yogscast) and I was addicted. Geoguessr is a clever internet game that plomps you down at random, somewhere on the globe. It uses Google maps street view so you can explore the location and find out where you are. Just like this picture…

Now… you have to make a guess as to your location on the planet. This one was rather tough. (ended up being in Brazil). I prefer places like these… city views to explore. You can literally “drive” around the town to take a peek.

You have five different locations each gives you points depending on how close your are to the actual location. It’s quite fun, be prepared to be addicted.

http://geoguessr.com/

See if you can beat my high score of 17, 700

Ice Age Art, the Beginning of Everything

Posted on July 7, 2013 by acc1313

(This is part 1 of 5)

A beautiful documentary from the BBC about ancient art. Fascinating exploration of prehistorical art, with great explications and high, BBC quality.

Very much enjoyed this one. It’s fascinating to see and to try and understand that ancient art. We humans have always been pushed towards creating. One can only wonder why? Why must we seek out aestheticism, beauty and creation?

The documentary touches on an interesting correlation between the advent of art and the beginning of society, associating prehistorical art with the awakening of the human as we now know it. We can theorize that the process of creation might have helped develop the minds of the modern man. A very romantic idea indeed.

Mysteries of the Female Figure, Part 7 The Modern Woman II (final)

Posted on July 5, 2013 by acc1313

I was intrigued to see this artist as a sculptor. The name Matisse usually brought up thoughts of paintings and drawings for me. So it was quite intriguing to see some of his sculpting pieces. This was part of a series, four female figures seen from the back, emerging slowly from the stone. Even though this is a different medium, you can still get a sense of the artist’s “flavor” and style. (Nude from the back stage 1, Henri Matisse 1909)

I was intrigued by the heavy line work of this piece. The outlines were anything but subtle. Even the lines in the face were hard, heavy lines. Something about the contrasting black, yellow and white made this painting stand out. (Nini, dancer at “Folies Bergeres”, Kees VonDongh, 1907)

I liked the stylized figures of this artist. You could also see the progressing and simplification he was moving towards. The left hand sculpture predates the one on the top. You can almost see the creative process at work here.

(Series of Nudes, Henri Laurence, clay 1930-1947)

Here was another example of an artist having more than one specialty Andre Derain made a series of nude figurines (see previous post) but is obviously quite capable with a brush. Some of the facial features were similar between the two, but still. The similarities between sculpture and painting are not as clear as with Matisse. (Alice Derain portrait, Andre Derain, 1920)

Modern artists also used the female body as a means, integrating concepts and allegories in their pieces. Here, the artists is making a statement about reality contrasting with dreams and illusions. The female body is morphed and transformed. These last few slides present some of the strangest pieces I saw, a little puzzling and odd, some quite disturbing really but still original uses of the female form in their art. (“You shouldn’t see reality as I am”, Max Ernst, 1923)

Giacometti’s style was quite intriguing, pitted, rough surfaces, elongated and unnatural figures. Here is a woman, easily recognizable by her female attributes, but still in such a unique representation that I felt it was worth sharing.

(Woman from Venice V, Alberto Giacometti, 1956)

This portrait grabbed my attention and I ended up standing in front of it for quite some time. This gave me a chance to see some of the reactions of over viewers. Some were disgusted, perplexed, curious or scoffing. But no one really understood. Reading the nearby sign I discovered that the artist Balthus loved to make a ruckus He was an innovator, promoting erotic art. Claiming that eroticism was different than obscenity. He wanted to shock his viewers and make them ponder the question of nudity and eroticism in art. However this piece was quite disturbing. The model was the wife of a close friend of Balthus. They had a rather ambiguous relationship. Another dimension was the title “Alice” referring to the child’s book. She is wearing little ballet shoes, like a little girl, yet her body is that of a full grown woman. Her blank, blind stare makes her particularly unnerving.

(Alice, Balthus, 1933)

Bacon’s perspective was also a little off. A woman in a provocative pose, contrasting with the pure black darkness behind the doorway and seemingly melting away. He face was decomposing almost, the mismatched eyes and devious grin only added to the uncomfortable feeling you had when view this painting. (Female Nude Standing in Doorway, Francis Bacon 1972)

This was the last piece I wanted to share. An ephemeral ink and acrylic painting. There was something eyrie but fascinating about her. There was no story or interpretation offered here, leaving us free to imagine who this ghost like woman is, and to wonder what she might be thinking, staring back at the hordes of viewers passing by. She seems almost amused, with a slight grin, hiding some kind of secret we will never know. (Labeled, Marlene Dumas 1998)

Mysteries of the Female Figure, Part 6 The Modern Woman I

Posted on July 5, 2013 by acc1313

The Pompidou center offered a very different perspective on the female figure. I also found that women were one of the most common themes in the art here. There’s something to be said about the fascination of artists with the female body, trying to represent it, change it and mold it into something new, but still expressing the natural beauty of the women in their lives. After the advent of photography, the art world changed completely. Artists were seeking a new meaning to creation, a new inspiration, and women played an important part in that search for a new art.
(Naked woman sitting, Georges Braque 1907, Fauvist movement with outrageous colors.)

Picasso

Picasso’s vision of the world has always fascinated me. I simply marvel at the variety of his works, and so there are quite a few of his works here. The cubist movement was scorned and mocked, but I find it to be a show of technical prowess. It’s a much more challenging piece to admire and decipher, but definitely worth the effort.

Woman’s bust, 1907

Woman sitting in a chair, 1910

Girl with a hoop, 1919

Naked woman with Turkish hat, 1955

Women by the ocean, 1956

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I liked this series of sculptures, marble and stone women, standing with tilted heads. The one on the top in embracing a lover. The perspective is a bit odd, it almost seems like the breasts are in the wrong spot, I was a little puzzled at first, but it was in the cubist exhibit, so perhaps it is just a different point of view than what we are used to. The figure on the bottom gives of a gentle softness with a smile.

Andre Derain, 1907-08 collection of nudes

Otto Dix’s works are always a little perturbed. But this one was especially so. The main characters are reflected multiple times throughout the pieces as if they are surrounded by mirrors, each reflection focusing on a different part of the strange couple. The strangest part of the piece is how the artists identifies the female here as a nun, making this representation of vice and hubris all the more shocking. (Soldier and Nun, Otto Dix 1916)

Mysteries of the Female Figure, Part 5 The Second Empire

Posted on July 5, 2013 by acc1313

We continue with the theme of allegories in the second empire. This large bronze piece was carefully constructed. Each element having a specific significance and symbolism. It’s a nationalist piece, the center female figure representing France herself. (France is always personified as a woman) She is surrounded by artistic muses and symbols for the Roman empire and supremacy.

Here are two another bronze allegories, personifying poetry and the art of creation. They are placed in front of Paris’ “Hotel de Ville”, the main city hall of the city, a stunning piece of architecture, covered in sculptures of great men of France, authors, politicians and of course, some of the more important mayors and city officials. She is one of three only female presence on the building (the other is France herself above the clock.)

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The portraits of the second empire, show the fashions of the time, something I love to see. Following the different trends in clothes and fashion through art would be another great topic to study more in depth.

But they also reflect a sort of genteel feel, calm, soft images and a feeling of delicate elegance that I found charming.

Mysteries of the Female Figure, Part 4 The Renaissance Period

Posted on July 5, 2013 by acc1313

In 1622, Marie of Medici was crown Queen of France and commissioned 24 painting from the painter Rubens to decorate her new palace. Its a series of big oil paintings, representing different important scenes from the queen’s life. Each is elaborate and very detailed, with allegorical and mythological additions. The aim is to glorify the Queen and her rule, but each piece reflects the golden age of classicism.

Here is a good example of what I meant. We can clearly see the queen at the center of the piece as the main focal point, in light clothing to contrast with the other characters. But surrounding the queen are figures from Greek and Roman mythology, such as Naiads and sea nymphs, but also cherubs and angels. The renaissance period was a revival of all the old myths. The ancients also provided artistic instruction as artists copied and studied their works, compositions and anatomical studies. I also found it interesting that the pagan characters are always naked or very little dressed, whereas the proper ladies of society are shown in full regalia. It certainly makes for an interesting contrast.

Again, portraits of ladies and noble women are all dressed in fine garbs with jewels and accessories This shows Rubens wife and son painted around 1640, showing the elegance and refinement of their status.

We have a portrait of an Italian Noble woman, painted by Antoon Van Dyck around the same period. I loved the attire and complicated gown. I think this models the saying “One of the best ways that status can is conveyed is through impracticality.”

The Classical artists were fascinated with myths, collecting them and digging through to seek out the raw materials of creation. The female forms here are voluptuous and round, miles away from the ideal of beauty in our generation, of stick thin skeletal models. But at the same time, the dressed women of this same period are wearing corsets and dresses that curve their forms to the extreme to have narrow waists. (Rembrandt, 1654 Bathsheba holding David’s letter)

This contrast is fascinating to me. The differences between the ideal of the naked women and the ideal of the “clothed” women. (A mortal catching a glimpse of sleeping Venus)

The classical artists were also fascinated by allegories and personifications. Something probably inspired from the Romans. The female body becomes a means, not only is it an object of beauty but it represents something more than that. The game of symbolism hunting is quite fun also, trying to understand why the artists picked certain objects or creatures as metaphor and symbols. (Religion destroying Heresy, Jean Hardy 1653)

Union of Painting and Sculpture, Jacques Burette,1677

Allegory of Spring, Pierre LeGros 1629. I love these allegories, showing how the artist would envision how the person incarnating Spring would look. It’s part of a series of four (obviously) each woman holding attributes of each season.

This sculpture was interesting, portraying an actual person dressed as the goddess Juno. It’s like a reversed allegory. An actual person representing a concept, an immaterial goddess. (Marie Leaszczuncka as Juno, Guillaume Coustou 1677)

This photo might seem a little strange. But I visited the “Conciergerie”, the prison where Marie-Antoinette spent the last few months of her life before being executed by the new regime. This photo is a restoration of her cell (with added mannequins). And I felt like this was an interesting perspective on the theme of this project. Here is the place where one of the most famous, frivolous women in world history spent her last few days, in austere conditions, having lost everything.

Mysteries of the Female Figure, Part 3 The Middle Ages

Posted on July 5, 2013 by acc1313

I had the opportunity to visit the Cluny Medieval Museum, which I had never been to. It was a wonderful experience to see the different art work of that era (650-1400 c.e.) as I feel like this is a somewhat forgotten aspect of art history. The craftsmanship and talent of the Middle-ages surprised me greatly, changing my outlook on the so called “Dark Ages” completely.

What fascinated me the most were the massive tapestry panels. The sheer size of them alone is awe-inspiring. But they are so rich in detail and pattern that one truly has to wonder about the time and care an artist puts into these beautiful fabric masterpieces.

This elaborate scene showed the baptism of a French prince and showed the divine blessing on his future reign. I found it fascinating as nearly every person of the prince’s entourage was female. Beautiful noble women dressed in their finest, surround and supporting the future sovereign. Each lady has a small caption, naming each also. The occurrence of text and words in tapestries was unknown to me and I found it a little out of place but of great historical importance. It leaves little room for misinterpretations. The scene takes place in an elaborate background, nature, especially flowers and plants had great symbolic values and you can find them in nearly every piece.

Another slightly surprising thing I found at Cluny was this strange pose of the Madonna. I’d never seen them in this tilted pose, holding the baby on their hip with such a pronounced curve. Usually Madonnas are much more stiff and standing straight. But I feel like this pose made her seem more human and approachable. Religious art was THE most important theme to be found here. The sheer quantity was staggering. 9 out of ten pieces, if not more, were depicting some kind of Christian scene, character or event.

The wood carving ability of medieval artisans should definitely be mentioned. This piece struck a chord with me. Saint Madeleine’s statue was slightly smaller than true size, but her presence compensated for it. Her dress was a complicated mess of folds and creases and it was hard to believe she was made of wood at all.

The most famous series of tapestries is beyond a doubt the Unicorn collection. It is a five piece series, each showing a noble maiden in a fantastic, imaginary place filled with plants, flowers and small animals. Each scene presents her with a lion and a white unicorn and each represents a different sense. This one here, shows the sense of sight, symbolized with the mirror. It was interesting to see the different representations of these senses throughout the room. And for once, to not have a major Christian theme in these pieces.

Mysteries of the Female Figure, Part 2 Ancient World II

Posted on July 5, 2013 by acc1313

This large mosaic is entitled “Amazonmachie”, which in French means massacre of the Amazons, (the same suffix is used to describe bull fighting). The violence of this piece caught my attention.

The story of the Amazons is quite sad, strong, independent women, ultimately subdued by men. The details and colors of this piece made it all the more memorable. (Turkey, 400 ce)

I wanted to include as many different mediums as I could also, just to show the diversity of the female figure in different Art forms. Here is a bas-relief, showing a Greek hero, Heracles welcoming the personifications of Charity, Hospitality and Generosity. The details of the women’s attire caught my attention with this piece. Sadly, empty studs in the stone showed tantalizing signs of more elaborate ornamentations (jewelry and embellishments) that we can only guess at today. (Island of Thasos, 480 bce)

Here we have another glimpse at funerary steles. This time in the Egyptian culture. What struck me here was the way both figures, man and wife, are placed on the same level as equals, gently embracing for eternity. There is no superiority of one over the other, regardless of what the situation was in life, in death, they are equals. This was a surprisingly reoccurring theme.

Scribe Ounsou and his wife, Imenhetep, 1450 bce

Ancient Rome

The beauty of this sculpture struck me. It’s a two tone marble and bronze statue of Artemis, the Huntress. I loved how they incorporated the marbling of the stone into the folds of her clothes and the striking black and white contrasting materials.

This marble sculpture of one of Apollo’s muses is a Roman copy of a Greek piece, created in the second century c.e. However, in the 18th century, a fanciful restoration, added the comedy mask and caused an ongoing commotion about the true subject matter of this piece.

Here is another roman re-creation of an original Greek statue, reconstructed from fragments. The Romans took the pose and features of this character but adapted her to suit their needs, placing her in a different tale of mythology altogether. In Greece, she was Diane, and in Rome, she became Atalante, one of Ovid’s metamorphoses. But her dynamic posture caught my eyes, she seems ready to come to life at any second and run right past us.

200 c.e. restored in the 18th century.

This was the most impressive marble statue I saw in the Louvre. The presentation and location are the perfect backdrop for this monumental 10 foot tall statue of Athena (Pallas of Velletri). Her face is stern and her features almost masculine, shown as a figure of strength and victory. This is a Roman reconstruction from the 2nd century. The original Greek statue was a ten foot bronze of the goddess, this piece was apparently recreated from plaster molds of the Greek original, a piece that was never found.

Facing the Pallas Athena, is a long hall, filled with statues and busts of the goddess Athena/Minerva, showing her in different poses and dress.

You guessed it, more funerary steles. I was rather surprised to find one more example of this reoccurring theme in Roman culture. It was a surprise to see the similarities in each of these Mediterranean civilizations. Once more, we have the couple, man and wife, side by side, seated as equals, together, facing the afterlife. I think it is an important reminder of the position of the woman in the family structure, not as inferior, but as a partner. And it would seem that each culture added their own touch to this idea.

Stele of Zabdibol and Haggai, Syria 240 c.e.

Mysteries of the Female Figure, Part 1 Ancient World I

Posted on July 5, 2013 by acc1313

During my Paris vacation, I had a lot of fun simply absorbing the atmosphere and being surrounded by art and beautiful things to look at. I wasn’t quite sure how to approach this topic. Women have been a major theme and inspiration in every aspect of art and creation since the dawn of human kind. This topic is rather vast and I didn’t want to do something bland or impersonal. So I decided to go on a “Treasure Hunt” of sorts through the city and different museums to simply record the different women I would encounter, photographing the ones that struck me or spoke to me. And this is how I hope this project will be read, as simply an exploration, a walk through the figures that captured my attention. Enjoy!
(I tried to be as thorough as possible, but some pictures are blurry and some dates are missing, but I still wanted to include the image nevertheless because of its beauty or uniqueness.)

The Ancient World

This ancient sculpture was apparently the stereotype of the female form, made around 6000 bce, this was one of the oldest I found. She has a generous, curvy figure sign of abundance and is comfortably seated with her legs crossed.

Etruscan/Cyclades figures

This figures date back to 2,700 bce from the Island of Keros. We saw similar things in our book, the stylized, recognizable but impersonal figures of these women. They all have the same poses. The museum also mentioned finding very slight paint residue on the Marble faces of these anonymous women.

The Mediterranean Basin in Ancient Times

This funerary stele was moving to me. I saw a lot of funerary art during my couple trips to the Louvre, and it should be a topic on it’s own. These grave markers are a snapshot of past lives, and I found it touching to find this couple, husband and wife, carved in stone side by side for eternity, or at least, as long as the stone would last. Testament to this ancient love. (130-140 C.E. Lebanon)

These figures were magical talismans, promoting protection or healing. They fascinated me since they represented Egyptian, Greek and Semitic deities but in outrageous, caricatural and crude forms. These little figures were meant to attract the anger of supernatural forces being mocked, in order to distract them from plighting the owners instead.

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These intricate female heads caught my eye. They were meant to be bodiless, representing a Greek ritual of sacrificing locks of hair. Little wonder since each and every one has an elaborate and carefully fashioned hair style. Most of these were found in burials, and are assumed to represent the sacrifice of loved ones to insure the safety of the passing soul. They are an appeal and a prayer to female, mother-like deities such as Isis and Aphrodite. (Found in Egypt and dating back to the 2-3rd century c.e.)

This third century bronze embodies a culture much different from ours, where female goddesses were praised, worshiped and depended upon. Here we have a statue, blending the features of Isis and Aphrodite, showing a Mother figure with gentle curves, open arms and a soft smile. The Isis-Aphrodite cult was quite important in the ancient world and spread from Africa to England, all the way up the Middle East, showing a passion and love for the female aspect of the divine.

Ancient Egypt at the LOUVRE, Final Part

Posted on July 4, 2013 by acc1313

Music

Scene of a ground breaking ceremony accompanied by a group of musicians. Drawn on a Papyrus scroll found in an Egyptian tomb.

Tambourines and musical rattles.

Double flute. (was woven together with string at the mouth piece, but that part deteriorated too badly.)

Set of beautiful and surprisingly tall harps. Used for accompanying singing and dancing as well as religious ceremonies and private listening sessions in the home.

Games and Toys

Some ancient games were also displayed, such as the Semet sets shown here with the original pawns.

Some of the pawns used for the Semet game.

Ancient dice sets, very recognizable, as they are still used today. These could have been used to play a game called 58 holes. In the background you can see a very old ball.

It was delightful to spend some time wondering through these carefully preserved items. It made the Ancient Egyptian people more approachable, and real. Seeing that they were simple people with some of the same concerns as us, food, drink, beauty and pleasure, just makes them seem more alive today. Their art was very distinct and permeated every aspect of their lives, something that some in our modern days have forgotten. Hopefully their legacy will still be preserved for generations to come.

Ancient Egypt at the LOUVRE, Part 6

Posted on July 4, 2013 by acc1313

Beauty and Cosmetics

Beautifully ornate ancient hand mirrors. Unfortunately they have lost their reflective properties. (mostly bronze surfaces)

The museum had a few sets of jewelery and ornaments. They were set up in such a way that you could almost imagine them being worn.

Here are some of my favorite pieces. These were elaborately carved spoons. Made of wood, ivory and sandstone. The spoons were stunningly beautiful. The details and decorations were positively stunning. This display was definitely one of my favorite.

These spoons could have been used for the preparation of black Kohl The Egyptian eye make up. It wasn’t simply a cosmetic fancy, but also helped reduce the desert sun’s glare. Once again it is unsure whether or not these items were actually used, or simply funerary gifts.

Ancient Egypt in the Louvre, Part 5

Posted on July 4, 2013 by acc1313

Furniture and Household Items

Actual pieces of furniture, put aside for the After-life, so they weren’t actually used but they give us a wonderful glimpse of Egyptian life.

Here are more of those baskets that impressed me. Used for containers, cheaper and lighter than clay. And still here after thousands of years.

Here are different models of Egyptian neck/head supports. The ancient people didn’t use pillows but slept on their back with the wooden support holding up their head. Even though I can’t imagine this being in the least bit comfortable. There must have been a practical reason for this.

Here are a few decorated wooden chests, some were used to hold toiletries or herbal remedies and spices.

Once again these are beautifully decorated. There were very few plain objects anywhere on display. Everything was decorated. It might be because these where mostly objects found in burials, and therefore more ceremonial than used objects, but I’d like to think that this exhibit shows us a snapshot of the daily life of these people, who wished to surround themselves with beautiful objects during their lives as well as after-lives.

Delicate glass flask and jars filled this display case. They showed the glass techniques we read about in the book and was quite thrilling to see in real life. It’s bright and colorful and carefully detailed. Shame my photo came out blurry

Here were some tableware items made of mud and clay. These were simpler and a lot less elaborate than some of the other items. But they were also considerably older. I wished they’d had more explanations on the display, but this was only a temporary addition, because the museum was worried about basement flooding. How sad would it be, that something like this surviving nearly 5000, should be destroyed in a modern day basement flood?

Ancient Egypt in the LOUVRE, Part 4

Posted on July 4, 2013 by acc1313

Linen and fabrics

Some of the most impressive pieces were the fabrics, and woven baskets. It was mind blowing to be admiring these fabrics that survived over 3,000 years.

This pleated linen suit was found in an ancient grave and is of the typical Egyptian style. It was a sign of some wealth, and was apparently worn by a woman.

Ancient Egypt in the LOUVRE, Part 3

Posted on July 4, 2013 by acc1313

What Egyptians Ate

This display shows some of the typical fruits, grains and seeds the Egyptians cultivated and used daily. There are quite a few nuts, barley and flax.

Tepemankh’s Banquet Menu

I saw this fascinating bas-releif describing the menu for an actual banquet held by the noble man, Tepemankh. It was such a memorable feast that it was engraved onto the wall of his tomb Unfortunately a lot of the names are local delicacies, pastries and cakes that have no modern equivalent. So we will never know half of the wonderful foods on this elaborate menu.

Producing the Food

Beer was an essential staple in the Egyptian diet. Some scientists speculate that drinking beer daily might have helped prevent disease in the ancient land. The beer making process requires all water to be boiled. Making it safer for general consumption that regular pond or well water. Here we have a clay sculpture of the beer making process.

Bread was another major staple in most of the ancient Mediterranean world. And still is, to this day. On the left here we have a bas relief depicting two men making bread. One is preparing the dough in a big mixing bowl and the other is watching the bread baking in molds, ready to remove it from the ovens.

Agriculture

Here we can see the kinds of tools ancient Egyptians used to plow their fields.

We can see a clay and wood model of the techniques they used. This also shows that the Egyptians had domesticated animals as well.

Here is another example of the domestication of animals. On this painted wall fragment we can see a heard of Ibex like goats, and their herders, probably leading them to the slaughter actually.

On this bas-releif we can see a succession of workers carrying the the fruits of the harvest, palms and fruits, as well as some fowl, geese or ducks of some kind.

Here is a bas-releif of a group of women harvesting either reeds, the main component of papyrus or cotton to later be woven into linen. Not all Egyptian crops were food based.

On this fragment of painted wall we can see how the men harvested wheat. Also on the bottom register, they are replanting and plowing the field once more. I’m not entirely sure just what is happening in the top register. There’s a cow, and men carrying some kind of reed cages. It’s a bit of a mystery.

Hunting

Hunting also contributed to the Egyptian menu. On the left we can see a wall painting with three registers, on the top a cow is being butchered, on bottom two we can see a cortege of Egyptians carrying all kinds of different foods, grains fish and fowl birds.

Just like the photo here, representing a ceremonial parade of women carrying food from the harvests and hunts to the temples. They are carrying fowl and grain.

We can see ancient quivers and arrows. It’s not visible on the photo but the metal quiver is engraved with a hunting scene of an Egyptian on a chariot letting arrows loose on some kind of gazelle or antelope. The wooden shafts of the arrows actually survived as well. I love how the Egyptians decorated their everyday items. They had a developed sense and love for the aesthetic.

Here are some daggers and axes. Some or the more elaborate ones were probably reserved for ceremonial uses but we can imagine very similar tools being used during hunting excursions.

Ancient Egypt in the LOUVRE, Part 2

Posted on July 4, 2013 by acc1313

Scribes and Writing

We talk a lot about Egyptian hieroglyphs, the profession of scribe was highly valued and indispensable. They were responsible for keeping all the records, be they historical or commercial, logistics and taxes. Seeing some of the tools ancient scribes actually used was pretty impressive. (, A scribe sculpture in traditional pose, writing palette containing “calames”, ink pots and a sample of hieratic writing)

(On the right, two writing palettes, the Alabaster one was for ceremonial use only.)

Ancient Egypt in the LOUVRE, Part 1

Posted on July 4, 2013 by acc1313

While in Paris I was on a secret mission for my art history class back home. I was to find an ancient civilization and do a project relating to their art. There was never any question about which Ancient Culture I would choose to do this project on. For as long as I can remember I have been fascinated with Ancient Egypt. But I wanted to find an uncommon approach to this culture, and so I wanted to stay away from any funerary art and not focus on the extensive mortuary culture. Luckily, the Louvre offered great inspiration. Walking through the ancient Egyptian section of the museum, I was surprised to find preserved furniture, baskets and fabrics. It’s a miracle that fragments of these have still survived today. It sparked my interest and I wanted to learn more about the regular everyday life of these people. I saw many beautiful objects that gave a glimpse of what ancient Egyptian life was like. So in this presentation I would like to show pictures of some of these items and share a few of my own thoughts. (By the way I took all the pictures myself so some are a bit blurry and there were a few reflections too.)

Life on the River Nile

The Nile was of great importance to the Egyptians. It flooded the fields, leaving behind fertile silt, making agriculture flourish. But it was also the main transportation and communication route. This wonderfully preserved model boat was quite impressive to see, the delicate ties and trellis survived over two millennia.

Another aspect of the Nile river was the wealth of fish it offered. In the left picture, we see a bas-releif of an Egyptian casting the nets. We can also see an ancient net. It is not a reconstructed piece, but an actual 3,000 net and hooks found in a tomb. The fact that something so fragile survived truly impressed me.

Here, on the right, is a splendid painted bas-releif. It’s a little tricky to see, especially with the reflection of the glass. But here is a scene with a plethora of fish and aquatic animals in the process of being fished. The colors made this piece quite interesting, despite the damage.

Long awaited posting

Posted on July 4, 2013 by acc1313

What an adventure the past few months have been. I did in fact return from my trip to Paris. It was a lot of fun. Unfortunately my grand plans of massive blogging fell to the wayside once I realized that I had no internet access and too much socializing to do. Returning was a difficult process on its own, since I was very very ill for my flight back and had to stay in bed for a while to recover. One thing leading to another and here we are several months later and still no Parisy posts from me.

Deepest apologies, I will try and upload a few tips I found useful and share with you some of the beautiful art I saw. Things might not be posted in the order they happened, but hopefully you will find some of this information to be of interest. Or at least enjoy the pictures…

Crumbs of Knowledge

Random snippets of interesting knowledge that tickles my fancy, facts, current events, art, diy, photos, travel experiences and just about anything I can think of.

Monthly Archives: July 2013

Time Traveler’s guide to Elizabethan England

Geoguessr, Where are you?

Ice Age Art, the Beginning of Everything

Mysteries of the Female Figure, Part 7 The Modern Woman II (final)

Mysteries of the Female Figure, Part 6 The Modern Woman I

Mysteries of the Female Figure, Part 5 The Second Empire

Mysteries of the Female Figure, Part 4 The Renaissance Period

Mysteries of the Female Figure, Part 3 The Middle Ages

Mysteries of the Female Figure, Part 2 Ancient World II

Mysteries of the Female Figure, Part 1 Ancient World I

Ancient Egypt at the LOUVRE, Final Part

Ancient Egypt at the LOUVRE, Part 6

Ancient Egypt in the Louvre, Part 5

Ancient Egypt in the LOUVRE, Part 4

Ancient Egypt in the LOUVRE, Part 3

Ancient Egypt in the LOUVRE, Part 2

Ancient Egypt in the LOUVRE, Part 1

Long awaited posting

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