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Artwork United Under The Theme Of Religion Essay

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Cultural Activity Report

I visited the Met Museums virtual gallery for this cultural activity report and selected five works of art from ancient times up to pre-modern times (1600 AD). The Met Museum of art houses a wide range of cultural and artistic artifacts from all over the world from various epochs and so it was a good place to go for virtual engagement with art covering a range of millennia. My initial reaction when exploring the online museum was one of interest and wonder because I am naturally interested in artistic expressions as I feel they convey the soul of an era. At the same time, I found many works to be interesting on their own merit because they captured a beauty and an honesty that is often touching and moves one beyond words.

The most ancient piece I selected from the Met for my display is dated from 1000 BC and is from ancient Egypt. It is known as the Faience amulet of Bes. This is an interesting piece because it says something about the religious beliefs of the ancient Egyptians: Bes was seen as a divine entity who protected the homes of the Egyptians and who was also a protector of women and children. This means that the Egyptians recognized that they needed the aid of a divine being to protect what to them seemed vulnerable. While I find most religious art to be beautiful and uplifting, this amulet of Bes is actually somewhat hideous and I cannot help but wonder whether its protective power lies in its ability to frighten would-be aggressors away. It strikes me as having the same qualities as would...

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…era. This is another Christian religious work, and the face is that of the Virgin Mary. The drawing itself could easily be said to be that of any beautiful woman as there is nothing symbolic about the work to convey the fact that it is meant to be the Virgin. My reaction to this piece was one of admiration for the skill of Leonardo, but I am somewhat befuddled as to how it represents the Virgin. Nonetheless, I selected it because it is by a great master and I wanted at least one work from a recognizable name. After all, it is the role of the curator of a museum to draw attention to great works, and sometimes that means having a headliner (an artist with renown) to draw the interest of the public. Beyond that, it is the role of the…

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References


Bes amulet. Retrieved from https://www.metmuseum.org/art/collection/search/243739


Crucified Christ. Retrieved from https://www.metmuseum.org/art/collection/search/466045


The Head of the Virgin in Three-Quarter View Facing Right. Retrieved from https://www.metmuseum.org/art/collection/search/337496


“Inkstone and Cover in the Shape of a Turtle”. Retrieved from https://www.metmuseum.org/art/collection/search/65348


Terracota stand. Retrieved from https://www.metmuseum.org/art/collection/search/255708

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