1. From Ritual to CommodityART 100Week 3.2

2. agenda 9.11.14Our goal today: understanding art through what it hasbeen used for.ritual in which a whole community participatesdecoration of people and dwellings for beauty, interest, statusstatements of power that impress and intimidatestockpiling of material wealth in the form of gold and gemsexpressions of artistic skill in transforming paint and canvasinto a wealth of illusions 3. the art contextwhich John Dewey warned us, can easily getin the way of our actual connection with artevery object, even the most prestigious,prized possession of a great museum, wasmade by a human with the intent ofcommunicating with other humans. 4. The Modern Wing of the Art Institute of Chicago, designed by Renzo Piano, 2009 5. Gustave Caillebotte, Paris Street, Rainy Day, 1877, installed at the Art Institute 6. Louise Lawler, Statue before Painting, Perseus with the Head of Medusa by Canova, 1982 7. Beginnings in ritualLascaux cave, Dordogne region of France, Hall of the Bulls, c. 15,000 BCE 8. Magician or Birdman from Lascaux 9. Historians speculate: this is not art but may be a magicaltechnique used as part of rituals preparing for the hunt. 10. The GameAs ritual:You are an active participantEveryday rules dont apply inthis deviation from ordinaryspace/timeSacred beverages areconsumedAs spectacle:You are consigned to watchsomeone else doingsomething; your role is limitedto viewing. 11. An ordered representation ofa chaotic and often hostileuniverse, expressing ourwish for a desired outcome. 12. An ordered representationof a chaotic and oftenhostile universe,expressing our wish for adesired outcome. 13. decorationSo if art finds one set of origins in ritual, it finds another inthe human tendency to decorate anything and everythingthat we make. 14. Marine shell bead excavated at Blombos Cave, South Africa,dating to 70,000 years ago (string of beads at bottom is a reconstruction) 15. useful objects: combsJade comb,China,c. 400 BCEIvory comb,Etruscan (ancient Italian)6-5th century BCE 16. useful objects: swordsAncient Persia, , c. 750-650 BCEsword hilt, silver, (ironblade)Ancient Korea, Bronze Age sword hilt,Between 900-300 BCE 17. Art has a definiterole to play inassertions of wealthand status. 18. http://www.mfa.org/collections/object/mr-and-mrs-isaac-winslow-jemima-debuke-32678 19. Chuck Close, William Jefferson Clinton, 2006, oil on canvasinstalled at the National Portrait Gallery, Washington, DC 20. Precious courtly objectsThe original blinghttp://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TSyLLWZ5jp8 21. Crown Jewels, Tower of LondonObjects like these were created to impress, intimidateand symbolize the power of the monarch. 22. Status andpowerIm the emperor, and youare definitely not.This are the symbols ofmy worldly power andwealth.Napoleon appropriatedmany symbols of royaltyalthough he had no claimto royal blood. 23. Napoleon in his coronation garb,painted on porcelain after a lostpainting by Grard. 24. What creates value in art?Reliquary of Ste.-Foy at Conques 25. Reliquary Statue of Sainte FoyAbbey Church of ConquesConques, FranceLate 9th or 10th century withlater additions 26. Reliquary: receptacle used tostore or display sacred objects 27. Real gold Painted gold 28. Simone Martini (and Lippo Memmi),The Annunciation, tempera onpanel with gold leaf, c. 1333, 101x 88Fra Angelico, The Annunciation,fresco in cell 3, Convent of SanMarco, Florence , c. 1440 29. Jan van Eyck, Ghent Altarpiece (open), completed 1432, Cathedral of St. Bavo, Ghent,Belgium 30. Jan van Eyck, Mary Crowned, detail of the Ghent Altarpiece, completed1432, Cathedral of St. Bavo, Ghent, Belgium 31. Jan van Eyck, Mary Crowned, completed 1432Jan Vermeer, Girl with a Pearl Earring, c. 1665-6, oil on canvas, 17 1/2 x 15 3/8 inches