Hip Mask Representing An Iyoba Essay Example for Free

Hip Mask Representing An Iyoba Essay The exquisiteness of the material and the sophistication of the carving indicate that it was created by the exclusive guild of royal ivory carvers for the king. This exquisite piece is made out of ivory, iron and cooper. This piece also contains pieces of inlaid metal and elaborate coral carvings. The piece dimensions are as followed; H. 9 3/8 x W. 5 x D. 3 1/4 in. (23. 8 x 12. 7 x 8. 3 cm). The mask is a sensitive human idealized portrait, depicting its subject with softly modeled features. This piece is framed with an elegant tiara-like coiffure and openwork collar. The pupils were inlaid with iron metal, the forehead has carved scarification marks and also she is wearing bands of coral beads below the chin. In the necklace you can see miniature motifs that represent heads of the Portuguese soldiers depicted with beards and flowing hair. In the crown tiara-like coiffure are carved more Portuguese heads alternated with figures of stylized mudfish, which symbolizes Olokun, the Lord of the Great Waters. You can see that some of the necklace portion is damage or missing and this could be due to the age and fragility of the coral. This piece is from early African art also known as â€Å"Queen Mother Pendant Mask: Iyoba†. Today, you can find this piece at the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York. Although images of women are very rare this piece has come to symbolize the legacy of a dynasty that continues to the present day. In many of the African cultures the head is a very important, powerful and symbolic piece. The head was consider to be the symbolic center of a person’s intelligence, wisdom, and ability to succeed in this world and/or to be a tool to be able to communicate with spiritual forces in the ancestral world. In Art of History, published in 2011, both Professor Marilyn Stokstad and Michael W. Cothren claim that â€Å"one of the honorifics used for the king is the â€Å"Great Head†. The head leads the body as the king leads the people. All of the memorial heads include representation of coral-beaded caps, necklaces and royal costume. Coral, enclosing the head and displayed on the body, is still the ultimate symbol of the oba’s power and authority. † In an article titled â€Å"Iyoba Idia: The Hidden Oba Of Benin† published in 2006, issue 9 of Jenda: A Journal Of Culture And African Women Studies Nkiru Nzegwu wrote â€Å"Iron and copper inserts were embedded in these cavities in the original model and formed part of the decoration. Some have claimed that these cavities were receptacles for embedded magical potions, and there is a historical explanation for them. The striations were the result of incisions a local doctor-diviner made to disfigure Idia and render her unattractive to Oba Ozolua. As narrated by the present Oba Erediauwa, Idias parents did not wish her to become an Obas wife, and the oracle they consulted advised that they mar her beauty to make her ugly to the Oba (Kaplan 1993, 59). The two incisions not only scarred her face but, to make assurance double sure, they also contained potent medicinal potions which the consulting physician-diviner had assured them would repel Oba Ozolua. The royal explanation is that the plan failed because the Oba sensed that something was wrong before he even saw Idia and quickly neutralized the effects of the medicine. † This is a pendant or ornament mask that represents an iyoba (queen mother-the oba’s mother), the senior female member of the royal court. It’s believed that this piece was produced in the early sixteenth century for the King or Oba Esigie, the king of Benin, who ruled from 1504 to 1550. This piece is to honor his mother, Idia. There are different versions of the purpose of this piece. The most common ones is that this was used a as belt ornament and it was worn at the oba’s hip. The Oba may have worn it at rites commemorating his mother, although today such pendants are worn at annual ceremonies of spiritual renewal and purification. Esigie had the support of Ida and the Portuguese soldiers in the expansion of his kingdom. Ida is remembered for raising an army and using magical powers to help her son Esigie to defeat his enemies.

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FAKE IT TO MAKE IT: A FACTITIOUS DISORDER I. There have been people that love attention, and have taken it a little too far and would invent or inflict illnesses on themselves. A. A factitious disorder has been described as a disease in which a person convinces people and themselves that they have a disease, when in reality they do not. 1. Munchausen disorder, one type of factitious disorder, dates back to the 18th century when Baron Karl Friederick Hieronymus von Munchausen would tell entertaining but untrue tales of his past. 2. Some symptoms which have been known to appear in a patient with a factitious disorder are unbelievable, inconsistent, and have a long medical history in different hospitals or clinics. 3. Psychiatric help has been the main treatment offered, but sometimes when the level of the disorder has been harmful to the patient or others, they were hospitalized forcefully. 4. There’s been many symptoms that have are recognized as factitious, and though there are medications that have helped calm patients, the main way that they have help an individual has been with mental help. II. Traces of factitious disorder were seen back in Galen’s time, a famous Roman physician from around 200 AD. A. That is not however, where it was first named a disease, it was given the name Factitious by English physician named Gavin in a book he published in 1842. 1. Gavin wrote the first and most complete description of why people might do this to themselves. a) He listed a total of eight reasons. b) The first seven reasons were malingering because their reasons are to get something that is convenient to them out of it. c) The eighth reason he named was that people do it to get compassion or attention. 2. There are two main... ...y can hurt themselves and their families, they are forced into being hospitalized. 4. If the patient wants to be treated, then it has to come from them, or all the work would be done in vain because the person does not want to admit that they need help. V. A factitious disorder is when a person says that they have a disease, when in reality they do not. A. The two main types of factitious disorder are factitious disorder by proxy, which is when a person inflicts a disease on a person that they care for. B. There is also Munchausen's syndrome, in which a person causes the symptoms on themselves. C. They have physical symptoms like cuts, surgical scars and others. D. They also have mental symptoms, where they have created a sickness that even they, themselves believe. E. The only way to really help a person with a factitious disorder is by offering them mental help.

Bessie gutmann’s art Essay

The role of women in art has always been very controversial as society did not want a woman to prove that she could be not worse (sometimes even much better) than a man in various spheres, in particular, in painting, architecture and design. The beginning of the twentieth century brought women some freedom and independence; thus, females received a chance to show what they really cost. Bessie Pease Gutmann is considered to be the best and perhaps one of the most well-known painters of children’s book within the first half of the twentieth century. She had been creating her masterpieces for about fifty years and got the world wide glory and popularity. The artist did not limit her art with just infants’ drawings; her brush touched grown-ups, animals and other colorful scenes as well. This wonderful woman performed about six hundred prints which were the reflections of superb and marvelous world around her. Gutmann’s drawings could be seen on numerous calendars, postcards, magazines and were extremely popular not only in the United States but abroad as well. Many of her illustrations of children are still very popular and rather expensive nowadays. Life of Bessie Gutmann Bessie Pease Gutmann was born on the 8th of April 1876 in Philadelphia in the family of a seller of tobacco – Horace Collins Pease Gutmann. From the early childhood, the girl became interested in art and she received the support from both her parents and her teachers to study painting. As the result, Bessie started to attend the so called Philadelphia School of Design for Women after graduation from high school. She didn’t stop on it and later entered the Chase School of Art (the former name of the New York School of Art) and the Art Students League. Having received the necessary knowledge, Gutmann was full of joy and persistence to start her career. And here she faced the first problem. The status of women at the beginning of the 20th century was very difficult and Bessie had to prove her talent. She started from small portrait sketches for local newspaper advertisements and for some time earned her living in such a way. However, her position changed in 1903 when Bessie’s cousins, Hellmuth and Bernard decided to open their own art print company under the name Gutmann and Gutmann. They suggested Bessie to become their commercial artist and she showed her skills in the best way she could. Owing to her natural charm and due to her professional talents, she attracted the attention of Hellmuth and in 1906 she married him. Her marriage saved Bessie from rumors about her spinsterhood (Christie). The first book she made illustrations to was A Child’s Garden of Verses written by Robert Louis Stevenson. Several other books, including Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland, were illustrated by Bessie as well. Very soon her works slightly changed – Bessie gave birth to her three children – Alice, John and Lucille. The artist found new inspiration and depicted her children on the walls of some nursing houses, on many calendars, postcards and even on popular periodicals (the Washington Post, Chicago Sunday tribune, etc). Since that time Gutmann became the most popular woman-artist and had been on the top of her career until the World War II. Unfortunately, due to the worsening of eyesight, Bessie made up her mind to stop making illustrations, however, it was a very difficult decision. And it is no wonder – the artist’s creative work included more than six hundred wonderful art prints. As the result, after her husband’s death, Bessie sold the Gutmann and Gutmann company (Bessie Collins Pease Gutmann). Death of her husband and impossibility to work negatively influenced Gutmann and on 29th of September, 1960 Bessie Gutmann died in New York In order to commemorate the art of this great woman, three children’s books full of her best illustrations were issued after her death. Gutmann’s art and its historical significance The years from 1800 up to 1900 are called the Golden Age of illustration. The reason for such a name results in blooming of industry and increasing number of new printing methods and technologies. Bessie Gutmann had the chance to work during this period and she could be named the most successful woman artist of this epoch. Her works were influenced by the so called â€Å"Brandywine School† of illustrators that were very popular in Philadelphia; therefore, the artist got some necessary and outstanding pieces of advice from Howard Pyle, N. C. Wyeth, Robert Henri and some other prominent artists. While at first her drawing style had elements of influence of these great masters, but later she managed to elaborate her own and very soft style, not similar to others. The main peculiarity of her works was that she never simply drew portraits, she included a lot of details, like expressions, mimicry, joy, etc. She made her portraits alive, demonstrating that she could skillfully grasp and notice the true spirit and soul of a depicted person. She was more than an excellent artist, but a really good psychologist and a good mother (Choppa). These skills helped her to create such wonderful works that differed from the works of other artists. Moreover, Bessie was not afraid of experimenting: starting from black-and-white paintings, she further moved on to luminescent oils and watercolors, using some impressionists’ technique. Except for her famous children’s pictures and prints, Bessie Gutmann was also engaged in creation another series of prints under the name Colonial Interior Series which were less known than her infants’ drawing. However, they were not worse than children’s series. The first Colonial Series were issued in 1916 in order to compete with Wallace Nutting. In comparison with Nutting Interiors (who used photos as illustrations), Bessie’s illustrations were well-prepared prints from her own original drawings. Every illustration depicted some colonial subject, usually a mother or a daughter at home. Unfortunately, these Gutmann’s Colonial Series are valued less than her children’s series, notwithstanding their originality. Role and position of women and women-artists in the first half of the 20th century The status of women-artists has been extremely difficult almost the whole 20th century. Females did not get the support from publicity, and were deprived of showing their real talents. Women artists suffered from such attitude greatly and had to overcome numerous obstacles in order to receive success and recognition; some were pioneers in this or that branch. Some women were successful as they co-operated with their husbands, a few had to reach their goals independently. Still, a lot of wonderful works appeared in this period. Louisa Chase, Catherine Critcher, Bessie Vonnoh, Violet Oakley, Cecilia Beaux – these are just several of notable names, that are â€Å"responsible† for great ideas and wonderful innovations in art field. Catherine Critcher, for instance, had to â€Å"pave her way† in a man’s world by herself; as the result, she was the only woman who was provided a membership in the Taos Society of Artists (the society included men artists) and the Director of her own Critcher School of Painting. Violet Oakley is considered one of the first outstanding mural painters; her large and beautiful works adorn the walls of Pennsylvania Capitol Building. The main theme of most works was an independent, strong and powerful woman who was able to both work and bring up children. Moreover, the issue of a woman’s place in society is depicted thoroughly: a female identity, health, morality, nationality and even her body. The strong sex discrimination began to lose its power and strong independent women appear instead. Conclusion The works of Bessie Pease Gutmann have exceeded time, nationality and age range. They are still very popular among people all over the world. This popularity may be explained by the fact that the artist included the part of her inner soul to each of her hand-made illustrations and paintings. She wanted other people to see not just a depiction of a child or a woman, but rather, the embodiment of purity, innocence and tenderness; the artist wished to change the world to better, she wanted to open people’s eyes and to make them see and listen. Showing the usual and simple themes of family and sacred hearth, Bessie Gutmann appeals to love, friendship, hope and kindness. Her numerous wonderful works radiate light, warmth and comfort; her paintings help people to cope with their problems and to become better. Her art and her talent shows that a woman is able to create such works of art that can be shined throughout years and centuries, causing astonishment and admiration of people. Works cited Bessie Collins Pease Gutmann. Available at: http://www. ortakales. com/illustrators/gutmann. html 17 April, 2005. Choppa Karen. Bessie Pease Gutmann: Over Fifty Years of Published Art. Schiffer Publishing, 2000. Christie, Victor. Bessie Pease Gutmann: Her Life and Works. Wallace-Homestead Company, 1990.

Willy Loman Analysis - 1015 Words

The American Dream is what many people strive for. What makes The Dream impossible for some is a hamartia, or a fatal flaw. Willy Loman, from Death of a Salesman, is a common man trying to achieve The American Dream. This aspiration compounded with a fatal flaw is what makes him an apt subject for tragedy in the highest sense. This fatal flaw is his incapacity to make proper life decisions. The poor decisions Willy makes spiral his life into a rut that ultimately claims his life, leaving his family with nothing. Similarly, the unnamed main character (who, for simplification, will be referred to as Gary) from Weird Al Yankovic’s â€Å"Trapped in the Drive-Thru,† as the name suggests, also finds himself in a rut that ultimately leaves him worse†¦show more content†¦Willy decides to kill himself so that his family may collect his life insurance money. Ben is right when he expresses his worry to Willy that, â€Å"You don’t want to make a fool of yourself. [ the insurance company] might not honor the policy† (Miller 93). They do not honor the policy; Willy’s family is left not only without their patriarch, but also without a source of income. Willy compounds his lifetime mistakes by teaching his sons the same principles on which he makes his life decisions, that as we know, are invalid. Biff does not go to college to follow his passion for football while Happy never even finds his passion. These troubles could have been avoided had Willy realized his poor decisions and taught his sons more accurate life lessons, so they do not make his mistakes, to which they are now tethered. Willy was not the only one to fail due to his poor decisions, but Gary too. The theme of poor decisions deeply connects to Gary’s situation and result characteristically of Willy’s life. Gary is just a guy sitting at home, watching TV, when his wife asks what he wants to do for dinner. They have a brief argument about where to go to dinner when Gary’s wife asks, â€Å"‘Baby, cant we just go out to dinner, please?’ I [Gary] says ‘No’† (Yancovic). Even though Gary’s wife wants to go to a nice restaurant, Gary makes the executive decision to go to the drive thru at a fast food joint.Show MoreRelatedCharacter Analysis Of Willy Loman830 Words   |  4 PagesWilly Loman was portrayed as an impatient and insecure man, father and husband who only wanted to be successful for his family. Even though he was a salesman, he had lots of economic issues with house disposals. Biff Loman and Happy loman were both his sons, whom he expecte d a lot from and Linda Loman was his wife who loved him more than he loved himself. 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The idea of a tragic hero is defined as â€Å"a great or virtuous character in a dramatic tragedy who is destined for downfallRead MoreWilly Loman And The American Dream Analysis1075 Words   |  5 Pagesplay, Death of a Salesman, Willy Lomans pursuit of the American Dream is characterized by his selfishness, demonstrating how the American Dream can subtly turn into the American Nightmare. However, Willy’s role is quite important because he often led to failure through the creation of the American Dream and the real world. To fully understand the storyline of Willy Loman in Death of a Salesman, one must evaluate each member of the Loman family. The death of Willy Loman implies that the American DreamRead MoreAnalysis Of Willy Loman And The American Dream1553 Words   |  7 PagesIn one of Arthur Miller’s play, â€Å"Death of a Salesman† written in 1949; it uncovers the betrayal of the American Dream. Willy Loman, one of the characters in â€Å"Death of a Salesman† who believes that finding success is very easy, but in reality’s he only finds his success in own imagination. In Act one of the play, Willy Loman stated â€Å"Bigger than Uncle Charley! Because Uncle Charley is not †¦ Liked. Heâ€⠄¢s Liked, but not well Liked (p21).† This quote expresses that being liked is not the key to successRead MoreCharacter Analysis Of Willy Loman In Death Of A Salesman838 Words   |  4 PagesWilly Loman from â€Å"Death of a Salesman† by Arthur Miller is a tragic hero. A tragic hero is someone who has a judgement error and inevitably ends up destroying himself. Miller believes that the common man makes the best tragic hero as we want to be seen as a image and or not be thrown away. That fear, which he believes is very strong today, is what makes us the best tragic hero. I would take the stance that Willy Loman is a tragic hero. Willy starts to show signs of flaw of judgement, reversal ofRead MoreAnalysis Of The Apprenticeship Of Duddy Kravitz, And Willy Loman Essay2680 Words   |  11 Pagesincontestable social influence. Duddy Kravitz in The Apprenticeship of Duddy Kravitz by Mordecai Richler, and Willy Loman in Death of a Salesman by Arthur Miller thoroughly exempli fy this drive for excess wealth and power. When analyzing the characters of Duddy Kravitz and Willy Loman, it is made distinctly evident that Duddy Kravitz is successful to a greater degree, when compared to Willy Loman, in achieving the generic and superficial capitalistic views of success. This discrepancy between the two