Ethiopian Art History Lecture 3 PDF

The Essence and Definition of Art Understanding the essence of art and defining it should logically begin with the etymology of the term. The origin of the ‘art’ is the Greek word ‘tekne” which means ‘skill’.  Skill refers to knowledge,  Mastery of technical expertise and  An ability to m...

The Essence and Definition of Art Understanding the essence of art and defining it should logically begin with the etymology of the term. The origin of the ‘art’ is the Greek word ‘tekne” which means ‘skill’.  Skill refers to knowledge,  Mastery of technical expertise and  An ability to make a particular object. Cont.… Unlike animals, humans posses two different kinds of skill instinctual and learned. In the context of art, therefore, skill refers mostly to the kind acquired through learning in the form of experience, education, observation etc… Learned skill is peculiar to human beings and human society. Cont.… Art is not a natural creation it is artificial creation of human beings. Artificial intelligence makes all sorts of human creativity possible. Creativity, therefore, is the second constituent of the essence of art. The broad definition of art is a corollary of these. Art is a combined exercise of skill and creativity. A work of art is any product of the combined exercise of skill and creativity. Art History Art history is not a mere historical account of the course of the development of art through time. That is what is called history of art. The principal concern and task of art history is reconstructing history from works of art-making the visible legible. The origin and development of art history is predominantly attributed to two scholars. Methodologies of Art History Formalism: this method/approach emphasizes the emotional effects created by works of art.  Iconography and Iconology Eikon - image, Graphe -writing logos – science/ study  Iconography – writing about images or describing images  Iconology - the science/study of images. Cont.…. The iconographic/iconological method focuses on the meaning of subject matter; content is considered more important than form. In iconography there are three levels of identifying and reading a work of art.  Pre- iconographic/primary: identification and subject matter recognition of natural forms and their meaning.  Secondary subject matter: identification of conventional meaning Cont.….  Tertiary subject matter: identifying the intrinsic meaning of the image taking in to account culture, society, the artist, time, beliefs, norms etc…  Tertiary subject matter is the realm of iconology.  Iconography is concerned with analysis where as iconology is with synthesis. Human Evolution, Creativity and Skill  The earliest hominid ancestor known so far is Australopithecus  It existed approximately between 7 and 1.4 million years B.P.  Brain Size 390-550 cc  Bipedal and Natural tool user Cont.…  Homo-habilis prevailed between 1.9 and 1.5 million years B.P.  Its brain size ranged between 590 and 800 cc.  It was the first tool maker among the homo species. Cont.…  Most of the tools are made from stone, bone and wood.  Obsidian is extensively used as a cutting and chopping tool.  Tools are made for temporary use only. Cont.…  Homo erectus existed on earth from 1.8 million to 30,000 years before the present.  Its brain size was approximately 1150 cc.  Knowledge of how to make and preserve fire Cont.…  Large scale migration and conquest of the world  Production of sophisticated tools  Organized and systematic hunting Cont.… In the Rift Valley region of Ethiopia tools and implements made by early human ancestors are discovered in several sites.  Lower Awash  Middle Awash  Upper Awash  Lower Omo Cont.… At about 100,000 b.p homo sapiens appeared. Homo sapiens have an average brain size of 1400 cc. They are almost identical to modern man. Human culture and organized life began with this species. Megalithic Structures Art of Ethiopia Northeast Africa in general and the Ethiopian region in particular hosts a considerable number of megalithic structures. Cont.… The dating of these structures is still controversial Mostly they are phallic and used to mark graves/tombs. Walayta, Arusi, Alata (Sidamo) Cont.… Phallic megalithic structures are predominant in and around Aksum. Megalithic cultures of northern Ethiopia are the basis for the masonry of the later periods. Ethiopian Art History Historical Background Extant historical records indicate that in the later part of the second millennium BCE organized societies which formed a state existed in northern part of Ethiopia along the Red Sea littoral. Cont.. In the temple and tomb of Queen Hatshepsut a hieroglyphic description/narrative of a commercial expedition to the land of Punt in the 15th century BCE states the presence of a king called Perehu who is the sovereign of the land of Punt. This fact indicates the beginning of civilization in northern Ethiopia predates the Sabaean migration across the Red Sea and it is an indigenous development. Cont.. Punt was not merely a geographical reference but a state located along the Red Sea. The territories inland which are parts of today's Eritrea and northern Ethiopia are parts of the political domain of the kings of Punt. Due to the absence of any form of record or material evidence the history of that state and its society remain unknown. Cont.. Egyptian hieroglyphic sources tell only the kind of commodities exchanged between the Egyptians and the people of Punt. At the beginning of the first millennium BCE Semitic Sabaean people from South Arabia began to migrate across the Red Sea and settle in northern Ethiopia. These people had an advanced culture. The Sabaean settlement had contributed to the development of various aspects of civilization but not origin. Cont.. They established cities in several places. Trade between the Arabian and African coast of the Red Sea was intensified. The pre-Aksumite state of Damat was dominated by them if not their establishment. The contribution and influence of Sabaeans to pre- Aksumite civilization and culture was considerable initially. Map of Important historical sites Pre-Aksumite Art (c. 200 - 1000 BCE) The most fundamental and lasting contribution of the Sabaeans is the art of writing. Sabaean is the earliest written language in northeast Africa.  Pre-Aksumite Art (C. 200 - 1000 BCE) Sabaean scripts and syllabry is closely similar to unvocalized Ge’ez. As early as the second quarter of the first millennium BCE stone inscriptions of Sabaean language were extensively produced.  Cont.… The rectangular form of architecture is also introduced by the Sabaeans.  Cont.… The remains of the Temple of Yeha are a typical example of Sabaean architecture.  Cont.… Huge blocks/bricks of granite stone were the basic construction materials. Cont.… The absence of mortar makes pre-Aksumite and early Aksumite architecture unique. Cont.… The Sabaean people seems to have introduced an advanced masonic skill. They produced high reliefs and miniature sculptures from marble and granite.  Cont.… Excavations made so far on some sites had uncovered iron implements. Chiseling was one of the techniques used in masonry and sculpture. Altar from Adi Kawuh, Between Agula and Wuqro, Wa’eran/warn  Cont.… Animal motifs, religious symbols and figures of monarchs are prominent subjects of relief and sculpture. Art of Pre-Christian Aksum (c. 330 AD - 200 BCE) The existence of the Aksumite state is traced as far back as 200 BCE. Despite political odds that occurred very often the state and its ruling dynasty lasted up to 1150 AD. Cont.… The present day town of Aksum was its capital from the begging up to the 9th century. The capital of the Kingdom and the port city of Adulis were metropolitan and commercial emporiums. Aksum became a mighty state and civilization between the 2nd and 6th centuries AD. Those centuries were the formative years of Aksumite civilization and culture. Cont.… The fundamental factor for the growth of Aksum’s might, prowess and civilization was the acquisition of an overseas territory in South Arabia. It helped Aksum to control if not monopolize the international trade conducted through the Red Sea which was lucrative. Cont.… The art of masonry flourished in the early part of the Aksumite period. Its growth and development is demonstrated on the megalithic steles/ obelisks. Erecting phallic steles to mark grave yards or tombs as memorials for the dead is an ancient culture in most parts of north east Africa. Largely owing to royal patronage and advancing masonic skills steles with architectural forms and religious symbols were produced.  Cont.… The three steles of Aksum reveal meticulous precision and harmony of forms and patterns vs. the size/proportion of each stele. The rocks are brought from a place about 15 k.ms west of the city and carved near the spot they are erected. Each stone weighed above 550 tons. Thus transporting and carving them seems to have taken a considerably long time. Scholars conventionally believe that animal and human labor is used to transport and erect them. Despite the use of traditional methods and techniques erecting such a huge stele requires a higher level of knowledge precision of every detail. Archaeological excavations and researches undertaken since 1905 to date have not yielded substantive results about the technology used, the selection of site, the meaning of the morphology of the stele and symbols and forms on it, etc… Cont.… Cont.… Examinations of several samples and the back of the 28 m long stele vividly show that chiseling is used in carving. But it is not the only method used in the carving of the steles. Precession of architectural forms and sharpness of the cuts suggest the use of a higher and better method and technology.  Cont.… During the early part of the Aksumite period architecture has flourished.  Cont.… Current knowledge of Aksumite architecture comes from excavations of grand establishments whose base structure and program are almost intact. Cont.… Endubis (Late 3rd c) Ezana’s Christian Coins Ousanas (Early 4th c)  Cont.… Ezana’s trilingual inscription. During the three centuries of the Christian era Ge’ez/Ethiopic writing was highly improved. It became vocalized and a complete syllabry was developed as the six orders representing vowel sounds are palatalized from the consonant scripts. Art of Christian Aksum (330-1150 AD) One of the most important developments in the late 9th century and afterwards was the beginning of rock hewn architecture in Ethiopia Aksumite architecture of the 6th and 7th century was largely based on wood mud and scrambled stone.  Cont.… In the 9th century construction of rock hewn churches began by monks and monasticism. Aksumite kings of the 9th and later centuries did not give patronage to tock hewn churches. Thus individual monks began to construct cave like churches in Geralta, Emba Tseada , gundagundi and Debre Asa-Temben.  Cont.… Most of the columns are arched and they have capitals. Aksumite architecture is characterized by the use of post and lintel not arches and columns. Some even relate the beginning of rock hewn churches with the tradition of Ba’at.  Cont.… Arches and columns of Enda Aba Yohanni – Lower Temben Area.  Cont.… Kosheshela – Acanthus arboreus, A. eminens, A. sennii, Echinops ellenbeckii, E. giganteus, E. amplexicuaulis, Carduus ellenbeckii Suf – Carthamus tinctorius Astenager – Datura stramonium Eret – Aloe calidophylla and other species of Aloe  Cont.… Kosheshela – Acanthus arboreus, A. eminens, A. sennii, Echinops ellenbeckii, E. giganteus, E. amplexicuaulis, Carduus ellenbeckii Suf – Carthamus tinctorius Astenager – Datura stramonium Eret – Aloe calidophylla and other species of Aloe Art of the Zagwe Period 1150-1270 During the Zagwe period three forms of art developed very well Rock hewn architecture Literature – Palatalization Art of processional and Pendant cross Painting seems to have flourished but there is no much contemporary evidence. Linear decorative forms and some animal motifs on the ceiling of churches tell us that there was an advanced form of painting. Aksumites mostly used the Latin or the diamond shaped cross. The Zagwe used several kinds of crosses in processional as well as pendant. Cont.…  Forms of Zagwe Architecture Prevalence of Columns at short distances. Huge arched columns for balance and aesthetic purpose. Limited space.  Cont… Monolithic and free standing Purpose of the construction is to create a new pilgrimage center – New Jerusalem  Cont… Narrow openings Who constructed them? It is an art that started in the late Aksumite period and developed through the centuries. In the reign of Lalibela royal patronage refined the art.