PART 1

Truth and Beauty 

 

QUESTION:  Using specific art references, why did the Greeks consider “beauty” to be the same as “truth” and how different was this philosophy from that of the Romans? 

 

Summary:  The truth in “beauty is in the eyes of the beholder” is the truth of pure form and human nature completely unfiltered. 

 

Reason:  The reasoning for asking this question is to fully understand the truth within the true form and beauty in everything in life.

 

Purpose:  The purpose of this question to better understand the Greek philosophy that there is beauty in truth, as well as the Romans truth in an object projected as it is unchanged.

 

Direction:  Studying this topic in depth, I better understand the way of thinking as well as the ancient Greek arts: seeking the wisdom of truth in beauty.  I came to the realization while researching this paper that the Greek study of the form of the human body was seen as a math problem.  This led me to realize that there is beauty in math, because it never lies.  An example of this is the golden mean that is found in nearly everything in nature, and it is what I consider to be true beauty.  As for the Romans, this essay opened up a whole new world of thought for me on this subject.

 

Impressions:  My impression is that the truth in beauty can be interpreted in many ways. 

 

PART 2

Truth and beauty is based on so many different things for each person, just like the saying “beauty is in the eyes of the beholder.”  I believe this to be the same for truth: it is the belief of the beholder. I feel that truth and beauty may be subjective based on each individuals perspective of what they believe truth and beauty to be. The Greeks studied the human form as well as mathematics and philosophy.  This shows in their artwork, and is certainly found in Greek sculpture.  They “sought an ideal for representing the human body” (text p 134).  They sought truth in the human form especially in their “studying of actual human beings...to the fullest extent – selecting...human attributes they considered most desirable, such as regular facial features... The smoothness of the skin and particular body proportions, these sculptures...joined all of this into one single idea of physical perfection”(text p 134).  In reflection to this and what was previously stated about beauty being in the eyes of the beholder, as an artist, when drawing the human form I might be more prone to embellish certain attributes I find beautiful.  This wouldn’t be intentional, but more on a subconscious level.  It may be the curve of a woman's hip and how it cascades to the thigh and to the leg and ending with a pointed toe, or the abdominal muscles on a man who has abs like a “Greek god.”  It is my reflection on my own study of the human form, not unlike the Greek sculptures.  It is human nature to embellish attributes we enjoy, although keeping them close to the human study that this art is based off of.  There is still more focus on one part or the next because there is always a need for perfection especially on the attributes of the study, for what each of us as an artist enjoys from our artwork. And there is truth found in that because it is truth to one’s self as well as the art that is being created.  “Greek art and its ideal of beauty was parallel to the Greek philosophy” (text p 171).  The Greek ideal of beauty is prominent in the search for truth in beauty not only in their art but in their philosophy.  The workings of the human mind is a fascinating thing, we each as individuals create our own ideas as well as ideals.  Searching through the centuries, even in each culture, there is the idea of beauty for the individual that is a reflection of the times in which the individual lives and where they come from.  We as humans have the capability to find specific things beautiful and there is truth to ones self in what each of us finds to be true beauty.  This truth might not be the same as another's truth, but it doesn’t make it any less true.  However, society as whole might affect their judgment on beauty such as with the air-brushed magazine models of today.  This is where philosophy of the human mind comes in to play.  Even as free thinkers, our own judgment of beauty and truth are affected by the times we live in.  I believe this to be the same for the Greeks and their truth in beauty.  However, their form of beauty was closer to the truth found in the human form.  There must be a hint of the times they lived in thrown into the mix; it is found in the hair and clothing of the times, a reflection of the culture.  The truth found in the molding of the human form by ancient Greek artists defines truth in the beauty of the human form, and how the body seems as if it could take a life of its own.  However, “We all know that art is not truth. Art is a lie that makes us realize truth that is given us to understand. The artist must know the manner whereby to convince others of the truthfulness of his lies.” (From lecture notes in class).

 

Now in the case of the Romans they sought out what we might to think to be interpretation of so called flaws every blemish, pore, wrinkle, misplaced hair. Was beauty in truth found in the human form ex specially the human face which is done with such precision it makes the on looker feel as if the soul of the person who molded for that sculptor. The Roman study of the human skin and the way it really looks un like the Greeks who focused more on the chart like smooth skin quality s of the human form the Roman idea of capturing the seams of the human sol in their art is remarkable which reminds me of another art forum death masks a way of immortalizing a human being for fetcher generations to prove that they once existed. There is a need and want in humanity to leave are mark on this world and to never be forgotten I believe this to be truth for Roman art they showed every imperfection completely immortalizing the human in art although going back to my previous statement from the letter notes art is a lie we only perceive it to be truth however the truth in the beauty of the ancient Roman art is the closes truth they could reproduce of the human form witch all cultures do to the best of their ability looking back on it this to me even goes back to prehistoric  art found in caves we as humans try to the best of at ability to capture the now for a later date so others night see the glory of our youth, life on earth and moments not to be forgotten. This to me is the true beauty of art as an artist the ancient Romans captured the human form to the best of their ability s given the resources of their time not unlike cave paintings of prehistoric man, an hint Greek sculptures, death masks of the 1200's and so on even to today where we hold photos so closes to are heart we feel the need to carry them everywhere the need to hold on to the past the want to be remembered.  “Art is the desire of a man to express himself, to record the reactions of his personality to the world he lives in.” - Amy Lowell quote (http://thinkexist.com/quotation/art_is_the_desire_of_a_man_to_express_himself-to/151657.html) 

This brings me back to the first week of class where you asked us to take out the photos in are walnuts and rip them up we have a need to hold on and even though it's just a photo or a sculpture is just a sculpture we try to hold on the what we believe to truth the object we can touch or hold on to immortalize the past.  Even with the so called imperfections of the human form the Romans captured time as a complete truth there is no lies is creation there is no lie in Trans posing a projection of one’s mind in to art because we seek the beauty we wish to project. Using only the tools in witch are life time can grant we create and the creation is a great so many things. It gives us purpose, hope it is what drives us to leave are mark on the world. Here is a good example of this during Roman time “The Romans, too, thought on a large scale and never did anything by halves. Predictably, they were lovers of giant statues, and none more so than the megalomaniac Emperor Nero. He summoned the sculptor Zenodorus, who was then working on a statue of Hermes in Gaul, and ordered him to drop everything and come to Rome to start work on an enormous statue of the Emperor. When it was finished the sculpture measured 106 feet from top to toe. However, Nero's bid to create a permanent reminder of his greatness did not survive his suicide in 68 A.D. - when the statue was promptly dedicated to Apollo, chosen as a personal god by Emperor Augustus.” (http://www.korcula.net/history/mmarelic/statue.htm)

 

 

 

“The building of giant statues has a long and awe-inspiring history, leaving us with a permanent record of man's efforts to immortalize himself or to pay homage to his gods or his country in stone or metal structures.” 

http://www.korcula.net/history/mmarelic/statue.htm

 

      

“Art is the desire of a man to express himself, to record the reactions of his personality to the world he lives in.” - Amy Lowell quote (http://thinkexist.com/quotation/art_is_the_desire_of_a_man_to_express_himself-to/151657.html)

 

 

Greek Art

“The Winged Victory of Samothrace” also called “The Nike of Samothrace”
2nd Century BC
Marble Sculpture
Greek Goddess Nike
http://www.tumblr.com/tagged/Greek-art

 Greek Art

ATHANADOROS, HAGESANDROS, and POLYDOROS OF RHODES, Laocöon and his sons, from Rome, Italy, early first century A. D. Marble, approx. 7’ 10 1/2” high. Vatican Museums, Rome.http://www.tumblr.com/tagged/Greek-art

 

 

Greek Art

Belvedere Apollo

Marble

h. 2.24 m (7 ft)

Roman copy of a Greek original from the fifth century BC

Pio Clementino Museum, Vatican 

http://www.tumblr.com/tagged/Greek-art

 

Greek marble 
kaiyoungpak.tumblr.com/post/35636727755/portland-art-museum-body-beautiful-in-ancient

 

 

Greek Silenus, holding the baby Dionysus marble

http://www.flickr.com/photos/drzax/4112230594/

 

Greek, Daphne, marble

http://pinterest.com/authorartistceo/Greek-Roman-mythology/

 

 

 

The Colossus of Rhodes soared 105 feet and stood guard in the harbor of the Greek island of Rhodes. It was justifiably classed as one of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World.

http://www.u4mix.com/world/colossus-rhodes/

 

“Work on the great bronze statue, by the sculptor Chares, a pupil of Lysippus, was begun in 292 B.C. and this unmistakable landmark and guide to shipping took more than 12 years to complete. But, tragically, its very size turned out to be its downfall. The island of Rhodes was ravaged by an earthquake in 224 B.C. and the huge statue toppled and was smashed to pieces. The massive fragments lay where they had fallen for almost 900 years until, in 672 A.D. when the chunks of bronze were finally sold for scrap and were carted away by the buyers to be melted down.”

http://www.korcula.net/history/mmarelic/statue.htm

 

 

Greek 1650-1450 BCE. Gold, height 4 1/2” (text p 90)

 

Greek 480 BCE. Marble, height 3'10” (text p 121)

 


 

Roman copy after the original bronze of c. 220 BCE Marble, height 36 1/2” (text p 151)

 

 

Roman copy 1st century CE marble, height 49 1/2” (text p 156)

 

Roman 80 BCE marble, life size (text p 171)

 

 

Roman 90CE marble, height 25” (text p 190)

 

Roman Late 1st century CE. Marble, height 9 1/2” (text p191)

 

Roman 176 CE Bronze, originally gilded, height of statue 11'6' (text p201)

 

 

Roman Early 3rd century CE Marble height 14 1/2” (text p204)

 


 

Death mask's made from plaster. 

 

http://davidderrick.files.wordpress.com/2012/10/caligula.jpg

 

 

 

 President William McKinley's death mask, their are coppuy rights to this mask so here is a link for it.
http://www.flickr.com/photos/dcplcommons/3360757846/

 

James Joyce's Death Mask

http://www.themodernword.com/joyce/jj_mask.html

 

 

 

http://gatheringmosswhilewandering.com/2011/10/27/death-or-life-masks/