History of art 212

  Kongo Peoples, Power Figure (Nkisi N’Kondi) c. 1850-1900, wood, paint, metal, resin, ceramic The figure above is also know under the name of Nkisi.  The name Nkisi refers to a spirit, but specifically medicine that a healer.  Nganga is a ritual spiritualist that used Nkisi figures to help clients.  At the center of this figure is what they call the mooyo or belly.  The spiritual center of the nkisi figure where medicines are places.  The Nganga used these figures in many ways, one being to heal and another is to record agreements and contracts.  The figure is used to foresee and uphold agreements.  For example each one of the knots around a Nkisi figure resembles those oaths made around the figure.  The Nganga people would hammer nails or sharp objects into the figure to get the attention of the spirit, which over time would explain the amount of nails inside the figure.  The material driven into the figure represents different severit...

Albrecht Dürer,  Self-portrait , 1500, 67.1 x 48.9cm (Alte Pinakothek, Munich) Image source This portrait used is different in comparison to another portrait done of him wearing white, having landscape through a window in the background and the positioning of the body is more inviting.  In this portrait he has almost resembled himself as Christ.  The direct nature of the facing portrait strikes into the viewer.  The artists was very interested in the ways of science and art working together.  Along with philosophy, ancient literature, writer and painting.  The artist in doing this portrait remained to northern traditional painting in the positioning of himself and paying attention to detail.  The artist has done a number of paintings for people like the Roman emperor, and even the king of Spain.  From what has been told, he was as important as an artist can be during the 1600's.  On the portrait itself he describes he is only 28 years old at ...