Art and design The human form Power and Devotion

1. Art and design The human form Power and Devotion

2. We want to give a form to a god or spiritual being We want to represent ourselves We want to commemorate an ancestor We want to define our own identity We want to experiment with our bodies Why do we create objects in human form? We want to entertain We want to portray emotions and feelings We are interested in ourselves We want to communicate the power of an individual We try to understand and record unfamiliar or new peoples We wish to celebrate and remember a person We want to depict the people we admire – heroes, heroines, idols We want to give our children something to play with We strive to create a perfect human

3. Art and design: the human form Power

4. Power and the human form • Who might use images of the human form to assert power? Why? • How could these images be spread amongst a wider audience both in the past and nowadays? • If an object or statue is an a public place, how can the effect of the object be enhanced?

5. This is a plaque which used to decorate the palace of the oba or king of Benin. It probably dates from the 16th century. How do you know which is the powerful figure on the plaque? What does his pose suggest? What is he wearing or holding that might denote power or status? What material do you think the plaque is made from? Why do you think it was placed where it was?

6. This statue is of Ashurnasirpal II, the King of Assyria in the 9th century BC. What does his pose suggest about him? What is he wearing or holding that might denote power? What material do you think the statue is made from? What do the following facts add to your view of this statue? The statue used to stand in the temple of a goddess. The stone it’s made from was brought back from a military campaign abroad. The writing on the statue’s chest lists the king’s titles and family.

7. Compare what you have found: Material: both are made of imported or expensive materials – brass and magnesite Pose: both stand tall and still, looking out at the viewer Clothing and regalia: both hold symbolic objects and wear important robes of office Location: both were located in prominent places for many people to see: the plaque was one of many which would have created a powerful effect; the statue was raised up on a base

8. Art and design: the human form Devotion

9. The human form is frequently used when creating images intended for devotion or worship – why might this be? Who might such images be of? What sorts of places are such images placed in? If the image is of a god or a deity, where might inspiration for the image come from? Think of examples of religious symbols being used on devotional images alongside the human form.

10. This is a statue of A’a, a Polynesian god which dates from the 18th century. How has the human form been used in this case – how many images of it can you find? What might this represent?

11. Did you see that all the features are created with small figures? There are 30 on the front and back. • In the back is a cavity in which 24 other figures were kept. • We believe this represents the god A’a in the process of creating other gods and men. • Picasso had a cast of this figure in his studio and was greatly inspired by these multiple images of the human form.

12. Where do you think these figures come from? • Where might they have been displayed? • There are holes in the bases of the figures. What does this suggest about how the figures could have been used originally? • What ideal elements of the human form are suggested for the male and female figures?

13. These are bronze figures from Tamil Nadu in India and date from around AD 1000. • They were placed in a temple as the focus of worship and devotion. • During festivals, they were decorated with flowers and attached to a wooden structure through the hole at the bottom. The figures were then carried through the streets by male devotees. • What impact would this change of colour and location make?

14. These figures show Vishnu, the Hindu god and his consorts, Bhu, the Earth goddess, and Shri, the goddess of prosperity. • There are many symbolic details. • On the Vishnu figure try to find: • a tall crown • elaborate jewellery • a conch shell • a flaming discus in his upper hands • his lower right hand facing out This hand position is known as abhayamudra ('do not fear'). Find out what the other symbols mean and find other examples on Hindu sculptures.

15. The human form: art and design Additional images

16. The auspicious marks on the feet of the Buddha From the stupa at Amaravati, southern India 2nd century AD

17. Ivory statuette of the Virgin and Child Paris, France About 1310–1330

18. Roman silver coin Emperor Hadrian and Victory seated holding wreath and palm AD 128-138

19. Granite head of statue of Amenhotep III wearing the double crown of Upper and Lower Egypt From Thebes, Egypt About 1370 BC Height: 2.9 metres

20. Visit the main Museum website www.britishmuseum.org Explore contains over 4000 highlight objects from the Museum’s collection. You can use Explore to search for more objects showing the human form. www.britishmuseum.org/explore/explore_introduction.aspx