European Imperialism Art

European Imperialism Art (Please try to stay awake. Also, please don’t groan at my bad jokes)

Before we start… • http://quizlet.com/6642342/art-decathlon-flash-cards/

Plaque, Mid-16th-17th century • Benin Kingdom Court Style • Edo, Nigeria • Copper Alloy

Timelines! Everyone loves Timelines! • The Benin Kingdom lies to the south of Sierra Leone in Nigeria. The region contains the Edo people. • 900 C.E.: kingdom founded and ruled by Ogiso • Late 13th – early 14th c.: became great political state • Late 14th century: Yoruban prince, Oranmiyan, founded the second dynasty and the reign of the Oba • 1484: Portuguese arrived to find the large ‘‘Beny Kingdom,’’ expanding through warfare • Late 15th century: Oba Ewuare expanded the Oba’s palace • 16th century: HEIGHT OF POWER! (insert Shaq reference here) • 19th century: after decline, resurgence due to control of palm oil • 1897: Benin Punitive Expedition

So what WAS the Benin Punitive Expedition? • Great Britain wished to control the Benin Kingdom and its palm oil • In February 1897, Rear Admiral Harry Rawson led an attack on Benin City • The expedition looted the palace, set homes on fire, destroyed the city, took art, and exiled the Oba. • Nice going, Imperialists. Way to mindlessly kill everyone. Again.

Afterwards… • Art sent to museums, largest collection by Brit Museum in London and Ethnological Museum in Berlin Debate to return art to Nigeria • Affirmative: Since the objects were stolen, they should return to their rightful home. • Rebuttal: European museums (see first bullet) can preserve the artworks better than any other location.

DESIGN • Central figure • Oba or a high ranking warrior • Wears a sword, headress, shield, and headdress • Page • to the main figure's right • Holds a ceremonial sword • Two Musicians • To either side of the page and the central figure • Two Portuguese • Top left and right corners In profile

DESIGN PART 2 • THE PORTUGUESE • Extensive tradeBenin Kingdom valued Portuguese merchantsindicated by their presence on Plaque • Trade with the Portuguese provided the copper to make this piece and the wealth to support such art • The Portuguese came from across the water, the fabled land of death • The Edo associated them with the intermediate realm between life/death and Olokun • The god of the waters, Olokun, is represented by crocodiles and mudfish • TL;DR- Portuguese are awesome according to the plaque

Method • The importance of figures in Plaque is indicated by amount of regalia, detail, size, and degree of relief • Central figure projects the most from the surface and with the greatest detail. Also stands the tallest and wears full regalia

Creation • Artist used lost wax casting • STEP 1: form fullscale model from hard yet pliable wax • STEP 2: use model to create mold • STEP 3: use mold to cast final work in a copper alloy

RANDOM FACT TIEM :0 • One thousand very similar plaques exist, including one at the National Museum of African Art. • Most Benin plaques are made of either bronze or brass. • The difference? Bronze contains tin while Brass contains zinc.

PURPOSE (?) • Art historians do not know the original purpose of the Benin plaques • When British arrived, plaques were in storage • Scholars first believed that they display specific historical or ceremonial events • Paula Ben-Amos, professor of anthropology and African studies, DISAGREES • “Very few of them now appear to us to convey narratives.”

TL;DR- AKA: I didn’t pay attention during the powerpoint

St. George’s Cathedral by Arthur Blomfield • Georgetown, Guyana, 1894 • Wood

ARTHUR BLOMFIELD (1829-1899) LIFE • Arthur Blomfield was a renowned English architect and member of the Royal Institute of British Architects • Father was a Bishop of the Church of England EDUCATION • Rugby School • Trinity College at Cambridge • Apprentice to architect Philip Charles Hardwick • WORK • Best known: College of Music in London (1882) • Gothic revival churches: St. Andrew’s Church in Surbiton, England (1872) • In 1891, received the Royal Gold Medal of the Royal • Institute of British Architects in recognition of his work

DESIGN OF ST. GEORGE’S CATHEDRAL Basic design • One of tallest wooden churches on Earth • at 143 feet tall • Latin cross with a central tower Gothic influences • Pointed arches, flying buttresses, large windows with stained glass and Biblical scenes • add a sense of lightness and height • In order to match the style of the area, Arthur Blomfield constructed the cathedral out of local timber and painted the building white

ST. GEORGE’S CATHEDRAL (1894) History GEORGETOWN, GUYANA • Originally, the Arawak and Carib lived on N coast of South America • The Dutch arrived in the 17th and 18th century, Europeans argued over the territory, and the British named the colony British Guiana in 1814 • In 1834, the colony adjusted from slave labor to immigrant labor and in 1966, gained independence and became Guyana • The city, Georgetown, was founded 18th century at the mouth of the Demerara River. TOO MANY NAMES FOR GEORGETOWN WHY ARE THERE SO MANY NAMES AHHHHHHH • Stabroek (Dutch) • Longchamps (French) • Georgetown (British) • The British named the city in 1812 after King George III.

GEORGETOWN TODAY • Guyana’s most populous city • The city holds the central government and serves as the commercial center • The city is a mix of Dutch, French, British, and African people, plus a mix of immigrant workers • The dominant religion is Great Britain’s official state religion, the Anglican Church • (Hinduism and Islam are also present)

Going To The Chapel~ • Despite a few additions, the first St. George's church, built in 1810, was too small • The second church, built in 1842, became a cathedral when Georgetown became the seat of the Diocese of Guiana • Due to a weak foundation in 1877, the construction of St. George's Cathedral was necessary

TL;DR- AKA: I didn’t pay attention during the powerpoint

That’s All, Folks • Get it? Because the central figure’s head was replaced with Porky’s? No..? Okay.

European Imperialism Art