Art Analysis

 

Pit 1, Army of the First Emperor, Qin dynasty, Lintong, China, c. 210 B.C.E., painted terracotta  (photo: mararie, CC BY-SA 2.0)



Army of the First Emperor of Qin in pits next to his burial mound, Lintong, China, Qin dynasty, c. 210 B.C.E., painted terracotta (photo: scottgunn, CC BY-NC 2.0)



Army of the First Emperor Qin Dynasty, Lintong, China (210 BCE)

 

The first emperor of China was Qin Shi Huangdi. He championed the tomb construction, which took 38 years, and a reported 700,000 convicts to labor for the last 13 years. It was then covered in dirt, grass, and trees disguised as a hill until it was found in 1974. (Mittman, 2019)

These sculptures transport the viewer back in time. The phalanx of warriors and chariots elicit emotions of awe and respect. It breathes life into history; the orderly balance of the army shows discipline and order. The serried rows of warriors show unity; the lack of color makes the army even grander. Instead of a busy scene with many colors, the washed-out beige makes the army look disciplined as one unit. Your eyes take in the entire scene, and you cannot count the numbers. The sculptures have simple lines for armor, but their faces are curved and have form, which provides contrast between the individualized faces and the matching uniforms. Their faces show emotion and expressions, making the imagination bring color to their faces.

The size and scale are beyond any museum or house. However, it would be absolutely incredible if a museum had these statues in a garden that could be walked through and toured. I would love pictures of these statues to hang on my wall at home or a miniature version in a display case.

Dr. Asa Simon Mittman, "Art Appreciation: Spotlight—The Terracotta Army of Emperor Qin Shi Huangdi," in Smarthistory, August 19, 2019, accessed June 5, 2024, https://smarthistory.org/terracotta-army-emperor-qin-shi-huangdi/.

Comments

  1. LilyJune 6, 2024 at 12:42 PM

    This really is an awe-inspiring piece (if it can even be called that)! The size alone is intimidating and then you notice the details in the faces of each soldier. I agree about the color aspect as well creating unity among the individual statues, though originally, they were painted and included other elements such as wood, iron, bronze, silk... It would have been incredible to see in its original state! My favorite aspect of this is the fact that something so large and impressive remained a buried secret for so many years.

    ReplyDelete
  2. Rusty GrayJune 6, 2024 at 5:59 PM

    Hi Jordan,
    This piece is very cool; labor practices notwithstanding. I love the absence of color. It is suggestive that something nefarious happened to this army. Or perhaps the supernatural turned them into stone. It may also be the natural erosion of the medium due to being underground, but I like the supernatural explanation better. The use of form here makes me feel a sense of pride and stoicism. All the well-postured individuals are standing at attention while their faces await their marching orders. The use of line is suggestive of order as well. Each column is 4 abreast and all facing the same direction. I love it and thank you for sharing.

    ReplyDelete

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Schaeffer Jordan Art

Image
 Hello World, My name is Jordan Schaeffer, or as most call me, Jordy. I am pursuing a bachelor's degree in business and applied management, now a senior. I am originally from Kansas City, Missouri, and moved to Alaska five years ago. I have two dogs: a German Shepherd named Chilli Bean and a Terrier named Remy. I love reading books; I own nearly 500 and read daily. Fantasy and sci-fi are my favorite genres, but I also read psychology and books about the brain. I also enjoy hunting, fishing, camping, and hiking. I plan to go to Clemson, South Carolina, once I graduate for a graduate degree in biomedical engineering. The Fortress of Königstein  by Bernardo Bellotto (1756-1758) Art is interesting. I enjoy attending the Nelson Atkins Art Museum in Kansas City, Missouri. So much of the art impresses me, but there is a lot of the art that I don't understand. It looks like a child produced the art, or it's some sort of joke because there are a few squiggles on the paper. I own som
Read more

Baroque

Image
  Apollo and Daphne   Gian Lorenzo Bernini (1622–24; Galleria Borghese, Rome)      Apollo and Daphne is a sculpture by Gian Lorenzo Bernini. It was commissioned by Cardinal Scipione Borghese at the beginning of Bernini's career. The statue depicts Phoebus (Apollo), pursuing Daphne, the daughter of Peneus, who denied the love of men. This statue is captivating, the flowing movement of their bodies, the curves and features of their lithe movements, the details of their bodies and their curves adding to the passion of the pursuit. It makes me feel like I glimpsed a moment in ancient history of the gods. I wish the statue had color to it, but the solid white makes it seem like a ghost of a memory of times past. The energy, movement, the flowing diagonal movements of their bodies, the intensity and the feeling that you're glimpsing a moment in time are all indicators of the Baroque art style. (Harris and Zucker)        Bernini was greatly influenced by royalty since they commiss
Read more