Shawn's Global Art I

                       Head, possibly a King, 12th-14th century Ife        Olmec, Colossal Head, La Venta Monument 1,  900-400 BCE          At first look, these two pictures appear to be remarkably similar in physicality and underlying meaning. The indifferent emotions, blank eyes, flaring lips, head pieces, and sense of significant all point to this.     The Yoruba people of southwestern Nigeria created the portrait on the left. On the right, an Olmec civilization portrait painted in Mexico. Both statues depict a greater power, namely a king. Both pieces exhibit hyper-focused details of human facial characteristics and realism. A crown is placed atop the portrait's head on the left, while the sculpture on the right retains a large head-piece. Such detail is only found in artworks of royalty or religious figures in most historical works of art.     Despi...

Seated Figure , terracotta, 13th century, Mali, Inland Niger Delta region, Djenné peoples, 25/4 x 29.9 cm     The image above is of a terracotta sculpture from the 13th century found in the Inland Niger Delta region. Because other sculptures from this location were robbed, it is impossible to compare these sorts of statues in order to provide more information about the figure.     The majority of what has been written and disputed about the Seated Figure is speculative. According to some experts, the figure is merely an evocative portrayal of the human body. However, the majority of people believe that this terracotta artwork depicts disease and illness. Trade between individuals in the region had become common during the presumed period this item was created. The trans-Saharan trade was particularly important. Diseases spread as a result of the proliferation of trades.     With this in mind, the figure's position might indicate an ailment such as polio. Th...