My exhibit is called “Beauty and intricacies”. The exhibit show cases ornate and intricate art throughout history, from the Met. Art in the past as well as today has sometimes served as a way to show case wealth and and served little purpose other then to please the senses. Just because art is beautiful and ornate doesn't mean that it isn't as important as other forms of art. Tapestries, brooches trophies and urns sometimes are the only things to survive the ravages of time and give us a glimpse of our past. These small “insignificant” things show us what people though was beautiful and how they lived.
The “Crossbow Brooch” is from ca. 400 the late Roman or Byzantine era, it is made of gold and is around 1in wide and 4in long. During this time religion and art were very interwoven as with this peace there is a Gothic cross embossed down the center of it. The piece is heavily designed with intricate little details, a wealthy woman probably wore this brooch. the craftsmen ship level that went into this piece is impressive. Sometimes details in art are over looked but sometimes the smallest things can be the most amazing.
This piece just entitled “Shrine” from Germany made around 1600, made out of silver and other metals is exchusite. So many little details angels flowers, suns, stars, the inside is painted with a religious theme. Art and religion through out history and been very inter-involved many artist have drawn inspiration from from the different faiths.
The “Goa stone and Gold Case” is one of my favorite pieces. It Just exudes wealth and decadence and beauty. The whole piece is just design oriented. So many intricate little details and looks so delicate. It was made in India in the late 17th-early 18th century, made of gold, Goa stone , organic and inorganic materials and is almost 6in tall.
All these pieces came from different times, different eras but all were and still might be considered beautiful. They show what was considered to be beautiful and the time and had some level of importance. The amount of design and work put into these pieces make some modern day artists seem lazy and not worthy of the title artist.
"Crossbow Brooch"
Unknown
ca. 400
4 11/16 x 2 3/16 x 1 9/16 in. (11.9 x 5.5 x 4 cm)
Gold
"Goa stone and container"
Unknown
late 17th–early 18th century
Goa stone: Diam. 1 3/16 in.
(3 cm) container: H. 2 5/8 in.
(6.7 cm) Diam. 5 11/16 in. (14.4 cm)
"Shrine"
Anton Mozart
1598–1600
Made of Ebony, silver, silver gilt, gouache on parchment
16 15/16 x 7 1/4 x 4 1/8 in. (43 x 18.4 x 10.5 cm)
"Oval Bowl with grapevine scrolls inhabited by birds and animals"
Unknown
6th-7th Century
Iran
Silver and Mercury gilding
" The Attarouthi Treasure - Silver Dove"
Unknown
6th-7th Century
Silver
