Compare and contrast any two of the six representations of gods/rulers in this post (bas relief of Assyrian King Sargon II, Venus of Willendorf, The Good Shepherd from San Callisto Catacombs 2nd century AD, bronze statue of Discobolus 2nd century AD Roman copy of Greek original, mosaic of the Good Shepherd from Ravenna ca 430AD, and Claus Sluter’s Head of Christ ca 1400AD). Be specific, descriptive and poetic as you consider the formal qualities and media of the works in relation to the culture and religion in which they were produced (ie. the texture of Venus’ hair has been likened to cornrows and could perhaps be a reference to the harvest). Use some of these terms in your response: free-standing, relief, additive, subtractive, abstract, and naturalistic. Click on the images to view them in greater detail.
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September 14, 2010 at 10:52 am
Nathan Hodges
The two gods i want to discuss is the bronze statue of Discobolus 2nd century AD Roman copy of Greek original and the Claus Sluter’s Head of Christ ca 1400AD. These two are masterpieces of their time and portray the gods in magnigicent detail. The bronze statue is shown with a discus of some sort which shows that gods have good sport. The head of Claus Sluter is a little depressing and it almost brought a tear to my eye.
September 14, 2010 at 2:49 pm
Clement Bilhorn
The Venus of Willendorf and the Discobolus are both sculptures with undoubted cultural significance. However, they differ sharply in a few ways, the most obvious being their different materials: clay and bronze, respectively. Furthermore, the great difference in detail between the two is quite striking–the naturalistic Discobolus is exquisitely rendered, so lifelike it looks more like an actual man than a sculpture, and its pose is such that it is clearly engaged in action. Clearly, to the Roman creator of the sculpture, it served as an appropriate representation of the physical, bodily perfection they so admired. The Venus, by contrast, is very abstract, being engaged in no discernible activity and bearing no realistic features. To whatever culture created the Venus, it must have served a much more symbolic, totemic role than that of the Discobolus.
September 14, 2010 at 5:29 pm
Tanya Rymas
The bas relief of Assyrian King Sargon II and Claus Sluter’s Head of Christ are both sculptures that vary greatly: the former uses the method of relief from the wall, whereas the latter is free standing. The Assyrian King Sargon II is also abstract with few details, whereas the Head of Christ is very naturalistic and detail oriented. One similarity that the sculptures share is that they were both created using subtractive methods. The bas relief of Assyrian King Sargon II exemplifies the high regard the people had for Kings in that the King is taller than the person. In the Head of Christ, it represents the new image of Jesus as human, with human emotions and pain.
September 14, 2010 at 9:24 pm
tony vargyas
I am going to compare and contrast the two sculptures of Claus Sluter’s Head of Christ ca 1400AD and the bronze statue of Discobolus. These two have many differnces in the way they are positioned. The bronze statue is positioned in a way that is not free-standing, however it is a great piece of art in the sense that it is relieving and pleasing to the eye. The statue of Jesus is harsh and agonizing. This sculpture was amazingly crafted and portrays Jesus in sorrowful times. It gives the audience a feel for what he went through and how much he suffered for our sins.
September 15, 2010 at 1:26 pm
Dan Wanee
Claus Sluter’s Head of Christ and The Good Shepherd from the San Callisto Catacombs are both artists’ renditions of Christ. Both are naturalistic, but The Good Shepherd is less detailed. In my mind, this is a good thing, because Christians should not seek to depict Christ, which they cannot do accurately, but rather depict his attributes and character. This fresco displays his love, but not the details of his face. On the other hand, the detailed relief in Head of Christ, a subtractive sculpture, adds to its impact. It allows the viewer to see the pain on his face displayed through tension in his brow, the shape of his closed eyes, and other features. Each piece uses a different medium and focuses on different effects in order to display truths about the Savior. Both tell of His love, one of His tenderness, and one of His sacrifice.
September 15, 2010 at 2:08 pm
Shane McGann
The two reliefs, the first one being the bronze statue of Discobolus, and the second being of the Head of Christ by Claus Sluter display very different ideas of what groups believe of their gods. Discobolus is a powerful statue displaying a great man performing a task that would display his physical power, while the Head of Christ is a more peaceful gentle depiction of Jesus. These contrasts show the importance of image behind the gods of the past paralleled with the salvation provided by a humble loving God. This depiction gives great insights into both sets of beliefs and what the artists have done is to capture the true emotion of specific people who follow these religions.
September 15, 2010 at 6:16 pm
Mike Feurdean
Discobolus and Sluter’s portrayal of Christ are both freestanding pieces of art, but one is made from bronze, the other stone. Yet both manage to express a great attention to detail, and both are naturalistic in nature. In Discobolus, the deity is doing something common in the Roman world, and the Christ simply has a natural, peaceful facial expression. It makes sense because Romans greatly valued sport in their culture.
September 15, 2010 at 7:18 pm
Emily Labutta
The bronze statue of Discobolus and Claus Sluter’s Head of Christ, while both being sculptures, are very different. Discobolus was probably made by first using clay, which makes this sculpture additive, while the Head of Christ is marble and thus is subtractive. Discobolus conveys the importance of athleticism in his day as bulging muscles ripple across his body that is portrayed in motion. Christ, in contrast, is not active, and the focus is more on the anguish in his face than on his body. Also, I think his crown of thorns is similar in creation to his hair, which could suggest the intentionality of his sacrifice.
September 16, 2010 at 7:46 am
Kenny Piccolo
Discobolus and Rvenna Slutter both are sculptures of gods but have many differences. The biggest difference that catches a viewer’s eye is the stature of the works. Discobolus is shown in glorious form, throwing a discus illustrating his accomplished athletic ability and superiority. Revenna Slutter comes off as more of a thinker or suffering god. This sculpture looks as though the god is in deep thought or deep in pain, meditating on the things at hand.
September 16, 2010 at 8:06 am
Ainsley McCullough
In this post I would like to compare the bronze statue of Discobolus and Claus Sluter’s Head of Christ. Both are obviously similar in that they are statues. Both are detailed in that they show facial expression and muscle definition. The bronze statue of Discobolus is free-standing. It appears that the Head of Christ is as well, however I cannot be totally sure because the base of the statue is not pictured. The statues are both naturalists rather than abstract because they look very life-like. Both sculptures convey the way that the artist wanted the viewer to see the god. In the bronze statue of Discobolus, strength and might are shown in the way he holds the discus. Even the bronze itself emphasizes the strength of Discobolus through the way the light gleams off the curves of his musculature. The statue of Christ on the other hand shows the sorrow and suffering experienced at the crucifixion. There is a lot of emotion portrayed on his face.
September 16, 2010 at 8:10 am
Rachel Wassink
The Good Shepherd from the San Callisto Catacombs and the mosaic of the good shepherd from Ravenna both illustrate a portrayal of the good shepherd. The one in San Callisto is a fresco that appears on the ceiling. The other is found in Ravenna, Italy in a mausoleum, and it is a mosaic. The fresco shows a simple shepherd with love and care for his sheep; the shepherd is not dressed in fancy clothes, and he has a sheep on his back. The mosaic shows a shepherd with formal clothes, and he is not even looking at the sheep. The fresco is very naturalistic; it appears to be a real man with regular features and a typical appearance. The mosaic is less naturalistic than the fresco.
September 16, 2010 at 10:22 am
Jeremy Heuslein
Venus of Willendorf and the Discobolus both have idealized elements within them, as expressions of the cultures and contexts they are arising from. Within the Venus of Willendorf, the abstract element of fertility is made explicit through the exaggeration of the breasts and the hips, both which convey fertility. Since the sculpture is subtractive, the artist has retained a natural feel to the piece, e.g., there being no face and little relief throughout the piece. Also, the feet of Venus play a very practical role, as farmers could plant this art in their land, letting its fertility symbolically soak into the ground. Discobolus is also idealized, but he is the idealized male citizen, modeled after the god, Apollo. He is an additive sculpture, formed to show muscle tone and relief and the chiseled form of to the young man. The culture from which Discobolus arose was relatively agriculturally stable, giving rise to more complicated interests and expressions, hence the shift from the feminine and fertility, to the masculine and vitality.
September 16, 2010 at 3:44 pm
Taylor Dalton
The two pieces of art I will discuss are Venus of Willendorf and bronze statue of Discobolus 2nd century AD Roman copy of Greek original. I find that the major difference in either of them is that they depict two different parts of human life: one is fertility as depicted by Venus and the other is sports as depicted by Discobolus. It is interesting how the sculptor of Venus and many of the statues representing fertility seem to be “abstract” and inaccurate to the actual form and shape of the female body. On the other hand, Discobolus is a much more accurate idea of what a man looks like or at least what a man desires to look like. Due to the size difference, it is interesting that Discobolus is free standing as well as Venus considering the varying in size and material used to sculpt.
September 17, 2010 at 12:00 pm
megan mitchell
The Good Shepherd from San Callisto Catacombs 2nd century AD is in the same dimension and is a depiction of the same subject as he Good Shepherd from Ravenna ca 430AD, but the two works give a slightly different impression. They are both on flat services, in other words are two dimensional works, and they both depict the same idea of Christ being a Shepherd. The mediums set them apart from one another in that the first one is a very simple monochromatic painting, while the second is a colorful, detailed mosaic. The first appears more naturalistic to me, painted right on the stone in a rustic color. Even the way Christ is portrayed, with his simple worker’s garb, a water bucket in one hand, the other hand to gently hold a sheep over his shoulders, his bearded face, outward gaze, and cantrapasto stance feel very natural to me. The mosaic is more elaborate and Jesus appears more exalted in this one, with his halo, full robes, tall cross for a staff, his sitting position, almost like he is on a throne, his facial expression, and hairdo… The second was done 200 years further along in church history, and it appears that had been some changes in views of how Christ should be depicted. Between these two pieces we can see a shift away from the human-ness of Jesus being emphasized in art.
September 17, 2010 at 8:05 pm
Courtney Goll
The Good Shepherd from San Callisto Catacombs and the mosaic of the Good Shepherd are quite similar form, but different in all other respects. They are both flat and two dimensional. The pale green, ghostly representation in of Jesus, the Good Shepherd, fits well within its Catacomb location, in that the Lord does take His children home. In this painting, his arms are full of animals, and he has others following Him, and a bucket of water for them to drink. All of those aspects within this naturalistic and nature-filled painting show God’s care for His Creation. The mosaic, however, idealizes the herding over sheep, and is less naturalistic due to it. The vibrancy of the colors suits this work, since it would fit the vibrant Italian culture and appreciation of art. Both are Christian pieces, and even have the same title, and in addition, depict Jesus as one surrounded by sheep and/or others that are dependent upon Him.
September 17, 2010 at 10:58 pm
Ryan Seager
The Good Shepherd of Ravenna and the Head of Christ depict two very different things. The Good Shepherd seems to be focused on things other than his sheep, while the Head of Christ seems to portray more exhaustion and suffering as Jesus faces death. We see Jesus through both works of art, however the passion and love for humanity seems to be stronger in the Head of Christ. The Good Shepherd focuses on things other than his sheep, leading me to think he is focused on other things. Jesus has been depicted in many ways and even though both pieces portray Him, we are able to see a strong difference in emotion and feeling between the two.
September 18, 2010 at 12:42 pm
Kristen Brown
Claus Sluter’s Head of Christ and The Good Shepherd from San Callisto Catacombs both represent Christ. While one is a sculpture and the other is a painting, they both depict how Christ was fully human. In the subtractive Head of Christ sculpture, one can see the pain and agony He felt during the crucifixion. The painting, The Good Shepherd, is very naturalistic. It shows the tenderness and gentleness of Christ. Both representations do a good job drawing the viewer in and capturing emotion.
September 18, 2010 at 2:32 pm
Dylan Mooney
I will be mosaic of the Good Shepherd and the Venus of Willdendorf. They are both very different works of art in that they represent the deities of two very different religions. The Venus being produced in an ancient European pagan culture, most likely done for the benefit of a good harvest, since it is a fertility sculpture. Where as Christ was painted at a much later date most likely on the basis of glorifying God, since there is no foreseeable benefit besides money to painting such a painting, by a believer in the largest world religion today. The Venus is a subtractive sculpture, that has many symbolic and abstract details which convey deep meaning. The painting of Christ is much less symbolic, quite straightforward, and a painting as opposed to sculpture. However, despite all their contrasting features these two pieces of art, if looked at from a wider lens have great similarities as well. Both are done as religious pieces, expressing the obedience of the creators as bound to their deity. Another important similarity is that they are both idealized views of the deities that the artist took his or her vision of the best possible and most appealing form of their deity.
September 19, 2010 at 11:57 am
Luke Van de Krol
I am choosing to compare and contrast The Good Shepherd from San Callisto Catacombs 2nd century AD, and Venus of Willendorf. Similarities that both of these pieces have include accurate portrayals of what is trying to be emphasized. An additive that highlights the Good Shepherd is the naturalistic colors in the background of this piece to highlight the wilderness and a man that sympathizes with our hard times, but also a gentle God who endures hard things with us. This can be contrasted with the Venus of Willendorf piece because this piece employs the subtractive of a background, making it free-standing. This shows that Venus is not as interactive with humanity, but is set apart in the Heavens. This is also due to the fact that these pieces come from much different mediums. Venus of Willendorf is a sculpture, whereas the Good Shepherd is a painting.
September 19, 2010 at 1:53 pm
Samantha McKean
I would like to compare the bas relief Assyrian King Sargon II and Claus Sluter’s Head of Christ. Both works are representing the lords that one could worship, and the artists have portrayed their masters in profoundly different ways. The piece showing the Assyrian King has low relief; it is part of a wall, showing the leader actively involved in the midst of a scene. In this way, it is clear how deeply integrated the king is into the life of his followers, becoming part of the structure they used and shown to be involved with his people. His facial expression, body position, and clothing reveal his authority. Sluter’s Head of Christ, however, is a free-standing structure. He is not in the midst of a scene and is not shown in relation to anyone else; one’s attention is focused entirely upon him. However, the artist has put a stirring expression of anguish on Christ’s face, making him easy to relate to, much more human than the stiff, angular portrayal of the Assyrian king. Though Christ is not shown interacting with anyone, I find myself feeling a distinct connection to him, whereas the audience has little involvement other than removed observation with the Assyrian King.
September 19, 2010 at 3:28 pm
Morgan Cook
The two works of are I’m going to compare are bas relief of Assyrian King Sargon II and Venus of Willendorf. The bas relief of Assyrian King Sargon is very interesting and has extreme detail. Venus of Willendorf is a free standing sculpture and is also very naturalistic. These pieces of art help us see into the cultures of the people and are over all great art.
September 19, 2010 at 3:40 pm
Adam Mosbrucker
I will be comparing “Venus of Willendorf” and the bronze statue of Discobolus 2nd century AD Roman copy of Greek original. They are both two very naturalistic pieces but show much about the differences about the culture at the time. Venus of Willendorf shows that to be overweight was acceptable and was a big part of the culture. The bronze statue of Discobolus shows that sports or games were very important to the culture and to be fit was recognized highly. Both are very good pieces that show much detail while being very simple.
September 20, 2010 at 4:07 pm
Kristin Kokubun
The Good Shepherd from San Callisto Catacombs 2nd century AD and Claus Sluter’s Head of Christ ca 1400AD can be compared in that they are both depictions of Jesus. Both works embody the compassionate mission of Jesus. The painting is naturalistic because it portrays Jesus in the fields shepherding the sheep. The second is a detailed free-standing sculpture of Jesus’ crucifixion. The sculpture captures the agony Jesus suffered.
September 20, 2010 at 6:49 pm
tanya kondratyuk
The Venus of Willendorf and the bronze statue of Dicobolus have similarities in their three dimensional qualities. Both pieces make a bold statement. However, the Venus sculpture has a naturalistic aspect about it; it is a symbol of fertility. Discobolus is a piece that seems to represent power and physical perfection. Both pieces were, most likely, significant images that represented the thought and definition of man during the times of their creation.
September 20, 2010 at 6:52 pm
Korey Dalton
The Mosaic of the Good Shepherd from Ravenna and Claus Sluter’s Head of Christ offer an interesting comparison due to their shared subject matter. As Christ is depicted by Claus Sluter, He is simply adorned with the thorns of a crown, has a seemingly smooth texture, and lacks a variety of color. The lines Sluter used to form Christ are beautifully crafted. Altogether with these qualities, I believe Sluter wanted to portray a realistic Christ, one that resonated with the culture and religion of his time. In this piece Christ is by Himself, emphasizing the individualism that his culture would permeate. The medium that Sluter chose to use in this piece echoes a kind of subtle power as it is subtractive without much adornment, which seems to emphasize its realistic qualities. Whereas Sluter has captured a realistic Christ, The Mosaic of the Good Shepherd has not spared any elaborate quality, which I believe is indicative of people’s perceptions of gods during this time period. In this mosaic, Christ is depicted with a golden halo and tunic and a large cross. Instead of portraying individualism, the artist has chosen to compose with multiple layers and depth. The multiplicity of colors and hues and the amount of volume this mosaic contains reflects the grandeur which the culture and religion of this time expected of their gods. Our book states that the mosaic as a medium “could be quite expensive” and that it “was generally available only to wealthier art patrons”. This expensive medium seems to reflect the depiction of Chris as rather detached from the sheep and as a ruler. While this mosaic and Sluter’s Head of Christ both portray power, I believe this mosaic suggests a more proud power without considering naturalistic or realistic qualities. This mosaic seems indicative of the culture and religion of this time period, as this potrayal of Jesus is rather unrealistic and seems difficult to attain, easily observed by the expensive robes that He wears and His facial features.
September 20, 2010 at 8:17 pm
Jason Bhatta
Two great works of art, showing two different ends of the spectrum are shown with Claus Sluter’s Head of Christ and The Assyrian King. The Assyrian King shown as a relief shows his mighty power and strength in the scene depicted while on the other hand the free standing subtractive Head of Christ shows Jesus’ agony as he was on the cross dying. Though both are beautiful pieces of art they both show very opposite emotions and depict opposite characteristics of Kings.
September 20, 2010 at 8:35 pm
Gabriel Ponton
The Good Shepherd from San Callisto Catacombs and The Good Shepherd from Ravenna have very different depictions of Jesus though they do have the same subject. Although the detail is hard to make out on the Good Shepherd from San Callisto, his expression seems concerned, genuine and hard working. His clothes also suggest humility. From Ravenna, the good shepherd has an expression of haughtiness as the colors depicting him are gold and bronze and his posture suggests that he has better things to do and care for the sheep. In both depictions of the Good Shepherd, the sheep are watching their shepherd, and even though neither of the Good shepherds are looking back at the sheep, the one from San Callisto seems more caring of the sheep due to the posture.
September 20, 2010 at 8:43 pm
Kristin Kroeze
I am going to compare and contrast are the bronze statue of Discobolus and Clau Sluter’s Head of Christ. In comparison, they are both statues of gods anda re naturalists because they are both life-like and look real. However they both depict such different emotions. In the bronze statue, the god is being portrayed as a big, powerful man who is playing a sport and is strong in every way possible. On the other hand, the statue of the head of Christ depicts his agony of dying on the cross and the pain and suffering that He went through. They are both gods, but they portray such different emotion and meaning.
September 20, 2010 at 9:01 pm
Yoshi Kozawa
The bronze statue of Discobolus, is free standing display of a Greek discus thrower. It shows the athelete’s power through its detailed body form. It also displays intensity because the eyes are fixed on the discus, this signifies that athleticism was important or respected in Greek culture.
The mosaic of the Good Shepherd depicts Jesus staring into the distance which shows him as higher than anyone else, and not seeing anyone as his equal. He is a shepherd however, within this culture, it may not have been appropriate to display Christ as a guide but as a figure that is looked up to. There does not seem to be a very intimate relationship between the herd and the shepherd.
Although the statue and the mosaic are different mediums and portray different individuals, both artists displayed their art in a naturalistic manner, which was probably more understood by the public.
September 20, 2010 at 9:05 pm
Shelby Swart
The bas relief of Assyrian King Sargon II and Claus Sluter’s Head of Christ are two very different pieces of sculpture. Obviously, the first and most noticeable difference is their composition. King Sargon is a bas relief while Sluter’s Head is free standing and subtractive. King Sargon is depicted regally and very much in power while the Head of Christ is pitiful. This makes sense when you consider how the artist saw their deity. One as an all powerful ruler, the other as an extremely empathetic sacrifice. They do, however have some similarities. They both depict rulers and they are both made of stone.
September 20, 2010 at 9:26 pm
Yaphet Tedla
Comparing the Good Shepherd from San Callisto Catacombs 2nd century AD, bronze statue of Discobolus 2nd century AD Roman copy of Greek origina. You can see come clear differences of what a god/rullers looked like to the specific group of people. To the early Christians, Christ is portrayed as a slender, weak, and poor shepherd. In contrast, the Greeks saw their god as being this strong and powerful. He was not constrained by anything but only the physics of the land. He seemed to be rich in wealth as he holds his shield or some sort. While our jesus is carrying water and his sheep.
September 20, 2010 at 9:28 pm
Chris Bradley
The bas-relief of Assyrian King Sargon II and the Discobolus both show distinctively the culture in which they originated. The Romans were known to worship the human body and its intricacies, and in Discobolus this is shown through the great deal put into the definition of every part of the sculpture of this mysterious man. In the bas relief of Assyrian King Sargon II, details are lacking as the art is seen directly on an ancient wall. This type of art could be due to the lack of resources that the artists of that time period had. Though this piece seems simple enough, the way the artist uses carving into the wall as an additive to make the main parts of the picture to pop out of the wall is intriguing. The freestanding art of Discobolus seems like much more of a naturalistic view of man than the very primitive and basic artwork of the Assyrian King Sargon seems to be. It is interesting to me that in the bas-relief of Assyrian King Sargon II, the court official stands the same height as the ruler. In my mind I imagine the ruler wanting to be portrayed as above the people that he is ruling, whether in reality or in an art piece.
September 20, 2010 at 9:52 pm
Garrett Cook
The mosaic of the Good Shepherd from Ravenna ca 430AD i believe is very formal and represents Jesus as a very proper, high king who looks down on his sheep as they tend to him. I believe that the fact it is a mosaic makes the details very rigid and less naturalistic, which also feeds into this religious idea of Jesus being proper and above his sheep. The Good Shepherd from San Callisto Catacombs 2nd century AD is much more naturalistic and soft in texture. I believe this paints a picture of a more compassionate Jesus as illustrated by the sheep he is delicately carrying around his shoulders. Neither of these two pieces are free standing or abstract, and they paint the picture of the same God, yet they are two very different illustrations. I tend to side with the latter illustration of a compassionate Jesus who cares for his children and his lost sheep.
September 20, 2010 at 11:24 pm
Joshua Miller
The Good Shepherd from San Callisto Catacombs is a naturalistic relief presenting a God who is both real and relatable. There is a humility and commonness to his form, and his lowly clothing and stature show us how the man Jesus was thought of in 2nd century AD. Not as a divine being clothed in light with a halo, but as a person, as he was. This contrasts the sculpture of bronze statue of Discobolus 2nd century, which glows with a kind of perfection. While the 2nd Century Good Shepard was humble, real, and relatable, this statue is idealized, an almost unattainable male form. The society in which he was made thought of their gods as the perfection of the human form. The sculpture is a free standing bronze, which will endure for thousands of years, which also contrasts the Good Shepard which is a fresco which is already falling apart.
September 20, 2010 at 11:30 pm
Lucy Hull
“The Good Shepherd” from San Callisto Catacombs is similar to the bronze statue of Discobolus in that both works utilize body movement and position to convey the mood of the characters portrayed. The shepherd stands erect with one arm reaching outwards, as if he means to encompass those around him and assert his authority and protection over his herd. Similarly, the Discobolus sculpture is bent in action, distorting his body in such a way that the viewer can tell he is intent on executing a particular task. In this sense, both pieces reveal very powerful scenes of action. In contrast, the Discobolus is a free-standing sculpture and thus slightly more realistic to the eye of the viewer. We see each muscle strain as the man prepares the disk. The Shepherd, however, seems to represent a kind of person rather than accurately depict that person himself. We can’t see much detail in this work due to the more rough, naturalistic style.
September 20, 2010 at 11:52 pm
Ben Meyer
The Venus of Willendorf and the Mosaic of the Good Shepherd from Ravenna are very different in the artist’s focus on the body of the deity. The Venus is more abstract in its facial figure, with little to no attention paid to any kind of expression. Instead, the breasts and womb dominate the figure. This partly due to the fact that it is a free-standing and rather rudimentary sculpture; however, this does not explain the artist’s choice to completely ignore the face. On the other hand, the Mosaic clearly portrays the Shepherd’s face and reveals more of an expression. There is certainly a shift in emphasis between these two works, one from fertility and the physical side of the body to one of personality and relationship. On the other hand, these works are similar in that they are both naturalistic in their own way. The sculpture is made of a common material that was likely used for other purposes in this community. This gives the work a common and natural feel to the contemporary observer. At the same time, The Mosaic reveals a pastoral scene that is both idyllic and natural at the same time.
September 20, 2010 at 11:58 pm
Meghan Cuthbertson
“Venus of Willendorf” and Claus Sluter’s “Head of Christ” were created in very diverse cultures that existed centuries apart, picturing very different religions. Both are subtractive sculptures, carved down from different kinds of stone to reveal a 3D image. Both the works can also be viewed from all angles. “Head of Crist” is very naturalistic. The figure looks lifelike, as if it could turn into flesh and blood instead of stone at any moment. The face is the central point and the main reason for creating the work, to show the agony of Christ as He dies on the cross. Even his pierced side and each thorn of the crown is included in the sculpture. His eyes are closed in pain and release. “Venus of Willendorf”, on the other hand, is quite abstract. Instead of being shown in realistic proportions, those areas related to child-bearing are exaggerated. The face is not the focal point like in “Head of Christ”, in fact there is not much of a face at all. This is because each religion is focused on a different aspect within the sculpture; “Venus of Willendorf” is more a vague goddess, most important in the areas of fertility, and good harvests. She is much less personal, connecting not on an emotional level, but a needs and wants based. She provides.
“Head of Christ” highlights our Savior in a personal way, as Him experiencing in this sculpture very real, human pain, and so making Him relatable to us.
September 21, 2010 at 1:46 am
Jonathan Barbalas
The two gods i want to compare are the bronze statue of Discobolus 2nd century AD Roman copy of Greek original and the Claus Sluter’s Head of Christ ca 1400AD. The statue appears to be very alive and appears to be free standing as it is not supported by anything other than the legs. Both works of art are shown in great detail and in the Christ head, much details is the great detail, so that it almost makes the head naturalistic. The bronze statue is more of a cultural work of art due to it being of an athlete. The bronze statue figure was more of like a model of what people wanted to achieve in the Greek culture, as they valued things like that so it was a cultural symbol. Christ’s head serves more of a religious purpose. Christ’s face is made to look very sad so as to remind people of the pain that he went through during the crucifixion.
September 22, 2010 at 1:14 am
Mishael Lee
Im going to discuss the Venus of Willendorf and the Bronze statue of Discoblous 2nd century AD roman copy of Greek.i think these two pieces represent their time period and culture really well. Venus of Willendorf is rather symbolized, it seems way more abstract, and simplified. It might be symbolizing the harvest and health. On the other hand, the Bronze statue of Discobolus is more realistic, smooth surface made out of bronze and detailed. The details and the figure are sculpted in a naturalistic style as it displays the balance and physical strength of the figure. Aslo i think it captured the motion really well.
September 22, 2010 at 1:30 pm
Carolyn Ingermanson
The two images of Jesus as the Good Shepherd create a sharp contrast. The San Callisto fresco makes Jesus look natural rather than posed, and shows him in realistic clothing like a normal person. He seems gentle and humble, and the subdued colors of the paint underscore that effect. The Ravenna mosaic is a lot more stylized, from the way Jesus’ feet are elegantly posed to the eye-catching gold halo around his head. He looks older, grimmer, less kind and less like a real person.
September 22, 2010 at 6:45 pm
Matthew Wheatley
I am comparing the Venus of Willendorf and the statue of Discobolus. The statue of Discobolus is very defined, precise, and realistic, while the Venus of Willendorf has important features, like the stomach and breasts, enlarged and less important things, like the arms, minimized, which makes it less life like. However, they did have different purposes. The Venus was just supposed to represent fertility, while Discobolus was meant to show an ideal human body. Therefore, they would need to take on different structures to convey what they wanted to.
September 22, 2010 at 7:34 pm
Alexandra Distler
Venus of Willendorf and Discobolus. Two sharply contrasting sculptures. Venus, the epitome of fertility and bearing fruit v. Discobolus, the idealistic man…athletic and invincible. While both are free-standing, one can almost feel the movement and energy of Discobolus while Venus stands heavily, bearing the weight of a child. Her body is likened to a swelling shelter for another life; his body is health, fitness, and pure physical strength.
September 25, 2010 at 12:41 pm
Cassandra Kranz
Looking at the mosaic of the Good Shepherd from Ravenna ca 430AD and Claus Sluter’s Head of Christ ca 1400AD, the first one is additive while the second one is subtractive. Both portray Christ as being a holy figure because they both give him a hola of some sort. They both also have a very melancholy atmosphere about them…they make you feel the pain that Christ experiences in his sorrow over the sins of man.
September 26, 2010 at 6:25 pm
Yabesh Sharma
The Good Shepherd form San Castillo Catacombs, a fresco, and the The Good Shepherd form the Ravenna, a mosaic both portray Christ as the Good Shepherd in different ways. The fresco is not very detailed but it depicts Christ as an actual shepherd who is humble and very close to his sheep whereas in the mosaic Christ is portrayed as a majestic being with a halo around his head. He does not look very humble and compassionate and does not seem close to his sheep.
September 28, 2010 at 12:06 am
Chris Erdos
Venus of Willendorf is definitely naturalistic. They believed that if they planted this statue in the ground, they would be fertile and have good sex.
It’s free-standing in the ground and subtractive since they sculpted it out of a block. The head of Christ is basically the opposite of the Venus of Willendorf, except for that it’s also subtractive. The head of Christ shows sorrow and pain, and the feelings of sex are the opposite of sadness.
October 4, 2010 at 5:01 pm
David Querfeld
The two images of the good shepherd are very different in many ways. First of all, the Callisto image is very naturalistic and looks very much like what a shepherd actually would. Ravenna’s, on the other hand, is very abstract and unrealistic in the pose and look in the face. Second, these two images give completely different ideas of Christ’s position and mentality when it comes to His sheep. Callisto’s Christ show’s a deep connection and true worry for the sheep, while Ravenna’s show’s a disinterest or even unhappiness with them.
October 4, 2010 at 7:46 pm
Hunter Thorson
i am going to talk about the two sculptures of Claus Sluter’s Head of Christ ca 1400AD and the bronze statue of Discobolus. These statues are both free-standing. The statue of Jesus is very grusome looking and looks like he has been very beaten and hurt. The bronze statue is a symbol of power and it looks like a very strong, handsome man.
October 6, 2010 at 9:09 pm
Chris Erdos
The Venus of Willendorf is so abnormal if not understood in its context. Our culture frowns upon thick women, and on top of that of nude women. The figure is definitely not realistic as the arms are too skinny; however, it’s naturalistic in the sense that the people of that culture used it to bring fertility — it was part of their life. From a different perspective, the Discobolus represents a way of life. It’s free-standing and it represents the competitiveness of the Roman society.
October 12, 2010 at 7:59 am
Scott "Hutch" Hutcherson
The bronze statue of discobolus. Wound up with so much energy you can almost feel it. The anticipation of the throw and finish by the athlete is so palpable. Whereas the head of christ is just the opposite. A man at his weakest, so broken and destroyed. The look of anguish upon his face tells all that is need to be said.
October 13, 2010 at 3:19 pm
Mary O'Hara
The Good Shephered from San Callisto Catacombs 2nd century AD and the mosaic of the Good Shepherd from Ravenna each potray Jesus in entirely different angles. The naturalistic San Callisto Catacombs’ apparel ressembles a Gentile Jesus who is very caring in his relationship with his sheep. There may be an insinuation that the Gentile Jesus cares for the particular group the artist is referrencing. The mosaic shepherd seems to be a bit of an abstract, for it does not to seem to represent Jesus at all. He’s aloof and placed in a priestly robe. Out of any people group, Jesus did not get along with the religious ones at the time. Aside from that, in reality, Jesus goes out to find the one lost sheep, but in this depiction, it seems as though he would rather be isolated from society. This may show the culture of trying to depict a Jesus out of the own image of the culture, not the true ALIVE Jesus today.