ART 100 - Week 8: Directional Lines
PART 1: ALPHABET OF ART: DIRECTIONAL LINES
Assignment Instructions: Within the history of world art, find examples of artwork where you can see the use of line direction.
Example 1: Horizontal Lines
Standard of Ur ("Peace" Side)
- Unknown
circa 2,500 BC
Shell and Limestone "Mosaic" on Wooden Core Adhered with Tar
- Unknown
circa 2,500 BC
Shell and Limestone "Mosaic" on Wooden Core Adhered with Tar
The horizontal lines with scenes stacked one on top of another illustrate order and heirarchy of the ancient civilization of Mesopotamia. At the bottom section peasants are carrying offerings to the higher ranking classes of society found in the upper portions of the artwork. In the center are middle class citizens and toward the top are nobes who are all facing the direction of their ruler, who is illustrated as someone who larger and a head taller than the rest to show the importance of their position. This is a two sided view of their society. Currently we are observing Mesopotamia in a state of peace. On the opposite side a vision of war...
Standar of Ur ("War" Side)
(Continued from above) ... in which the same heirarcy exists. The lower portion depicts one army conquering another which has been interpreted in several ways. One involves those who are trampled under the horses becoming slaves which are represented by the peasants on the opposite side. In contrast, the peasants from the opposite side can also be depicted as those who are on the font lines conducting the conquering seen here. The same heirarchy continues to the top in which officers surround the leader and provide hime with their full attention.
Example 2: Diagonal Lines
The Storm on the Sea of Galilee
- Rembrant
1633
Oil on Canvas
- Rembrant
1633
Oil on Canvas
In this scene of chaos, Rembrand illustrates the action of the moment by the use of the diagonal line scene in the ships mast which is reinforced by the upcoming wave from underneath. Interestingly, the although there is diagonal lines and darkeness in the sky, it is almost muted from the scene in the foreground. The piercing through the clouds gives a moment of hope in the scene of disorder by shining light down on the small vessel. The majority of the image is dark with the exception of the wave, the mast, and the faces of each of the men with particular emphasis given to Jesus in the lower right.
PART 2: CAT'S EYES