Form, Function, Content, Context

The Night Attack on the Sanjo Palace

Form

East Asian painting format in Japan called an emaki. It also is a prime example of the action‐packed otoko‐e, “men’s paintings,”. Designed to be unrolled in sections for close‐up viewing, it shows the basic features of this pictorial form: a bird’s eye view of action moves right‐to‐left. It is also important to mention would be the attention to detail that the artist had in the piece of art work. For example each of the tiny soldiers fighting has very intricate clothes. These clothes are drawn not with a simplistic way, but with actual attention to each little square of material.

 

Function

The artist created this work to tell anyone concerned or interested about the history of the Heiji Rebellion. It’s just a visual depiction of the Rebellion so that people have a better understanding about the Rebellion. Overall this was made to inform people.

 

Content

Overall the artwork depicts the Night Attack when Fujiwara no Nobuyori’s bided to seize power by abducting both the emperor and the retired emperor. So Nobuyori backed by Minamoto no Yoshitomo, head of that clan, saw an opportunity when the head of the Taira clan, who supported Emperor Nijō, left Kyōto on a pilgrimage. The emaki depicts the seizing of the retired emperor Go‐Shirakawa. There isn’t any symbolism in this piece because of the simple reason that it is a depiction of an event in history and the artist was only trying to get the facts in.

 

Context

This piece of art was created in Japan, during the Kamakura period, and thought to be the second half of the 13th century. This has no political or philosophical propaganda ideologies in it since it is just a piece of art work that was made to inform. However the actual event taking place in the painting does have to deal with politics and philosophy. Here we see that the samurai are plotting to go and kidnap the old and current emperor because they don’t want a authoritarian government. The samurai wanted to also have their little area to rule. So basically it was a political philosophical debate about whether an authoritarian government system should rule or more of a representational government.

 

A way that a viewer might react to such a piece would be first in awe because I believe there are only two depicts and accounts of this rebellion, so this is a great contribution to history and understanding our world. Another reaction would include country proudness to finding and watching the progress of their country.

 

 

Alexander Mosaic

Form

This art work is a mosaic piece made of thousands of colored glass and rock. It is three dimensional because of the contrast between light and dark in the painting. For the Greeks it is a very positive piece because they won, but when you look at the facial expressions on Darrius it is negative. This is a huge rectangular mosaic art work that is thought to put on a wall.

 

Function

The function of this piece to proclaim a turning point for the Greek Empire. This is when they spread out and started to conquer and grow the empire. This piece is a celebration for what they have done.

 

Content

This painting is nothing more than a depiction of a crucial turning point in history. What this art work is trying to depict is the battle between the Persian King Darius and Greek Alexander the Great. It was thought that Darius would win because of the factor that he had thousands more men. But because of Alexander’s experience he actually won and send Darius in retreat.  

 

Context

This painting was made 100 B.C.E. The mosaic was actually found under a layer of ash in the city of Pompeii. It is thought to have been a wall painting because of how it is heavily painted on the bottom and empty on top. This is thought to be an example of wall art that was said to be so amazing even though no one can find it.

 

A reaction to the painting would be in shock because this is an example of wall art and Greek wall art is rare. This painting would strike in the hearts of the people of Greece because they beat crazy odds even when everything seemed hopeless they still won. The size and attention to detail would make someone really admire the piece of work.