Pre-Columbian Art

[Pages:2]Pre-Columbian Art

Pre-Columbian Art of Mesoamerica 1500 B.C.E. to 1500 C.E.

Pre-Columbian art refers to art of any form that existed in the Americas before the arrival of Columbus. This study will deal specifically with the Olmec, Maya, and Aztec cultures, three of eight civilizations that thrived between about 1500 BCE and 1500 CE in Mesoamerica (the area known today as Mexico and Central America). All three cultures shared the following: a complex accurate 365 day calendar; a mythology whose main deities often took jaguar, serpent, and bird forms and were appeased by blood sacrifice; and a hierarchical society with ruling priests and noble classes. All of the Mesoamerican cultures had highly developed agricultural techniques that allowed them the leisure time to produce art. These cultures came to an end when the Spanish conquistadors, led by Hern?n Cortes, landed in Mexico and conquered the Aztecs, all but destroying their art, books, and entire society.

Art from Pre-Columbian Mesoamerica was created to serve specific functions and duties and was influenced by religious and political beliefs. Much of the art was stylized depictions of animal and human figures, and even large architectural structures were decorated with patterns that repeated these stylized figures. Pre-Columbian art was created from materials and natural resources readily available in the area, including stone, clay, and precious metals. Masks were a favorite PreColumbian art form and were used during religious ceremonies. Jade and gold treasures, intricate stone carvings, and monumental architecture in the form of stylized pyramids all represent the value placed on art in ancient Mesoamerica. Since the time of the Spanish conquest, many artists have been influenced by Pre-Columbian artifacts, including Albrecht D?rer, Pablo Picasso and Paul Klee.

Vocabulary

Glyph--A stylized figure or symbol that represents a word or idea or phonetic sound.

Mesoamerica--An area covering modern-day Mexico, Guatemala, Belize, El Salvador, and parts of Honduras.

Stelae--An upright pillar of stone that has been carved with an inscription.

Stylize--To use a simplified form to graphically represent a real object.

Art Elements

Line--Line is a mark made by a pointed tool such as a stone or stick. A line is created by the movement of a tool and pigment, and often suggests movement in a work of art. In the sculpture or relief carving of Mesoamerica, contour lines outline shapes while incised lines define the form in the sculptures.

Shape/Form--Shape is an area that is contained within an implied line. Shapes have two dimensions, length and width, while form describes volume and mass (the threedimensional aspects of objects that take up space). Sculpture can have geometric form, with square, cubistic, and straight edges as in the architecture of Chichen Itza or the Aztec mosaics. Sculpture can also take organic form, with rounded, flowing, and undulating incised contour lines as in the sculptures and small objects created by the Pre-Columbian cultures.

For Educational Purposes Only

Revised 08/12

1

Pre-Columbian Art

Art Principles

Balance--Balance refers to the distribution of visual weight in a work of art. Balance can be either symmetrical or asymmetrical. PreColumbian art reflects both types of balance. In addition, the Aztec calendar illustrates radial balance, or balance that occurs when all the elements radiate out from a central point.

Repetition--Art elements in planned or random repetitions enhance an artwork by enriching surface interest and increasing visual excitement. Sometimes elements repeat in various part of a design to relate the parts to each other and create unity. Repeated incised lines create designs that cover the surfaces of Mesoamerican relief sculpture and architecture.

For Educational Purposes Only

Revised 08/12

2

 ................
................

In order to avoid copyright disputes, this page is only a partial summary.

Google Online Preview   Download