In the ancient world, powerful cultural expressions arose in Ancient Egypt and Ancient Mesopotamia. While there are shared themes of power and divinity in their art, it is important to differentiate between the artistic expressions and cultural contexts of these ancient societies. In ancient Egypt, a hierarchical scale placed kings or pharaohs on a god-like pedestal due to their connection with the divine…

The Silk Road is a series of trade networks established across the continents of Asia, Africa, and the Mediterranean. Many goods were traded on the Silk Road. Ideas were traded, including silk, spices, and most importantly, art. Art played an important role in spreading religion along the Silk Road. It allowed people from different cultures to share their traditions and ideas through the art they created. Artistic works such as the Mogao Caves in China, Islamic calligraphy, and pottery aided the spread of Buddhism and the Islamic religion across the Silk Road network…

Chinese painting underwent significant development, especially in terms of subject matter and technique, during the Tang Dynasty. The innovations characterized by Tang Dynasty painting had a long-lasting impact on art in other cultures, particularly in East Asia. In this period, figure painting reached the height of elegant realism in Southern Tang…

This essay discusses the history of jade during Neolithic China, further expanding on some artifacts from the Shang Dynasty. The primary known sources of nephrite jade in China were predominantly the Yangtze River from 3400-2250 BC, and Liaoning province in the interior of Mongolia. The dynamic use of jade varied greatly, as it was employed to fashion an assortment of objects over time. Culminating the Neolithic jade period is the Liangzhu culture, marking jade's timeless relevance throughout Chinese history…

Throughout the 19th and 20th centuries, European art institutions and museums played a significant role in the development of artistic styles and the production of quality pieces. However, this period also witnessed the creation of false narratives within the art world, with imagined scenarios and stereotypes that were perpetuated. This period was also marked by the separation of the social classes and the general public’s more limited exposure to art and technology. These restrictions not only shaped how art was consumed but also led to the emergence of unrealistic portrayals and stereotypes based purely on imagination…

Abstract art has been a significant form of expressionism throughout history. Artists from various parts of the world have used different styles, colors, and expressive techniques to convey their artistic visions on canvas. Following World War II, the Western art center shifted to New York City, making the United States a hub for a new artistic movement known as abstract expressionism…