European Imperialism ArtEuropean Imperialism Art

(Please try to stay (Please try to stay awake. Also, please awake. Also, please

don’t groan at my bad don’t groan at my bad jokes)jokes)

Before we start…Before we start…

http://quizlet.com/6642342/art-decathttp://quizlet.com/6642342/art-decathlon-flash-cards/hlon-flash-cards/

Plaque, Mid-Plaque, Mid-1616thth-17-17thth centurycentury

Benin Benin Kingdom Kingdom Court StyleCourt Style

Edo, NigeriaEdo, Nigeria Copper AlloyCopper Alloy

Timelines! Everyone loves Timelines! Everyone loves Timelines!Timelines!

The Benin Kingdom lies to the south of The Benin Kingdom lies to the south of Sierra Leone in Nigeria. The region Sierra Leone in Nigeria. The region contains the contains the Edo Edo people. people.

900 C.E.:900 C.E.: kingdom founded and ruled kingdom founded and ruled by by OgisoOgiso

Late 13Late 13thth – early 14 – early 14thth c. c.: became : became great political state great political state

Late 14th centuryLate 14th century: Yoruban prince, : Yoruban prince, OranmiyanOranmiyan, founded the second , founded the second dynasty and the reign of the dynasty and the reign of the ObaOba

14841484: : PortuguesePortuguese arrived to find the arrived to find the large ‘‘Beny Kingdom,’’ expanding large ‘‘Beny Kingdom,’’ expanding through warfare through warfare

Late 15Late 15thth century century: : Oba EwuareOba Ewuare expanded the Oba’s palace expanded the Oba’s palace

16th century16th century: HEIGHT OF POWER! : HEIGHT OF POWER! (insert Shaq reference here)(insert Shaq reference here)

19th century19th century: after decline, : after decline, resurgence due to control of palm oil resurgence due to control of palm oil

18971897: Benin Punitive Expedition: Benin Punitive Expedition

So what WAS the Benin So what WAS the Benin Punitive Expedition?Punitive Expedition?

Great Britain wished to Great Britain wished to control the Benin Kingdom control the Benin Kingdom and its palm oil and its palm oil

In February 1897, Rear In February 1897, Rear Admiral Harry Rawson led Admiral Harry Rawson led an attack on Benin City an attack on Benin City

The expedition looted the The expedition looted the palace, set homes on fire, palace, set homes on fire, destroyed the city, took destroyed the city, took art, and exiled the Oba. art, and exiled the Oba.

Nice going, Imperialists. Nice going, Imperialists. Way to mindlessly kill Way to mindlessly kill everyone. Again.everyone. Again.

Afterwards…Afterwards…

Art sent to museums, largest collection by Art sent to museums, largest collection by Brit Museum in London and Ethnological Brit Museum in London and Ethnological Museum in BerlinMuseum in Berlin Debate to return art to Debate to return art to NigeriaNigeria

Affirmative: Affirmative: Since the objects were stolen, Since the objects were stolen, they should return to their rightful home.they should return to their rightful home.

Rebuttal: Rebuttal: European museums (see first European museums (see first bullet) can preserve the artworks better bullet) can preserve the artworks better than any other location.than any other location.

DESIGN DESIGN

Central figureCentral figure Oba or a high ranking Oba or a high ranking

warriorwarrior Wears a sword, headress, Wears a sword, headress,

shield, and headdressshield, and headdress Page Page

to the main figure's right to the main figure's right Holds a ceremonial swordHolds a ceremonial sword

Two Musicians Two Musicians To either side of the page To either side of the page

and the central figureand the central figure Two Portuguese Two Portuguese

Top left and right corners Top left and right corners In profileIn profile

DESIGN DESIGN PART 2PART 2

THE PORTUGUESETHE PORTUGUESE Extensive tradeExtensive tradeBenin Benin

Kingdom valued Portuguese Kingdom valued Portuguese merchantsmerchantsindicated by indicated by their presence on Plaquetheir presence on Plaque

Trade with the Portuguese Trade with the Portuguese provided the copper to make provided the copper to make this piece and the wealth to this piece and the wealth to support such artsupport such art

The Portuguese came from The Portuguese came from across the water, the fabled across the water, the fabled land of deathland of death

The Edo associated them The Edo associated them with the intermediate realm with the intermediate realm between life/death and between life/death and OlokunOlokun

The god of the waters, The god of the waters, Olokun, is represented Olokun, is represented by crocodiles and by crocodiles and mudfishmudfish

TL;DR- Portuguese are TL;DR- Portuguese are awesome according to awesome according to the plaquethe plaque

MethodMethod The importance of The importance of

figures in Plaque is figures in Plaque is indicated by amount indicated by amount of regalia, detail, of regalia, detail, size, and degree of size, and degree of reliefrelief

Central figure Central figure projects the most projects the most from the surface and from the surface and with the greatest with the greatest detail. Also stands detail. Also stands the tallest and wears the tallest and wears full regaliafull regalia

CreationCreation

Artist used Artist used lost wax castinglost wax casting STEP 1:STEP 1: form fullscale model from form fullscale model from

hard yet pliable waxhard yet pliable wax STEP 2: STEP 2: use model to create molduse model to create mold STEP 3: STEP 3: use mold to cast final work use mold to cast final work

in a copper alloyin a copper alloy

RANDOM FACT TIEM :0RANDOM FACT TIEM :0 One thousand very similar plaques One thousand very similar plaques

exist, including one at the National exist, including one at the National Museum of African Art.Museum of African Art.

Most Benin plaques are made of Most Benin plaques are made of either bronze or brass.either bronze or brass. The difference? Bronze contains tin The difference? Bronze contains tin

while Brass contains zinc.while Brass contains zinc.

PURPOSE (?)PURPOSE (?) Art historians do not know the Art historians do not know the

original purpose of the Benin original purpose of the Benin plaquesplaques

When British arrived, plaques When British arrived, plaques were in storagewere in storage

Scholars first believed that Scholars first believed that they display specific historical they display specific historical or ceremonial eventsor ceremonial events Paula Ben-Amos, professor Paula Ben-Amos, professor

of anthropology and of anthropology and African studies, DISAGREESAfrican studies, DISAGREES

““Very few of them now Very few of them now appear to us to convey appear to us to convey narratives.”narratives.”

TL;DR- AKA: I didn’t pay TL;DR- AKA: I didn’t pay attention during the attention during the

powerpointpowerpoint

St. George’s CathedralSt. George’s Cathedral by by Arthur BlomfieldArthur Blomfield

GeorgetGeorgetown, own, GuyanaGuyana, , 18941894

WoodWood

ARTHUR BLOMFIELD (1829-ARTHUR BLOMFIELD (1829-1899)1899)

LIFELIFE Arthur Blomfield was a renowned English architect Arthur Blomfield was a renowned English architect

and member of the Royal Institute of British and member of the Royal Institute of British ArchitectsArchitects

Father was a Bishop of the Church of EnglandFather was a Bishop of the Church of England

EDUCATIONEDUCATION Rugby SchoolRugby School Trinity College at CambridgeTrinity College at Cambridge Apprentice to architect Philip Charles HardwickApprentice to architect Philip Charles Hardwick

WORKWORK Best known: College of Music in London (1882)Best known: College of Music in London (1882) Gothic revival churches: St. Andrew’s Church in Gothic revival churches: St. Andrew’s Church in

Surbiton, England (1872)Surbiton, England (1872) In 1891, received the Royal Gold Medal of the RoyalIn 1891, received the Royal Gold Medal of the Royal Institute of British Architects in recognition of his Institute of British Architects in recognition of his

workwork

DESIGN OF ST. GEORGE’S DESIGN OF ST. GEORGE’S CATHEDRALCATHEDRAL

Basic designBasic design One of tallest wooden churches on Earth One of tallest wooden churches on Earth

at 143 feet tallat 143 feet tall Latin cross with a central towerLatin cross with a central towerGothic influencesGothic influences Pointed arches, flying buttresses, large windows Pointed arches, flying buttresses, large windows

with stained glass and Biblical sceneswith stained glass and Biblical scenes add a sense of lightness and heightadd a sense of lightness and height

In order to match the style of the area, Arthur In order to match the style of the area, Arthur Blomfield constructed the cathedral out of local Blomfield constructed the cathedral out of local timber and painted the building whitetimber and painted the building white

ST. GEORGE’S CATHEDRAL ST. GEORGE’S CATHEDRAL (1894) History(1894) History

GEORGETOWN, GUYANAGEORGETOWN, GUYANA Originally, the Arawak and Carib lived on N coast of Originally, the Arawak and Carib lived on N coast of

South AmericaSouth America The Dutch arrived in the 17th and 18th century, The Dutch arrived in the 17th and 18th century,

Europeans argued over the territory, and the British Europeans argued over the territory, and the British named the colony British Guiana in 1814named the colony British Guiana in 1814

In 1834, the colony adjusted from slave labor to In 1834, the colony adjusted from slave labor to immigrant labor and in 1966, gained independence and immigrant labor and in 1966, gained independence and became Guyanabecame Guyana

The city, Georgetown, was founded 18th century at the The city, Georgetown, was founded 18th century at the mouth of the Demerara River.mouth of the Demerara River.

TOO MANY NAMES FOR GEORGETOWN WHY ARE TOO MANY NAMES FOR GEORGETOWN WHY ARE THERE SO MANY NAMES AHHHHHHHTHERE SO MANY NAMES AHHHHHHH

Stabroek (Dutch)Stabroek (Dutch) Longchamps (French)Longchamps (French) Georgetown (British)Georgetown (British)

The British named the city in 1812 after King George The British named the city in 1812 after King George III.III.

GEORGETOWN TODAYGEORGETOWN TODAY Guyana’s most populous cityGuyana’s most populous city The city holds the central government The city holds the central government

and serves as the commercial centerand serves as the commercial center The city is a mix of Dutch, French, The city is a mix of Dutch, French,

British, and African people, plus a mix British, and African people, plus a mix of immigrant workersof immigrant workers

The dominant religion is Great The dominant religion is Great Britain’s official state religion, the Britain’s official state religion, the Anglican ChurchAnglican Church (Hinduism and Islam are also present)(Hinduism and Islam are also present)

Going To The Chapel~Going To The Chapel~

Despite a few additions, the first St. Despite a few additions, the first St. George's church, built in 1810, was too George's church, built in 1810, was too smallsmall

The second church, built in 1842, became The second church, built in 1842, became a cathedral when Georgetown became the a cathedral when Georgetown became the seat of the Diocese of Guianaseat of the Diocese of Guiana

Due to a weak foundation in 1877, the Due to a weak foundation in 1877, the construction of St. George's Cathedral was construction of St. George's Cathedral was necessarynecessary

TL;DR- AKA: I didn’t pay TL;DR- AKA: I didn’t pay attention during the attention during the

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That’s All, FolksThat’s All, Folks

Get it? Get it? Because Because the central the central figure’s figure’s head was head was replaced replaced with with Porky’s? Porky’s? No..? Okay.No..? Okay.