Survey Of Romantic Versus Realism Paintings Essays - Art History

Survey Of Romantic Versus Realism Paintings A Survey of Romantic and Realistic Paintings Fantasy and reality occupy our worlds everyday. One sees this world around himself and he retreats to what he wishes it was. Why shouldn't he paint about it? The portrayal of fantastic and realistic notions occupied the activity of painters from the mid 1800's to the 20th century. The period of Romantic painting lies roughly from the mid 1700s to the mid/later 1800s, while paintings from the movement of Realism are grouped from the mid 1800s to the 1900s. The aspect of a Romantic composition's balance is characterized by diagonals and tension. Disproportion, imbalance and a feeling of pushing and pulling within the depth of the composition can also be observed. While movement and activity is characteristic of Romantic paintings, a still, quiet, stationary behavior epitomizes Realism paintings. In Eugene Isabey's Boat Ashore at Calas (1851), simple romantic elements comprise the piece: diagonals and smoke. A main diagonal line emphasizes the downward slope of a shore lined with beached boats resting upon the sand. A challenging inferior diagonal line of a small group of people and their dinghies cross the main diagonal flow. The two lines of tension resolve at the lower center of the composition highlighting the main, looming subject - a dark massive apparition of a docked, freight boat enshrouded by blackening smoke. This is in contrast to Gustave Courbet's depiction of sea life in The Calm Sea (1869). The painting resembles a high re solution black and white photograph. Realistic elements are the stationary flatness of the horizon and the solitary presence of two single beached boats. The portrayal of the shoreline, horizon and cloud formation is horizontally stable, thus emphasizing the calmness of the sea. Baron Antoine-Jean Gros' Murat Defeating the Turkish Army (1805) is a composition which presents an overwhelming flow of diagonal tension. Murat is centered in the composition uprightly astride on his horse, while the Turkish army surrounds him in every conceivable contortion of agony. The Turkish general faces Murat, yet he is positioned diagonally right below Murat in an inferior military pose. Compared to Murat, Courbet's Bonjour Monsieur Courbet (1854) finds a very stable balance in the subject of two men saying good-bye to another man. The subject can be divided by the two men on the left and the backpacked man on the right. Stability is emphasized by the strong vertical presence of the men in direct co ntrast to the flat planed background. The use of balance and tension in Romanticism and Realism is not restricted to it's compositional flow but also to the the painter's use of his palette. The use of color in Romantic paintings is bold visually and figuratively. It's usage is implemented to represent a feeling or an ideal. The presence of a color may not be realistically representative. For example, if the blood of a corrupt official is painted, it might be painted black or green, rather than red. There is also a heavy application of paint from the brush. The presence of a blurring smoke is also present in much of Romantic paintings. Blurring smoke has many uses, although it's usual function is to detach and glorify the main subject from the rest of the background. Color in Realism is highly refined. Color defines the object and is representative of colors in real life - a person's blood will usually be red. Lighter brushstrokes are implemented conservatively to represent a true visual representation of reality. The use of color representation can be observed in Gros' Murat and Courbet's Bonjour. The victorious Murat is clothed in blue and white upon a white horse, sur rounded by the perishing Turkish swirls of orange and red. Anything that is orange or red around Murat is in a pose of impaled misery. All orange and red is contorted to reveal the imposing presence of Murat. In Bonjour, colors stay inside their lines. The colors used on the men's clothing are very specific to reveal the texture of the clothing. This restriction of color succeeds in giving the painting a quaint realistic candidness. The contrasting use of clouds and smoke can be noted in the romantic works of Gros' Murat and Francois Boucher's

History of Tikal

History of Tikal Tikal (tee-KAL) is a ruined Maya city located in the northern Petà ©n province of Guatemala. During the heyday of the Maya Empire, Tikal was a very important and influential city, controlling vast stretches of territory and dominating smaller city-states. Like the rest of the great Maya cities, Tikal fell into decline around 900 A.D. or so and was eventually abandoned. It is currently an important archaeological and tourism site Early History at Tikal Archaeological records near Tikal go back to about 1000 B.C. and by 300 B.C. or so it was already a thriving city. By the Maya early Classic era (roughly 300 A.D.) it was an important urban center, thriving as other nearby cities declined. The Tikal royal lineage traced their roots to Yax Ehb Xook, a powerful early ruler who lived sometime during the Preclassic period. The Peak of Tikals Power At the dawn of the Maya Classic era, Tikal was one of the most important cities in the Maya region. In 378, the ruling Tikal dynasty was replaced by representatives of the mighty northern city of Teotihuacan: it is unclear if the takeover was military or political. Other than a change in the royal family, this does not seem to have altered Tikal’s rise to prominence. Soon Tikal was the dominant city in the region, controlling several other smaller city-states. Warfare was common, and sometime in the late sixth century, Tikal was defeated by Calakmul, Caracol, or a combination of the two, causing a gap in the city’s prominence and historical records. Tikal bounced back, however, once again becoming a great power. Population estimates for Tikal at its peak vary: one estimate is that of respected researcher William Haviland, who in 1965 estimated a population of 11,000 in the city center and 40,000 in the surrounding areas. Tikal Politics and Rule Tikal was ruled by a powerful dynasty which sometimes, but not always, passed power down from father to son. This unnamed family ruled Tikal for generations until 378 A.D. when Great Jaguar Paw, last of the line, was apparently defeated militarily or somehow deposed by Fire is Born, who was most likely from Teotihuacn, a mighty city located near present-day Mexico City. Fire is Born started a new dynasty with close cultural and trade ties to Teotihuacn. Tikal continued on its path to greatness under the new rulers, who introduced cultural elements such as pottery design, architecture, and art in the Teotihuacn style. Tikal aggressively pursued its dominance of the whole southeastern Maya region. The city of Copn, in present-day Honduras, was founded by Tikal, as was the city of Dos Pilas. War with Calakmul Tikal was an aggressive superpower which frequently scrapped with its neighbors, but its most important conflict was with the city-state of Calakmul, located in the present-day Mexican state of Campeche. Their rivalry began sometime in the sixth century as they vied for vassal states and influence. Calakmul was able to turn some of Tikal’s vassal states against their former ally, most notably Dos Pilas and Quirigu. In 562 Calakmul and its allies defeated Tikal in battle, beginning a hiatus in Tikal’s power. Until 692 A.D. there would be no carved dates on Tikal monuments and the historical records of this time are scant. In 695, Jasaw K’awiil I defeated Calakmul, helping propel Tikal back to its former glory. The Decline of Tikal The Maya civilization began to crumble around 700 A.D. and by 900 A.D. or so it was a shadow of its former self. Teotihuacn, once such a powerful influence on Maya politics, itself fell into ruin about 700 and was no longer a factor in Maya life, although its cultural influences in art and architecture remained. Historians disagree on why the Maya civilization collapsed: it may have been due to famine, disease, warfare, climate change or any combination of those factors. Tikal, too, declined: the last recorded date on a Tikal monument is 869 A.D. and historians think that by 950 A.D. the city was essentially abandoned. Rediscovery and Restoration Tikal was never completely lost: locals always knew of the city throughout the colonial and republican eras. Travelers occasionally visited, such as John Lloyd Stephens in the 1840s, but Tikals remoteness (getting there entailed several days trek through steamy jungles) kept most visitors away. The first archaeological teams arrived in the 1880s, but it wasnt until an airstrip was built in the early 1950s that archaeology and study of the site began in earnest. In 1955, the University of Pennsylvania began a long project at Tikal: they remained until 1969 when the Guatemalan government began research there. Tikal Today Decades of archaeological work have uncovered most of the major buildings, although a good portion of the original city is still awaiting excavation. There are many pyramids, temples, and palaces for exploring. Highlights include the Plaza of Seven Temples, the Palace at the Central Acropolis and the Lost World complex. If youre visiting the historical site, a guide is highly recommended, as youre certain to miss interesting details if youre not looking for them. Guides can also translate glyphs, explain the history, take you to the most interesting buildings and more. Tikal is one of Guatemalas most important tourism sites, enjoyed annually by thousands of visitors from all over the world. Tikal National Park, which included the archaeological complex and the surrounding rainforest, is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Although the ruins themselves are fascinating, the natural beauty of Tikal National Park merits a mention as well. The rainforests around Tikal are beautiful and home to many birds and animals, including parrots, toucans, and monkeys. Sources McKillop, Heather. The Ancient Maya: New Perspectives. Reprint edition, W. W. Norton Company, July 17, 2006.

Catherine the Great of all Russia

Catherine the Great of all Russia Essay Catherine II (a. k. a. Catherine the Great) Catherine II, or Catherine the Great, empress of all Russia, did much to continue the process of Westernization reforms began by Peter the Great. Catherine was devoted to art, literature, science, and politics. Many people say she had a great gift and was a great leader, thus she was awarded with the name the Great She helped develop schools, hospitals, and many other organizations for the country. She was a shrewd leader and autocrat and helped to continue and further reforms made by Peter the Great, finally making Russia a permanent European power. Originally named Sophie Frederick Augusta, Princess of Anholt-Zerbst, she was born in Stettin on May 2, 1729, the daughter of the German prince of Anholt-Zerbst . At the age of fifteen she went to Russia and married Grand Duke Peter of Holstein, heir to the Russian throne. The marriage was despondent, but intelligent and ambitious Catherine soon managed to assemble up a liaison of supporters. On October 1, 1754, Catherine gave birth to her son, the future emperor, Paul Petrovich Romanov, and three years later on December 20, 1957, she gave birth to her daughter, Anna Petrovna Romanov. Elizabeth died on December 25, 1761, and Catherines husband succeeded as Peter III. Erratic, unstable, and contemptuous of his Russian subjects, the new ruler soon made himself unpopular, especially with certain German officers. Led by Alexei Orlov (whose brother Grigori was Catherines lover) the officers staged a coup in June 1762. Peter was deposed (and subsequently murdered) and Catherine was placed on the throne in his place. Catherine was fascinated with the philosophies and theories of the Enlightenment, and was well acquainted with the literature of the French Enlightenment, which was an important influence on her own political influence. She corresponded extensively with Voltaire and Denis Diderot, gave financial support to them and a number of other French writers, and played host to Diderot at her court in 1773. Although, this gesticulation of hospitality was partially aimed at creating a favorable image in Western Europe, she was probably sincere in her interest and her hope to apply some of the ideas of the Enlightenment to rationalize and reform the administration of the Russian Empire. Imbued with the ideas of the Enlightenment, Catherine aimed at completing the job started by Peter the Greatwesternizing Russiabut she had contradictory methods. Rather then forcing society to reform, she encouraged individual initiative in pursuit of self-interest. In the early years of her reign, she sought to win the support of the Russian gentry, and, in particular Despite her interest in legal reform, the commission she appointed for that purpose failed to accomplish its goals. But eventually, she learned how to select capable assistantsfor example, Nikita Panin in foreign affairs, Alexandre Suvorov in the military, and Grigori Potemkin in administration. Among Catherines more benevolent achievements were the foundation of the first Russian school for girls and of a medical college to provide health care for her subjects. In the early years of her reign, Catherine sought to win the approval of the gentry, which was a small part of Russias population. She succeeded to a degree with the upper class, but did nothing for the overwhelming majority of the populationthe enserfed peasantry. Conservatism Peasant unrest culminated in a great revolt (1773-75), led by Cossack Yemelyan Pugachov, that raged over much of the Volga River Basin and the Ural Mountains before it was finally ruthlessly crushed by military force. The revolt marked a turn toward more reactionary internal policy. READ: Essay about College Tuition Is Too High EssayThe Cossack army was disbanded, and other Cossacks were granted special privileges in an effort to transform them into loyal supporters of the autocracy. The revolt alerted Catherine to the necessity for reform. In 1775, she reorganized the local administration, integrated the Cossacks into the regular army, and put the serfs belonging to the Russian Orthodox Church under the administration of the state. In 1785, she issued two chartersto the towns and to the nobilityto involve the educated classed in local administration in return for protection of their status and property rights. In similar spirit, Catherine established the Free Economic Society to encourage the modernization of agriculture and industry. She promoted trade and the development of underpopulated regions by inviting foreign settlers such as the Volga Germans, and she founded new towns (Odessa, for example) and enterprises on the Black Sea. Herself a prolific writer, Catherine patronized arts and letters, permitted the establishment of private printing presses, and relaxed censorship rules. Under her guidance the University of Moscow and the Academy of Sciences became internationally recognized centers of learning; she also increased the number of state and private schools. As a result, the Russian nobility, and some townspeople, also began to organize associations for the promotion of schools and publications. Catherine, who did not want to surrender control over social and cultural policy, viewed these activities with suspicion. The outbreak of the French Revolution in 1789 and the publication of Alexandre Radishchevs journey from St. Petersburg to Moscow in 1790, in which the author denounced the evils of serfdom, the immorality of society, and the abuses of government, prompted Catherine to impose repressive measures, which in turn alienated many of the educated. Finally, Catherine vastly expanded the Russian empire. Following the two successful wars against Turkey (the Russo-Turkish Wars of 1768-74 and 1787-92), Russia secured the Crimea and thus realized a centuries-old dream of establishing itself on the north shore of the black Sea. The fertile lands of the Ukraine were also opened for settlement and soon became the granary of Europe. Catherine also participated in the partitions of Poland (1772,1792, and 1795) bringing a large part of that country under Russian rule. Catherine had twenty-one lovers, and her spirit doctor inspected them all before they could be her lover but Sergei Vasiljevits Saltykov (father of her first son) and Grigori Orlov (father of second son) were special to her. Upon the death of Catherine on November 17, 1796, modern Russian society was organized and its culture had struck firm roots. Russia was also playing a determining role in world affairs.

Individual project Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Individual project - Research Paper Example Differences also affect the reach to social resources, decision making, and performance potential due to lack of opportunities for a particular group. Power and authority also gets the impact from diversity issues in the workplace resulting in gaps in rewards that affect the outcomes. Human resource management plays a strategic role in the success of a firm. There are a number of issues and situations that a human resource handles in day-to-day functions. Other than maintaining the ethical standards and concepts, a human resource manager is responsible to manage workplace diversity in the organization for the strategic benefit of the firm. Challenges of workplace diversity can be met by motivating workforce via gain-sharing and executive information system via planning, organizing, and managing the human resources. Dimensions of workplace diversity relate but are not limited to age, ethnicity, ancestry, gender, physical abilities/qualities, race, sexual orientation, educational background, geographic location, income, marital status, military experience, religious beliefs, parental status, and work experience (Dr. Chan, 2010). In the book, Beyond Race and Gender, R. Roosevelt Thomas defines managing diversity as "a comprehensive managerial process for developing an environment that works for all employees" (Lindenberger & Stolz-Loike, 2010). Workforce diversity impacts organizational outcomes. According to DiTomaso et al. (2007), interest in the concept of workforce diversity was a way to identify the sudden changes in social set up that impacted the organizations widely. Although these changes in society were not abrupt but the cultural and demographic diversity impacted the workplace environment greatly. The structural dealing among groups affects the results in the short and long term. The concept has been discussed much with regard to dissemination of service in the workgroups or organizations although sufficient research has

Strategic HR Management - Job Analysis Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3000 words

Strategic HR Management - Job Analysis - Essay Example and objectives so as to enhance business performance and build up organizational culture that promote innovation, competitive advantage and flexibility† (Becker, & Huselid, 2006). In the organizational setting SHRM strategy is adopted in order to augment the existing HR policies and initiatives as a strategic component by many organizations. Thus in the formation and implementation of the organization’s strategies through HR activities such as selecting, recruiting, rewarding workers for their performances and training them, the management focuses on the labor productivity. Many writers in the 1980s began to focus on a more strategic approach for the management of human resources rather than the traditional concept of people management or industrial relations. SHRM concentrates on human resource programs with long-term goals. Rather than concentrating on internal human resources, the emphasis is on looking at and solving problems that affect people management programs on a global scale and in the long run. As such the main objective of strategic human resources is to enhance people productivity by concentrating on business obstacles that take place outside of human resources. The main activities of a strategic human resource manager should be to find out key HR areas where strategies could be implemented in the long run so as to enhance the overall employee productivity and motivation. Communication between top management and HR of a firm is important as co-operation is not possible without active participation (Fine, & Cronshaw, 1999). The key feature s of SHRM are; Job analysis can be defined as â€Å"A job analysis is the process used to collect information about the duties, responsibilities, necessary skills, outcomes, and work environment of a particular job. You need as much data as possible to put together a job description, which is the frequent outcome of the job analysis. Additional outcomes include recruiting plans, position postings and

Dana Hall Essay Example for Free

Dana Hall Essay Develop an action plan, taking into consideration the organizational context and current understanding of the issues. In this assignment, you are asked to stretch your thinking a bit, by designing a preliminary action plan based on your analysis of the Dana Hall case. Instructions 1. Review the action research you have completed thus far on the Dana Hall case. 2. Design a preliminary action plan for addressing the issue at Dana Hall. Use the Action Research Template (in the Resources below) to guide the development of your action plan. Your plan should: o Emphasize the problem definition stage (Stage 1 of the ARPP), including the generation of alternative courses of action. o Align with the problem definition. o Include analysis of the Dana Hall situation and the organizational context of the problem. o Establish alternatives and your choice for a course of action. 3. Present you analysis of the problem and your preliminary action plan. Choose one of the following two options.

Transformation of Japan Essay -- History Historical Japanese Essays

Transformation of Japan During the time period between the 1850s and 1950s, Japan underwent massive changes politically, economically, and socially. Acknowledging the failure of isolation, Japan imitated the West in an attempt to modernize, however, still retaining its own identity. A reorganized and more centralized government allowed Japan to industrialize in half the time it took the nations of Western Europe. Industrialization provided Japan with the tools needed to transform itself from a half civilized and â€Å"backwards† society during isolation, to a dominating superpower during WWII.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  In 1853 during the Tokugawa shogunate, Matthew Perry, an American commodore, arrived with an army at Edo Bay to coerce the Japanese government to allow the Americans to trade. In 1856, Japan signed a treaty opening two ports to the United States trade. Soon, other nations such as Britain, Russia, and Holland won similar rights. The opening of Japan to the West created opposition among its people and in the 1860s political crisis came into the open. In 1866, civil war broke out. The samurai armed with the surplus of weapons from the American Civil War defeated the shogunate force. The civil war ended, when the victorious reform group proclaimed Mutsuhito, often called the â€Å"Meiji† meaning enlightened one, emperor.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The new Meiji government promptly went about making reforms to the political structure. Feudalism was abolished and replaced with a system, similar to that of the French, of nationally appointing prefects, or district administrators. In the 1870s, the samurai class was abolished and a draft was created to produce a new army.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Meiji leaders traveled abroad to study economic organization, political institutions, and technological advances. The bureaucracy was reorganized and opened to men of talent through the civil service exams. In 1889, a new constitution was issued based on German prototype. It recognized the supremacy of the emperor, but limited the powers for the lower house of Diet. Under the constitution, the emperor commanded the military and chose his own ministers. The Diet had power to pass law and budget if both sides agreed. Voting rights were determined by the amount of property owned; leaving the majority of the population the inability to vote. Japan’s government was centralized and authoritarian, but incorporated busines... ...shment of the samurai and their fixed salaries that were replaced by worthless government bonds, many became poor. However, during industrialization individual samurai, as well as, several peasants were able to find opportunities and thus could gain social mobility.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Many Japanese copied Western clothing and hairstyles as an attempt to modernize. Japan adopted the Western calendar and metric system. Education incorporated Western teaching in science and mathematics. Several Japanese converted to Christianity. Despite adopting Western trends, the Japanese managed to preserve their traditional values.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  In conclusion, Japan became a world giant equal to their Western counterparts. Isolation ended with forced entry by the West. The Japanese government effectively centralized and laid the foundations for industrialization. Industrialization led to economic growth. Economic growth led to a shift in foreign policy to imperialism. In the stages of imperialism, the military took control of government, thus their entry into WWII. After WWII, Japan was slightly devastated but still was able to recover and situate themselves as a dominant superpower for years to follow.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚