Past Politics in Later Art

Classics

Jacques-Louis David (French painter, 1748-1825). Intervention of the Sabine Women, Overall view without frame. 1799 (creation), Image: 4/31/09 (creation). http://library.artstor.org/asset/SS36066_36066_23794134. Web. 1 Dec 2017.

Just like the modernist age that was discussed in Prof. Simon’s class, there is a political statement within this image. The painter himself was a man who hid many meanings within his paintings, making political paintings during the French Revolution. This was something very common in the modern age, although the traditional “fine art” techniques are still used here rather than more abstract and chaotic methods used within the modernist era. It seems the peace that the women try to bring within the image is the main interest in the subject. Further research states that he made this in a time he was jailed, where the artist stated they wanted to draw something to the more Roman aesthetic.

The quote I chose for this piece specifically comes from Vergil’s book:

“The joyful peace, which put an abrupt close to such a deplorable war, made the
Sabine women still dearer to their husbands and fathers, and most
of all to Romulus himself.”

Although even in the intervention depicted in the illustration, the war still continue to unfold, the quote shows an importance to their role.

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Art

During Unit 5 we learned more about the modern world that deviated from traditional techniques. The artist’s strokes became more apparent and the subjects within the painting didn’t look like they were going to bounce out at you anymore. With that, followed abstract art, or even messy looking art that at first glance looked as though it had no purpose in a gallery, but at second glance you can see every stroke had a purpose. This was somewhat the case with Marry Cassatt’s Woman on a Bench. The artist here was trying to capture life as she saw it with the little time she had. It was a form of experimentation, which is something a lot of the modernists art had.

Now if you’re looking for something even closer to present time than that then look no further than the video games we see around us. A YouTuber by the name of The Game Theorists covered such a topic in more detail on a video called Gaming is BROKEN!  …What Comes Next? He speaks of how gaming is following the same pattern as modern art history. As time progressed, games have become more abstract and what could be considered a game or what makes a game is pretty loose with new genres being born.

We have managed to create life-like simulations within games. It looked as though you could almost touch the grass, or a video recording of the real world rather than 3D models generated through a computer. They have done an amazing job at immersing the player, making you feel like you were there, something art had striven to do. As The Game Theorist continues to point out that “…,but with so much progress and games being so beautiful and massive and textures feeling more and more real, where do you go now?”

This is where we arrive at post-modernism. All that progress and innovation removed, a rejection of modernism because “everything and anything can be art”.  We see this same idea in indie gaming today with titles such as Rock Simulator and Pony Island. These are games that break  the rules of what and how to play, and games that know their games. A trend we see in post-modernist art, where art knows it’s art. Even in some of the examples we saw in class, it was discussed that some of the artists purposely wanted you to see the painting as just that, a painting.

The difference between the past and the present is that we have become more interactive with the new art forms out there, after all even video games – something that tell stories like the paintings did – is considered art now a days.

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Citations

Jacques-Louis David (French painter, 1748-1825). Intervention of the Sabine Women, Overall view without frame. 1799 (creation), Image: 4/31/09 (creation). http://library.artstor.org/asset/SS36066_36066_23794134. Web. 1 Dec 2017.

Cassatt, Marry. Woman on a Bench.1881. Pastel on Green Wove Paper.
Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York. Art History.

The Game Theorists. “Game Theory: Gaming is Broken! …What Comes Next?” Youtbe, commentary by Matthew Patrick, 26 Nov. 2017, http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gxzKZdTxNp8.

 

-Yekaterina Ignatyeva, Team Cronos

 

Saving Grace

The image below is of Lucretia, a woman famous among the Roman tales for taking her own life after being raped by the then Prince of Rome. This version of her was done by artist Rembrandt van Rijn in 1664, the painting was done in a lot of earthy dark tones. In the painting her body, especially around her head seems to be creating a cast shadow, everything together seem to e blending the light and dark in the background which creates chiaroscuro. The reading extracts from Livy Book 1 mentioned that “at the arrival of her own family, tears welled in her eyes.” And in the portrait below there are no tear tracts on her face but her eyes are red which could be because she was crying before but wiped her tears and that “she took a knife that she had hidden in her garments and plunged it in her heart.” There is a knife in her hand that looks like it is aimed at heart. The description in the text is mostly consistent with the image, but there are some differences, for example how there are no tears in her eyes and the way she is holding the dagger. I suspect that the artist had these differences on purpose, the original description of the scene makes the sorrow so blatant, that it would be hard to miss, but in the artist’ version, you would have to pay attention to the details to understand what could the subject been thinking about as she tries to take to her life. Based on the details in her expression, I would say that the artist may have been more drawn to the emotional aspects of the event than the outcome.

MLA Citation: Rembrandt van Rijn, Dutch. Lucretia. 1664. The National Gallery of Art (Washington, D.C.), Andrew W. Mellon Collection. http://library.artstor.org/asset/ANGAIG_10313974686. Web. 12 Dec 2017.

Sherique, Team Artemis

A Journey through Classics and the Heritage of Brooklyn College Students

 

Maria Alejalva December 1st, 2017– Instagram Direct Messenger

Are you comfortable if I ask you some questions about you ethnicity and origins?  Can I write about your answers on a public class blog?

Yeah, sure I don’t mind

 Do you identify yourself with a country or ethnicity beyond the United States of America?  If so, which one?

I identify as biracial Dominican. My mother, a white Dominican woman and my father, an Afro Dominican man. When I had to do a project back in the fifth grade on my country, I learned about the origins. It was the first colonial settlement in this hemisphere and I know about the racial tensions in DR because of colonial influence, especially after our Dictator Trujillo called for a racial cleansing of Afro Dominicans.

How have you learned about the origins/history/past/importance of that place? (If they feel no strong connection to other place or identity, then ask them to talk about being American.)

Most of the information I’ve learnt came for my parents and family members, as they are natives of the country. I was born in America and have only visited maybe once or twice so there’s a bit of a disconnect. Other information I have acquired came from basic knowledge and prior research. I had to do a project back in the fifth grade on my country and there was also where I learnt about the origins.

 Is there one person, maybe a hero or ‘wiseman’ or king or law-giver, that is important to your people–someone people tell stories about, maybe legendary, maybe true?  Can you tell me a story?

Um, I would have to go with my parents and family members. For a great length of time DR was plagued with the dictatorship of Ulises Heureaux and Rafael Trujillo. My parents along with many men and women from Moca played a major role in bringing down the two dictators, and bringing democracy back to the country. This was and still is a big deal in modern Dominican Republic society. This isn’t really much of a story but it’s a factual event that I believe has been interpreted into a story through popularity.   

What values do you think that story teaches?  Are those values important in the traditions of your people?  How?

If there’s a lesson to be to learnt from this I think it would be perseverance and determination. I believe the result of where the Dominican Republic’s democratic stance is today is accredited to the peoples unity and undivided trust in one another.

 Fatema Islam – December 3^rd 2017 IMessenger

Are you comfortable if I ask you some questions about you ethnicity and origins?  Can I write about your answers on a public class blog?

I guess it’s fine (She is in our learning block, Team Jupiter J)

Do you identify yourself with a country or ethnicity beyond the United States of America?  If so, which one?

I identify as a Bangladeshi. I was born in Bangladesh and only came to the United States at the age of two.

 How have you learned about the origins/history/past/importance of that place? (If they feel no strong connection to other place or identity, then ask them to talk about being American.)

I came to learn about my for my country’s origins and history through the impact that my family had while they were involved though minimal at most. I also learned through my own self-interest and research. I know how the country came into being and how my family was in involved. I also go back once in a while. I visited a few years ago so I saw how things were there. But I also identify as an American because I lived here for a long time so my values are a mix between the two

 Is there one person, maybe a hero or ‘wiseman’ or king or law-giver, that is important to your people–someone people tell stories about, maybe legendary, maybe true?  Can you tell me a story?

N/A wasn’t able to answer

 What values do you think that story teaches?  Are those values important in the traditions of your people?  How?

N/A wasn’t able to answer

 Enrique Ortiz December 7^th 2017 Gmail

Are you comfortable if I ask you some questions about you ethnicity and origins?  Can I write about your answers on a public class blog?

Yes, I am more than comfortable answering questions about my ethnicity and origins

 Do you identify yourself with a country or ethnicity beyond the United States of America?  If so, which one?

I identify as a Puerto Rican-American male, but when the option isn’t given, I have to categorize myself as Hispanic/Latino, which I have no problem doing.

 How have you learned about the origins/history/past/importance of that place? (If they feel no strong connection to other place or identity, then ask them to talk about being American.)

That one is a little hard to answer with one definitive answer. It’s not like someone sat me down when I was a little kid and said “hey kid, this is your heritage.” nope, it’s something to I had to learn gradually as I got older. I grew up very disconnected from the culture I now claim, and I’ve still been trying to make up for the years I missed out on. The years that have been essential the upbringings of my friends and shaped who they are today.

 Is there one person, maybe a hero or ‘wiseman’ or king or law-giver, that is important to your people–someone people tell stories about, maybe legendary, maybe true?  Can you tell me a story?

Yeah, as Puerto Ricans, we have many figures like that, but I’m only familiar with a few. One of the more famous people would be baseball player Roberto Clemente. He was larger than life, and an athlete of the ages when he was around. Having grown up with nothing in the slums of Puerto Rico, it was astounding for many to have seen him make his way from the Puerto Rican Winter League games, to the grand stage of Major League Baseball in America, where everybody loved him. Not only was he a great player, but he was also a humanitarian and philanthropist, always giving back to the community. It was actually his love of helping people that led to his death, On December 31st, 1972, Clemente died in a plane crash as he was carrying supplies for relief in Nicaragua after a devastating earthquake. He’s been immortalized in the Baseball Hall of Fame as the first Latino player to be inducted, and the MLB has an award that bears his name, giving it out each season to the player who best embodies the spirit of helping and community outreach in the league.

 What values do you think that story teaches?  Are those values important in the traditions of your people?  How?

I didn’t exactly tell a story, but I can tell you why Clemente is important to us as a people. Because we come from a small, impoverished island with little opportunity, it isn’t often that someone leaves and makes it big. That’s why when it does happen, and they leave a big enough impact, they’re practically immortalized in Puerto Rican folklore as heroes who did what many could not. We’re also a very proud people, so when something important or monumental occurs involving a person that is Puerto Rican, we celebrate because it’s as though we’ve all made it.

Summary and Similarities

Every person I spoke with was a first generation American or immigrant. A similarity that all these interviewees had was that the parents offered them an opportunity in America all the while taking the privilege of knowing their own culture. A quote I found quite relevant from the text we had been reading in regards to the responses I had received from my interviews was “The less man had, the less there was greed”. I found this interesting because it highlights the sacrifice that these three interviewee’s parents or family members had taken in bringing them to America, and giving them this lifestyle. The consequence of all this was a lost culture. A good portion of my interviewees referred to themselves as American citizens: which they are. First generation and beyond. However there is a thick layer beneath that that they are unable to identify or relate with and that is their native heritage.

Another similarities that I noticed between each interview and the stories we learned about Rome is the important leader/event or movement that happened in their culture. Pride and knowledge of these historically is in their native countries/ areas is similar to that of the ancient Roman princess Juno. We learnt in classics of Juno and how she loved and had great pride in her city. “Juno loved it, they say, beyond all other lands in the world…”

Shamiso Tunduwani, Team Jupiter

 

 

Connected Through Brooklyn College

Interviewees: Christopher Mcateer, Patrick Dempsey, Paloma Arias.

• CM (Interview happened in person at the Student Centre Thursday afternoon) : Yes, my family lineage is Irish and Italian, but  I mostly identify myself as American. I learnt about those countries from what my family told me. I don’t really have a role model  or much stories that were told to me. I wish that I could tell you more but I’m not really that cultured, I just am. If I had to have a role model, the first that comes to mind is Barack Obama. He just overcame so many obstacles to become president and he really let people know that you can truly do anything in the world with any skin color.
• PA (Facetimed her while I was at the Student Centre Thursday afternoon) : Yes I identify with Trinidad, like you. I learnt about the origins from growing up there. I always looked up to Papa Bois who was the king of the forest in Trinidadian stories. He would run around the forest and protect the trees and the animals there. He’d attack anyone that was trying to ruin the forest lands. I think it teaches the value of nature and how important it is to protect the area around us. Trinidad is just so dense with nature and forests so its symbolic that one of the prime folk law characters just wanted to take care of our land.
• PD (Interview happened at the Roosevelt Ext Friday morning.) : I identify with my Irish roots. I learnt from my family, they take pride in being Irish. There’s really no one person that I heard about that I really looked up too. I wish I knew more about the culture itself besides just what my family has told me. One day I’d really like to go to Ireland to learn more on my own.

All of these interviews were great. I noticed that people really had to search hard to find a role model. It didn’t come right off the bat, it was almost uncertain except for Paloma’s interview. The person that she looked up too however was not a real figure, he was a mythical Trinidadian creature. There was a variety of answers, Chris mentions Barack Obama which I thought was nice of him to mention a leader of the country, but I did feel like I had to really force an answer out of him. These stories are very different from what I read about Rome’s origins because no one really wanted to talk about the

“Why can’t we clasp hands, embrace each other, exchange some words, speak out, and tell the truth?”. This quote is taken from Vergil’s Aeneid, Book 1, ‘Aeneas meets his mother’. I chose this quote because it reminded me of the people that I interviewed. We are all friends and I liked the idea of embracing each other, exchanging some words and speaking out. I feel very connected to all of these people with similar and different backgrounds because we are all here at Brooklyn College together.

-Mckensi Pascall, Team Aphrodite.

Rape of the Sabine Women

 

Citation: Corona, Pietro Da. Rape of the Sabine Women. 1627-1629. http://library.artstor.org.ez-proxy.brooklyn.cuny.edu:2048/asset/SS36847_36847_34553644. Web. 11 Dec 2017.

This painting belongs to the Baroque period. It stands out for its theatrical characteristics, the use of colors and light. The painting represents a Roman legend where the men of Rome committed a massive kidnapping of young women from other cities in the region.

Quote: ”The joyful peace, which put an abrupt close to such a deplorable war, made the Sabine women still dearer to their husbands and fathers, and most of all to Romulus himself.”

The quote of the reading differs with the painting because the painting represents the precise moment in which the attack was being committed, while the quote talks about the moment in which the war was over and the consequences that it brought. It is said that women were more valued by their male relatives after what happened. Finally in the painting you can see how the artist represents the violence of the act. On the other hand the quote talks about peace and a moment of tranquility after the event ended.

Jamilex Dominguez. Team Mercury.

 

 

 

Reni vs Livy

Guido Reni, Italian, 1575-1642. Lucretia, front. ca. 1625. http://library.artstor.org/asset/AWSS35953_35953_32668241. Web. 11 Dec 2017.

Different dress

 

Cleve, Joos van, d. ca. 1540. Lucretia. 1518-1520. Kunsthaus Zürich. http://library.artstor.org.ez-proxy.brooklyn.cuny.edu:2048/asset/ARTSTOR_103_41822003827423. Web. 11 Dec 2017.

The image above is a depiction of Lucretia by Livy’s description from “The Rape of Lucretia.” This event happened around 500 B.C., however this painting was painted in the 1520s. The painting portrays Lucretia as a desirable person with her loose dress and showing a lot of skin. She was painted with naturalistic features and proportions. Her proportions look like a normal human and nothing really stands out to make her look idealized. Her face shows the distress she was in after being raped by Sextius Tarquinius, the tyrant’s son. Also, the painting contains contrapposto with her hip and legs facing the audience, while her arms and face is slightly turned towards the right side. This gives the impression of movement in the painting.

A quote from the reading is from Livy Book 1, “ What can be well when a woman lost her honor? The marks of another man are in your bed. But only my body has been violated; my mind is not guilty. Death will be my witness.” This quote is similar to the painting above because Lucretia stabbing herself in the heart was her way of not losing her honor. As the quote states, her “death will be [her] witness.” Lucretia wanted to die, rather than be alive and seen as a cheater of her husband, even though she got raped. The difference between the painting and the literacy is the way they depicted what she wore. The artist’s own contribution is the way he depicted Lucretia. In the story, she was described wearing a roman garb, while the artist shown Lucretia with clothing that barely covers her body. The artist, Joos Van Cleve, probably did this to show what she looked after being raped by the tyrant’s son.   

Hoky, Saturn

Some People have the same Ethnicity

I interviewed three Brooklyn College students called (Stephen, Richmond, and Raven) at the West End Building near the tennis court on a Thursday from 8 a.m. to 10 a.m. via face to face. The interview gathered information about them and their personal opinion on various subjects. This paper summarizes the responses of the discussion and their relationship with stories about the origin of Rome. The three students happened to have come from the same ethnic group; hence they had similar responses to the interview questions.

The interviewees were ready and willing to respond to the various questions of the interview, which mainly focused on their ethnicity and origin. Additionally, they gave me the go-ahead to record and include their responses on the class blog as they felt that the answers provided an accurate reflection of their background, which they are proud to share. Since they were born and raised in America, they did not identify with any other ethnicity beyond the U.S.A. Therefore, the only life they have ever known was the American life. In describing America, they praised it as a country of opportunities that gave every person a unique and special way of being successful. They also mentioned that through all the racism and crime they still love the country that they call a home of the brave and the land of the free, because comparing America to other countries, it is one of the best to live on earth.

However, they emphasized the importance of personal initiative for the achievement. All three of my interviewees also described the American society as one with equality, belief in change and progress, sound work ethics, action-oriented, and competitive. The three students all identified Martin Luther King Jr as a hero who is famous in their ethnic group because of the efforts he made in advocating for civil rights.

The interviewees agreed to share a story of George Washington Carver, who is one of the most decorated American scientists (botanist) and inventor in history. They told me about how George was able to prevent soil depletion by actively promoting alternative crops to cotton. The values from the story are important in the traditions of the people because they inspire young people to make essential contributions to the society despite their social status. I’ve read about Rome’s origins is that everyone has a unique story about their city. The similarity between the stories and background of Rome stories is that all these leaders and the founding father’s have all grown into legends that have been used to inspire people across many generations.

The excerpts of Vergil-book one states, “Why, you too, cruel as the rest? So often, you ridicule your son with your disguises! Why can’t we clasp hands, embrace each other, exchange some words, speak out, and tell the truth?”

The quote portrays the cruelty and unfairness as the character of one of the founding fathers of Rome. The quote represents the injustice that some ethnic groups may be exposed to prompting the fight for liberation and civil rights as seen from the interview response.

Richard, Team Vulcan.

 

 

 

Aeneas Carthage

Perino del Vaga. Venus directing Aeneas to Carthage. early 1530s. British Museum, http://www.britishmuseum.org/. http://library.artstor.org/asset/AGERNSHEIMIG_10313160280. Web. 11 Dec 2017.

This drawing shows the disguised Venus (mother of Aeneas) and Aeneas itself. Venus advises Aeneas to go to the city of Carthage. She directs him to talk to the queen of the Carthage, Dido who would warmly welcome him and his friends. Aeneas is fleeing away from his native city, Troy which has been destroyed in the war. Juno, queen of the Gods despises Aeneas so she brings various traps on Aeneas’s way so that he cannot reach Carthage. However, his mother, Venus helps him in reaching Carthage and tells him about the queen of Carthage, Dido.

I can connect this drawing to something that I learnt in Art History class. This painting has a linear perspective. Linear perspective is the illusion of three-dimensional space on the two-dimensional surface. Likewise, this drawing does look three dimensional because the orthogonals if made from the floor will meet at one point on the top which is known as vanishing point. The figures such as Venus and Aeneas are much closer to the viewer. The mountains and trees in the background seems far away. This all creates linear perspective. The colors used are white and brown. Colorful colors are not used.

“She looked like a young girl, a Spartan girl decked out in dress and gear or Thracian Harpalyce tiring out her mares, outracing the Hebrus River’s rapid tides. Hung from a shoulder, a bow that fit her grip, a huntress for all the world, she’d let her curls go streaming free in the wind, her knees were bare, her flowing skirts hitched up with the tight knots.” (Vergil’s Aenied Book 1). This quote is very similar to the picture that I chose. Venus in the picture actually looks like a young girl. Both the quote and the picture portrays that her knees are bare and her skirt is hitched up in the tight knots. In addition to the similarities, there are few differences between the quote and the image that I chose. In the picture, there is something that hangs from her shoulder but it doesn’t look like a bow which contrasts to the quote because it says that a bow hangs from the shoulder. In the image we see that her hair is tied with no open curls. However, the reading says that her curls streamed free in the air.

Some of the artist’s own inventions in the drawing are the trees, few animals, people and the mountains. The artist might have added these details to describe the setting of the scene. Since, Venus and Aeneas met each other in the forest, the artist uses these details like animals, trees, bushes, etc. to the convey the idea that that they are in the forests.

The two figures, Venus and Aeneas most interests the artist. Since they are the main subject of the work, he draws them the way they look with all the characteristics that they actually have. There are movements in their posture because they both are pointing their arms and legs in forward direction which depicts that Venus is directing Aeneas to Carthage. The homework texts also has Venus and Aeneas as important figures because the text is all about Aeneas’s journey to Carthage and his mother, Venus helping him to reach there.

Gurleen Kaur, Team Venus

The Lady and the Sea Monster

Domenico Guidi (Italian, 1625-1701) Commissioned by Francesco II, Duke of Mantua and Reggio (Italian, 1660-1694) , who died before the sculpture’s completion. Andromeda and the Sea Monster. 1694. The Metropolitan Museum of Art,
http://www.metmuseum.org. http://library.artstor.org.ez-proxy.brooklyn.cuny.edu:2048/asset/SS7731421_7731421_11776266. Web. 11 Dec 2017.

This sculpture, though made in the Common Era, resembles traits of a Hellenistic sculpture from Ancient Greece. The depiction of Andromeda in this fluid like movement is very common in Hellenistic style art as well as noticing how the free-standing Andromeda is much like new upcoming sculptures in BCE. Having the subject in the nude like so relates to how the Greeks shaped their art to show how the human body should be shown off as such, as it is in the Gods image.
This piece of art can relate to a quote from the Vergil’s Aeneid, Book 1:

“Her fury inflamed by all this, the daughter of Saturn drove over endless oceans Trojans left by the Greeks and brute Achilles. Juno kept them far from Latium, forced by the Fates to wander round the seas of the world, year in, year out. Such a long hard labor it was to found the Roman people.”

The sculpture of Andromeda is in relation to Greek art, and not Roman art. We can clearly tell by observing how the breasts of Andromeda are revealed and not hidden by shrubbery. Greek and Roman themes do relate sometimes, where we can see how Andromeda, goddess of dreams, who usually accompanies with Poseidon, can be like the daughter of Saturn. Both are strong mythological female figures, with relation to “driving over endless oceans” They differ from their cultural origins, but both parts of Greco-Roman mythology can be connected.

The artist wanted to try his best, from a 17thy century perspective, to copy an old time Greek sculpture to the best of their ability. The artist Domenico Guidi, was a prominent Baroque sculptor, who had a short life as an artist. His intentions for creating art are not that important for the relation to Roman era literature, since they are two different time periods.

Sean Reilly, Team Artemis

Asking Around !

On campus I was able to find people to interview who haven’t been interviewed already. I interviews three students by the name of Jonathan B, Marlon C, and Malichi R. I interviewed all of these three in the student center on a Friday afternoon. The results of my first question were great with these three. They were all ok with me asking them ethnicity and origin questions and including there responses in my blog. When asked if they associated themselves with a country or ethnicity beyond the U.S, all answered with a one worded “No.” I asked Jonathan about how he learned about his American origins and he replied and said “My parents told me a lot about our history and my ancestors.” He also told me that another source of his knowledge comes from school. School was the only source of information that Marlon and Malichi had. When asked about being American, Jonathan told me that it was a honor. He then talked about his grandfather who fought in the army. Marlon shared with me that this beautiful vast country is the best place in the world. He talked about his family reunions which brings everyone together from all over the country. Malichi told me that he just loves hot dogs on July fourth. When asked for a story about someone their people idiolize, they all said president Barack Obama. Their stories all connected with the simple facts that he was the first black president and he got two terms. I followed up with asking what values do they think the story teaches. They all talked about the positive impact that had on the youth of minorities. They all seemed to of been personally influenced  by Obama’s history.

Ishmeal, team Artemis

Question Time!

Cindy T., via Facebook, Wednesday night

1. Are you comfortable if I ask you some questions about you ethnicity and origins?  Can I write about your answers on a public class blog?
– yeah sure.

2. Do you identify yourself with an country or ethnicity beyond the United States of America?  If so, which one?
– Chinese, from China

3. How have you learned about the origins/history/past/importance of that place? (If they feel no strong connection to other place or identity, then ask them to talk about being American.)
– A little but not very much because my parents never told me about their life in china. Well as an American, I feel like I am conflicted between what I am known as, Chinese or American. Often I get confused if I should even include myself such title. I want to be able to personally express my self as an individual, not by race.

4.Is there one person, maybe a hero or ‘wiseman’ or king or law-giver, that is important to your people–someone people tell stories about, maybe legendary, maybe true?  Can you tell me a story?
-Yes, theres a monkey king. He is famous in the Chinese mythical tales of the gods and power. He restores order when someone consumes too much power in a china. The Chinese monkey is symbolized as wise.

5. What values do you think that story teaches?  Are those values important in the traditions of your people?  how?
– I was taught this story from a young age. It taught me that all evil must be taken away and if there is no balance, we should take initiative in balancing such action from happening.

Cindy has been told about the great monkey that has been taken as a historical context. Despite not knowing what she is identified as, she know what she is. Most importantly, the great monkey can be a great example of Vergil’s Aeneid, it state, ” …will inherit the line and build the walls of Mars and after his own name, call his people Roma” I felt this quote has correlation to the great monkey because it both talks about prosperity in a country. These nationalistic view becomes an essence in obtaining trust by the people. I hope Cindy learns to obtain a different value of what she is.

Ahmed A, via text msg, Wednesday Afternoon.

1. Are you comfortable if I ask you some questions about you ethnicity and origins?  Can I write about your answers on a public class blog?’
   – mhm
2. Do you identify yourself with an country or ethnicity beyond the United States of America?  If so, which one?
   – Pakistan, Islam
3. How have you learned about the origins/history/past/importance of that place? (If they feel no strong connection to other place or identity, then ask them to talk about being American.)
   – Yeah a little. I am more Americanized because I came to NY at a young age. Uhh my family heard about dreams coming true and having a better life in the US so we moved.
4. Is there one person, maybe a hero or ‘wiseman’ or king or law-giver, that is important to your people–someone people tell stories about, maybe legendary, maybe true?  Can you tell me a story?
   – The father in a family household. My dad take care of everything. Having a dad must be important in the Islamic culture because it shows masculinity for the children and respect the values of our own culture.
5. What values do you think that story teaches?  Are those values important in the traditions of your people?  how?
   -They tell me that I must have a family when I grow up. That I must be a good dad too. Having a dad to son/ daughter relationship is important as the child grows up. They can have problems if they do not have a father.

   Ahmed seems more of a chill guy. He wants to be able to communicate not the religious value of his culture, but what he has known by practicing islam. I do not see any similarities between the readings of Rome and Ahmed’s story. However, I can say that having a powerful and strong leader does obtain the continuation of a great country.

Gao J. via Facebook, Tuesday night

1. Are you comfortable if I ask you some questions about you ethnicity and origins?  Can I write about your answers on a public class blog?
   – Yes I am comfortable if you ask away.
2. Do you identify yourself with an country or ethnicity beyond the United States of America?  If so, which one?
   – Yes you may and you have my every permission to do so. I see myself as Chinese American, so I guess Chinese ethnicity.
3. How have you learned about the origins/history/past/importance of that place? (If they feel no strong connection to other place or identity, then ask them to talk about being American.)
   -I have learned about the different Dynasties and the many trades and wars that makes China what it is today, but I don’t really remember it. I have learned about the history of America, and I can tell you one thing: that our history was all sorts of messed up.
4. Is there one person, maybe a hero or ‘wiseman’ or king or law-giver, that is important to your people–someone people tell stories about, maybe legendary, maybe true?  Can you tell me a story?
   – I don’t know anyone who is important to “my people” (you mean like the rest of Chinese population in China?) I do know a story (but not really a story :/) that has captured the hearts of some Chinese people though, and it is the Gospel 🙂
5. What values do you think that story teaches?  Are those values important in the traditions of your people?  how?
   – That Jesus has come down to Earth to release all of our chains from sin and bring grace upon us. The values are important to those who know Him but also for those who don’t know Him.

   I found Gao’s story interesting because religious believes was not a powerful century for it. Despite that, Gao’s religion seems to motivate him by what he has learned about the Gospel. In relations to the Roman’s text, Aeneas can be best in relationship to God. ” Aeneas puts in here with a bare seven warship saved from his whole fleet.” This quote shows that Aeneas has given hope to these people that were in need of rescue. God also saved those from their sins in order to restore grace upon us. I was very glad to have heard Gao’s answer in response to these questions.

 

How don’t you know? Bruh

I interviewed about eight people from different ethnicity and chose the most informed answers to include in this blog post, even though they aren’t well informed.

Noor Fawak, Libary Laguardia Room, Monday afternoon

This girl is a Muslim American woman of Syrian heritage but she was born here. When she was younger, she traveled back to Syria and attended school for four years. During that time, she discovered that Syria was being led by ignorant oppressors. She considered the hero to be the everyday people who wake in the morning and challenge the oppression. Syrians has been controlled by the Asahd family for a long time and finally people decided to speak up against this form of control. So the lesson she learns from this is never give up, pursue what you believe in. “Even though its not worth it because we’ve lost a lot of blood, we can’t stop now, we cant let it go to vain right now.”

Anastasiya Lyubimova, Library 2nd Floor, Monday afternoon

This girl is Slavic born in Russia. She reads books and watches documentaries about Russia on her free time. As to Russian leaders, she says they didn’t have any prominent rules or law givers. However, there was the sar regime family that was well respected by the people. Also, she respects Dostoevsky as a hero because he captures the Russians souls in his writing and suffering of the people. According to her, there were many stories of him being a great author, maybe the best of his time and he was non comparable. The stories that she hears of him inspires other people and allows them to understand the mentality of the Russians. She has learned that expressing yourself is a good way of living.

Samantha Blafford, Library 2nd Floor, Monday afternoon

This girl is third generation Italian-American. She learned little of Italian history in her language class. Although she doesn’t know anyone specific, she knows that people from the Renaissance, artists, and musicians basically shaped the culture that she has now. I was kind of disappointed with her answers because i expected someone from Italy to know their history and tell me about few common stories, but nope.

I expected a lot from the Italian girl because some of the great artists that we learned in Art1010 were Italian such as Michelangelo, Masaccio, Caravaggio and etc. Roman culture was reflected their arts. For example, change in culture meant change in style therefore, as culture advanced so did their statues, paintings, and architectures.

Roman empire made up parts of Europe such as Spain, France, and Italy. Roman was a place of power where their army conquered a lot of land and empires. To compare this to Russia, Russia was once known as the U.S.S.R. it had many countries as one. Now that each country has succeeded from the ‘union’ making up their own country, following their own rules, and have their own freedom, Russia is now a single country under the rule of one president, Putin. Romans were similarly ruled by one man, the King. Every leader of a country has their duty and they are pressured to accomplish it. For example, in the reading it says “But Aeneas, duty-bound, his mind restless with worries all that night, reached a firm resolve as the fresh day broke.” This even Syrian people as they’re to fight for their freedom, they have to if they want to live freely. They wake up everyday not knowing what might happen that day, in constant fear.

-Amir, Team Juno

 

 

Sabine women:)

MLA format: 

Orley, Nikolaus van (Netherlandish (before 1600) – Flanders, act.1550-ca.1586/91) (author of design) [painter]; Herzeele, Joost van (Netherlandish (before 1600) – Flanders, act.1570-1585) (workshop) [Weaver]. Romans admiring Sabine women, Story of Sabine women, Story of Romans and Sabines, Cleveland/Metropolitan Museum of Art set. c. 1570-1586. United States, Ohio, Cleveland, Cleveland Museum of Art, http://www.getty.edu/research/conducting_research/photo_study_collection/, French & Co. purchased from Henry Symons, Inc., received 9/15/1927; sold to John L. Severance 8/7/1928.. http://library.artstor.org.ez-proxy.brooklyn.cuny.edu:2048/asset/GETTY_GGTAP_1031172027. Web. 11 Dec 2017.

This is  Flemish textile designed by Nikolaus Orley. Because it was made during the 16th century this work may represent a Renaissance style. Orley illustrated here Sabine women. Figures on this piece look so idealistic and smooth. In addition, the fact that designer was inspired by Roman stories suggest that this work was made in Renaissance style. Women here looks so calm and gentle. The textile is decorated with lots of flowers which make this work even more beautiful. In the title, it says: “ Roman soldiers admire Sabine women” which could mean that Sabine women were really beautiful and Roman soldiers so they look at them with enthusiasm. I think that’s not only because they are gorgeous, but also, that they did something important for Rome.

In the reading Vergil’s Aeneid, Book 1. It says: “Then it was that the Sabine women, whose wrongs had led to the war, throwing off all womanish fears in their distress, went boldly into the midst of the flying missiles with disheveled hair and rent garments. Running across the space between the two armies they tried to stop any further fighting and calm the excited passions by appealing to their fathers in the one army and their husbands in the other not to bring upon themselves a curse by staining their hands with the blood of a father-in-law or a son-in-law nor upon their posterity the taint of parricide.” Here in the reading main focus is on war and effect of Sabine family on it. Therefore these women helped soldiers at war and in this painting they are depicted as glorifying women.

-Yuliya K, Team Minerva

Interviews at Brooklyn College

I have interviewed three of my friends at Brooklyn College, and have gotten similar ideas and answers based on their cultures.

The first person I interviewed was my friend Robert G. in the Brooklyn College library Thursday afternoon. Robert has been one of my close friends ever since a young age but I have never really interviewed him like this before so it was a one of a kind experience.  As I started asking him questions about what he identifies himself as, he responded that he considers himself Russian even though he was born in the United States. Both of his parents and most of his family was born in Russia and he can speak the language fluently. As I started asking him questions about the origins and history of Russia he said that he remembered his parents telling him that there was a lot of fighting going on at the time. He began to tell me a story about how in Russia it was every man for himself and that there was not much help from other people. He also remembers that the economy was very poor at the time and that this caused a lot of fights because of a corrupt government. He was saying that the president was Boris Yeltsin at the time and that he was the most dominant figure to the people.

Another person I interviewed was my friend Youngjae Bok Wednesday morning in the Brooklyn College Cafeteria. My friend Youngjae was actually born in Korea and came to the United States when he was around six years old. I have also gone to high school with Youngjae so we have been friends for several years already. As he was growing up in Korea the main thing he remembered was the corrupt government and the poor functioning economy. He told me how his parents worked hard morning and night shifts just to support the family receiving very little pay. He was also saying that many families were working very hard but were not doing anything to change or stand up for themselves and that was the main reason they came to the United States.  Their parents wanted a better life for their family and realized the United States would be a better place for them.

The last person I interviewed was my friend Damion K. in the Student Center Friday afternoon. Damion was born in the United States but came from an Italian family where most of his older relatives were born in Italy. As he spoke about his parents growing up in Italy, he began to speak about how the education really did not help them get the job they wanted because there was very few openings. He began to explain that the economy was also very weak and it was very hard to find jobs at the time. However he told me that religion played a major role in his family’s life and that is why they continue to stay positive and be the best people they can be.

There was many similarities in the answers I got explaining a lot about the weak economy and the corrupt government. All families came to the United States for a better life and for more opportunities. A quote from the Roman founders also had many similarities to responses from the interviews. One of the quotes I found stated ” The less man had, the less their was greed”.  This really shows that even though families did not have a lot of options they still worked very hard to get to where they are today. It also shows that since they didn’t have much they began to appreciate their life much more which is very inspiring.

 

Anthony Mancuso,

Team Venus

Aeneas and Achates

 

 

 

This image that I chose is called Carthage: Aeneas and Achates by David Cox. This painting in my opinion uses chiaroscuro because the trees on the sides of the paintings are painted in dark colors while the water and city in which the two men are walking towards are painted in lighter shades of white and blue. This is in order to give attention to the vast water and city in the far away distance. This painting also includes linear perspective because it is able to bring a three dimensional perspective on a two dimensional surface. The painting gives the viewer the illusion  that they are viewing this scenery from a higher point than the two men. A quote from the excerpts of Vergil book one that would relate to this picture is, “Aeneas puts in here with a bare seven warships saved from his whole fleet. How keen their longing for dry land underfoot as the Trojans disembark, taking hold of the earth, their last best hope, and fling their brine-wracked bodies on the sand.” This quote that I choose is similar to the painting in that it describes their longing for dry land which they would illusion to be like the painting above. The difference is that in contrary to the violent and gruesome scene described in the quote, the above painting reflects a more calm and peaceful environment. I believe that the artist includes the vast view of the ocean to help give the viewer know that the Romans had a vast empire as well.

Ashley G. ~ Team Juno

Diverse Interviews

Last week, I interviewed three of my friends about their ethnic background and what they identify themselves as.

The first person I interviewed was Shirley Z. at the Student Center, on Thursday, while we were on our lunch break. She told me she didn’t mind being interviewed. Since she grew up in a traditional household, she mainly identifies herself as Chinese, specifically Fujianese. Her mother plays a crucial role when it comes to getting background information and family history. Shirley mostly learns about her origins based on the stories her mother tells her about Fujian,China. Shirley states that “most Fujians are of the Han origin, but due to Fuzhou’s location, the culture is influenced by neighboring provinces,” which is why Shirley is able to speak three different dialects of Chinese (Cantonese, Mandarin, and Fujianese). When asked about who controls Fuzhou, she states that, “The Republic of China mostly controls the territory. There’s not one specific person who controls the province because China itself has way too many people to take care of, so they have one central system of government that controls different parts of the country.” Though there’s no specific story the government tells, their laws play a vital role as to monitoring the Chinese citizens. Shirley explains, “By blocking specific websites such as Facebook and YouTube, the government tries to censor Western exposure through media. They want to keep the Chinese culture intact by limiting Western influences.” This further shows how powerful the government is when it comes to controlling their citizens.

The second person I interviewed was Minho L., over a phone call Friday night. He thought it weird that I was asking about his background, but I convinced him when I said it was for a homework assignment. He identifies himself as Korean American. He learned about his Korean background because before coming to the United States at the age of 9, he lived in Korea for half of his life. He learns about what is happening in his home country by watching the news. He tells me that, “One of the biggest events that recently happened was that Park Geun Hye, who was a female President of South Korea, was impeached for illegally taking thousands of dollars from the government for her own use.” Not only is this a form of corrupt government, but it is a representation of abuse of presidential power. Minho states, “This scandal brought shame upon my people, but it is definitely not a representation of how Korean people are.” Minho believes that Koreans are naturally hardworking people. He mentions, “A lot of the citizens work endless hours and receive little pay. There’s a saying where ‘we work til we drop’, which means Korean workers work so hard that they literally drop to the floor due to exhaustion.” Park’s actions do not reflect the Korean working class, but instead the exact opposite of it. Minho states that, “It’s in Korean tradition to work hard for something and not take free hand outs.”

The third person I interviewed was David L., Friday evening after a handball game. He said it was if I interviewed him. He identifies himself as Asian American. He states that, “My mom’s White and my dad’s Chinese, but they lean towards the Chinese part of me because I have more relatives on that side of the family.” He learns about his ethnic background because his grandmother from his dad’s side tells him stories about her experiences in China. He mentions, “She even makes me write Chinese characters so I’m more in tuned with my culture.” When asked about Chinese leaders he states, “I don’t really know too much about Chinese leaders, but I did watch the Disney movie Mulan. Whether she’s real or not, her story is really famous in terms of persistence, bringing honor to one’s family, and saving China.” The story of Mulan poses as a reflection of how it’s cultural norms to value a male more than a female, but also emphasizes the word “honor”. The actions that happen in each generation builds a reputation in each family.

The similarities that I noticed between each interview was that each person felt a deep connection with their culture. Their parents made it essential to keep in touch with their roots and tried to expose them to as much of their background as possible, whether it be through news or listening to stories. Likewise in Roman culture, storytelling definitely influenced the society’s morals, pride, and ethics. When David mentioned how Mulan was a well known heroine that saved China, it reminded me of Rome’s Emperor Augustus who protected his father’s estate and legacy by keeping the Roman Empire safe. In contrast, I noticed that in the interviews there were no mentions of war, but in Roman history, war is not something new. In the Excerpts of Vergil, in the story Aeneas Meets His Mother, there was a was a fight between Pygmalion (Dido’s brother) and Sychaeus (richest man in Tyre & Dido’s husband) where, “That unholy man, so blind in his lust for gold he ran him through with a sword, then hid the crime for months, deaf to his sister’s love, her heartbreak. Still he mocked her with wicked lies, with empty hopes.” This shows that due to Pygmalion’s greed for money and power, he committed a crime by murdering Sychaeus to gain everything. Regarding the interviews, Minho mentions how Park Geun Hye stole money from the government. Although she didn’t hurt anyone physically, she took advantage of her presidential power and abused it. She also tried to conceal her crime just as how Pygmalion tried to hide the truth of him murdering Sychaeus. Both figures in power were corrupt by their personal greed, but their actions do not reflect the virtues of the citizens.

Mary, Team Vulcan

 

Aeneas and Venus

image cite: Jean Cornu (French, Paris 1650-1710 Lisieux). Venus Giving Arms to Aeneas. 1704. The Metropolitan Museum of Art, http://www.metmuseum.org. http://library.artstor.org/asset/SS7731421_7731421_11284669. Web. 11 Dec 2017.

This sculpture was built in 1650-1710 which was the later reign of Louis XIV witnessed the real explosion of the real Baroque sculpture community dedicated to the classical myths of the past. The faces of every characters that’s the part of this sculpture all looks externally real, the faces were all expressing the different emotion, you can almost hear what they want to say. It was the moment when the goddess Venus descended from the sky and showed her son, the Prince of Troy Aeneas, a spectacular armor. As a supplement to the story, Aeneas’s half-sister Cupid raised his shield. The clothes that they wearing doesn’t looks rigid like a sculpture but real clothes that was blowing by winds, you can see where the winds came from.

This is the sculpture makes me think about the story in the ‘Aeneas meets his Mother’ in Vergil’s Aeneid, Book 1. Aeneas and Archates collide with Venus who’s a young female hunter as they enter the forest. Aeneas knows what happened and asked the woman what goddess she is. Venus disguised, said she was just an ordinary girl in the forest. Venus will fill Aeneas when what’s going on in the city. Then, she ended her story, and asked Aeneas who he is. Aeneas answered with his name, his pursuit of his favorite color. Finally, he said how he was attacked in the storm, lost a bunch of companions. Venus comforted him with story of twelve swans and eagle. Then the goddess turned away and Aeneas recognized her (“He knew her at once—his mother”). He called and said: “Why, you too, cruel as the rest? So often you ridicule your son with your disguises! Why can’t we clasp hands, embrace each other, exchange some words, speak out, and tell the truth?” But Venus did not answer. Instead, she wrapped Enias and Archates in the fog, invisible. This made them in the heart of Carthage. Around them, people are busy building bees in the new city. After this story, Aeneas’ face in the sculpture seems to expressing a emotion dejected and doesn’t want Venus to leave him.

 

Yao, Team Zeus

A Trojanpiece

Apollonio di Giovanni di Tommaso, Italian, Florence, ca. 1415/17 – 1465. Aeneas at Carthage. ca. 1450. Yale University Art Gallery, Early European Art, http://artgallery.yale.edu/, University Purchase from James Jackson Jarves. http://library.artstor.org.ez-proxy.brooklyn.cuny.edu:2048/asset/AYALEARTIG_10312577055. Web. 10 Dec 2017.

This piece shows the different parts and an overall summary of Aeneas at Carthage from Virgil’s Aeneid. From left to right you see Aeneas, Dido, the construction of Carthage, and a glorified Rome. Dido is in the temple of Juno meeting Cloanthus along with other Trojans. In the temple you can see a part from the Trojan war that shows Achilles dragging Hector’s body. You can also see the wooden horse that was used to get into Troy. In the glorified Rome, you can clearly identify structures like the Santa Maria and Pantheon that we’ve learned in Art History. This piece also gives us an example of linear perspective as was discussed in a previous class. Your eyes are led straight into the middle of the scene on the gold piece in the center.  The paining tells a story throughout with different scenes, but your attention gets focused on the center, at the temple of Juno.

The part that stood out most interesting to me was what was going on in the temple of Juno. In the story, we read that when Aeneas arrived at the temple, it was truly amazing. According to Virgil’s Aeneid, Aeneas comes across something, “—all at once he sees,
spread out from first to last, the battles fought at Troy, the fame of the Trojan War now known throughout the world.” While exploring the temple, he sees the battles at Troy which we can see in the painting. This was very painful for him to look at, as he was brought to tears. The painter probably decided to show because this turns out to be an important part in the story. Aeneas spends a good amount of time examining the battles and being “spellbound” as brought out in book one. Later on in book two, we have Aeneas explaining to Dido what happened at the Trojan War. This is the centerpiece of the painting that ties the whole work of art together.

Ivory, Team Artemis

Lucretia’s Downfall

Citation: Crespi,Giuseppe Maria. Tarquin and Lucretia. c. 1695-1700. http://library.artstor.org.ez-proxy.brooklyn.cuny.edu:2048/asset/SS36847_36847_35977795. Web. 10 Dec 2017.

This image is called Tarquin and Lucretia by Giuseppe Maria Crespi. This painting was created c. 1695-1700 during the Baroque art period. The Baroque period in art was a period in art where artists depicted biblical and mythological stories and used dramatic realism and illusionism to engage the viewers looking at these paintings. Many of these painting achieved this effect by using dramatic lighting and tightly cropped compositions. This painting depicts the scene when Sextus Tarquininus rapes Lucretia, the wife of Tarquin’s fellow soldier and who later killed herself after being raped by Tarquin. An indicator that this painting is from the Baroque period is its use of chiaroscuro lighting. Chiaroscuro lighting is an extreme contrast between light and darkness. It can also be identified as a Baroque painting because of its vibrant use of color. This can be seen in the gold of Tarquin’s clothes and the blue of Lucretia’s dress. This painting also uses tightly cropped composition to show the struggle between Lucretia and Tarquin.

This image depicts a scene from Livy’s Book 1. In this book, Livy tells the story about Tarquin and Lucretia. In the story, Tarquin becomes obsessed with Lucretia after her husband describes her beauty and lets him watch her weaving with her maids. He then sneaks into her room when she is sleeping, threatens her life by saying that he would kill her and a slave and say she was an adulterer, rapes her, and then leaves. After the rape, Lucretia sends a messenger to her father and her husband to come home because something terrible happened. When they come, she tells them what happened and makes them swear to avenge her. They agree to avenge her and inconsolable in her grief, she pulls out a knife and kills herself by stabbing herself in the heart. Before she kills herself, she says, “Nor henceforth shall any unchaste woman continue to live by citing the precedent of Lucretia” (Livy 11). This means that she does not want to be seen as an unfaithful woman and to prevent from being seen as one, she killed herself.

There are many similarities and differences between how the painting and the story depict the scene. One similarity between the depictions is that both depict the rape in Lucretia’s bedroom. Another similarity is that both depict and convey the feeling of fear that Lucretia was feeling and the aggression of Tarquin. One difference is that in the story Lucretia is woken up from her bed and was frozen in fear. In the painting, Lucretia appears to be wide awake and fighting Tarquin’s advances. This appears to be the artist’s own invention to make the painting more dynamic, rather than having Lucretia just sit there while Tarquin threatens her with a sword. By making the painting more dynamic, the viewer is more engaged in the story and the painting. Another difference is that Tarquin threatens Lucretia with a sword in the story and in the painting, Tarquin doesn’t have a sword. The struggle between Lucretia and Tarquin is what interests Crepsi the most. Livy is more interested in the threats that Lucretia received from Tarquin and the after effects of the rape rather than the actually rape itself. Through these details, Livy and Crepsi are able to vividly describe the rape and death of Lucretia.

-Emily Ryan, Team Mars

Interviewing Interesting People

Last weekend I interviewed three people throughout Brooklyn College about their ethnicity and origins.

The first person I interviewed was Tony at the West Quad gym after we were done playing basketball. He did not mind me asking him some questions about his ethnicity and gave me permission to post his answers on this blog. He told me that he was born in the United States but identifies himself as Vietnamese. Since he was born in America he has learned most of the history about Vietnam from his parents and siblings. He mentioned to me that there was always one person through Vietnam’s history that everyone knew. This person was named Ho Chi Minh. He was known for doing many beneficial things for his country and the people that resided in it. He played a major role in the creation of the democratic republic of Vietnam. He was a great man that everyone really looked up to and will continue to be celebrated by the future generations. The values created by Ho Chi Minh’s legacy was extremely important to Vietnam and he played a major role in the country’s development.

On Sunday I interviewed my friend Mohammed H. through text message. He stated that he was fine with me asking him a few questions and sharing his answers online. He told me that he was born in Pakistan but moved to the United States around the age of 11. He spent most of his childhood in Pakistan and really grew up accustomed to the culture. One person he learned about from his parents is Muhammad Ali Jinnah. He was known as the founder of Pakistan and once a great leader. My friends parents were very young at the time Muhammad Ali Jinnah leaded the people of Pakistan but they continue to pass down his legacy because of how much of an impact he had on the country. He told me Muhammad Ali Jinnah was a person of extreme importance and it’s highly unlikely that he’ll ever be forgotten.

Monday afternoon I interviewed another one of my friends at the West Quad gym after playing basketball. His name is Matthew and he said that it was okay for me to ask him some questions and allowed me to post his responses online. He stated that he was born in America and does not have a strong connection to any other place. He says that his main inspiration was our former President Barack Obama. He told me that he really enjoyed Obama’s presidency and is grateful for the numerous great things he did for this country.  Barack Obama will always be a person that changed history by becoming the first African president and he is glad he was alive and present to witness it.

One major similarity I noticed between my interviews and the stories we learned about Rome is how they all remembered a significant leader. All of my friends that I have interviewed told me about a certain leader that played a major role in the development of their country. One leader the people of Rome similarly remembered and appreciated was Augustus. He was once a great warrior and leader that brought many changes to Rome. the quote I found was located in Vergil’s Aeneid and it states, “May this day be one of joy for Tyrians here and exiles come from Troy, a day our sons will long remember.” the quote is stating that this event be remembered for a long time and it connects to my interviews because all of my friends mentioned a certain leader that they have learned about from either their parents or siblings and it was passed down. It shows how big of an impact a leader can have on future generations and how their stories can be passed down.

Naim Nuvel, Team Vulcan

 

 

Combining different beliefs

Pactricson P., Via Facebook messenger, Sunday evening

Are you comfortable if I ask you some questions about you ethnicity and origins?  Can I write about your answers on a public class blog?

“Sure”

Do you identify yourself with an country or ethnicity beyond the United States of America?  If so, which one?

“If someone asks for my ethnicity, then i would say African American. But if they don’t, I consider myself a Haitian American.”

How have you learned about the origins/history/past/importance of that place? (If they feel no strong connection to other place or identity, then ask them to talk about being American.)

“I learned about America in school”

Is there one person, maybe a hero or ‘wiseman’ or king or law-giver, that is important to your people–someone people tell stories about, maybe legendary, maybe true?  Can you tell me a story?

“Barack Obama. Obama’s win in the election opened chances for every individual, especially black people. Examples such as Obama care and Michelle Obama’s healthy activities. Obama was also able to get the U.S. out of the recession in 2008”

What values do you think that story teaches? Are those values important in the traditions of your people? how?

“To aim high, which is why black families aspire to do something to do something greater in their lives instead of being stereotyped”

 

Ray R., Via iMessage, Sunday evening

Are you comfortable if I ask you some questions about you ethnicity and origins?  Can I write about your answers on a public class blog?

“Sure”

Do you identify yourself with an country or ethnicity beyond the United States of America?  If so, which one?

“African American/Caribbean American”

How have you learned about the origins/history/past/importance of that place? (If they feel no strong connection to other place or identity, then ask them to talk about being American.)

“Stories/research/parents”

Is there one person, maybe a hero or ‘wiseman’ or king or law-giver, that is important to your people–someone people tell stories about, maybe legendary, maybe true?  Can you tell me a story?

“Any person of power that maybe could found in the bible. We respect our elders but don’t revere them as legendary, like God”

What values do you think that story teaches? Are those values important in the traditions of your people? how?

“The values taught by us in the bible help us make morally just decisions in any and every scenario, specifically aspects of life, in which such judgement is needed. To list a few, a clean diet, respect for a community, and a lot for your family and people. These are some of the values held by our people in their traditions”

 

Tristan R., Via iMessage, Sunday evening

Are you comfortable if I ask you some questions about you ethnicity and origins?  Can I write about your answers on a public class blog?

“Yes ma’am”

Do you identify yourself with an country or ethnicity beyond the United States of America?  If so, which one?

“Yes, Jamaica and Panama”

How have you learned about the origins/history/past/importance of that place? (If they feel no strong connection to other place or identity, then ask them to talk about being American.)

“Word of mouth/passed down stories”

Is there one person, maybe a hero or ‘wiseman’ or king or law-giver, that is important to your people–someone people tell stories about, maybe legendary, maybe true?  Can you tell me a story?

“No there isn’t”

What values do you think that story teaches? Are those values important in the traditions of your people? how?

N/A

 

“There as an ancient city held by Tyrian settlers, Carthage, facing Italy and the Tiber River’s mouth but far away– a rich city trained and fierce in war. Juno loved it, they say, beyond all other lands in the world, even beloved Samos, second best” (Vergil, 1). This quote was found in the opening of Vergil’s Aeneid, Book 1. The Roman goddess, Juno, made goals for Carthage to become powerful and desperately didn’t want the Fates to take control of its future. She used all her strength and determination to make Carthage into the kind of power she wanted. Although the stories that my friends shared didn’t relate to fighting for the future of the country, they mention the importance of having a great leader. This relates to Rome’s origins because there was typically a leader to make the best decisions for their people.

-Estrella Roberts, Team Vulcan

We all are unique in a different ways!

Over last week, I went to Brooklyn College to interview three different people around the campus. The interview helped me to learn about people’s ethnicity and their unique stories.

Last Monday afternoon, I interviewed a person named Jane Katie in Brooklyn college library. I saw her by on the second floor of the library and by the express computer. I asked if she was ok with me asking questions about her ethnicity and if she was ok with me posting it on the blog. Jane Kate said she was definitely ok with me posting it on the blog. She identifies herself as American because she was born in New York and grew up here. However, she still respects the country her parents came from which was Africa. Jane said she does not really know the history of Africa since she only been there once. She said she likes being American because she knows a lot history about how America was founded and she loves the freedom system in America. Also, likes all the opportunities offered to all the people such as health insurance and education. She considers her sister being her hero because her sister is a lawyer and she helps the minorities people with problems that they go through. Her sister tries to help people who are in the unfair system such as when minorities are mostly targeted by the police.  The value that the story teaches is that there are people in society who are trying to help the poor people or the minority people who get locked up in jail for no reason. Also, people who will fight for justice that those minorities deserve. The tradition is important in America because many minorities are being treated unfairly by the law and get locked up in jail for no reason for being colored person.

On last Wednesday afternoon, I interviewed a person named Yolanda Gonzalez in Boylan Hall. She was sitting on the red sofa at the Learning Center. She said she was ok with answering questions about her ethnicity and me posting on the blog post. She identifies herself as Mexican because she was born there and came to America when she was seven years old. She said she knows a lot about Mexican history. She said, In 1810 the Mexican priest Miguel Hidalgo started the Mexican war of independence. The first leader of independent Mexico was Agustin de Iturbide. She considers her mother as a hero because she migrated to America with three children by herself. She works really hard to raise the children. Her mother dream is to go to a nursing school. She went to college here and became a nurse. She loves to help people in her hospital. She teaches her kids about helping other people. The value that the story teaches is that if people work hard, they will always get the positive result. And it is will always good to help other people. The tradition is important in America because helping other people is important and especially nurse helping the patient to make sure that the patients are comfortable and feel good about their health.

The last person I interviewed was last Thursday morning. The person named is Benjamin Smith. I interviewed him in the Brooklyn College Library on the first floor. He sits at the computer I was using. He said he was definitely ok with answering questions about his ethnicity and me posting on the blog post. He identifies himself as American because he was born and raised in New York. He said, he likes being American because he knows a lot about American history. He said that in America, people have so many opportunities. People can do whatever they like because there is so much freedom and rights are given to people. He also said, he loves the fact that in some city in America have so much diversity. He considers Muhammad Ali as his hero. He considers him as his hero because he was one of American professional boxer and activist. When he does boxing, it looks more like a peaceful fight than aggressive. Benjamin said he wants to become a boxer like him one day. The tradition is important in America because people see Muhammad as a motivator and people want to be like him.

After interviewing three people, the similarities between these stories and the stories I’ve read about Rome’s origins is that everyone has a unique story about their city. In the Rome, Juno shares the story of the city she loves. In the excerpts of Vergil-book 1 states, “Juno loved it, they say, beyond all other lands in the world, even beloved Samos, second best. Here she kept her armor, here her chariot too, and Carthage would rule the nations of the earth if only the Fates were willing. This was Juno’s goal from the start, and so she nursed her city’s strength. But she heard a race of men, sprung of Trojan blood, would one day topple down her Tyrian stronghold, breed an arrogant people ruling far and wide, proud in battle, destined to plunder Libya. So the Fates were spinning out the future . . .” This quote compares to the interviews because, in the quote, it explains about how Juno lover her city and the three people that I interviewed, they all have the story behind on how much they love their city.

Mantaha Mannan, Team Vulcan

Interesting Interviews

Thursday morning, I interviewed my friend John Milano through facebook messenger. He didn’t mind me asking questions about his ethnicity and origins, and allowed me to use it for my blog post. John identifies himself as American because he was born and raised in New York. He likes being American. John said Americans have great food, fun sports, and an amazing educational system. He considers his mother to be a hero because she saves lives as a neurosurgeon. She tells him stories every week about surgeries she performs. She once told him that a man, around forty years old was suffering from cancer.  He needed a lung replacement, she performed it with the help of her co workers. She really loves saving lives and her stories really are inspiring. The values that his mother’s story teaches is that neurosurgeons have the ability to save lives. Its their passion and drives them to perform these surgeries to their best abilities. These values are important in the traditions of Americans because many people are suffering from health issues. These specialists swoop in and give them hope, allowing them to be happy again.

Thursday evening, I interviewed my friend Vanessa Ramasani at Brooklyn College library. She didn’t mind me asking questions about her ethnicity and origins, and allowed me to use it for my blog post. Vanessa identifies herself as Guyanese. She said, Guyana gained its independence in 1966, the country’s economic assets have been its natural resources. They consists of pristine rainforests, sugarcane plantations, rice fields, and bauxite and gold reserves. She considers Rawle Junior Kalomo Marshall to be a hero. He is a Guyanese-American professional basketball player. Vanessa considers Rawle as a hero because there weren’t many guyanese people in the NBA. This story teaches leadership. Rawle came from from a country that wasn’t known for sports but made it to the NBA. He will inspire other guyanese people to strive for their dream, no matter where you come from.

Thursday night, I interviewed my friend Mohammed Ahmed at the basketball gym. He didn’t mind me asking questions about his ethnicity and origins, and allowed me to use it for my blog post. Ahmed said he’s from Pakistan but considers himself American because he was born in Kings County Hospital in New York City. Ahmeds life as an American has been great. He’s made a lot of good friends and built relationships with many people. He considers his father to be a hero because he works hard to support his family. Ahmeds father told him that he lived in Pakistan for 25 years, then came to America. He didn’t have a degree or anything, he slept in his cousin’s house. He decided to enroll in college while working part time in Dunkin Donuts. He is now an IT, he then started a family. This story teaches people that it doesn’t matter what or where you come from. If you work hard, many great opportunities will open up to you.

The similarities between these stories and the stories I’ve read about Rome’s origins is that everyone has love for their city. Whether its America, Pakistan, Guyana or anywhere else, people love country and ethnicity. This is similar to Juno in Vergil’s Aeneid because she loves her city. A quote I found in the book states “There was an ancient city held by Tyrian settlers, Carthage, facing Italy and the Tiber River’s mouth but far away—a rich city trained and fierce in war. Juno loved it.” Juno loves her city just as John and Ahmed love New York City and Vanessa loves Guyana.

Mohammed, team Vulcan

 

Lucretia and Olympia

 

Lucas Cranach the elder. Lucretia. 1532. Akademie der Bildenden Künste in Wien, inv. 557.. http://library.artstor.org.ez-proxy.brooklyn.cuny.edu:2048/asset/LESSING_ART_1039789025. Web. 9 Dec 2017.

The work of art I found is entitled, Lucretia it was created by Lucas Cranach the elder in 1542 and is a painting; the medium is distemper on wood. The description relates that’s the painting depicts a “Roman noblewoman and wife of Tarquinius Collatinus, [who] killed herself after being raped by the son of Tarquinius Superbus, last King of Rome.” The artist Lucas Cranach the elder is German (Western) and the year competed is during the Renaissance. There was a re-emergence of the significance of female nude as a genre during the renaissance in Western art.  Though it is supposed to be a somber scene, Lucretia is painted nude, distracting the audience with her idealized body. She appears soft which enhances the sensuality and sexuality of the piece. She is standing in contrapposto and a motion like stance. Also she is holding an extremely sheer piece of fabric in her left hand as it rests over her right forearm and the sword that she is soon going to drive into her chest is in her right arm. In her face we can sense her sorrow, tilted head and her drooping sad eyes gazing off into the dark space. The background is dark almost black, adding to the dramatization of the scene.

In Edouard Manet’s Olympia of 1863, though it is three centuries after, the female body was and still is objectified in art. It is viewed and represented as a symbol of fertility, sexuality, sensuality, and seductively. This tradition goes all the way back to the ancient Greeks and Romans. Olympia is a prostitute and unlike Lucretia, her body was not painted to be idealized or perfected. Manet challenges those established ideas and simply paints a real woman in an apartment in Paris. Instead of standing like Lucretia, she is laying down. She is painted to look quite flat and angular and we can’t see any brushstrokes. Unlike Lucretia, Olympia is gazing directly at us which blatantly emphasizes her sexuality.

Livy book 1 describes the account of Sextus Tarquinius raping Lucretia and her suicide. It all began with his obsession with Lucretia. One night when he along with other young princes were drunk, Livy states, “Not only her beauty but also her proven chastity spurred him on” (Livy 161). When he caught her alone, he threatened to kill her if she didn’t sleep with him and murder a slave and place him naked next to her naked as false evidence that she committed adultery and to ruin her reputation. So, she allowed him to rape her, called her father and husband afterwards and told them what had happened so that her name wouldn’t be tarnished. The account goes on to say that they found her sitting, with tears in her eyes quite different from Lucas Cranach the elder’s rendering of her. Also unlike the painting, she wasn’t alone when she killed herself as others were attempting to console her  by, “shifting the guilt from the woman who had been forced to the man who had done the wrong” (Livy 164). One last difference between the painting is that while she is nude in the painting, the literary version describes her to be clothed. “She took a knife that she had hidden in her garments and plunged in in her heart” (Livy 166). I infer that the artist made this choices to add to the dramatization of the scenes depiction and to the sensuality of Lucretia.

– Chanté, Team Venus

 

 

Are they American?

This week I interviewed three of my friends asking them about their ethnicity and story behind that.

1. Last Thursday, I interviewed my friend Joanna L. after our business class in Ingersoll Hall building at Brooklyn College. She said that she is okay with answering the questions about her ethnicity and me posting it on my blog post. She identifies herself as American, however, she was born in Greece, Europe and lived there only 3 years, so she did not study much about the history of the country. She came to the United States when she was 3, and started school here and studied about American history. She said that her hero will be always Barack Obama as he made a lot of great changes in this country, and also because the role of the president is such a responsibility which not many can handle. She also said that the story behind it is when she met him personally. She had the chance to meet him because one of her teachers from high school knew him privately, and because she was one of the best in her senior year, her teacher took her and 2 other people for short meeting. I was really surprised when I heard the story.
2.  On Tuesday after my English class on our way to the train station, I interviewed my friend Kathy B. She said that she is okay with answering the questions about her ethnicity and me posting it on my blog post. She identifies herself as Spanish because she was born in Spain, Europe and spent there 10 years of her life. She said that she does not remember much about the history of Spain, however, she the person that she would value would be definitely a president, which was very surprising for me because the girl I interviewed first said the same thing. Kathy also explained to me that in her opinion president is a person who carries many responsibilities, and people against him.
3. On Wednesday morning, before my INDS class, I met one of my friends, Olivia S., and interviewed her on our way to classes in Roosevelt Hall building. She said that she is okay with answering the questions about her ethnicity and me posting it on my blog post.She was born and raise in New York City, so she identifies herself with American. However, her parents are from Columbia. She said she does not know the history of Columbia, only a few facts that her parents used to tell her, but she only learns the American history. Olivia said that for her, heroes are her parents. She said that is for many reasons, and one of them and the most important is that when they were young they came to the NYC by themselves without much money or ability to speak English. However, they did all they could to build a great family and raise her for a good person. She said that there are thousands of reasons why she treats them as heroes, sometimes little for others, but big for her.

All of these 3 interviews from Brooklyn College are interesting and each of them is different in its own way. I think that the first 2 people who said that president is definitely the hero for them can identify with Rome’s origins because the hero there was a ruler. Quote that I found:
” This was Juno’s goal from the start, and so she nursed her city’s strength” (Vergil’s Aeneid)
I think it can be connected all of my interviews because it emphasizes how did goddess care about the city and people. The same it’s with people who chose the president as their hero, he is the one who takes care of the city. It also connects to Olivia for whom parents are the hero because they had to take care of themselves and prepare to take care of her.

Edyta, Team Aphrodite

Cant live like this

Philippe Bertrand (French, 1663-1724). Lucretia. 1704 or earlier. The Metropolitan Museum of Art, http://www.metmuseum.org. http://library.artstor.org.ez-proxy.brooklyn.cuny.edu:2048/asset/SS7731421_7731421_11291927. Web. 9 Dec 2017.

The image above is a sculpture of Lucretia stabbing herself in the chest. She is sculpted as a fluid figure. She has an ideal Roman body. Her dress sticks to her and flows without concealing her body similar to that of the “Three goddesses from the east pediment of the Parthenon”. Although that sculpture was made to accommodate slope of pediment, the sculpture of Lucretia was not. However this sculpture also leans in a slope. The clothe hanging off of her hand looks very thick as opposed to the one her body which appears thin.

“They found Lucretia sitting in her bedchamber, grieving. At the arrival of her own family, tears welled in her eyes. In response to her husband’s question, “Is everything all right?”, she replied, “Not at all”. (Livy 58)

This image is similar to the text because it show Lucretia on her “bedchamber” and the grief in her face. It showed the outcome of her pain. The difference between the picture and the quote is the time frame, she hadn’t stabbed herself yet.

The artist made her head lean back and her face the way it is to possibly portray her grief and to make it more vivid to viewers. He also left one of her breasts uncovered, that may have been his way to portray the feelings Lucretia had, that she was not honorable anymore. It seems to be that the artist interest was to show Lucretia ending her life. I think this was the most important part of that text. She killed herself to show “unchaste” women it wasn’t acceptable to live life after such a horrible event occurs to you.

-Anora, Team Diana

The Shepherd and the Babies

Nicholas Mignard, French, 1606 – 1668. The Shepherd Faustulus Bringing Romulus and Remus to His Wife. 1654. Dallas Museum of Art, Dallas, Texas, USA, Dallas Museum of Art, gift of Mr. and Mrs. Algur H. Meadows and the Meadows Foundation, Incorporated, 1970.25, http://www.dallasmuseumofart.org/. http://library.artstor.org.ez-proxy.brooklyn.cuny.edu:2048/asset/AMICO_DALLAS_103842291. Web. 9 Dec 2017.

This painting was created in 1654 in the Renaissance period. It has a lot of classical imagery, regarding to the idealistic figures. The women have soft skin and curvy bodies. The man, who is Faustrulus has a muscular body. It also has chiaroscuro lighting. You can see the lighting shown on the skin and drapery of the women, the man, and the two babies. The babies are Romulus and Remus. You can see the darkness and shadows inside the house and in the background.

Quote: “According to the story, his name was Faustulus. He took the children to his hut and gave them to his wife Larentia to bring up”(Vergil’s Aeneid, Book 1. Page 11). There are a lot of similarities between the quote and the painting. Faustulus is the man carrying the babies. He is bring them to his wife, Larentia, who is also in the painting and is reaching out to the babies. The quote is basically describing what’s happening in the painting. Though, the quote did not mention the names of the two other women in the picture, it also did not mention that there is a dog and two doves.

The artist might have added the dog into the painting to represent that Larentia was known as the “she-wolf”. Dogs are closely related to wolves. Though the story is a Roman Myth, there are some biblical sayings in the painting. The two white doves are symbols of the holy spirit. Faustulus is a shepherd, which is a figure used a lot in the Bible.

What most interests the artist is the classical tradition and idealized bodies. The artist seemed more interest in his work than the myth itself. As an artist in the renaissance, they want to do their best work to bring out the symbols and realism. The artist did a good job making the roman myth come to life in a painting, so yes, it is important.

Caroline, Team Cronos

The Abduction

Nicolas Poussin, French, 1594-1665. The Abduction of the Sabine Women. probably 1633-34. The Metropolitan Museum of Art, http://www.metmuseum.org. http://library.artstor.org.ez-proxy.brooklyn.cuny.edu:2048/asset/MMA_IAP_1039651425. Web. 8 Dec 2017.

This painting “The Abduction of the Sabine Women” by Nicolas Poussin depicts the story of the rape of the Sabine Women. This is the moment where Roman men abducted Sabine Women to take as wives and start family, as the Romans are fighting off the women’s husbands and fathers. This art work was painted in 1633-34 which would have been during the Baroque period. Professor Simon has taught us that with a new era come a different type of art style. How during the Baroque period new methods such as chiaroscuro lighting which created more emotion to the subject came into play. The painting uses methods such as chiaroscuro lighting and you can see the constraint between the light and the dark that the shadows are creating, making the piece more dramatic. The artist is also trying to play with linear perspective by showing the people father away in the background fighting by making them smaller, creating depth.

The quote I choose was from Book one of Vergil’s Aeneid that says ”Then it was that the Sabine women, whose wrongs had led to the war, throwing off all womanish fears in their distress, went boldly into the midst of the flying missiles with disheveled hair and rent garments. Running across the space between the two armies they tried to stop any further fighting” like the quote the image is showing the throwing of women, you can see the destress in their bodies and how it looks like they are fighting back to get away. You can see the intensity of the men fighting just the the quote is describing. I think the artist added a lot of details to the Romans muscles making them seem stronger to show their power over the women and men. The artist also added children and it really shows that these women are being taken away from their families. However in the quote they make it seem as it was the Sabine’s fault for not giving the women to Romans in the first place. In the art you see more ofthe brutality of abducting these women.

Francesca Faiello, Team Cronos

Lucretia

Rembrandt Van Rijn. Lucretia. 1664. http://library.artstor.org/asset/SS36847_36847_36038086. Web. 8 Dec 2017.

In this painting is the depiction of Lucretia from The Rape of Lucretia as recounted by Livy. This story took place in sixth century BC during the reign of the tyrant known as Tarquinius Superbus. This depiction of Lucretia may be somewhat inaccurate in regards to the clothing she wears; the story took place in 600 BC, yet the clothes she wears in this painting suggests the Renaissance (from 14th-17th Century AD).

Lucretia is shown to have naturalistic proportions as her proportions look like a normal human and makes her appear life-like. Her pose is somewhat awkward, though there is still the impression that motion is present in this painting due to the contrapposto of her somewhat twisted body.

From Livy Book 1: “But only my body has been violated; my mind is not guilty. Death will be my witness.”

This painting is similar to the literary version because of the knife that Lucretia holds in her right hand. In The Rape of Lucretia, she chooses to take her own life to “regain her honor” after being raped by Sextius Tarquinius, the tyrant’s son. In the painting she is holding the knife and has a somewhat distraught expression present on her face. The difference between the painted version and the literary version is the style of her clothes as the painted version depicts her wearing a dress and jewelry from a completely different time period from when the literary version took place. The artist’s own contribution was the way Lucretia is dressed; instead of wearing Roman garbs.

 

-Stacy, Team Minerva

David’s Message

Intervention of the Sabine Women, painted by Jacques-Louis David

Jacques-Louis David (French painter, 1748-1825). Intervention of the Sabine Women, Detail, Romulus, the king of Rome with youth in Phrygian cap and horses. 1799 (creation), Image: 4/31/09 (creation). http://library.artstor.org/asset/SS36066_36066_23794138. Web. 8 Dec 2017.

This painting is similar to a painting we learned in Professor Simon’s class, which is also by Jacques-Louis David. It is called “The Death of Marat”, a revolutionary painting created during the French Revolution, which depicts a contemporary event. It is especially revolutionary because it substitutes the iconography (symbolic forms) of Christian Art for more contemporary issues, and before this David mostly painted scenes from classical antiquity. In the Death of Marat, David’s slain friend is shown as a martyr and hero of the revolution and not of Christianity.

This painting of the Sabine Women relates to the painting of Marat because the story of the Sabine Women is used to advocate the reconciliation of the French people after the French Revolution. After the second year of the revolution, Revolutionaries had begun to turn on each other and behead one another, so this painting was a means of reconciliation, as it shows the Sabine Women intervening and bringing the violet war to a halt so that the Sabines and Romans could reconcile.

From Vergil’s Aeneid, Book 1,”Then it was that the Sabine women, whose wrongs had led to the war, throwing off all womanish fears in their distress, went boldly into the midst of the flying missiles with disheveled hair and rent garments.”

In both the image and the literary version, we see the Sabine Women amidst the chaos of the war, as the quote says. Between all the spears, horses, and armed men, we see women, with so much determination on their faces, similar to the quote’s statement that the women had thrown off their fears. As the description says, “Hersilia is leaping between her father Tatius, the king of the Sabines, on the left, and her husband Romulus, the king of Rome, on the right.” As the quote says, the women intervened to tell the Sabines they were fine with their new Roman lives and husbands.

Jacques-Louis David depicted the episode of the Sabine Women intervening because he wanted the French to reconcile with one another. He wanted the people of France to see the intervention of the Sabine as a “pictorial manifesto” and what he did was, he made his painting appear less Roman and more Greek, so as to make his painting appear less severe, and more ideal and kind.

This was the most important purpose of his painting, and this also the most important message received in the text. The Sabine Women boldly intervened to stop the violence of the war and that’s what David wanted the French revolutionaries to understand.

Isra, Team Minerva

A Modern Conception of Romulus and Remus

James Barsness. Romulus and Remus. 1993. http://library.artstor.org/asset/LARRY_QUALLS_10310855730. Web. 7 Dec 2017.

 

The piece above is found at the Frumkin/Adams Gallery in Manhattan on the first floor. It is a contemporary piece depicting Romulus and Remus the brothers who founded Rome and were raised by the she wolf. This painting is similar to the ideas we viewed in class because Academic art was often limited creativity and would be realistic and have us as the viewers thinking we are looking through a window. This is a non-academic piece because the figures are blurry and the strokes are very defined and not well blended. Their bodies are also crunched up and in the nude. Also like some of the contemporary art we looked at the figures are looking at us and making us realize we are looking at a painting. How ever it differs because the figures can be depicted and not so abstract that we have to imagine their shape. Also like some of the pieces we looked at there is no use of cubism, the figures have soft curves that are more realistic than sharp angular shapes.

The quote I chose for this photo is from Livy Book one section four paragraph two, “She gave the infants her teats so gently that the master of the royal flock found her licking them with her tongue.” This quote relates to the image because the two boys have this wild look in their eye and have an animal like feature to them because they were nurtured by a she wolf. However it differs because the quote is describing that event and the painting seems to be after that event because they look like they have grown and they aren’t nursing off of the wolf anymore. The artist intentions could have been to show how the animal instinct still lingered in the boys. Also the way they are so close together and in a timid pose is how two wolf could act when being watched. It shows how the finders of Rome were rough and tough and had an amazing bringing up. She also could have left the brush strokes like she did to almost look like hair or fur. I feel the artist was most interested in this aspect to make them look like they have that animal instinct still in their eyes. In the text the interest was describing them in their later years and how they shaped Rome and what happened later; unlike the artist who wanted the animal instinct to be remembered. Emma, Team Saturn

The Founders

1.  Lily Lei, via Messenger, Tuesday Morning
   “I would say China because that’s where my parents came from! And I consider my roots to be there too! I haven’t learn much about China’s history, but I’ve been taught the about the culture from my family’s past experience! Not that I know of! Or not anyone specific off the top of my head! I don’t know anyone.”
   

2. Jackie Li, via Messenger,Monday night

“Yes I am comfortable if you ask away. Yes you may and you have my every permission to do so. I see myself as Chinese American, so I guess Chinese ethnicity.
I have learned about the different Dynasties and the many trades and wars that makes China what it is today, but I don’t really remember it. I have learned about the history of America, and I can tell you one thing: that our history was all sorts of messed up.
I don’t know anyone who is important to “my people” (you mean like the rest of Chinese population in China?) I do know a story (but not really a story :/) that has captured the hearts of some Chinese people though, and it is the Gospel 🙂  
That Jesus has come down to Earth to release all of our chains from sin and bring grace upon us. The values are important to those who know Him but also for those who don’t know Him.”

 

3. Jonathan, via message, Monday night

“Yes, I’m comfortable with you asking me questions about my ethnicity and origin. Yes you can write my answers on the blog. Ill identify myself as a hispanic American, i have lived in the United States for my entire life but I still kept in touch with my parent’s culture. One story my parents tell me is the story of the three kings which is basically their Christmas, thats the day kids get present. The story taught me how to value my religion, as well as who i am and where i come from. The values are important because it teaches everyone to appreciate everything they have.”

 

The stories are different from the story I read about Rome, my friends did not take the founders, but Jackie mentioned gods and both him and Jonathan mentioned religions. Rome was founded by Romulus and Remus, twin sons of Mars, the god of war. “After the government of Alba was thus transferred to Numitor, Romulus and Remus were seized with the desire of building a city in the locality where they had been exposed.” (Book 1: The Earliest Legends)

 

Team Jupiter: Shiyin Zhao

The Ruler

I interview three friends I have in Brooklyn College, and asked them the following questions. “Do you identify yourself with an country or ethnicity beyond the United States of America?  If so, which one?How have you learned about the origins/history/past/importance of that place? Is there one person, maybe a hero or ‘wiseman’ or king or law-giver, that is important to your people–someone people tell stories about, maybe legendary, maybe true?  Can you tell me a story? What values do you think that story teaches?  Are those values important in the traditions of your people?  how?”

“I identify myself as a Punjabi from India and she learned about the history through the internet. There was a freedom fighter named Bhagat Singh who fought for India’s independence from Britain. The reason why I bring Bhagat Singh is because he is never mentioned in history lessons when India’s independence from Britain is taught.The values this story teaches are that Punjabi’s are brave. Non-Punjabi people may not believe it, but Punjabi people pride themselves on being the fighting warriors for India.” Chahat L., via Email, Tuesday afternoon.

“I identify myself as Chinese, which is ethnicity beyond the United States of America. I had learned about the history from that place from my parents. I was being taught that Mao, ZeDong was a hero to all Chinese people in the 20th century. He lead China to walk toward great success during the time of civil war. The value of the story teaches me that it is important to have intelligence and bravery to be a leader, and the key of being a great leader is to make the country strong and the citizen of the country can have a satisfy life.” Huiyi X., via WeChat, Monday night.

“I identify myself as Chinese. But I do not know anything about the origin from China because I came to America when I was 13, and at that time, I was still young and have bare knowledge about my country.” Shuting C., via WeChat, Monday night.

The similarities I found on my three interviews are two of my friends think in order to be a leader/hero of a country, they usually consider to be brave and smart. Under their leads, people will always to be proud of them because they brings peace and freedom to their own country. Otherwise they will not be consider to be “great”. The difference in the two story is Chahat said that “Bhagat Singh” is a fighter that have bravery and in Huiyi story, Mao Zedong is a intelligent leader. One of them fight in real war and the other fight with his mind and stratagem.

“These were the principal events at home and in the field that marked the reign of Romulus. Throughout – whether we consider the courage he showed in recovering his ancestral throne, or the wisdom he displayed in founding the City and adding to its strength through war and peace alike – we find nothing incompatible with the belief in his divine origin and his admission to divine immortality after death.” Vergil’s Aeneid, Book 1 [1.15]. The reason I choose this quote to connect the answers with the two interviews is because I think that in order to be a good leader, wisdom and strength are indispensability and Rumulus have both strategies as a leader of Rome.

Different Cultures

I interviewed three different people that go to Brooklyn College who are not in our class and these were their responses:

The first person I interviewed was Linda C. and this interview took place on Tuesday afternoon at the library. She said she was comfortable answering questions about her ethnicity and said it is fine to use her answers for my blog post. Linda said she identifies herself with a country and that is China. She was actually born in China and moved here at the age of 9. She remembers a lot of her childhood in China since she spent half of her life in China and half of it here in America. Linda remembers a little when it comes to learning about the history of China but this was only when she was in school in China. She said her parents really looked up to Mao Zedong who was a Chairman and led a communist revolution. There was a huge sculpture of him that took very long to build and this proves that Mao was probably looked up to by most people in China for what he has done for the country.

The second person I interviewed was Anthony L. and this interview took place on Tuesday afternoon on the train when we were both heading home from morning classes. He said he was comfortable with answering questions about his ethnicity which is he identifies himself with being American. Although his parents and grandparents are from China and he knows that all his family who was born in China came to American for a better life as in a better job so they could provide food and necessities for their family. Since Anthony identifies himself very strongly about being American, he learned about America’s history in history and social studies classes that he took in high school. He said there is not really anyone that he sees as a hero so he was not able to answer the last question.

The last person that I interviewed was Connie J. and this interview took place on Wednesday morning after INDS class when I bumped into her on campus. She said that she was comfortable answering questions about her origins and is okay with me using her answers for a public blog post. She said she identifies herself with being an American just like the second interviewee who said the same thing. She said she had learned about America’s past in high school classes as well as in college. She is a a few years older than I am so she has taken more classes where she learned about the history of America. Connie said that the person she looks up to is overtime a president is in charge because the president makes changes for the people and she finds it important to support our president.

All three of these stories from three Brooklyn College students are similar in that they all identified with a place, although two of them identified as just being American but they learned about their origins past while in school so that depending on the place you are in, you will be taught about the past of that area. This is a little similar to the story we read for class, “I am Aeneas, duty-bound.I carry aboard my ships the gods of house and home we seized from enemy hands. My fame goes past the skies. I seek my homeland—Italy—born as I am from highest Jove. I launched out on the Phrygian sea with twenty ships, my goddess mother marking the way, and followed hard on the course the Fates had charted.” This quote explains how Aeneas sees himself as one who is a great hero. This quote relates mainly to the first interviewee since Mao Zedong was seen as a leader where many people looked up to him.

-Raine, Team Jupiter

 

Following Venus

“Reaching this haven here, where now you will see the steep ramparts rising, the new city of Carthage…” – Aeneas meets his Mother, Vergil’s Aeneid Book 1

The drawing by Perino del Vaga depicts the scene from Vergil’s Aeneid where Venus shows her son Aeneas the way to Carthage. Carthage is shown in the distance atop a hill with all figures in the drawing facing toward it to symbolize its importance. Aeneas is drawn as a soldier much like in the literary version, with a helmet. He is also accompanied by his men. In the top right hand corner, a mass of clouds build in the sky much like the clouds that formed in the literary version when Venus made her departure after Aeneas discovers her identity.

However there are several reasons why the image differs from the text. Venus is not dressed like a huntress like she is in the poem. She doesn’t wear strapped shoes nor does she carry a bow. This is a significant difference as Venus is attempting to use her disguise to fool Aeneas like she did Achises.

The artist includes the people ahead of Aeneas traveling to Carthage to further draw attention to the city. He presents it in a divine way, the clouds hag over the city as if it is symbolically connected to Olympus. Like in the the literary version, the artist’s main focus is the city of Carthage.

 

 

Perino del Vaga. Venus directing Aeneas to Carthage. early 1530s. British Museum, http://www.britishmuseum.org/. http://library.artstor.org/asset/AGERNSHEIMIG_10313160280. Web. 6 Dec 2017.

-Carrissa, Team Hestia

When in Rome, Do as Infants do.

Peter Paul Rubens. Romulus and Remus. Pinacoteca capitolina (Rome, Italy). http://library.artstor.org/asset/LESSING_ART_10310119992. Web. 6 Dec 2017.

 

Peter Paul Rubens is one of the artists discussed in Art 1010. The painting we discussed exclusively was “Elevation of the Cross” that showed the religious power during the time. As Professor Simon repeatedly says: “A change in era/time/politics equals a change in the form of art.  This work of art, similar to the “Elevation of the Cross” is also a piece of Baroque work, identified by its use of chiaroscuro (the contrast of light and dark in a painting to give a dramatic effect). The painting is given depth using a form of linear perspective where the two infants are in the center (center point) while everyone else takes to the background. The babies, both pale and pink are clean, protected by the she-wolf which tells the story of the twins, Romulus and Remus.

Then one, Romulus,
reveling in the tawny pelt of a wolf that nursed him,
will inherit the line and build the walls of Mars
and after his own name, call his people Romans.

Excerpts from Vergil’s Aeneid
Book 1

This image is literally the story of Romulus and Remus. Were twin brothers. Legend has it, they were the founders of Rome. Their mother, a Vestal Virgin, claimed she had been violated by Mars, the god of war. She was thrown into prison and the children were ordered to be drowned in the Tiber River for the sin her mother committed (breaking her vow not have sex). Rape was overlooked and women were thrown in jail for making such accusations. The twins survived. They were brought to a sacred fig tree and were protected by a she-wolf and a woodpecker that watched over them and brought them food.

The wolf is seen lying under a tree giving suck to an infant, while another plays nearby. The herdsman, Faustulus, who discovered them, is approaching. The god of the River Tiber reclines on his urn. Under the rule of Romulus the city of Rome grew in size and strength. Ruben highlights the survival of the twins being a great and wondrous gift. They are the center and bright part of the image so he wants them to be noticed.

The reason this image is the most important to me and for the homework is because it give a direct approach and visual to what the twins looked like when they were found by the huntsman in the woods. Romulus is reaching to the sky as if he knows that he is the kin of Mars- the Roman god of war. This supports how Rome got it’s name although it is a mere myth.

Cameron Team Jupiter

Gods, But Not Heroes.

I asked three students the five questions given in the instructions to the blog post.

1. Michael V., Sunday morning, via text.

a) yeah, sure.

b) yes, i’m Jewish.

c) yes

d) yes, there’s a story about King Solomon, King of Israel who died in the 900s BC. the story goes that two women came to home fighting over a baby which each women claimed to be hers. to solve issue, king Solomon proposed an idea: they could split the baby in half an each women would get half the baby. when one women readily agreed and the other did not, the king knew write away who the real mother was.

e) the major thing to learn from this story is his wisdom. he was known all around             the world for it. not much of a value, but rather holds historical value.

2. Rahel S., Monday afternoon, In the library.

a) yeah

b) yes, i’m Israeli.

c) yes

d) yes, someone very important to our people is the former prime minister of                   Israel,  Golda Meir. Meir was born in the Ukraine and then moved to the United States with her family. Golda’s parents did not support her education so she moved away and completed high school on her own. she later moved to Israel and became their first female prime minister. She was a political activist almost her whole life and was extremely influential.

e) Growing up, Golda Meir had always been an inspiration to us girls. so many people told her she couldn’t achieve what she did because of her gender and she proved them all wrong. she was an incredible feminist icon to so many of us and opened up so many minds about the capabilities of women.

3. Sammie D., Monday afternoon, in the libary

a) yes

b) Yes, im from Haiti

c) yes

d) yes, Toussaint Louverture. He was one of the main leaders of the Haitian Revolution. he was partially responsible for the independence of my country. even throughout slavery, he encouraged the people and never gave up.

e) it teaches us to never give up and to always be positive and have hope, which is something we need in this day and age and looking back at this hero gives us hope even today.

In all three interviews, the students spoke about someone who was great among their people because of what that person had done for others. Golda Meir for women, King Solomon for the Israelites, and Toussaint Louverture for the Haitian people. In the Greek mythologies, the gods are portrayed as selfish, and do thing that benefit themselves without any care for anyone else. they act impulsively on emotion and do not consider the consequences of their actions on others. “Even furious Juno, now plaguing the land and sea and sky with terror: she will mend her ways and hold dear with me
these Romans, lords of the earth, the race arrayed in togas” (Virgil, 3). In this quote, it shows how the goddess Juno acted out of her own anger and emotions, against the benefit of the people, and very selfishly.

Gabriella, Team Hestia

A Grotesque Image

Rape of the Sabine Women

Citation: Giambologna. Rape of the Sabine Women. 1582. http://library.artstor.org/asset/SCALA_ARCHIVES_1039928770. Web. 5 Dec 2017.

Description of Image: This sculpture appears to be made of marble. The main subject of the sculpture is the young woman who looks to be in distress. The sculptor brings out eyes up to her through the use of the two other figures who are looking up at her. The man on the very bottom is very muscular, even more so than the one above him. All thee subjects are expressing vivid emotion, though their facial expressions and the movements of their limbs. The woman is pushing away the young man holding her, appearing to cry out for help. The man crouching in the bottom also appears to be horrified by what he is seeing, using his left hand to cover his eyes and the rest of his body to push away. The young man in the middle stands tall and strong, holding the woman in his tight grip, despite her protest and appears oblivious to the man crouching at his feet.

Quote: “At a given signal, the Roman youths rushed in every direction to seize the unmarried women.” (Livy Book 1)

Similarities: Both the text and sculpture depict the same image: a woman being taken without her will. The woman in the sculpture looks surprised, her mouth agape, as the man ambushes her. She pushes against him to try to get away, but the Roman man persists; he needs a wife to have children to carry on the newly enriched Roman Empire.  Both the text and image show the kidnapping of neighboring women but the sculpture has one deviation. The man crouching at the bottom is not per-taking in the kidnapping of the maiden. In fact, he looks at the act in horror. The question of “why?” is raised here: he too, is a man so why isn’t he kidnapping a woman to be his wife as well?  My guess is that he is the woman’s father, imploring the Roman youth not to kidnap his daughter.

I think that thought the addition of the father figure, the artist depicted the rape of the Sabine women in a negative light. The artist wanted to show that this was a horrible crime and that the abducted women were violated. The artist follows the description in the text, although the text justifies and somewhat glorifies the kidnapping of the Sabine women. The artist’s sculpture is more emotional and shows the true horror of the kidnappings.

Elene T., Team Mars

 

Around The World Under an Hour

My first interviewee was Gabrielle. The interview took place in the third-floor library on a Monday evening.Gabrielle is from the Philippines and she moved to the U.S at the age of 16. Although she moved here to live, she actually identifies more with her Filipino side than American. One of the main ways she learned about her past and history is from school, her culture, and family members. One of the great leaders in her country is named Jose Rizal. He is important for starting a revolution against the Spanish through writing. Since there is always a lesson to be found in a story, from this story the people learned to never be afraid to come together to fight oppression.

My second interviewee goes by the name of Moridiyat and we spoke over the phone on Monday evening. Although Moridiyat was born in the United States, she actually identifies more with being Nigerian. She visits Nigeria every other summer and that’s how she learns about her past and history. She learns from her family, culture, oral accounts, and her home village which is called Abeokuta. One important leader from her country is named, Obasanjo. One of his most important accomplishments is refusing to trade with the  United States because he knew that at the end their intentions were not pure. They were only looking to trade at first and then invade Nigeria like they did to so many other African countries. From this, they learned to not let superpowers like the U.S. take advantage of them.

The last interviewee goes by the name of Ryan, and similar to Moridiyat, we also spoke over the phone on Monday evening. Also, Ryan was born in America, but he identifies more with being Jamaican. He learned about his past, through different aspects of his culture, family and little bit from school, But he doesn’t exactly trust what he was taught in school due to the fact that it was written from a European point of view. One important figure from his country is Bob Marley. Bob Marley was a Musician who made very influential music. One of his moving songs is called “One Love”. The main message in this song is a call for unity throughout humanity.

One common theme in those stories, especially the first two is that there was some kind of conflict between two countries. However, in the story of the arrival in Italy from Troy of Antenor and Aeneas, there actually warmth present between two groups. According to the story, “ A treaty was made between the leaders, the armies saluted each other and Aeneas became a guest in the house of Latinus.” he even lets him marry his only daughter. This shows us on how benevolent the king was. This particular ending is all the family with the concept of maturity coming together. It actually relates more to Ryan’s interview with Bob Marley.

 

-Izadora, Team Aphrodite

People are different in their own ways..

For this last blog I interviewed my friends that are not in our classics class with me. And asked them these given questions

1. Are you comfortable if I ask you some questions about you ethnicity and origins?  Can I write about your answers on a public class blog?
2. Do you identify yourself with an country or ethnicity beyond the United States of America?  If so, which one?
3. How have you learned about the origins/history/past/importance of that place? (If they feel no strong connection to other place or identity, then ask them to talk about being American.)
4. Is there one person, maybe a hero or ‘wiseman’ or king or law-giver, that is important to your people–someone people tell stories about, maybe legendary, maybe true?  Can you tell me a story?
5. What values do you think that story teaches?  Are those values important in the traditions of your people?  how?

The first person I interviewed is my best friend Temurbek. I talked to him front of James Hall at 1:30 on Monday afternoon. He was comfortable with me asking questions about his ethnicity and origins. He was also ok with his answers being written in my blog. The country he identify himself with other than America is  Uzbekistan. He learned about the origin, culture from his parents and from the school he went to in Uzbekistan. He talked about a legend who is a leader called Amir Temur who conquered half of Asia and was respected by many people for being a wise king. The story taught him how even if you are small and not powerful; you can still achieve great things. Its all about believing in yourself.

The second person I interviewed was Maria. We were having lunch Tuesday afternoon around 3 Pm. She was comfortable with me asking questions about her ethnicity and origins. She was ok with me posting it on my blog as well. The country she identified herself with other than America is Mexico. She was born there but was only one years old when she moved to United states. She did not learn about her culture or went to school there. Her parents did not teach her much either. She is Americanized and when I asked her about a hero from united states or a story. She talked about Alexander the Great. She said how she learned about him in high school and knows how he did great things for people and remembers him as a good military leader.She was having a hard time coming up with any story. She just said how he taught her the true definition of a leader. Someone who suppose to take actions for his country and really prove himself.

The third and the last person I talked to was my friend siam through Instagram. We talked on Monday night around 11 pm. The country he identify himself as other than America is Bangladesh. He said that he does not have strong connection with his origin, mostly because his entire family lives in the United states and never really had chance to connect with his culture. He likes being American because there is more acceptance and more room to grow for an individual. There are not forced rules that one has to follow. If he could talk about a story then he described Bangladesh independence story. He did not remember the name of the president but he does remember that the president of Bangladesh during a war against Pakistan gathered massive amount of people to fight for their country. It was a time when they had no military or any help from any country or economic stability. The president had done the impossible and my friend will always remember that. He finds that impressive. The lesson that he learned from that victory story is that when there is a will, there will always be a way. He learned that hardwork and dedication towards a goal can make anyone achieve great things.

The quote that I’m using today is ”But Aeneas, dusty-bound, his mind restless with worries all that night, reached a firm resolve as the fresh day broke, out he goes to explore the strange terrian” (Vergil). This shows how dedicated he has been. He is a warrior, a leader who shows his identity in his actions. His ability to accept his destined path even being unhappy in doing so makes him a graceful hero. He cared for the people and showed his heroism with his actions. He obeyed faith which is one of the reasons behind him being a good leader. He relates to the leader described by my friend Temur and Siam. They both described leaders who putted their people and jobs first. Just like Aeneas, they were determined and respected then and now. Fizza Saeed, Team Hermes

China and Rome

I’ve asked a couple of students that haven’t been questioned yet, and here are their responses.

Jeanette Ou:

1. Yes, sure.
2. China.
3. I leaned about ancient China back in the middle school in my history class. I found the history of China interesting and I leaned something out of it.
4. Qin Shi Huang was the first emperor that centralized ancient China. Before him, China was not a centralized country and it was pretty not stable. But he did so many violent things.
5. You can’t control people’s minds, the only place people have their freedom fully is essentially their minds. Violence can not solve everything, there are instances where moderate violence helped to achieve great goods, however, in general violence should never be the answer.

Via WeChat, 15:16, Sunday 12/03.

 

Kelly Zhao:

1. Yeah
2. China
3. I learned about Chinese culture here in the United States so sadly I know pretty much nothing, I am Americanized now.
4. I was taught that Abraham Lincoln freed the slaves. I learned that there was a civil war in which the North of the US fought against the South. Abraham Lincoln happened to be the president at that time and he had to deal with this crisis. From what I know he was the one who finally freed slaves and made slavery illegal.
5. A lot of things are considered the “norm” until someone points at it. Back in those days slavery was considered normal practice and pretty much everyone had slaves. However, thankfully, people somehow started realizing that a human should now own another human. So, sometimes you have to challenge norms in order for the society to progress.

Via Messenger, 22:14, 12/03

Zong Ying Ou:

1. Yes sure
2. Yes, China
3. I learned about the history of China through TV. I think China is an amazing country that went through a lot of hard times.
4. Mao Ze Dong and the Communist party was supported by the people in lower class. He led the party, and they got through so many hard times. He set the people from lower class free from old capitalist society which let them live a happier life without using too much violence. The party that went against used lots of violence and ended up failing in gaining support from majority of the people and fled to Taiwan.
5. The best way to make a lot of people listen to you and agree with you its not to argue with them, violence will never help. Instead what you could do to appeal to people is show them why they should choose you. Mao Ze Dong showed to poor people that they don’t have to be always poor and he told them in a society where everyone is equal they will live just as someone who was previously rich. You have to in a way place yourself in their shoes, how would you feel if you were in their situation?

In KungFuTea on Avenue U, 17:07 ,12/03

Since everyone I’ve interviewed was Chinese, they told me similar stories. They told me that violence is not a way to resolve issues, instead you should try to think like the people you are trying to appeal to. I feel like the origin of China is somewhat similar to that of Rome in a way that the creation of a strong dynasty and republic there has to be violence. However, both Mao Ze Dong and Augustus used as little of violence as possible. “Tell me, Muse, how it all began. Why was Juno outraged? What could wound the Queen of the Gods with all her power? Why did she force a man, so famous for his devotion, to brave such rounds of hardship, bear such trials? Can such rage inflame the immortals’ hearts?” (Excerpts-of-vergil-book-1) Here in this quote we see that again, use of violence is never welcomed. You can’t force people to like you, you can’t make them do as you want. You have to appeal to them in one or another way, and then after that’s done you can send side signals to them with the things you want them to do, but don’t be direct- make it look like it was their idea to begin with!

-Diana, Team Mercury

 

 

Appreciating and Learning Cultures

For this last blog post, I decided to interview some classmates of mine to answer for Unit 8.

The students that I interviewed are Lily Y. , Amy Y. and Wenjing L.

I proceeded to ask them the 5 questions.

1.  Are you comfortable if I ask you some questions about your ethnicity and origins?  Can I write about your answers on a public class blog?
2. Do you identify yourself with a country or ethnicity beyond the United States of America?  If so, which one?
3. How have you learned about the origins/history/past/importance of that place? (If they feel no strong connection to other place or identity, then ask them to talk about being American.)
4. Is there one person, maybe a hero or ‘wiseman’ or king or law-giver, that is important to your people–someone people tell stories about, maybe legendary, maybe true?  Can you tell me a story?
5. What values do you think that story teaches?  Are those values important in the traditions of your people?  how?

For Lily, I interviewed her at the campus cafeteria on Thursday morning. Her reply for number 1 was “Yes” for being comfortable with her questions being on the public blog and with discussing her ethnicity and origins. Lily says she identifies herself with an ethnicity beyond the USA, which is Chinese.  For number 3, she had the most struggle as she wasn’t raised in a traditional household, where she was raised in an Americanized culture. Because of that, she lost her connections with her home country. Since she was raised in an Americanized culture, she learned mostly about American history. As for her countries’ history, she learned whatever the textbook provided her. As for question 4, she didn’t have a hero really that she knew or could talk about. I thanked her afterward for her cooperation.

For Wenjing L., I interviewed her at the campus library, on Monday afternoon. She agreed with the 1st question, allowing her answers to be in a public blog post and being asked about her ethnicity and origins. For the 2nd question, she answers “Yes I do, it’s China because I’m proud of where I’m from and being Chinese as an individual person.” For the 3rd question, she answers “Yes I have been educated in my countries history because I was educated over there for a few years. I know the basic foundation of knowledge for my country.” For the 4th question, she explains the story of Mao Zedong. She tells me how Mao was told to her from when she was a young girl. Mao was a president of China, right after the last dynasty was put to an end. He saved China from evil and helped established the new system of the country that China has currently to this day. She also tells me how on the bills of China, it’s only Mao’s face that is on all the bills, which can symbolize how important he was to China and its people.

And finally, for Amy Y., I interviewed her on Tuesday morning, before class started. She answers yes for me being able to ask her about her origins and ethnicity. For the 2nd question, she does identify herself with an ethnicity outside of the USA, which is China as well. For the 3rd question, she tells me how she learned the past and history of China from her parents and what she watches on the news. As for the 4th question, she tells me how she couldn’t think of a specific hero or legends of China besides Mulan. She tells me how Mulan is a tale of a young lady taking the place of her father to help fight for the war the next 12 years. During those years, she was never discovered to be a girl and that was what made its impact. Knowing during the time of China, girls were deemed not useful besides being a housewife or taking care of the house/family. Going into the war was a man’s job, which is why the story of Mulan was so powerful. This let girls and young women be strong and confident with taking positions or jobs that were mainly given to men.

“My comrades, hardly strangers to pain before now, we all have weathered worse. Some god will grant us an end to this as well. You’ve threaded the rocks resounding with Scylla’s howling rabid dogs, and taken the brunt of the Cyclops’ boulders, too.9 Call up your courage again. Dismiss your grief and fear. A joy it will be one day, perhaps, to remember even this. Through so many hard straits, so many twists and turns
our course holds firm for Latium. There Fate holds out a homeland, calm, at peace. There the gods decree the kingdom of Troy will rise again. Bear up. Save your strength for better times to come.” ” This quote from the Vergil Book reminded me of Wenjing’s story on Mao Zedong. I can imagine how he was basically a hero to the people of China back then and how he wanted to save them from the evils that were (happening or bound to happen.)

 

-Michelle Z. Team Zeus

 

There’s a She-Wolf in the Closet

Image decription

This image depicts the mythology surrounding Romulus’s birth and nurture. According to legend, the rape of a Sabine Woman (Rhea Silvia) by the god Mars resulted in the birth of twins Romulus and Remus. Rhea was so ashamed of the births she rid herself of the children. Romulus and Remus were then found, suckled, and raised by a she-wolf.

Supporting quote from Vergil’s Aeneid

” The tradition goes on
to say that after the floating cradle in which the boys had been
exposed had been left by the retreating water on dry land, a thirsty
she-wolf from the surrounding hills, attracted by the crying of the
children, came to them, gave them her teats to suck and was so
gentle towards them that the king’s flock-master found her licking
the boys with her tongue. ”

Similarities and differences

The image is consistent with the tale of Romolus and Remus. The boys are depicted as suckling the wolf with her standing over them in a protective, almost maternal way.

Artist’s contributions

The artist depicts a playfulness between Romulus and Remus not discussed in the text. This is most likely meant to communicate the familial nature of the scene and enforce the she-wolf’s nurturing of the boys.

What most interests the artist?

The artist is most interested by the tale of the she-wolf. The piece of plain and straightforward in its intent to communicate the relationship between the wolf and the boys. While this is the focal point of the art piece, it is not a large part of the text.

Sophie, Team Juno

Cornell Gem Impressions Collection. “Brooklyn College Subscription Resource Login Required.” ASTOR, ASTOR, library.artstor.org.ez-proxy.brooklyn.cuny.edu:2048/#/asset/SS35941_35941_22903711.

The Sabine Women Who Were Spirited Away

Jan Muller, 1571-1628, Adriaen de Vries. A Roman Abducting a Sabine Woman;, Un Romain enlevant une Sabine. http://library.artstor.org.ez-proxy.brooklyn.cuny.edu:2048/asset/BARTSCH_1690

The image above depicts a dramatized version of the Rape of Sabines. It is an engraving, which uses its monochromatic scheme, in order to emphasize the subject, this being the brutalization of the Sabine woman by the Roman man. The piece has a pale, soft background, which is juxstaposed by the foreground which is harsh, with clearly visible contrast between black and white, rather than the more totally mute gray. By having the ‘soft’ background give way to a ‘harsh’ foreground, the abductuion of the woman is made  all the more palpable. She is shown writhing against the her attacker, trying to struggle free, though in vain. She has. One arm pushing the man away, and another being held onto by the Roman man. Her feet are similarly in a state of movement, showing that her attempt to break freee is not a half- hearted one. The Roman man on the other hand is clearly portrayed as a brute. While the woman had a cloth, that was ripped away from her, the man is completely nude, without the slightest hint of embarrassment. This makes him seem like a beast,  a rightful depiction to make, considering his position in the matter. He is full of bulging muscles, yet the body is uncanny. The Classical Greek/ Roman ideal body in drawings and sculpture was indeed muscular, but not to the almost grotesque degree depicted. In this image, the man, and by extension, the whole of the Roman men are depicted as savage beasts, forcefully and mercilessly attacking women, both physically and sexually.

“… and the Roman youth dashed in all directions to carry off the maidens who were present. The larger part were carried off indiscriminately… The abuducted maidens were quite as despondent and indignant. Romulus, however, went around in person, and pointed out to them that it was all owing to the pride of their parents in denying right of intermarriage to their neighbors (Vergil’s Aeneid).”

It is certainly correct to say that both the engraving and Vergil’s account depict the Rape of the Sabines. However, I feel that the similarities end there. In theory, the same story is shown, but in actuality, two different stories are being told. The best way to describe this would be to say that Muller’s engraving captures the view of the Sabine women’s parents while Vergil’s writing captures that of the Romans. Since more of this history is told from the Roman point of view, it would be right to assume that the purpose of Muller’s engraving was to shed light on the anguish of the parents. Vergil’s account of the Rape of the Sabines, essentially makes it out not to be a rape. If anything, the women and their parents are characterized as being overly difficult in the face of the ‘reasonable’ demands of the Romans. Rather than view themselves as agrressors and sexual predators, they blame the Sabine people for being too unaccomodating, forcing them to have to take the women by force. The rape and abduction is not even written as a traumatic experience, like the image by Muller shows. Instead, it written in the account in a way that is comparable to a tantrum, on the part of the Sabine women, that has to be pacified by the ever -so admirable Romans.

Skaie Cooper, Team Ares

Political Agendas and Family Bonding

Hania K., Sunday via imessage.                                                                                                        1) yes and of course
2)yes I say that I’m Lebanese as well as American
3) I don’t know much about Lebanon’s history or origins considering I was born and raised here and i didn’t have much education on that. But I do know that lebanon has a large Christian population and to make it fair in government there has to be a Christian appointed into the government as well as a Muslim Shia and Muslim Sunni but that’s the most that I know. And that lebanon has gone through many wars. I know more about culture and family rather than the history of Lebanon.
4) Personally I don’t know who or what the people look up to in Lebanon. I know there is a president as well as a prime minister. I heard that the prime minister actually resigned recently but I don’t know what the deal on that is. There is also a man named Hassan Nasrallah. I don’t know how the people view him but the last time I went to Lebanon, which was about 3 years ago, there were posters about him everywhere. He was apparently assassinated because of some political problems with other countries.
5) The most that I understand is that the government is not very great and it has had conflicts with other countries before. I’ve experienced and have knowledge on how my family has been effected due to political problems that have risen due to conflicts. But honestly all I care about is seeing if my family is okay and that they’re safe. I don’t go much into political problems. When I think of Lebanon I don’t think about it’s history or it’s leaders, I think about my family and my town where I had a lot of fun memories in. So I can’t really answer questions 3 and 4 very well. Tradition wise I know a lot. The large Christian population has impacted the way people in Lebanon live especially my town. My family is Muslim but celebrate Christian holidays with our Christian neighbors and families and they celebrate our holidays. We are very connected and I’m proud of it because it makes us more open minded about many things I feel

 

Danielle A., Sunday via imessage.
1. Yes sure
2. Uwas born in America and am part of the Syrian community. My mother is from brooklyn while my father is from Israel.
3. In my community we are all united and are always a there for each other at all times. We have holidays and traditions that we all follow and makes us feel united. i learnt a lot from my holidays, and the laws I need to follow. We learn from our ancestors from generation to generation and hopefully I will pass everything down to my children.
4. God is important to my people and I, we call him Hashem. We follow all his laws. We believe and learn from him that everything happens for a reason no matter what. He is very special, and created the man and woman and animals and everything in this world.
Story- (it’s not culturally story but it is pretty significant.)  Recently a boy in our community became sick, a million what’s app chats came out with prayers and things to do with the family and with no doubt everyone was ready to help. We raised a lot of money and are praying for him each day. He is doing gradually better
5. To always be there for one another, never let a community member down. We are family

Yasmeen A ., Sunday via imessage.                                                                                                    1. Yes, sure
2. Yes I am a Yemeni and I am Muslim
3. Yes! However, just a few years ago My answer would be no. I never knew the history or understood the importance of Yemen until a few years ago when I experienced the war that is still currently occurring. I have constantly been trying to learn about my country’s past and present movements via news and internet. My country is known for its, beautiful weather, high mountains, clear seas, rare trees, ancient buildings, and many more. Some may not even know that Yemen was the first country to create and trade coffee (Mocha). However now, it is a battlefield. Just a few years back in the 20th century Yemen used to be split into two parts: the north and the south. Throughout time they ended up uniting to just be one country. As of now, Yemen is considered one country. However, there have been many controversial issues between the two sides. They have been fighting for a while and because they have been picking at there own neighbors, they didn’t realize Saudi Arabia was planning an attack on them. Now currently for the past 3 years they have been in a civil war with Saudi Arabia. It is a war based off of different political Views. It all started when the former president, Ali Abdullah Saleh stepped down after 32 years of presidency. A new president, Abdrabbuh Mansur Hadi was elected to hold the presidency. Many people didn’t agree with this election, they still believed president. Saleh should still have this position. So he and his followers formed a political movement in Sadaa(a northern city in Yemen) and tried to attack president. Hadi and his team. So president. Hadi found a way to flee the country and came back with Saudi supporting him. Mind you Yemen is a third world country. It’s one of the most poorest countries amongst the other Arab countries. Therefore, you can tell their military isn’t fully equipped for a war especially compared to Saudi Arabia, one of the most richest countries in the world. So now Saudi and Yemen are still fighting and it does not seem to be coming to an end.
4&5. I don’t know any legendary tales or anything but I can tell you something recent. Tawakkol Karman, a Yemeni, Muslim, Women journalist who won the novel peace prize. To me she is my hero. Due to what the media portrays in the United States people believe Islam treats women as they are inferior. They believe Muslim women are slaves to men, non-educated, and domestically beat. However, they don’t know that Islam was actually one of the first religions to give women rights. I personally love Twakkol Karman because she is a great example of a role model to all the young Yemeni women, including myself, in today’s society. She takes a stand for us and teaches us not to be afraid and to take a stand too.

These stories my friends shared with me were nothing like the stories I read about Rome’s origins. Countries like Lebanon, Yemen and Israel are all dealing with political issues. Essentially  I think the “origin” stories other than those related to Religion may no longer be relevant to these communities. Muslims, Christians and Jews have a lot of overlapping religious history and the people I interviewed were linked to one of these 3 faiths which leads be to believe that perhaps their  communities didn’t particularity care about myths as it could’ve clashed with religion. All the stories that my friends did tell me were contemporary. They were about events that either politically effected their lives and well beings , surviving or they were related with friends and family and sharing a bond and being united.

Suman, Team Hephaestus

Global Heroes

Hussain, Basement 11pm

Hussain is from Puerto Rico and Egypt. He doesn’t know too much of his countries’ past/history but he does know of the story of President Mubarak. He learned of this story through family conversations and watching television broadcasts. President Mubarak began governing Egypt in 1981. His rule began to crumble as police brutality arose. Online protests began and soon after, marches, civil disobedience, and demonstrations caused the spark of the 2011 revolution. Hussain, while watching all of this occur from America, learned that anything is possible when people come together with a common goal.

Aline, Basement 11pm

Aline is from Mexico. She has learned of her country’s history through family and school. One significant story she has learned is about the Mexican War of Independence. Spanish conquests in Mexico ended with bloodshed and territorial expansion. Mexican independence movements began soon after and war broke out in 1810. Many Mexican commanders sacrificed their lives to help Mexico achieve independence. Aline learned from this story that nothing in life is handed to you. She learned that she must work hard to get what she wants.

Elliot, Basement 11pm

Elliot is from Latvia. He learned of his country’s history through his family. A great story he learned of his country is the rise of Kristaps Porzingis. Surrounded by crime, his mother worked all day to put food on Porzingis’ table. Skinny and constantly fatigued due to anemia issues, Porzinigs’ path to NBA fame was not easy. Porzingis would constantly be underestimated by his Spanish league coaches. “He’s too skinny to have an impact” was a sentiment he heard throughout his basketball life. How could a fatigued skinny 7-footer be able to affect a game of basketball? Porzingis answered this question quickly. He proved himself to be able to lead an NBA franchise, the New York Knicks, and have a global impact. He is now the star of New York and has transformed the perception of Latvia. From a crime-ridden country to a now prospering nation, Porzingis has truly transformed Latvia. Press reports and media stepped foot into his hometown, Liepaja. He showed how his country truly is and has even been discussed in NATO discussions. Porzingis has shown Elliot that no matter where you come from, you can make it big. Elliot learned to not limit himself and to reach for the stars, the same way Porzingis did.

Analysis

During Ceasar’s rise, he allied with Crassus and Pompey. In the Lives of Illustrious Men Excerpts, Pompey’s death is described in great detail. “The head was cut from the lifeless body; such an action had been unknown before this time. The rest of the body, thrown into the Nile and burned on a funeral pile by Servius Codrus, was buried in a tomb with this inscription: Here lies Pompey the Great.” This relates to the death of many Mexicans during the Mexican War of Revolution. Mexicans were slaughtered by the masses at the hands of the Spanish. Similarly, Egyptians were killed at the hands of the police during the Egyptian Revolution of 2011. These stories all have similar themes of unity. With a common goal, many people join forces to achieve something considered impossible.

-Ahmed, Team Mars

 

The Wolf Stands Alone

     

     The sculpture above portrays who the Roman people once considered to be the founders of Rome , Romulus and his brother Remus.Romulus and Remus are curdled in the furs of a wolf due to the understanding that it is believed that the wolf acted as their mother and raised them , when they were abandoned as infants..This is proven because in the text it says “the boys had been exposed had been left by the retreating water on dry land, a thirsty she-wolf from the surrounding hills, attracted by the crying of the children, came to them, gave them her teats to suck and was so gentle towards them that the king’s flock-master found her licking the boys with her tongue”. This sculpture is an accurate portrayal of  what actually happened in history and the text The only difference is that the infants were discovered by the Tiber river and the sculpture doesn’t acknowledge the importance of the surrounding history about Romulus and Remus. The artist contributes raw history to the artwork and it can be shown that the origins of Rome is important for the artist to convey.

Correspondingly, this relates to what we are learning in art in that these ideas are portrayed in modern art.

This shirt portrays a modern more abstract almost surrealist view of Romulus and Remus. It is s considered surrealist due to the fact that it isn’t a solid picture, but an artist creative interpretation of it.We can tell due to the fact that the baby forms are created from a series of lines.Of course this is different compared to most surrealist art in that it isn’t a completely unique idea or portrayl.Additionally, this can also be compared to The Red Studio by Mattisse in that it uses but the use of lines and negative space to create a concept.

Samantha, Team Minerva

Citation

She-wolf nursing Romulus and Remus. 16th century. Musée du Louvre, inv. M.R. 1649.. http://library.artstor.org.ez-proxy.brooklyn.cuny.edu:2048/asset/LESSING_ART_10311441198. Web. 28 Nov 2017.

Foundations of Rome

MLA Citation:

Domitian, Emperor of Rome (Roman, 51-96), patron. Via Sacra, Arch of Titus, general view. 1st century, Image: May 2000. http://library.artstor.org.ez-proxy.brooklyn.cuny.edu:2048/asset/AROGERSIG_10312566519. Web. 27 Nov 2017.

The image shown above represents foundations of Rome. In art history, we discussed the arch of Constantine which is located in Rome, Italy. The image shown above is very similar to the arch of Constantine, they’re both created from concrete and has an arch adorning the center of the foundation. Besides that arch, another aspect that was discussed in art history, was the columns. Here, the arch has two corinthian columns besides the arch which serves for decorative purposes as well as a support system.

“The envoys argued that cities too, like everything else, start from the most humble beginnings, that great wealth and a great name are achieved by those cities that are helped by their own valor and the gods” This quote taken from Livy Book 1 page 6. What ties the quote to the picture is that the idea of architecture helping a city present their wealth. It seems that arches, columns and huge architectural monuments in general are a great way of showing off wealth and how grand a city can be. What is different about this literary piece and the image presented above is that these architectural pieces aren’t created by gods.

The artist/creator of this architectural piece added corinthian columns as well as a large arch to possibly show entry into a city the creator values. These details show how ancient roman work is incorporated into modern works. It seems that the fundamentals of building a sturdy yet visually pleasing architectural piece is important and interesting to the artist and the homework text commemorates the contributions that brave gods made while creating an extraordinary city.

Sunzida, team Athena

Puzzling Art

Peter Paul Rubens. Romulus and Remus. Pinacoteca capitolina (Rome, Italy). http://library.artstor.org.ez-proxy.brooklyn.cuny.edu:2048/asset/LESSING_ART_10310119992. Web. 12 Dec 2017.

This is a painting named Romulus and Remus. The painting itself is very realistic and shows exposes nature all over. The animal isn’t human yet the baby is feeding off it like if it was. Also I assume their parents are there just overmatching them as someone behind the tree seems to be hunting. He might be hunting the babies or the animal. Whichever it is the entire painting revolves around the two human babies. Very realistic and does not have a centered light. The babies are definitely the center of the piece. Similar to Peter Paul Ruben’s artwork, there is a dramatic effect around the entire picture. Centered in the middle would be the main thing to pay attention to. There is dynamic tension where and gives off the viewer the feeling of anxiety. You have two innocent tiny humans vulnerable to anything which just screams for trouble.

“As soon as the boys, thus born and thus brought up, grew to be young men they did not neglect their pastoral duties, but their special delight was roaming through the woods on hunting expeditions.”

The similarity is the boy or man going for a hunting expedition. Instead of finding a vicious animal, they find a animal feeding babies. A twist of expectation. It creates irony where as the animal should be attacking these babies but instead its not rather being the parent image to them. Then we have a hunter. Who is he hunting the wolf or the babies? Will the babies grow up to be big and vicious or friendly and joyful?

The Wolf Stands Alone

The sculpture above portrays who the Roman people once considered to be the founders of Rome , Romulus and his brother Remus.Romulus and Remus are curdled in the furs of a wolf due to the understanding that it is believed that the wolf acted as their mother and raised them , when they were abandoned as infants..This is proven because in the text it says “the boys had been exposed had been left by the retreating water on dry land, a thirsty she-wolf from the surrounding hills, attracted by the crying of the children, came to them, gave them her teats to suck and was so gentle towards them that the king’s flock-master found her licking the boys with her tongue”. This sculpture is an accurate portrayal of what actually happened in history and the text The only difference is that the infants were discovered by the Tiber river and the sculpture doesn’t acknowledge the importance of the surrounding history about Romulus and Remus. The artist contributes raw history to the artwork and it can be shown that the origins of Rome is important for the artist to convey.

Samantha, Team Minerva

Citation

She-wolf nursing Romulus and Remus. 16th century. Musée du Louvre, inv. M.R. 1649.. http://library.artstor.org.ez-proxy.brooklyn.cuny.edu:2048/asset/LESSING_ART_10311441198. Web. 27 Nov 2017.