ADA MID TERM ASSIGNMENT

CLASSICAL ART

Bachelor Of fashion Technology (Apparel Production)

Department of Fashion Technology National Institute of Fashion Technology, Gandhinagar, 2020-2024

Under the Guidance of Submitted by:

Mr. Ravi Joshi DALJIT SINGH
BFT/20/401
(Faculty NIFT Gandhinagar)

This paper is an intellectual property of Daljit Singh, Fashion tech student

NIFT Gandhinagar.
What does ‘Classical’ mean
It is art that is traditional in style or form, or based on methods
developed over a long period of time, and considered to be of lasting
value.
Classical forms of art have a defined set of rules and regulations on
almost every aspect of the work.
The artist are usually trained by experts and always follow a certain
method. Earlier art from Greece and Rome was considered a classical rt
but experts believe any artform satisfying these needs can be a classical
art.
King Menkaura (Mycerinus) and queen
Year of creation:2490 BC-2472 BC
Location: The Museum of Fine Arts Boston
Dimensions: Height-142.2cm Width- 57.1cm and depth-55.2 cm
weight 676.8 kg
Medium: Greywacke (variety of Sandstone)
Discovery: in 1910 by George Reisner

The sculpture is made from a very unique stone called Greywacke

which reduces reflection is almost negligible and the stage of
preservation what strikes the experts the most because some
traces of paint are still there. The kind stands in very classic male
pose in Egyptian art with left leg advancing and arms straight
down. Both of them face straight into the eternity.
Queen claps him in arms as a gesture of intimacy and respect for
overall autjority.
Egyptologists think all the Egyptian statues are in static posture
they believed that absence of mothing will eliminate time
boundaries for whom the sculpture is, since Egyptians ahd great
believes in after life and had plenty of their rictuals regarding the
topic.
The mask of Tutankhamun
Year of creation: c. 1323 BC
Present Location: Egyptian Museum, Cairo
Dimensions: 54 cm tall, 39.3 cm wide and 49 cm deep
Weight - 10 kilograms
Medium: Gold, lapis lazuli, carnelian, obsidian,
turquoise and glass paste
Discovery: 28 October 1925 by Howard Carter in the
Valley of the Kings

Egyptologist call the mask as the best known object from

ancient Egypt. It was found in Tut’s(short for
Tutankhamun) tomb and Tut’s tomb is the only 100%
intact tomb found in modern times. It gave the
archeologists the idea of what an Egyptian king’s Tomb
looked like and learn about the ancient Egypt. It opened
the gates for researchers to invent a study named
‘Egyptology’. The media interest and popular connection
with Tutankhamun had a strong impact on developing a
sense of national heritage in Egypt.
Nakhthorheb Praying
Year of creation: c. 590 BC
Location: The Louvre, Paris, France
Dimensions: Height- 1.4 m, Width- 0.4 m
Thickness: 0.7 m
Medium: Quartzite

Nakhthorheb held a no. of civil and religious offices. His

duties are listed at the back of the scripture. The larger
than life statue is a perfect example of archaistic style
with simplicity and grandeour. The torso is very realistic
and indicates the need for masculine beauty in ancient
Egypt.
The sculpture is without any facial expression, still and
very humanly up to an extent, just like most of the
Egyptian statues. The max movement is one foot
ahead movement or arm movement in very few
examples. This style is going to be the base for
Europe’s classic art in its very very early stages
The Winged Victory of Samothrace
Year of creation: c. 190 BC
Sculptor: Pythocritus (Rumored)
Location: The Louvre, Paris, France
Dimensions: Height- 3.28 m
Medium: Gray Lartos marble (boat); Parian marble (statue)
Discovery: In 1863 by Charles Champoiseau

The monument consists of Goddess of Victory, Nike; shown in

the form of a winged woman standing on a ship’s prow. The
work was meant to be viewed from the left side since the right
side of the sculpture is less detailed. The figure creates a
spiralling effect gained by the position of left foot, wind blowing
on her chiton(tunic) and the widespread wings.

The sculpture was created during Hellenistic period of Greek

history. The period where an action was captured in an
artwork instead of a posture (like in previous Early, High and
Late Classical period). The special effect of frippery and very
vivid expressions were other details . The era started after the
death of Alexander the Great, so atmosphere was tensed,
dark and violent.
 • The figure has been
restored a no. of times
to maintain unique
colour of both kind of
marbles.

• Initially only left wing

was there and the
right wing was added
by mirroring the
original one
• The fact about
Sculptor is rumored
and slight chances of
being true because
Lehmann report
shows the statue
surrounding is from a
roman period and not
from Samothrace(
which was The Greek
Kingdom Macedonia))

Full View of the whole sculpture Before restoration

 Photo by DAVID ILIFF. License: CC BY-SA 3.0

The Colosseum

The world’s worder is also known as the Flavian Amphitheatre. The Colosseum
Year of creation: 80 CE is an oval amphitheater in the centre of The Eternal city Rome.
Location: Rome, Italy It is on of the most famous classical Ancient Roman architecture. the
Dimensions: Length 189m Width 156m and Colosseum is a freestanding building owing to a complex system of groin and
barrel vaults. The most iconic feature is used of columns and arches. The first
Height 48m
story is decorated with Tuscan order columns, the second story with Ionian
columns and the third one with Corthinian style columns. Multiple monuments
Medium: Travertino (a limestone), Tuff and and architecture were inspired from this Roman style of architecture.
brick-faced concrete. It was used for gladiatorial contests and political gatherings and other events.
Construction: In Flavian dynasty’s rule. It can hold an average of 65000 spectators
The Death of Pentheus
Year of creation . 60–79 AD
Location: House of the Vettii, Pompeii
Dimensions: 104cm x 104cm
Medium: Mortar, slaked lime, Coarse Sand and orche,
cinnabar and pine chips for colour pigments
Discovery: in 1748 by Architect Domenico Fontana
Pompeii Murals are the source of roman lifestyle which
people were not aware of .The fresco has been done in the
fourth style of Pompeian Frescoes painting named as
‘Intricate Style’. It is known as the baroque and complex
reaction to the third style(ornamental).
The Painting has warm colors. The composition can be
seen as in form of ‘X’ (other than woman with stone).
Strong sense of depth can be seen in the form of
overlapping figures and use of fainter lines and colours
for background figures.
The scene is full of tension and highly intense as
weapons are raised in form of lines. Geometry has been
used at various places. Pentheus’ arms can be fitted in a
rectangle and a triangle with apex at woman with rock
is overlapping the rectangle.
the Bacchantes (the women here) tore him into pieces
because he banned worshipping of Dionysus.
Bust of Commodus as Hercules
Year of creation: 180-193 AD
Location: Capitoline Museums, Rome
Dimensions: 1.33 m high
Medium: Marble
Discovery: 1874

The style of the art piece is Antonine Baroque style having characteristics like
Intense contrast of light and shade between the porcelain-like areas of the flesh
and abundantly shaded locks of hair and beard and Crescent shaped
depressions in iris and pupils. This style stayed from 117-193 AD.

This bust is one of the most famous pieces of Roman portraits and depicts the
Emperor Commodus with characteristics of Hercules. The lion’s skin, the club,
and the golden apples are all representative of the Greek hero.

Story behind the sculpture:

Commodus killed his wife and kids in rage and when he realised his wrong
doing, he goes to Apollo for forgiveness. Apollo asked him ‘Ten Labours’ so that
evil can be cleansed from his spirit. One task was to bring the skin of an
invulnerable lion which terrorized the hills around Nemea. Commodus went
there and kills the lion with his club. After all the labors he achieves the status
of a God.

Year of creation: 2nd Century- 6th Century AD
Location: Aurangabad, Maharashtra, India.
Medium: Clay, Cow dunk, rice husk and paints from
mixing stones
Discovery: First Viewer in modern times 1819 by
Captain John Smith
Ajanta fresco painting : Scene from a Jataka tale
The Ajanta Caves are approximately 30 rock-cut Buddhist cave
monuments in Aurangabad, Maharashtra, India.
The Ajanta cave paintings are described as among the finest
surviving examples of ancient Indian art and are famous
expressive painting that present emotion through gesture, pose
and form.
The style of the painting is fluently naturalistic and artists have
mastered the art of dealing with large groups of people by now.
A luxurious, sensuous point of view can be seen here in form
physical beauty which is strange because caves were meant for
religious worship and ascetic monastic life.
First, a rough plaster of clay, cow dung, and rice husks were
pressed on to the rough cave walls. This was then coated with
lime juice in order to create a smooth working surface.
The main colours used were red ochre, yellow ochre, brown
ochre, lamp black, white and lapis lazuli. The green was made
by mixing this lapis lazuli with Indian yellow ochre.
the layer of plaster was dry when it was paintedThe artists used
shading to give a three-dimensional effect.

Year of creation: 359 CE
Location: St. Peter's Basilica, The Vatican
Dimensions: 4 x 8 x 4 feet.
Medium: Marble
Discovery: 1597 CE
Sarcophagus of Junius Bassus
Sarcophagus of Junius Bassus is a perfect example of
“the fine style” of Early Christian era in 4th century CE
and iconography depicting how Christianity Romanized
and how Rome Christianized.
Ernst Kitzinger (Historian of Antique and early
medieval art) finds it "a far more definite reattachment
to aesthetic ideals of the Graeco-Roman past"
The artwork has pagan art in Christian artwork.
The artwork in whole is considered to be a blend of
late Hellenistic style and contemporary Roman style
(because the heads are slighly over-larged and
vigorous proportion).
The crving is done in a way such that it gives
chiaroscuro effect. It is divided into ten compartments.
The carvings are done in High Relief technique, the
background is present in almost all of the scenes on 3
sides of the cuboid. The scenes are from old and new
testaments of The Book.
 Spear-Bearer
Year of creation: Roman Era , Original 440 CE
Artist: Polykleitos
Location: Naples National Archaeological Museum, Italy
Dimensions: Height: 2.12 metres
Medium: Marble
This is a roman copy of originally Greek artpiece. The sculpture is one of the
finest examples of Greek-realism and contrapposto. This is what the
sculptor considered to be the perfectly harmonious and balanced
proportions of the human body in the sculpted form.
The work was done in High Classical period because the posture is not static
but in motion and even holding something in hand.(there was a spear
originally, hence named)

The sculptor followed word of Galen which were "Beauty consists in the
proportions, not of the elements, but of the parts, that is to say, of finger to
finger, and of all the fingers to the palm and the wrist, and of these to the
forearm, and of the forearm to the upper arm, and of all the other parts to
each other.“.
This is one of the very first examples of depiction of human body in history
of classical art and will later on set the base for coming artists for elemsnts
like emotion of face and Figura serpentinata of Hellenistic times.
Kailasa Temple
Year of creation: 756 and 773 AD
Architect: Kokasa from Paithan and other architects for help.
Location: Ellora, Aurangabad, Maharashtra, India.
Dimensions: 32.6 meters above the court.
Medium: volcanic Basalt rock
Constructed By: Rashtrakuta King Krishna I

Carved from a single gigantic basalt rock the breath-taking monument

dedicated to Lord Shiva is the largest of 100-odd rock-cut cave temples and
monasteries at Ellora (only 34 of these are accessible to the public).
The temple was carved vertically into rock instead of carving from the
side.(reason is explained in the comment section. To know that Kindly click on
the chat icon in top left corner.) The over all architecture is in Rashtrakuta style
(which is more or so inspired from Pallava style also known as Dravidian Style).
Some of characteristics of this style were transition from rock-cut to free-
standing temples and free-standing shrines. The lasting monolithic temples
known as rathas and mandapas provide superb skill of sculptors of Pallava
period. And all of these can be seen in the Kailasa Temple. Involvement of
Chalukya artists can also be seen.
There are carvings, reliefs, statues everywhere in the premisis of the temple.
Through intricate sculptures and carvings, every section of the complex tells
stories from mythology.
 The chalice of Emperor Romanos
Year of creation: c.960 AD
Location: Treasury of San Marco, Venice, Italy
Dimensions: Height 22.5cm diameter- 14cm
Medium: sardonyx, silver gilt, cloisonne enamel & pearl
Discovery: In 1845

The chalice bears the Emperor Romanos is a sardonyx(multi-

colored variety of banded onyx) bowl which is evenly cut. The
surface is dvided into fourteen large gadroons with border and
separated by darts and each gadroon encloses a small gadroon.
Because this is an antique chalice figural representations are on
exterior instead of molding and motifs.
The figures are Christ blessing(in blue attire in the centre of the
picture) and in his left are John, Peter, Matthew, Mark,
and other important persons.
The chalice is decorated with rich Teracotta red, navy blue,
turquoise and other expensive pigments.
It has characteristics like long noses, semi-luminate-shaped
mouth, and eyes with large pupils. All the figures are done in
Christian style and hand postures(mostly giving blessings) is
common in the figures. The flat of the chalice is same as other
royal Byzantine chalices that is concave shaped.
 Sunset Glow over a Fishing Village 渔村日落发光
Year of creation: ca. 1150
Artist: Wang Hong 王洪
Location: Tokyo National Museum,
Tokyo, Japan
Dimensions: 23.4 x 90.7 cm
Medium: Pair of handscrolls; light
colors and black Ink (pine soot and
animal glue) on silk
This a painting is a part of set of eight oldest complete version of Xiao and
Xiang Rivers ‘Eight Views of the Xiao and Xiang Rivers 瀟湘八景’ which is a
landscape theme which became popular in eleventh century and done by
many artists in later periods. Xiaoxiang is the region of Southern Song Dynasty
in present-day Hunan province where the Xiao and Xiang Rivers are located.
The qualities of dim light and misty atmosphere typical of that region were
potrayed by Ink and wash. The painting style is regional Sichuan painting style
mountains or a mix transitional style of the Northern and Southern Song
periods. because of the eclectic brushwork styles and the use of colors on the
autumn trees, architectural structures, and wintry

https://www.metmuseum.org/art/coll
ection/search/53175
Jizō Bosatsu 地蔵菩薩立
Year of creation: ca. 1202
Artist: Kaikei (Japanese, active 1183–1223)
Location: The Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, USA
Dimensions: Height 55.9 cm; Width 17.1 cm; Depth 17.1 cm; Diameter
of base 17.1 cm
Medium: Lacquered Japanese cypress, color, gold, cut gold leaf, and
inlaid crystal eyes
Kaikei was one of the two leading sculptors of the early Kamakura
period (1185–1333).He used Gold paint and kirikane (thin strips of
gold leaf) to decorate the garments with a variety of designs, among
them floral motifs, tortoiseshell patterns, and linked octagons.
The sculpture is done n Kaikei’s very own style which is mainly inspired
from the naturalism of the Nara period. The naturalistic modeling of
the body, well-modulated, calm countenances, along with deeply cut
drapery folds that form lively, complex patterns are key features of his
art. This style was later named as the An Ami style.
Jizō Bosatsu, Sanskrit: Bodhisattva Ksitigarbha is believed to the one
who relieves those who are suffering in hell. His right hand grasps a
staff and originally there was a wish granting jewel (hōju no tama) in
left hand.
 The school of Athens is one of the best examples of high
renaissance art made by the Master Raphael himself, the
fresco has the key components that make it one of its kind.
The master is known for easy composition and visual
representation Neoplatonist ideal of human splendour.

The breathtaking part is how he used Humanism,

Individualism, Classicism and Secularism all at once weaving
the spirit of renaissance in every brush stoke.
The perspective has been used to make you feel you can
enter the scene just by looking at it. The vanishing is
somewhere between heads of Plato and Aristotle by the
curved line under the window pointing towards the Heavens.
The perfect architecture in the background shows that the
Master was also an architect.

The School of Athens He used lighting and figures to separate between the
concrete and the abstract. It is very logical and consistent
with reality. It comes from the direction of the window.
Year of creation: 1509–1511 CE
Notice how they don't communicate with one another.
Artist: Sanzio Raphael
He demonstrates flawless brush stroke and the use of
Location: Apostolic Palace, Vatican City chiaroscuro effects. the arched vault of an immense Basilica
Dimensions:500 cm × 770 cm with lacunar ceiling and pilasters, (inspired by Constantine's in
Medium: Fresco (pigments mixed in limewater in plaster) the Roman Forum) is decorated with statues of Apollo and
Minerva
 POTRAIT OF THE EMPEROR JAHANGIR
Year of creation: 1617 CE
Artists: Abu al-Hasan, Muhammad Saleh Thattvi and Nadir al-Zaman
Location: Previous: Bonhams Auction Company
Dimensions: 210 x 141 cm
https://www.bonhams.com/ Medium: gouache heightened with gold leaf on a fine woven cotton canvas
auctions/18801/lot/322/
It is one of the finest mughal art because of extraordinary and complexity
of painting style it has. Jahangir elements like fine brushwork, less crowded
compositions, more subdued colours, and is much less dynamic movement
present in it.
The gemwork of rubies, emeralds and diamonds, is a practice which
originated in Iran and later on was mastered by masters in India.
The Emperor shown seated on a European-style throne with relief
decoration formed from red pigment, possibly lead, his head has a radiating
nimbus and he is wearing an embroidered floral tunic over a patka and
striped pyjama, with applied plaster jewellery, the border with 26
cartouches of fine nastaliq inscription.
Muhammad Saleh Thattvi The Mughal metallurgist, is one of the two
masters who could create a seamless globe using 'cire perdue' technique.
The painter Abu al-Hasan was initially trained by the emperor himself in his
large studios and workshops. He is known for his portrayal of events at
emperial court and was named ‘Wonder of Age’ by the emperor.
The portait was auctioned for £ 1.42 million in 2011.
Las Meninas
Year of creation: 1656 CE
Artist: Diego Velazquez
Location: Museo del Prado, Madrid, Spain
Dimensions: 318 cm × 276 cm
Medium: Oil on canvas
Las Meninas (Spanish for The Ladies-in-waiting) is one of the
most mysterious works of Baroque period. The painting was
commissioned by the King Philip IV.
The painting’s style is intense with elements like
Caravaggesque chiaroscuro, a limited and somber palette, a
photo-like realism, and remarkably loose, free, unrestrained
brushstrokes. He shows off his perspective skills as the full
painting can be divided into seven layers of depth and the
picture plan is divided into grid system, of quarters
horizontally, and sevenths vertically(to ease the painting
process and get clearer depth on an extremely large artpiece).
The figures in the foreground along an X shape with the infant
Margarita in the center, making her the focal point of the
composition. With light and shadow, he creates a system of
double arcs that further centralizes the Infanta, one above
that starts with Velázquez ending on
The Veiled Virgin
Year of creation: c.1850s
Artist: Giovanni Strazza
Location: St. John’s, Newfoundland
Dimensions: 48 cm
Medium: Carrara marble

One of the most important example of Neo-Classism is bust of The

veiled virgin Marble is a medium favored for its softness and
translucence which can be used to put intricate detail, including
anatomical subtleties and flowing drapery and The Veiled Virgin
illustrates both of the qualities.
Her face with remarkably realistic features, including the intricate
braids in her hair, is draped in a thin veil. In addition to Neo-Classical
drapery he used the veil as his response to the Italian Unification. The
Veiled Virgin became a sybol of unity for Italy just like Lady Liberty is
for USA.

Strazza's sculpting confidently revives the ingenuity of the Baroque,

and represents a technical triumph which surpasses that of any other
work of art found in 19th century. Strazza has won the challenge of
wet drapery which started in Hellenistic Period.

Year of creation: 1908–1910; original ca. 1410–1370 B.C.
Artists: Norman de Garis Davies and Lancelot Crane
Location: The Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, USA
Dimensions: Length-171.5 cm width-226.7 cm thickness-6.4
Scale: 1:1
Medium: Tempera on paper
East Wall, South Side of Nakht's
Offering Chapel
The original mural was created in 14th century BC. In 1910
(approx) couple of illustrators and copyists, Norman de
Garis and his wife Davies with prof. partner Lancelot Crane
recreated the painting.
Egyptians had their own and very unique perspective.
Although artworks look flat and pain but experts think they
are intentionally done in this way, without any motion
they can exist out of realm of time. Size of person’s figure
decreases with authority of that person.
Here the man in white on extreme right and centre is
name is Nakht and the bigger woman in white is his wife.
Both of them are important characters here so are the
largest in figure and the servants are small in size. In the
middle part (like a green square) it represents women
farming flax which was the major work for them. It is
shown that he is keeping an eye on the workers. The
pattern shown is supposed to be inspired from textiles.
Men have dark or red skin. Women have light or yellow
skin. (It doesn't matter what their real skin color is.)
A Dream of Paradise Remembered
by the Morning Light
Year of creation: 2017
Artist: Adam Miller
Dimensions: 78 inch x 62 inch
Medium: Oil on Canvas

Adam Miller is one of the prominent artist that

paint in classical style inspired from The Masters.
He is interested in pagan concept and he brings
these subjects from past to present.
Here a team of millennials is shown with the
pagan Gods.
The artists is extremely inspired from Masters and
Raphael especially. It is obvious from the hand
gesture of the man in blue, leg of the man on the
left, stones in bottom left and the knees of the
pagan in the center.
A look at the background and the bodies will tell
that Sfumato and chiaroscuro are used, another
component artist says he has taken from high
renaissance artists.
 Image Courtesy
Slide 3 https://www.mfa.org/collections/object/king-menkaura-mycerinus-and-queen-
230?image=9

Slide 4 https://www.nationalgeographic.com/culture/people/reference/tutankhamun/

Slide 6 https://www.louvre.fr/en/oeuvre-notices/winged-victory-samothrace

Slide 8 Photo by DAVID ILIFF. License: CC BY-SA 3.0

Slide 9 http://ancientrome.ru/art/artworken/img.htm?id=1324

Slide10 http://www.museicapitolini.org/en/percorsi/percorsi_per_sale/museo_del_palazzo
_dei_conservatori/sale_degli_horti_lamiani/busto_di_commodo_come_ercole

Slide 11 https://www.openart.in/history/ajanta-cave-paintings-brief-note/
Slide 12 https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Tesoro_di_san_pietro,_sarcofago_di_giunio_b
asso.JPG
Slide 13 https://sites.google.com/site/adairarthistory/ii-ancient-mediterranean/34-doryphoros-
spear-bearer
Slide 14 http://hohopics.blogspot.com/2015/06/rock-hewn-kailasa-temple-ellora-caves.html

Slide 15 https://artmuseum.princeton.edu/collections/objects/32799#:~:text=The%20Eight%20Vie
ws%20are%3A%20%22Geese,and%20%22Evening%20Snow%20Blending%20River

Slide16 https://www.metmuseum.org/art/collection/search/44891
Slide 17 https://mymodernmet.com/school-of-athens-raphael/
Slide 18 https://www.jstor.org/stable/23232966
Slide 19 https://www.bonhams.com/auctions/18801/lot/322/
Slide 20 https://www.museodelprado.es/en/the-collection/art-work/las-meninas/9fdc7800-9ade-
48b0-ab8b-edee94ea877f
Slide 21 https://mymodernmet.com/the-veiled-virgin-sculpture/
Slide 22 https://www.metmuseum.org/art/collection/search/548438
Slide 23 https://www.adammillerart.com/paintings
 PART B
NARRATIVE ART
The theme of the painting is immortal unification of those who love.

It is an Iconic representation of the story given to me. In the end of the story of two lovers Sohni and Mehiwal
unite after a long wait and they unite forever.

The story: After Mehiwal sees that Sohni is drowning, he jumps into the river and was able to get a hold of her.
The downfall of water was fast and he was barely alive and been in water for too long. When he finally reaches
the bank of the river he looks at Sohni and his heart shatters. He sees that Sohni has died. Suddenly his
surroundings shine and he observes so plethora of beautiful colors around him that he has never seen on the
other dark and monotone side of the river where he came from. He looks once again at his lover and breathes
his least earthly breath and unites with his love till the end of the end.

The other side of the river is black and white because world on that side was never colourful for the lovers and
people in that world never understood what the actual meaning of life is. For them, the world was either black
or white. They never accepted that there are more warm and beautiful colours. The mosque and temple are
representation of these notions the world has of how to get god, while they loose the core element. The lovers
were in a never ending dark night because people’s laws never let them unite. Until they did and entered a
beautiful, bright and warm environment of ‘the thy’. What people were trying to gain by rituals and chants, our
lovers achieved by Love.