Art history research paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Art history - Research Paper Example Various artworks came up as a result of colonization, particularly right about the time when Europe took interest in colonization. One particular artwork that peaked my interest is that of ‘The Women of Algiers in their Apartment’ by a French artist called Eugene Delacroix. Laurel Ma wrote an article about this painting. Eugene Delacroix was a popular French artist whose artwork was hailed all over Europe. Therefore it didn’t come as a surprise when the state of France decided to tag him along on a diplomatic mission to North Africa just two years since Algiers was invaded. This was around the time Delacroix drew the painting of The Women of Algiers in their Apartment in 1834. The timing that the painting came out, which is also the time the French went to Algiers, is suspicious and rightfully so. It tends to shed some light on the imperialist intentions that the French had towards Algiers. Most paintings by the Orientalists were prejudiced against the Orients in such a way as to incite the Westerners to colonize them in the name of doing them a favor. Most of it revolved around sex in particular. The Orientalists would draw paintings with naked women in them as if waiting for the European men to come and save them from the supposed tyranny of their husbands. Of course, a great deal of this work was more of imagination than reality. All the more reason why Delacroix’s work received major applause as it was seen to be more authentic and the fact that it contains aspects that make it seem both imaginative and real caught a lot of people’s attention. The Women of Algiers in their Apartment clearly shows the lifestyle of the people of North Africa. The women often stayed in their harem, which is a sacred place restricted only to the women and their husband. No other person other than the servants was allowed in the harem. Delacroix draws a harem with three women in it along with one black servant woman holding the curtain. Contrary to popular belief as depicted by the works of other Orientalists, the women in this painting do not in any way suggest any sexual intentions. This came as a confusion to many as people were used to paintings with naked women obviously arousing and inviting the sexual desires off those who saw it. In other words, the regular paintings were demeaning to the cultures and values of the people in the East. In Delacroix’s painting the women are fully clothed, almost in a way to suggest that they are overdressed. This could be seen as the painter’s way of proving a point, trying to atone for the mistakes off his fellow artists by clearly stating that the women in the Orients were respectable and were not to e objectified sexually. The painting doesn’t show women yearning or the presence of a man, rather they are comfortable and content with the current situation where they have time to themselves. The room in the painting is lavished with oriental objects such as glas s vases and various patterns on the furniture that relate to the style associated with Orients. There is a servant drawing a curtain. This is to depict the dramatic way in which the harem is unveiled for the authorized Muslim male but now in the painting, the colonizer gets a glance of what he shouldn’t see. The women in the painting are covered in blankets to confirm the stereotype that suggests

Diversity and Belief Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Diversity and Belief - Essay Example The first aspect that Chaves discusses is ‘belief,’ the current trend towards belief is very different. Few Americans today are not enthusiast on a particular literal reading of the Bible as they did few years ago. And many are opting a diffusion of spirituality. One of the attribute that Chaves has described as the cause of lowering literal bible reading is due to education. Education system has been formulated with a very rigid curriculum that has cast aside the literal bible reading. The weakening in religion can also be attributed to the gradual drop of religious meetings, elderly congregation and less cohesive. In today’s world there is an increase of televangelists who are characterized with unending scandals and other disgraces that have surrounded a church like catholic. Most of the Churches that are likely to suffer this is the congregations that are more liberal, those that are conservatives seems to be affected in a minimal way. Chaves indicated that lo wer membership in liberal churches is not as a result of liberalizing ideas, on the contrary more people are to the opinion of liberal idea. A puzzling question regarding this thought is, are the liberal ideas religious or humanistic? One of the most amazing trend of American religion since 1970s is that conservatism and religiosity are embedded together. This a false sign that most people perceived since they thought that the force of religion was developing which was not the case. Another phenomenon that was perceived as a reason to dictate that religion was growing was the introduction of Mega churches, which focuses on crowds and programs. Many churches are not concerned about religious belief, they want to be perceived as huge churches with numerous followers.it is due to such reason that suggests that religion was developing gives untrue perception since only more people are