Large Part Of The Cycladic Culture example essay topic

I went to the Getty Museum on Wednesday March 5. Not only does it contain thousands of pieces of artwork, the museum itself is a gorgeous work of art. Nestled in the hills of Malibu, one can get an amazing aerial view of the entire city of Los Angeles from the many balconies in the museum. The outside gardens and landscaping grounds are beautiful as well. The stream that turns into a stone waterfall and eventually ends up in a pool of water at the main plaza is sublime, adding to the quiet tranquility of the museum. The piece of art that I choose to describe is the "Harpist".

It is a marble statue, 14" by 3 3/4 " wide. This piece originates from the Early Cycladic II, around 2500 B.C. The individual in the carving itself is male, but not tremendously masculine, in that he is not incredibly athletic, and doesn't have a god-like physique. It is also to be noted that the harpist has no eyes or mouth and while both the hands and feet are present, incisions for digits appear only on the hands. This is due to the fact that he is a harpist, and could not do very much without the use of his fingers, thus showing that in the Cycladic culture, emphasis was not placed solely on one's body and their appearance. Since the Cycladic people left no written records, we have to read the artwork that they have left behind.

It is apparent from this statue, that music must have been a large part of the Cycladic culture. To be able to make music and play an instrument was a wonderful gift. Not only could it be a source of entertainment, but music also helped them with their communicating. Being part of an aural culture, songs were sung that got passed down for probably hundreds of generations. Along with music came that other wonderful form of communication; dance. The harpist's head is tilting back slightly, almost as if he is singing.

Of course, we have no way of knowing this, as he has no mouth. The "Harpist" is a prime example of sculpture in the round. It has been reduced to its simple geometric rudiments. It is obvious however, that the man is a musician of sorts.

He is sitting on a small four-legged stool, with his feet flat on the floor. One arm is out-stretched to balance the instrument on his lap and the other is used to pluck the strings of the instrument that we assume is a harp. This sculpture is free-standing. Although it has no base, it is able to stand up on its own.

One thing that interests me is the medium that was used to create the "Harpist". Island marble is found on the islands of Naxos and Paros, and it is that specific medium that was carved to produce this sculpture. Although the entire statue is made of the same marble, the texture seems smooth and polished in some areas, and in others it looks rough and gritty in others. An example of this is the bow of the harp.

It looks as though it is about to break because of all the cracks and holes worn into it. But along the line of the thighs, upper torso, and arms, it seems strong and smooth. This is probably due to the weathering of the marble. The parts of the sculpture that are more thin, could not handle the abuse of wind and the sand that were so prevalent in the Cycladic people's home land.

The "Harpist", although unadorned, is a beautiful piece of artwork. It is in its simplicity that I believe it reveals a lot about the Cycladic people and their culture. It is as though a written record wouldn't have been necessary. We can learn more than enough about the Cycladic culture by the unique and telling treasures that they leave behind..