• Login
    View Item 
    •   ResearchSpace Home
    • College of Humanities
    • School of Arts
    • Media, Visual Arts and Drama
    • Masters Degrees (Media, Visual Arts and Drama)
    • View Item
    •   ResearchSpace Home
    • College of Humanities
    • School of Arts
    • Media, Visual Arts and Drama
    • Masters Degrees (Media, Visual Arts and Drama)
    • View Item
    JavaScript is disabled for your browser. Some features of this site may not work without it.

    Maturation, old age and mortality in western art : idealism versus realism.

    Thumbnail
    View/Open
    Thesis (115.8Mb)
    Date
    2007
    Author
    Silk, Michele.
    Metadata
    Show full item record
    Abstract
    The central premise of this research is the paradox between idealism and realism in the visual arts in the context of the themes of maturation, old age and mortality. Throughout the history of art there have been artworks that feature the realistic representation of this theme in contrast to traditional idealistic trends. Selected artworks are highlighted from different art-historical periods in western art history dating from antiquity to contemporary times. These dates include artworks from the Hellenistic art of ancient Greece, Roman art and some examples from the middle ages. This theme flourished in the early modern period and in the 17th century, resulting in some artworks only being mentioned. The 19th and 20l centuries show less interest in this subject, therefore the examples are rare. Finally I examine my own art and my interest in the theme of old age in relation to a few examples of contemporary South African art. Old age is a social and cultural phenomenon, therefore the socio-political, anthropological, philosophical and cultural influences in each period are briefly investigated. The manifestation of this theme is initially concurrent with the development of realism in art history and the changes in art theory and criticism, but other factors are revealed in the course of this research which indicate that this subject has a bearing on moral and spiritual enquiry. In conclusion, it is anticipated that this discourse will enlighten the reader to the mysterious workings of the human creative nature and psyche that are stimulated by such topics as old age and mortality.
    URI
    http://hdl.handle.net/10413/944
    Collections
    • Masters Degrees (Media, Visual Arts and Drama) [101]

    DSpace software copyright © 2002-2013  Duraspace
    Contact Us | Send Feedback
    Theme by 
    @mire NV
     

     

    Browse

    All of ResearchSpaceCommunities & CollectionsBy Issue DateAuthorsTitlesSubjectsAdvisorsTypeThis CollectionBy Issue DateAuthorsTitlesSubjectsAdvisorsType

    My Account

    LoginRegister

    DSpace software copyright © 2002-2013  Duraspace
    Contact Us | Send Feedback
    Theme by 
    @mire NV