The bulk of Olowe’s carvings seem to have been both decorative and functional artworks for the Yoruba kings and prominent families. One of his celebrated works for example is the veranda post that sits in the collection at the Art Institute of Chicago. In that piece we see the elongated neck and oval faces that were a part of his signature style. Traditionally Yoruba artists used scale and proportion to indicate hierarchy. The more important a figure, the larger they are within the composition. The status of the king’s senior wife is shown by her size while the king is seated central to the post. His crown eye level to the viewer and the king sits with his feat up above the ground signifying his transcendent nature. His eyes are cast down expressing a contemplative mood as he looks down on the world beyond. The crown has four ancestral faces signifying the legitimacy of his royal lineage, the divine line and wisdom running through it.

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In this depiction of Shiva we see the natural rhythms to everything in the cosmos. Birth and death, creation and destruction are symply phases all things will go through. In this bronze work from 11th century India during the Chola period, we see Shiva in a dancing pose. He is surrounded by a ring of flames. Fire is an interesting force as it can be tremendously destructive and dangerous, but simultaneously if it is handled properly, fire can provide warmth and light. As the flames dance, they transform the material world around them sometimes to our benefit and sometimes to our peril. In this piece, Shiva is surrounded by flames representing the eternal cycle of creation, preservation and destruction. 

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China's Longmen Caves or Longmen Grottos are a UNESCO world heritage site. Starting in the 5th century CE, artists chiseled away at the limestone carving out around 2300 caves and 110,000 statues. Because they were constructed over such a long period, the sculptures in the Longmen Caves not only reflect the religious tradition, but they track changes in artistic style over the centuries.

Related episode: Sand Mandalas

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Stonehenge has captured the imagination of people for centuries. It is hard to categorize the massive stone work. Is it a feat of engineering, sculpture, architecture? Is it a work of deep spiritual significance or an oversized and needlessly complicated calendar? Located in Wiltshire, England, Stonehenge is made up of standing stones arranged in a circular formation and is estimated to be over 4,500 years old. While its original purpose remains a mystery, there is no doubt that Stonehenge is a masterpiece of art and engineering that has stood the test of time.

AP Art History Students, check out my Spotify playlist, AP Art History Cram Session

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Machu Picchu would translate to “old mountain” but it isn’t that old. While stone ruins are often associated with ancient civilizations thousands of years old, Machu Picchu is relatively young having been built in the middle of the 15th century. Nestled high in the Andes mountains of Peru, this ancient Incan citadel is a UNESCO World Heritage Site and a bucket-list destination for travelers from around the globe.

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The Taj Mahal is one of the most beautiful man-made structures in the world. It is a UNESCO world heritage site considered to be one of the modern wonders of the world. The story behind its construction is equally beautiful as it is a tale of love and devotion between Shah Jahan and his wife Mumtaz Mahal who passed away shortly after giving birth to their fourteenth child.

The Taj Mahal has a massive dome stretching 240 feet covered in marble. The are four thin white marble minarets to mark the four corners. Of course without cranes, getting giant slabs of marble to such heights was no easy task. A ramp would be constructed to bring the pieces up, and to keep the incline manageable the ramp used for this construction had to be about 10 miles long. 

Shah Jahan never really got over the loss of his wife. He remained in mourning for years before his position was usurped by his fourth son. He was imprisoned in a fort in Agra in 1658. He was forbidden to leave and spent the final 8 years of his life in the fort looking out the window at the Taj Mahal. When he died in 1666, Shah Jahan was reunited with his beloved wife Mumtaz Mahal in the crypt beneath the Taj Mahal.

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Who ARTed is an Airwave Media Podcast. If you are interested in advertising on this or any other Airwave Media show, email: [email protected]

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Today's mini episode is about the Moai statues of Rapa Nui, commonly referred to as Easter Island. The Moai are one of the artworks I will have in my annual Arts Madness Tournament this March, and it is one of the 250 artworks on the AP Art History list. For those students prepping for the test this spring, check out my AP Art History Cram Session playlist on Spotify.

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In 1974, some farmers began digging a well. Before they struck water, they stumbled upon an amazing archaeological and artistic treasure, the terracotta army. Qin Shi Huang, the first emperor of China, wanted an army to protect him in the afterlife. Artists constructed an estimated 8,000 life-size terracotta statutes of soldiers, 400 horses, 100 chariots and about 100,000 weapons. but what good is an army to protect you if you are bored for eternity, so the burial complex also includes musicians and acrobats to entertain Qin Shi Huang.

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This mini episode is about The Book of the Dead, a collection of funerary texts from ancient Egypt. To better understand the collection as well as the culture and mythology behind these works, I looked a little bit at the page showing the judgment of Hunefer, a high-ranking scribe and priest.

This is an encore presentation of my previous episode on this work. I am posting daily mini episodes to cover all 64 artworks which will be up for listeners to vote on in my annual Arts Madness Tournament starting the week of March 1. This is also one of the required works for high school students around the US taking AP Art History.

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On November 26, 1922, Howard Carter prepared to enter the tomb of a little-known pharaoh. Nobody had set foot inside the space for over 3,000 years, but as Carter held up his candle, his partner, Lord Carnarvon who had financed the expedition called out asking if he saw anything. Carter responded, “Yes, wonderful things.” Though his reign may have been short, the treasures found in Tutankhamun’s tomb have given him an outsized place in the history books and popular culture.

Related episodes:

Art Smart | Ancient Egyptian Art

Who ARTed | The Ancient Egyptian Book of the Dead

Who ARTed | The Mummy's Curse

Who ARTed | The Pyramids at Giza

Check out my other podcasts  Art Smart | Rainbow Puppy Science Lab

Who ARTed is an Airwave Media Podcast. If you are interested in advertising on this or any other Airwave Media show, email: [email protected]

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