Spring 2019 AHIS 105: Visual Culture Essay: Spiritual Beings

This essay provides a critical analysis of an art-historical text focusing on the visual themes of artistic creations, specifically the "Images of Spiritual Beings." The essay explores how artists represent religious beliefs and deities across different cultures, including examples from Minoan civilization (Snake Goddess), Greek mythology (Zeus, Poseidon), Hinduism (Lord Shiva as Nataraja), and Buddhism (Stupas at Sanchi). The author argues that these artworks reflect the faith and beliefs of religious followers and play a crucial role in religious rituals and practices. The essay further discusses the evolution of artwork and its significance in understanding past societies, concluding that these artistic creations are reflections of religious beliefs and societal values. The analysis emphasizes the importance of understanding the cultural and historical context behind these artistic representations.

Running head: VISUAL CULTURE
Visual Culture
Name of the Student
Name of the University
Author Note

1VISUAL CULTURE
The following essay aims at providing an analysis for the visual themes of artistic
creations. The visual art or theme that has been chosen for this essay is that of Images of
Spiritual Beings. It is important from the viewpoint of the religious people in the society. The
importance of this text will be analyzed according to the needs of the society. The impact of this
text is immense in the minds of the devotees to religion because it has been interpreted in
different ways in the minds of religious followers and the points that the author has tried to cover
will be followed up as well.
The point of the author is that all artists tend to create their artworks for the sake of
religious followers in the society. These artworks help the people to get involved in different
types of religious rituals in their society.1 The author of this text is of the opinion that this
artworks help the faithful followers of religion to believe that a particular God or Goddess is
actually present in that artwork. Moreover, that artwork might represent the blessings of Gods
and Goddesses. The author has also specified the fact that believers of some religions predict
God is present through some geometric shapes.2 This is prevalent in Islamic religion where
spheres and domes are built for representing the religious architectural buildings like mosques.
One of the holiest and most crucial symbols of Christianity is the Holy Trinity. This is specified
by Triangle as the geometric shape. This is where artistic feature and expertise lie for those
artists. Another factor for artwork is that of the presentation of God and Holy beings through
different animals or other symbols. Likewise, Jesus Christ has been symbolized through a
1 Rey, Terry. Bourdieu on religion: Imposing faith and legitimacy. Routledge, 2014.
2 Brown, Paula. "Spiritual development." Early Years Educator14.7 (2012): viii-ix.

2VISUAL CULTURE
sacrificial lamb and Holy Trinity has been presented by a dove. Thus it is very clear from the
perspective of the author that these artworks are done from the religious beliefs of followers.
They always aim to please the faith of those followers. The arguments in this text are very
critical to point out the thinking process of the common people in the society.
The author clearly points out the importance of deities and their representations through
different metaphors through art. The first example that can be given in this context is that of the
Snake Goddess. This had been found in the palace of Knossons in the 1600 BCE. As per the
arguments made by the author, she might have been the representative of the Earth Mother in
Minoan civilization. The Earth Mother has been one of the earliest and most profound deities in
the mythological traditions.3 Therefore, this text has presented these mythological ideas in a
prompt manner altogether. The Earth Mother is the deity who provides life and fertility on earth
with rich crops and harvesting with enough supply of water.4 Apart from that, the representation
of Greek Gods is also very much crucial in this aspect as well. The Greek people also believe in
the Earth Goddess whom they had given the name of Gaia. She has been presented in their
artwork in different ways than Snake Goddess.5 The supreme architectural abilities and
inscribing the history of that God or Goddess have been considered as exceptional expertise of
3 Neumann, Erich. The great mother: An analysis of the archetype. Vol. 15. Princeton University Press, 2015.
4 Brown, Paula. "Spiritual development." Early Years Educator14.7 (2012): viii-ix.
5 Gaignerot-Driessen, Florence. "Goddesses Refusing to Appear? Reconsidering the Late Minoan III Figures with
Upraised Arms." American Journal of Archaeology 118.3 (2014): 489-520.

3VISUAL CULTURE
both Greek and Egyptian people. This is why the bronze statue of Zeus or Poseidon has been
regarded as supreme creation of the artists 5th century BCE.
In this scenario, another prospect can be given and i.e. of the author’s portrayal of Indian
deities, Gods and Goddesses. Lord Shiva has been depicted as Nataraja in the Hindu mythology.
In Hinduism, there are several Gods or Goddesses but apparently this is not polytheism. It is
because these multiple Gods and Goddesses are mainly different manifestations of the
Unbounded God. The author of the text has also discussed about the portrayal of Lord Shiva in
the Nataraja avatar where the perfect balance of the Lord is manifested with perfect grace. This
is why it is very much clear from the text that the author has tried to communicate the various
mediums of artwork through their creations.6 These artistic creations are always very much
important to locate the evolution of artwork. These issues are always very much significant for
an understanding of artwork that was significant centuries ago. In the teachings of Buddhism,
artworks are also very much crucial indeed. The reflections of ancient Indian and Nepalese
artwork have been seen in architectures and sculptures of Buddhism. The stupas at Sanchi in
India are great examples of architectural brilliance of 3rd century BCE.7 The huge domes of these
buildings are so very crucial examples of architecture during those times in India.8 Therefore, the
6 King, Pamela Ebstyne, and Chris J. Boyatzis. "Religious and spiritual development." Handbook of child
psychology and developmental science (2015): 1-48.
7 Shanmuganathan, Thilagavathi. "A pragmatic analysis of Lord Shiva's dance." (2014): 95-115.
8 Kerényi, Carl. Archetypal Images in Greek Religion: 5. Zeus and Hera: Archetypal Image of Father, Husband, and
Wife. Princeton University Press, 2015.

4VISUAL CULTURE
author is successful in making his point that these examples of stupas or domes, beautiful statues,
paintings and curved statues are supreme examples of sculpture and architecture in the society.
Thus the author has brought out his point that these artworks are reflections of the beliefs of
those religious people in the society who have ultimate faith.9 This is how society is depicted and
their beliefs are portrayed.
In the concluding section it can be mentioned that this essay has discussed about the
importance of artworks from the viewpoints of the author. The author has also presented his
ideas regarding importance of religious beliefs of people in the society. The artists have created
these artworks by identifying the beliefs of common people in the society. These religious beliefs
have often driven the people to believe in certain religious rituals. These religious rituals are
generally not complete without the portrayal of deities. Thus these famous artistice creations
have come into existence.
9 Stromer, Richard. "Shiva Nataraja: A Study in Myth, Iconography, and the Meaning of a Sacred Symbol." PDF).
Retrieved 10 (2016).

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Reference List
Brown, Paula. "Spiritual development." Early Years Educator14.7 (2012): viii-ix.
Gaignerot-Driessen, Florence. "Goddesses Refusing to Appear? Reconsidering the Late Minoan
III Figures with Upraised Arms." American Journal of Archaeology 118.3 (2014): 489-
520.
Kerényi, Carl. Archetypal Images in Greek Religion: 5. Zeus and Hera: Archetypal Image of
Father, Husband, and Wife. Princeton University Press, 2015.
King, Pamela Ebstyne, and Chris J. Boyatzis. "Religious and spiritual development." Handbook
of child psychology and developmental science (2015): 1-48.
Neumann, Erich. The great mother: An analysis of the archetype. Vol. 15. Princeton University
Press, 2015.
Rey, Terry. Bourdieu on religion: Imposing faith and legitimacy. Routledge, 2014.
Shanmuganathan, Thilagavathi. "A pragmatic analysis of Lord Shiva's dance." (2014): 95-115.
Stromer, Richard. "Shiva Nataraja: A Study in Myth, Iconography, and the Meaning of a Sacred
Symbol." PDF). Retrieved 10 (2016).