Nelson-Atkins Museum

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My visit to the Nelson-Atkins museum was unlike any of my other visits to museums. First of all, I had a solid purpose for going and found myself paying much more attention to the intricacies of pieces I was viewing. Secondly, due to its sheer size, this museum had a wide variety of art from many different cultures and time periods, giving each hallway and room a different feel. Lastly, I felt much more educated about what I was viewing, when compared to previous experiences. I waited until the 8th of July to drive to Kansas City and thus had read most of content that would be covered over the semester. The fresh knowledge and context I have gained over the semester made the trip exciting in ways I could have never achieved without the course. …show more content…
1525-1530). This painting showed Jesus Christ separating the Saved towards the left side of the scene, all of whom are surrounded by billowy clouds and angels, and the Damned being dragged into a pit towards the right. It was the coloring of this painting that initially caught my attention. First of all, Jesus is shown in a brilliant red robe, making him a strong focal point. But the clouds, painted in an almost equally stunning blue, also compete for the viewer’s attention. The coloring and placement of the clouds were an essential element of the painting. The clouds deliberately catch and draw the eyes to the left side of the piece, although there is far fewer figures and space dedicated to this side. The use of color and space in this manner gives the painting a very asymmetrical feel. This contrast between the two groups of people contributes to the overall message of the piece. Cranach, who was trying to push more Protestant ideals, shows in his work how few the Saved are compared to the Damned . His art communicates the idea that humans will not be saved through their achievements in this life and that only the few with true faith will be …show more content…
In The Last Judgement Cranach manages to record a shift from Catholic ideals to more Protestant concepts. In an ivory casket from the 11th or 12th century, I saw a shift from classic mythology to more contemporary religions. The casket displayed beautiful use of linear and radial symmetry and the ivory had been smoothed, giving it a smooth and silky appearance. The little box is interesting enough with minutely decorated borders of repeating rosettes and profile heads. But within the chest’s intricate borders, a large chapter of history is present. Figures from both Genesis and Roman myths are carved into the sides. Whoever the artist was, they managed to capture both the classical and the contemporary in one beautiful case. But none of the artists in the museum managed to capture two cultures like Jamie Okuma did. In her piece entitled Adaptation (2011) she captured the style of both native and modern Americans. Her piece is a pair of intricately beaded and tasseled ankle boots. Inspired by both the traditional bead work of American Indians and the high fashion of our current society, she combined the two cultures in one pair of shoes. Every element in the shoes contrasts, from the inclusion of both organic and geometric shapes and both warm and cool colors. The contrasts make for a visual appealing piece that straddles both cultures. Her

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