Analysis Of Arhats Giving Alms To Beggars - 1530 Words

Just as it’s human nature to believe in something larger or more powerful than oneself, it is also human nature to express that divinity through art, this is proven time and time again in human history. Picturing the divine is a type of testimony to show a cultures greatness. The painting Arhats Giving Alms to Beggars comes from the Chinese culture of the Southern Song period. Whereas, the mosaic Christ as Pantocrator comes from the Byzantine culture of the Greek Orthodox tradition. Although these paintings come from very different backgrounds both cultures show the divine and their pressure on mankind to follow the rules, such as giving away worldly desires. By doing so and letting go of material possessions, mankind can be hopeful of†¦show more content†¦The attachment the beggars have on worldly desires is shown by their actions towards the coins. The painting is abstract and stylized as it shows the arhats being twice the size of the beggars. This is called the hi erarchal scale because the artist wanted to portray the arhats as more grand and important compared to the beggars. Another abstract and stylized feature is that the arhats seem to be floating in a cloud and not physically on the ground. However, there are some components of naturalism. For example, the shading of the arhats clothing gives the effect of movement and flow as they gracefully stride down to earth. Arhats Giving Alms to Beggars is more abstract and stylized when compared to the typical naturalistic features of the Southern Song period. A good example is On a Mountain Path in Spring which shows an abundance of naturalism. Arhats Giving Alms to Beggars also shows more human figures and less nature unlike the earlier landscape paintings of the Southern Song period. The apse mosaic, Christ as Pantocrator, comes from the Byzantine culture. Found at a cathedral in Sicily at Monreale, Italy. The cathedral was constructed under Norman rule by William II to show his power and au thority. The mosaic dates back to 1180 CE. Like the painting Arhats Giving Alms to Beggars, Christ as Pantocrator also evokes religious interpretation for it pictures the divine. The use of space, color, and comportment helps elaborate the