Archive for November, 2007
The Lady Justice is probably one of the most recognizable pieces of sculpture in the world. It is also one of those popular sculptures that cannot be attributed to just a single famous sculptor since a great number of artists from past to present have created their own version of this revered subject. The Lady Justice has adorned many law establishments all over the world with its beauty and its presence that symbolizes one of the inherent virtues of humanity, that is, justice.
The Lady Justice has a history that spans back since ancient times. She is said to be the personification of Justicia, the Roman goddess of Justice. She may also be attributed to the Hellenic goddess Themis, who embodied law and custom as well of divine order. Some say that Lady Justice is a combination of the different ancient characters that is said to uphold law and order, all of which may have contributed to the modern portrayal of the revered Lady Justice that we know today. The blindfold over the eyes of today’s Lady Justice may have come from the early depictions of Themis. The sword may have originated from early Egyptian depictions of Ma’at, often depicted as a lady that holds a sword and an ostrich feather on her hair who also symbolized truth and justice. It was Justicia who was later on depicted with the blindfold over her eyes that held the scales and a sword that became the basis for the modern Lady Justice.
Lady Justice is usually portrayed as an elegant lady with a blindfold that is carrying a sword in one hand and the scales in the other. These symbols stand for the principles that are required to uphold the rule of law and justice. The blindfold over the eyes symbolizes a justice that is given without prejudice. The blindfold signifies that justice should be upheld regardless of rank or position, power, identity or weakness. It came to further symbolize justice served objectively.
The sword of Lady Justice is said to symbolize the power that justice holds in preserving law and order. The sword may also stand for Reason and Justice which can be meted either for or against any party. The scales came to symbolize how justice comes to measure support or opposition for a situation in order to come out with an objective decision.
Different artists have depicted Lady Justice in quite a number of incarnations. They mostly include the three modern symbolisms that came to be associated with this recognizable icon. It has become quite a common depiction of Justice that this revered lady can be found in almost every courthouse and law establishment all over the world.
November 28th, 2007
Salvador Domingo Felipe Jacinto Dali, better known all over the world as Salvador Dali, was a noted Spanish surrealist painter. He was known for his bizarrely striking surrealist paintings and other works. Dali was born on May 11, 1904 in the town of Figueres in Catalonia, Spain. His father, Salvador Dali y Cusi, was a lawyer and who was also a strict disciplinarian. It was Dali’s mother, Filipa Domenech Ferres who encouraged Dali to pursue his artistic inclinations.
Dali attended drawing school when he was young and discovered modern painting while on a summer vacation in Cadaques in 1916. He was first influenced to modern art by Ramon Pichot, a local artist who was able to visit Paris regularly. It led him to study at the School of Fine Arts in the Academia de San Fernando in Madrid in 1922. Even then, Dali was already getting some attention due to his eccentricity. He went around the academy wearing clothes reminiscent of late 19th Century English fashion, complete with long hair and sideburns.
But it was mainly his paintings at the academy, where Dali began to experiment with Cubism that drew some attention from his fellow students. His works then were considered as interesting since there were no cubist artists in Madrid during that time. Dali also experimented with the Dada style which became a major influence in his later works.
In 1926, Dali was expelled from the Academy just shortly before his final exams for arrogantly stating that no one from the school faculty can competently examine him. After being expelled, Dali went to visit Paris where he was able to meet up with another noted painter, Pablo Picasso who became Dali’s idol.
Dali was known to devour learning from different art styles and make them as part of his artworks. His artworks varied from the classical to the avant-garde and sometimes a mix of different artistic influences in one artwork. It was during this time that his art exhibitions in Barcelona were beginning to catch attention from admirers and critics both. It was also during the late 1920’s that Dali began to grow his trademark flamboyant moustache, said to be an influence of 17th Century Spanish painter, Diego Velasquez.
Aside from painting, Dali also collaborated with other artists in other types of media such as film and photography. In 1929, Dali collaborated with film director Luis Bunuel to make the short film, Un Chien Andalou (An Andalusian Dog). It was also during this time that Dali had important exhibitions of his surrealist works. In 1931, Dali painted what was to become one of his most famous works, The Persistence of Memory. This bizarre surrealist painting is known for their depiction of several melting clocks amidst a barren landscape, which made the images all the more eerie.
November 26th, 2007
The Taj Mahal has long been regarded as one of the eight wonders of the world. Located in Agra, India, this wonder of ancient architecture is actually a mausoleum that was built on the orders of Mughal emperor Shah Jahan in memory of his favorite wife, Mumtaz Mahal. Aside from being regarded as one of the most recognizable buildings in the world, the Taj Mahal has also been considered as probably the most beautiful and the most elegant monument built out of a man’s love for his wife.
The Taj Mahal is also considered by many experts as the finest example of Mughal architecture which is a style influenced by elements from Indian, Turkish, Persian and Islamic architectural styles. The mausoleum houses the grave of the queen Mumtaz Mahal located at the lower chamber of the building. When the emperor Shah Jahan died years later, his body was also placed next to the grave of his beloved wife.
The domed marble mausoleum is the most recognizable structure of the Taj Mahal, although it actually is composed of a number of integrated structures. The white marble tomb structure of the Taj Mahal stands on a square plinth or raised platform that formed as the base. The tomb was built according to the style influenced by the Persians. The main building is a large multi-chambered structure with a main “iwan”, or arch-shaped doorway. The building is cornered by four tall minarets.
The marble dome of the main structure is what gives the Taj Mahal its imposing and majestic feature. The dome has a height that is equal to the base of the building at 35 meters. The top of the dome is decorated with a lotus design that accentuates the dome’s height even further. The main dome is surrounded by four smaller domed kiosks that are placed at its corners. These smaller domes have communed bases that open through the roof of the tomb and provide some lighting to the interior.
Fixed on top of the main dome is a gilded spire or finial. It was once made out of gold but has been changed to bronze since the early 1800’s. The spire displayed the integration of Persian with the Hindu decorative influences. The spire is spiked with a moon with its horns pointing heavenward, a common Islamic feature. The horns of the moon also combine with the spire’s tip to create a trident shape, a traditional Hindu symbol for Shiva.
Exterior decorations found in the main structure are regarded to be the finest of Mughal architecture. The lesser the surface area of the exterior, the more intricate the decorations become. Most of the decorations on the building’s exterior are grouped as either of abstract forms, vegetative motifs or calligraphy. This is in line with the Islamic belief that prohibits the display of human features as decorative elements.
November 14th, 2007
The Petronas Towers can be seen towering over the skyline of Kuala Lumpur in Malaysia. These majestic twin towers hold the record of being the world’s tallest twin structures. The twin towers were even considered as the tallest buildings in the world from 1998 to 2004 at a height of 452 meters from the roof, including the spires of the two structures.
The Petronas Towers was designed by famed architect Cesar Pelli. The towers consisted of 88 floors that are largely constructed out of concrete. The towers also have a steel and glass facade designed to resemble motifs that are usually found in Islamic art, an indication of Malaysia’s Muslim culture. The buildings were built with foundations that go 120 meters deep. They are considered as the world’s deepest foundations which required massive amounts of concrete to construct.
The lack of availability of steel in Malaysia and the prohibitive costs of importing them made concrete the only viable material to use. Moreover, using concrete was a cheaper option since Malaysia has enough local supplies to provide the need for the construction of the two towers. The use of super high strength reinforced concrete is known to be even twice as effective in reducing structural sways as steel. It is also a material that Asian builders are more familiar with. With these advantages, concrete hands down became the best choice.
The twin towers are supported by 23 by 23 meter concrete cores with an outer ring of widely spaced super columns. This design allows the Petronas Towers to accommodate a more slender profile while providing from 1300 to 2000 square meters of column free office space at each floor. The two towers also feature a skyway which connects both towers at the 41st and the 42nd floors of the building. Due to its location relative to the ground at 170 meters, the skyway is considered to be the world’s highest 2-storey bridge. The skyway is also 58 meters long. It allows people to go from one tower to another and also acts as a safety device in case of fire or any other emergency that might occur in one of the towers.
The towers also employ an elevator system that is located at the center of each of the two towers. All main elevators in the building are designed as double deckers with the lower deck taking passengers to the odd-numbered floors while the upper deck serving passengers for the even-numbered floors. Shuttle elevators are also on hand to take passengers directly to the 41/42 level, the location of the skyway. The elevator system is also part of the safety feature of the evacuation plan for the two structures since the staircase and the skyway alone prove to be inefficient and unable to evacuate all tenants should an emergency occur on both towers.
November 7th, 2007