Jewish, Early Christian, Byzantine and Islamic Art

Teri Wilson March 1, 2010 Professor Hollinger Module 5 JEWISH, EARLY CHRISTIAN, BYZANTINE AND ISLAMIC ART Every religion has its own approach to art and architecture. An assessment between different traditions can offer an illuminating insight into the varying religious outlooks and theologies. Architecture, as well as art, is influenced by a number of forces in society, in the environment, in the psychology of the people who produce it, and in different institutions. It is an expression of inner feelings and beliefs and so naturally is influenced by religion in many societies. Religious architecture is created to experience the sacred, to provide a place into which spiritual energies flow and reflect a sense of the divine. Some religions speak of art directly or have tenets which influence what can and cannot be depicted in art. The scriptures of these religions are the theological basis and shape the way people in express themselves, and this includes how they express themselves through art and architecture. The architecture in Judaism, Christianity, Byzantine, and Islam has important similarities and differences that are a result of the teachings of these faiths. In the first centuries C. E. , Jewish communities could be found in every corner of the Roman Empire. The archaeological remnants and literary attestations of more than 150 synagogues throughout the empire make clear that Jews were integral to the urban landscape of late antiquity, well beyond the borders of Roman Palestine. Asia Minor, in particular, was one of the most prosperous, Jewish communities (Stokstad, 164) The third-century synagogue in the Roman garrison town of Dura-Europos, Syria, like the Christian meeting house and the shrine devoted to the Persian god Mithras that stood just yards away, was adorned with sumptuous painting. The Wall of Torah Niche had splendid murals with narrative scenes from the Bible covered the synagogue's walls; painted tiles of zodiacal symbols ornamented its ceiling (Stokstad, 165). Plaques with dedicatory inscriptions give some indication of the individuals and families who funded the building of such synagogues. In building their monuments, Jews often embraced the Greco-Roman practice of paving the floor with elaborate mosaics, many of which demonstrate an understanding of the second commandment injunction against image making that may surprise today's viewer. In early Byzantine synagogues such as Hamman Lif in North Africa and Beth Alpha, Hammath Tiberias, and Sepphoris in Israel, specifically Jewish symbols—shofarot (ram's horns), menorot (branched lamps), and Torah shrines—might appear alongside pomegranates, birds, lions, and fountains (metmuseum. rg). Zodiac wheels with human figures also find a prominent place in the pavements of several synagogues, dated from the fourth to the sixth centuries, as do scenes drawn from the Bible or allegorized images of the River Nile. After the destruction of the Second Temple by Roman emperor Titus in 70 C. E—an event commemorated on the Arch of Titus in Rome and in Jewish liturgy—images of the Temple's furnishings, especia lly the celebrated gold menorah, or seven-branched lamp, became emblematic of Jewish religion. Marble sarcophagi favored by wealthy Romans were adapted for Jewish use by incorporating a stylized relief image of a menorah (metmuseum. org). In the catacombs of Rome, Jews placed gold glass disks representing the menorah and Torah arks at their tombs, as well as symbols of the festival of Sukkot just as Christians placed glass disks showing saints All these images reference the destroyed Temple and invoke a hoped-for messianic age when the Temple would be restored. So wide-ranging are the contexts for the menorot that it is clear the symbol frequently served merely to distinguish a Jewish monument or a Jewish patron. Seven-branched candlesticks appear in Roman and Byzantine art: in graffiti in the catacombs, inscribed on plaques, as a motif on seals, as decoration on glass bottles and on clay lamps all further testimony to the integration of Jews into late Roman and early Byzantine society (metmuseum. org). With the adoption of Christianity as the official religion, art was able, so to speak, to come above ground in the old pagan city of Rome, and painting, instead of being restricted to the decoration of the walls of the Catacombs or of small chambers and chapels, came into use on a large scale in the new churches that were at once set up. At the same time patronage moved from the hands of the poorer classes to the richer, and artists of outstanding quality came to be employed as well as those of obscurer character, who would work for small fees (www. religion-online. org). To wall painting was added the more luxurious art of mosaic; numerous sculptures were done, and minor objects, often in expensive materials, were in addition produced in the service of the Church, so that art production became at the same time both more extensive and more luxurious (www. religion-online. org ). A great deal of the work that was done at this time has of course perished, more especially that in fragile materials, such as textiles or paintings on panels, but a few mosaics of the fourth century and a good many more of the fifth survive in Rome, and there is quite a lot of sculpture, both on a large scale in stone and on a small in ivory. Something has already been said about the ivories, more especially the Consular diptychs, which necessarily form a part of the general picture, though it is not always easy to be sure of where they were made, as they are in a diversity of styles (www. eligion-online. org). Here we are concerned not so much with these things as with works which are essentially Christian and also undoubtedly Roman, such as the mosaics and wall painting, which are necessarily immovable or stone sculptures on a large scale in a material which was carved on the spot and quarried in the neighborhood. The earliest of the mosaics are those in the church of Sta Constanz a, which was built as an octagonal martyrium or tomb sanctuary between 306 and 337. It was converted into a baptistery in the fifth century, when the lateral apses were added. Only the mosaics on the roofs of the vaulted aisles are of the same date as the original building. This roof is divided into eight compartments, and there are different designs in each, though only those on the three sets on each side survive; they are in pairs, balancing one another on each side. These mosaics, which consist in the main of scrolls and other diverse motifs shown in isolation against a white ground, are very classical in character; they are virtually floor mosaics transferred to the roof. The mosaics which decorated the central dome have not survived, though there is a sixteenth century painting of them in the Escorial. They included scenes from the Old and New Testaments, bordered below by a river and separated one from another by caryatid figures, not unlike the dividing panels in the Baptistery of the Orthodox at Ravenna. In the apses which terminate the sides of the octagon to the north and south are figural compositions of a rather different character, depicting the â€Å"Traditio Legis†, where Christ conveys future responsibility for preaching on one side to Peter and on the other to Paul. Our Lord stands in the centre of each apse, with the Apostle before Him, against a background of trees (catholic-resources. org). The mosaics are probably to be assigned to the time of the building's conversion for use as a baptistery in the fifth century. They have, however, been very much restored at subsequent dates, and to-day appear somewhat clumsy (catholic-resources. org). Those in the dome probably belonged to the same date as those in the vaults of the octagon. Another similar church of this kind is the Church of Santa Sabrina, a fifth-century basilica in Rome. The basilica, constructed by Bishop Peter of IIyria between 422 and 432 BC, is another must see (Stokstad, 170). Santa Sabrina, exterior is typical of the time, which is severe brickwork. In contrast, the interior displays a wealth of marble veneer and 24 fluted marble columns with Corinthian capitals acquired from a 2nd century building (Stokstad, 170). Christianity subject matter is the prime source of art up to the modern era. We find religious art in all styles and the major artists used Christianity in most of their paintings and built structures for Christian churches. In conclusion, it can be seen that art is not just one thing. It is a combination of devices which have taken thousands of years to grow and develop, through different religions, and through time. I personally feel that art is not something that we can define or even begin to describe. Art is to much a part of life to single out on its own or define, especially, religious art. Trying to write a summary on a general view of what art is is virtually impossible. Art, inside of every person is seen as something different and unique making the definition of art diversified for every person. Works Cited 1. www. metmuseum. org 2. www. catholic-resources. org 3. www. religion-online. org 4. Our book, â€Å"Art: A Brief History† by: Marilyn Stokstad

Ptlls Assignment 1 Ground Rules

Edexcel (PTLLS) Michelle Brunton Theory Task One (Unit 5) – part 1 How would a teacher/tutor establish and maintain a safe and supportive learning environment for their learners? It is important to provide a safe and supportive learning environment so that all learners feel comfortable, relaxed and able to explore learning regardless of their previous experiences. For example if student behaviour is not managed, bullying, intimidation and discrimination can occur. There are a number of methods and approaches which could be used to achieve this. Establish ground rulesIn order to create safe and supportive learning environments, it is important to agree rules and boundaries with learners. Gravells stated â€Å"Having ground rules gives a firm boundary for all learners to work within† (2008:8). Ground rules can be established in a number of ways. For example they can be dictated by the teacher/tutor or developed by the students through group exercises, designing posters to illustrate them. By establishing ground rules the learners will be more aware of what behaviour is expected of them, and therefore promotes respect between learners.In turn, this will establish a positive, agreeable and respectful environment in which to learn. According to Petty, â€Å"experiments show that classrooms become much more orderly when rules are stated, or better still negotiated, discussed and fully justified. † (2006:3) this is supported by Gravells who states that encouraging students to take part in making the ground rules, â€Å"allows the group to take ownership of their own rules, then they are more likely to keep to them† (2008:8) Build a strong classroom communityThe classroom environment allows learners to build stronger and larger networks beyond their own community. In â€Å"Evidence based teaching† Petty states â€Å"Good teacher-student relations ensure that students have a more positive attitude to the teacher and to learning, and m ake them more likely to accept rules and any disciplining. † (2006:6) The teacher/tutor can use a number of approaches to facilitate a strong classroom community such as Ice breakers, which provide students with an opportunity to share information about their backgrounds and cultures, exploring the diversity they bring to the classroom.Encouraging students to work in pairs or small groups is another way to encourage students to work with people they would not usually interact with. By building networks in the classroom, students can create supportive relationships with both peers and teachers. Valuing student diversity The classroom should provide students with an environment that is conducive to learning. Valuing diversity within the classroom encourages learners to recognise and respect the fact that people are different. Their differences could include age, cultural background, literacy and numeracy levels and learning styles.Gravells’ definition of diversity is â₠¬Å"valuing the differences in people, whether that relates to gender, race, age, disability or any other individual characteristics they may have†. (2008:18) If a student feels uncomfortable, unsafe, or not respected, then their chances of success in that class could dramatically decrease. Evidence suggests that to establish and maintain a safe and supportive learning environment it is essential to have agreed ground rules and boundaries in place, a strong classroom community which is co-operative and supportive and a strong value for diversity within the classroom.The Teacher should create an environment which outlines clear and reasonable expectations for behaviour, has a relaxed atmosphere and where social and cultural differences are respected and cultivated as resources for learning. Word count (533) Petty G. (2004) Teaching Today 3rd Edition, Cheltenham: Nelson Thornes Petty, G. (2006) Evidence Based Teaching: a practical approach. Cheltenham: Nelson Thornes Free additio nal chapter for ‘Evidence Based Teaching’ by Geoff Petty (2006) Nelson Thornes. www. geoffpetty. com. Gravells, A. (2008) Preparing to Teach in the Lifelong Learning Sector. Exetor: Learning Matters.

Setting and Characters in Act Two of the Play Clybourne Park

Setting and Characters in Act Two of the Play Clybourne Park During the intermission of Bruce Norris play Clybourne Park, the stage undergoes a significant transformation. The former home of Bev and Russ (from Act One) ages fifty years. In the process, it erodes from a quaint, well-kept home into a residence that features, in the words of the playwright, an overall shabbiness. Act Two takes place in September of 2009. The stage directions describe the altered environment: The wooden staircase has been replaced with a cheaper metal one. ( . . . ) The fireplace opening is bricked in, linoleum covers large areas of wooden floor and plaster has crumbled from the lath in places. The kitchen door is now missing. During Act One, Karl Lindner predicted that the community would irrevocably change, and he implied that the neighborhood would decline in prosperity. Based on the description of the house, it seems at least part of Lindners forecast has come true. Meet the Characters In this act, we meet an entirely new set of characters. Six people sit in a semi-circle, looking over real estate/legal documents. Set in 2009, the neighborhood is now a predominantly African-American community.   The black married couple, Kevin and Lena, maintain strong ties to the house in question. Not only is Lena a member of the Home Owners Association, hoping to preserve the architectural integrity of the neighborhood, she is the niece of the original owners, the Youngers from Lorraine Hansberrys A Raisin in the Sun. The white married couple, Steve and Lindsey, have recently purchased the house, and they have plans to tear down most of the original structure and created a larger, taller, and more modern home. Lindsey is pregnant and makes every attempt to be friendly and politically correct during Act Two. Steve, on the other hand, is eager to tell offensive jokes and engage in discussions about race and class. Like Karl Lindner in the previous act, Steve is the most obnoxious member of the group, serving as a catalyst that exposes not only his prejudice but the prejudice of others. The remaining characters (each one Caucasian) include: Tom, the real estate lawyer representing the interests of Kevin and Lenas Home Owners Association. Tom continually tries (but usually fails) to keep the conversation on track.Kathy, the lawyer for  Steve and Lindsey, also tries to keep the proverbial ball rolling. However, she does go on brief tangents, such as when she mentions that her family (the Lindners from Act One!) once lived in the neighborhood.Dan, a contractor who interrupts the debate when he discovers a mysterious box buried in the yard. Tension Builds The first fifteen minutes seem to be about the minutiae of real estate law. Steve and Lindsey want to change the house significantly. Kevin and Lena want certain aspects of the property to remain intact. The lawyers want to make certain that all parties are following the rules established by the lengthy legalese they page through. The mood begins with casual, friendly conversation. Its the sort of small talk one might expect from newly acquainted strangers working towards a common goal. For example, Kevin discusses various travel destinations including ski trips, a clever call back to Act One. Lindsey talks happily about her pregnancy, insisting that she doesnt want to know the sex of their child. However, because of many delays and interruptions, tensions increase. Several times Lena hopes to say something meaningful about the neighborhood, but her speech is constantly put on hold until she finally loses patience. In Lenas speech, she says: No one, myself included, likes having to dictate what you can or cant do with your own home, but theres just a lot of pride, and a lot of memories in these houses, and for some of us, that connection still has value. Steve latches onto the word value, wondering if she means monetary value or historic value. From there, Lindsey becomes very sensitive and at times defensive. When she talks about how the neighborhood has changed, and Lena asks her for specifics, Lindsey uses the words historically and demographically. We can tell she doesnt want to directly bring up the subject of race. Her aversion becomes even more prominent when she scolds Steve for using the word ghetto. The History of the House Tensions ease a bit when the conversation removes itself from the politics of property, and Lena recounts her personal connection to the home. Steve and Lindsey are surprised to learn that Lena played in this very room as a child and climbed the tree in the backyard. She also mentions the owners before the Younger family (Bev and Russ, though she doesnt mention them by name.) Assuming that the new owners already know the sad details, Lena touches upon the suicide that took place over fifty years ago. Lindsey freaks out: LINDSEY: Im sorry, but that is just something that, from a legal standpoint, you should have to tell people! Just as Lindsey vents about the suicide (and its lack of disclosure) a construction worker named Dan enters the scene, bringing in the trunk that has recently been dug up from the yard. By coincidence (or perhaps fate?) the suicide note of Bev and Russ son lies in the box, waiting to be read. However, the people of 2009 are too concerned with their own daily conflicts to bother opening up the trunk.

LinkedIn Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

LinkedIn - Essay Example Professionals dealing with ISM enable all categories of organizations to receive information benefits through adequate investments in staffs, processes and equipment. ISM is people focused, with adequate focus on quality service. Presently, the ISM is increasingly being developed on the computer networks, software and also hardware. ISM is applied in the facilitation of analysis, strategic and operational processes. LinkedIn is a category of ISM, in that it is a business focused social networking service. The business focus is the main reason why it is suitable for professional networking. Professionals use the information system processes of LinkedIn to share information on organization business environment. The increasing international business connectivity is the main factor why the users of LinkedIn are continuously increasing in terms of millions on yearly basis. Presently, the professional networking site has approximately 259 million users. LinkedIn is also present internationally, in approximately 200 countries. The multinational corporations operate in diverse business environments. The diverse cultures and language in the international business environment is the main reason why LinkedIn is available in 20 international languages including; English, Portuguese, French, Spanish, German, Swedish, Russian, Korean, Japanese and Chinese. LinkedIn initiated the initial public offering durin g January 2011. The shares of the company were initially traded at the New York Stock Exchange on May 19, 2011. LinkedIn is applied by professional internationally to share ideas on organization processes like management activities, innovation, technology adaptation and quality standards. LinkedIn is effective in its operations as an ISM tool, due to its capable management team and professional experts. The CE of the organization is Jeff Weiner, the immediate former executive of another global information system corporation, Yahoo! Inc. The founder of the company

Court Report Case Study Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3500 words

Court Report - Case Study Example Investors who purchased a majority interest in a corporation did not commit fraud upon minority shareholder in either inducing him to execute employment and royalty contract, or during his subsequent performance under such contract; though following execution of contract investors failed to disclose their honest opinions on shareholder's job performance, failed to disclose facts concerning their attempts to sell corporation, and failed to disclose to prospective buyers corporation's potential liability to shareholder for enormous royalty benefits, such omissions and misrepresentations did not induce minority shareholder to execute contract, nor did he rely upon such omissions and misrepresentations to his detriment in his performance of the contract. A shareholder of a corporation does not generally have a right to sue personally for alleged losses sustained by the corporation due to mismanagement or breach of fiduciary duties; a shareholder may only sue to recover losses to a corpor ation resulting from mismanagement and breach of fiduciary duties secondarily through a shareholder's derivative suit. When an officer knowingly and intentionally acts against the best interest of the corporation or outside the scope of his authority, he can be held liable by the party whose contract right has been damaged. An action against a corporate officer for intentional and unjustified interference with contractual relations may be divided into separate elements: (1) the existence of a contract or a legally protected interest between the plaintiff and the corporation; (2) the corporate officer's knowledge of the contract; (3) the officer's intentional inducement or causation of the corporation to breach the contract or his intentional rendition of its performance impossible or more burdensome; (4) absence of justification on the part of the officer; and (5) causation of damages to the plaintiff by the breach of contract or difficulty of its performance brought about by the of ficer. Conclusion: 1. A plaintiff claiming the existence of an oral contract greater than $500 in value may prove its existence and terms by at least one credible witness and other corroborating circumstances 2. A plaintiff may serve as the one credible witness needed to establish existence and terms of an oral contract in excess of $500 3. The elements are necessary to prove fraud are (1) the existence of a contract or a legally protected interest between the plaintiff and the corporation; (2) the corporate officer's knowledge of the contract; (3) the officer's intentional inducement or causation of the corporation to breach the contract or his intentional rendition of its performance impossible or more burdensome; (4) absence of justification on the part of the officer; and (5) causation of damages. Court of Appeal of Louisiana, Fourth Circuit. SUN DRILLING PRODUCTS CORPORATION v. Jerry J. RAYBORN, Sr. No. 2000-CA-1884. Oct. 3, 2001. STATEMENT OF THE FACTS In 1994, Jerry J. Rayborn owned Sun Drilling Products Corporation. Rayborn began negotiations with a group of Philadelphia investors concerning the

Social intelligence Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Social intelligence - Assignment Example They should be aware of the unspoken setting patterns, social regulations, and paradigms that govern different situations. Appreciation of various views from people and an understanding of the way these people react to uncertainty, stress, and conflicts should be part of a leader. 2. Leaders should be present This is the way a leader affects groups or individuals through his or her body language, physical appearance, how he occupies space in his office, as well as his demeanor and mood. Leaders ought to have listening skills to create a quality of effectiveness self assurance that allows them to relate well with others. 3. They should be Authentic Authenticity reveals how sincere and honest leaders are with themselves and with the rest. According to Albrecht, when leaders respect themselves, believe in their personal faiths and values, and are realistic, they will probably serve others with authenticity. In this context, authenticity entails the capacity relate genuinely with others, a value that demands compassion and empathy. 4. Leaders should be clear Clarity means that leaders should express their opinions, thoughts, intentions, and ideas in a clear way. They should understand the power of language as a means of expression and thought, and thus use it as a strategic asset. Leaders with high social integrity clarity can monitor their language patters as well as that of others, in order to avoid particular pathologies that can result to personal and collective disputes, misunderstandings, and maladjustments. 5. Leaders should embrace Empathy They should look at how considerate and really aware they are of how others feel and how capable they are to treat other people as unique persons. It is all about identifying with those who are below and sharing or appreciating their feelings. Albrecht views this strategy as a sense of connectedness and a state of positive feeling or rapport between two people. Protecting oneself from toxic personality Toxic personality o r behaviors are those which make others feel inadequate, angry, guilty, devalued, and frustrated. If one of my family members has these personalities, I can protect myself from letting his negativity by using the nourishing behaviors. I can do this by analyzing the few positive traits of my sibling, and how important he is in my life, such as by determining what critical roles he plays in terms of my overall composure and well being. If he has a value that may bring the best in me such as paying my school fees, even though he is harsh or abusive, I can ignore the â€Å"grenade† side of him and appreciate him in the well-being point of view. Proximity interaction zones and non-verbal cues According to Albrecht, social intelligence involves correct interpretation based on social signs of nonverbal behavioral cues and generation of non-verbal cues displaying social signals suitable in a given situation (Albrecht 2005). If I enter in a room a â€Å"Mix and Mingle† Business and people are already talking in groups, I would introduce myself by expressing some sense of happiness through a genuine smile. The second step will be to make an aye contact with the person close to me, a nonverbal cue that will engage the gathering and show my interest in participating in the discussion. For any leader who might get himself in a situation like mine, I recommend that he should first of all learn how to use positive body language signals. If people

Performance Management Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

Performance Management - Assignment Example Job description is a statement of the overall purpose and scope of a job together with its details of a task and duties. It is a written statement of what the employee does how he does it and what the job working conditions are. In general, a job description sets out the purpose of the job where it fits into the organization structure, the context in which the job holds a function and the principles of the job accountability of the jobholder. The content includes Job identification, job summary, responsibilities, standard of performance and job specification (Said & Munap, 2010). The retail staff shall achieve optimum sales profitability, business growth and accounts penetration within a market segment or territory by selling the products of the retail shop effectively. The retail sale staff shall secure as well as contact customers and new business accounts in the market. The organizational behaviour management (OBM) involves the application of the science of human behaviour. OBM relates to the behaviour of people in a workplace, in addition, OBM is guided by a theory of human behaviour that is emphasised on identification and modification of environmental factors that affect employees performance. OBM is anchored in the work of B.F Skinner who postulated that an employee’s behaviour is inferred by his needs. In that, an employee may perform poorly in work because of poor job satisfaction or reduced rewards when he makes much profit to a company. Therefore, the OBM process identifies behaviours related to performance, study their instances and occurrences, identifies the major triggers, come up with interventions strategy, applies the postulated strategy and maintains the optimal performance through appropriate rewards to the employees. OBM embraces a three contingency model that is antecedent-behaviour-consequence. An antecedent is the stimulus that precedes behaviour and encourages the practice of that behaviour.