Video Review

More Human Than Human

Questions and Topics for Your Blog Posting:

 1. Explain why you selected the video you chose from the selection listed above.

This video (More Human Than Human) was a requirement to watch for this assignment. Before watching, I will say that the title has me intrigued.

2. For each video list/discuss the key concepts you learned.

·         The human form is the world’s most popular forms to create in works of art. This is an interesting fact that also makes plenty of sense, because much of the artwork that we see throughout the world is based on the human body, from sculptures to paintings.

·         The ways in which the human body has been portrayed throughout history is also very interesting. For example, “The Venus of Willendorf” is portrayed with exaggerated parts of her body, while other parts of her body are ignored. This is clearly not a realistic portrayal of the human female form. 

      3. How do the videos relate to the readings in the text?

This video’s discussion of “The Venus of Willendorf” relates to the readings in the text because in chapter 14, we read about the various sculptures in  Mesopotamia, ancient Greek and ancient Roman cultures. The sculpture from Mesopotamia is just one of those many statues that have been created during those time periods.

4. What is your opinion of the films? How do they add depth to understanding of the readings and art concepts?

I think that this video helped increase my understanding of the art concepts from ancient times throughout the world.  The sculptures and various other works that have been created, and are now in museums throughout the world are simply amazing, as they can never be recreated. I was able to see a more detailed view of these works that were being discussed in the video.

Cairo Museum

1. Explain why you selected the video you chose from the selection listed above.

I selected this video because of my interest in the art and works of ancient Egypt. I find the mummies, art and jewelry to be so different from other works that I have seen, which makes this topic so interesting to me. I also have never seen what is inside the Cairo Museum.

2. For each video list/discuss the key concepts you learned.

·         Learning the history of King Tut and various other mummies is not something that can be seen and learned anywhere else in the world, other than at the Cairo Museum.

·         The museum opened in 1902.

·         Ancient Egyptians preserved their dead through mummification, and burial masks that were painted and created to look like the person being mummified.

      3. How do the videos relate to the readings in the text?

The paintings that have been found inside the tombs where people were buried in Egypt relate to the cave drawings that we read about in chapter 14. The artifacts that we see in this video of the museum also relate to some of the objects that are shown in chapter 14 of the reading in the text.

4. What is your opinion of the films? How do they add depth to understanding of the readings and art concepts?

I was very intrigued by the topic of this video, because of the unique works that have been so amazingly preserved for thousands of years. The beauty of the work from paintings to jewelry to sculptures created by the ancient Egyptians goes into so much depth that there is a museum dedicated to it in Cairo.