Course_Project_Part_One
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Southern New Hampshire University *
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HUM-200
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Arts Humanities
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Dec 6, 2023
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Exploration Document
Joe Okupniak
Southern New Hampshire University
HUM200: Applied Humanities
Jason Flynn
October 4, 2023
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Exploration Document
Cultural Artifacts
My first work is the Bust of Nefertiti by Thutmose, created in 1345 BCE, is my debut piece. In
this image, a woman is depicted with a long neck, darkly arched brows, high cheekbones, a
mysterious smile, and an alluring face in general. Although the left eye on the figure is missing,
some historians think that this was done on purpose because the bust was intended to be a model
rather than an artistic sculpture. The figure is heavily pigmented with shades of blue, pale red,
yellow, green, black, and white. My second work is the Pensive Bodhisattva. A young Indian
prince is credited with creating the Buddhist sculpture known as the Pensive Bodhisattva. This
artwork was made to symbolize the nature of human life.
Common Theme
Historical events, artistic movements, and religion are represented by the Bust of Nefertiti and
the Pensive Bodhisattva. Both the Bust of Nefertiti and Pensive Bodhisattva are ancient pieces of
art that still have value in the contemporary art world. They both serve as examples of their own
cultures and had a significant influence on how people lived back then.
Personal Experience
My theme relates to my own experience since they represent their culture in the same way that I
do for mine. Although my culture is very different from theirs, I believe that we each have
distinctive influences on our own civilizations.
Profession
I consider my own mortality and how we are all ultimately going to die as I continue to mature
and grow my own family. Since I am mortal and death will eventually find me, I now have to
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consider how any activities I take would affect my own mental and physical health before I take
them. I must do this for the sake of my own family, therefore I must do my best to avoid death.
Humanities Resources
My first resource provides an overview of Nefertiti's history and place in Egyptology is given in
my first source. It was written by a team of editors and writers identified only as "History.com
Editors." A list of the articles from which the material was pulled is provided at the end of the
piece. Because historical context is essential to comprehending anything historical, it is pertinent
to my issue. To understand everything we are studying, we need to know the historical facts. This
website came up in a Google search for "'Bust of Nefertiti' AND beauty." I chose this source after
carefully weighing its potential usefulness in arguing my point, its content, and the veracity of
History.com. My second source provides context for the "Bust of Nefertiti." Nonprofit groups
have financed and maintained the website "artincontext.org" in order to publish and spread
information about artists, their works, and where to find them. This relates to my topic since it's
important to comprehend the work itself rather than just its setting or subjectivity. I took into
account the source's content, relevancy, and potential counterarguments while selecting it as a
resource. My third resource talks about how the Pensive made its way in becoming a treasure.
Historical Context
Thutmose, the royal sculptor of the Egyptian Pharaoh Akhenaten, produced the Bust of Nefertiti
in 1340 BCE (artincontext, 2022). According to Staatsmuseen zu Berlin (n.d.), the bust was
probably created as a model rather than necessarily as a statue or work of art for the royal family.
The enigma surrounding Nefertiti still sparks discussion and debate about the purpose of art and
how it has evolved, making the piece of art important even now. Between the fifth and eighth
centuries, bodhisattva images were common throughout East Asia. During the sixth and seventh
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centuries, especially in the kingdoms of Baekje and Silla, the type became a significant Buddhist
icon in Korea.(Richter M. A. 1917 The Metropolitan Museum of Art, 2012, p.109)
Similarities and Differences
These two pieces have a common topic that represents religion and physical beauty in relation to
cultural and societal norms.
Thutmose aimed to express and preserve the enduring beauty of
Queen Nefertiti in the "Bust of Nefertiti."
In Ancient Egyptian culture, physical characteristics
and regal stature were highly admired and prized, both in this life and, more significantly, in the
next.
Medium
The core of the sculpture for the Bust of Nefertiti was made of limestone, and the finer features
were added with stucco to hide the roughness of the limestone (artincontext, 2022). Thutmose
was able to transform Nefertiti utilizing this technique from the less than ideal beauty standards
she possessed to the ideal representation of beauty. The Pensive Bodhisattva's medium impact
serves as a good metaphor for the period and setting in which this work was produced. The
sculpture of the object expresses the significance of life in that period's Central Asian culture.
Thesis Statement
Both the Bust of Nefertiti and the Pensive Bodhisattva have deep cultural importance.
Audience
People who don't have a comprehensive understanding of historical ancient artifacts would make
up the optimum audience for my chosen items. I chose this topic because I want to affect my
audience's perception of historical artifacts and change the way they think.
Message
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To tailor my presentation for my audience and make it more understandable and relatable, I will
try to connect the beauty evident in my works.
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References
Artincontext. (2022, May 22). Nefertiti bust - Discover the iconic Egyptian bust of Nefertiti.
Artincontext.org. https://artincontext.org/nefertiti-bust
Staatliche Museen zu Berlin. (n.d.). The Bust of Nefertiti. Staatliche Museen zu Berlin.
RetrievedJuly 12, 2022, from https://www.smb.museum/en/museums-
institutions/aegyptisches-museum-und-papyrussammlung/collection-research/bust-of-
nefertiti/the-bust/
The Metropolitan Museum of Art. The Metropolitan Museum of Art Guide. New York: The
Metropolitan Museum of Art, 2012, p.
109https://www.metmuseum.org/art/collection/search/65397
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