Samantha_J

The Last judgement is a huge fresco on the wall of the Sistine Chapel in Vatican City. It was painted by the iconic Renaissance artist Michelangelo between 1536 and 1541. The fresco depicts the second coming of Christ and humanity's judgment, with heaven and hell fighting over human souls. It is an important work of art that can tell us a lot about the Italian Renaissance and its people's perceptions of religion and art. In the style of Michelangelo there is a lot of emphasis on the human figure, with the idea of humanism that developed in the Renaissance, however theses ideas were beginning to find opposition, and many people were angry about the fully naked pictures in a church, so much so that after Michelangelo's death they were painted over with drapery. The piece also speaks about the condition of the artist in this time, as we can see that Michelangelo painted this piece with a much more pessimistic viewpoint, even including his own self portrait as a flayed skin. On the ceiling of the Sistine Chapel where Michelangelo painted earlier in his life there is a distinct difference to the Last Judgment, the paintings on the ceiling were much more perfect and happy, but the Last Judgment was a much more negative view. This also corresponded to the protestant reformation and the catholic church attempting to hold on by creating a work like the Last Judgment to assert the religions strength. All in all, this is an amazing example of Renaissance art, but it shows the decline from the height of humanism and expression found in the time period and the shift to a more troubled world.
 * Unit 3 Primary Source: The Last Judgment by Michelangelo**
 * Saint Bartholomew with Michelangelo's self portrait as a flayed skin:**


 * School of Athens**

One of the most interesting characters in the School of Athens in Diogenes. He was a great Greek philosopher and a cynic who adopted a simple lifestyle living on the streets of Athens in and lived from somewhere around 412-323 BCE. The reason Diogenes is laying down in the painting is because he would lay around Athens with nothing trying to show people his ideas about humanity. Diogenes was very different to other philosophers in the time and would go against many social norms and orders. Even when he was confronted with Alexander the Great praising him for his mind, Diogenes dimply asked him to move out of the way because he was blocking his sunlight. Diogenes connects to the renaissance because of the revival of some of his thinking and philosophy along with any of the other great Greek philosophers and people in this painting. The way he defied social orders was also an important idea to the Renaissance because of the ways people were beginning to view change in their society. On person that should have been included in the School of Athens was Ibn Battuta. Through his great travels through Asia, Africa, and Europe he became a perfect example of the rise in culture, trade, and diverse thinking that the Renaissance was rising to be a part of and that the School of Athens was trying to promote. Good suggestion. -SW


 * Unit 2 Primary Source: Magna Carta**

The Magna Carta was a charter signed in 1215 between King John and several feudal barons seeking to preserve their rights and to limit the king's power. It was a pivotal constitutional document that became a model for legal systems in both England and America. In its 63 clauses the barons called for King John to submit some of his power and change elements of the legal system. It stated that King John would be overseen by 25 barons who could veto and overrule the king's decisions of they did not follow the charter, allowing them to use force if necessary. The charter arose from King John's unsuccessful military campaigns, which led to higher taxes and from upsetting the Roman Catholic Church. These things caused the barons to rebel, capturing London, and setting up the Magna Carta.

The Magna carta went on to become a powerful symbol for England and America, directly influencing the United States Constitution and becoming an influence to the legal systems of the first colonies in America. In England it also became the basis for it legsl system and a symbol of freedom and equal justice in the years to come. Although this document has become very important to England and the U.S, it has been relativity unimportant to the rest of the world. Even though it is a powerful document and example of constitutional law, it may be perpetuating the idea that the western world is superior, when we know it was probably not the first, nor best example of such a document or system.

Hi Samantha! The Magna Carta is an interesting topic of conversation. It's weird to see how some aspects of ancient societies were so important to the U.S. and not to the rest of the world. At the end of your last paragraph, you said that it "may be perpetuating the idea that the western world is superior." Could you please expand your thinking on this last point? What I'm getting from this is that you believe some of the American guiding principles were modeled off of a European document, so we, in turn, are glorifying Europe because they helped form the practically perfect (cough cough no comment) government we have in America. Am I correct here? Great job on this. Stay cool! :) -Emma D.


 * Class Stater: Hagia Sophia**



The Hagia Sofia, which literally means "Holy Wisdom," was a center for many religions in ancient Constantinople, and has been a church, a mosque, and now a museum located in Istanbul, Turkey. It was built in 537 by the byzantine emperor, Justinian, and later converted into a mosque by the Ottomans. It was considered a monumental place of worship in both the Christian and Muslim religions. Its grand domes style is representative of the highest point in Byzantine architecture. After it was built it was considered the leading church for the Christian faith for centuries, until the 15th century when the Byzantine Empire collapsed and the church was turned into a mosque. The christian symbols and mosaics were plastered over with new Islamic symbols and pictures, and it functioned as a mosque for many years, until in 1935 it became a museum containing many religious artifacts and art pieces.

The structure standing today is actually the third church to be built on the site of the Hagia Sofia. The first Church, originally called the "Great Church," was burned down by rioters in 404 and the second church also burned down during the Nika Revolt in 532, immediately after which Emperor Justinian ordered it rebuilt for the third and final time.

It is befitting that the Hagia Sophia became a religious center for both Christianity and Islam because Istanbul (Constantinople) is a convergence point for the two religions, as well as two continents. In Istanbul and Constantinople Christianity and Islam have had a turbulent relationship, but the two opposing religions have created a very powerful cultural center with significance for many people from all around the world. The way that the mosque is layered on top of the church in the Hagia Sophia is a reflection of the way the cultures and religions layer together in the city around it.

One of the most important aspects of the architecture of the Hagia Sophia is its domed style. Until the construction of the Cathedral of Florence much later during the Renaissance, the Main dome was the biggest ever built. Even though it shows very advanced architecture and construction for the time it was built in, the dome's weight has been a problem since it was made. the dome collapsed completely in 558 and was rebuilt in 563, until the larger section collapsed yet again, so that today only two sections date back to the second reconstruction.

Because the church was built to face Jerusalem and mosques face Mecca, the focal point of prayer was moved slightly off center to face Mecca when the church was converted into a mosque.


 * Unit 1 Primary Source: Dead Sea Scrolls**

The Dead Sea Scrolls are a collection of hundreds of documents found in the 1940s and 50s in eleven caves near Qumran and the west bank of the Dead Sea. The scrolls date from approximately 300 BCE to 100 CE. Most of the scrolls were written in Hebrew, some were in Aramaic and even Greek, inscribed on papyrus or parchment in copper. They consist primarily of ancient religious writings, many are Biblical documents from today's Hebrew Bible, while others are non-Biblical representations of religion including hymns and prayers, wisdom texts, and many more. There are also a small portion of " sectarian" manuscripts representing daily life and community philosophy. The Dead Sea Scrolls are some of the oldest know copies of Jewish religious texts and have demonstrated many of the values of Jewish communities providing historians with new religious documents that were previously unknown.

Most of the documents are now in small fragments, but some of the scrolls have remained intact. The Scrolls and fragments can be viewed online at the Leon Levy Dead Sea Scrolls Digital Library.

Very interesting topic! You provided just the right amount of information. Here is my question: How do you think The Dead Sea Scrolls are significant in terms of our understanding of the religious aspects of Greece and Judaism?

-Leilani Maher