Art history

You did start a debate, a discourse, a discussion ~ whatever. So let it go where others will take it.

Gotta love it! Up here on the top side we say 'hodge podge.' Now I'll use 'hotch potch' instead and when asked I'll be able to say that's the way Aussie's say it! Thanks! And thanks for a good post too!

This statement needs some qualification.

Ancient Greece was an empire that included much of Italy and the east coast of what is now Turkey, as well as Crete and the islands of the eastern Mediterranean. Ancient Greece was also a seafaring and adventurist culture, that took in many influences from the outside world. Not the least of these was the writing system of a non-Greek people from what is now Lebanon called the Phoenicians. Influence from other cultures was brought in by Greek merchant ships. The same could also be said of China. Most of ancient China was not China in fact but non-Chinese territory, including Mongolia, Manchuria, Tibet, etc. China had an active seafaring culture until about 1600, which would have brought in foreign influence.

Even those areas that were not part of the Chinese empire were tributary states, like Thailand and Korea, with whom the Chinese had regular relations. One foreign influence, brought in from India about 500 AD was Buddhism, which totally transformed Chinese moral, mythological, and religious culture. Many Chinese myths are in fact of Indian origian. Another foreign admixture was Islamic art, whose influence is mainly seen in the fact that since about 800 AD Chinese pottery has been a virtual copy of middle eastern motifs. To make a comparison based on a non-cosmopolitan image of these cultures with ours would be erroneous therefore.

American education is filtered through American textbook and media writers who maintain a parochialism of their own. In fact many Americans will reflexively attack the accomplishments of other cultures in order to maintain a false image of the supremacy of American culture. For example

Actually I was quoting Thur ~ normally I'd say 'a dog's dinner' Cheers

I think Thur was refering to your reply written in all caps. This gives one the impression of shouting

I assumed the 'all caps' was some Aussie phobia brought on by kangaroo dandruff. You know, trying to keep from 'jumping' from lower to upper case and back again...

Now ain't that a dog's dinner!

maybe Art was not seen as a commodity to be sold as such. The medieval cathedrals employed hundreads of skilled artists and craftsmen. Some of them were even imported to my distant northern country - with all costs paid!

You're probably right, didn't think of that when writing. Just taking a break while doing a project and Caps Lock was on. Guess I was 'deaf' to the look of it at the time. Apologies to the offended. Cheers J

I thought about the cathedral constructors after I posted that comment. There was a need, of course, for cathedral (and church) building in order to fulfill the religious expansion in those times. And many of the stone masons were indeed fine 'artisans.' Later there was a need to fill those same cathedrals with art work that reflected the 'new' religion(s). So maybe one could look on the medieval period as one of constructing the buildings, and the 'Renaissance' as a period when the art to fill those buildings was commissioned.

Does this answer Thur's question?... Or are you two just chit-chatting?

FYI (naah - FWIW), Renaissance art was not created to fill churches.

LOL! Kangaroo dandruff?

Talking about Aussies : the Aussie Quinten Hann (nicknamed the 'Wizard of Oz' did pretty well in the UK Snooker Championship which ended tonight (Stevens won). Hann reached the quarter finals but was defeated by Ronnie 'The Rocket' O'Sullivan in top form. Probably nobody in Australia noticed because AFAIK they don't watch it there even though Hann is a great top 16 player. So, I'm telling this so Judith now knows

Hann was born in Wagga Wagga....

I'm wondering what went on inside the head of the person who named this city. The mind boggles

I wouldn't want to live in Australia. National Geographic and Discovery always show these creepy animals that live over there. If you're not teared apart by dingo's then you'll either be eaten by a shark or bitten by a poisonous spider or snake. New Zealand is safe though, the worst that can happen to you there is being picked at by a dumb kiwi