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"The nameless is the origin of Heaven and Earth
The named is the mother of myriad things
Thus, constantly without desire, one observes its essence
Constantly with desire, one observes its manifestations"
Central to Taoist dogma, an ancient Chinese philosophy which emerged amongst civil unrest and incessant war, is the limitation of human knowledge and the voluntary yielding to the universe. Humans arrogantly endeavor to transcribe the laws of the universe when, in reality, the universe is unknowable, or "nameless." How can we describe infinity whilst confined to our infinitesimal, insignificant earth? Nonetheless, the Tao Ching is widely considered to be the holy book of Taoism, employing an authoritative tone and a style that resembles a legal document, spelling out unequivocal doctrines of the Taoist philosophy. The Tao Ching states that there is no one correct interpretation or observation of the world because of innate human selfishness and ignorance. It preaches the uncertainty of the real, and thusly, a real that is true enough for every individual belonging to the human race. No truth perceptible by humans exists which can explain the whole universe, but a truth exists for every individual that explains the small section of the world which they can observe.

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"[Men trapped in the cave] would hold that the truth is nothing other than the shadows of artificial things."
Though separated by geography and hundreds of years, Plato's The Allegory of the Cave echos a similar sentiment to the Tao Ching, being human ignorance. The Allegory of the Cave is written as a dialogue between Plato's teacher, Socrates, and Plato's brother, Glaucon (Dorbolo). Many of Plato's written works are composed in this style because of Plato's notion that "truth is only gained through dialogue," since the ability to test or analyze opinions in a speech is absent (Dorbolo). Consequently, the language and tone of The Allegory of the Cave is more casual than the pompous rhetoric of the sophists of Plato's time yet still maintaining the erudition and eloquence for which Plato is known. The Allegory of the Cave communicates the limitation of reality by human perception. Those described in the allegory as prisoners to the shadows believe steadfastly in the illusions upon the wall and are not to be convinced that reality exists elsewhere than the cave to which they are confined. One's reality is profoundly restricted by their environment, at the expense of the individual.

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Indo-Pacific Ancestor Figures (19th century)

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Indo-Pacific Ancestor Figures (19th century)

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Rigid. Expressionless. Primitive. These wooden idols, belonging to a nonindustrial tribal civilization within Indonesia, illustrate a spartan life lived practically without much consideration given to the minutiae of life. Their form is exceedingly plain, only capturing the basic outline and features of the human body. Their stance is stiff, with no dynamic lines implying movement, mirroring the rudimentary kouros developed in ancient Greece and Egypt millennia before. Color is patently absent. Indo-Pacific art is preoccupied with functional use, such as worship, neglecting aesthetics and devoid of a message or meaning that is sent forth by modern artists. In the case of the tribesmen and women that still inhabit many Pacific islands, their environment impedes their truth; their perception of the real. Reality for these people does not extend much farther than the day-to-day, than fulfilling one's physiological needs. Their whole reality is limited to a small expanse of jungle in the Indonesian rainforest, excluded from the international community and the bold achievements of mankind.

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Amedeo Modigliani, Portrait of a Young Woman (1918)

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Amedeo Modigliani, Portrait of a Young Woman (1918)

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It appears that once per generation a tragic figure rises from obscurity to break the mold and challenge societal conventions. Modigliani felt circumscribed by a prude society mired by an adherence to stringent morals (Ng). Contrary to the status quo, Modigliani chose to live his life loosely with an abundance of alcohol and sexual partners (Ng). His discontent served as the impetus for his art. The purpose of portraiture in the early 1900's, during which Modigliani was active, was to flatter the self-importance of the upper echelon of society. By choosing to represent his similarly unsophisticated friends and passing lovers in portrait, he understandably incited uproar in the artistic community. The elongated features of his models like in Portrait of a Young Woman, echoing non-Western styles, further provoked outrage. Though his use of color and balance closely mirror that of early twentieth century art, the disproportionality and subject matter that Modigliani employed sets his body of work apart from his peers. Modigliani's other work, including overtly sexual nude portraits with suggestive poses and come-hither smiles, best embodies Modigliani's brazen rebellious nature. His life having been cut short by tuberculosis, Modigliani's work never approached the dark subject matter and themes utilized by his contemporaries, which included Pablo Picasso (Ng). If he had been spared from the scourge of disease, however, it is easy to speculate that his work would maintain its tongue-in-cheek qualities. Modigliani was well-aware of the fleeting nature of life and chose to pursue pleasure instead of status. His truth was that life is best lived in indulgence and that life is too brief to allow for preoccupations and anxieties, in stark contrast to the rather somber artists of the same period.

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War has a regrettable tendency to sour the attitudes of affected persons, does it not? First Steps depicts a tender moment sullied by the horrors of war. Its figures, composed of blocky, geometric shapes, create an unnatural atmosphere within the painting, stirring a feeling of unease in the viewer. The painting's overall dark value and bleak colors add a melancholy air as well. The emphasis in the painting is clearly on the baby and specifically his face, which appears bizarrely contorted with bulging eyes and with limbs that are disproportionate and approaching grotesque. The overarching theme of Picasso's body of work is "war is hell," the artist tormented by the suppression, tension, confinement, and omnipresent fear of living under Nazi occupation. Having been subjected to the realities of war-torn Europe, pain became Picasso's sole truth. His art became increasingly surreal and tenebrous as he was gripped by the darkest side of the human condition. Following his affliction at the hand of the Nazis, Picasso never would be convinced of inherent good again, his reality torn apart by the woes of war.

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Caws, Mary Ann. “A Journey
Through the Exhibition.” National
Gallery of Victoria
Dorbolo, Jon. “Plato: The Dialogue
Form - Republic.” Great
Philosophers, Oregon State
University, 2002
Ng, Tracee. “Amedeo Modigliani
Most Important Art.” The Art
Story, 2018