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"Madonna Enthroned", Giotto, Florence, Italy 1310, tempera on wood

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"Madonna Enthroned", Giotto, Florence, Italy 1310, tempera on wood

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Giotto's "Madonna Enthroned," was painted as an altar piece for the church of Ognissanti in Florence, Italy. This altarpiece represents an important religious icon, the Virgin Mary, and her baby Jesus within the main religion of Italy at this time. In this piece the Virgin Mary or Madonna is depicted much larger than the rest of the individuals throughout this piece introducing a hierarchical scale representing her importance and significance within this culture and their beliefs. Angels surround her as she holds the infant baby Jesus, a very important icon within this religion. This piece helps tell a Biblical scene of the Virgin Mary's son Christ offering the blessing with his right hand. Overall, the main religious figure in Christianity is illustrated in this piece as baby Jesus, a very well known icon amongst this religion.

Jean Robertson and Deborah Hutton, The History of Art: A Global View (London: Thames & Hudson Ltd., 2021) chap.
https://digital.wwnorton.com/152324/r/goto/cfi/1666!/4

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"Deposition from the Cross", Rogier Van der Weyden, Louvain, Belgium. 1435, Oil on wood

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"Deposition from the Cross", Rogier Van der Weyden, Louvain, Belgium. 1435, Oil on wood

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"Deposition from the Cross" painted by Weyden was created to be an altar piece as well. This piece represents the moment Christ Jesus descends from the cross. Throughout this piece many religious figures are represented, not just only Jesus such as Joseph of Arimathea and Nicodemus who lift Christ's body off of the cross, while John the Evangelist checks on Christ's mother Mary who has become faint due to seeing his death. This piece not only represents a specific scene among this religion, but it also portrays many important religious icons such as these individuals.

Jean Robertson and Deborah Hutton, The History of Art: A Global View (London: Thames & Hudson Ltd., 2021) chap.
https://digital.wwnorton.com/152324/r/goto/cfi/1666!/4

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"Tlaltecuhtli Monolith" Templo Mayor, Mexico City, Mexico 1502-21, stone

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"Tlaltecuhtli Monolith" Templo Mayor, Mexico City, Mexico 1502-21, stone

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This monolith or big sculptural relief from Templo Mayor depicts the female earth goddess Tlaltecuhtli of the Aztec culture. The physical features such as blood coming from her mouth, monster joints, no lips just teeth etc. shows the great importance, power, and fear this religious icon held within the Aztec culture. Within the Aztec mythology and religion, Tlaltecuhtli was best known as the earth goddess of fertility. This is shown through the posture of Tlaltecuhtli squatting down in a child birth position representing the idea of fertility and a mother. Within this myth of Tlaltecuhtli, the Aztec people belief that all living things were to be created from her body. Tlaltecuhtli is one of the major religious icons throughout the Aztec society due to the fact that she is the main goddess they worship and create art around. This sculptural relief was created to worship their goddess and many other forms of art were created for and about her within their culture.

Notes:
Mark Cartwright, "Tlaltecuhtli", World History Encyclopedia, 2017, https://www.worldhistory.org/Tlaltecuhtli/

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Isenheim Altarpiece, "Crucifixtion" Grunewald, Isenheim, Germany 1516 oil on wood

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Isenheim Altarpiece, "Crucifixtion" Grunewald, Isenheim, Germany 1516 oil on wood

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Many Northern European altarpieces were created during this time including the Isenheim Altarpiece. Within this altarpiece and triptych when the panel's are closed, the painting "The Crucifixition" of christ was created in order to capture an important scene within their religion of Christianity. Christ is depicted larger than the other figures within this piece in order to show the great importance he had as an important icon throughout their religion. Not only is Christ represented within this piece, but to his right is Mary Magdalene kneeling and beside her is the Virgin Mary falling into John the Evangelists arms while on the other side is John the Baptist pointing to Christ. All of these figures depicted in this piece are of large importance within the religion of Christianity thus illustrating the concept of art created to honor religious icons within the artists specific culture.
Jean Robertson and Deborah Hutton, The History of Art: A Global View (London: Thames & Hudson Ltd., 2021) chap.
https://digital.wwnorton.com/152324/r/goto/cfi/1666!/4

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" The Burial of Count of Orgaz", El Grego,  Church of Santo Tomé in Toledo, Spain, 1586–88, oil on canvas

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" The Burial of Count of Orgaz", El Grego,  Church of Santo Tomé in Toledo, Spain, 1586–88, oil on canvas

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"The Burial of Count of Orgaz" depicts the progression of the burial process of the Count of Orgaz and his procession into heaven. Throughout this piece the concept of religion comes into play due to the fact that the Count is ascending into heaven surround by religious figures and angels. The Prophet John the Baptist is depicted kneeling and gesturing towards the Virgin Mary and along with that, Christ is shown hovering above the group of those carrying the count with a group of angels surrounding them. Not only is one main religious icon and figure being shown throughout this piece, but many important individuals within Christianity are depicted above the Count representing his ascension into heaven. This piece was created to honor not only the Count of Orgaz, but help create a connection among heaven and earth. The role and aspect of religion is shown throughout this piece in not only the biblical figures painted, but Greco's brushstrokes and overall composition of his piece allows for the viewer to see the mystical tone that opens up a religious feeling throughout his painting.

Jean Robertson and Deborah Hutton, The History of Art: A Global View (London: Thames & Hudson Ltd., 2021) chap.
https://digital.wwnorton.com/152324/r/goto/cfi/1666!/4

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"Figure of the God A'a", Rurutu, Austral Islands, 1590-1650, wood

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"Figure of the God A'a", Rurutu, Austral Islands, 1590-1650, wood

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This figure was created in order to represent the national God A'a of Rurutu. This sculpture is unlike the vast majority of Polynesian images which are solid wood, while in this specific sculpture the head and the body are hollowed out and it is equipped with a removable back panel that allows objects to be placed inside, in a sense of use for rituals. This sculpture served as a vessel into which their religious being, the mana, was summoned during religious ceremonies to be consulted, venerated, and presented with offerings. Throughout this sculpture, many smaller human beings make up its facial features and others features of the body as well. Even though the figures are not identified, they suggest fertility and procreation showing the different generations that come from an ancestor. This sculpture represents not only the religious icon of their God A'a and his features, but it also was used to as a part of religious practices and rituals in order to reach contact with their religious spirit mana.

Jean Robertson and Deborah Hutton, The History of Art: A Global View (London: Thames & Hudson Ltd., 2021) chap. 52, 851-852 https://digital.wwnorton.com/152324/r/goto/cfi/1704!/4

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"Jahangir Preferring a Sufi Shaykh to Kings" Bichitir, Mughal Empire, 1615-18, Opaque watercolor, gold and ink on paper 

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"Jahangir Preferring a Sufi Shaykh to Kings" Bichitir, Mughal Empire, 1615-18, Opaque watercolor, gold and ink on paper 

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During the time this piece was created, artists such as Bichitir started creating allegorical portraits with iconography  that combined the idea of Jahangir's supreme power with spiritual ideas and themes. This piece created by Bichitir, exemplifies this exact concept going on in the art world within this culture at that time. In this painting Jahangir is shown giving preference to a Sufi Shaykh, a teacher of Islamic faith, over kings. Jahangir sitting on the hour glass with a large sun and moon halo over his head is the largest figure throughout the piece compared to the other individuals. Below Jahangir are two angels writing on the hourglass along with many other important figures throughout this culture in this time period including the Shaykh and the kings. Jahangir is an important icon within the islamic faith due to the large importance he places on religion throughout their society. Jahangir put the spiritual priorities above any world issues or priorities and due to that he is seen as an advocate for the islamic religion and religious icon in doing so.

Jean Robertson and Deborah Hutton, The History of Art: A Global View (London: Thames & Hudson Ltd., 2021) chap. 51, 832-833
https://digital.wwnorton.com/152324/r/goto/cfi/1666!/4

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"Cross with Pendant of Toni Malau", kingdom of Kongo, Africa. 19th c, wood and copper alloy

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"Cross with Pendant of Toni Malau", kingdom of Kongo, Africa. 19th c, wood and copper alloy

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Throughout Kongo during this time, their own symbolic visual language of the Kongo religion combined with imported christain images causing images of the crucifixion to be quickly taken in to the local religious arts such as this piece. A sculpture of a crucifix such as this one became a symbol of not only political, but also religious authority and became an emblem for kings who desired divine blessing for themselves and others. During this time many individuals became devoted to this specific preacher depicted on this sculpture known as Toni Malau. Toni is shown in a robe holding a child in one arm and a cross in the other. He is created holding this two figures because he was believed to protect mothers and their offspring as well as to help royal owners protect and take care of their people. Although Toni is not thought to be a God in this religion, he is known as a religious icon due to his position in their culture as a preacher who spread the religion all throughout their society. As well as that, the symbolism of the cross and the crucifixtion is a world wide symbol of the religion of Christianity and the representation of Christ.

Jean Robertson and Deborah Hutton, The History of Art: A Global View (London: Thames & Hudson Ltd., 2021) chap. 51, 832-833
https://digital.wwnorton.com/152324/r/goto/cfi/1666!/4