F is for Family

F is for Family. By: Charisma Ford.

Introduction. The significance of family cannot be emphasized. They have a huge influence on our lives and help us grow as individuals. Those who are lucky enough to have a family usually underestimate its value. Those who do not have families, on the other hand, recognize their value. Our family is our biggest source of strength. It teaches us about the value of relationships. They help us build meaningful interactions in the outside world. The affection we gain from our families we carry on to our independent relationships. Patience is also taught to us by our families. It might be tough to be patient with our family members at times. Nonetheless, we continue to be so out of love and respect for one another. As a result, it teaches us patience in order to better deal with the world. Families establish trust in us and make us feel loved. They are our pillars of strength, never failing to keep us going so that we can evolve into better people. We learn love, respect, faith, hope, compassion, cultures, ethics, traditions, and everything else that is essential to us through our families. Growing up in a loving family provides a solid foundation for everybody..

First Stop The Terra Cotta Warriors Unknown Artist - Created under Quin Shi Haung (First Emperor of Xian, China)'s command alreated (over the span of about The granite Terra Cotta Warriors we 230 and 200 B.C.) under Quin Shi Haung's rule to protect his tomb after he died, so they visually mimic the stance and wardrobe of warriors in command. The estimated 8,000 clay warhors stand at 5'8," and every single ohe is unique. No two clay figures•are the same, and these warriors •are believed to be guarding the first emperor in the spirit world as we speak..

Chromium had no role in preserving China's Terracotta Warriors – scientists.

Second Stop - Christ m House of I-4is Parents Unknown artist [Benin peoples] Finished in 1850, the oil painting Christ.in the Houseof His Parents captures the infamous Jesus Christ in one•of the most unique styles at the time, T.aking on a realistic approach, Millais displays the dysfunctional and not so "picture perfect" family dynamic that he imagines of Jes This piece was seemingly created with love and admiration•. The kiss on the cheek of siblings, and team work being displayed on the table giv.e the viewer a warm and homey feeling. The displaced belongings.on the floor and crooked wall aft display the concept of homes meaning to appear lived in. In other words not so perfect or neat and tidy. The terracotta warriors that we recently discussed encompass an opposite feeling. I imagine blood, sweat, and tears of tne creators figuratively mark the stone•Used to creäte such a grand army.

Christ in the House of His Parents - Wikipedia.

Third Stop The Arnolfini Portrait oil painting is rumored to be filled with symbolism,ANhich is something that i admire. In a dark bedroom filled with seemingly random objects stands an awkwardly posed couple. Some of these objects include a cat,•oranges on the windowsill, a convex mirror, and wooden clogs. These objects are all scattered abu.lt as the cpuple is painted in the center, appearing to be looking at a camera. this piece is heavily influenced by religion. Mor ifically, the Christian religion. Through symbofism of things like fertility, marriage, and socral status numerous bible references are present. For example, pictured in the capturing following this couple's wedding, is a mirror. Surrounding the mirror are various images relation to Jesus Christ like his birth and crucification. It is believed that even further than the depiction of Christianity, the•image is intentionally positioned So that on the wife's side of the reflection Jesus is dead in all of the scenes, but the opposite is to be said about her husband'S side of the mirror. This-is rumored to éxpress the unequally, •associated with their marriage. These ifinades are unique because this painting was constructed during a time where religion was not the main focus for a lot of people. In other words, this paining wassreated during the renaissance; a time period in.which gr&t attention was paid to things like art, literature, and classical philosophy. In better words, people were interested in things that they qn explain with logic like science, philosophy, etc..

The Arnolifini Portrait" Jan van Eyck - Artwork on USEUM.

Fina[ Stop Laocoon and His Sons This piece is a remarkable display of the aspects associated with hellenism and Greek mythology that have heavily influenced artists like Michelangelo and those alike Hellenistic art can be characterized as expressmg movement or action, appreciating natural anatomy, apd including ornate. details (meaning that these pieces are complex and luxurious). This piece obviously relatés to this concept in its make up. For example, the sculpture is crafted using nfarble, something that in our culture-rs an-expensive material used on tungs like countertops. In another example, the men sculpted are naked. This is something though to be obscene in today's cultur beautiful in the erain which this art was created. But what can be said aboüt the active sc V'/hat is this scene? The Greek story of Laocoon. "Laocoon Was a Trojan priest. When the Greeks, whQ were sieging Troy,•abandoned the renowned Trojan Horse on the beach, Laocoon sought to warn the Trojan commanders not to carry jt inside the city in case it was a trap. As the Greeks' guardian, the Greek goddess Athena punished Laocooo by having him and his two sons assaulted by the huge sea• sérpents Porces and Chariboea. In the sculpture, one son is pictured breaking free from the snakes and looking.over to witness his father and sibling dying in agony.".

Laocoön and His Sons - Wikipedia.

"What does Family mean to you? IN 1 WORD.

Conclusion. Overall, these pieces exist to depict and artistically portray different aspects of what it means to be family. As I mentioned prior, family can act as a single person's source of strength. What better way to display that relationship than through soldiers protecting as done with the Terracotta Warriors. As displayed by the kiss on the cheek in the piece at our second stop, family also teaches us what it is like to be loved. Through giving and receiving, we establish what it takes to spread love. Another vital pillar associated with what it means to be family is Tradition. Through traditions like the wedding proceeding the scene in the Arnolfini portrait. The last and final principle visualized concerning family is the togetherness described in the story of Laocoon and his Sons. In the tale, the brothers are punished with their father implying the concept of "if we win, we win together. if we lose, we lose together..

Sources. Man J. (2009) The terra cotta army: China’s first emperor and the birth of a nation. Da Capo Press. Robinson, M.D. (2019). Christianity: A brief history. Cascade Books. Hall, E. (1994). The Arnolfini betrothal: Medieval marriage and the enigma of van eyck’s double portrait. University of California Press. Seaman, K. (2020). Rhetoric and innovation in Hellenistic art. Cambridge University Press..