#west european culture

[overwatchfanskinarchive]

Chef's Kiss Widowmaker by Ethan Tadin (artstation)

[artthatgivesmefeelings]

Johann Friedrich August Tischbein (German, 1750-1812) Amalie von Levetzow (1788-1868), 1803 The 15-year-old Amalie of Levetzow appears delicate, graceful and almost floating. The life-size portrait was created on the occasion of her wedding, whereupon the pigeon with the myrtle branch. Tischbein was a sought-after portraitist. He had trained with his uncle in Kassel as well as in Paris and Rome and gave his figures with great painting fineness and liveliness. Amalie became the mother of Ulrike von Levetzow, who fell in love with Marienbad, 72-year-old Goethe 17 years later.

[mythologypaintings]

Flora Caressed by Zephyr

Artist: François Gérard (French, 1770-1837)

Date: 1802

Medium: Oil on canvas

Collection: Museum of Grenoble, Grenoble, France

Description

Ovid tells this myth in Book V of the Fasti; Flora herself explains to the poet who she is, what her attributes and accomplishments are, and justifies the games dedicated to her in Rome. Originally, Flora, or Chloris among the Greeks, is a nymph from the Fortunate Isles known for her great beauty. One spring, Zephyr, god of the West Wind, sees her and immediately falls madly in love with her. He pursues her, then ends up kidnapping her and marrying her. Zephyr then offers his wife, who has become a goddess, the "sovereignty of flowers". Flora tells the poet Ovid that she has set herself the mission of classifying all species of flowers, without succeeding because of their number. Linked to the city of Rome, the goddess is offered every year, between the end of April and the beginning of May, sumptuous festivals that end with games: the Floralia . Associated with spring, with flowers of course, with youth and beauty, the cult of Flora in Rome consists more concretely in the protection of the flowering of agricultural plants.

[portrait-paintings]

Portrait of the Drummond Family, Peter Auriol Drummond (1754-1799), Mary Bridget Milnes Drummond (1755-1835), and George William Drummond (1761-1807)

Artist: Benjamin West (American-active Britain, 1738-1820)

Date: c. 1776

Medium: Oil on canvas

Collection: Minneapolis Institute of Art, Minneapolis, Minnesota, United States

Description

Born in Pennsylvania, Benjamin West moved to Europe in 1760, studying primarily in Italy before settling in London in 1763. One of his first important patrons was Robert Hay Drummond, the Archbishop of York. Drummond attempted to raise an annual salary for West so that the artist could devote his time to producing grand historical paintings, rather than be confined to the lucrative work of portraiture. When this effort failed, Drummond introduced West to King George III, who recognized the artist's abilities and eventually appointed him Historical Painter to the King. West achieved tremendous fame and financial success in London and helped establish the prestigious Royal Academy in 1768.

This family portrait depicts four members of the Drummond family. At far right is Peter Auriol Hay Drummond, the third son of the Archbishop and an officer in the 16th Light Dragoons. Next to him is his wife, the former Mary Bridget Milnes. On the left is the Archbishop's sixth son, George Hay Drummond, a clergyman in the Anglican church, who holds a painting of the fourth "sitter,", the archbishop. Some scholars have suggested this is intended as a memorial, and must date to after the archbishop's death on December 10, 1776. Others have suggested that the painting might precede his death, since none of the sitters give any indication of mourning. Perhaps the archbishop's duties in York prevented him from sitting for the portrait in London, so West included him with the clever conceit of representing a portrait painting in the work.

[artemlegere]

King Lear

Artist: Benjamin West (British-American, 1738–1820)

Date: 1788, retouched by West 1806

Medium: Oil on Canvas

Collection: Museum of Fine Arts, Boston, Massachusetts, United States

Description

In this painting, West illustrated act 3, scene 4 of Shakespeare’s tragedy for John Boydell’s popular Shakespeare Gallery in London, which promoted interest in the playwright and in contemporary history painting. Rather than accept the begrudging hospitality of either of his two scheming daughters, King Lear takes leave of them to wander the moor as a violent storm rages and his own insanity begins to set in. Here, supported by the loyal Earl of Kent, Lear thrusts his body forward and flings his head back, with eyes lifted skyward. He curses both the storm and his offspring. At the right, the Earl of Gloucester’s son Edgar crouches half-naked and disguised as a madman. The Fool squats on the ground to the left at the foot of Gloucester himself, whose torch illuminates the disturbing scene. Levels of madness - innate in the Fool, feigned by Edgar, and encroaching upon Lear - are underscored by the fury of the storm.

King Lear marked a turning point in West’s work, a break from the restrained style that had established his reputation. Here, rather than a neoclassical, frieze-like arrangement of a group of figures painted in a cool palette and bathed in a clear light, he expressed the pathos of the tragic story through the frenzied gestures and wild, windswept garments of his players. He heightened the effect by using theatrical color and dramatic contrasts of highlight and shadow. West’s new, dynamic approach makes a powerful emotional appeal to the viewer and anticipates the Romanticism of the next century.

[akan-institute]

Most Afrikans Will Say They Are the Oldest and First People.

The Igbo people will say they are the first and oldest people in the world. The Yoruba people of Nigeria will also say the same. The Ewe in Ghana called themselves, Amuawo, which means the first people, which has the same meaning as Akanfo.

The Great Kongo.

In the Great Kongo, the BaKongo people will say, "The Kikongo language, is the language of creation." This is how far back our history goes. To the dawn of time and the universe (Ye fre tete Odomankoma).

We know who we are. We know our history. The first people. Speaking the most ancient of languages. Languages that formed the foundations of all major languages in the world.

Do the Asians and Europeans (who our ancestors called Ofre Jato, (albinos), know their true history and origins? We know who we are. Do they know who they are and their very true origins?

[royalty-nobility]

Queen Charlotte (1744-1818) with Charlotte, Princess Royal (1766-1828)

Artist: Benjamin West (British-American, 1738-1820)

Date: 1776

Medium: Oil on Canvas

Collection: Royal Collection Trust, London

Description

In this double portrait the Queen and the Princess Royal are engaged in tatting a piece of material or embroidery between them; on the table beside the Queen is a bust of Minerva, a sheet of music and papers; in the distance are St James's Park and Westminster Abbey. As if all this were not improving enough there is a sheet of drawings by Raphael. West was paid 150 guineas for this painting which was exhibited at the Royal Academy in 1777.

[artandthebible]

Hagar and Ishmael

Artist: Benjamin West (American-born British, 1738–1820)

Date: 1776, retouched 1803

Medium: Oil on canvas

Collection: Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York City, NY, United States

Description

This painting illustrates the plight of Ishmael after he and his mother have been turned out of Abraham’s household (Genesis 21). West exhibited the picture at the Royal Academy of Arts in London in 1776. In 1803 he changed both the figures and the background, repainted the angel, added draperies, and submitted the painting for a second exhibition. The Royal Academy ruled that no artist could show a work twice. West, who was the academy’s president from 1792 to 1820, was outraged. The controversy continued until 1806, when West was finally allowed to exhibit the picture.

[overwatchfanskinarchive]

Joan of Arc Venture by HannAHH

[xtruss]

Who Were The Tarim Basin Mummies? Even Scientists Were Surprised. The Enigmatic, Extremely Well-preserved Mummies Still Defy Explanation—and Draw Controversy.

— By Erin Blakemore | September 15, 2023

Hundreds of bodies have been excavated from cemeteries like this one around the Tarim Basin in Xinjiang, a region of Western China. Known as the Tarim Basin mummies, these people lived some 4,000 years ago—and their ancient DNA has yielded surprising insights. Photograph By Wenying LI, XinJiang Institute of Cultural Relics And Archaeology

Though they died thousands of years ago, hundreds of bodies excavated in East Asia’s Tarim Basin look remarkably alive. They retain the hairstyles, clothing, and accoutrements of a long-past culture—one that once seemed to suggest they were migrant Indo-Europeans who settled in what is now China thousands of years ago.

But the mummies’ seemingly perfect state of preservation wasn’t their only surprise. When modern DNA research revealed the preserved bodies were people indigenous to the Tarim Basin—yet genetically distinct from other nearby populations—the Tarim Basin mummies became even more enigmatic. Today, researchers still ask questions about their cultural practices, their daily lives, and their role in the spread of modern humanity across the globe.

How Were The Tarim Basin Mummies Found?

Buried in a variety of cemeteries around the basin as long as 4,000 years ago, the naturally mummified corpses were first unearthed by European explorers in the early 20th century. Over time, more and more of the Tarim bodies were unearthed, along with their spectacular cultural relics. To date, hundreds have been found. The earliest of the mummies are about 2,100 years old, while more recent mummies have been dated to about 500 B.C.

One of the most famous mummies found in the Tarim Basin is the Princess of Xiaohe, also known as the Beauty of Xiaohe. Named for the cemetery where her body was found, she is remarkably well-preserved even down to her eyelashes. Photograph By Wenying LI, XinJiang Institute of Cultural Relics And Archaeology

Who Really Were The Tarim Basin Mummies?

At first, the mummies’ Western-like attire and European-like appearance prompted hypotheses that they were the remains of an Indo-European group of migrant people with roots in Europe, perhaps related to Bronze-Age herders from Siberia or farmers in what is now Iran.

They had blond, brown, and red hair, large noses, and wore bright, sometimes elaborate clothing fashioned from wool, furs, or cowhide. Some wore pointed, witch-like hats and some of the clothing was made of felted or woven cloth, suggesting ties to Western European culture.

Still others wore plaid reminiscent of the Celts—perhaps most notably one of the mummies known as Chärchän Man, who stood over six feet tall, had red hair and a full beard, and was buried over a thousand years ago in a tartan skirt.

Another of the most famous of the bodies is that of the so-called “Princess” or “Beauty” of Xiaohe, a 3,800-year-old woman with light hair, high cheekbones, and long, still-preserved eyelashes who seems to be smiling in death. Though she wore a large felt hat and fine clothing and even jewelry in death, it is unclear what position she may have occupied in her society.

But the 2021 study of 13 of the mummies’ ancient DNA led to the current consensus that they belonged to an isolated group that lived throughout the now desert-like region during the Bronze Age, adopting their neighbors’ farming practices but remaining distinct in culture and genetics.

Scientists concluded that the mummies were descendants of Ancient North Eurasians, a relatively small group of ancient hunter-gatherers who migrated to Central Asia from West Asia and who have genetic links to modern Europeans and Native Americans.

How Were They Mummified?

These bodies were not mummified intentionally as part of any burial ritual. Rather, the dry, salty environment of the Tarim Basin—which contains the Taklimakan Desert, one of the world’s largest—allowed the bodies to decay slowly, and sometimes minimally. The extreme winter cold of the area is also thought to have helped along their preservation.

How Were They Buried?

Many bodies were interred in “boat-shaped wooden coffins covered with cattle hides and marked by timber poles or oars,” according to researchers. The discovery of the herb ephedra in the burial sites suggests it had either a medical or religious significance—but what that religion might have been, or why some burials involve concentric rings of wooden stakes, is still unclear.

Mummified corpses were first unearthed in the Tarim Basin by European explorers in the early 20th century. Their Western-like appearance and clothing originally led researchers to believe these ancient people were migrants from Europe—but DNA later debunked that theory. Photograph By Wenying LI, XinJiang Institute of Cultural Relics And Archaeology

What Did They Eat?

Masks, twigs, possibly phallic objects, and animal bones found at the mummies’ cemeteries provide a tantalizing view of their daily lives and rituals. Though most questions about their culture remain unanswered, the burials did point to their diets and the fact that they were farmers. The mummies were interred with barley, millet, and wheat, even necklaces featuring the oldest cheese ever found. This indicates that they not only farmed, but raised ruminant animals.

What Were Their Daily Lives Like?

The Tarim Basin dwellers were genetically distinct. But their practices, from burial to cheesemaking, and their clothing, which reflects techniques and artistry practiced in far-off places at the time, seem to show they mixed with, and learned from, other cultures, adopting their practices over time and incorporating them into a distinct civilization.

Researchers now believe their daily lives involved everything from farming ruminant animals to metalworking and basketmaking—helped along by the fact that the now-desolate desert of the Tarim Basin region was once much greener and had abundant freshwater.

Researchers also believe that the Tarim Basin residents traded and interacted with other people in what would eventually become a critical corridor on the Silk Road, linking East and West in the arid desert.

But archaeologists still have much to learn about what daily life was like for these ancient humans, including who they traded with, what religious beliefs they adopted, and whether their society was socially stratified.

Most of the bodies were found buried in boat-shaped coffins like this one, with the site typically marked by oars. This coffin is covered with a cattle hide, suggesting that the Tarim Basin people raised cattle and other ruminant animals. Photograph By Wenying LI, XinJiang Institute of Cultural Relics And Archaeology

Why Are The Tarim Basin Mummies Controversial?

The amazingly preserved mummies have long fascinated archaeologists. But the Tarim Basin mummies have also become political flashpoints. The Tarim Basin is located in the modern-day Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region, land claimed by China’s Uyghur minority. Uyghur nationalists claim the mummies are their forbears, but the Chinese government refutes this and has been reluctant to allow scientists to study the mummies or look at their ancient DNA.

In 2011, China withdrew a group of the mummies from a traveling exhibition, claiming they were too fragile to transport. Some research about the mummies’ DNA has been criticized as downplaying the region’s distinctness in support of China’s attempts to assimilate Uyghur people. Just as more remains to be learned about the enigmatic mummies, their future as political and national symbols remains disputed too.

[akan-institute]

Even, After Death. We Know Our Place of Abode.

Somewhere in the skies, in a binary star system. We share return after our demise from this realm of existence. The Great Dogon people call this place, Yaa Tolo. In the Akan language, it is called Asa-Man (the nation of the creator), the source and origins of life.

Even after death, we know our place of abode. Do the Asians and Europeans know their true history and most especially, do they know their true origins?

[overwatchfanskinarchive]

Monarch/Bridgerton Venture by Nirvana/Nirvan0211/Ready-Square-7414/Koalox

[artandthebible]

The Expulsion of Adam and Eve from Paradise

Artist: Benjamin West (American-born British, 1738-1820)

Date: 1791

Medium: Oil on canvas

Collection: National Gallery of Art, Washington, DC, United States

Description

In the left half of this horizonal painting, a winged angel gestures with arms raised over a man and woman being forced away from a bank of clouds set against a flat and barren landscape. The angel, man, and woman all have pale skin. The blond angel is dressed in a flowing white robe with coral-red fabric that hangs over one arm and billows behind. Kneeling in front of the angel, the woman wears a toga that appears to be made from an ivory-colored animal skin. Her long auburn-brown hair falls in waves around her shoulders, and she looks up to the sky, her mouth open. She kneels with her body facing our right, and she grasps the man’s right arm, closer to us. The man wears a chestnut-brown fur garment around his hips and he covers his face with his other hand. His brown curls and the animal skin blow in the wind. Gold and cream-white clouds envelop the angel to our left and give way to the shadowed landscape to our right. A dagger-like spear of light thrusts out of the clouds from above the angel, toward the man and woman. Thistles grow close to us in the foreground and, to our right, a striped serpent lifts its head and flicks out its tongue. A lion attacks two horses beyond the people, and in the sky above, an eagle swoops down on a heron. The navy-blue horizon line in the deep distance could indicate a body of water. Small patches of blue sky appear through breaks in the clouds.

Genesis 3:23-24 The Message (MSG)

So GOD expelled them from the Garden of Eden and sent them to work the ground, the same dirt out of which they'd been made. He threw them out of the garden and stationed angel-cherubim and a revolving sword of fire east of it, guarding the path to the Tree-of-Life.

[waterloggedtomorrow]

One thing that is unreasonably annoying to me is the codification of "Eastern" and "Western" as designations of place rather than direction. It's not Important, but it does just make me so annoyed to read about "Eastern" immigrants "Coming West" from China to the US, like, my friend they are Literally moving East.

[tanukifucker91]

Sorry but it annoys me when Americans on here get mad and yell about how the rise of fascism in the west is not uniquely an American problem but how it's not talked about. I'm sorry, where have you been? It has been talked about extensively for the past decade. Maybe just not in America. Because Americans famously don't care about the rest of the world. Sorry if this comes off as mean but it sounds like mad copium to me if your knee-jerk reaction after Trump getting re-elected is "ummm but it's not just us, why are you pointing fingers". Honestly the rise of fascism in the west is so obvious to me as a non American that I wouldn't even have thought of mentioning it.

[anewbrainjughead]

Google has a few different sources that say the US most recently has about 62,500 bars total

interesting! thanks for the extra info :)