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  1. What did Oceanus rule over as a Titan? (The ocean.)
  2. Can you see evidence of his role as ruler of the ocean in this bronze? (Head emerges out of a "scaly" BACKGROUND. Two dolphins rise out of his head at the crown. Fish swim in and out of his hair and beard.)
  3. What kind of furniture do you think this was made for? A chair? A bed? Why? (No right answer since we don't know for sure.)
  4. Is this bronze boss an example of additive or subtractive sculpture? (In bronze casting, an additive method of sculpting, an artist models the sculpture in clay, then uses the model to make a mold for molten bronze.)
  5. What function do these embellishments serve? (Adding precious metals make the boss more valuable, expressing the wealth of its owner.)
  6. How do we decorate furniture today? (Carved wood, paint, combining different materials such as wood and metal, much like ancient Romans!)
  7. What are some examples? (Jewelry with precious stones such as diamonds are more valuable than plain metals; coats with fur trim; floors inlaid with custom tile or stone; cars with leather upholstery; a ceiling with GILDED or molded decoration.)
  8. Are there other ways we make things more valuable? (Logos, designer names or sports SYMBOLS on clothing. Hand-made items are often more valuable than their machine-made counterparts.)
  9. What other examples do you find of an artist depicting a myth from another culture? (Theseus, Orpheus and Eurydice, Phaeton, Medusa)
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Oceanus



Discussion Questions:

Oceanus
Oceanus
1st - 2nd centuries A.D. (Empire)
Bronze
The Lillian Z. Turnblad Memorial Fund

Key Ideas
Story
Background
Discussion Questions

Look

  1. Review the story of Oceanus.
    What did Oceanus rule over as a Titan? The ocean.
    Can you see evidence of his role as ruler of the ocean in this bronze? Head emerges out of a "scaly" BACKGROUND. Two dolphins rise out of his head at the crown. Fish swim in and out of his hair and beard.

    Roll over the line art illustration to enlarge it and find evidence of Oceanus' role as ruler of the ocean.

    Fish Fish Dolphins
  1. A boss such as this one would have decorated a piece of furniture. With this purpose in mind, how big do you think this is? Find an object of similar size-4 1/8 inches.
    What kind of furniture do you think this was made for? A chair? A bed? Why? No right answer since we don't know for sure.

  2. SUBTRACTIVE SCULPTURE is made by removing unwanted material from a solid mass, such as wood or marble. ADDITIVE SCULPTURE is made by building up a form by molding or MODELING a material such as clay.
    Is this bronze boss an example of additive or subtractive sculpture? In bronze casting, an additive method of sculpting, an artist models the sculpture in clay, then uses the model to make a mold for molten bronze.

  3. Artists throughout time have often EMBELLISHED their sculptures, adding material to the basic medium for decorative and/or expressive effects. Here the artist embellished this sculpture with INLAID silver eyes and silver and copper inlay on cheeks, nose, and forehead.
    What function do these embellishments serve? Adding precious metals make the boss more valuable, expressing the wealth of its owner.

Think

  1. This bronze boss was used to decorate a piece of furniture in ancient Rome.
    How do we decorate furniture today? Carved wood, paint, combining different materials such as wood and metal, much like ancient Romans!

  2. Ancient Romans placed great emphasis on realistic portraiture and so chose to represent the natural force of the ocean, Oceanus the Titan, as an individual, realistic human. How would you represent a natural force such as the wind, or an earthquake? Would your representation be human? Animal? ABSTRACT? NON-OBJECTIVE? Explain your answer.

  3. The artist who made this bronze boss INLAID it with silver and copper to make it more valuable. Today people still increase the value of objects by adding precious materials.
    What are some examples? Jewelry with precious stones such as diamonds are more valuable than plain metals; coats with fur trim; floors inlaid with custom tile or stone; cars with leather upholstery; a ceiling with GILDED or molded decoration.
    Are there other ways we make things more valuable? Logos, designer names or sports SYMBOLS on clothing. Hand-made items are often more valuable than their machine-made counterparts.

  4. This bronze boss is a Roman interpretation of a Greek myth. Is one culture's interpretation of another's mythology an authentic interpretation? Why or why not? Would we consider this more genuine or legitimate if it had been made by a Greek artist? Why or why not? Explore the other works of art in the World Mythology set of images.
    What other examples do you find of an artist depicting a myth from another culture? Theseus, Orpheus and Eurydice, Phaeton, Medusa
Key Ideas Story Background Discussion Questions
 
 

 

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