What will I learn about: how the true meaning of ancient artworks, like the 'singing' statues of Egyptian pharaoh Amenhotep III, was shaped by how everyday people interacted with them?

Discover how the true meaning of ancient artworks, like the 'singing' statues of Egyptian pharaoh Amenhotep III, was shaped by how everyday people interacted with them.

What will I learn about: Learn how mundane items, such as an ancient Athenian wine cooler depicting wild satyrs, were used to provoke deep philosophical questions about civilization and barbarity?

Learn how mundane items, such as an ancient Athenian wine cooler depicting wild satyrs, were used to provoke deep philosophical questions about civilization and barbarity.

What will I learn about: how early societies used intimate funerary statues and vivid coffin portraits to keep absent loved ones close and process the profound grief of death?

Understand how early societies used intimate funerary statues and vivid coffin portraits to keep absent loved ones close and process the profound grief of death.

What will I learn about: why China's first emperor buried 7,000 painstakingly detailed terracotta soldiers, utilizing invisible art as a potent symbol of his immense wealth and power?

Find out why China's first emperor buried 7,000 painstakingly detailed terracotta soldiers, utilizing invisible art as a potent symbol of his immense wealth and power.

What will I learn about: Explore how ancient rulers like Ramses II used ubiquitous public monuments as political propaganda to assert dominance and convince themselves of their own divinity?

Explore how ancient rulers like Ramses II used ubiquitous public monuments as political propaganda to assert dominance and convince themselves of their own divinity.

Civilizations

How Do We Look / The Eye of Faith

Mary Beard

★ 4.1 / 5(38 ratings)

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Categories:

History Religion & Spirituality

If You're Curious About These Questions...

You should listen to this audiobook

💡Have you ever wondered why the way we depict the human form has the power to define—or even destroy—an entire civilization's identity?
💡What’s the secret behind the ancient and often controversial relationship between sacred art and the way we experience religion today?
💡Did you know that the most famous masterpieces in history weren't just meant to be beautiful, but were actually tools of power, faith, and survival?

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Key Takeaways from Civilizations

✓Discover how the true meaning of ancient artworks, like the 'singing' statues of Egyptian pharaoh Amenhotep III, was shaped by how everyday people interacted with them.
✓Learn how mundane items, such as an ancient Athenian wine cooler depicting wild satyrs, were used to provoke deep philosophical questions about civilization and barbarity.
✓Understand how early societies used intimate funerary statues and vivid coffin portraits to keep absent loved ones close and process the profound grief of death.
✓Find out why China's first emperor buried 7,000 painstakingly detailed terracotta soldiers, utilizing invisible art as a potent symbol of his immense wealth and power.
✓Explore how ancient rulers like Ramses II used ubiquitous public monuments as political propaganda to assert dominance and convince themselves of their own divinity.

Learning Tools

Reinforce what you learned from Civilizations

Mind Map

Civilizations

Interaction Shapes Meaning+

Memory and Loss+

Demonstration of Power+

Realism and Classical Ideals+

Engagement with Religious Art+

Participatory Religious Experiences+

Nuances of Iconoclasm+

Alternative Representations of Divine+

Key Takeaways+

Quiz — Test Your Understanding

Question 1 of 8

According to the text, what was the primary purpose of the imagery of drunken satyrs on the fifth-century BCE Athenian wine cooler?

A. To celebrate hedonism and encourage heavy drinking at banquets.
B. To prompt users to reflect on the boundary between civilization and barbarity.
C. To serve as a warning against the dangers of wilderness creatures.
D. To showcase the artist's ability to depict mythical half-human figures.

Question 2 of 8

How were the vivid Roman Egyptian portraits typically used in mourning rituals?

A. They were hung permanently on the walls of the family home.
B. They were burned along with the deceased on a funeral pyre.
C. They were used to decorate coffins that often remained in mourners' homes before burial.
D. They were placed in public temples to honor deceased citizens.

Question 3 of 8

What does the text suggest is the most clear cultural significance of the 7000 terracotta soldiers buried with Qin Shihuangdi?

A. They were exact portraits of the emperor's most decorated generals.
B. They served as a potent, expensive symbol of the emperor's immense power, even though they were buried out of sight.
C. They were intended to be a public monument to intimidate invading armies.
D. They were created to replace the practice of sacrificing real soldiers upon an emperor's death.

Question 4 of 8

How did the eighteenth-century art historian Johann Joachim Winckelmann view ancient Greek 'classical' art?

A. He believed it was a symptom of a civilization's overall health and political perfection.
B. He argued it was overly erotic and represented a decline in moral values.
C. He saw it as primitive compared to the artistic achievements of the Renaissance.
D. He thought its focus on nudity distracted from the spiritual purpose of art.

Question 5 of 8

How does the religious artwork in the Church of San Vitale in Ravenna differ from the Buddhist frescoes in the Ajanta caves?

A. San Vitale's art was meant to be purely decorative, while the Ajanta frescoes were educational.
B. San Vitale's mosaics were designed to guide viewers to a specific theological conclusion, whereas the Ajanta frescoes encouraged believers to engage on their own terms.
C. The San Vitale mosaics depict chronological historical events, while the Ajanta frescoes only use abstract symbolism.
D. The artists of San Vitale intended for viewers to actively participate in the scenes, unlike the Ajanta artists.

Question 6 of 8

What technique did Jacopo Tintoretto use in his mural of the crucifixion to help believers feel like part of the work?

A. He painted the faces of the local Venetian nobility onto the biblical figures.
B. He placed the mural on the ceiling so viewers had to look up toward heaven.
C. He dressed the central figures in the contemporary clothing of his own era.
D. He incorporated real human hair and jewelry donated by the congregation.

Question 7 of 8

What do the historical treatments of Ely Cathedral and the Quwwat-ul-Islam mosque demonstrate about iconoclasm?

A. It is usually characterized by the mindless and complete destruction of buildings.
B. It is a nuanced practice where specific features are targeted, often leaving or reusing other aspects of the artwork.
C. It only occurs when a new religion completely replaces an older one in a specific geographic area.
D. It primarily targets written texts and calligraphy rather than human depictions.

Question 8 of 8

According to the text, why is calligraphy so vital to Islamic art, such as that found in the Blue Mosque?

A. It is the only art form permitted by the Quran for decorating public spaces.
B. It acts as a secret code that only religious scholars are meant to understand.
C. Its aesthetic form communicates the presence of the divine even to those who cannot read Arabic.
D. It explicitly replaces the need for spoken prayer during religious services.

Civilizations — Full Chapter Overview

1Recommendation
21 — The meaning of artworks depends on how people interact with them.
32 — Images of people have long helped us remember the dead and cope with loss.
43 — Art was often used to display power to both subjects and rulers.
54 — Ancient art’s connection to civilization shifted as it became more realistic.
65 — To grasp the real significance of religious art, look at how believers engage with it.
76 — Art can create religious experiences that the faithful take part in.
87 — Iconoclasts may reject images, but they don’t always destroy them completely.
98 — Religious art raises the question of which images best represent the divine.
109 — Final summary

Civilizations Summary & Overview

Civilizations (2018) is the companion to a major new BBC documentary series co-presented by renowned classical historian Mary Beard. Divided into two parts, it takes a close look at the relationship between civilization and artistic representation. Beginning with the history of depictions of the human form, Beard moves on to cast an eye over the long and intimate relationship between art and religion over the centuries.

Who Should Listen to Civilizations?

Anyone who loved the BBC’s Civilisations series
Art lovers and museumgoers
Fans of large-scale comparative history

About the Author: Mary Beard

Mary Beard is a professor of classics at Cambridge University and a bestselling author. An academic more than happy to stray beyond the confines of the ivory tower, she’s been called “Britain’s best-known classicist.” Beard is a regular contributor to TV and radio shows and is an unmissable presence on Twitter. Her previous books include SPQR: A History of Ancient Rome and Women and Power: A Manifesto.

Civilizations

If You're Curious About These Questions...

Listen to Civilizations — Free Audiobook

Key Takeaways from Civilizations

Learning Tools

Mind Map

Quiz — Test Your Understanding

Civilizations — Full Chapter Overview

Civilizations Summary & Overview

Who Should Listen to Civilizations?

About the Author: Mary Beard

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