(3348,1,'2013-09-24 12:18:27','2013-09-24 18:18:27','<h1 align=\"center\"><strong>Venus of Urbino</strong></h1>\r\n<p align=\"center\"><a href=\"http://jeanatacc.com/2011/wp-content/uploads/2013/09/venus.jpg\"><img class=\"alignnone size-medium wp-image-3267\" alt=\"Venus of Urbino\" src=\"http://jeanatacc.com/2011/wp-content/uploads/2013/09/venus-300x214.jpg\" width=\"300\" height=\"214\" /></a></p>\r\n<p align=\"center\"><span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\"><a href=\"http://www.students.sbc.edu/drahman08/venusofurbino.html\" target=\"_blank\">http://www.students.sbc.edu/drahman08/venusofurbino.html</a></span></p>\r\n\r\n<h2 align=\"center\">Painted by Titian in 1538</h2>\r\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">         During the Renaissance era there were two main things that were focused on, which were bringing back the style of the Greeks and Romans and celebrating the myriad of qualities regarding humans. This painting emphasizes the part of humanity that is the tabooed desire of the woman’s figure and the controversial look in her eye that is bold and relaxed at the same time. The focus of the piece is a woman naked on top of her sheets, her body has no imperfections. There is a small dog sleeping at the foot of the bed. There are two servants in the background, neither are looking at her. She has on some simple jewelry. The artists of the time “carried portraiture to new heights of refined perception and rich color and light.” (“Portraiture) This painting shows much realism in Venus’s figure and on her facial expression. There was a renewed interest in humanity and the development of people. The work Venus of Urbino by Titian should be preserved because it can teach it’s viewer that the idea of beauty is constantly evolving.</p>\r\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\"><!--more--></p>\r\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">         Although many people have tried to place deeper meaning on this painting, there was a high demand for paintings of women in the nude. It was a supply meeting a demand. At the time many people found it ungentlemanly to have it and would hide it from public knowledge that they owned this type of art work. In the Renaissance period they were very intrigued by the “passions” of people. He was able to set a standard for the figure of women that many tried to imitate. (Freund) This work was unusual because Venus was more relaxed looking than most of the other women he painted. In it’s time it was what the people wanted but rarely voiced their desire for.  It was unusual because it was more rare, than other less seductive portraits. Josef Grabski believes like many paintings of the time named after a certain person or attribute Venus of Urbino was named from a love sonnet by Vittoria Colona.</p>\r\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">         There was high demand for nude paintings for bedroom decoration. Although it was not a piece that was show cased at parties, it was more kept low key because it was looked down on to own that kind of art. Other interpretations said it was simply a figure of lust believing there could be no other reason for a pretty full figured woman to be laying on her bed as such. Still others thought it is a picture of the love and oneness found in marriage. Some modern students think it was almost the beginning of the “pornographic” era. According to Lisa Jardine, the Dean of the faculty of arts at Queen Mary and Wesfield College, art of this kind was kept hidden and burned if discovered. Now with the positioning of the woman we see the figure is not lascivious it is simple beauty in it’s most pure humanly form. There can be many figurative understandings from taken from the painting. Jozef Grabski for instance sees the red comforter representative of love on top of the white sheets symbolizing purity. The red roses in her hand which could symbolize passion, but one has fallen and could perhaps be seen as the death of her lover.</p>\r\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">         At first glance it was nothing too spectacular. But the further I looked into it the more appealing it became. The way Venus looks directly to the viewer, her head cocked in an almost shy way, her soft facial expression, it all brings you into the portrait. The room feels peaceful with the dog sleeping and the setting sun in the background. I was curious about the two women in the background, and why our subject was so nonchalant about them being in her room. I think it is meaningful because it gives us a glimpse into what was eye catching to those in the Renaissance era. It is important to remember that sometimes things that we may not consider art at the moment can become a special piece when tested with time. I believe this is a fine example of something risque and not necessarily socially acceptable at the time turning into a lesson as well as something beautiful. (Grabski)</p>\r\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">         Titian as a newly blooming artist became acquainted with Giorgione, whom he evidently worked on other art pieces with. So often Titian’s pieces are compared to that of early pieces of Giorgione. The example that comes up time and time again is the very close, nearly identical painting of Giorgione’s Sleeping Venus as it compares to the Venus of Urbino. Titian completed the piece for Giorgione after his death (Grabski). Titian copied almost the same posture of Venus into his own piece. There are several of the same nuances between the two works, but many differences that make Titian’s piece a bit more modern for the time. Sleeping Venus (SV) is outside whereas Venus of Urbino (VU) is indoors in what appears to be a bedroom. This brings the sensuality a little closer to home for the viewer, an attractive full figured woman in the room is easier to imagine to the viewer, than simply seeing one out in the fresh air. SV has her eyes closed and her arm up and around the back of her head while VU looks directly into the viewers eyes and is hold a small cluster of flowers. In both pieces the woman is at the foreground of the picture as the main focus taking up nearly the entire canvas.</p>\r\n<a href=\"http://jeanatacc.com/2011/wp-content/uploads/2013/09/venus-2.jpg\"><img class=\"size-medium wp-image-3271 aligncenter\" alt=\"Sleeping Venus\" src=\"http://jeanatacc.com/2011/wp-content/uploads/2013/09/venus-2-300x168.jpg\" width=\"300\" height=\"168\" /></a>\r\n<p align=\"center\"><span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\"><a href=\"http://b.vimeocdn.com/ts/371/631/371631009_640.jpg\">http://b.vimeocdn.com/ts/371/631/371631009_640.jpg</a></span></p>\r\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">         Other generations should be aware that this painting has many types of interpretations and how important it is to search for the answer and the metaphors it is presenting before jumping to the conclusion that it is simply a naked woman laying on a bed. It is amazing how art is able to change with the times. When the image was painted it was a beautiful usage of newly introduced techniques and the portrayal of the peak of interest. While it may have been considered pornography at the time in some circles, many were able to see the beauty that was held in the image. As time has gone on, we are now able to see on a much larger scale the way it defines the past to us. We can see the painting for what it really is. Although it may still evoke certain feelings when you look at it, your perception changes because nudity is more widely accepted in the western world.</p>\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n<p align=\"center\">Works Cited</p>\r\nFreund, Charles Paul. “Buying Into Culture.” <i>Reason. </i>Jun 1998. Web.\r\n\r\nIs a journal that discusses how convienience and economy has a larger effect on art than personal expression does. I used it to show what people nowadays see in the painting.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nGrabski, Jozef<i>. </i>“Victoria Amoris.” <i>Artibus et Historiae. </i>Vol.20, No.40, 1999. Web.\r\n\r\nThis is a journal within the collection which goes into great detail talking about the meticulous detail and meaning behind everything in the painting. I used it to discuss some of the meaning of the painting.\r\n\r\n<i> </i>\r\n\r\n“Portraiture.” <i>Funk &amp; Wagnalls New World Encyclopedia. 2009.</i><i></i>\r\n\r\nThis was a section in this encyclopedia it discussed the different ways the style of portraits were executed during certain times in history. I used it to discuss how the interest in human shape was peaked during the renaissance period.<i></i>\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n“Venus of Urbino.” <i>Artstor</i>.  Digital Library. Sep 2013.\r\n\r\nThis is a detailed library where I extracted the basic information about the piece.','Titian\'s Venus of Urbino','','inherit','open','open','','3261-revision-v1','','','2013-09-24 12:18:27','2013-09-24 18:18:27','',3261,'http://jeanatacc.com/2011/?p=3348',0,'revision','',0),(3349,1,'2013-09-24 12:19:55','2013-09-24 18:19:55','<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><a href=\"http://jeanatacc.com/2011/wp-content/uploads/2013/09/149syllabus4utopiaimage.jpg\"><img class=\"size-full wp-image-3300 aligncenter\" alt=\"149syllabus4utopiaimage\" src=\"http://jeanatacc.com/2011/wp-content/uploads/2013/09/149syllabus4utopiaimage.jpg\" width=\"288\" height=\"217\" /></a></p>\r\nBefore we move onto More’s Utopia we need to try to understand the man that imaged this make believe land. Thomas More was a Christian humanist with a conscience who criticized the evils of greedy private enterprise. His unwilling cooperation and faith as a Roman Catholic had him executed in 1535 for treason. Thomas More\'s Utopia; put Thomas More on the map as a humanities and made his make believe land well recognized over Plato Republic therefore it should be preserved.\r\n\r\n<!--more-->\r\n\r\nIt was 1516 when Thomas More completed his statecraft and society which he named Utopia. More’s fictional land is a socialistic state in which personal property is shared; war and personal prides are disdain. Everyone has a right to an education and freedom of religion.  While More believes that commonwealth, motivation, compassion, and scorn for material wealth ensures social harmony. However; More’s Utopians are not Christian, yet inspired by Christian principals of ethics and assistance. They have little use for metals, jewels, and the taste that drives men to war.Every city was divided into four sections with a market place built in the middle for all families to bring in different goods to sell. The streets are designed for vehicles and to protect from the wind. Buildings are facing each other are running up and down the street. Front of the houses are separated by twenty foot roadway with a large garden behind them as long as a street.  No shortages in this community while a few things have value when compared to the English, for all their values are in short supply. Gold and silver are used in chamber pots and slave restraints, since everyone has a job in producing the basic needs to survive; therefore the workdays are only six hours long.\r\n\r\nThe family life was organized around the needs of the situation. A child who prefers to a woodworker or a ironworker would be sent to a woodworker or iron worker family. However; the families men are the most powerful members. It is said when a women gets married she will move in with mans household. Yet the male of each generation has to stay at home and follow the orders of the oldest male. Utopian women live inferior to the males of utopia, they must admit their sins to their husbands even before attending a church.\r\n\r\nThe community serves as means of public consistency and control. People are not allowed to leave the town and workplace without approval or they will be reprimanded. In order to eat you must work even if you go to another town or island. \"Wherever you are, you always have to work. There\'s never any excuse for idleness. There are also no wine-taverns, no ale-houses, no brothels, no opportunities for seduction, no secret meeting-places. Everyone has his eye on you, so you\'re practically forced to get on with your job, and make some proper use of your spare time\"  The constants surveillance, utopian ethics and religion emphasize that a good life spent, when not working , utopians read, play games, have conversations, and attend public lectures.\r\n\r\n<a href=\"http://jeanatacc.com/2011/wp-content/uploads/2013/09/imagesCA8XC8I1.jpg\"><img class=\"size-full wp-image-3301 aligncenter\" alt=\"imagesCA8XC8I1\" src=\"http://jeanatacc.com/2011/wp-content/uploads/2013/09/imagesCA8XC8I1.jpg\" width=\"204\" height=\"230\" /></a>','  Thomas More\'s Utopia','','inherit','open','open','','3276-revision-v1','','','2013-09-24 12:19:55','2013-09-24 18:19:55','',3276,'http://jeanatacc.com/2011/?p=3349',0,'revision','',0),(3351,1,'2013-09-24 12:23:29','2013-09-24 18:23:29','[caption id=\"\" align=\"aligncenter\" width=\"312\"]<a href=\"http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/5/5f/Donquixote.JPG\"><img alt=\"\" src=\"http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/5/5f/Donquixote.JPG\" width=\"312\" height=\"370\" /></a> Don Quixote by Pablo Picasso http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Donquixote.JPG[/caption]\r\n<p dir=\"ltr\" id=\"docs-internal-guid-308a791a-4be3-ca63-5cdc-5329ada5d8f8\">    <em>Don Quixote</em> is a spanish language novel written by Miguel de Cervantes and published in two parts, the first in 1605 AD and the second in 1615 AD. It\'s importance to western literature is immeasurable, since it was the first full-length novel published in Europe and it\'s characterization of the title character is complex and iconic. The story follows an idealistic nobleman who has spent all of his money on tales about chivalry and knighthood and decides to become a knight errant, righting injustice in Spain. He recruits his neighbor Sancho Panza as his squire and sets out on an epic quest. He imagines a beautiful princess named Dulcinea to give a purpose to his valiant deeds. The story is rife with comedy as Don Quixote imagines ordinary situations in the framework of a medieval tale, such as an encounter with windmills that he believes to be fearsome giants terrorizing the countryside. <em>Don Quixote</em> was written following several important historical events.  Cervantes had fought in the last Christian crusade in the Middle East. The Spanish Inquisition had occured, which had evicted a long-standing Muslim and Jewish presence from the region in favor of Catholocism. And finally, Spain was gaining tremendous profits from their ventures in the New World, changing the traditional society of peasants and aristocrats with a newly formed middle class.<!--more--></p>\r\n<p dir=\"ltr\">    <em>Don Quixote</em> is thematically similar to a popular form of book at the time called the piqaresque novel. These books starred an underdog hero and were humorous, telling small episodic tales. They were written in Spanish because they were considered a crude form of entertainment, rather than the Latin reserved for highbrow literature. The main character would be someone of low-standing living in a corrupt world who outsmarts the machinations of those around him. <em>Don Quixote</em> plays with this idea by instead making the protagonist a delusional dunce surrounded by people who are much savvier than him. His companion Sancho is a realist who has to guide him through the everyday folk who are often baffled by Don Quixote\'s ridiculous assertions. Often times Don Quixote is defeated in his encounters or tricked into believing he has accomplished his duties. What sets <em>Don Quixote</em> apart from contemporary novels is the psychological profile of the main character. He is motivated by pure idealism and a belief in right and wrong that often conflicts with the reality he finds himself in. This theme eschews other picaresque literature which did not approach such profound questions of existence. It also tells a longform story that builds up on past events, weaving a complex narrative. <em>Don Quixote</em> was such a success that many copycat authors wrote unauthorized sequels. This motivated Miguel de Cervantes to write a part two to reclaim his beloved characters. Even past Cervantes\' death, <em>Don Quixote</em> continued to be an inspiration in art. It has been adapted into plays and films, and in 2002 The Guardian published an article claiming it to be the world\'s best book in a poll given to influential authors. If anything it\'s status as a cultural artifact has improved over time and influenced countless people. Popular at the time it\'s status is now that of a formative work of world literature.</p>\r\n<p dir=\"ltr\">    I enjoy <em>Don Quixote</em> and find the satire to still hold up to todays society. The deeply held beliefs of the main character contrasted with what actually goes on around him echo an insecurity I have about having an immature view of the world. It\'s inspirational to see Don Quixote hold steadfastly to these ideals and funny to see him reason away events so that they fall in line with the story in his head of him being a courageous knight.</p>\r\n<p dir=\"ltr\">    <em>Don Quixote</em> is similar to the tragic work <em>Hamlet</em> by William Shakespeare in how the story focuses on the inner turmoil of the protagonist. Both works provide highly detailed portraits of the protagonist, going into depth on their appearance, beliefs, relationships, and the world surrounding them. Both are singularly obsessed with a goal that others either do not understand or challenge completely. One difference is that the delusions Hamlet experiences turn out to be based on fact instead of flights of the imagination, but nonetheless the visions of both protagonists lead to their mistreatment and downfall. Both men are highly pursuant of justice, neglecting everything else in their emotional and spiritual journey through the story. They are well-read and use what they\'ve learned to inspire their actions. In Hamlet these actions form tragic consequences as the people around Hamlet die. In <em>Don Quixote</em>, they are humorous as the title character is battered around and forced to dust himself off. In the end, neither men can change the nature of those around them. Hamlet avenges his father\'s death but himself dies cruelly. Don Quixote finally realizes how crazy his behavior was and metaphorically kills the man he once was.</p>\r\n<p dir=\"ltr\">    <em>Don Quixote</em> is important to future generations because it raises the question of how to reconcile our dreams with our reality. In today\'s world many things are becoming possible due to the wonders of technology, and the potential for ill often outpaces the altruistic hope for peace and happiness for everyone. Instead of blind belief in an ideal world, Cervantes urges the reader to think first and consider what is happening around them. By imploring consideration and thought before instant emotional reactions, <em>Don Quixote</em> is a work that resonates with the fast-changing lifestyles of today that increase in complexity as time moves on.</p>\r\n<p dir=\"ltr\">Bibliography:</p>\r\n<p dir=\"ltr\">Duran, Manuel. <i>Don Quixote and Hamlet: Strangers or Brothers? </i>Confluencia, 2004</p>\r\n<p dir=\"ltr\">  This source provided information for comparing <em>Don Quixote</em> to Hamlet.</p>\r\n<p dir=\"ltr\">Zimic, Stanislav.<i> Don Quixote: Some Observations on the Creation and Evolution of Its Protagonist and on Its Novelistic Structures. </i>Bulletin of Spanish Studies, 2011</p>\r\n  This source was useful for figuring out the importance of the novel and it\'s influence on literature.\r\n<div>Lichtenberg, Joseph M.D.<i> Cervantes and Don Quixote.</i> Psychoanalytic Inquiry, 2010</div>\r\n<div></div>\r\nThis source helped explain the character of Don Quixote and his psychological depth.\r\n\r\nKrueger, Alison. \"Historical Context for Don Quixote by Miguel De Cervantes.\" <i>Columbia College</i>. Columbia College, n.d. Web. 23 Sept. 2013.\r\n\r\nThis source gave background information on contextual events during Cervantes\' time period.\r\n\r\n<i>Cervantes and the legend of Don Quijote [electronic resource (video)] : spirit of a book / Radiotelevisioń Espanõla</i>. (2006). New York, N.Y. : Films Media Group, [2006], c2004.\r\n\r\nThis documentary provided general information including historical importance and details about the book.','Don Quixote Time Capsule 1','','inherit','open','open','','3250-revision-v1','','','2013-09-24 12:23:29','2013-09-24 18:23:29','',3250,'http://jeanatacc.com/2011/?p=3351',0,'revision','',0),(3352,80,'2013-10-04 13:11:11','2013-10-04 19:11:11','<p style=\"text-align: center\"><a href=\"http://jeanatacc.com/2011/wp-content/uploads/2013/09/Thomas-More-Utopia.jpg\"><img class=\"size-full wp-image-3353 aligncenter\" alt=\"Thomas More Utopia\" src=\"http://jeanatacc.com/2011/wp-content/uploads/2013/09/Thomas-More-Utopia.jpg\" width=\"288\" height=\"217\" /></a></p>\r\n<p style=\"text-align: center\"><a href=\"http://areteclassical.blogspot.com/2011/01/utopia-by-sir-thomas-more.html\">http://areteclassical.blogspot.com/2011/01/utopia-by-sir-thomas-more.html</a></p>\r\nBefore we move onto More’s Utopia we need to try to understand the man that imaged this make believe land. Thomas More was a Christian humanist with a conscience who criticized the evils of greedy private enterprise. His unwilling cooperation and faith as a Roman Catholic had him executed in 1535 for treason. Thomas More\'s Utopia; put Thomas More on the map as a humanities and made his make believe land well recognized over Plato Republic therefore it should be preserved.\r\n\r\n<!--more-->\r\n\r\nIt was 1516 when Thomas More completed his statecraft and society which he named Utopia. More’s fictional land is a socialistic state in which personal property is shared; war and personal prides are disdain. Everyone has a right to an education and freedom of religion.  While More believes that commonwealth, motivation, compassion, and scorn for material wealth ensures social harmony. However; More’s Utopians are not Christian, yet inspired by Christian principals of ethics and assistance. They have little use for metals, jewels, and the taste that drives men to war.Every city was divided into four sections with a market place built in the middle for all families to bring in different goods to sell. The streets are designed for vehicles and to protect from the wind. Buildings are facing each other are running up and down the street. Front of the houses are separated by twenty foot roadway with a large garden behind them as long as a street.  No shortages in this community while a few things have value when compared to the English, for all their values are in short supply. Gold and silver are used in chamber pots and slave restraints, since everyone has a job in producing the basic needs to survive; therefore the workdays are only six hours long.\r\n\r\nThe family life was organized around the needs of the situation. A child who prefers to a woodworker or a ironworker would be sent to a woodworker or iron worker family. However; the families men are the most powerful members. It is said when a women gets married she will move in with mans household. Yet the male of each generation has to stay at home and follow the orders of the oldest male. Utopian women live inferior to the males of utopia, they must admit their sins to their husbands even before attending a church.\r\n\r\nThe community serves as means of public consistency and control. People are not allowed to leave the town and workplace without approval or they will be reprimanded. In order to eat you must work even if you go to another town or island. \"Wherever you are, you always have to work. There\'s never any excuse for idleness. There are also no wine-taverns, no ale-houses, no brothels, no opportunities for seduction, no secret meeting-places. Everyone has his eye on you, so you\'re practically forced to get on with your job, and make some proper use of your spare time\"(qdp more in fiero)  The constants surveillance, Utopian ethics and religion emphasize that a good life spent, when not working , Utopians read, play games, have conversations, and attend public lectures.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nWork Cited\r\n\r\n<b>The Humanistic Tradition</b> <b>Sixth Edition</b> <b>Gloria K. Fiero</b>','Thomas More\'s Utopia','','inherit','open','open','','3276-autosave-v1','','','2013-10-04 13:11:11','2013-10-04 19:11:11','',3276,'http://jeanatacc.com/2011/?p=3352',0,'revision','',0),(3353,80,'2013-09-24 12:36:36','2013-09-24 18:36:36','','Thomas More Utopia','','inherit','open','open','','thomas-more-utopia','','','2013-09-24 12:36:36','2013-09-24 18:36:36','',3276,'http://jeanatacc.com/2011/wp-content/uploads/2013/09/Thomas-More-Utopia.jpg',0,'attachment','image/jpeg',0),(3355,89,'2013-09-24 15:22:37','0000-00-00 00:00:00','','Auto Draft','','auto-draft','open','open','','','','','2013-09-24 15:22:37','0000-00-00 00:00:00','',0,'http://jeanatacc.com/2011/?p=3355',0,'post','',0),(3356,89,'2013-09-24 15:23:37','0000-00-00 00:00:00','','Auto Draft','','auto-draft','open','open','','','','','2013-09-24 15:23:37','0000-00-00 00:00:00','',0,'http://jeanatacc.com/2011/?p=3356',0,'post','',0),(3386,1,'2013-09-29 12:31:47','2013-09-29 18:31:47','<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><a href=\"http://jeanatacc.com/2011/wp-content/uploads/2013/09/Thomas-More-Utopia.jpg\"><img class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-3353\" alt=\"Thomas More Utopia\" src=\"http://jeanatacc.com/2011/wp-content/uploads/2013/09/Thomas-More-Utopia.jpg\" width=\"288\" height=\"217\" /></a></p>\r\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><a href=\"http://areteclassical.blogspot.com/2011/01/utopia-by-sir-thomas-more.html\">http://areteclassical.blogspot.com/2011/01/utopia-by-sir-thomas-more.html</a></p>\r\nBefore we move onto More’s Utopia we need to try to understand the man that imaged this make believe land. Thomas More was a Christian humanist with a conscience who criticized the evils of greedy private enterprise. His unwilling cooperation and faith as a Roman Catholic had him executed in 1535 for treason. Thomas More\'s Utopia; put Thomas More on the map as a humanities and made his make believe land well recognized over Plato Republic therefore it should be preserved.\r\n\r\n<!--more-->\r\n\r\nIt was 1516 when Thomas More completed his statecraft and society which he named Utopia. More’s fictional land is a socialistic state in which personal property is shared; war and personal prides are disdain. Everyone has a right to an education and freedom of religion.  While More believes that commonwealth, motivation, compassion, and scorn for material wealth ensures social harmony. However; More’s Utopians are not Christian, yet inspired by Christian principals of ethics and assistance. They have little use for metals, jewels, and the taste that drives men to war.Every city was divided into four sections with a market place built in the middle for all families to bring in different goods to sell. The streets are designed for vehicles and to protect from the wind. Buildings are facing each other are running up and down the street. Front of the houses are separated by twenty foot roadway with a large garden behind them as long as a street.  No shortages in this community while a few things have value when compared to the English, for all their values are in short supply. Gold and silver are used in chamber pots and slave restraints, since everyone has a job in producing the basic needs to survive; therefore the workdays are only six hours long.\r\n\r\nThe family life was organized around the needs of the situation. A child who prefers to a woodworker or a ironworker would be sent to a woodworker or iron worker family. However; the families men are the most powerful members. It is said when a women gets married she will move in with mans household. Yet the male of each generation has to stay at home and follow the orders of the oldest male. Utopian women live inferior to the males of utopia, they must admit their sins to their husbands even before attending a church.\r\n\r\nThe community serves as means of public consistency and control. People are not allowed to leave the town and workplace without approval or they will be reprimanded. In order to eat you must work even if you go to another town or island. \"Wherever you are, you always have to work. There\'s never any excuse for idleness. There are also no wine-taverns, no ale-houses, no brothels, no opportunities for seduction, no secret meeting-places. Everyone has his eye on you, so you\'re practically forced to get on with your job, and make some proper use of your spare time\"  The constants surveillance, Utopian ethics and religion emphasize that a good life spent, when not working , Utopians read, play games, have conversations, and attend public lectures.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nWork Cited\r\n\r\n<b>The Humanistic Tradition</b> <b>Sixth Edition</b> <b>Gloria K. Fiero</b>','  Thomas More\'s Utopia','','inherit','open','open','','3276-revision-v1','','','2013-09-29 12:31:47','2013-09-29 18:31:47','',3276,'http://jeanatacc.com/2011/?p=3386',0,'revision','',0),(3354,80,'2013-09-24 13:07:08','2013-09-24 19:07:08','<p style=\"text-align: center\"><a href=\"http://areteclassical.blogspot.com/2011/01/utopia-by-sir-thomas-more.html\"><a href=\"http://jeanatacc.com/2011/wp-content/uploads/2013/09/Thomas-More-Utopia.jpg\"><img class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-3353\" alt=\"Thomas More Utopia\" src=\"http://jeanatacc.com/2011/wp-content/uploads/2013/09/Thomas-More-Utopia.jpg\" width=\"288\" height=\"217\" /></a><a href=\"http://areteclassical.blogspot.com/2011/01/utopia-by-sir-thomas-more.html\">http://areteclassical.blogspot.com/2011/01/utopia-by-sir-thomas-more.html</a>\r\n</a></p>\r\n<p style=\"text-align: center\"></p>\r\nBefore we move onto More’s Utopia we need to try to understand the man that imaged this make believe land. Thomas More was a Christian humanist with a conscience who criticized the evils of greedy private enterprise. His unwilling cooperation and faith as a Roman Catholic had him executed in 1535 for treason. Thomas More\'s Utopia; put Thomas More on the map as a humanities and made his make believe land well recognized over Plato Republic therefore it should be preserved.\r\n\r\n<!--more-->\r\n\r\nIt was 1516 when Thomas More completed his statecraft and society which he named Utopia. More’s fictional land is a socialistic state in which personal property is shared; war and personal prides are disdain. Everyone has a right to an education and freedom of religion.  While More believes that commonwealth, motivation, compassion, and scorn for material wealth ensures social harmony. However; More’s Utopians are not Christian, yet inspired by Christian principals of ethics and assistance. They have little use for metals, jewels, and the taste that drives men to war.Every city was divided into four sections with a market place built in the middle for all families to bring in different goods to sell. The streets are designed for vehicles and to protect from the wind. Buildings are facing each other are running up and down the street. Front of the houses are separated by twenty foot roadway with a large garden behind them as long as a street.  No shortages in this community while a few things have value when compared to the English, for all their values are in short supply. Gold and silver are used in chamber pots and slave restraints, since everyone has a job in producing the basic needs to survive; therefore the workdays are only six hours long.\r\n\r\nThe family life was organized around the needs of the situation. A child who prefers to a woodworker or a ironworker would be sent to a woodworker or iron worker family. However; the families men are the most powerful members. It is said when a women gets married she will move in with mans household. Yet the male of each generation has to stay at home and follow the orders of the oldest male. Utopian women live inferior to the males of utopia, they must admit their sins to their husbands even before attending a church.\r\n\r\nThe community serves as means of public consistency and control. People are not allowed to leave the town and workplace without approval or they will be reprimanded. In order to eat you must work even if you go to another town or island. \"Wherever you are, you always have to work. There\'s never any excuse for idleness. There are also no wine-taverns, no ale-houses, no brothels, no opportunities for seduction, no secret meeting-places. Everyone has his eye on you, so you\'re practically forced to get on with your job, and make some proper use of your spare time\"  The constants surveillance, Utopian ethics and religion emphasize that a good life spent, when not working , Utopians read, play games, have conversations, and attend public lectures.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nWork Cited\r\n\r\n<b>The Humanistic Tradition</b> <b>Sixth Edition</b> <b>Gloria K. Fiero</b>','  Thomas More\'s Utopia','','inherit','open','open','','3276-revision-v1','','','2013-09-24 13:07:08','2013-09-24 19:07:08','',3276,'http://jeanatacc.com/2011/?p=3354',0,'revision','',0),(3358,89,'2013-09-24 15:40:49','0000-00-00 00:00:00','','Auto Draft','','auto-draft','open','open','','','','','2013-09-24 15:40:49','0000-00-00 00:00:00','',0,'http://jeanatacc.com/2011/?p=3358',0,'post','',0),(3360,87,'2013-09-24 22:07:22','2013-09-25 04:07:22','<!--[if gte mso 9]&gt;-->\r\n\r\n<!--[if gte mso 9]&gt;-->\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n<p class=\"MsoNormal\">A work of art that needs to be preserved, perhaps one of the most important works of art in history, is the Tale of Genji, written by Murasaki Shikibu in roughly <span> </span>1010 A.D.E. and considered to be the world’s first novel (Emmont).<span>  </span></p>\r\n<p class=\"MsoNormal\"><!--more--></p>\r\n\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_3362\" align=\"aligncenter\" width=\"300\"]<a href=\"http://jeanatacc.com/2011/wp-content/uploads/2013/09/uji_river_1.jpg\"><img class=\"size-medium wp-image-3362\" alt=\"http://www.taleofgenji.org/images/uji_river_1.jpg\" src=\"http://jeanatacc.com/2011/wp-content/uploads/2013/09/uji_river_1-300x199.jpg\" width=\"300\" height=\"199\" /></a> http://www.taleofgenji.org/images/uji_river_1.jpg[/caption]\r\n<p class=\"MsoNormal\"><span>                </span>The Tale of Genji was written in the Heian period of classical Japan, and is considered to be heavily inspired by the culture of the Imperial Court, which was responsible for much of the art at the time (Britannica).<span>  </span>In the Heian period, the royal family was essentially a series of puppet ruler of the Fujiwara family who gained control by marrying into the royal line (Britannica).<span>   </span>As such, the Imperial Family, not needing to focus so much on matters of state, instead focused on art, ritual, and other forms of entertainment.<span>  </span></p>\r\n<p class=\"MsoNormal\"><span>                </span>The focus of the Tale of Genji was on the various carnal exploits of the titular character and the drama of the Imperial Court, as Prince Genji was both a womanizer and the son of the Emperor and a concubine.<span>  </span>The entire first part of the story is Genji having a series of affairs as he is both unhappy with his wife and harboring a desire for the emperor’s new wife; his step-mother.<span>  </span>This also leads him to kidnap a young girl given the name Murasaki (same as the author) and tries to make her into some kind of copy of the emperor’s wife.<span>  </span>Throughout the rest of the story, the focus is on Genji sleeping around, the Court’s reactions to it (ranging from amused to shocked) and also the various examples of court decadence.<span>   </span>This continues after Genji dies, with the conflict between Genji’s descendants who largely fight over who they want to marry (Emmont).</p>\r\n<p class=\"MsoNormal\"><span>                </span>This novel is similar to the Pillow Book of the same era, written by Sei Shonagon around the year 1000 (Britannica).<span>  </span>However, this wasn’t a novel, so much as a diary.<span>  </span>It also wasn’t dramatized; it was simply a series of observations of court life.<span>  </span>It can be argued that The Tale of Genji was inspired by the Pillow Book, though that could simply be caused by the fact that they were essentially about the same thing.</p>\r\n<p class=\"MsoNormal\"><span>                </span>While the novel is dramatic and romantic, it also seems to have hints of the author’s disapproval of the aristocrat’s lifestyle, as Genji dies wondering about how pointless life is and how little joy he really derived from his exploits (Reese).<span>  </span>The book was well received in its time, which makes sense as it was filled with the romance and intrigue that its audience seemed to love (Reese).<span>  </span></p>\r\n<p class=\"MsoNormal\"><span>                </span>This is a book that needs to be preserved, for it is not only the first novel, but also the first novel written by a woman, an important insight into the culture of an important period in Japan, and also a great example of romance, drama, philosophy, and adventure.</p>\r\n<p class=\"MsoNormal\" style=\"text-align: center\" align=\"center\">Bibliography</p>\r\n<p class=\"MsoNormal\">Emmott, Craig. \"The Tale of Genji.\" The Tale of Genji. N.p., n.d. Web. 08 Sept. 2013.</p>\r\n<p class=\"MsoNormal\">The website that gave me information on the novel.</p>\r\n<p class=\"MsoNormal\">\"Pillow Book (work by Sei Shonagon).\" Encyclopedia Britannica Online. Encyclopedia Britannica, n.d. Web. 19 Sept. 2013.</p>\r\n<p class=\"MsoNormal\">Article on a comparative work in the same period.</p>\r\n<p class=\"MsoNormal\">\"Heian Period (Japanese History).\" Encyclopedia Britannica Online. Encyclopedia Britannica, n.d. Web. 10 Sept. 2013.</p>\r\n<p class=\"MsoNormal\">Article on the Heian Period, the period of time that the work was written in.</p>\r\n<p class=\"MsoNormal\">Reese, Carolyn J. \"Murasaki Shikibu.\" Female Hero: (Women in World History Curriculum). N.p., n.d. Web. 15 Sept. 2013.</p>\r\n<p class=\"MsoNormal\">Article about the author.</p>','Tale of Genji Time Capsule','','publish','open','open','','tale-of-genji-time-capsule','','','2013-09-24 22:07:22','2013-09-25 04:07:22','',0,'http://jeanatacc.com/2011/?p=3360',0,'post','',9),(3362,87,'2013-09-24 22:04:17','2013-09-25 04:04:17','The Uji River, site of the last ten chapters of the story.','Uji River','http://www.taleofgenji.org/images/uji_river_1.jpg','inherit','open','open','','uji_river_1','','','2013-09-24 22:04:17','2013-09-25 04:04:17','',3360,'http://jeanatacc.com/2011/wp-content/uploads/2013/09/uji_river_1.jpg',0,'attachment','image/jpeg',0),(3363,87,'2013-09-24 22:07:22','2013-09-25 04:07:22','<!--[if gte mso 9]&gt;-->\r\n\r\n<!--[if gte mso 9]&gt;-->\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n<p class=\"MsoNormal\">A work of art that needs to be preserved, perhaps one of the most important works of art in history, is the Tale of Genji, written by Murasaki Shikibu in roughly <span> </span>1010 A.D.E. and considered to be the world’s first novel (Emmont).<span>  </span></p>\r\n<p class=\"MsoNormal\"><!--more--></p>\r\n\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_3362\" align=\"aligncenter\" width=\"300\"]<a href=\"http://jeanatacc.com/2011/wp-content/uploads/2013/09/uji_river_1.jpg\"><img class=\"size-medium wp-image-3362\" alt=\"http://www.taleofgenji.org/images/uji_river_1.jpg\" src=\"http://jeanatacc.com/2011/wp-content/uploads/2013/09/uji_river_1-300x199.jpg\" width=\"300\" height=\"199\" /></a> http://www.taleofgenji.org/images/uji_river_1.jpg[/caption]\r\n<p class=\"MsoNormal\"><span>                </span>The Tale of Genji was written in the Heian period of classical Japan, and is considered to be heavily inspired by the culture of the Imperial Court, which was responsible for much of the art at the time (Britannica).<span>  </span>In the Heian period, the royal family was essentially a series of puppet ruler of the Fujiwara family who gained control by marrying into the royal line (Britannica).<span>   </span>As such, the Imperial Family, not needing to focus so much on matters of state, instead focused on art, ritual, and other forms of entertainment.<span>  </span></p>\r\n<p class=\"MsoNormal\"><span>                </span>The focus of the Tale of Genji was on the various carnal exploits of the titular character and the drama of the Imperial Court, as Prince Genji was both a womanizer and the son of the Emperor and a concubine.<span>  </span>The entire first part of the story is Genji having a series of affairs as he is both unhappy with his wife and harboring a desire for the emperor’s new wife; his step-mother.<span>  </span>This also leads him to kidnap a young girl given the name Murasaki (same as the author) and tries to make her into some kind of copy of the emperor’s wife.<span>  </span>Throughout the rest of the story, the focus is on Genji sleeping around, the Court’s reactions to it (ranging from amused to shocked) and also the various examples of court decadence.<span>   </span>This continues after Genji dies, with the conflict between Genji’s descendants who largely fight over who they want to marry (Emmont).</p>\r\n<p class=\"MsoNormal\"><span>                </span>This novel is similar to the Pillow Book of the same era, written by Sei Shonagon around the year 1000 (Britannica).<span>  </span>However, this wasn’t a novel, so much as a diary.<span>  </span>It also wasn’t dramatized; it was simply a series of observations of court life.<span>  </span>It can be argued that The Tale of Genji was inspired by the Pillow Book, though that could simply be caused by the fact that they were essentially about the same thing.</p>\r\n<p class=\"MsoNormal\"><span>                </span>While the novel is dramatic and romantic, it also seems to have hints of the author’s disapproval of the aristocrat’s lifestyle, as Genji dies wondering about how pointless life is and how little joy he really derived from his exploits (Reese).<span>  </span>The book was well received in its time, which makes sense as it was filled with the romance and intrigue that its audience seemed to love (Reese).<span>  </span></p>\r\n<p class=\"MsoNormal\"><span>                </span>This is a book that needs to be preserved, for it is not only the first novel, but also the first novel written by a woman, an important insight into the culture of an important period in Japan, and also a great example of romance, drama, philosophy, and adventure.</p>\r\n<p class=\"MsoNormal\" style=\"text-align: center\" align=\"center\">Bibliography</p>\r\n<p class=\"MsoNormal\">Emmott, Craig. \"The Tale of Genji.\" The Tale of Genji. N.p., n.d. Web. 08 Sept. 2013.</p>\r\n<p class=\"MsoNormal\">The website that gave me information on the novel.</p>\r\n<p class=\"MsoNormal\">\"Pillow Book (work by Sei Shonagon).\" Encyclopedia Britannica Online. Encyclopedia Britannica, n.d. Web. 19 Sept. 2013.</p>\r\n<p class=\"MsoNormal\">Article on a comparative work in the same period.</p>\r\n<p class=\"MsoNormal\">\"Heian Period (Japanese History).\" Encyclopedia Britannica Online. Encyclopedia Britannica, n.d. Web. 10 Sept. 2013.</p>\r\n<p class=\"MsoNormal\">Article on the Heian Period, the period of time that the work was written in.</p>\r\n<p class=\"MsoNormal\">Reese, Carolyn J. \"Murasaki Shikibu.\" Female Hero: (Women in World History Curriculum). N.p., n.d. Web. 15 Sept. 2013.</p>\r\n<p class=\"MsoNormal\">Article about the author.</p>','Tale of Genji Time Capsule','','inherit','open','open','','3360-revision-v1','','','2013-09-24 22:07:22','2013-09-25 04:07:22','',3360,'http://jeanatacc.com/2011/?p=3363',0,'revision','',0),(3361,87,'2013-09-24 22:00:37','2013-09-25 04:00:37','<!--[if gte mso 9]&gt;-->\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n<!--[if gte mso 9]&gt;-->\r\n\r\nNormal\r\n0\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\nfalse\r\nfalse\r\nfalse\r\n\r\nEN-US\r\nX-NONE\r\nX-NONE\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n<!--[if gte mso 9]&gt;-->\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n<!--[if gte mso 10]&gt;-->\r\n\r\n\r\n /* Style Definitions */\r\ntable.MsoNormalTable\r\n{mso-style-name:\"Table Normal\";\r\nmso-tstyle-rowband-size:0;\r\nmso-tstyle-colband-size:0;\r\nmso-style-noshow:yes;\r\nmso-style-priority:99;\r\nmso-style-parent:\"\";\r\nmso-padding-alt:0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt;\r\nmso-para-margin-top:0in;\r\nmso-para-margin-right:0in;\r\nmso-para-margin-bottom:10.0pt;\r\nmso-para-margin-left:0in;\r\nline-height:115%;\r\nmso-pagination:widow-orphan;\r\nfont-size:11.0pt;\r\nfont-family:\"Calibri\",\"sans-serif\";\r\nmso-ascii-font-family:Calibri;\r\nmso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin;\r\nmso-hansi-font-family:Calibri;\r\nmso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin;}\r\n\r\n<p class=\"MsoNormal\">A work of art that needs to be preserved, perhaps one of the most important works of art in history, is the Tale of Genji, written by Murasaki Shikibu in roughly <span> </span>1010 A.D.E. and considered to be the world’s first novel (Emmont).<span>  </span></p>\r\n<p class=\"MsoNormal\"><span>                </span>The Tale of Genji was written in the Heian period of classical Japan, and is considered to be heavily inspired by the culture of the Imperial Court, which was responsible for much of the art at the time (Britannica).<span>  </span>In the Heian period, the royal family was essentially a series of puppet ruler of the Fujiwara family who gained control by marrying into the royal line (Britannica).<span>   </span>As such, the Imperial Family, not needing to focus so much on matters of state, instead focused on art, ritual, and other forms of entertainment.<span>  </span></p>\r\n<p class=\"MsoNormal\"><span>                </span>The focus of the Tale of Genji was on the various carnal exploits of the titular character and the drama of the Imperial Court, as Prince Genji was both a womanizer and the son of the Emperor and a concubine.<span>  </span>The entire first part of the story is Genji having a series of affairs as he is both unhappy with his wife and harboring a desire for the emperor’s new wife; his step-mother.<span>  </span>This also leads him to kidnap a young girl given the name Murasaki (same as the author) and tries to make her into some kind of copy of the emperor’s wife.<span>  </span>Throughout the rest of the story, the focus is on Genji sleeping around, the Court’s reactions to it (ranging from amused to shocked) and also the various examples of court decadence.<span>   </span>This continues after Genji dies, with the conflict between Genji’s descendants who largely fight over who they want to marry (Emmont).</p>\r\n<p class=\"MsoNormal\"><span>                </span>This novel is similar to the Pillow Book of the same era, written by Sei Shonagon around the year 1000 (Britannica).<span>  </span>However, this wasn’t a novel, so much as a diary.<span>  </span>It also wasn’t dramatized; it was simply a series of observations of court life.<span>  </span>It can be argued that The Tale of Genji was inspired by the Pillow Book, though that could simply be caused by the fact that they were essentially about the same thing.</p>\r\n<p class=\"MsoNormal\"><span>                </span>While the novel is dramatic and romantic, it also seems to have hints of the author’s disapproval of the aristocrat’s lifestyle, as Genji dies wondering about how pointless life is and how little joy he really derived from his exploits (Reese).<span>  </span>The book was well received in its time, which makes sense as it was filled with the romance and intrigue that its audience seemed to love (Reese).<span>  </span></p>\r\n<p class=\"MsoNormal\"><span>                </span>This is a book that needs to be preserved, for it is not only the first novel, but also the first novel written by a woman, an important insight into the culture of an important period in Japan, and also a great example of romance, drama, philosophy, and adventure.</p>\r\n<p class=\"MsoNormal\" style=\"text-align: center\" align=\"center\">Bibliography</p>\r\n<p class=\"MsoNormal\">Emmott, Craig. \"The Tale of Genji.\" The Tale of Genji. N.p., n.d. Web. 08 Sept. 2013.</p>\r\n<p class=\"MsoNormal\">The website that gave me information on the novel.</p>\r\n<p class=\"MsoNormal\">\"Pillow Book (work by Sei Shonagon).\" Encyclopedia Britannica Online. Encyclopedia Britannica, n.d. Web. 19 Sept. 2013.</p>\r\n<p class=\"MsoNormal\">Article on a comparative work in the same period.</p>\r\n<p class=\"MsoNormal\">\"Heian Period (Japanese History).\" Encyclopedia Britannica Online. Encyclopedia Britannica, n.d. Web. 10 Sept. 2013.</p>\r\n<p class=\"MsoNormal\">Article on the Heian Period, the period of time that the work was written in.</p>\r\n<p class=\"MsoNormal\">Reese, Carolyn J. \"Murasaki Shikibu.\" Female Hero: (Women in World History Curriculum). N.p., n.d. Web. 15 Sept. 2013.</p>\r\n<p class=\"MsoNormal\">Article about the author.</p>','Tale of Genji Time Capsule','','inherit','open','open','','3360-revision-v1','','','2013-09-24 22:00:37','2013-09-25 04:00:37','',3360,'http://jeanatacc.com/2011/?p=3361',0,'revision','',0),(2785,56,'2012-10-15 21:56:49','2012-10-16 03:56:49','The Taj Mahal is a dramatically large and beautiful mausoleum that was built in 17th century C.E. The Mughal emperor, Shah Jahan, built it on the shores of the Yamuna river in India for his favorite wife. It is one of the most recognizable buildings on earth. Exquisite in and of itself, the legend surrounding it reveals how our desire for a good story can override facts. It should be preserved, not only for its architectural and artistic merits, but for what it reveals about our collective psychology.\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"\" align=\"aligncenter\" width=\"196\"]<a href=\"http://thatandthisinmumbai.files.wordpress.com/2011/11/taj-mahal-8.jpg?w=584\"><img class=\" \" src=\"http://thatandthisinmumbai.files.wordpress.com/2011/11/taj-mahal-8.jpg?w=584\" alt=\"http://thatandthisinmumbai.files.wordpress.com/2011/11/taj-mahal-8.jpg?w=584\" width=\"196\" height=\"250\" /></a> A photo of the Taj Mahal from the front showing the red sandstone overlaid with white marble.[/caption]\r\n\r\n<!--more-->\r\nMumtaz Mahal (Chosen One of the Palace) died suddenly in 1631 at the age of 38 after giving birth to their 14th child. The couple had been married for 19 years, but her death came only three years after the Shah came to power. One of the most popular legends about the Taj Mahal is its origin. It was said that, as she was dying, Mumtaz Mahal asked Shah Jahan to promise her two things; that he not father any other children by his remaining wives and “that he build such a mausoleum over her, the like of which was not to be found anywhere else” (Begley).\r\n\r\nThe Taj Mahal is the culmination of a syncretistic trend incorporating Byzantine, Muslim and Hindu traditions in Mughal architecture (Fiero). It is built out of red sandstone overlaid with white marble which is carved with decorative patterns that depict the flowers of paradise (Andrea and Neel). The marble carvings are studded with “forty-three types of precious and semiprecious stones from all around India” including sapphires, onyxes, yellow amber, nephrite jade and crystal. The artists also used shells, coral and mother-of-pearl from the Indian Ocean (Ching, Jarzombek, and Prakash).\r\n\r\nThe seventy-three years of Shah Jahan’s life, from 1592 to 1666, were a pivotal period in the fortunes of the Mughals, but also a time of rapid change in the wider world (Preston and Preston 7). European courts received Persian and Asian dignitaries with splendor and honor while Christian missionaries traveled to “Hindu, Buddhist and Muslim lands.” Galileo perfected the telescope and could see “the craters of the moon, the rings of Saturn, and the moons of Jupiter” (Fiero).\r\n\r\nNot only did the “Old World” become less isolated on its half of the world, but the “New World” rapidly began to flourish. The English colony Jamestown was founded the year Shah Jahan was betrothed to his wife. Just seventeen years later, the English acquired New Amsterdam and named it New York (Preston and Preston 7).\r\n\r\nThroughout time, tombs and mausoleums for royalty have had served to honor and glorify their memory. Zoser, one of the first Pharaohs of a unified Egypt, build a mortuary complex for himself on a hill outside Memphis, the capital of Old Egypt. The Mortuary Complex of Zoser was surrounded by massive walls of white stone. The walls protected the tomb, not from physical threats, but from “the chaos of the unordered world outside.” Egyptian rulers measured their accomplishments against The Mortuary Complex of Zoser for centuries (Ching, Jarzombek, and Prakash 39).\r\n\r\nThe Tomb of the First Emperor of China, who ruled China between 246 and 210 BCE is “probably the largest and most costly tomb in history, even compared with the Egyptian pyramids.” More than 8,000 terra cotta soldiers surround the emperor’s burial chamber, protecting him even after death (Ching, Jarzombek, and Prakash 184).\r\n\r\nBy contrast the Taj Mahal is a living monument, designed to keep the memory of those people interred there alive. Its walls do not protect it from anything, they simply enclose the complex. It fact, one of the buildings on the grounds is a “residential court for tomb attendants” (Andrea and Neel).\r\n\r\nThe most prominent and often photographed feature of the Taj Mahal is the main building, generally shown from the rear, but the largest portion of the complex is the garden that surrounds it (Andrea and Neel). The gardens span an area of approximately 42 acres (Begley 9). Like the Grand Canyon in Arizona, it is impossible to appreciate the extent and beauty of the gardens through photographs alone.\r\n\r\nThe gardens are a typical example of Persian “chahar-bagh” or four-fold gardens. “Persian gardens in general and Mughal garden tombs in particular, are often described metaphorically in Persian poetry and inscriptions as being like Paradise.” However, the designers of the Taj Mahal placed the buildings at one end of the gardens, rather than at the center, as was typical for the time (Begley 11).\r\n\r\nShah Jahan made some unusual choices when he built the Taj Mahal. First and foremost, he went against Islamic tradition; “a tomb for a wife on such a scale was entirely without precedent” (Begley 9). Second, the dome is “curiously similar to the shape of Mughal ceremonial crowns… Although Islamic tombs characteristically have domes, the resemblance of the Taj’s dome to actual Mughal throne backs seems more than coincidental” (Begley 16).\r\n<p style=\"padding-left: 30px\"><em>“This is the West, sir. When the legend becomes fact, print the legend.”</em>\r\n<em> -The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance</em></p>\r\nPersian histories record that construction began on the Taj Mahal around January, 1632. There are three dated epigraphs on the Taj Mahal itself that suggest the exterior of the building itself was complete around 1636. The entire project probably took no more than 15 years (Begley 9). Those are the facts. The legends are more romantic.\r\n\r\nApproved court poetry and legend promoted the idea that the Taj Mahal was built out of love. Court poets declared that “The color of youth flew away from his cheeks; The flower of his countenance ceased blooming.” He wept so often “his tearful eyes sought help from spectacles” (Bartholet). European travelers were enthralled. Francois Bernier said, “it is said that he was constant to her during life, and at death was so affect as nearly to follow her to her grave.”\r\n\r\nThe problem with the magnificent wonder of these legends is that they aren’t supported by the historical record. Even worse, the legends are so seductive and pervasive that they are presented as fact even to this day, perpetuating the misinformation. For example, one legend says that Shah Jahan planned to build an identical mausoleum to the Taj Mahal, except out of black marble instead of white, on the other side of the Agra. Unfortunately, the only evidence to support this comes from the account of a French traveler at the time, Jean-Baptiste Tavernier. Yet Fiero says, “[h]e directed his architects to construct alongside the Jumna River a glorious tomb, a twin to the one he planned for himself on the adjoining riverbank.”\r\n\r\nJean-Baptiste Tavernier said that it took 22 years and 20,000 men to build the Taj Mahal, plus he says he was there at the start of construction and at the end (Begley 9). That statement is the most easily disproved of all the Taj Mahal legends and yet it is widely disseminated. (While Begley flatly denounces Tavernier’s estimates as “greatly exaggerated”, he only disputes the number of years it took to build the structure, not the number of workers.) To this day, several modern sources continue repeat what is essentially the account of a tourist as historical fact. For example, the “Encyclopedia of Anthropology” says, “the entire project took 22 years to complete with the efforts of 20,000 laborers and craftsmen” (Birx). While Fiero’s text book does not outright state how long it took to build the Taj Mahal, the caption under Figure 21.24 reads, “Taj Mahal, Agra, India, 1623-1643.” implying her acceptance of Tavernier’s legend as fact. Most recently, in a September, 2011 article for the Smithsonian magazine, Jeffrey Bartholet said, “For more than 15 years, [Shah Jahan] directed the construction of a complex of buildings and gardens that was meant to mirror the Islamic vision of Paradise.”\r\n\r\nHuman beings are amazingly complex creatures. We are capable of great loves and cunning. As a group, we love a good story, we strive to create beautiful things and we want to be remembered. The Taj Mahal gives us all of those things wrapped up in a neat little package.\r\n\r\nShah Jahan and Mumtaz Muhal loved each other and, while the poetic accounts from that time seem ostentatious to us, his grief was undoubtedly real. He probably did want to build a beautiful tomb to commemorate her memory. The question becomes then, when did the legend begin and why? How did it grow into the epic that it is today? Was the Taj Mahal itself so lovely and grand that people could not look at it and think that it must have a deeper, grander meaning than just a burial place?\r\n\r\nAs loving a husband as the Shah may have been, he could also be ruthless and cold-blooded. He gained the throne after a five year war against his father and then murdered several family members, including one of his brothers, to solidify his power base (Birx). An Italian traveler of the time, Niccolao Manucci said that the Shah behaved “as if the only thing [he] cared for was the search for women to serve his pleasure.” Other European travelers spread rumors that Shah Jahan maintained an incestuous relationship with his eldest daughter, Jahanara (Begley 10).\r\n\r\nWas Shah Jahan truly devastated by his wife’s death, or did the court poets do such a good job of embellishing the story of his grief that the Taj Mahal became a public relations coup that remains to this day? Could such a man of such unsympathetic character truly love one woman at all? The truth is never simple and that makes the story of Taj Mahal so compelling.\r\n\r\nThe Taj Mahal complex should be included in the Time Capsule project so that future generations will be able to gain an understanding of our past by studying its architecture, techniques and design elements. In addition, the conflict between the history and the legend of the Taj Mahal is a cautionary example of how people will believe what they want to believe. In this case, in spite of evidence to the contrary, people want to believe that the Taj Mahal was built purely out of love and devotion.\r\n<p style=\"text-align: center\">Works Cited</p>\r\nBartholet, Jeffrey. “What Ails the Taj Mahal? (Cover Story).” Smithsonian 42.5 (2011): 44. Middle Search Plus. Web. 7 Oct. 2012.\r\n\r\nThis article is about preservationist’s concerns that the Taj Mahal is deteriorating due to pollution, poor maintenance and vandalism. It also provided some historical background about the Taj Mahal.\r\n\r\nBegley, Wayne E. “The Myth Of The Taj Mahal And A New Theory Of Its Symbolic Meaning.” Art Bulletin 61.1 (1979): 7. Academic Search Complete. Web. 30 Sept. 2012.\r\n\r\nThis source offers theories for the design and construction of the Taj Mahal that contradict most commonly held and romantic beliefs. Begley gives examples of the myths and then shows how they are unsupported by the historical record.\r\n\r\nThe main argument against the romantic myths is that Shah Jahan was not actually as pure in his devotion to his wife as the stories would have one believe. Begley supports his argument well, but also misses some nuances of political necessity that may have predicated some of Shah Jahan’s actions.\r\n\r\nThis paper was originally presented as a series of lectures to various universities and museums between 1976 and 1978. A significant number of other sources cite in this paper in their bibliographies.\r\n\r\nChurch, Jill M. “Taj Mahal.” Encyclopedia of Anthropology. Ed. H. James Birx. Vol. 5. Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage Reference, 2006. 2156-2157. Gale Virtual Reference Library. Web. 30 Sep. 2012.\r\n\r\nThe “Encyclopedia of Anthropology” is a reference work focusing on “physical/biological anthropology, archaeology, cultural/social anthropology, linguistics, and applied anthropology.” This article provides simple historical background of the Taj Mahal, the design, building materials and layout of the grounds.\r\n\r\nA problem with this source is that it erroneously maintains that it took 22 years to build the Taj Mahal; a statement that is actually based on legend, not fact. However, that error supports the thesis that the legend surrounding the Taj Mahal is just as significant as the building itself.\r\n\r\nChing, Francis D.K., Mark Jarzombek, and Vikramaditya Prakash. A Global History of Architecture. 2nd. Hoboken, NJ: John Wiley &amp; Sons, Inc., 2011. 503-509. Print.\r\n\r\n“A Global History of Architecture” presents the history of architecture around the world, arranged first by time and then by region, beginning in 3500 BCE. It is a comprehensive historical resource for people who do not specialize in architecture.\r\n\r\nThe authors offer brief comparisons between similar structures in the area around the Taj Mahal. In addition, there are tombs and mausoleums listed in the book along with their features that I used to compare to the Taj Mahal. The book also provides excellent illustrations.\r\n\r\nFiero, Gloria K.. Trans. Array The Humanistic Tradition. 6th ed. New York: McGraw-Hill, 2011. Print.\r\n\r\nThis is the humanities text for this course. It provides a good general overview of general history, but the facts presented are not all correct.\r\n\r\n“Mughal Aesthetics.” World History Encyclopedia. Ed. Alfred J. Andrea and Carolyn Neel. Vol. 11: Era 6: The First Global Age, 1450-1770. Santa Barbara, CA: ABC-CLIO, 2011. 232-234. Gale Virtual Reference Library. Web. 30 Sep. 2012.\r\n\r\nThis particular volume of “World History Encyclopedia” focuses on what they call “The First Global Age, 1450-1770”. The themes for this article are how Mughal aesthetics developed, remaining constant in some respects and evolving in others.\r\n\r\nThe article discusses the evolution of Mughal aesthetics from one distinct style into another. The first period is most easily identifiable by the predominance of red sandstone in its architectural styles. The second period added white marble over the red sandstone which added a new decorative element and required new construction techniques.\r\n\r\nThe article makes passing mention of the Jain religion, but does not go into any depth about its history or examples of its contributions. Presumably because the Jain religion is not as prominent as Hindu (the other major religion mentioned).\r\n\r\nPreston, Diana, and Michael Preston. Taj Mahal: Passion and Genius at the Heart of the Moghul Empire. New York: Walker Publishing Company, Inc., 2007. Print.\r\n\r\nThis book is written for the general public to give a background about the Taj Mahal. It speaks more to the culture of the area and worldwide historical context at the time rather than the building itself.\r\n\r\nRoth, Leland M. “Architecture: Asia.” New Dictionary of the History of Ideas. Ed. Maryanne Cline Horowitz. Vol. 1. Detroit: Charles Scribner’s Sons, 2005. 128-132. Gale Virtual Reference Library. Web. 30 Sep. 2012.\r\n\r\nThe “New Dictionary of the History of Ideas” is a resource work targeting students and it documents the way human thought has developed through time. This particular article chronicles the cultural developments of architecture in Asia from the beginning of the common era to present day.\r\n\r\nThis article is divided into two parts. The first talks about the architectural style of the three major regions of Asia; India, China and Japan. The second provides examples of architecture for each region, including the Taj Mahal.\r\n\r\nIn particular for this Time Capsule Project, the article shows how the three major religions that populated India combined to create what we now recognize as Mughal aesthetic.\r\n\r\n<strong>Image Source</strong>: http://thatandthisinmumbai.files.wordpress.com/2011/11/taj-mahal-8.jpg?w=584','The Legends and Truths of the Taj Mahal','','publish','open','open','','the-legends-and-truths-of-the-taj-mahal-2','','','2012-10-17 18:00:08','2012-10-18 00:00:08','',0,'http://jeanatacc.com/2011/?p=2785',0,'post','',13),(2786,56,'2012-10-15 22:10:50','2012-10-16 04:10:50','The Taj Mahal is a dramatically large and beautiful mausoleum that was built in 17th century C.E.  The Mughal emperor, Shah Jahan, built it on the shores of the Yamuna river in India for his favorite wife.  It is one of the most recognizable buildings on earth.  Exquisite in and of itself, the legend surrounding it reveals how our desire for a good story can override facts.  It should be preserved, not only for its architectural and artistic merits, but for what it reveals about our collective psychology.\n\nMumtaz Mahal (Chosen One of the Palace) died suddenly in 1631 at the age of 38 after giving birth to their 14th child.  The couple had been married for 19 years, but her death came only three years after the Shah came to power.  One of the most popular legends about the Taj Mahal is its origin.  It was said that, as she was dying, Mumtaz Mahal asked Shah Jahan to promise her two things; that he not father any other children by his remaining wives and “that he build such a mausoleum over her, the like of which was not to be found anywhere else” (Begley).\n\nThe Taj Mahal is the culmination of a syncretistic trend incorporating Byzantine, Muslim and Hindu traditions in Mughal architecture (Fiero).  It is built out of red sandstone overlaid with white marble which is carved with decorative patterns that depict the flowers of paradise (Andrea and Neel).  The marble carvings are studded with “forty-three types of precious and semiprecious stones from all around India” including sapphires, onyxes, yellow amber, nephrite jade and crystal.  The artists also used shells, coral and mother-of-pearl from the Indian Ocean (Ching, Jarzombek, and Prakash).\n\nThe seventy-three years of Shah Jahan’s life, from 1592 to 1666, were a pivotal period in the fortunes of the Mughals, but also a time of rapid change in the wider world (Preston and Preston 7).  European courts received Persian and Asian dignitaries with splendor and honor while Christian missionaries traveled to “Hindu, Buddhist and Muslim lands.”  Galileo perfected the telescope and could see “the craters of the moon, the rings of Saturn, and the moons of Jupiter” (Fiero).\n\nNot only did the “Old World” become less isolated on its half of the world, but the “New World” rapidly began to flourish. The English colony Jamestown was founded the year Shah Jahan was betrothed to his wife.  Just seventeen years later, the English acquired New Amsterdam and named it New York (Preston and Preston 7).\n\nThroughout time, tombs and mausoleums for royalty have had served to honor and glorify their memory.  Zoser, one of the first Pharaohs of a unified Egypt, build a mortuary complex for himself on a hill outside Memphis, the capital of Old Egypt.  The Mortuary Complex of Zoser was surrounded by massive walls of white stone.  The walls protected the tomb, not from physical threats, but from “the chaos of the unordered world outside.”  Egyptian rulers measured their accomplishments against The Mortuary Complex of Zoser for centuries  (Ching, Jarzombek, and Prakash 39).\n\nThe Tomb of the First Emperor of China, who ruled China between 246 and 210 BCE is “probably the largest and most costly tomb in history, even compared with the Egyptian pyramids.”  More than 8,000 terra cotta soldiers surround the emperor’s burial chamber, protecting him even after death (Ching, Jarzombek, and Prakash 184).\n\nBy contrast the Taj Mahal is a living monument, designed to keep the memory of those people interred there alive. Its walls do not protect it from anything, they simply enclose the complex. It fact, one of the buildings on the grounds is a “residential court for tomb attendants” (Andrea and Neel).\n\nThe most prominent and often photographed feature of the Taj Mahal is the main building, generally shown from the rear, but the largest portion of the complex is the garden that surrounds it (Andrea and Neel).  The gardens span an area of approximately 42 acres  (Begley 9). Like the Grand Canyon in Arizona, it is impossible to appreciate the extent and beauty of the gardens through photographs alone.\n\nThe gardens are a typical example of Persian “chahar-bagh” or four-fold gardens.  “Persian gardens in general and Mughal garden tombs in particular, are often described metaphorically in Persian poetry and inscriptions as being like Paradise.”  However, the designers of the Taj Mahal placed the buildings at one end of the gardens, rather than at the center, as was typical for the time  (Begley 11).\n\nShah Jahan made some unusual choices when he built the Taj Mahal.  First and foremost, he went against Islamic tradition; “a tomb for a wife on such a scale was entirely without precedent”  (Begley 9).  Second, the dome is “curiously similar to the shape of Mughal ceremonial crowns...  Although Islamic tombs characteristically have domes, the resemblance of the Taj’s dome to actual Mughal throne backs seems more than coincidental” (Begley 16).\n\n<em>\"This is the West, sir. When the legend becomes fact, print the legend.\"</em>\n-The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance\n\nPersian histories record that construction began on the Taj Mahal around January, 1632.  There are three dated epigraphs on the Taj Mahal itself that suggest the exterior of the building itself was complete around 1636.  The entire project probably took no more than 15 years (Begley 9).  Those are the facts.  The legends are more romantic.\n\nApproved court poetry and legend promoted the idea that the Taj Mahal was built out of love.  Court poets declared that \"The color of youth flew away from his cheeks; The flower of his countenance ceased blooming.\" He wept so often \"his tearful eyes sought help from spectacles\" (Bartholet).  European travelers were enthralled.  Francois Bernier said, “it is said that he was constant to her during life, and at death was so affect as nearly to follow her to her grave.”\n\nThe problem with the magnificent wonder of these legends is that they aren’t supported by the historical record.  Even worse, the legends are so seductive and pervasive that they are presented as fact even to this day, perpetuating the misinformation.  For example, one legend says that Shah Jahan planned to build an identical mausoleum to the Taj Mahal, except out of black marble instead of white, on the other side of the Agra.  Unfortunately, the only evidence to support this comes from the account of a French traveler at the time, Jean-Baptiste Tavernier.  Yet Fiero says, “[h]e directed his architects to construct alongside the Jumna River a glorious tomb, a twin to the one he planned for himself on the adjoining riverbank.”\n\nJean-Baptiste Tavernier said that it took 22 years and 20,000 men to build the Taj Mahal, plus he says he was there at the start of construction and at the end (Begley 9).  That statement is the most easily disproved of all the Taj Mahal legends and yet it is widely disseminated.  (While Begley flatly denounces Tavernier’s estimates as “greatly exaggerated”, he only disputes the number of years it took to build the structure, not the number of workers.)  To this day, several modern sources continue repeat what is essentially the account of a tourist as historical fact.  For example, the “Encyclopedia of Anthropology” says, “the entire project took 22 years to complete with the efforts of 20,000 laborers and craftsmen” (Birx).  While Fiero’s text book does not outright state how long it took to build the Taj Mahal, the caption under Figure 21.24 reads, “Taj Mahal, Agra, India, 1623-1643.” implying her acceptance of Tavernier’s legend as fact.  Most recently, in a September, 2011 article for the Smithsonian magazine, Jeffrey Bartholet said, “For more than 15 years, [Shah Jahan] directed the construction of a complex of buildings and gardens that was meant to mirror the Islamic vision of Paradise.”\n\nHuman beings are amazingly complex creatures.  We are capable of great loves and cunning.  As a group, we love a good story, we strive to create beautiful things and we want to be remembered.  The Taj Mahal gives us all of those things wrapped up in a neat little package.\n\nShah Jahan and Mumtaz Muhal loved each other and, while the poetic accounts from that time seem ostentatious to us, his grief was undoubtedly real.  He probably did want to build a beautiful tomb to commemorate her memory.  The question becomes then, when did the legend begin and why?  How did it grow into the epic that it is today? Was the Taj Mahal itself so lovely and grand that people could not look at it and think that it must have a deeper, grander meaning than just a burial place?\n\nAs loving a husband as the Shah may have been, he could also be ruthless and cold-blooded.  He gained the throne after a five year war against his father and then murdered several family members, including one of his brothers, to solidify his power base (Birx).  An Italian traveler of the time, Niccolao Manucci said that the Shah behaved “as if the only thing [he] cared for was the search for women to serve his pleasure.”  Other European travelers spread rumors that Shah Jahan maintained an incestuous relationship with his eldest daughter, Jahanara (Begley 10).\n\nWas Shah Jahan truly devastated by his wife’s death, or did the court poets do such a good job of embellishing the story of his grief that the Taj Mahal became a public relations coup that remains to this day?  Could such a man of such unsympathetic character truly love one woman at all?  The truth is never simple and that makes the story of Taj Mahal so compelling.\n\nThe Taj Mahal complex should be included in the Time Capsule project so that future generations will be able to gain an understanding of our past by studying its architecture, techniques and design elements.  In addition, the conflict between the history and the legend of the Taj Mahal is a cautionary example of how people will believe what they want to believe.  In this case, in spite of evidence to the contrary, people want to believe that the Taj Mahal was built purely out of love and devotion.\n\nWorks Cited\n\nBartholet, Jeffrey. \"WHAT AILS THE TAJ MAHAL? (Cover Story).\" Smithsonian 42.5 (2011): 44. Middle Search Plus. Web. 7 Oct. 2012.\n\nBartholet, Jeffrey. \"What Ails the Taj Mahal? (Cover Story).\" Smithsonian 42.5 (2011): 44. Middle Search Plus. Web. 7 Oct. 2012.\n\nThis article is about preservationist’s concerns that the Taj Mahal is deteriorating due to pollution, poor maintenance and vandalism.  It also provided some historical background about the Taj Mahal.\n\nBegley, Wayne E. \"The Myth Of The Taj Mahal And A New Theory Of Its Symbolic Meaning.\" Art Bulletin 61.1 (1979): 7. Academic Search Complete. Web. 30 Sept. 2012.\n\nThis source offers theories for the design and construction of the Taj Mahal that contradict most commonly held and romantic beliefs.  Begley gives examples of the myths and then shows how they are unsupported by the historical record.\n\nThe main argument against the romantic myths is that Shah Jahan was not actually as pure in his devotion to his wife as the stories would have one believe.  Begley supports his argument well, but also misses some nuances of political necessity that may have predicated some of Shah Jahan’s actions.\n\nThis paper was originally presented as a series of lectures to various universities and museums between 1976 and 1978.  A significant number of other sources cite in this paper in their bibliographies.\n\nChurch, Jill M. \"Taj Mahal.\" Encyclopedia of Anthropology. Ed. H. James Birx. Vol. 5. Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage Reference, 2006. 2156-2157. Gale Virtual Reference Library. Web. 30 Sep. 2012.\n\nThe “Encyclopedia of Anthropology” is a reference work focusing on “physical/biological anthropology, archaeology, cultural/social anthropology, linguistics, and applied anthropology.”  This article provides simple historical background of the Taj Mahal, the design, building materials and layout of the grounds.\n\nA problem with this source is that it erroneously maintains that it took 22 years to build the Taj Mahal; a statement that is actually based on legend, not fact.  However, that error supports the thesis that the legend surrounding the Taj Mahal is just as significant as the building itself.\n\nChing, Francis D.K., Mark Jarzombek, and Vikramaditya Prakash. A Global History of Architecture. 2nd. Hoboken, NJ: John Wiley &amp; Sons, Inc., 2011. 503-509. Print.\n“A Global History of Architecture” presents the history of architecture around the world, arranged first by time and then by region, beginning in 3500 BCE.  It is a comprehensive historical resource for people who do not specialize in architecture.\n\nThe authors offer brief comparisons between similar structures in the area around the Taj Mahal.  In addition, there are tombs and mausoleums listed in the book along with their features that I used to compare to the Taj Mahal. The book also provides excellent illustrations.\n\nFiero, Gloria K.. Trans. Array The Humanistic Tradition.  6th ed. New York: McGraw-Hill, 2011. Print.\n\nThis is the humanities text for this course.  It provides a good general overview of general history, but the facts presented are not all correct.\n\n\"Mughal Aesthetics.\" World History Encyclopedia. Ed. Alfred J. Andrea and Carolyn Neel. Vol. 11: Era 6: The First Global Age, 1450-1770. Santa Barbara, CA: ABC-CLIO, 2011. 232-234. Gale Virtual Reference Library. Web. 30 Sep. 2012.\n\nThis particular volume of “World History Encyclopedia” focuses on what they call “The First Global Age, 1450-1770”.  The themes for this article are how Mughal aesthetics developed, remaining constant in some respects and evolving in others.\n\nThe article discusses the evolution of Mughal aesthetics from one distinct style into another.  The first period is most easily identifiable by the predominance of red sandstone in its architectural styles.  The second period added white marble over the red sandstone which added a new decorative element and required new construction techniques.\n\nThe article makes passing mention of the Jain religion, but does not go into any depth about its history or examples of its contributions.  Presumably because the Jain religion is not as prominent as Hindu (the other major religion mentioned).\n\nPreston, Diana, and Michael Preston. Taj Mahal: Passion and Genius at the Heart of the Moghul Empire. New York: Walker Publishing Company, Inc., 2007. Print.\nThis book is written for the general public to give a background about the Taj Mahal.  It speaks more to the culture of the area and worldwide historical context at the time rather than the building itself.\n\nRoth, Leland M. \"Architecture: Asia.\" New Dictionary of the History of Ideas. Ed. Maryanne Cline Horowitz. Vol. 1. Detroit: Charles Scribner\'s Sons, 2005. 128-132. Gale Virtual Reference Library. Web. 30 Sep. 2012.\n\nThe “New Dictionary of the History of Ideas” is a resource work targeting students and it documents the way human thought has developed through time.  This particular article chronicles the cultural developments of architecture in Asia from the beginning of the common era to present day.\n\nThis article is divided into two parts.  The first talks about the architectural style of the three major regions of Asia; India, China and Japan.  The second provides examples of architecture for each region, including the Taj Mahal.\n\nIn particular for this Time Capsule Project, the article shows how the three major religions that populated India combined to create what we now recognize as Mughal aesthetic.','','','inherit','open','open','','2785-revision','','','2012-10-15 22:10:50','2012-10-16 04:10:50','',2785,'http://jeanatacc.com/2011/?p=2786',0,'revision','',0),(2787,56,'2012-10-15 22:11:50','2012-10-16 04:11:50','The Taj Mahal is a dramatically large and beautiful mausoleum that was built in 17th century C.E.  The Mughal emperor, Shah Jahan, built it on the shores of the Yamuna river in India for his favorite wife.  It is one of the most recognizable buildings on earth.  Exquisite in and of itself, the legend surrounding it reveals how our desire for a good story can override facts.  It should be preserved, not only for its architectural and artistic merits, but for what it reveals about our collective psychology.\n<!--more-->\nMumtaz Mahal (Chosen One of the Palace) died suddenly in 1631 at the age of 38 after giving birth to their 14th child.  The couple had been married for 19 years, but her death came only three years after the Shah came to power.  One of the most popular legends about the Taj Mahal is its origin.  It was said that, as she was dying, Mumtaz Mahal asked Shah Jahan to promise her two things; that he not father any other children by his remaining wives and “that he build such a mausoleum over her, the like of which was not to be found anywhere else” (Begley).\n\nThe Taj Mahal is the culmination of a syncretistic trend incorporating Byzantine, Muslim and Hindu traditions in Mughal architecture (Fiero).  It is built out of red sandstone overlaid with white marble which is carved with decorative patterns that depict the flowers of paradise (Andrea and Neel).  The marble carvings are studded with “forty-three types of precious and semiprecious stones from all around India” including sapphires, onyxes, yellow amber, nephrite jade and crystal.  The artists also used shells, coral and mother-of-pearl from the Indian Ocean (Ching, Jarzombek, and Prakash).\n\nThe seventy-three years of Shah Jahan’s life, from 1592 to 1666, were a pivotal period in the fortunes of the Mughals, but also a time of rapid change in the wider world (Preston and Preston 7).  European courts received Persian and Asian dignitaries with splendor and honor while Christian missionaries traveled to “Hindu, Buddhist and Muslim lands.”  Galileo perfected the telescope and could see “the craters of the moon, the rings of Saturn, and the moons of Jupiter” (Fiero).\n\nNot only did the “Old World” become less isolated on its half of the world, but the “New World” rapidly began to flourish. The English colony Jamestown was founded the year Shah Jahan was betrothed to his wife.  Just seventeen years later, the English acquired New Amsterdam and named it New York (Preston and Preston 7).\n\nThroughout time, tombs and mausoleums for royalty have had served to honor and glorify their memory.  Zoser, one of the first Pharaohs of a unified Egypt, build a mortuary complex for himself on a hill outside Memphis, the capital of Old Egypt.  The Mortuary Complex of Zoser was surrounded by massive walls of white stone.  The walls protected the tomb, not from physical threats, but from “the chaos of the unordered world outside.”  Egyptian rulers measured their accomplishments against The Mortuary Complex of Zoser for centuries  (Ching, Jarzombek, and Prakash 39).\n\nThe Tomb of the First Emperor of China, who ruled China between 246 and 210 BCE is “probably the largest and most costly tomb in history, even compared with the Egyptian pyramids.”  More than 8,000 terra cotta soldiers surround the emperor’s burial chamber, protecting him even after death (Ching, Jarzombek, and Prakash 184).\n\nBy contrast the Taj Mahal is a living monument, designed to keep the memory of those people interred there alive. Its walls do not protect it from anything, they simply enclose the complex. It fact, one of the buildings on the grounds is a “residential court for tomb attendants” (Andrea and Neel).\n\nThe most prominent and often photographed feature of the Taj Mahal is the main building, generally shown from the rear, but the largest portion of the complex is the garden that surrounds it (Andrea and Neel).  The gardens span an area of approximately 42 acres  (Begley 9). Like the Grand Canyon in Arizona, it is impossible to appreciate the extent and beauty of the gardens through photographs alone.\n\nThe gardens are a typical example of Persian “chahar-bagh” or four-fold gardens.  “Persian gardens in general and Mughal garden tombs in particular, are often described metaphorically in Persian poetry and inscriptions as being like Paradise.”  However, the designers of the Taj Mahal placed the buildings at one end of the gardens, rather than at the center, as was typical for the time  (Begley 11).\n\nShah Jahan made some unusual choices when he built the Taj Mahal.  First and foremost, he went against Islamic tradition; “a tomb for a wife on such a scale was entirely without precedent”  (Begley 9).  Second, the dome is “curiously similar to the shape of Mughal ceremonial crowns...  Although Islamic tombs characteristically have domes, the resemblance of the Taj’s dome to actual Mughal throne backs seems more than coincidental” (Begley 16).\n\n<em>\"This is the West, sir. When the legend becomes fact, print the legend.\"</em>\n<em>-The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance</em>\n\nPersian histories record that construction began on the Taj Mahal around January, 1632.  There are three dated epigraphs on the Taj Mahal itself that suggest the exterior of the building itself was complete around 1636.  The entire project probably took no more than 15 years (Begley 9).  Those are the facts.  The legends are more romantic.\n\nApproved court poetry and legend promoted the idea that the Taj Mahal was built out of love.  Court poets declared that \"The color of youth flew away from his cheeks; The flower of his countenance ceased blooming.\" He wept so often \"his tearful eyes sought help from spectacles\" (Bartholet).  European travelers were enthralled.  Francois Bernier said, “it is said that he was constant to her during life, and at death was so affect as nearly to follow her to her grave.”\n\nThe problem with the magnificent wonder of these legends is that they aren’t supported by the historical record.  Even worse, the legends are so seductive and pervasive that they are presented as fact even to this day, perpetuating the misinformation.  For example, one legend says that Shah Jahan planned to build an identical mausoleum to the Taj Mahal, except out of black marble instead of white, on the other side of the Agra.  Unfortunately, the only evidence to support this comes from the account of a French traveler at the time, Jean-Baptiste Tavernier.  Yet Fiero says, “[h]e directed his architects to construct alongside the Jumna River a glorious tomb, a twin to the one he planned for himself on the adjoining riverbank.”\n\nJean-Baptiste Tavernier said that it took 22 years and 20,000 men to build the Taj Mahal, plus he says he was there at the start of construction and at the end (Begley 9).  That statement is the most easily disproved of all the Taj Mahal legends and yet it is widely disseminated.  (While Begley flatly denounces Tavernier’s estimates as “greatly exaggerated”, he only disputes the number of years it took to build the structure, not the number of workers.)  To this day, several modern sources continue repeat what is essentially the account of a tourist as historical fact.  For example, the “Encyclopedia of Anthropology” says, “the entire project took 22 years to complete with the efforts of 20,000 laborers and craftsmen” (Birx).  While Fiero’s text book does not outright state how long it took to build the Taj Mahal, the caption under Figure 21.24 reads, “Taj Mahal, Agra, India, 1623-1643.” implying her acceptance of Tavernier’s legend as fact.  Most recently, in a September, 2011 article for the Smithsonian magazine, Jeffrey Bartholet said, “For more than 15 years, [Shah Jahan] directed the construction of a complex of buildings and gardens that was meant to mirror the Islamic vision of Paradise.”\n\nHuman beings are amazingly complex creatures.  We are capable of great loves and cunning.  As a group, we love a good story, we strive to create beautiful things and we want to be remembered.  The Taj Mahal gives us all of those things wrapped up in a neat little package.\n\nShah Jahan and Mumtaz Muhal loved each other and, while the poetic accounts from that time seem ostentatious to us, his grief was undoubtedly real.  He probably did want to build a beautiful tomb to commemorate her memory.  The question becomes then, when did the legend begin and why?  How did it grow into the epic that it is today? Was the Taj Mahal itself so lovely and grand that people could not look at it and think that it must have a deeper, grander meaning than just a burial place?\n\nAs loving a husband as the Shah may have been, he could also be ruthless and cold-blooded.  He gained the throne after a five year war against his father and then murdered several family members, including one of his brothers, to solidify his power base (Birx).  An Italian traveler of the time, Niccolao Manucci said that the Shah behaved “as if the only thing [he] cared for was the search for women to serve his pleasure.”  Other European travelers spread rumors that Shah Jahan maintained an incestuous relationship with his eldest daughter, Jahanara (Begley 10).\n\nWas Shah Jahan truly devastated by his wife’s death, or did the court poets do such a good job of embellishing the story of his grief that the Taj Mahal became a public relations coup that remains to this day?  Could such a man of such unsympathetic character truly love one woman at all?  The truth is never simple and that makes the story of Taj Mahal so compelling.\n\nThe Taj Mahal complex should be included in the Time Capsule project so that future generations will be able to gain an understanding of our past by studying its architecture, techniques and design elements.  In addition, the conflict between the history and the legend of the Taj Mahal is a cautionary example of how people will believe what they want to believe.  In this case, in spite of evidence to the contrary, people want to believe that the Taj Mahal was built purely out of love and devotion.\n\nWorks Cited\n\nBartholet, Jeffrey. \"WHAT AILS THE TAJ MAHAL? (Cover Story).\" Smithsonian 42.5 (2011): 44. Middle Search Plus. Web. 7 Oct. 2012.\n\nBartholet, Jeffrey. \"What Ails the Taj Mahal? (Cover Story).\" Smithsonian 42.5 (2011): 44. Middle Search Plus. Web. 7 Oct. 2012.\n\nThis article is about preservationist’s concerns that the Taj Mahal is deteriorating due to pollution, poor maintenance and vandalism.  It also provided some historical background about the Taj Mahal.\n\nBegley, Wayne E. \"The Myth Of The Taj Mahal And A New Theory Of Its Symbolic Meaning.\" Art Bulletin 61.1 (1979): 7. Academic Search Complete. Web. 30 Sept. 2012.\n\nThis source offers theories for the design and construction of the Taj Mahal that contradict most commonly held and romantic beliefs.  Begley gives examples of the myths and then shows how they are unsupported by the historical record.\n\nThe main argument against the romantic myths is that Shah Jahan was not actually as pure in his devotion to his wife as the stories would have one believe.  Begley supports his argument well, but also misses some nuances of political necessity that may have predicated some of Shah Jahan’s actions.\n\nThis paper was originally presented as a series of lectures to various universities and museums between 1976 and 1978.  A significant number of other sources cite in this paper in their bibliographies.\n\nChurch, Jill M. \"Taj Mahal.\" Encyclopedia of Anthropology. Ed. H. James Birx. Vol. 5. Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage Reference, 2006. 2156-2157. Gale Virtual Reference Library. Web. 30 Sep. 2012.\n\nThe “Encyclopedia of Anthropology” is a reference work focusing on “physical/biological anthropology, archaeology, cultural/social anthropology, linguistics, and applied anthropology.”  This article provides simple historical background of the Taj Mahal, the design, building materials and layout of the grounds.\n\nA problem with this source is that it erroneously maintains that it took 22 years to build the Taj Mahal; a statement that is actually based on legend, not fact.  However, that error supports the thesis that the legend surrounding the Taj Mahal is just as significant as the building itself.\n\nChing, Francis D.K., Mark Jarzombek, and Vikramaditya Prakash. A Global History of Architecture. 2nd. Hoboken, NJ: John Wiley &amp; Sons, Inc., 2011. 503-509. Print.\n“A Global History of Architecture” presents the history of architecture around the world, arranged first by time and then by region, beginning in 3500 BCE.  It is a comprehensive historical resource for people who do not specialize in architecture.\n\nThe authors offer brief comparisons between similar structures in the area around the Taj Mahal.  In addition, there are tombs and mausoleums listed in the book along with their features that I used to compare to the Taj Mahal. The book also provides excellent illustrations.\n\nFiero, Gloria K.. Trans. Array The Humanistic Tradition.  6th ed. New York: McGraw-Hill, 2011. Print.\n\nThis is the humanities text for this course.  It provides a good general overview of general history, but the facts presented are not all correct.\n\n\"Mughal Aesthetics.\" World History Encyclopedia. Ed. Alfred J. Andrea and Carolyn Neel. Vol. 11: Era 6: The First Global Age, 1450-1770. Santa Barbara, CA: ABC-CLIO, 2011. 232-234. Gale Virtual Reference Library. Web. 30 Sep. 2012.\n\nThis particular volume of “World History Encyclopedia” focuses on what they call “The First Global Age, 1450-1770”.  The themes for this article are how Mughal aesthetics developed, remaining constant in some respects and evolving in others.\n\nThe article discusses the evolution of Mughal aesthetics from one distinct style into another.  The first period is most easily identifiable by the predominance of red sandstone in its architectural styles.  The second period added white marble over the red sandstone which added a new decorative element and required new construction techniques.\n\nThe article makes passing mention of the Jain religion, but does not go into any depth about its history or examples of its contributions.  Presumably because the Jain religion is not as prominent as Hindu (the other major religion mentioned).\n\nPreston, Diana, and Michael Preston. Taj Mahal: Passion and Genius at the Heart of the Moghul Empire. New York: Walker Publishing Company, Inc., 2007. Print.\nThis book is written for the general public to give a background about the Taj Mahal.  It speaks more to the culture of the area and worldwide historical context at the time rather than the building itself.\n\nRoth, Leland M. \"Architecture: Asia.\" New Dictionary of the History of Ideas. Ed. Maryanne Cline Horowitz. Vol. 1. Detroit: Charles Scribner\'s Sons, 2005. 128-132. Gale Virtual Reference Library. Web. 30 Sep. 2012.\n\nThe “New Dictionary of the History of Ideas” is a resource work targeting students and it documents the way human thought has developed through time.  This particular article chronicles the cultural developments of architecture in Asia from the beginning of the common era to present day.\n\nThis article is divided into two parts.  The first talks about the architectural style of the three major regions of Asia; India, China and Japan.  The second provides examples of architecture for each region, including the Taj Mahal.\n\nIn particular for this Time Capsule Project, the article shows how the three major religions that populated India combined to create what we now recognize as Mughal aesthetic.','','','inherit','open','open','','2785-revision-2','','','2012-10-15 22:11:50','2012-10-16 04:11:50','',2785,'http://jeanatacc.com/2011/?p=2787',0,'revision','',0),(2788,56,'2012-10-15 22:12:24','2012-10-16 04:12:24','The Taj Mahal is a dramatically large and beautiful mausoleum that was built in 17th century C.E.  The Mughal emperor, Shah Jahan, built it on the shores of the Yamuna river in India for his favorite wife.  It is one of the most recognizable buildings on earth.  Exquisite in and of itself, the legend surrounding it reveals how our desire for a good story can override facts.  It should be preserved, not only for its architectural and artistic merits, but for what it reveals about our collective psychology.\r\n<!--more-->\r\nMumtaz Mahal (Chosen One of the Palace) died suddenly in 1631 at the age of 38 after giving birth to their 14th child.  The couple had been married for 19 years, but her death came only three years after the Shah came to power.  One of the most popular legends about the Taj Mahal is its origin.  It was said that, as she was dying, Mumtaz Mahal asked Shah Jahan to promise her two things; that he not father any other children by his remaining wives and “that he build such a mausoleum over her, the like of which was not to be found anywhere else” (Begley).\r\n\r\nThe Taj Mahal is the culmination of a syncretistic trend incorporating Byzantine, Muslim and Hindu traditions in Mughal architecture (Fiero).  It is built out of red sandstone overlaid with white marble which is carved with decorative patterns that depict the flowers of paradise (Andrea and Neel).  The marble carvings are studded with “forty-three types of precious and semiprecious stones from all around India” including sapphires, onyxes, yellow amber, nephrite jade and crystal.  The artists also used shells, coral and mother-of-pearl from the Indian Ocean (Ching, Jarzombek, and Prakash).\r\n\r\nThe seventy-three years of Shah Jahan’s life, from 1592 to 1666, were a pivotal period in the fortunes of the Mughals, but also a time of rapid change in the wider world (Preston and Preston 7).  European courts received Persian and Asian dignitaries with splendor and honor while Christian missionaries traveled to “Hindu, Buddhist and Muslim lands.”  Galileo perfected the telescope and could see “the craters of the moon, the rings of Saturn, and the moons of Jupiter” (Fiero).\r\n\r\nNot only did the “Old World” become less isolated on its half of the world, but the “New World” rapidly began to flourish. The English colony Jamestown was founded the year Shah Jahan was betrothed to his wife.  Just seventeen years later, the English acquired New Amsterdam and named it New York (Preston and Preston 7).\r\n\r\nThroughout time, tombs and mausoleums for royalty have had served to honor and glorify their memory.  Zoser, one of the first Pharaohs of a unified Egypt, build a mortuary complex for himself on a hill outside Memphis, the capital of Old Egypt.  The Mortuary Complex of Zoser was surrounded by massive walls of white stone.  The walls protected the tomb, not from physical threats, but from “the chaos of the unordered world outside.”  Egyptian rulers measured their accomplishments against The Mortuary Complex of Zoser for centuries  (Ching, Jarzombek, and Prakash 39).\r\n\r\nThe Tomb of the First Emperor of China, who ruled China between 246 and 210 BCE is “probably the largest and most costly tomb in history, even compared with the Egyptian pyramids.”  More than 8,000 terra cotta soldiers surround the emperor’s burial chamber, protecting him even after death (Ching, Jarzombek, and Prakash 184).\r\n\r\nBy contrast the Taj Mahal is a living monument, designed to keep the memory of those people interred there alive. Its walls do not protect it from anything, they simply enclose the complex. It fact, one of the buildings on the grounds is a “residential court for tomb attendants” (Andrea and Neel).\r\n\r\nThe most prominent and often photographed feature of the Taj Mahal is the main building, generally shown from the rear, but the largest portion of the complex is the garden that surrounds it (Andrea and Neel).  The gardens span an area of approximately 42 acres  (Begley 9). Like the Grand Canyon in Arizona, it is impossible to appreciate the extent and beauty of the gardens through photographs alone.\r\n\r\nThe gardens are a typical example of Persian “chahar-bagh” or four-fold gardens.  “Persian gardens in general and Mughal garden tombs in particular, are often described metaphorically in Persian poetry and inscriptions as being like Paradise.”  However, the designers of the Taj Mahal placed the buildings at one end of the gardens, rather than at the center, as was typical for the time  (Begley 11).\r\n\r\nShah Jahan made some unusual choices when he built the Taj Mahal.  First and foremost, he went against Islamic tradition; “a tomb for a wife on such a scale was entirely without precedent”  (Begley 9).  Second, the dome is “curiously similar to the shape of Mughal ceremonial crowns...  Although Islamic tombs characteristically have domes, the resemblance of the Taj’s dome to actual Mughal throne backs seems more than coincidental” (Begley 16).\r\n\r\n<em>\"This is the West, sir. When the legend becomes fact, print the legend.\"</em>\r\n<em>-The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance</em>\r\n\r\nPersian histories record that construction began on the Taj Mahal around January, 1632.  There are three dated epigraphs on the Taj Mahal itself that suggest the exterior of the building itself was complete around 1636.  The entire project probably took no more than 15 years (Begley 9).  Those are the facts.  The legends are more romantic.\r\n\r\nApproved court poetry and legend promoted the idea that the Taj Mahal was built out of love.  Court poets declared that \"The color of youth flew away from his cheeks; The flower of his countenance ceased blooming.\" He wept so often \"his tearful eyes sought help from spectacles\" (Bartholet).  European travelers were enthralled.  Francois Bernier said, “it is said that he was constant to her during life, and at death was so affect as nearly to follow her to her grave.”\r\n\r\nThe problem with the magnificent wonder of these legends is that they aren’t supported by the historical record.  Even worse, the legends are so seductive and pervasive that they are presented as fact even to this day, perpetuating the misinformation.  For example, one legend says that Shah Jahan planned to build an identical mausoleum to the Taj Mahal, except out of black marble instead of white, on the other side of the Agra.  Unfortunately, the only evidence to support this comes from the account of a French traveler at the time, Jean-Baptiste Tavernier.  Yet Fiero says, “[h]e directed his architects to construct alongside the Jumna River a glorious tomb, a twin to the one he planned for himself on the adjoining riverbank.”\r\n\r\nJean-Baptiste Tavernier said that it took 22 years and 20,000 men to build the Taj Mahal, plus he says he was there at the start of construction and at the end (Begley 9).  That statement is the most easily disproved of all the Taj Mahal legends and yet it is widely disseminated.  (While Begley flatly denounces Tavernier’s estimates as “greatly exaggerated”, he only disputes the number of years it took to build the structure, not the number of workers.)  To this day, several modern sources continue repeat what is essentially the account of a tourist as historical fact.  For example, the “Encyclopedia of Anthropology” says, “the entire project took 22 years to complete with the efforts of 20,000 laborers and craftsmen” (Birx).  While Fiero’s text book does not outright state how long it took to build the Taj Mahal, the caption under Figure 21.24 reads, “Taj Mahal, Agra, India, 1623-1643.” implying her acceptance of Tavernier’s legend as fact.  Most recently, in a September, 2011 article for the Smithsonian magazine, Jeffrey Bartholet said, “For more than 15 years, [Shah Jahan] directed the construction of a complex of buildings and gardens that was meant to mirror the Islamic vision of Paradise.”\r\n\r\nHuman beings are amazingly complex creatures.  We are capable of great loves and cunning.  As a group, we love a good story, we strive to create beautiful things and we want to be remembered.  The Taj Mahal gives us all of those things wrapped up in a neat little package.\r\n\r\nShah Jahan and Mumtaz Muhal loved each other and, while the poetic accounts from that time seem ostentatious to us, his grief was undoubtedly real.  He probably did want to build a beautiful tomb to commemorate her memory.  The question becomes then, when did the legend begin and why?  How did it grow into the epic that it is today? Was the Taj Mahal itself so lovely and grand that people could not look at it and think that it must have a deeper, grander meaning than just a burial place?\r\n\r\nAs loving a husband as the Shah may have been, he could also be ruthless and cold-blooded.  He gained the throne after a five year war against his father and then murdered several family members, including one of his brothers, to solidify his power base (Birx).  An Italian traveler of the time, Niccolao Manucci said that the Shah behaved “as if the only thing [he] cared for was the search for women to serve his pleasure.”  Other European travelers spread rumors that Shah Jahan maintained an incestuous relationship with his eldest daughter, Jahanara (Begley 10).\r\n\r\nWas Shah Jahan truly devastated by his wife’s death, or did the court poets do such a good job of embellishing the story of his grief that the Taj Mahal became a public relations coup that remains to this day?  Could such a man of such unsympathetic character truly love one woman at all?  The truth is never simple and that makes the story of Taj Mahal so compelling.\r\n\r\nThe Taj Mahal complex should be included in the Time Capsule project so that future generations will be able to gain an understanding of our past by studying its architecture, techniques and design elements.  In addition, the conflict between the history and the legend of the Taj Mahal is a cautionary example of how people will believe what they want to believe.  In this case, in spite of evidence to the contrary, people want to believe that the Taj Mahal was built purely out of love and devotion.\r\n\r\nWorks Cited\r\n\r\nBartholet, Jeffrey. \"WHAT AILS THE TAJ MAHAL? (Cover Story).\" Smithsonian 42.5 (2011): 44. Middle Search Plus. Web. 7 Oct. 2012.\r\n\r\nBartholet, Jeffrey. \"What Ails the Taj Mahal? (Cover Story).\" Smithsonian 42.5 (2011): 44. Middle Search Plus. Web. 7 Oct. 2012.\r\n\r\nThis article is about preservationist’s concerns that the Taj Mahal is deteriorating due to pollution, poor maintenance and vandalism.  It also provided some historical background about the Taj Mahal.\r\n\r\nBegley, Wayne E. \"The Myth Of The Taj Mahal And A New Theory Of Its Symbolic Meaning.\" Art Bulletin 61.1 (1979): 7. Academic Search Complete. Web. 30 Sept. 2012.\r\n\r\nThis source offers theories for the design and construction of the Taj Mahal that contradict most commonly held and romantic beliefs.  Begley gives examples of the myths and then shows how they are unsupported by the historical record.\r\n\r\nThe main argument against the romantic myths is that Shah Jahan was not actually as pure in his devotion to his wife as the stories would have one believe.  Begley supports his argument well, but also misses some nuances of political necessity that may have predicated some of Shah Jahan’s actions.\r\n\r\nThis paper was originally presented as a series of lectures to various universities and museums between 1976 and 1978.  A significant number of other sources cite in this paper in their bibliographies.\r\n\r\nChurch, Jill M. \"Taj Mahal.\" Encyclopedia of Anthropology. Ed. H. James Birx. Vol. 5. Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage Reference, 2006. 2156-2157. Gale Virtual Reference Library. Web. 30 Sep. 2012.\r\n\r\nThe “Encyclopedia of Anthropology” is a reference work focusing on “physical/biological anthropology, archaeology, cultural/social anthropology, linguistics, and applied anthropology.”  This article provides simple historical background of the Taj Mahal, the design, building materials and layout of the grounds.\r\n\r\nA problem with this source is that it erroneously maintains that it took 22 years to build the Taj Mahal; a statement that is actually based on legend, not fact.  However, that error supports the thesis that the legend surrounding the Taj Mahal is just as significant as the building itself.\r\n\r\nChing, Francis D.K., Mark Jarzombek, and Vikramaditya Prakash. A Global History of Architecture. 2nd. Hoboken, NJ: John Wiley &amp; Sons, Inc., 2011. 503-509. Print.\r\n“A Global History of Architecture” presents the history of architecture around the world, arranged first by time and then by region, beginning in 3500 BCE.  It is a comprehensive historical resource for people who do not specialize in architecture.\r\n\r\nThe authors offer brief comparisons between similar structures in the area around the Taj Mahal.  In addition, there are tombs and mausoleums listed in the book along with their features that I used to compare to the Taj Mahal. The book also provides excellent illustrations.\r\n\r\nFiero, Gloria K.. Trans. Array The Humanistic Tradition.  6th ed. New York: McGraw-Hill, 2011. Print.\r\n\r\nThis is the humanities text for this course.  It provides a good general overview of general history, but the facts presented are not all correct.\r\n\r\n\"Mughal Aesthetics.\" World History Encyclopedia. Ed. Alfred J. Andrea and Carolyn Neel. Vol. 11: Era 6: The First Global Age, 1450-1770. Santa Barbara, CA: ABC-CLIO, 2011. 232-234. Gale Virtual Reference Library. Web. 30 Sep. 2012.\r\n\r\nThis particular volume of “World History Encyclopedia” focuses on what they call “The First Global Age, 1450-1770”.  The themes for this article are how Mughal aesthetics developed, remaining constant in some respects and evolving in others.\r\n\r\nThe article discusses the evolution of Mughal aesthetics from one distinct style into another.  The first period is most easily identifiable by the predominance of red sandstone in its architectural styles.  The second period added white marble over the red sandstone which added a new decorative element and required new construction techniques.\r\n\r\nThe article makes passing mention of the Jain religion, but does not go into any depth about its history or examples of its contributions.  Presumably because the Jain religion is not as prominent as Hindu (the other major religion mentioned).\r\n\r\nPreston, Diana, and Michael Preston. Taj Mahal: Passion and Genius at the Heart of the Moghul Empire. New York: Walker Publishing Company, Inc., 2007. Print.\r\nThis book is written for the general public to give a background about the Taj Mahal.  It speaks more to the culture of the area and worldwide historical context at the time rather than the building itself.\r\n\r\nRoth, Leland M. \"Architecture: Asia.\" New Dictionary of the History of Ideas. Ed. Maryanne Cline Horowitz. Vol. 1. Detroit: Charles Scribner\'s Sons, 2005. 128-132. Gale Virtual Reference Library. Web. 30 Sep. 2012.\r\n\r\nThe “New Dictionary of the History of Ideas” is a resource work targeting students and it documents the way human thought has developed through time.  This particular article chronicles the cultural developments of architecture in Asia from the beginning of the common era to present day.\r\n\r\nThis article is divided into two parts.  The first talks about the architectural style of the three major regions of Asia; India, China and Japan.  The second provides examples of architecture for each region, including the Taj Mahal.\r\n\r\nIn particular for this Time Capsule Project, the article shows how the three major religions that populated India combined to create what we now recognize as Mughal aesthetic.','','','inherit','open','open','','2785-revision-3','','','2012-10-15 22:12:24','2012-10-16 04:12:24','',2785,'http://jeanatacc.com/2011/?p=2788',0,'revision','',0),(2789,56,'2012-10-17 18:01:12','2012-10-18 00:01:12','The Taj Mahal is a dramatically large and beautiful mausoleum that was built in 17th century C.E. The Mughal emperor, Shah Jahan, built it on the shores of the Yamuna river in India for his favorite wife. It is one of the most recognizable buildings on earth. Exquisite in and of itself, the legend surrounding it reveals how our desire for a good story can override facts. It should be preserved, not only for its architectural and artistic merits, but for what it reveals about our collective psychology.\n\n[caption id=\"\" align=\"aligncenter\" width=\"196\"]<a href=\"http://thatandthisinmumbai.files.wordpress.com/2011/11/taj-mahal-8.jpg?w=584\"><img class=\" \" src=\"http://thatandthisinmumbai.files.wordpress.com/2011/11/taj-mahal-8.jpg?w=584\" alt=\"http://thatandthisinmumbai.files.wordpress.com/2011/11/taj-mahal-8.jpg?w=584\" width=\"196\" height=\"250\" /></a> A photo of the Taj Mahal from the front showing the red sandstone overlaid with white marble.[/caption]\n\n<!--more-->\nMumtaz Mahal (Chosen One of the Palace) died suddenly in 1631 at the age of 38 after giving birth to their 14th child. The couple had been married for 19 years, but her death came only three years after the Shah came to power. One of the most popular legends about the Taj Mahal is its origin. It was said that, as she was dying, Mumtaz Mahal asked Shah Jahan to promise her two things; that he not father any other children by his remaining wives and “that he build such a mausoleum over her, the like of which was not to be found anywhere else” (Begley).\n\nThe Taj Mahal is the culmination of a syncretistic trend incorporating Byzantine, Muslim and Hindu traditions in Mughal architecture (Fiero). It is built out of red sandstone overlaid with white marble which is carved with decorative patterns that depict the flowers of paradise (Andrea and Neel). The marble carvings are studded with “forty-three types of precious and semiprecious stones from all around India” including sapphires, onyxes, yellow amber, nephrite jade and crystal. The artists also used shells, coral and mother-of-pearl from the Indian Ocean (Ching, Jarzombek, and Prakash).\n\nThe seventy-three years of Shah Jahan’s life, from 1592 to 1666, were a pivotal period in the fortunes of the Mughals, but also a time of rapid change in the wider world (Preston and Preston 7). European courts received Persian and Asian dignitaries with splendor and honor while Christian missionaries traveled to “Hindu, Buddhist and Muslim lands.” Galileo perfected the telescope and could see “the craters of the moon, the rings of Saturn, and the moons of Jupiter” (Fiero).\n\nNot only did the “Old World” become less isolated on its half of the world, but the “New World” rapidly began to flourish. The English colony Jamestown was founded the year Shah Jahan was betrothed to his wife. Just seventeen years later, the English acquired New Amsterdam and named it New York (Preston and Preston 7).\n\nThroughout time, tombs and mausoleums for royalty have had served to honor and glorify their memory. Zoser, one of the first Pharaohs of a unified Egypt, build a mortuary complex for himself on a hill outside Memphis, the capital of Old Egypt. The Mortuary Complex of Zoser was surrounded by massive walls of white stone. The walls protected the tomb, not from physical threats, but from “the chaos of the unordered world outside.” Egyptian rulers measured their accomplishments against The Mortuary Complex of Zoser for centuries (Ching, Jarzombek, and Prakash 39).\n\nThe Tomb of the First Emperor of China, who ruled China between 246 and 210 BCE is “probably the largest and most costly tomb in history, even compared with the Egyptian pyramids.” More than 8,000 terra cotta soldiers surround the emperor’s burial chamber, protecting him even after death (Ching, Jarzombek, and Prakash 184).\n\nBy contrast the Taj Mahal is a living monument, designed to keep the memory of those people interred there alive. Its walls do not protect it from anything, they simply enclose the complex. It fact, one of the buildings on the grounds is a “residential court for tomb attendants” (Andrea and Neel).\n\nThe most prominent and often photographed feature of the Taj Mahal is the main building, generally shown from the rear, but the largest portion of the complex is the garden that surrounds it (Andrea and Neel). The gardens span an area of approximately 42 acres (Begley 9). Like the Grand Canyon in Arizona, it is impossible to appreciate the extent and beauty of the gardens through photographs alone.\n\nThe gardens are a typical example of Persian “chahar-bagh” or four-fold gardens. “Persian gardens in general and Mughal garden tombs in particular, are often described metaphorically in Persian poetry and inscriptions as being like Paradise.” However, the designers of the Taj Mahal placed the buildings at one end of the gardens, rather than at the center, as was typical for the time (Begley 11).\n\nShah Jahan made some unusual choices when he built the Taj Mahal. First and foremost, he went against Islamic tradition; “a tomb for a wife on such a scale was entirely without precedent” (Begley 9). Second, the dome is “curiously similar to the shape of Mughal ceremonial crowns… Although Islamic tombs characteristically have domes, the resemblance of the Taj’s dome to actual Mughal throne backs seems more than coincidental” (Begley 16).\n<p style=\"padding-left: 30px\"><em>“This is the West, sir. When the legend becomes fact, print the legend.”</em>\n<em> -The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance</em></p>\nPersian histories record that construction began on the Taj Mahal around January, 1632. There are three dated epigraphs on the Taj Mahal itself that suggest the exterior of the building itself was complete around 1636. The entire project probably took no more than 15 years (Begley 9). Those are the facts. The legends are more romantic.\n\nApproved court poetry and legend promoted the idea that the Taj Mahal was built out of love. Court poets declared that “The color of youth flew away from his cheeks; The flower of his countenance ceased blooming.” He wept so often “his tearful eyes sought help from spectacles” (Bartholet). European travelers were enthralled. Francois Bernier said, “it is said that he was constant to her during life, and at death was so affect as nearly to follow her to her grave.”\n\nThe problem with the magnificent wonder of these legends is that they aren’t supported by the historical record. Even worse, the legends are so seductive and pervasive that they are presented as fact even to this day, perpetuating the misinformation. For example, one legend says that Shah Jahan planned to build an identical mausoleum to the Taj Mahal, except out of black marble instead of white, on the other side of the Agra. Unfortunately, the only evidence to support this comes from the account of a French traveler at the time, Jean-Baptiste Tavernier. Yet Fiero says, “[h]e directed his architects to construct alongside the Jumna River a glorious tomb, a twin to the one he planned for himself on the adjoining riverbank.”\n\nJean-Baptiste Tavernier said that it took 22 years and 20,000 men to build the Taj Mahal, plus he says he was there at the start of construction and at the end (Begley 9). That statement is the most easily disproved of all the Taj Mahal legends and yet it is widely disseminated. (While Begley flatly denounces Tavernier’s estimates as “greatly exaggerated”, he only disputes the number of years it took to build the structure, not the number of workers.) To this day, several modern sources continue repeat what is essentially the account of a tourist as historical fact. For example, the “Encyclopedia of Anthropology” says, “the entire project took 22 years to complete with the efforts of 20,000 laborers and craftsmen” (Birx). While Fiero’s text book does not outright state how long it took to build the Taj Mahal, the caption under Figure 21.24 reads, “Taj Mahal, Agra, India, 1623-1643.” implying her acceptance of Tavernier’s legend as fact. Most recently, in a September, 2011 article for the Smithsonian magazine, Jeffrey Bartholet said, “For more than 15 years, [Shah Jahan] directed the construction of a complex of buildings and gardens that was meant to mirror the Islamic vision of Paradise.”\n\nHuman beings are amazingly complex creatures. We are capable of great loves and cunning. As a group, we love a good story, we strive to create beautiful things and we want to be remembered. The Taj Mahal gives us all of those things wrapped up in a neat little package.\n\nShah Jahan and Mumtaz Muhal loved each other and, while the poetic accounts from that time seem ostentatious to us, his grief was undoubtedly real. He probably did want to build a beautiful tomb to commemorate her memory. The question becomes then, when did the legend begin and why? How did it grow into the epic that it is today? Was the Taj Mahal itself so lovely and grand that people could not look at it and think that it must have a deeper, grander meaning than just a burial place?\n\nAs loving a husband as the Shah may have been, he could also be ruthless and cold-blooded. He gained the throne after a five year war against his father and then murdered several family members, including one of his brothers, to solidify his power base (Birx). An Italian traveler of the time, Niccolao Manucci said that the Shah behaved “as if the only thing [he] cared for was the search for women to serve his pleasure.” Other European travelers spread rumors that Shah Jahan maintained an incestuous relationship with his eldest daughter, Jahanara (Begley 10).\n\nWas Shah Jahan truly devastated by his wife’s death, or did the court poets do such a good job of embellishing the story of his grief that the Taj Mahal became a public relations coup that remains to this day? Could such a man of such unsympathetic character truly love one woman at all? The truth is never simple and that makes the story of Taj Mahal so compelling.\n\nThe Taj Mahal complex should be included in the Time Capsule project so that future generations will be able to gain an understanding of our past by studying its architecture, techniques and design elements. In addition, the conflict between the history and the legend of the Taj Mahal is a cautionary example of how people will believe what they want to believe. In this case, in spite of evidence to the contrary, people want to believe that the Taj Mahal was built purely out of love and devotion.\n<p style=\"text-align: center\">Works Cited</p>\nBartholet, Jeffrey. “What Ails the Taj Mahal? (Cover Story).” Smithsonian 42.5 (2011): 44. Middle Search Plus. Web. 7 Oct. 2012.\n\nThis article is about preservationist’s concerns that the Taj Mahal is deteriorating due to pollution, poor maintenance and vandalism. It also provided some historical background about the Taj Mahal.\n\nBegley, Wayne E. “The Myth Of The Taj Mahal And A New Theory Of Its Symbolic Meaning.” Art Bulletin 61.1 (1979): 7. Academic Search Complete. Web. 30 Sept. 2012.\n\nThis source offers theories for the design and construction of the Taj Mahal that contradict most commonly held and romantic beliefs. Begley gives examples of the myths and then shows how they are unsupported by the historical record.\n\nThe main argument against the romantic myths is that Shah Jahan was not actually as pure in his devotion to his wife as the stories would have one believe. Begley supports his argument well, but also misses some nuances of political necessity that may have predicated some of Shah Jahan’s actions.\n\nThis paper was originally presented as a series of lectures to various universities and museums between 1976 and 1978. A significant number of other sources cite in this paper in their bibliographies.\n\nChurch, Jill M. “Taj Mahal.” Encyclopedia of Anthropology. Ed. H. James Birx. Vol. 5. Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage Reference, 2006. 2156-2157. Gale Virtual Reference Library. Web. 30 Sep. 2012.\n\nThe “Encyclopedia of Anthropology” is a reference work focusing on “physical/biological anthropology, archaeology, cultural/social anthropology, linguistics, and applied anthropology.” This article provides simple historical background of the Taj Mahal, the design, building materials and layout of the grounds.\n\nA problem with this source is that it erroneously maintains that it took 22 years to build the Taj Mahal; a statement that is actually based on legend, not fact. However, that error supports the thesis that the legend surrounding the Taj Mahal is just as significant as the building itself.\n\nChing, Francis D.K., Mark Jarzombek, and Vikramaditya Prakash. A Global History of Architecture. 2nd. Hoboken, NJ: John Wiley &amp; Sons, Inc., 2011. 503-509. Print.\n\n“A Global History of Architecture” presents the history of architecture around the world, arranged first by time and then by region, beginning in 3500 BCE. It is a comprehensive historical resource for people who do not specialize in architecture.\n\nThe authors offer brief comparisons between similar structures in the area around the Taj Mahal. In addition, there are tombs and mausoleums listed in the book along with their features that I used to compare to the Taj Mahal. The book also provides excellent illustrations.\n\nFiero, Gloria K.. Trans. Array The Humanistic Tradition. 6th ed. New York: McGraw-Hill, 2011. Print.\n\nThis is the humanities text for this course. It provides a good general overview of general history, but the facts presented are not all correct.\n\n“Mughal Aesthetics.” World History Encyclopedia. Ed. Alfred J. Andrea and Carolyn Neel. Vol. 11: Era 6: The First Global Age, 1450-1770. Santa Barbara, CA: ABC-CLIO, 2011. 232-234. Gale Virtual Reference Library. Web. 30 Sep. 2012.\n\nThis particular volume of “World History Encyclopedia” focuses on what they call “The First Global Age, 1450-1770”. The themes for this article are how Mughal aesthetics developed, remaining constant in some respects and evolving in others.\n\nThe article discusses the evolution of Mughal aesthetics from one distinct style into another. The first period is most easily identifiable by the predominance of red sandstone in its architectural styles. The second period added white marble over the red sandstone which added a new decorative element and required new construction techniques.\n\nThe article makes passing mention of the Jain religion, but does not go into any depth about its history or examples of its contributions. Presumably because the Jain religion is not as prominent as Hindu (the other major religion mentioned).\n\nPreston, Diana, and Michael Preston. Taj Mahal: Passion and Genius at the Heart of the Moghul Empire. New York: Walker Publishing Company, Inc., 2007. Print.\n\nThis book is written for the general public to give a background about the Taj Mahal. It speaks more to the culture of the area and worldwide historical context at the time rather than the building itself.\n\nRoth, Leland M. “Architecture: Asia.” New Dictionary of the History of Ideas. Ed. Maryanne Cline Horowitz. Vol. 1. Detroit: Charles Scribner’s Sons, 2005. 128-132. Gale Virtual Reference Library. Web. 30 Sep. 2012.\n\nThe “New Dictionary of the History of Ideas” is a resource work targeting students and it documents the way human thought has developed through time. This particular article chronicles the cultural developments of architecture in Asia from the beginning of the common era to present day.\n\nThis article is divided into two parts. The first talks about the architectural style of the three major regions of Asia; India, China and Japan. The second provides examples of architecture for each region, including the Taj Mahal.\n\nIn particular for this Time Capsule Project, the article shows how the three major religions that populated India combined to create what we now recognize as Mughal aesthetic.\n\n<strong>Image Source</strong>: http://thatandthisinmumbai.files.wordpress.com/2011/11/taj-mahal-8.jpg?w=584','The Legends and Truths of the Taj Mahal','','inherit','open','open','','2785-autosave','','','2012-10-17 18:01:12','2012-10-18 00:01:12','',2785,'http://jeanatacc.com/2011/?p=2789',0,'revision','',0),(2790,56,'2012-10-15 22:15:24','2012-10-16 04:15:24','The Taj Mahal is a dramatically large and beautiful mausoleum that was built in 17th century C.E.  The Mughal emperor, Shah Jahan, built it on the shores of the Yamuna river in India for his favorite wife.  It is one of the most recognizable buildings on earth.  Exquisite in and of itself, the legend surrounding it reveals how our desire for a good story can override facts.  It should be preserved, not only for its architectural and artistic merits, but for what it reveals about our collective psychology.\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"\" align=\"aligncenter\" width=\"280\"]<a href=\"http://thatandthisinmumbai.files.wordpress.com/2011/11/taj-mahal-8.jpg?w=584\"><img src=\"http://thatandthisinmumbai.files.wordpress.com/2011/11/taj-mahal-8.jpg?w=584\" alt=\"\" width=\"280\" height=\"357\" /></a> A photo of the Taj Mahal from the front showing the red sandstone overlaid with white marble.[/caption]\r\n\r\n<!--more-->\r\nMumtaz Mahal (Chosen One of the Palace) died suddenly in 1631 at the age of 38 after giving birth to their 14th child.  The couple had been married for 19 years, but her death came only three years after the Shah came to power.  One of the most popular legends about the Taj Mahal is its origin.  It was said that, as she was dying, Mumtaz Mahal asked Shah Jahan to promise her two things; that he not father any other children by his remaining wives and “that he build such a mausoleum over her, the like of which was not to be found anywhere else” (Begley).\r\nThe Taj Mahal is the culmination of a syncretistic trend incorporating Byzantine, Muslim and Hindu traditions in Mughal architecture (Fiero).  It is built out of red sandstone overlaid with white marble which is carved with decorative patterns that depict the flowers of paradise (Andrea and Neel).  The marble carvings are studded with “forty-three types of precious and semiprecious stones from all around India” including sapphires, onyxes, yellow amber, nephrite jade and crystal.  The artists also used shells, coral and mother-of-pearl from the Indian Ocean (Ching, Jarzombek, and Prakash).\r\n\r\nThe seventy-three years of Shah Jahan’s life, from 1592 to 1666, were a pivotal period in the fortunes of the Mughals, but also a time of rapid change in the wider world (Preston and Preston 7).  European courts received Persian and Asian dignitaries with splendor and honor while Christian missionaries traveled to “Hindu, Buddhist and Muslim lands.”  Galileo perfected the telescope and could see “the craters of the moon, the rings of Saturn, and the moons of Jupiter” (Fiero).\r\n\r\nNot only did the “Old World” become less isolated on its half of the world, but the “New World” rapidly began to flourish. The English colony Jamestown was founded the year Shah Jahan was betrothed to his wife.  Just seventeen years later, the English acquired New Amsterdam and named it New York (Preston and Preston 7).\r\nThroughout time, tombs and mausoleums for royalty have had served to honor and glorify their memory.  Zoser, one of the first Pharaohs of a unified Egypt, build a mortuary complex for himself on a hill outside Memphis, the capital of Old Egypt.  The Mortuary Complex of Zoser was surrounded by massive walls of white stone.  The walls protected the tomb, not from physical threats, but from “the chaos of the unordered world outside.”  Egyptian rulers measured their accomplishments against The Mortuary Complex of Zoser for centuries  (Ching, Jarzombek, and Prakash 39).\r\n\r\nThe Tomb of the First Emperor of China, who ruled China between 246 and 210 BCE is “probably the largest and most costly tomb in history, even compared with the Egyptian pyramids.”  More than 8,000 terra cotta soldiers surround the emperor’s burial chamber, protecting him even after death (Ching, Jarzombek, and Prakash 184).\r\n\r\nBy contrast the Taj Mahal is a living monument, designed to keep the memory of those people interred there alive. Its walls do not protect it from anything, they simply enclose the complex. It fact, one of the buildings on the grounds is a “residential court for tomb attendants” (Andrea and Neel).\r\n\r\nThe most prominent and often photographed feature of the Taj Mahal is the main building, generally shown from the rear, but the largest portion of the complex is the garden that surrounds it (Andrea and Neel).  The gardens span an area of approximately 42 acres  (Begley 9). Like the Grand Canyon in Arizona, it is impossible to appreciate the extent and beauty of the gardens through photographs alone.\r\n\r\nThe gardens are a typical example of Persian “chahar-bagh” or four-fold gardens.  “Persian gardens in general and Mughal garden tombs in particular, are often described metaphorically in Persian poetry and inscriptions as being like Paradise.”  However, the designers of the Taj Mahal placed the buildings at one end of the gardens, rather than at the center, as was typical for the time  (Begley 11).\r\n\r\nShah Jahan made some unusual choices when he built the Taj Mahal.  First and foremost, he went against Islamic tradition; “a tomb for a wife on such a scale was entirely without precedent”  (Begley 9).  Second, the dome is “curiously similar to the shape of Mughal ceremonial crowns...  Although Islamic tombs characteristically have domes, the resemblance of the Taj’s dome to actual Mughal throne backs seems more than coincidental” (Begley 16).\r\n\r\n\"This is the West, sir. When the legend becomes fact, print the legend.\"\r\n-The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance\r\n\r\nPersian histories record that construction began on the Taj Mahal around January, 1632.  There are three dated epigraphs on the Taj Mahal itself that suggest the exterior of the building itself was complete around 1636.  The entire project probably took no more than 15 years (Begley 9).  Those are the facts.  The legends are more romantic.\r\n\r\nApproved court poetry and legend promoted the idea that the Taj Mahal was built out of love.  Court poets declared that \"The color of youth flew away from his cheeks; The flower of his countenance ceased blooming.\" He wept so often \"his tearful eyes sought help from spectacles\" (Bartholet).  European travelers were enthralled.  Francois Bernier said, “it is said that he was constant to her during life, and at death was so affect as nearly to follow her to her grave.”\r\n\r\nThe problem with the magnificent wonder of these legends is that they aren’t supported by the historical record.  Even worse, the legends are so seductive and pervasive that they are presented as fact even to this day, perpetuating the misinformation.  For example, one legend says that Shah Jahan planned to build an identical mausoleum to the Taj Mahal, except out of black marble instead of white, on the other side of the Agra.  Unfortunately, the only evidence to support this comes from the account of a French traveler at the time, Jean-Baptiste Tavernier.  Yet Fiero says, “[h]e directed his architects to construct alongside the Jumna River a glorious tomb, a twin to the one he planned for himself on the adjoining riverbank.”\r\n\r\nJean-Baptiste Tavernier said that it took 22 years and 20,000 men to build the Taj Mahal, plus he says he was there at the start of construction and at the end (Begley 9).  That statement is the most easily disproved of all the Taj Mahal legends and yet it is widely disseminated.  (While Begley flatly denounces Tavernier’s estimates as “greatly exaggerated”, he only disputes the number of years it took to build the structure, not the number of workers.)  To this day, several modern sources continue repeat what is essentially the account of a tourist as historical fact.  For example, the “Encyclopedia of Anthropology” says, “the entire project took 22 years to complete with the efforts of 20,000 laborers and craftsmen” (Birx).  While Fiero’s text book does not outright state how long it took to build the Taj Mahal, the caption under Figure 21.24 reads, “Taj Mahal, Agra, India, 1623-1643.” implying her acceptance of Tavernier’s legend as fact.  Most recently, in a September, 2011 article for the Smithsonian magazine, Jeffrey Bartholet said, “For more than 15 years, [Shah Jahan] directed the construction of a complex of buildings and gardens that was meant to mirror the Islamic vision of Paradise.”\r\n\r\nHuman beings are amazingly complex creatures.  We are capable of great loves and cunning.  As a group, we love a good story, we strive to create beautiful things and we want to be remembered.  The Taj Mahal gives us all of those things wrapped up in a neat little package.\r\n\r\nShah Jahan and Mumtaz Muhal loved each other and, while the poetic accounts from that time seem ostentatious to us, his grief was undoubtedly real.  He probably did want to build a beautiful tomb to commemorate her memory.  The question becomes then, when did the legend begin and why?  How did it grow into the epic that it is today? Was the Taj Mahal itself so lovely and grand that people could not look at it and think that it must have a deeper, grander meaning than just a burial place?\r\n\r\nAs loving a husband as the Shah may have been, he could also be ruthless and cold-blooded.  He gained the throne after a five year war against his father and then murdered several family members, including one of his brothers, to solidify his power base (Birx).  An Italian traveler of the time, Niccolao Manucci said that the Shah behaved “as if the only thing [he] cared for was the search for women to serve his pleasure.”  Other European travelers spread rumors that Shah Jahan maintained an incestuous relationship with his eldest daughter, Jahanara (Begley 10).\r\n\r\nWas Shah Jahan truly devastated by his wife’s death, or did the court poets do such a good job of embellishing the story of his grief that the Taj Mahal became a public relations coup that remains to this day?  Could such a man of such unsympathetic character truly love one woman at all?  The truth is never simple and that makes the story of Taj Mahal so compelling.\r\n\r\nThe Taj Mahal complex should be included in the Time Capsule project so that future generations will be able to gain an understanding of our past by studying its architecture, techniques and design elements.  In addition, the conflict between the history and the legend of the Taj Mahal is a cautionary example of how people will believe what they want to believe.  In this case, in spite of evidence to the contrary, people want to believe that the Taj Mahal was built purely out of love and devotion.\r\n\r\nWorks Cited\r\n\r\nBartholet, Jeffrey. \"What Ails the Taj Mahal? (Cover Story).\" Smithsonian 42.5 (2011): 44. Middle Search Plus. Web. 7 Oct. 2012.\r\n\r\nThis article is about preservationist’s concerns that the Taj Mahal is deteriorating due to pollution, poor maintenance and vandalism.  It also provided some historical background about the Taj Mahal.\r\n\r\nBegley, Wayne E. \"The Myth Of The Taj Mahal And A New Theory Of Its Symbolic Meaning.\" Art Bulletin 61.1 (1979): 7. Academic Search Complete. Web. 30 Sept. 2012.\r\n\r\nThis source offers theories for the design and construction of the Taj Mahal that contradict most commonly held and romantic beliefs.  Begley gives examples of the myths and then shows how they are unsupported by the historical record.\r\n\r\nThe main argument against the romantic myths is that Shah Jahan was not actually as pure in his devotion to his wife as the stories would have one believe.  Begley supports his argument well, but also misses some nuances of political necessity that may have predicated some of Shah Jahan’s actions.\r\n\r\nThis paper was originally presented as a series of lectures to various universities and museums between 1976 and 1978.  A significant number of other sources cite in this paper in their bibliographies.\r\n\r\nChurch, Jill M. \"Taj Mahal.\" Encyclopedia of Anthropology. Ed. H. James Birx. Vol. 5. Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage Reference, 2006. 2156-2157. Gale Virtual Reference Library. Web. 30 Sep. 2012.\r\n\r\nThe “Encyclopedia of Anthropology” is a reference work focusing on “physical/biological anthropology, archaeology, cultural/social anthropology, linguistics, and applied anthropology.”  This article provides simple historical background of the Taj Mahal, the design, building materials and layout of the grounds.\r\n\r\nA problem with this source is that it erroneously maintains that it took 22 years to build the Taj Mahal; a statement that is actually based on legend, not fact.  However, that error supports the thesis that the legend surrounding the Taj Mahal is just as significant as the building itself.\r\n\r\nChing, Francis D.K., Mark Jarzombek, and Vikramaditya Prakash. A Global History of Architecture. 2nd. Hoboken, NJ: John Wiley &amp; Sons, Inc., 2011. 503-509. Print.\r\n“A Global History of Architecture” presents the history of architecture around the world, arranged first by time and then by region, beginning in 3500 BCE.  It is a comprehensive historical resource for people who do not specialize in architecture.\r\n\r\nThe authors offer brief comparisons between similar structures in the area around the Taj Mahal.  In addition, there are tombs and mausoleums listed in the book along with their features that I used to compare to the Taj Mahal. The book also provides excellent illustrations.\r\n\r\nFiero, Gloria K.. Trans. Array The Humanistic Tradition.  6th ed. New York: McGraw-Hill, 2011. Print.\r\n\r\nThis is the humanities text for this course.  It provides a good general overview of general history, but the facts presented are not all correct.\r\n\r\n\"Mughal Aesthetics.\" World History Encyclopedia. Ed. Alfred J. Andrea and Carolyn Neel. Vol. 11: Era 6: The First Global Age, 1450-1770. Santa Barbara, CA: ABC-CLIO, 2011. 232-234. Gale Virtual Reference Library. Web. 30 Sep. 2012.\r\n\r\nThis particular volume of “World History Encyclopedia” focuses on what they call “The First Global Age, 1450-1770”.  The themes for this article are how Mughal aesthetics developed, remaining constant in some respects and evolving in others.\r\n\r\nThe article discusses the evolution of Mughal aesthetics from one distinct style into another.  The first period is most easily identifiable by the predominance of red sandstone in its architectural styles.  The second period added white marble over the red sandstone which added a new decorative element and required new construction techniques.\r\n\r\nThe article makes passing mention of the Jain religion, but does not go into any depth about its history or examples of its contributions.  Presumably because the Jain religion is not as prominent as Hindu (the other major religion mentioned).\r\n\r\nPreston, Diana, and Michael Preston. Taj Mahal: Passion and Genius at the Heart of the Moghul Empire. New York: Walker Publishing Company, Inc., 2007. Print.\r\nThis book is written for the general public to give a background about the Taj Mahal.  It speaks more to the culture of the area and worldwide historical context at the time rather than the building itself.\r\n\r\nRoth, Leland M. \"Architecture: Asia.\" New Dictionary of the History of Ideas. Ed. Maryanne Cline Horowitz. Vol. 1. Detroit: Charles Scribner\'s Sons, 2005. 128-132. Gale Virtual Reference Library. Web. 30 Sep. 2012.\r\n\r\nThe “New Dictionary of the History of Ideas” is a resource work targeting students and it documents the way human thought has developed through time.  This particular article chronicles the cultural developments of architecture in Asia from the beginning of the common era to present day.\r\n\r\nThis article is divided into two parts.  The first talks about the architectural style of the three major regions of Asia; India, China and Japan.  The second provides examples of architecture for each region, including the Taj Mahal.\r\n\r\nIn particular for this Time Capsule Project, the article shows how the three major religions that populated India combined to create what we now recognize as Mughal aesthetic.','The Legends and Truths of the Taj Mahal','','inherit','open','open','','2785-revision-4','','','2012-10-15 22:15:24','2012-10-16 04:15:24','',2785,'http://jeanatacc.com/2011/?p=2790',0,'revision','',0),(3345,1,'2013-09-24 12:10:55','2013-09-24 18:10:55','Donatello’s bronze statue of David is estimated to have been created somewhere between the years 1430 &amp; 1440.  The exact date is still a common topic for debate as no one has been able to find solid evidence (Schneider).  It was among the first nudes in the art world used in a context other than religious (italianrenaissance.org).  While it is more common to find David depicted as a strong, large, muscular, giant of a man, Donatello’s depiction of a sleek, younger man was a distinct difference.  His stance of victory holds an almost homosexual feminism to it, something that was fairly common in works of the period.  It is uncertain who actually commissioned the work, but some have proposed the assumption that it may have been Cosimo il Vecchio de’ Medici (<a href=\"http://www.palazzo-medici.it\">http://www.palazzo-medici.it</a>).  Donatello changed the world of art in ways he never could have imagined.  His technique, his skill, his creative bravery, and the greatness that is David are worthy of being preserved for centuries to come.\r\n<p dir=\"ltr\"><!--more--></p>\r\n<p dir=\"ltr\" style=\"text-align: center;\"><a href=\"http://jeanatacc.com/2011/wp-content/uploads/2013/09/Jessie-Donatello.jpg\"><img class=\"size-medium wp-image-3266 aligncenter\" alt=\"Jessie Donatello\" src=\"http://jeanatacc.com/2011/wp-content/uploads/2013/09/Jessie-Donatello-185x300.jpg\" width=\"185\" height=\"300\" /></a><a href=\"http://www.italianrenaissance.org/donatellos-david/\" target=\"_blank\">http://www.italianrenaissance.org/donatellos-david/</a></p>\r\n<p dir=\"ltr\" style=\"text-align: center;\"><a href=\"http://jeanatacc.com/2011/wp-content/uploads/2013/09/jessie-donatello-3.jpg\"><img class=\"size-medium wp-image-3272 aligncenter\" alt=\"jessie donatello 3\" src=\"http://jeanatacc.com/2011/wp-content/uploads/2013/09/jessie-donatello-3-231x300.jpg\" width=\"231\" height=\"300\" /></a><a href=\"http://www.gunnzone.org/GunnImages/images/11_David_Donatello-L-R.jpg\" target=\"_blank\">http://www.gunnzone.org/GunnImages/images/11_David_Donatello-L-R.jpg</a></p>\r\n<p dir=\"ltr\">Despite having a considerable religious influence, the arts of the Renaissance era began to take on more lifelike appearances.  The Renaissance artists were steering away from the abstract qualities of the Classical period and began making their works more realistic.  Donatello’s David with its attention to the human form is a prime example of the changes that began to occur.  The artists of the Renaissance era such as Donatello, da Vinci, Raphael, and Michelangelo brought change and influence that was felt and seen for centuries to come, even today.  (Fiero, B3.43)  Around this time literature, science, art were beginning to tie themselves to the church as people such as Pope Nicholas V.   Even members of the church were showing an enthusiasm for learning and the arts.  Many church officials commissioned Renaissance artists to renovate libraries, and to build churches, and to paint chapels (i.e. The Sisteen Chapel).</p>\r\n<p dir=\"ltr\">In the time leading up to the Renaissance era, art tended to have a significant amount of religious influence.  As the artists of the Renaissance era began to try to revive the Classical heritage, they began applying a more realistic approach to their work.  Portrait work soared in popularity as it focused on the individual.  Nude works were not widely known outside of the religious context as many artists tended to be rather self-concious.  Even then, in most cases, any nude subjects tended to be portrayed as Gods.  Throughout the Renaissance era, artists were falling away from the abstract works of the Medieval time period and began to create more tangible and realistic pieces.  As artists lost inhibitions and became more creative, they began to explore the human form more and created works such as Donatello’s David.  “in his bronze David (circa 1450), Donatello created the first sexually charged male nude since the collapse of the classical Greco-Roman Testhetic a thousand years earlier.”  (Frontain)</p>\r\n<p dir=\"ltr\">Donatello’s David was a nude statue.  While not the only one of the time period, it was among the first.  The appearance of nudes in the art world was mostly found in the religious context.  Donatello was neither the first nor the last sculptor to produce their interpretation of David.  However, while the majority of the David statues depicted him as a larger-than-life man of great strength, Donatello showed him as a young and sinewy boy with an almost homosexual feminism to him.  Also, many artists/sculptors utilized marble, but Donatello chose to utilize bronze for this particular piece. Interestingly enough, this particular piece was his second attempt.  His first version of David was done in marble somewhere around 1408/1409.</p>\r\n<p dir=\"ltr\">This statue was received very well.  It became very popular and was considered to be the symbol of Florence.  The Medici family kept it on display in their court yard causing quite the scandal.  Regardless, once explained away by Donatello, the statue was received with great enthusiasm.  Due to the chosen placement of the sculpture (in the courtyard) some did not take to it very well.  However, many artists and scholars of the time made claims that it very well could have been one of Donatello’s finest works created within his lifetime.</p>\r\n<p dir=\"ltr\">The reception of Donatello’s bronze David today seems to be comparable to when it made its debut.  The beauty, creativity, and originality of Donatello’s work has never been argued.  The beauty of the nude form quite obviously influenced by Donatello’s own homosexuality seems to be the focus of many of today’s critics and historians.  Today there seems to much debate regarding the original appearance of the statue.  For example, many think the original statue – before the influences of time – had golden luscious curls that any women would envy.  (www.ancientworlds.net)  There is much debate amongst scholars as to the exact time, original appearance, whether or not Donatello used a live nude model, and a whole host of other details that seem to have been lost over the course of the passing centuries.  One important thing that has been agreed upon is that Donatello’s David is/was one of the most influential works of its time and that Donatello was one of the cornerstones of the beginning of the modern art community.</p>\r\n<p dir=\"ltr\">I have always been exposed to the larger, more masculine versions of the David statues.  I’ve always made the assumption they were all that had existed.  My first impression of Donatello’s work was that it was very feminine, seemed to be homosexually motivated, and couldn’t possibly be the correct statue.  After discovering that, in fact, it was I simply stared at it.  Given the time period, I was rather shocked that a statue of this type gained such popularity.  I thought it was very well done.  Again, given the time period, I was very impressed that a statue of this caliber could be created out of any medium especially one such as bronze.  In regards to its symbolism, it has been hard for me to truly understand it as my prior knowledge of this particular era is not very extensive.  For me personally, it was more the bravery and creativity that came from Donatello’s bronze David.  Knowing now of the political controversy started by its creation, I am able to appreciate it far more.  After looking at it for the first time, I was a bit taken aback.</p>\r\n<p dir=\"ltr\">Michelangelo and Donatello were both commissioned to create sculptures of David.  David was a great symbol for the people of Florence.  He stood-to them-for their freedom and liberty.  Both of which were under constant threat.  One important difference, in terms of history, was that Michelango’s piece was commissioned by The Board of Works for the Cathedral of Florence while Donatello’s piece was commissioned be the Medici family.  A family that was considered to have been one of the biggest threats toward the very freedoms and liberties David was supposed to have represented.  While David’s work is very well known, Michelango’s David is the one most thought of when “the sculpture of David” is mentioned.</p>\r\n<p dir=\"ltr\">Artistically speaking, they both used different mediums to create their individual works.  Donatello actually created two pieces depicting David.  One was done in marble while the other, the one he is most recognized for, was created from bronze.  Michelango kept with the classic/typical depiction of David showing him, while young, to be a man of strength and masculine victory.  Donatello, on the other hand, showed David as a sinewy young man.  While his stance with his foot on top of the severed head of Goliath was one of victory, he still showed more of a feminine quality almost homosexual.  This was a quality seen in many works of that time.</p>\r\n<p dir=\"ltr\">Donatello’s bronze David is not one of the most well-known of the many depictions of David.  Future generations need to know.  If asked, a number of high school students would most likely be unable to tell you any other David than that done by Michelangelo.  It is important that this generation and those to come be taught.</p>\r\n<p dir=\"ltr\">Donatello created a great work of symbolism.  On a daily basis, the very family that commissioned him to create this great piece threatened the freedoms and liberties of the citizens of Florence-the freedoms and liberties that David represented.  Some artists of his time went so far as to label this work as Donatello’s finest of his lifetime.  Donatello was one of the great artistic masters.  His work has influenced other artists and their own works over the course of centuries.  To look at it simply, it was formed from bronze-a task not easily accomplished almost 600 years ago.</p>\r\n<p dir=\"ltr\">Donatello’s David was a great example of Humanist art.  This is shown not only in the choice of medium but also in the pose and nudity of the subject.  What better way to learn of the great artists of this time than through the study of the work itself.  Reproductions can never adequately represent the artist or his work.  It is important for individuals to be able to see and study this work firsthand.  To see the stunning accuracy of David’s anatomical features.  To understand and feel the symbolism of his foot on the head of the slain giant.  And after having gained this understanding, to hopefully appreciate the irony of that symbolism when considering those who commissioned this work.</p>\r\n<p dir=\"ltr\">At some point in history, it was decided this was a work of such great importance that it needed to be guarded and protected and preserved for generations to come.  Donatello’s bronze masterpiece needs to be saved.  That importance once found has not changed in the last 600 years nor will it change in the next 600.</p>\r\n<p dir=\"ltr\">David did and still does represent the coveted freedoms and liberties of a seemingly repressed  people.  However, of equal importance, is that in a time when homosexuality wasn’t as publicized as it is in today’s society and sodomy was deemed illegal, the homosexual air of this nude young man seemed to go unnoticed.  In fact, it was the wish of those who commissioned the work that David be portrayed in such a way.   It was common knowledge that Donatello was a gay man.  This was a huge step into the future not only for art but also for human sexuality.</p>\r\n<p dir=\"ltr\">Artists such as Donatello were innovators in their time and started a movement that has carried forth into our world today.  While many may fail to see the significance of a work like David, I feel that it is important to show how artists and other individuals like Donatello shaped what we know today.  An important part of making sure that can happen is to do whatever is possible to insure the works of the greats are preserved.</p>\r\n&nbsp;\r\n<p dir=\"ltr\">Janson, H W. The Sculpture of David. Princeton, NJ: Princeton University Press, 1979. Acadenic</p>\r\n<p dir=\"ltr\">    Search Complete. Web. 26 Aug. 2013.</p>\r\n<p dir=\"ltr\">Frontain, Raymond-Jean. Gay &amp; Lesbian Review Worldwide 13.4: 12-15. Academic Search</p>\r\n<p dir=\"ltr\">Complete.  Web. 26 Aug. 2013.</p>\r\n<p dir=\"ltr\">**Frontain allowed for more of a focus on the homosexual nature of the statue.  It also addressed the fact that it was one of the first sexually charged male nudes.</p>\r\n&nbsp;\r\n<p dir=\"ltr\">\"\"David\" by Donatello.\" Mediateca di Palazzo Medici Riccardi Window on the Renaissance.</p>\r\n<p dir=\"ltr\">Mediateca di Palazzo, n.d. Web. 26 Aug. 2013. &lt;<a href=\"http://www.palazzo-medici.it/mediateca/en/schede.php?nome=David_di_Donatello\">http://www.palazzo-medici.it/mediateca/en/schede.php?nome=David_di_Donatello</a>&gt;.</p>\r\n<p dir=\"ltr\">**This source proved helpful as it came from an Italian source.  It gave a great perspective as to the controversy surround the placement of the statue and the family that commissioned the work.</p>\r\n&nbsp;\r\n<p dir=\"ltr\">Schneider, Laurie. \"Donatello\'s Bronze David.\" The Art Bulletin June 1973: 213-16. Web. 26</p>\r\n<p dir=\"ltr\">    Aug. 2013.  &lt; <a href=\"http://www.jstor.org/stable/3049095\">http://www.jstor.org/stable/3049095</a>&gt;.</p>\r\n<p dir=\"ltr\">    **Schneider gave a more technical approach to analysis.  However, it was an easy read and satisfied one of the academic credit.</p>\r\n&nbsp;\r\n<p dir=\"ltr\">Macrohistory and World Timeline. N.p., n.d. Web. 2 Sept. 2013.</p>\r\n<p dir=\"ltr\">    &lt;<a href=\"http://www.macrohistory.com/time/ce15.htm\">http://www.macrohistory.com/time/ce15.htm</a>&gt;.</p>\r\n<p dir=\"ltr\">    **This timeline allowed me to better understand the historical context of the time.  It laid out world history, not only that in Florence, of the time and created a better understanding of the “controversy”, etc.</p>\r\n&nbsp;\r\n<p dir=\"ltr\">Fiero, Gloria K. The Humanistic Tradition. 6th Editionth ed. Vol. 2. N.p.: McGraw-Hill, 2011.</p>\r\n<p dir=\"ltr\">N. pag. 2 vols. Web. 26 Aug. 2013. &lt;http://connect.mcgraw- hill.com/connect/hmEBook.do?setTab=sectionTabs&gt;.</p>\r\n<p dir=\"ltr\">**The textbook has proven to be quite helpful.  It holds information not only on the work itself but also other works and artists of the time.  It also gave insight into the historical timeline.</p>\r\n&nbsp;\r\n<p dir=\"ltr\">***<a href=\"http://www.italianrenaissance.org/donatellos-david/\">http://www.italianrenaissance.org/donatellos-david/</a></p>\r\n<p dir=\"ltr\">**This site analyzes pose, biblical influence, David’s background, etc all from an artistic standpoint as well as the influence of the Italian renaissance.</p>','Donatello\'s David in Bronze','','inherit','open','open','','3253-revision-v1','','','2013-09-24 12:10:55','2013-09-24 18:10:55','',3253,'http://jeanatacc.com/2011/?p=3345',0,'revision','',0),(3346,1,'2013-09-24 12:17:22','2013-09-24 18:17:22','<p align=\"center\">      <i><a href=\"http://jeanatacc.com/2011/wp-content/uploads/2013/09/Alberti.png\"><img class=\"size-medium wp-image-3268 aligncenter\" alt=\"Alberti\" src=\"http://jeanatacc.com/2011/wp-content/uploads/2013/09/Alberti-300x198.png\" width=\"300\" height=\"198\" /></a></i>Principles of Alberti\'s <i>On Paintin</i><i>g</i></p>\n<p align=\"center\"><a href=\"http://gewelkafka.blogspot.com/2011/09/\" target=\"_blank\"><i>http://gewelkafka.blogspot.com/2011/09/</i></a></p>\n<p align=\"center\"><a href=\"http://gewelkafka.blogspot.com/2011/09/my-second-painting-project-this.html\" target=\"_blank\"><i>my-second-painting-project-this.html</i></a></p>\n<p align=\"center\"><i> </i></p>\n<p align=\"center\"><b>Alberti\'s <i>On Painting</i></b></p>\n<p align=\"center\"><i> </i></p>\n<b>Name</b>: <i>Della pittura (On Painting)</i>\n\n<b>Author</b>: Leon Battista Alberti <i> </i>\n\n<b>Date</b>: 1435-36\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\"><b>Description</b>:</p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">“Leon Battista Alberti\'s <i>Della pittura</i> is the first modern treatise on the theory of painting... It prepared the way for the art, the artist, and the patron of the renaissance.” (Spencer) It brings the aspects of dimension, proportion and distance to painting, while influencing other Renaissance Artists. The work itself became the basis for many other pieces throughout the 15<sup>th</sup> century, including other treatise works done by Filarete, Piero della Francesca and Leonardo Da Vince. The work <i>On painting </i>by Leon Battista Alberti should be preserved because of its profound impact on creative, mathematical and philosophical thought, going into the renaissance.</p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\"><!--more-->\n<b>Discussion</b>:</p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\"><i>            On Painting</i> virtually signaled the end of the Dark Ages and very subsequently afterward, kick started the Italian Renaissance. “As art theory <i>Della pittura </i>became one of the chief sources for later treatises on the art of painting.” (Spencer). During “a period of transition in Florentine art when the new was slowly making its way against the old. Alberti\'s overstatements and his sharp criticism of former practice reflect the tensions of his time, yet he never loses his assurance of final victory or his optimism for the future” (Spencer).</p>\n<b>Question Prompts</b>:\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\"><i>            On Painting</i> is not exactly typical of its era in the least. Culturally, the Renaissance has not happened yet, and the world is still reeling from almost a hundred years of war. The typical art form was depiction of people, events and the like, but not in a way that was mathematically pleasing to the eye. Art had no true depth, no concept of realism. Unfortunately, it would not be until the “late 16<sup>th</sup> through the 18<sup>th</sup> century that academic minds would be searching for a rational art which allowed no place for fantasy.” (Spencer)</p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">            This peace stands out from its peers in that it brought realism to the artistic and scientific table. Alberti used concepts such as depth and mathematical precision on canvas, in order to produce a piece of work that looks true to life. Alberti\'s <i>On Painting</i> was about representing nature, through nature\'s own machinations and mechanisms. “The Essence of Alberti\'s aesthetics, as well as its relations to his thought, can perhaps be best apprehended through an investigation of three topics basic in the treatise; his approach to visible reality, <i>la piu grassa Minerva, </i>his use of the mathematical sciences as a means of controlling this reality, <i>mathematica, </i>and the means and aim of humanist painting, <i>istoria.” (Spencer)</i></p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">            Alberti\'s work <i>On Painting</i> was extremely well received. It did so well in fact that it was translated into several different languages from its original Latin, and appropriately distributed. “Alberti\'s own Italian translation from his Lating original probably entered the shops as something of an \'inspirational handbook\' and became so popular that it was read out of existence.” (Spencer) It is also widely believed that <i>On Painting</i> was one of the driving kick-starters for the Renaissance.</p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">            Today, <i>On Painting</i> is credited for being the inspiration behind a large number of Renaissance artists. The likes of Leonardo Da Vinci and Michelangelo are said to have read <i>On Painting</i> and reveled in its implications for art and science. In addition to this, <i>On Painting </i>had influenced artistic and thoughtful minds well into the future. “The DuFresne translation of 1651 in Paris became the basis for much of Felibien\'s <i>Entretiens </i> in which Alberti is evoked as an \'authority\' for French academic practice. <i>Della pittura </i>was not made generally available in England until Leoni brought out four English translations between 1726 and 1755; their effect on Hogarth, Reynolds and the Royal Academy is quite clear.” (Spencer)</p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">            Personally, I was expecting a bit more length, but what is presented is in fact a clear, concise (if not wordy) layout for practically applying the concepts of realism and mathematics to art, specifically painting. What I find particularly meaningful is Alberti\'s concept of <i>vertu</i>, in that mans pursuit of knowledge and perfection are what makes man capable of anything. Suffice it to say, much of Alberti\'s \'method\' involved and circulated around good old fashioned practice. I found it intriguing that something so ground breaking for its time was something so innately simple at its core, and even more surprising is that lessons can be pulled from it even to this day.</p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\"><i>            On Painting</i> is especially difficult to compare to anything else in the time period, simply because nothing like it had been done before. “It can be understood as the first formal treatise on the theory of painting in contrast to Cenino Cennini\'s <i>Craftsman\'s Handbook</i>, which was focused on workshop practice.” (Spencer) While <i>On Painting</i> is itself not a \'work of art\', it does well to lay the groundwork for humanist approaches at realism, and also while Alberti (arguably) failed to produce a painting considered anything above average in the eyes of many scholars and critics,  <i>On painting</i> did not fail in ushering in a new age of thought and intelligent practice.</p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">            The work <i>On painting </i>by Leon Battista Alberti should be preserved because of the following. First, for the concepts that is introduces to art. Specifically, that nature can be represented accurately through learned observation and mathematics and because of this, math is ever present in nature. Second, for its concepts of <i>vertu</i>, in which the artist betters himself as a person, and as a humanist in order to better observe and control his surroundings, interactions and destiny.</p>\n<i> </i>\n\n&nbsp;\n\nSpencer, John R. “Notes to the Introduction”\n\n<i>            Alberti – \'On Painting\'. </i>New Haven:\n\nYale University Press. 1970 [First printed 1956].\n\nWeb. 26 Aug 2013\n\nThis is a free English translation of Alberti\'s treatise <i>On painting</i> as published by the Yale University Press, accompanied by an introduction by one John R. Spencer. It was immensely useful in interpreting Alberti\'s concepts, as well as for understanding the social, political and artistic climate of the time.\n\n&nbsp;\n\nFinkelstein, Honora M. Dr. “Writers of the Renaissance”\n\n<i>            2 – Leon Battista Alberti – On Painting. </i>New Wisdom\n\nWeb. 26 Aug 2013\n\nThis contains information on specific writers of the Renaissance era. While this source does little to describe the actual work <i>On painting, </i>it did help in understanding the mind and the man behind the piece, which I believe to be just as important.\n\n&nbsp;\n\n“Perspective” <i>Encyclopedia Britannica Online. </i>Encyclopedia\n\nBritannica, 2013. Web. 26 Aug. 2013\n\nAn explanation of the concepts of perspective in art put forth by <i>On painting, </i>and origin thereof. It does well to explain the concepts talked about throughout the work, but little else.\n\n&nbsp;','On Painting','','inherit','open','open','','3255-autosave-v1','','','2013-09-24 12:17:22','2013-09-24 18:17:22','',3255,'http://jeanatacc.com/2011/?p=3346',0,'revision','',0),(3343,1,'2013-09-24 12:07:38','2013-09-24 18:07:38','Hernan Cortes, the first Marquis of the valley of Oaxaca was born in 1485 in the town of Medellin, in modern day Extremadura, Spain, he was a Spanish conquistador who led an expedition that caused the fall of the Aztec empire and brought large portions of mainland Mexico under the rule of the king of castle in the early 16<sup>th</sup> century. Cortes was part of the generation of Spanish colonizers that began the first phase of the Spanish colonization of the Americas. Cortes first arrival was in Santo Domingo in 1504, the capital of Hispaniola where he registered as a citizen which entitled him to a building plot and land to farm, Cortés was given an encomienda by Nicolas de ovando the governor of Hispaniola, and also made Cortés a notary of the town of Azua de compostela. In 1506, Cortés took part in the conquest of Hispaniola and Cuba, receiving a large estate of land and Indian slaves for his effort from the leader of the expedition.<!--more-->\r\n\r\nHernan Cortes in the year 1511 accompanied Diego Velázquez de cuellar in his expedition to conquer Cuba at the age of 26, at 26 Cortés was made clerk to the treasurer with the responsibility of ensuring that the crown received the quinto, or customary one fifth of the profits from the expedition. Cortes became secretary for  the governor Velazquez, Cortés was twice appointed municipal magistrate (alcalde) of Santiago, Cortés became a man of substance with an encomienda to provide Indian labor for his mines and cattle, the new position of power also made him the new source of leadership.\r\n\r\nCortes was appointed Captain – General of a new expedition in October 1518, but was advised to move fast before Velazquez changed his mind, whose relationship with Cortés stained due the Juan de Grijalva expedition made by Cortés establishing a colony on the mainland where there was a bonanza of silver and gold, and Cortés was the captain- general., with Cortés experience as an administrator, knowledge gained from many failed expeditions, and his impeccable rhetoric, he was able to gather six ships and 300 men, within a month. And this made Velazquez’s jealous and wanting to replace Cortés leadership of the expedition in other hands. Cortes began to look beyond his substantial status as a mayor of the capital of Cuba and as a man of affairs in the thriving colony.\r\n\r\nCortes in another expedition, the Spanish conquest of the Aztec empire, in 1518 Valazquez put him in command of an expedition to explore and secure the interior of Mexico for colonization but due to the old gripe between Velázquez and Cortés, he changed his mind and revoked his charter but Cortés ignored the orders and went ahead anyway.  In February, 1519, in an act of open mutiny, Accompanied by about 11 ships, 500 men, 13 horses and a small number of cannons, he landed in the Yucatan peninsula in Mayan territory, there he encountered Geronimo de Aguilar, a Spanish Franciscan priest who translate the chontal Mayan language to Cortés. In March 1519, Cortés formally claimed the land for the Spanish crown, he stopped in Trinidad to hire more soldiers and obtain more horses. Then he proceeded to tabasco, where he met with resistance and won a battle against the natives. He received twenty young indigenous women from the vanquished natives and he converted them all to Christians, and among these women was La Malinche (Marina), his future mistress and mother of his child Martin, a woman who is likely responsible for much of the success Cortés had in communicating with the Mexican people.  .\r\n\r\nThe 1<sup>st</sup> Letter was likely written by Cortés early in 1519 after he has created a settlement in Veracruz on the Gulf of Mexico, he bestowing gifts of elaborate gold and feather headdresses from the local people around Veracruz to Queen Dona Juana and King Don Carlos of Spain, and trying hard to justify his going around his superior officer Velazquez in Cuba. In July 1519, his men took over Veracruz by this act; Cortés dismissed the authority of the Governor of Cuba to place himself directly under the orders of Charles. In order to eliminate any ideas of retreat, Cortés scuttled his ships. In Veracruz, he met some of the tributaries of the Aztecs, and there he wrote the 2<sup>nd</sup> letter.\r\n\r\nThe 2<sup>nd</sup> Letter written by Cortés to the emperor Charles V describing the magnificent city found the “Temixitan” (Tenochtitlan), Cortés description of tenochitlan in letter 2 is full of wonder: gigantic market places full of people and foods and goods of all kinds, fresh water flowing in a canal from the mountains, and beautiful houses, and he then asked the Tenochtitlan to arrange a meeting with Montezuma 11, the tlatoani (ruler) of the Aztec empire. Moctezuma repeatedly turned down the meeting, but Cortés was determined, leaving a hundred men in Veracruz, Cortés marched on Tenochtitlan in mid-august 1519, along with 600 men, 15 horsemen, 15 cannons, and hundreds of indigenous carriers and warriors, On the way to Tenochtitlan Cortés made alliances with indigenous people such as the Nahuas of Tlaxcala and in October 1519, Cortés and his men, accompanied by about 3000 Tlaxcalteca, marched to Cholula, the second largest city in central Mexico. Cortes either in a pre-meditated effort to instill fear upon the Aztecs waiting for him at Tenochtitlan or (as he later claimed when under investigation) wishing to make an example when he feared native treachery, massacred thousands of unarmed members of the nobility gathered at the central plaza, then partially burned the city, Cortés took Moctezuma as a hostage in his own palace, indirectly ruling Tenochtitlan through him. On July 1, 1520 Moctezuma was killed (the Spaniards claimed he was stoned to death by his people; other claim he was murdered by the Spanish once they realized his inability to placate the locals.\r\n\r\nLetter 3 follows the efforts of Cortés to surround and recapture the island capital Tenochtitlan, during the Noche Triste (30 June- 1 July 1520), the Spaniards managed a narrow escape from Tenochtitlan across the Tlacopan causeway, while their back guard was being massacred. Much of the treasure looted by Cortés was lost (as well as his artillery) during this panicked escape from Tenochtitlan, after a battle in Otumba, they managed to reach Tlaxcala, having lost 870 men. With the assistance of their allies, Cortés men finally prevailed with reinforcement arriving from Cuba. Cortes began a policy of attrition towards Tenochtitlan, cutting off supplies and subduing the Aztecs’ allied cities; clearly the people of the Tenochtitlan were starving and having trouble locating fresh water. Finally, after seventy five days and most of the city were under Spanish control, Guatimucin, the last “emperor” of the Aztecs was captured and the siege of Tenochtitlan ended with Spanish victory and the destruction of the city.\r\n\r\nIn January 1521, Cortés countered a conspiracy against him, headed by Antonio de Villafana, who was hanged for the offence. Finally with the capture of Cuannhtemoc, the Tlatoani (ruler) of Tenochtitlan, on 13 august 1521 the Aztecs empire disappeared, and Cortés was able to claim it for Spain, and thus renaming the city as Mexico City. Many historical sources have conveyed an impression that Cortés was unjustly treated by the Spanish crown, and that he received nothing but ingratitude for his role in establishing New Spain.\r\n\r\nLetter 4, October 15, 1524, “Cortés personally was not ungenerously rewarded, but he speedily complained of insufficient compensation to himself and his comrades. Thinking himself beyond reach of restraint, he disobeyed many of the orders of the crown, and what was more imprudent in this letter Cortés besides recalling in a rather abrupt manner that the conquest of Mexico was due to him alone, deliberately acknowledges his disobedience in terms which could not fail to create a most unfavorable impression”, King Charles appointed Cortés as governor, captain general and chief justice of the newly conquered territory, dubbed “New Spain of the Ocean Sea”. But also, much to the dismay of Cortés, four royal officials were appointed at the same time to assist him in his governing- in effect, submitting him to close observation and administration. Cortes initiated the construction of Mexico, destroying Aztec temples and building and then rebuilding on the Aztec ruins what soon became the most important European city in the Americas. Cortes managed the funding of the cities and appointed men to extend Spanish rule to all of New Spain, imposing the encomienda land tenure system in 1524. He also supported efforts to evangelize the indigenous people to Christianity and sponsored new exploration.\r\n\r\nLetter 5, from 1524-1526, Cortés headed an expedition to Honduras where he defeated Cristobel de Olid, who had claimed Honduras as his own under the influence of the Governor of Cuba Diego Velázquez, fearing that Cuauhtémoc might head an insurrection in Mexico, he brought him with him in Honduras and hanged him during the journey. Raging over Olid’s treason, Cortés issued a decree to arrest Velázquez whom he was sure was behind Olid’s treason. This, however, only served to further estrange the Crown of Castle and the Council of Indies, both of which were already beginning to feel anxious about Cortés rising power. On this fifth letter to King Charles Cortés attempts to justify his conduct, concludes with a bitter attack on “various and powerful rivals and enemies” who have “obscured the eyes of your majesty” Unfortunately, the Charles, who was also Holy Roman Emperor, had little time for distant colonies (much of Charles’s reign was taken up with wars with France, Germany Protestant and the expanding Ottoman Empire). The religious patriotism of Cortés takes the form of destroying any temples or religious shrines he should find and putting crosses and signs of the Virgin Mary in their place. Throughout the letters there is very little mention of the priest who accompanied his expedition, although pagden in his footnotes mentions that the priest attempted to stop him many times from his overt destruction of traditional Mexican religious artifacts as it definitely impede their attempts at peaceful conversion. Cortes also does not seem realize that much of the militant opposition he faces among the Indian population comes from this continual destruction of their traditional religious culture.\r\n\r\nIn conclusion, the five letters and the story behind Hernan Cortés shows a fascinating expedition by Cortés which cut across the entire Americas, a man who wanted to explore and conquer and dominate the entire America and this can be likened to a man full of “greed” and what t have it all, the only limit towards his expedition was illness and death.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nQuestion:\r\n<ol>\r\n	<li>What are the reasons that make the Crown of Castle and the Council of Indies to feel anxious about the Cortés rising power?</li>\r\n	<li>What was the major event that took place in 13 August, 1521?</li>\r\n</ol>\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nAnswers:\r\n<ol>\r\n	<li>a. When Cortes dismissed the authority of the governor of Cuba to place himself directly under the orders of King Charles.</li>\r\n</ol>\r\nb. When Cortés made a decree to arrest Velázquez who was his former Governor raging over Olid’s Treason.\r\n\r\n2.  The total capture of the Aztecs Empire by Cortés for Spain.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n<b><span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\">Books Cited From</span></b>:\r\n\r\n# The Social studies (2010) 101,232-235\r\n\r\nCopyright Taylor &amp; Francis Group, LLC\r\n\r\nISSN: 0037-7996 print/2152-405X online.\r\n\r\n# <a title=\"A Book Review of the Very First Historical Mexican Classic: Hernan Cortes. Letters from Mexico. \" href=\"http://ehis.ebscohost.com.lsproxy.austincc.edu/ehost/viewarticle?data=dGJyMPPp44rp2%2fdV0%2bnjisfk5Ie41%2fOL8t%2fsRuvX54as2%2baH8eq%2bUa2oskewpq9LnqewUrCsuEqxlr9lpOrweezp33vy3%2b2G59q7RbensUu1rLFOtZzqeezdu33snOJ6u9e3gKTq33%2b7t8w%2b3%2bS7TbOpr0i1rbE%2b5OXwhd%2fqu37z4uqM4%2b7y&amp;hid=105\">A Book Review of the Very First Historical Mexican Classic: Hernan Cortes.<b> Letters</b> from <b>Mexico</b>. </a> Full Text Available By: Pahl, Ron H. <i>Social Studies. </i>Nov/Dec2010, Vol. 101 Issue 6, p232-235. 4p. DOI: 10.1080/00377996.2010.524549.\r\n\r\nSubjects: BOOKS -- Reviews; NONFICTION; HERNAN Cortes: <b>Letters</b> From <b>Mexico</b> (Book); PAGDEN, Anthony;CORTES, Hernan, 1485-1547.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n# Web: <a href=\"http://ehis.ebscohost.com.lsproxy.austincc.edu/ehost/results?sid=cecf5cda-6454-40e6-9cb9-995fb8de1699%40sessionmgr15&amp;v\">http://ehis.ebscohost.com.lsproxy.austincc.edu/ehost/results?sid=cecf5cda-6454-40e6-9cb9-995fb8de1699%40sessionmgr15&amp;v</a>.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n# en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hernán_Cortés','HERNAN CORTES: LETTERS FROM MEXICO','','inherit','open','open','','3337-revision-v1','','','2013-09-24 12:07:38','2013-09-24 18:07:38','',3337,'http://jeanatacc.com/2011/?p=3343',0,'revision','',0),(2795,1,'2012-10-15 21:19:51','2012-10-16 03:19:51','AUSTIN COMMUNITY COLLEGE\r\nTCP-2 DECLARATION OF INDEPENDENCE\r\nJ. Lauer – 1302 – 207 # 13622\r\nPHILIP ROBINSON\r\n10/14/2012\r\n<p style=\"text-align: center\"><a href=\"http://jeanatacc.com/2011/wp-content/uploads/2012/10/Declaration-of-Independence-Mouse-Pad1.png\"><img class=\"wp-image-2761 aligncenter\" src=\"http://jeanatacc.com/2011/wp-content/uploads/2012/10/Declaration-of-Independence-Mouse-Pad1-889x1024.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"533\" height=\"614\" /></a></p>\r\n<!--more-->\r\n\r\nAs you are by now well aware, the purpose of this project is to discuss the merits or flaws in the decision to keep a particular piece of art in the time capsule. My opinion is that the pieces we collect will provide an understanding and appreciation of the past. For this paper my intent is to enlighten those that may not already know or agree that the Declaration of Independence should have a place in the capsule, so that future generations will be mindful of our mistakes, and inspired by our greatness.\r\n\r\nPenned By Thomas Jefferson in 1776, and signed by 55 others gentlemen on the fourth day of July that same year was influenced by present and not so present men. (web)After the printing press came to be Thomas Paine’s, “Common Sense” sells 150,000 copies in the first few weeks after publishing argues that Independence is the true course of free people, and a “natural right.” (“history.com”) There is another work that I believe to be similar that may have had an impact on Jefferson as he was writing the Declaration of Independence, and that work is the “The Second Treatise on Civil Government” by John Locke. “Most agree that the natural rights philosophy of English philosopher JOHN LOCKE greatly influenced Jefferson’s composition of the Declaration. In particular, Locke advanced the ideas that a just government derives its legitimacy and power from the consent of the governed, that people possess inalienable rights Page 390 that no legitimate government may take away, and that the people have the right and duty to overthrow a government that violates their rights. Jefferson also paralleled Locke in his identification of three major rights—the rights to “Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness”—though the last of his three is a change from Locke’s right to “property.”(“Declaration of Independence”)(“Locke”)\r\n\r\n“<em> In March 1776, North Carolina\'s revolutionary convention became the first to vote in favor of independence; seven other colonies had followed suit by mid-May. On June 7, the Virginia delegate Richard Henry Lee introduced a motion calling for the colonies\' independence before the Continental Congress when it met at the Pennsylvania State House (later Independence Hall) in Philadelphia. Amid heated debate, Congress postponed the vote on Lee\'s resolution and called a recess for several weeks. Before departing, however, the delegates also appointed a five-man committee--including Thomas Jefferson of Virginia, John Adams of Massachusetts, Roger Sherman of Connecticut, Benjamin Franklin of Pennsylvania and Robert R. Livingston of New York--to draft a formal statement justifying the break with Great Britain. That document would become known as the Declaration of Independence.</em>”(“history.com”)\r\n\r\nThe part that I find unusual is that almost never happened, as at this time in the colonies most of the populace was focused on subject’s rights under the crown. The revolution was at full tilt by the following summer when resistance had grown to the point of forcing a Continental Congress to vote. In mid-June 1776, a five-man committee including Thomas Jefferson, John Adams and Benjamin Franklin was tasked with drafting a formal statement of the colonies\' intentions. The Congress formally adopted the Declaration of Independence--written largely by Jefferson--in Philadelphia on July 4, a date now celebrated as the birth of American independence.\r\n\r\nWhen looking at how this work was received in the past, we must first declare the audience. If the audience is King George III, then one can pretty much say that he was infuriated by these upstarts. If one is referring to the educated populace of the colonies, then separating from British control was thought radical in thought or action until the King attempted to crush the rebellion. If one is referring to the simple folk that are struggling enough just to live, then all you want is for life to be better. However when push comes to shove and the King orders the enlargement of the Army and navy, even the conservative’s abandons hope of reconciliation. (history.com) Apparently there were some members of the colonies that doubted this well crafted document was original, and some years afterward Jefferson responded with the following.\r\n\r\n<em>[n]ot to find out new principles or new arguments, never before thought of, not merely to say things which had never been said before; but to place before mankind the common sense of the subject, in terms so plain and firm as to command their assent, and to justify ourselves in the independent stand we are compelled to take. Neither aiming at originality of principle or sentiment, nor yet copied from any particular and previous writing, it was intended to be an expression of the American mind, and to give to that expression the proper tone and spirit called for by the occasion.</em>(history.com)\r\n\r\nWhen looking at how the Declaration of Independence is viewed today, once again we must clarify who the audience is to accurately relay how the Declaration of Independence is received. If one is part of the elite and part of the military industrial corporate governmental conglomerate that is running the country, you would be doing your best to distract and dumb down your populace enough to not understand the Declaration. If you are part of this great nation that believes in the Declaration, our Constitution, and our Bill of Rights; then you are looking closely at the form and procedure of the Declaration. As an enlightened individual, I am horrified by what I see as the shredding of the founding documents of this nation by those that we placed as guides for our populace. If you are an ignorant sheep that blindly follows what you are told, then all you want is for life to be better.\r\n\r\nIn my opinion the Declaration of Independence is the quintessential piece that defines by demonstration the path a society should take in severing itself from its tyrannical leadership. One can easily follow the rhetorical elements that are artfully expressed throughout this document. The path from having valid issues, to citing their grievances, and finally to stating their ultimatum are well penned. I believe that the most important reason for this Document to be in the time capsule for future generations is this is one of the strongest examples of how a populace regains its freedom from the people that were put in power by the populace after they run amuck. This document also serves as a reminder for our populace that there is a duty in citizenship.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nWorks Cited\r\n\"Declaration of Independence.\" Gale Encyclopedia of American Law. Ed. Donna Batten. 3rd ed. Vol. 3. Detroit: Gale, 2010. 388-390. Gale Virtual Reference Library. Web. 15 Oct. 2012.\r\nDocument URL\r\nhttp://go.galegroup.com.lsproxy.austincc.edu/ps/i.do?id=GALE%7CCX1337701301&amp;v=2.1&amp;u=txshracd2487&amp;it=r&amp;p=GVRL&amp;sw=w\r\n\r\n\"Declaration of Independence.\" History.com. A&amp;E Television Networks, n.d. Web. 15 Oct 2012. .\r\n\r\nLocke, John. \"Second Treatise of Civil Government.\" Essay Concerning the true original, extend, and end of Civil Government n.pag. James. Web. 15 Oct 2012. . – Database I found of works converted to html.','The Declaration of Independence','','inherit','open','open','','2473-revision-5','','','2012-10-15 21:19:51','2012-10-16 03:19:51','',2473,'http://jeanatacc.com/2011/?p=2795',0,'revision','',0),(2796,1,'2012-10-16 08:43:34','2012-10-16 14:43:34','AUSTIN COMMUNITY COLLEGE\r\nTCP-2 DECLARATION OF INDEPENDENCE\r\nJ. Lauer – 1302 – 207 # 13622\r\nPHILIP ROBINSON\r\n10/14/2012\r\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><a href=\"http://jeanatacc.com/2011/wp-content/uploads/2012/10/Declaration-of-Independence-Mouse-Pad1.png\"><img class=\"wp-image-2761 aligncenter\" src=\"http://jeanatacc.com/2011/wp-content/uploads/2012/10/Declaration-of-Independence-Mouse-Pad1-889x1024.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"466\" height=\"536\" /></a></p>\r\n<!--more-->\r\n\r\nAs you are by now well aware, the purpose of this project is to discuss the merits or flaws in the decision to keep a particular piece of art in the time capsule. My opinion is that the pieces we collect will provide an understanding and appreciation of the past. For this paper my intent is to enlighten those that may not already know or agree that the Declaration of Independence should have a place in the capsule, so that future generations will be mindful of our mistakes, and inspired by our greatness.\r\n\r\nPenned By Thomas Jefferson in 1776, and signed by 55 others gentlemen on the fourth day of July that same year was influenced by present and not so present men. (web)After the printing press came to be Thomas Paine’s, “Common Sense” sells 150,000 copies in the first few weeks after publishing argues that Independence is the true course of free people, and a “natural right.” (“history.com”) There is another work that I believe to be similar that may have had an impact on Jefferson as he was writing the Declaration of Independence, and that work is the “The Second Treatise on Civil Government” by John Locke. “Most agree that the natural rights philosophy of English philosopher JOHN LOCKE greatly influenced Jefferson’s composition of the Declaration. In particular, Locke advanced the ideas that a just government derives its legitimacy and power from the consent of the governed, that people possess inalienable rights Page 390 that no legitimate government may take away, and that the people have the right and duty to overthrow a government that violates their rights. Jefferson also paralleled Locke in his identification of three major rights—the rights to “Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness”—though the last of his three is a change from Locke’s right to “property.”(“Declaration of Independence”)(“Locke”)\r\n\r\n“<em> In March 1776, North Carolina\'s revolutionary convention became the first to vote in favor of independence; seven other colonies had followed suit by mid-May. On June 7, the Virginia delegate Richard Henry Lee introduced a motion calling for the colonies\' independence before the Continental Congress when it met at the Pennsylvania State House (later Independence Hall) in Philadelphia. Amid heated debate, Congress postponed the vote on Lee\'s resolution and called a recess for several weeks. Before departing, however, the delegates also appointed a five-man committee--including Thomas Jefferson of Virginia, John Adams of Massachusetts, Roger Sherman of Connecticut, Benjamin Franklin of Pennsylvania and Robert R. Livingston of New York--to draft a formal statement justifying the break with Great Britain. That document would become known as the Declaration of Independence.</em>”(“history.com”)\r\n\r\nThe part that I find unusual is that almost never happened, as at this time in the colonies most of the populace was focused on subject’s rights under the crown. The revolution was at full tilt by the following summer when resistance had grown to the point of forcing a Continental Congress to vote. In mid-June 1776, a five-man committee including Thomas Jefferson, John Adams and Benjamin Franklin was tasked with drafting a formal statement of the colonies\' intentions. The Congress formally adopted the Declaration of Independence--written largely by Jefferson--in Philadelphia on July 4, a date now celebrated as the birth of American independence.\r\n\r\nWhen looking at how this work was received in the past, we must first declare the audience. If the audience is King George III, then one can pretty much say that he was infuriated by these upstarts. If one is referring to the educated populace of the colonies, then separating from British control was thought radical in thought or action until the King attempted to crush the rebellion. If one is referring to the simple folk that are struggling enough just to live, then all you want is for life to be better. However when push comes to shove and the King orders the enlargement of the Army and navy, even the conservative’s abandons hope of reconciliation. (history.com) Apparently there were some members of the colonies that doubted this well crafted document was original, and some years afterward Jefferson responded with the following.\r\n\r\n<em>[n]ot to find out new principles or new arguments, never before thought of, not merely to say things which had never been said before; but to place before mankind the common sense of the subject, in terms so plain and firm as to command their assent, and to justify ourselves in the independent stand we are compelled to take. Neither aiming at originality of principle or sentiment, nor yet copied from any particular and previous writing, it was intended to be an expression of the American mind, and to give to that expression the proper tone and spirit called for by the occasion.</em>(history.com)\r\n\r\nWhen looking at how the Declaration of Independence is viewed today, once again we must clarify who the audience is to accurately relay how the Declaration of Independence is received. If one is part of the elite and part of the military industrial corporate governmental conglomerate that is running the country, you would be doing your best to distract and dumb down your populace enough to not understand the Declaration. If you are part of this great nation that believes in the Declaration, our Constitution, and our Bill of Rights; then you are looking closely at the form and procedure of the Declaration. As an enlightened individual, I am horrified by what I see as the shredding of the founding documents of this nation by those that we placed as guides for our populace. If you are an ignorant sheep that blindly follows what you are told, then all you want is for life to be better.\r\n\r\nIn my opinion the Declaration of Independence is the quintessential piece that defines by demonstration the path a society should take in severing itself from its tyrannical leadership. One can easily follow the rhetorical elements that are artfully expressed throughout this document. The path from having valid issues, to citing their grievances, and finally to stating their ultimatum are well penned. I believe that the most important reason for this Document to be in the time capsule for future generations is this is one of the strongest examples of how a populace regains its freedom from the people that were put in power by the populace after they run amuck. This document also serves as a reminder for our populace that there is a duty in citizenship.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nWorks Cited\r\n\"Declaration of Independence.\" Gale Encyclopedia of American Law. Ed. Donna Batten. 3rd ed. Vol. 3. Detroit: Gale, 2010. 388-390. Gale Virtual Reference Library. Web. 15 Oct. 2012.\r\nDocument URL\r\nhttp://go.galegroup.com.lsproxy.austincc.edu/ps/i.do?id=GALE%7CCX1337701301&amp;v=2.1&amp;u=txshracd2487&amp;it=r&amp;p=GVRL&amp;sw=w\r\n\r\n\"Declaration of Independence.\" History.com. A&amp;E Television Networks, n.d. Web. 15 Oct 2012. .\r\n\r\nLocke, John. \"Second Treatise of Civil Government.\" Essay Concerning the true original, extend, and end of Civil Government n.pag. James. Web. 15 Oct 2012. . – Database I found of works converted to html.','The Declaration of Independence','','inherit','open','open','','2473-revision-6','','','2012-10-16 08:43:34','2012-10-16 14:43:34','',2473,'http://jeanatacc.com/2011/?p=2796',0,'revision','',0),(2797,1,'2012-10-16 08:46:22','2012-10-16 14:46:22','AUSTIN COMMUNITY COLLEGE\r\nTCP-2 DECLARATION OF INDEPENDENCE\r\nJ. Lauer – 1302 – 207 # 13622\r\nPHILIP ROBINSON\r\n10/14/2012\r\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><a href=\"http://jeanatacc.com/2011/wp-content/uploads/2012/10/Declaration-of-Independence-Mouse-Pad1.png\"><img class=\"wp-image-2761 aligncenter\" src=\"http://jeanatacc.com/2011/wp-content/uploads/2012/10/Declaration-of-Independence-Mouse-Pad1-889x1024.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"466\" height=\"536\" /></a></p>\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nAs you are by now well aware, the purpose of this project is to discuss the merits or flaws in the decision to keep a particular piece of art in the time capsule. My opinion is that the pieces we collect will provide an understanding and appreciation of the past. For this paper my intent is to enlighten those that may not already know or agree that the Declaration of Independence should have a place in the capsule, so that future generations will be mindful of our mistakes, and inspired by our greatness.<!--more-->\r\n\r\nPenned By Thomas Jefferson in 1776, and signed by 55 others gentlemen on the fourth day of July that same year was influenced by present and not so present men. (web)After the printing press came to be Thomas Paine’s, “Common Sense” sells 150,000 copies in the first few weeks after publishing argues that Independence is the true course of free people, and a “natural right.” (“history.com”) There is another work that I believe to be similar that may have had an impact on Jefferson as he was writing the Declaration of Independence, and that work is the “The Second Treatise on Civil Government” by John Locke. “Most agree that the natural rights philosophy of English philosopher JOHN LOCKE greatly influenced Jefferson’s composition of the Declaration. In particular, Locke advanced the ideas that a just government derives its legitimacy and power from the consent of the governed, that people possess inalienable rights Page 390 that no legitimate government may take away, and that the people have the right and duty to overthrow a government that violates their rights. Jefferson also paralleled Locke in his identification of three major rights—the rights to “Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness”—though the last of his three is a change from Locke’s right to “property.”(“Declaration of Independence”)(“Locke”)\r\n\r\n“<em> In March 1776, North Carolina\'s revolutionary convention became the first to vote in favor of independence; seven other colonies had followed suit by mid-May. On June 7, the Virginia delegate Richard Henry Lee introduced a motion calling for the colonies\' independence before the Continental Congress when it met at the Pennsylvania State House (later Independence Hall) in Philadelphia. Amid heated debate, Congress postponed the vote on Lee\'s resolution and called a recess for several weeks. Before departing, however, the delegates also appointed a five-man committee--including Thomas Jefferson of Virginia, John Adams of Massachusetts, Roger Sherman of Connecticut, Benjamin Franklin of Pennsylvania and Robert R. Livingston of New York--to draft a formal statement justifying the break with Great Britain. That document would become known as the Declaration of Independence.</em>”(“history.com”)\r\n\r\nThe part that I find unusual is that almost never happened, as at this time in the colonies most of the populace was focused on subject’s rights under the crown. The revolution was at full tilt by the following summer when resistance had grown to the point of forcing a Continental Congress to vote. In mid-June 1776, a five-man committee including Thomas Jefferson, John Adams and Benjamin Franklin was tasked with drafting a formal statement of the colonies\' intentions. The Congress formally adopted the Declaration of Independence--written largely by Jefferson--in Philadelphia on July 4, a date now celebrated as the birth of American independence.\r\n\r\nWhen looking at how this work was received in the past, we must first declare the audience. If the audience is King George III, then one can pretty much say that he was infuriated by these upstarts. If one is referring to the educated populace of the colonies, then separating from British control was thought radical in thought or action until the King attempted to crush the rebellion. If one is referring to the simple folk that are struggling enough just to live, then all you want is for life to be better. However when push comes to shove and the King orders the enlargement of the Army and navy, even the conservative’s abandons hope of reconciliation. (history.com) Apparently there were some members of the colonies that doubted this well crafted document was original, and some years afterward Jefferson responded with the following.\r\n\r\n<em>[n]ot to find out new principles or new arguments, never before thought of, not merely to say things which had never been said before; but to place before mankind the common sense of the subject, in terms so plain and firm as to command their assent, and to justify ourselves in the independent stand we are compelled to take. Neither aiming at originality of principle or sentiment, nor yet copied from any particular and previous writing, it was intended to be an expression of the American mind, and to give to that expression the proper tone and spirit called for by the occasion.</em>(history.com)\r\n\r\nWhen looking at how the Declaration of Independence is viewed today, once again we must clarify who the audience is to accurately relay how the Declaration of Independence is received. If one is part of the elite and part of the military industrial corporate governmental conglomerate that is running the country, you would be doing your best to distract and dumb down your populace enough to not understand the Declaration. If you are part of this great nation that believes in the Declaration, our Constitution, and our Bill of Rights; then you are looking closely at the form and procedure of the Declaration. As an enlightened individual, I am horrified by what I see as the shredding of the founding documents of this nation by those that we placed as guides for our populace. If you are an ignorant sheep that blindly follows what you are told, then all you want is for life to be better.\r\n\r\nIn my opinion the Declaration of Independence is the quintessential piece that defines by demonstration the path a society should take in severing itself from its tyrannical leadership. One can easily follow the rhetorical elements that are artfully expressed throughout this document. The path from having valid issues, to citing their grievances, and finally to stating their ultimatum are well penned. I believe that the most important reason for this Document to be in the time capsule for future generations is this is one of the strongest examples of how a populace regains its freedom from the people that were put in power by the populace after they run amuck. This document also serves as a reminder for our populace that there is a duty in citizenship.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nWorks Cited\r\n\"Declaration of Independence.\" Gale Encyclopedia of American Law. Ed. Donna Batten. 3rd ed. Vol. 3. Detroit: Gale, 2010. 388-390. Gale Virtual Reference Library. Web. 15 Oct. 2012.\r\nDocument URL\r\nhttp://go.galegroup.com.lsproxy.austincc.edu/ps/i.do?id=GALE%7CCX1337701301&amp;v=2.1&amp;u=txshracd2487&amp;it=r&amp;p=GVRL&amp;sw=w\r\n\r\n\"Declaration of Independence.\" History.com. A&amp;E Television Networks, n.d. Web. 15 Oct 2012. .\r\n\r\nLocke, John. \"Second Treatise of Civil Government.\" Essay Concerning the true original, extend, and end of Civil Government n.pag. James. Web. 15 Oct 2012. . – Database I found of works converted to html.','The Declaration of Independence','','inherit','open','open','','2473-revision-7','','','2012-10-16 08:46:22','2012-10-16 14:46:22','',2473,'http://jeanatacc.com/2011/?p=2797',0,'revision','',0),(2798,1,'2012-10-15 21:16:51','2012-10-16 03:16:51','<p dir=\"ltr\">Primavera, from The Four Seasons by Antonio Vivaldi</p>\r\n<strong><strong>Michael Brandon Seals\r\nJ. Lauer, Huma 1302 12:00 p.m.- 1:20 p. m.\r\n<a href=\"http://jeanatacc.com/2011/wp-content/uploads/2012/10/Arcimboldo_Giuseppe__Spring_1563_oil_on_wood_Real_Academia_de_Bellas_Artes_de_San_Fernando_Madrid1.jpg\"><img class=\"alignnone size-medium wp-image-2766\" src=\"http://jeanatacc.com/2011/wp-content/uploads/2012/10/Arcimboldo_Giuseppe__Spring_1563_oil_on_wood_Real_Academia_de_Bellas_Artes_de_San_Fernando_Madrid1-249x300.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"249\" height=\"300\" /></a>\r\n</strong></strong>\r\n<p dir=\"ltr\">Spring (1573) By Giuseppe Arcimboldo</p>\r\n<p dir=\"ltr\"><a href=\"http://www.flickr.com/photos/tisselly/6159729217/\">http://www.flickr.com/photos/tisselly/6159729217/</a></p>\r\n<strong>\r\nThe Primavera (translated as springtime in italian) is a concerto from Vivaldi’s The Four Seasons, and just might be one of the most recognized pieces of classical music of the modern day, and whether you know it by name or melody, it has come to epitomise the Baroque style as well as providing insight as to the popular musical taste and technology of the era. Since it’s debut it has become a benchmark not only of baroque music but as well as to what defines a concerto in general, and for this reason it deserves to be preserved for generations to come.</strong>\r\n\r\nIt was during the beginnings of the eighteenth century as early keyboard type instruments such as the harpsichord and fortepiano began to evolve into the piano, and as the renaissance harmonies gradually gave way to the baroque concertos, many were seeking to expand and order the music of their time as well as experiment and distance themselves from the classical voice accompaniments and harmonies that came to define the renaissance period. Music styles began to change during this time and this work in particular seems to stand out from its peers, as well as attempt to define the culture and style of the era. In order to better understand the work, lets first set out to define the vernacular with which we can discuss, objectify and articulate the merits of Primavera in a proper and technical sense. A concerto is defined by Merriam-Webster as: “a piece for one or more soloists and orchestra with three contrasting movements” the contrast being the variations in tempos between the three. The Baroque period in music can be characterised by a general increase in complexity from previous era’s music as well as an increase in the popularity of keyboard instruments and the violin. (Sienna, Music and Drama) The baroque also became to be defined by its concertos, just as works of the renaissance era were epitomised by their harmonious choruses.  It was during the early and middle parts of the 1700’s, as concertos became more prevalent and as concert music became to be favored to dance music and opera, that the concerto began to be seen as a “proper” form of composition.\r\n\r\nVivaldi has the distinction of being popular and well received in his own time, and owing to the newness of the form during this time there were no set guidelines as to what made up a concerto, “but by the time vivaldi finished the more than 500 concertos attributed to him a standard form had emerged that many other composers would imitate” (Sienna, Music and Drama) this being said Primavera as well as Vivaldis other concertos would become a footprint to the transition from renaissance classic to baroque, the benchmark for what defines a concerto and a paradigm that has inspired countless works to date.\r\n\r\nThe first modern recording of Primavera is believed to be from an acetate of a french radio broadcast dated 1939 (Pearl) and since having a confirmed total of only two as of 1952 to over 1,000 different recordings in 2011(unable to officially confirm). It has received numerous awards and acknowledgements including the French Grand Prix du Disque in 1950, as well as a Grammy hall of Fame in 2002. However no other merit  this work has received does better to illustrate the importance, monumentality and symbology that echos so evidently throughout the piece, than the prestigious National Recording Registry Award from the Library of Congress, awarded in  2003, this very prestigious award recognizes great works that need to be championed and preserved . Unfortunately the one piece of knowledge I was unable to ascertain from my research was why the piece has been played at every fancy dinner and wedding I have ever attended regardless of season.\r\n\r\nIf we were to compare Primavera, to another work that focuses on the subject of springtime, however this time from the visual spectrum. I am speaking of the work of  Italian painter Giuseppe Arcimboldo. Giuseppe set out to capture the essences of the earth\'s seasons with his unique style of portrait painting, “growing” the composition entirely out of painted images of fruit, flowers, vegetables and other organic matter. In his painting entitled “Spring” (See picture at beginning of essay) we see the profile of a man from the chest up, and from his neck down he is composed of various foliage, grasses and vines, the puffy collars as were the style of the time are painted of sunflowers with the flesh being composed of roses and capped by a large bushy growth of popori-like flowers, the whole composition is framed in a wreath of springtime greenery, epitomizing what the painter thought of the essence of springtime. If we compare this work to Primavera we find that both works, in trying to capture “spring”, have instilled a general light and earthy feeling through the work and both seem to imbue the beholder with an overall feeling of carefreeness. However, if I had to use these works in a constructive way such as to convince or teach someone who had no concept of springtime. I feel that Primavera would be the better tool for communication due to the fact that instrumental music doesn\'t have a language barrier to cross. Where I feel like the visual medium is great at conveying knowledge and meaning it does not compare to the way music can impress a thought or emotion. Whereas the painting is dense with clues and themes of spring, Primavera is a clear and carefree composition on what the composer believed epitomised springtime and springtime activities.\r\n\r\nPersonally my reaction to the work at first was that of a familiar melody, especially as to how most of us have probably heard Primavera at least 100 times by this point in our lives, however as I delved deeper into the composition and began to look at it in its historical context, the work began to intrigue me, not only due to it\'s innovative nature as a concerto and influencing countless modern composers, but also in providing a look into the historic music instruments of the time. In the process of researching this paper I learned much about the advent of the keyboard and piano, which in turn made me think about the nature of music and culture in general and it reinforced the feeling that music and art, no matter which era, constantly seeks to define and reinvent itself. I was also not previously aware of the variation and progress music has had since the time of the Renaissance.\r\n\r\nPrimavera, being one of the best-known pieces of popular Baroque music as well as being a staple of violin concerto curriculum to the present day, it epitomises the era and renders a rare audible glimpse into a world hundreds of years old, when the new ideas, technologies and cultures we take for granted were still in their infancy. Primavera has much to teach us of the composers and music of times long past as well as having the ability of influence generations of great composers to come. The preservation of this lovely baroque concerto is of tantamount importance if we are to preserve any of our past for the future to learn from.\r\n\r\nArcimboldo,Giuseppe. Spring. 1573. Oil on canvas. Madrid.\r\n\r\nFiero. <a href=\"http://connect.mcgraw-hill.com/connect/hmEBook.do?setTab=sectionTabs\">The Humanistic Tradition Vol 2</a>, 6th ed.\r\n\r\n\"The Four Seasons (Vivaldi)\" Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia. Wikimedia Foundation, Inc.  11 October 2012 at 15:10. Web. 14 Oct. 2012.\r\n\r\nKimball, Carol, mezzo-soprano. Song: A Guide to Art Song Style and Literature. Milwaukee, WI. : Hal Leonard, 2006, c2005.\r\n\r\nKapilow, Robert. What Makes it Great? : Short Masterpieces, Great Composers.\r\nHoboken, N.J. : Wiley, c2011.\r\n\r\nThe New Grove Italian Baroque Masters : Monteverdi, Vivaldi, D. Scarlatti.\r\nNew York : W.W. Norton 1984. ( Author was not listed)\r\n\r\nPearl, GEMM #9151 CD\r\n(contains earliest known primavera recording, unable to verify)\r\n\r\nWood, Sienna. Music and Drama\r\nTheme and variations: New Perspectives in Musical History\r\n<a href=\"http://www.siennasguidetomusic.com/Topics/drama.html\">http://www.siennasguidetomusic.com/Topics/drama.html</a>\r\n\r\nHarrison, John -Violin / Turizziani,Robert -Conductor. Concerto No. 1 in E major, Op. 8, RV 269, \"La primavera\" (Spring). 6 February 2000. <a href=\"http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wichita_State_University\">Wichita State University</a>.\r\n<a href=\"http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:01_-_Vivaldi_Spring_mvt_1_Allegro_-_John_Harrison_violin.ogg\">http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:01_-_Vivaldi_Spring_mvt_1_Allegro_-_John_Harrison_violin.ogg</a>\r\n\r\n&nbsp;','Primavera, from the Four Seasons.','','inherit','open','open','','2762-revision-4','','','2012-10-15 21:16:51','2012-10-16 03:16:51','',2762,'http://jeanatacc.com/2011/?p=2798',0,'revision','',0),(2799,1,'2012-10-15 20:48:57','2012-10-16 02:48:57','&nbsp;\r\n\r\n<a href=\"http://jeanatacc.com/2011/wp-content/uploads/2012/10/a-pope2.jpg\"><img class=\"size-full wp-image-2750 aligncenter\" src=\"http://jeanatacc.com/2011/wp-content/uploads/2012/10/a-pope2.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"247\" height=\"320\" /></a>\r\n<p style=\"text-align: center\"> http://static.lulu.com/browse/product_thumbnail.php?productId=20340176&amp;resolution=320</p>\r\nAn Essay on Man is a philosophical essay written in heroic couplets by Alexander Pope, and published in pieces between 1732 and 1734. Pope intended for this poem to be a centerpiece of a proposed system of ethics to be put forth in poetic form, because of death, he was not able to complete it (Shareif 19). This literary work describes the order of the universe in terms of pecking order. Because humans have the ability to reason, we are placed above plants and animals on earths’ chain of command. The style of the poem expresses a ratifying action of faith based on there always being a silent form of calmness within a sea of chaos. This essay should be preserved because Alexander Pope means to express that man’s desires for wealth, power, and possessions equates to nothing when compared to the grand scheme of things.<!--more-->\r\n\r\nPope’s essay is divided into four epistles. The first epistle, <em>\"Of the Nature and State of Man, with Respect to the Universe\"</em> states that with mans limited perception of the world, one cannot know God’s divine plan (Finkelstein). The first epistle is an accumulation of Popes thoughts about God and human kind. It states that it is impossible for the humans to know what is to be, basically, humans should live in the present and not try to foretell the future and try to learn not to question the order of things and to accept the world as it is (Finkelstein). Epistle two <em>“Of the Nature and State of Man with Respect to Himself, as an Individual” </em>states that man’s presence in this realm of reality is exactly as it should be (Finkelstein). Pope is saying that man is doing what he is supposed to be doing: creating, discovering, inventing, etc. Perhaps Pope is trying to display his enjoyment on man’s role in the universe.  Epistle three <em>“Of the Nature and State of Man, with Respect to Society” </em>shows that man’s desire to improve himself helps society as a whole.  The last epistle, epistle four, <em>“Of the Nature and State of Man, with Respect to Happiness” </em>Dr. Finkelstein believes that Pope<em> </em>expresses his thoughts that “God has a balanced plan for the universe and by recreating that balance within himself, man can be happy.”\r\n\r\nAn enormous emphasis was placed on the ability to think and reason during the 18<sup>th</sup> century, which was also known as the Enlightenment or the Great Awakening. Charles II took the throne in 1658 after Oliver Cromwell died; he was welcomed by the majority of citizens. Charles then, started erasing all influences of Puritanism to bring back Roman Catholicism to England (Great-Awakening). As this revival of spirituality was ushered in, people were allowed to express their emotions and have a better connection with God. Whilst some were reveling in their new found connection with God, others started rebelling and started migrating to the New Light Camp. At the New Light Camp, the “New Lights” were taught a kind of anti-intellectualism and started going against the church and their teachings (Great-Awakening). Many people wondered about God and what their role in the universe was which led them to question the church. Alexander Pope’s thoughts in <em>Essay on Man </em>encompass three major concerns of the people during the Enlightenment. Pope addresses man\'s ability to reason and think for himself, he questions the church and the nature of Christianity, and he also speculates about man\'s place in the world (Essortment).\r\n\r\nPope’s thoughts in <em>Essay on Man</em> where very much similar and dissimilar to the thoughts of John Milton’s in his essay <em>Paradise Lost</em>. Pope’s work embodies a very deistic philosophy while Milton’s typifies the fearless dynamic and spirit of Christianity (Aldridge). The two scribblers’ different thoughts on God are shown throughout the two essays as well. In Pope’s essay, when he speaks of God he is merely speaking of the order of the universe. He examines good and evil to prove that the moral principle behind the universe is compassionate and kind. When Milton speaks of God, he is speaking of a more spiritual meaning, a way that insinuates at more mystical and ethereal forces as well as objective observation of the moral order (Aldridge). Pope’s God is a much unimpassioned force; he is not concerned with individuals in the world, but acts through ubiquitous laws. Milton, however, pays homage to God by proclaiming him to be the supreme overlord of all. Milton believes God is a real person and is takes interest in mankind (Aldridge).\r\n\r\n<em>Essay on Man </em>and <em>Paradise Lost </em>have a similar object, Milton’s poem is intended to “justify the ways of God to men,” and Pope’s is designed to “vindicate the ways of God to man.” Pope and Milton both agree that man should not seek knowledge beyond his comprehension.  Milton agrees wholeheartedly with Pope that it is foolish and unwise to seek information about other worlds and planets. Milton and Pope, in order to justify the ways of God, had the same beliefs on this question: How can a just and benevolent God permit so much suffering and misery in the world? (Aldridge) They both believed in evil and spoke of it in their works. Although both thoughts of evil are different, it still comes down to them both believing in evil. Pope maintains the belief that moral evil does not exist and that natural evil, such as: earthquakes, famine, etc., partial evil is really universal good. Instead of denying evil in the world, Milton affirms it. Milton believes that Satan, like God, is a spiritual force that is interfering with mankind (Aldridge).\r\n\r\nPope’s <em>Essay on Man</em> was held in high regard from notable figures such as Voltaire, Jean-Jacques Rousseau, and Immanuel Kant and met with international acclaim upon publication in 1734 (eNotes). However, “Essay on Man” soon gave way to controversy by pulpitarians and metaphysicians who noted challenges and threats in the poem’s themes to their respective government. These critics determined that its values were essentially poetic and not philosophical by any means. Within fifty years of its publication, the prevailing critical opinion of the poem mirrored that of Samuel Johnson, who noted, “Never were penury of knowledge and vulgarity of sentiment so happily disguised” (eNotes). Even though Pope’s poem is perceived as being fundamentally flawed, both aesthetically and philosophically, critics would like to retrieve this piece from the dustbin of literary history and reevaluate the poem’s ideas to see where Pope derived his theodicy from the various philosophical and theological positions held by his intellectual peers (eNotes). I account for the differences of perception of Pope’s work in his time and now by realizing that the <em>Essay on Man</em> was commonplace in the 18<sup>th</sup> century thus making it perceived with less enthusiasm than it is now.\r\n\r\nI would like to withdraw my proposal for this literary piece to be saved for future generations. I believe that there are other literature works falling under the same category and time period that have more of an impact than <em>Essay on Man </em>does.  What I got from this reading was a diffused feeling of benightedness, I know something was said, I just wasn’t getting it. Also, I do not have the same opinion as Pope when it comes to religion; I like Milton’s theory more. Furthermore, while I see Pope’s thoughts of man being limited and fixed, I believe in the progressive development of man. I just don’t agree with most things Alexander Pope wrote in <em>Essay on Man</em>.\r\n\r\n<span style=\"text-decoration: underline\">Works Cited:</span>\r\n\r\n\"An Essay on Man, Alexander Pope - Introduction.\" Literary Criticism (1400-1800). Ed. Thomas J.Schoenberg. Vol. 64. Gale Cengage, 2001. eNotes.com. 15 Oct, 2012\r\n\r\n<span style=\"text-decoration: underline\">http://www.enotes.com/an-essay-man-criticism/an-essay-man-alexander-pope/introduction</span>\r\n\r\nThis is a website I found that helped me with the figure out what the reception of <em>Essay of Man </em>was then and is now.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nDr. Finkelstein, H.M, “Alexander Pope: An Essay on Man.”  1999 - 2010. Web.  12 April 2010\r\n\r\n<span style=\"text-decoration: underline\">http://www.new-wisdom.org/cultural_history2/4-neo-classicism/pope.htm</span>\r\n\r\nThis website helped me sort out the individual epistles.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nAldridge, Alfred. \" Milton’s and Pope’s Conception of God and Man.\" <em>Bibliotheca Sacra</em>. 096.384 (1939): 445-458. Print.\r\n\r\n<span style=\"text-decoration: underline\">https://www.galaxie.com/article/3430</span>\r\n\r\nThis journal entry, on the web, helped me find comparisons between Milton and Pope’s work.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n\"Alexander Pope And His Essay On Man.\" <em>Essortment</em>. N.p., 2011. Web. 15 Oct. 2012.\r\n\r\n<span style=\"text-decoration: underline\">http://www.essortment.com/alexander-pope-his-essay-man-61315.html</span>\r\n\r\nI found a little bit of info. I could use to add to the religious happenings in the 18<sup>th</sup> century paragraph.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n\"Analysis and Information on the First Great Awakening.\" <em>Great-Awakening.com</em>. N.p., n.d. Web. 15 Oct. 2012.\r\n\r\n<span style=\"text-decoration: underline\">http://www.great-awakening.com</span>\r\n\r\nI found info. about what has happening religiously in the 18<sup>th</sup> century.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n\"From Metaphysical to Pre-Romantic Poetry.\" Free forum : Dalal Al Shareif. Page 19. Dalal Al Shareif, n.d. Web. 15 Oct. 2012.\r\n\r\n<span style=\"text-decoration: underline\">http://uqu.edu.sa/files2/tiny_mce/plugins/filemanager/files/4281259/143333.pdf</span>\r\n\r\nI used this website to help me find out when <em>Essay on Man</em> was written.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;','Alexander Pope\'s \"Essay On Man\"','','inherit','open','open','','2743-revision-11','','','2012-10-15 20:48:57','2012-10-16 02:48:57','',2743,'http://jeanatacc.com/2011/?p=2799',0,'revision','',0),(2801,61,'2012-10-16 14:27:37','2012-10-16 20:27:37','AUSTIN COMMUNITY COLLEGE\r\nTCP-2 DECLARATION OF INDEPENDENCE\r\nJ. Lauer – 1302 – 207 # 13622\r\nPHILIP ROBINSON\r\n10/14/2012\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_2761\" align=\"aligncenter\" width=\"375\"]<a href=\"http://jeanatacc.com/2011/wp-content/uploads/2012/10/Declaration-of-Independence-Mouse-Pad1.png\"><img class=\"wp-image-2761 \" src=\"http://jeanatacc.com/2011/wp-content/uploads/2012/10/Declaration-of-Independence-Mouse-Pad1-889x1024.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"375\" height=\"431\" /></a> http://jeanatacc.com/2011/wp-content/uploads/2012/10/Declaration-of-Independence-Mouse-Pad1.png[/caption]\r\n<p style=\"text-align: center\"></p>\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nAs you are by now well aware, the purpose of this project is to discuss the merits or flaws in the decision to keep a particular piece of art in the time capsule. My opinion is that the pieces we collect will provide an understanding and appreciation of the past. For this paper my intent is to enlighten those that may not already know or agree that the Declaration of Independence should have a place in the capsule, so that future generations will be mindful of our mistakes, and inspired by our greatness.<!--more-->\r\n\r\nPenned By Thomas Jefferson in 1776, and signed by 55 others gentlemen on the fourth day of July that same year was influenced by present and not so present men. (web)After the printing press came to be Thomas Paine’s, “Common Sense” sells 150,000 copies in the first few weeks after publishing argues that Independence is the true course of free people, and a “natural right.” (“history.com”) There is another work that I believe to be similar that may have had an impact on Jefferson as he was writing the Declaration of Independence, and that work is the “The Second Treatise on Civil Government” by John Locke. “Most agree that the natural rights philosophy of English philosopher JOHN LOCKE greatly influenced Jefferson’s composition of the Declaration. In particular, Locke advanced the ideas that a just government derives its legitimacy and power from the consent of the governed, that people possess inalienable rights Page 390 that no legitimate government may take away, and that the people have the right and duty to overthrow a government that violates their rights. Jefferson also paralleled Locke in his identification of three major rights—the rights to “Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness”—though the last of his three is a change from Locke’s right to “property.”(“Declaration of Independence”)(“Locke”)\r\n\r\n“<em> In March 1776, North Carolina\'s revolutionary convention became the first to vote in favor of independence; seven other colonies had followed suit by mid-May. On June 7, the Virginia delegate Richard Henry Lee introduced a motion calling for the colonies\' independence before the Continental Congress when it met at the Pennsylvania State House (later Independence Hall) in Philadelphia. Amid heated debate, Congress postponed the vote on Lee\'s resolution and called a recess for several weeks. Before departing, however, the delegates also appointed a five-man committee--including Thomas Jefferson of Virginia, John Adams of Massachusetts, Roger Sherman of Connecticut, Benjamin Franklin of Pennsylvania and Robert R. Livingston of New York--to draft a formal statement justifying the break with Great Britain. That document would become known as the Declaration of Independence.</em>”(“history.com”)\r\n\r\nThe part that I find unusual is that almost never happened, as at this time in the colonies most of the populace was focused on subject’s rights under the crown. The revolution was at full tilt by the following summer when resistance had grown to the point of forcing a Continental Congress to vote. In mid-June 1776, a five-man committee including Thomas Jefferson, John Adams and Benjamin Franklin was tasked with drafting a formal statement of the colonies\' intentions. The Congress formally adopted the Declaration of Independence--written largely by Jefferson--in Philadelphia on July 4, a date now celebrated as the birth of American independence.\r\n\r\nWhen looking at how this work was received in the past, we must first declare the audience. If the audience is King George III, then one can pretty much say that he was infuriated by these upstarts. If one is referring to the educated populace of the colonies, then separating from British control was thought radical in thought or action until the King attempted to crush the rebellion. If one is referring to the simple folk that are struggling enough just to live, then all you want is for life to be better. However when push comes to shove and the King orders the enlargement of the Army and navy, even the conservative’s abandons hope of reconciliation. (history.com) Apparently there were some members of the colonies that doubted this well crafted document was original, and some years afterward Jefferson responded with the following.\r\n\r\n<em>[n]ot to find out new principles or new arguments, never before thought of, not merely to say things which had never been said before; but to place before mankind the common sense of the subject, in terms so plain and firm as to command their assent, and to justify ourselves in the independent stand we are compelled to take. Neither aiming at originality of principle or sentiment, nor yet copied from any particular and previous writing, it was intended to be an expression of the American mind, and to give to that expression the proper tone and spirit called for by the occasion.</em>(history.com)\r\n\r\nWhen looking at how the Declaration of Independence is viewed today, once again we must clarify who the audience is to accurately relay how the Declaration of Independence is received. If one is part of the elite and part of the military industrial corporate governmental conglomerate that is running the country, you would be doing your best to distract and dumb down your populace enough to not understand the Declaration. If you are part of this great nation that believes in the Declaration, our Constitution, and our Bill of Rights; then you are looking closely at the form and procedure of the Declaration. As an enlightened individual, I am horrified by what I see as the shredding of the founding documents of this nation by those that we placed as guides for our populace. If you are an ignorant sheep that blindly follows what you are told, then all you want is for life to be better.\r\n\r\nIn my opinion the Declaration of Independence is the quintessential piece that defines by demonstration the path a society should take in severing itself from its tyrannical leadership. One can easily follow the rhetorical elements that are artfully expressed throughout this document. The path from having valid issues, to citing their grievances, and finally to stating their ultimatum are well penned. I believe that the most important reason for this Document to be in the time capsule for future generations is this is one of the strongest examples of how a populace regains its freedom from the people that were put in power by the populace after they run amuck. This document also serves as a reminder for our populace that there is a duty in citizenship.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nWorks Cited\r\n\"Declaration of Independence.\" Gale Encyclopedia of American Law. Ed. Donna Batten. 3rd ed. Vol. 3. Detroit: Gale, 2010. 388-390. Gale Virtual Reference Library. Web. 15 Oct. 2012.\r\nDocument URL\r\nhttp://go.galegroup.com.lsproxy.austincc.edu/ps/i.do?id=GALE%7CCX1337701301&amp;v=2.1&amp;u=txshracd2487&amp;it=r&amp;p=GVRL&amp;sw=w\r\n\r\n\"Declaration of Independence.\" History.com. A&amp;E Television Networks, n.d. Web. 15 Oct 2012. .\r\n\r\nLocke, John. \"Second Treatise of Civil Government.\" Essay Concerning the true original, extend, and end of Civil Government n.pag. James. Web. 15 Oct 2012. . – Database I found of works converted to html.','The Declaration of Independence','','inherit','open','open','','2473-revision-9','','','2012-10-16 14:27:37','2012-10-16 20:27:37','',2473,'http://jeanatacc.com/2011/?p=2801',0,'revision','',0),(2802,56,'2012-09-30 19:47:23','2012-10-01 01:47:23','Veronica Franco (1546-1591) was “the most famous courtesan of Venice... [She] became a writer by allying herself with distinguished men at the center of her city’s culture.”  (Franco, Jones and Rosenthal)  She published Familiar Letters in 1580 and it should be preserved in the Time Capsule Project because of the way she attempted and changed the way courtesans and vulnerable women in that time period were viewed by the upper class.\r\n<!--more-->\r\nThe title of the book was also the style in which it was written; a collection of 50 familiar letters, which means they were “written to a friend, but intended for eventual publication.”  There were a wide variety of topics in the letters; including invitations, thank you letters, advice, congratulations and accompanying sonnets or other papers.\r\n\r\nEpistolary works, “the production of letters as literary artifacts” was a popular format for authors in Venice in the mid 1500s, but by 1580 when she chose to publish Familiar Letters, it was rapidly falling into disfavor.   Franco’s first work, Terze rime, published in 1575 was in the capitolo style of poetry, so she was capable and knowledgeable enough to produce a work in a more fashionable style if she chose to.  She chose this format deliberately:  the familiar letter was more intimate than poetry and Franco wanted to establish and maintain an intimacy with her audience.  (Bassanese 777)\r\n\r\nVeronica Franco was the “epitome of the successful and gifted cortigiana onesta (honest courtesan of the Italian Renaissance... a “cultured prostitute...”  She behaved, appeared, dressed, entertained and charmed like a lady of high society, but she also “grant[ed] full erotic satisfaction” to her patrons.  (Bassanese 777)  It was a delicate balance and Franco balanced upon it well.  To anyone that did not socialize with courtesans, it was easy to imagine and criticize them for leading a debauched lives and she was trying to change that view with this volume of letters.  (Franco, Jones and Rosenthal)\r\n\r\nAnn Jones and Margaret Rosenthal postulate several plausible theories for the format Franco chose to use in this work.  It invited others into her private salon and establish a personal dialog with whoever read her words.  People who did not have the opportunity to mingle with her lofty circle (and never doubt that she moved in the upper echelons of society - one of her clients was King Henry III) could now see how she lived her life.  They found out what she thought, how she spent her days, learned what she knew and “listened” to what she advised.  “At the same time, because it [the epistolary format] requires a grasp of the proper rhetorical forms advocated by classical authors... the letter demonstrates the learning and the savoir-faire of its writer.”  (Franco, Jones and Rosenthal 9)\r\n\r\nI believe that Franco’s letters were largely a public relations exercise.  That is not to say that they were fabrications by any stretch of the imagination.  In my research, I have found no indication that anyone believes that she misrepresented herself.  Familiar Letters is her opportunity to shine and yet paint herself as a conventional and virtuous woman of her class.\r\nBy many people of her time, however, Franco was considered no more than a prostitute, albeit a high paid one, and was viewed with contempt.  In Letter 22, she berated the mother of a young woman for planning to start the girl on the path of a courtesan.  Franco had advised the mother, and in fact had paved the way for her, to send the daughter to the Casa delle Zitelle, a sanctuary for young girls to protect them from the fate of prostitution and keep them eligible for good marriages.  The letter was blunt, but the intent behind the words was compassionate; she was trying to keep another woman from facing the ignominy and uncertainty that Franco lived with.  (Bassanese 779) (Franco, Jones and Rosenthal 37-40)\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_2608\" align=\"alignleft\" width=\"150\"]<a href=\"http://jeanatacc.com/2011/wp-content/uploads/2012/09/220px-VeronicaFranco.jpg\"><img class=\"size-thumbnail wp-image-2608\" src=\"http://jeanatacc.com/2011/wp-content/uploads/2012/09/220px-VeronicaFranco-150x150.jpg\" alt=\"Portrait by Tintoretto, ca. 1575\" width=\"150\" height=\"150\" /></a> http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/8/8b/VeronicaFranco.jpg/220px-VeronicaFranco.jpg[/caption]\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nBooks written in the familiar letter style often had the names removed.  Franco made some exceptions in her book, the most notable being the salutation to Henry III, King of France in her second letter.   (Bassanese 779)  (Franco, Jones and Rosenthal 24)\r\n\r\nAccording to Johnson and Rosenthal, it appears that Franco’s two books, Terze rime and Familiar Letters were published privately and it was entirely possible that she funded them herself.  As a result, this particular work was probably not widely read beyond Venice upper society.  That does not mean that Franco was unknown as a poet.  In fact, she received a commission to write for an anthology commemorating “men of the Venetian elite, such as the military hero, Estore Martinengo”.  (Rosenthal)  Commissions of that nature were not dispensed by lottery; they were earned.\r\n\r\nAfter her death in 1591, interest in Franco as a person didn’t start to rise again until the early 1700s and “Familiar Letters” wasn’t republished again until 1949.  Since then, scholars and feminists have taken a fresh look at the woman who managed to live dependent upon the whims of the rich, and sometimes capricious, elite while at the same time establishing the “courtesan\'s virtue, reason, wisdom and fairness” as valuable people and citizens in their own right. (Rosenthal)\r\n\r\nFranco’s Familiar Letters are tangible evidence of the life she lived in more ways than one.  Not only do they provide a record of her activities, but they also record the way she navigated the perilous nature of her existence.  Veronica Franco was a beautiful, intelligent and accomplished woman and in the 20th and 21st century, she could have created a career and life for herself that would not be dependent upon someone else’s generosity ~ but not then.\r\nIn the 16th century, Veronica Franco supported her household from the largesse of her patrons.  In other words, without her patrons, she was just a few steps above needing to accommodate anyone who would pay her fee.  Through her actions and the spoken word, Franco was able to raise herself up to same the level of humanity as the men that she socialized with and served.  She managed to make them see her as one of their equals and therefore worthy of the same consideration as an individual as they were.\r\n\r\nThat is where the subtle magic of Familiar Letters lies.  It is evidence of the beginnings of the seeds of feminism.  It wasn’t as exciting and far reaching as the works of Lucretia Marinella or Laura Cereta, but I believe the impact she had on individuals spread like ripples in a pond and helped set the stage for later change and reform.\r\n\r\nI wanted to save Familiar Letters because it is a piece of evidence that provides a glimpse into how human beings can make life better for ourselves in the moment and, at the same time, set the stage for improving life for others in the future.  It shows how an amazing woman managed to change the way men and women in a small group related to each other.\r\n\r\nHowever, as a piece of work, it does not stand well enough by itself.  One needs to know too much background information about Franco, Venice, courtesans and feminism to make this a good offering for a time capsule.  I am sad to say that I withdraw my proposal to include Familiar Letters in the Time Capsule Project.\r\n\r\nWorks Cited\r\n\r\nBassanese, Fiora. \"Veronica Franco.\" Encyclopedia of Italian Literary Studies. New York. Taylor and Francis Group.   2007. Print.\r\n\r\nFranco, Veronica, author. Jones, Ann Rosalind and Rosenthal Margaret F. translators. “Poems and Selected Letters (The Other Voice in Early Modern Europe).” The University of Chicago Press. 1998. Print.\r\n\r\nRosenthal, Margaret. \"Biography: Franco, Veronica.\" Italian Women Writers. The University of Southern California, 2003. Web. 24 Sep 2012. &lt;http://www.lib.uchicago.edu/efts/IWW&gt;','Veronica Franco, Familiar Letters','','inherit','open','open','','2595-revision-7','','','2012-09-30 19:47:23','2012-10-01 01:47:23','',2595,'http://jeanatacc.com/2011/?p=2802',0,'revision','',0),(2803,56,'2012-10-15 22:16:33','2012-10-16 04:16:33','The Taj Mahal is a dramatically large and beautiful mausoleum that was built in 17th century C.E.  The Mughal emperor, Shah Jahan, built it on the shores of the Yamuna river in India for his favorite wife.  It is one of the most recognizable buildings on earth.  Exquisite in and of itself, the legend surrounding it reveals how our desire for a good story can override facts.  It should be preserved, not only for its architectural and artistic merits, but for what it reveals about our collective psychology.\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"\" align=\"aligncenter\" width=\"280\"]<a href=\"http://thatandthisinmumbai.files.wordpress.com/2011/11/taj-mahal-8.jpg?w=584\"><img src=\"http://thatandthisinmumbai.files.wordpress.com/2011/11/taj-mahal-8.jpg?w=584\" alt=\"\" width=\"280\" height=\"357\" /></a> A photo of the Taj Mahal from the front showing the red sandstone overlaid with white marble.[/caption]\r\n\r\n<!--more-->\r\nMumtaz Mahal (Chosen One of the Palace) died suddenly in 1631 at the age of 38 after giving birth to their 14th child.  The couple had been married for 19 years, but her death came only three years after the Shah came to power.  One of the most popular legends about the Taj Mahal is its origin.  It was said that, as she was dying, Mumtaz Mahal asked Shah Jahan to promise her two things; that he not father any other children by his remaining wives and “that he build such a mausoleum over her, the like of which was not to be found anywhere else” (Begley).\r\nThe Taj Mahal is the culmination of a syncretistic trend incorporating Byzantine, Muslim and Hindu traditions in Mughal architecture (Fiero).  It is built out of red sandstone overlaid with white marble which is carved with decorative patterns that depict the flowers of paradise (Andrea and Neel).  The marble carvings are studded with “forty-three types of precious and semiprecious stones from all around India” including sapphires, onyxes, yellow amber, nephrite jade and crystal.  The artists also used shells, coral and mother-of-pearl from the Indian Ocean (Ching, Jarzombek, and Prakash).\r\n\r\nThe seventy-three years of Shah Jahan’s life, from 1592 to 1666, were a pivotal period in the fortunes of the Mughals, but also a time of rapid change in the wider world (Preston and Preston 7).  European courts received Persian and Asian dignitaries with splendor and honor while Christian missionaries traveled to “Hindu, Buddhist and Muslim lands.”  Galileo perfected the telescope and could see “the craters of the moon, the rings of Saturn, and the moons of Jupiter” (Fiero).\r\n\r\nNot only did the “Old World” become less isolated on its half of the world, but the “New World” rapidly began to flourish. The English colony Jamestown was founded the year Shah Jahan was betrothed to his wife.  Just seventeen years later, the English acquired New Amsterdam and named it New York (Preston and Preston 7).\r\nThroughout time, tombs and mausoleums for royalty have had served to honor and glorify their memory.  Zoser, one of the first Pharaohs of a unified Egypt, build a mortuary complex for himself on a hill outside Memphis, the capital of Old Egypt.  The Mortuary Complex of Zoser was surrounded by massive walls of white stone.  The walls protected the tomb, not from physical threats, but from “the chaos of the unordered world outside.”  Egyptian rulers measured their accomplishments against The Mortuary Complex of Zoser for centuries  (Ching, Jarzombek, and Prakash 39).\r\n\r\nThe Tomb of the First Emperor of China, who ruled China between 246 and 210 BCE is “probably the largest and most costly tomb in history, even compared with the Egyptian pyramids.”  More than 8,000 terra cotta soldiers surround the emperor’s burial chamber, protecting him even after death (Ching, Jarzombek, and Prakash 184).\r\n\r\nBy contrast the Taj Mahal is a living monument, designed to keep the memory of those people interred there alive. Its walls do not protect it from anything, they simply enclose the complex. It fact, one of the buildings on the grounds is a “residential court for tomb attendants” (Andrea and Neel).\r\n\r\nThe most prominent and often photographed feature of the Taj Mahal is the main building, generally shown from the rear, but the largest portion of the complex is the garden that surrounds it (Andrea and Neel).  The gardens span an area of approximately 42 acres  (Begley 9). Like the Grand Canyon in Arizona, it is impossible to appreciate the extent and beauty of the gardens through photographs alone.\r\n\r\nThe gardens are a typical example of Persian “chahar-bagh” or four-fold gardens.  “Persian gardens in general and Mughal garden tombs in particular, are often described metaphorically in Persian poetry and inscriptions as being like Paradise.”  However, the designers of the Taj Mahal placed the buildings at one end of the gardens, rather than at the center, as was typical for the time  (Begley 11).\r\n\r\nShah Jahan made some unusual choices when he built the Taj Mahal.  First and foremost, he went against Islamic tradition; “a tomb for a wife on such a scale was entirely without precedent”  (Begley 9).  Second, the dome is “curiously similar to the shape of Mughal ceremonial crowns...  Although Islamic tombs characteristically have domes, the resemblance of the Taj’s dome to actual Mughal throne backs seems more than coincidental” (Begley 16).\r\n\r\n\"This is the West, sir. When the legend becomes fact, print the legend.\"\r\n-The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance\r\n\r\nPersian histories record that construction began on the Taj Mahal around January, 1632.  There are three dated epigraphs on the Taj Mahal itself that suggest the exterior of the building itself was complete around 1636.  The entire project probably took no more than 15 years (Begley 9).  Those are the facts.  The legends are more romantic.\r\n\r\nApproved court poetry and legend promoted the idea that the Taj Mahal was built out of love.  Court poets declared that \"The color of youth flew away from his cheeks; The flower of his countenance ceased blooming.\" He wept so often \"his tearful eyes sought help from spectacles\" (Bartholet).  European travelers were enthralled.  Francois Bernier said, “it is said that he was constant to her during life, and at death was so affect as nearly to follow her to her grave.”\r\n\r\nThe problem with the magnificent wonder of these legends is that they aren’t supported by the historical record.  Even worse, the legends are so seductive and pervasive that they are presented as fact even to this day, perpetuating the misinformation.  For example, one legend says that Shah Jahan planned to build an identical mausoleum to the Taj Mahal, except out of black marble instead of white, on the other side of the Agra.  Unfortunately, the only evidence to support this comes from the account of a French traveler at the time, Jean-Baptiste Tavernier.  Yet Fiero says, “[h]e directed his architects to construct alongside the Jumna River a glorious tomb, a twin to the one he planned for himself on the adjoining riverbank.”\r\n\r\nJean-Baptiste Tavernier said that it took 22 years and 20,000 men to build the Taj Mahal, plus he says he was there at the start of construction and at the end (Begley 9).  That statement is the most easily disproved of all the Taj Mahal legends and yet it is widely disseminated.  (While Begley flatly denounces Tavernier’s estimates as “greatly exaggerated”, he only disputes the number of years it took to build the structure, not the number of workers.)  To this day, several modern sources continue repeat what is essentially the account of a tourist as historical fact.  For example, the “Encyclopedia of Anthropology” says, “the entire project took 22 years to complete with the efforts of 20,000 laborers and craftsmen” (Birx).  While Fiero’s text book does not outright state how long it took to build the Taj Mahal, the caption under Figure 21.24 reads, “Taj Mahal, Agra, India, 1623-1643.” implying her acceptance of Tavernier’s legend as fact.  Most recently, in a September, 2011 article for the Smithsonian magazine, Jeffrey Bartholet said, “For more than 15 years, [Shah Jahan] directed the construction of a complex of buildings and gardens that was meant to mirror the Islamic vision of Paradise.”\r\n\r\nHuman beings are amazingly complex creatures.  We are capable of great loves and cunning.  As a group, we love a good story, we strive to create beautiful things and we want to be remembered.  The Taj Mahal gives us all of those things wrapped up in a neat little package.\r\n\r\nShah Jahan and Mumtaz Muhal loved each other and, while the poetic accounts from that time seem ostentatious to us, his grief was undoubtedly real.  He probably did want to build a beautiful tomb to commemorate her memory.  The question becomes then, when did the legend begin and why?  How did it grow into the epic that it is today? Was the Taj Mahal itself so lovely and grand that people could not look at it and think that it must have a deeper, grander meaning than just a burial place?\r\n\r\nAs loving a husband as the Shah may have been, he could also be ruthless and cold-blooded.  He gained the throne after a five year war against his father and then murdered several family members, including one of his brothers, to solidify his power base (Birx).  An Italian traveler of the time, Niccolao Manucci said that the Shah behaved “as if the only thing [he] cared for was the search for women to serve his pleasure.”  Other European travelers spread rumors that Shah Jahan maintained an incestuous relationship with his eldest daughter, Jahanara (Begley 10).\r\n\r\nWas Shah Jahan truly devastated by his wife’s death, or did the court poets do such a good job of embellishing the story of his grief that the Taj Mahal became a public relations coup that remains to this day?  Could such a man of such unsympathetic character truly love one woman at all?  The truth is never simple and that makes the story of Taj Mahal so compelling.\r\n\r\nThe Taj Mahal complex should be included in the Time Capsule project so that future generations will be able to gain an understanding of our past by studying its architecture, techniques and design elements.  In addition, the conflict between the history and the legend of the Taj Mahal is a cautionary example of how people will believe what they want to believe.  In this case, in spite of evidence to the contrary, people want to believe that the Taj Mahal was built purely out of love and devotion.\r\n\r\nWorks Cited\r\n\r\nBartholet, Jeffrey. \"What Ails the Taj Mahal? (Cover Story).\" Smithsonian 42.5 (2011): 44. Middle Search Plus. Web. 7 Oct. 2012.\r\n\r\nThis article is about preservationist’s concerns that the Taj Mahal is deteriorating due to pollution, poor maintenance and vandalism.  It also provided some historical background about the Taj Mahal.\r\n\r\nBegley, Wayne E. \"The Myth Of The Taj Mahal And A New Theory Of Its Symbolic Meaning.\" Art Bulletin 61.1 (1979): 7. Academic Search Complete. Web. 30 Sept. 2012.\r\n\r\nThis source offers theories for the design and construction of the Taj Mahal that contradict most commonly held and romantic beliefs.  Begley gives examples of the myths and then shows how they are unsupported by the historical record.\r\n\r\nThe main argument against the romantic myths is that Shah Jahan was not actually as pure in his devotion to his wife as the stories would have one believe.  Begley supports his argument well, but also misses some nuances of political necessity that may have predicated some of Shah Jahan’s actions.\r\n\r\nThis paper was originally presented as a series of lectures to various universities and museums between 1976 and 1978.  A significant number of other sources cite in this paper in their bibliographies.\r\n\r\nChurch, Jill M. \"Taj Mahal.\" Encyclopedia of Anthropology. Ed. H. James Birx. Vol. 5. Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage Reference, 2006. 2156-2157. Gale Virtual Reference Library. Web. 30 Sep. 2012.\r\n\r\nThe “Encyclopedia of Anthropology” is a reference work focusing on “physical/biological anthropology, archaeology, cultural/social anthropology, linguistics, and applied anthropology.”  This article provides simple historical background of the Taj Mahal, the design, building materials and layout of the grounds.\r\n\r\nA problem with this source is that it erroneously maintains that it took 22 years to build the Taj Mahal; a statement that is actually based on legend, not fact.  However, that error supports the thesis that the legend surrounding the Taj Mahal is just as significant as the building itself.\r\n\r\nChing, Francis D.K., Mark Jarzombek, and Vikramaditya Prakash. A Global History of Architecture. 2nd. Hoboken, NJ: John Wiley &amp; Sons, Inc., 2011. 503-509. Print.\r\n“A Global History of Architecture” presents the history of architecture around the world, arranged first by time and then by region, beginning in 3500 BCE.  It is a comprehensive historical resource for people who do not specialize in architecture.\r\n\r\nThe authors offer brief comparisons between similar structures in the area around the Taj Mahal.  In addition, there are tombs and mausoleums listed in the book along with their features that I used to compare to the Taj Mahal. The book also provides excellent illustrations.\r\n\r\nFiero, Gloria K.. Trans. Array The Humanistic Tradition.  6th ed. New York: McGraw-Hill, 2011. Print.\r\n\r\nThis is the humanities text for this course.  It provides a good general overview of general history, but the facts presented are not all correct.\r\n\r\n\"Mughal Aesthetics.\" World History Encyclopedia. Ed. Alfred J. Andrea and Carolyn Neel. Vol. 11: Era 6: The First Global Age, 1450-1770. Santa Barbara, CA: ABC-CLIO, 2011. 232-234. Gale Virtual Reference Library. Web. 30 Sep. 2012.\r\n\r\nThis particular volume of “World History Encyclopedia” focuses on what they call “The First Global Age, 1450-1770”.  The themes for this article are how Mughal aesthetics developed, remaining constant in some respects and evolving in others.\r\n\r\nThe article discusses the evolution of Mughal aesthetics from one distinct style into another.  The first period is most easily identifiable by the predominance of red sandstone in its architectural styles.  The second period added white marble over the red sandstone which added a new decorative element and required new construction techniques.\r\n\r\nThe article makes passing mention of the Jain religion, but does not go into any depth about its history or examples of its contributions.  Presumably because the Jain religion is not as prominent as Hindu (the other major religion mentioned).\r\n\r\nPreston, Diana, and Michael Preston. Taj Mahal: Passion and Genius at the Heart of the Moghul Empire. New York: Walker Publishing Company, Inc., 2007. Print.\r\nThis book is written for the general public to give a background about the Taj Mahal.  It speaks more to the culture of the area and worldwide historical context at the time rather than the building itself.\r\n\r\nRoth, Leland M. \"Architecture: Asia.\" New Dictionary of the History of Ideas. Ed. Maryanne Cline Horowitz. Vol. 1. Detroit: Charles Scribner\'s Sons, 2005. 128-132. Gale Virtual Reference Library. Web. 30 Sep. 2012.\r\n\r\nThe “New Dictionary of the History of Ideas” is a resource work targeting students and it documents the way human thought has developed through time.  This particular article chronicles the cultural developments of architecture in Asia from the beginning of the common era to present day.\r\n\r\nThis article is divided into two parts.  The first talks about the architectural style of the three major regions of Asia; India, China and Japan.  The second provides examples of architecture for each region, including the Taj Mahal.\r\n\r\nIn particular for this Time Capsule Project, the article shows how the three major religions that populated India combined to create what we now recognize as Mughal aesthetic.','The Legends and Truths of the Taj Mahal','','inherit','open','open','','2785-revision-5','','','2012-10-15 22:16:33','2012-10-16 04:16:33','',2785,'http://jeanatacc.com/2011/?p=2803',0,'revision','',0),(2804,68,'2012-10-16 16:59:47','2012-10-16 22:59:47','Collin Weir\r\n\r\nThe philosopher in meditation by Rembrandt should be preserved because it is symbolic of the light and dark of the human psyche, and expresses it in a way that is timeless. This will be important for future generations because the painting will provide an introspective look into the viewer, helping guide them through the rebirth of humanity.\r\n\r\n<!--more-->\r\n\r\nThe painting I’m analyzing Philosopher in Meditation by Rembrandt and was approximately created in 1653. This work is of a man, woman, and another woman in the downstairs of a house. The man is sitting in the light coming in from the window, and the women are in the darkness, one on the stairs and one by the stove. It was during the late renaissance which saw increased exploration of European countries to new lands like the Americas and Africa. The times are also very religiously charged and the Catholic Church was undergoing reformation with people breaking off starting their new sects of Christianity.\r\n\r\nArt work of this time is categorized by who or what the painter is depicting. Since this was during the late renaissance the artwork is very realistic and has definite form and structure. Most painters during this time were painting religious scenes from the bible or notable figures from the bible. There were also lots of paintings that were of nobles or scenes of the aristocratic lifestyles. These paintings were commissioned by those who had money, like nobility or church, and were the primary mean of income for these artists.\r\n\r\nThis piece is unique because it features a stark contrast between the light and dark of the house. There are two sources of light in this painting, the windows and the fire stove, yet the house is still filled with darkness. His use of lines in this painting is very distinct, as in they are not blurred like the detail on the walls and the space in between his distinct lines. Another very unique thing about this painting is that from first glance it seems that there is only 2 people in this painting, however if you find a copy of the image that has its contrast turned up, you will notice that there is a third person coming down the stairs holding a basket of some sort.\r\n\r\nRembrandt’s paintings are what allowed him to “achieved fame and fortune in his lifetime” (source 1), yet many of his works were left unfinished and are therefore considered undesirable. This painting though is considered complete since he signed it, and no one has concluded that it wasn’t. Also according to Tuttle, in his article he discusses how there was a group of researchers that concluded that this Rembrandt painting was actually done by one of his many apprentices, and all he did was sign his name one it (Tuttle).\r\n\r\nThe painting in modern times has a significant place in our appreciation of art. The painting is current being housed at the Louvre. Considering the Louvre is one of the world’s best art museums, having the painting there is a sure sign saying that our society still appreciates it and wants it preserved. (source 2). There are other places in which the painting has popped up in modern times. As I was watching TV right after choosing this painting as my topic, I noticed a Lowes commercial make reference to Rembrandt while talking about their paint department. Now it can’t be said that Rembrandt would go to Lowes to get his paint, but it does say that any work of Rembrandt is considered to be an integral part of human art and that people today still aspire to emulate his work. This reoccurring appearance of this painting in modern times shows in everlasting relevance to human culture.\r\n\r\nThis painting really stood out to me when comparing it to other Rembrandt works. One of the main reasons I choose this painting was the title, Philosophy and meditation are both very relevant to my life. However the mere contrast of light and dark in this painting spoke to me on a deeper level. The idea of the shadow of human psyche that Carl Jung discusses is something that came to mind while analyzing this painting. The man sitting by the window could be characterized as the conscious portion of our psyche, since it is what is present in the light, and what we can easily view. The woman by the stove is just a characterization of the little portion of the sub consciousness presenting itself in our life at certain times. The figure coming down the stairs however is the perfect example of the deepest parts of our unconscious mind, never being able to be seen by the viewer. The light and dark also is related to the Taoist Idea of the Yin yang, which is also a symbol of the polar opposites being present within each other. The stove in the painting is the light with in the dark and the philosopher at the desk is the dark within the light.\r\n\r\nA painting that was produced with Rembrandts era is the portrait of Louis xiv by Hyacinthe Rigaud (Fiero figure 21.2). This painting is the very typical of the aristocratic influence on certain art being produced since it is just a portrait of a king in his palace. This style differs from the more intelligent and soulful work of Rembrandts philosopher in meditation. Riguad’s painting has very distinct characteristics in it, like the fleur-de-lis, which makes it possible to recognize that the painting is French. Rembrandts painting however has no distinct characteristics in it, making it impossible to recognize the origin of the painting or the artist. Riguad’s painting is also a flaunt of royal wealth and power while Rembrandts is a piece looking for a deeper truth about the human experience.\r\n\r\nThis work is a Rembrandt, which makes it very sought after since all of his works have their own style that differs from many of the other artists of the era. But it also is about the balance of light and dark in a symbolic way and this is something future generations will have to learn to come to terms with. The painting offers a lot of interpretation about the mood to the viewer and allows them to look inside to create their own understanding of it. Future generations will also benefit from learning that creating art isn’t about painting what is front of you, unless you really trying to capture a unique moment. All in all this painting will provide a lot of intellectual “food” for future generations and will help guide them in answering many of life’s questions.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nPotter, Polyxeni. \"Footnotes.\" <em>National Center for Biotechnology Information</em>. U.S. National Library of Medicine, 25 Aug. 0005. Web. 10 Oct. 2012. &lt;http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3291467/&gt;.\r\n\r\nThis source was a general blurb about Rembrandts life and work ethic. It helped in giving me a general idea about Rembrandts life and some of the struggles and opinions others during his time had of him.\r\n\r\n\"Louvre Museum Official Website.\" <em>Louvre Museum Official Website</em>. N.p., n.d. Web. 9 Oct. 2012. &lt;http://www.louvre.fr/en&gt;.\r\n\r\nThis source is just the museum in which the painting is currently being housed in. Since one of my sources said that this painting should no longer be attributed to Rembrandt, the museum still officially states that it is.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nTuttle, A. (1991, Oct 03). The gallery: Rembrandt and his shrinking corpus.<em> </em><em>Wall Street Journal</em>. Retrieved from http://search.proquest.com/docview/398253976?accountid=7013; <a href=\"http://partneraccess.oclc.org/wcpa/servlet/Search?wcapi=1&amp;wcpartner=proquesta&amp;wcautho=http://firstsearch.oclc.org/dbname=WorldCat;done=referer;FSIP&amp;wcissn=00999660&amp;wcdoctype=ser\">http://partneraccess.oclc.org/wcpa/servlet/Search?wcapi=1&amp;wcpartner=proquesta&amp;wcautho=http://firstsearch.oclc.org/dbname=WorldCat;done=referer;FSIP&amp;wcissn=00999660&amp;wcdoctype=ser</a>\r\n\r\nThis source discussed how many of the works attributed to Rembrandt are now being considered as plagiarized and how they were actually the work of his student. I got a better of idea of how this piece is thought of today.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;','Rembrandts Philosopher in Meditation','','publish','open','open','','rembrandts-philosopher-in-meditation','','','2012-10-17 11:24:44','2012-10-17 17:24:44','',0,'http://jeanatacc.com/2011/?p=2804',0,'post','',11),(2805,68,'2012-10-16 16:58:52','2012-10-16 22:58:52','Collin Weir\n\nThe philosopher in meditation by Rembrandt should be preserved because it is symbolic of the light and dark of the human psyche, and expresses it in a way that is timeless. This will be important for future generations because the painting will provide an introspective look into the viewer, helping guide them through the rebirth of humanity.\n\n<!--more-->\n\n&nbsp;\n\nThe painting I’m analyzing Philosopher in meditation by Rembrandt and was approximately created in 1653. This work is of a man, women, and another woman in the downstairs of a house. The man is sitting in the light coming in from the window, and the women are in the darkness, one on the stairs and one by the stove. It was during the late renaissance which saw increased exploration of European countries to new lands like the Americas and Africa. The times are also very religiously charged and the Catholic Church was undergoing reformation with people breaking off starting their new sects of Christianity.\n\nArt work of this time is categorized by who or what the painter is depicting. Since this was during the late renaissance the artwork is very realistic and has definite form and structure. Most painters during this time were painting Religious scenes from the bible or notable figures from the bible. There were also lots of paintings that were of nobles or scenes of the aristocratic lifestyles. These paintings were commissioned by those who had money, like nobility or church, and were the primary mean of income for these artists.\n\nThis piece is unique because it features a stark contrast between the light and dark of the house. There are two sources of light in this painting, the windows and the fire stove, yet the house is still filled with darkness. His use of lines in this painting is very distinct, as in they are not blurred like the detail on the walls and the space in between his distinct lines. Another very unique thing about this painting is that from first glance it seems that there is only 2 people in this painting, however if you find a copy of the image that has its contrast turned up, you will notice that there is a third person coming down the stairs holding a basket of some sort.\n\nRembrandt’s paintings are what allowed him to “achieved fame and fortune in his lifetime” (source 1), yet many of his works were left unfinished and are therefore considered undesirable. This painting though is considered complete since he signed it, and no one has concluded that it wasn’t. Also according to Tuttle, in his article he discusses how there was a group of researchers that concluded that this Rembrandt painting was actually done by one of his many apprentices, and all he did was sign his name one it (Tuttle).\n\nThe painting in modern times has a significant place in our appreciation of art. The painting is current being housed at the Louvre. Considering the Louvre is considered one of the world’s best art museums, having the painting there is a sure sign saying that our society still appreciates it and wants it preserved. (source 2). There are other places in which the painting has popped up in modern times. As I was watching TV right after choosing this painting as my topic, I noticed a Lowes commercial make reference to Rembrandt while talking about their paint department. Now it can’t be said that Rembrandt would go to Lowes to get his paint, but it does say that any work of Rembrandt is considered to be an integral part of human art and that people today still aspire to emulate his work. This reoccurring appearance of this painting in modern times shows in everlasting relevance to human culture.\n\nThis painting really stood out to me when comparing it to other Rembrandt works. One of the main reasons I choose this painting was the title, Philosophy and meditation are both very relevant to my life. However the mere contrast of Light and Dark in this painting spoke to me on a deeper level. The Idea of the shadow of human psyche that Carl Jung discusses is something that came to mind while analyzing this painting. The man sitting by the window could be characterized as The conscious portion of our psyche, since it is what is present in the light, and what we can easily view. The woman by the stove is just a characterization of the little portion of the sub consciousness presenting itself in our life at certain times. The figure coming down the stairs however is the perfect example of the deepest parts of our unconscious mind, never being able to be seen by the viewer. The light and dark also is related to the Taoist Idea of the Yin yang, which is also a symbol of the polar opposites being present within each other. The Stove in the painting is the light with in the dark and the philosopher at the desk is the dark within the light.\n\nA painting that was produced with Rembrandts era is the portrait of Louis xiv by Hyacinthe Rigaud (Fiero figure 21.2). This painting is the Very typical of the aristocratic influence on certain art being produced since it is just a portrait of a king in his palace. This style differs from the more intelligent and soulful work of Rembrandts philosopher in meditation. Riguad’s painting has very distinct characteristics in it, like the fleur-de-lis, which makes it possible to recognize that the painting is French. Rembrandts painting however has no distinct characteristics in it, making it impossible to recognize the origin of the painting or the artist. Riguad’s painting is also a flaunt of royal wealth and power while Rembrandts is a piece looking for a deeper truth about the human experience.\n\nThis work is a Rembrandt, which makes it very sought after since all of his works have their own style that differs from many of the other artists of the era. But it also is about the balance of light and dark in a symbolic way and this is something future generations will have to learn to come to terms with. The painting offers a lot of interpretation about the mood to the viewer and allows them to look inside to create their own understanding of it. Future generations will also benefit from learning that creating art isn’t about painting what is front of you, unless you really trying to capture a unique moment. All in all this painting will provide a lot of intellectual “food” for future generations and will help guide them in answering many of life’s questions.\n\n&nbsp;\n\n&nbsp;\n\n&nbsp;\n\n&nbsp;\n\nPotter, Polyxeni. \"Footnotes.\" <em>National Center for Biotechnology Information</em>. U.S. National Library of Medicine, 25 Aug. 0005. Web. 10 Oct. 2012. &lt;http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3291467/&gt;.\n\nThis source was a general blurb about Rembrandts life and work ethic. It helped in giving me a general idea about Rembrandts life and some of the struggles and opinions others during his time had of him.\n\n\"Louvre Museum Official Website.\" <em>Louvre Museum Official Website</em>. N.p., n.d. Web. 9 Oct. 2012. &lt;http://www.louvre.fr/en&gt;.\n\nThis source is just the museum in which the painting is currently being housed in. Since one of my sources said that this painting should no longer be attributed to Rembrandt, the museum still officially states that it is.\n\n&nbsp;\n\nTuttle, A. (1991, Oct 03). The gallery: Rembrandt and his shrinking corpus.<em> </em><em>Wall Street Journal</em>. Retrieved from http://search.proquest.com/docview/398253976?accountid=7013; <a href=\"http://partneraccess.oclc.org/wcpa/servlet/Search?wcapi=1&amp;wcpartner=proquesta&amp;wcautho=http://firstsearch.oclc.org/dbname=WorldCat;done=referer;FSIP&amp;wcissn=00999660&amp;wcdoctype=ser\">http://partneraccess.oclc.org/wcpa/servlet/Search?wcapi=1&amp;wcpartner=proquesta&amp;wcautho=http://firstsearch.oclc.org/dbname=WorldCat;done=referer;FSIP&amp;wcissn=00999660&amp;wcdoctype=ser</a>\n\nThis source discussed how many of the works attributed to Rembrandt are now being considered as plagiarized and how they were actually the work of his student. I got a better of idea of how this piece is thought of today.\n\n&nbsp;','Rembrandts Philosopher in Meditation','','inherit','open','open','','2804-revision','','','2012-10-16 16:58:52','2012-10-16 22:58:52','',2804,'http://jeanatacc.com/2011/?p=2805',0,'revision','',0),(2806,68,'2012-10-16 16:59:03','2012-10-16 22:59:03','Collin Weir\r\n\r\nThe philosopher in meditation by Rembrandt should be preserved because it is symbolic of the light and dark of the human psyche, and expresses it in a way that is timeless. This will be important for future generations because the painting will provide an introspective look into the viewer, helping guide them through the rebirth of humanity.\r\n\r\n<!--more-->\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nThe painting I’m analyzing Philosopher in meditation by Rembrandt and was approximately created in 1653. This work is of a man, women, and another woman in the downstairs of a house. The man is sitting in the light coming in from the window, and the women are in the darkness, one on the stairs and one by the stove. It was during the late renaissance which saw increased exploration of European countries to new lands like the Americas and Africa. The times are also very religiously charged and the Catholic Church was undergoing reformation with people breaking off starting their new sects of Christianity.\r\n\r\nArt work of this time is categorized by who or what the painter is depicting. Since this was during the late renaissance the artwork is very realistic and has definite form and structure. Most painters during this time were painting Religious scenes from the bible or notable figures from the bible. There were also lots of paintings that were of nobles or scenes of the aristocratic lifestyles. These paintings were commissioned by those who had money, like nobility or church, and were the primary mean of income for these artists.\r\n\r\nThis piece is unique because it features a stark contrast between the light and dark of the house. There are two sources of light in this painting, the windows and the fire stove, yet the house is still filled with darkness. His use of lines in this painting is very distinct, as in they are not blurred like the detail on the walls and the space in between his distinct lines. Another very unique thing about this painting is that from first glance it seems that there is only 2 people in this painting, however if you find a copy of the image that has its contrast turned up, you will notice that there is a third person coming down the stairs holding a basket of some sort.\r\n\r\nRembrandt’s paintings are what allowed him to “achieved fame and fortune in his lifetime” (source 1), yet many of his works were left unfinished and are therefore considered undesirable. This painting though is considered complete since he signed it, and no one has concluded that it wasn’t. Also according to Tuttle, in his article he discusses how there was a group of researchers that concluded that this Rembrandt painting was actually done by one of his many apprentices, and all he did was sign his name one it (Tuttle).\r\n\r\nThe painting in modern times has a significant place in our appreciation of art. The painting is current being housed at the Louvre. Considering the Louvre is considered one of the world’s best art museums, having the painting there is a sure sign saying that our society still appreciates it and wants it preserved. (source 2). There are other places in which the painting has popped up in modern times. As I was watching TV right after choosing this painting as my topic, I noticed a Lowes commercial make reference to Rembrandt while talking about their paint department. Now it can’t be said that Rembrandt would go to Lowes to get his paint, but it does say that any work of Rembrandt is considered to be an integral part of human art and that people today still aspire to emulate his work. This reoccurring appearance of this painting in modern times shows in everlasting relevance to human culture.\r\n\r\nThis painting really stood out to me when comparing it to other Rembrandt works. One of the main reasons I choose this painting was the title, Philosophy and meditation are both very relevant to my life. However the mere contrast of Light and Dark in this painting spoke to me on a deeper level. The Idea of the shadow of human psyche that Carl Jung discusses is something that came to mind while analyzing this painting. The man sitting by the window could be characterized as The conscious portion of our psyche, since it is what is present in the light, and what we can easily view. The woman by the stove is just a characterization of the little portion of the sub consciousness presenting itself in our life at certain times. The figure coming down the stairs however is the perfect example of the deepest parts of our unconscious mind, never being able to be seen by the viewer. The light and dark also is related to the Taoist Idea of the Yin yang, which is also a symbol of the polar opposites being present within each other. The Stove in the painting is the light with in the dark and the philosopher at the desk is the dark within the light.\r\n\r\nA painting that was produced with Rembrandts era is the portrait of Louis xiv by Hyacinthe Rigaud (Fiero figure 21.2). This painting is the Very typical of the aristocratic influence on certain art being produced since it is just a portrait of a king in his palace. This style differs from the more intelligent and soulful work of Rembrandts philosopher in meditation. Riguad’s painting has very distinct characteristics in it, like the fleur-de-lis, which makes it possible to recognize that the painting is French. Rembrandts painting however has no distinct characteristics in it, making it impossible to recognize the origin of the painting or the artist. Riguad’s painting is also a flaunt of royal wealth and power while Rembrandts is a piece looking for a deeper truth about the human experience.\r\n\r\nThis work is a Rembrandt, which makes it very sought after since all of his works have their own style that differs from many of the other artists of the era. But it also is about the balance of light and dark in a symbolic way and this is something future generations will have to learn to come to terms with. The painting offers a lot of interpretation about the mood to the viewer and allows them to look inside to create their own understanding of it. Future generations will also benefit from learning that creating art isn’t about painting what is front of you, unless you really trying to capture a unique moment. All in all this painting will provide a lot of intellectual “food” for future generations and will help guide them in answering many of life’s questions.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nPotter, Polyxeni. \"Footnotes.\" <em>National Center for Biotechnology Information</em>. U.S. National Library of Medicine, 25 Aug. 0005. Web. 10 Oct. 2012. &lt;http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3291467/&gt;.\r\n\r\nThis source was a general blurb about Rembrandts life and work ethic. It helped in giving me a general idea about Rembrandts life and some of the struggles and opinions others during his time had of him.\r\n\r\n\"Louvre Museum Official Website.\" <em>Louvre Museum Official Website</em>. N.p., n.d. Web. 9 Oct. 2012. &lt;http://www.louvre.fr/en&gt;.\r\n\r\nThis source is just the museum in which the painting is currently being housed in. Since one of my sources said that this painting should no longer be attributed to Rembrandt, the museum still officially states that it is.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nTuttle, A. (1991, Oct 03). The gallery: Rembrandt and his shrinking corpus.<em> </em><em>Wall Street Journal</em>. Retrieved from http://search.proquest.com/docview/398253976?accountid=7013; <a href=\"http://partneraccess.oclc.org/wcpa/servlet/Search?wcapi=1&amp;wcpartner=proquesta&amp;wcautho=http://firstsearch.oclc.org/dbname=WorldCat;done=referer;FSIP&amp;wcissn=00999660&amp;wcdoctype=ser\">http://partneraccess.oclc.org/wcpa/servlet/Search?wcapi=1&amp;wcpartner=proquesta&amp;wcautho=http://firstsearch.oclc.org/dbname=WorldCat;done=referer;FSIP&amp;wcissn=00999660&amp;wcdoctype=ser</a>\r\n\r\nThis source discussed how many of the works attributed to Rembrandt are now being considered as plagiarized and how they were actually the work of his student. I got a better of idea of how this piece is thought of today.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;','Rembrandts Philosopher in Meditation','','inherit','open','open','','2804-revision-2','','','2012-10-16 16:59:03','2012-10-16 22:59:03','',2804,'http://jeanatacc.com/2011/?p=2806',0,'revision','',0),(2818,68,'2012-10-17 08:59:47','2012-10-17 14:59:47','Collin Weir\r\n\r\nThe philosopher in meditation by Rembrandt should be preserved because it is symbolic of the light and dark of the human psyche, and expresses it in a way that is timeless. This will be important for future generations because the painting will provide an introspective look into the viewer, helping guide them through the rebirth of humanity.\r\n\r\n<!--more-->\r\n\r\nThe painting I’m analyzing Philosopher in meditation by Rembrandt and was approximately created in 1653. This work is of a man, women, and another woman in the downstairs of a house. The man is sitting in the light coming in from the window, and the women are in the darkness, one on the stairs and one by the stove. It was during the late renaissance which saw increased exploration of European countries to new lands like the Americas and Africa. The times are also very religiously charged and the Catholic Church was undergoing reformation with people breaking off starting their new sects of Christianity.\r\n\r\nArt work of this time is categorized by who or what the painter is depicting. Since this was during the late renaissance the artwork is very realistic and has definite form and structure. Most painters during this time were painting Religious scenes from the bible or notable figures from the bible. There were also lots of paintings that were of nobles or scenes of the aristocratic lifestyles. These paintings were commissioned by those who had money, like nobility or church, and were the primary mean of income for these artists.\r\n\r\nThis piece is unique because it features a stark contrast between the light and dark of the house. There are two sources of light in this painting, the windows and the fire stove, yet the house is still filled with darkness. His use of lines in this painting is very distinct, as in they are not blurred like the detail on the walls and the space in between his distinct lines. Another very unique thing about this painting is that from first glance it seems that there is only 2 people in this painting, however if you find a copy of the image that has its contrast turned up, you will notice that there is a third person coming down the stairs holding a basket of some sort.\r\n\r\nRembrandt’s paintings are what allowed him to “achieved fame and fortune in his lifetime” (source 1), yet many of his works were left unfinished and are therefore considered undesirable. This painting though is considered complete since he signed it, and no one has concluded that it wasn’t. Also according to Tuttle, in his article he discusses how there was a group of researchers that concluded that this Rembrandt painting was actually done by one of his many apprentices, and all he did was sign his name one it (Tuttle).\r\n\r\nThe painting in modern times has a significant place in our appreciation of art. The painting is current being housed at the Louvre. Considering the Louvre is considered one of the world’s best art museums, having the painting there is a sure sign saying that our society still appreciates it and wants it preserved. (source 2). There are other places in which the painting has popped up in modern times. As I was watching TV right after choosing this painting as my topic, I noticed a Lowes commercial make reference to Rembrandt while talking about their paint department. Now it can’t be said that Rembrandt would go to Lowes to get his paint, but it does say that any work of Rembrandt is considered to be an integral part of human art and that people today still aspire to emulate his work. This reoccurring appearance of this painting in modern times shows in everlasting relevance to human culture.\r\n\r\nThis painting really stood out to me when comparing it to other Rembrandt works. One of the main reasons I choose this painting was the title, Philosophy and meditation are both very relevant to my life. However the mere contrast of Light and Dark in this painting spoke to me on a deeper level. The Idea of the shadow of human psyche that Carl Jung discusses is something that came to mind while analyzing this painting. The man sitting by the window could be characterized as The conscious portion of our psyche, since it is what is present in the light, and what we can easily view. The woman by the stove is just a characterization of the little portion of the sub consciousness presenting itself in our life at certain times. The figure coming down the stairs however is the perfect example of the deepest parts of our unconscious mind, never being able to be seen by the viewer. The light and dark also is related to the Taoist Idea of the Yin yang, which is also a symbol of the polar opposites being present within each other. The Stove in the painting is the light with in the dark and the philosopher at the desk is the dark within the light.\r\n\r\nA painting that was produced with Rembrandts era is the portrait of Louis xiv by Hyacinthe Rigaud (Fiero figure 21.2). This painting is the Very typical of the aristocratic influence on certain art being produced since it is just a portrait of a king in his palace. This style differs from the more intelligent and soulful work of Rembrandts philosopher in meditation. Riguad’s painting has very distinct characteristics in it, like the fleur-de-lis, which makes it possible to recognize that the painting is French. Rembrandts painting however has no distinct characteristics in it, making it impossible to recognize the origin of the painting or the artist. Riguad’s painting is also a flaunt of royal wealth and power while Rembrandts is a piece looking for a deeper truth about the human experience.\r\n\r\nThis work is a Rembrandt, which makes it very sought after since all of his works have their own style that differs from many of the other artists of the era. But it also is about the balance of light and dark in a symbolic way and this is something future generations will have to learn to come to terms with. The painting offers a lot of interpretation about the mood to the viewer and allows them to look inside to create their own understanding of it. Future generations will also benefit from learning that creating art isn’t about painting what is front of you, unless you really trying to capture a unique moment. All in all this painting will provide a lot of intellectual “food” for future generations and will help guide them in answering many of life’s questions.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nPotter, Polyxeni. \"Footnotes.\" <em>National Center for Biotechnology Information</em>. U.S. National Library of Medicine, 25 Aug. 0005. Web. 10 Oct. 2012. &lt;http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3291467/&gt;.\r\n\r\nThis source was a general blurb about Rembrandts life and work ethic. It helped in giving me a general idea about Rembrandts life and some of the struggles and opinions others during his time had of him.\r\n\r\n\"Louvre Museum Official Website.\" <em>Louvre Museum Official Website</em>. N.p., n.d. Web. 9 Oct. 2012. &lt;http://www.louvre.fr/en&gt;.\r\n\r\nThis source is just the museum in which the painting is currently being housed in. Since one of my sources said that this painting should no longer be attributed to Rembrandt, the museum still officially states that it is.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nTuttle, A. (1991, Oct 03). The gallery: Rembrandt and his shrinking corpus.<em> </em><em>Wall Street Journal</em>. Retrieved from http://search.proquest.com/docview/398253976?accountid=7013; <a href=\"http://partneraccess.oclc.org/wcpa/servlet/Search?wcapi=1&amp;wcpartner=proquesta&amp;wcautho=http://firstsearch.oclc.org/dbname=WorldCat;done=referer;FSIP&amp;wcissn=00999660&amp;wcdoctype=ser\">http://partneraccess.oclc.org/wcpa/servlet/Search?wcapi=1&amp;wcpartner=proquesta&amp;wcautho=http://firstsearch.oclc.org/dbname=WorldCat;done=referer;FSIP&amp;wcissn=00999660&amp;wcdoctype=ser</a>\r\n\r\nThis source discussed how many of the works attributed to Rembrandt are now being considered as plagiarized and how they were actually the work of his student. I got a better of idea of how this piece is thought of today.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;','Rembrandts Philosopher in Meditation','','inherit','open','open','','2804-revision-5','','','2012-10-17 08:59:47','2012-10-17 14:59:47','',2804,'http://jeanatacc.com/2011/?p=2818',0,'revision','',0),(2824,72,'2012-10-17 17:38:27','0000-00-00 00:00:00','','Auto Draft','','auto-draft','open','open','','','','','2012-10-17 17:38:27','0000-00-00 00:00:00','',0,'http://jeanatacc.com/2011/?p=2824',0,'post','',0),(2823,56,'2012-10-16 22:53:06','2012-10-17 04:53:06','The Taj Mahal is a dramatically large and beautiful mausoleum that was built in 17th century C.E.  The Mughal emperor, Shah Jahan, built it on the shores of the Yamuna river in India for his favorite wife.  It is one of the most recognizable buildings on earth.  Exquisite in and of itself, the legend surrounding it reveals how our desire for a good story can override facts.  It should be preserved, not only for its architectural and artistic merits, but for what it reveals about our collective psychology.\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"\" align=\"aligncenter\" width=\"196\"]<a href=\"http://thatandthisinmumbai.files.wordpress.com/2011/11/taj-mahal-8.jpg?w=584\"><img class=\" \" src=\"http://thatandthisinmumbai.files.wordpress.com/2011/11/taj-mahal-8.jpg?w=584\" alt=\"http://thatandthisinmumbai.files.wordpress.com/2011/11/taj-mahal-8.jpg?w=584\" width=\"196\" height=\"250\" /></a> A photo of the Taj Mahal from the front showing the red sandstone overlaid with white marble.[/caption]\r\n\r\n<!--more-->\r\nMumtaz Mahal (Chosen One of the Palace) died suddenly in 1631 at the age of 38 after giving birth to their 14th child.  The couple had been married for 19 years, but her death came only three years after the Shah came to power.  One of the most popular legends about the Taj Mahal is its origin.  It was said that, as she was dying, Mumtaz Mahal asked Shah Jahan to promise her two things; that he not father any other children by his remaining wives and “that he build such a mausoleum over her, the like of which was not to be found anywhere else” (Begley).\r\nThe Taj Mahal is the culmination of a syncretistic trend incorporating Byzantine, Muslim and Hindu traditions in Mughal architecture (Fiero).  It is built out of red sandstone overlaid with white marble which is carved with decorative patterns that depict the flowers of paradise (Andrea and Neel).  The marble carvings are studded with “forty-three types of precious and semiprecious stones from all around India” including sapphires, onyxes, yellow amber, nephrite jade and crystal.  The artists also used shells, coral and mother-of-pearl from the Indian Ocean (Ching, Jarzombek, and Prakash).\r\n\r\nThe seventy-three years of Shah Jahan’s life, from 1592 to 1666, were a pivotal period in the fortunes of the Mughals, but also a time of rapid change in the wider world (Preston and Preston 7).  European courts received Persian and Asian dignitaries with splendor and honor while Christian missionaries traveled to “Hindu, Buddhist and Muslim lands.”  Galileo perfected the telescope and could see “the craters of the moon, the rings of Saturn, and the moons of Jupiter” (Fiero).\r\n\r\nNot only did the “Old World” become less isolated on its half of the world, but the “New World” rapidly began to flourish. The English colony Jamestown was founded the year Shah Jahan was betrothed to his wife.  Just seventeen years later, the English acquired New Amsterdam and named it New York (Preston and Preston 7).\r\nThroughout time, tombs and mausoleums for royalty have had served to honor and glorify their memory.  Zoser, one of the first Pharaohs of a unified Egypt, build a mortuary complex for himself on a hill outside Memphis, the capital of Old Egypt.  The Mortuary Complex of Zoser was surrounded by massive walls of white stone.  The walls protected the tomb, not from physical threats, but from “the chaos of the unordered world outside.”  Egyptian rulers measured their accomplishments against The Mortuary Complex of Zoser for centuries  (Ching, Jarzombek, and Prakash 39).\r\n\r\nThe Tomb of the First Emperor of China, who ruled China between 246 and 210 BCE is “probably the largest and most costly tomb in history, even compared with the Egyptian pyramids.”  More than 8,000 terra cotta soldiers surround the emperor’s burial chamber, protecting him even after death (Ching, Jarzombek, and Prakash 184).\r\n\r\nBy contrast the Taj Mahal is a living monument, designed to keep the memory of those people interred there alive. Its walls do not protect it from anything, they simply enclose the complex. It fact, one of the buildings on the grounds is a “residential court for tomb attendants” (Andrea and Neel).\r\n\r\nThe most prominent and often photographed feature of the Taj Mahal is the main building, generally shown from the rear, but the largest portion of the complex is the garden that surrounds it (Andrea and Neel).  The gardens span an area of approximately 42 acres  (Begley 9). Like the Grand Canyon in Arizona, it is impossible to appreciate the extent and beauty of the gardens through photographs alone.\r\n\r\nThe gardens are a typical example of Persian “chahar-bagh” or four-fold gardens.  “Persian gardens in general and Mughal garden tombs in particular, are often described metaphorically in Persian poetry and inscriptions as being like Paradise.”  However, the designers of the Taj Mahal placed the buildings at one end of the gardens, rather than at the center, as was typical for the time  (Begley 11).\r\n\r\nShah Jahan made some unusual choices when he built the Taj Mahal.  First and foremost, he went against Islamic tradition; “a tomb for a wife on such a scale was entirely without precedent”  (Begley 9).  Second, the dome is “curiously similar to the shape of Mughal ceremonial crowns...  Although Islamic tombs characteristically have domes, the resemblance of the Taj’s dome to actual Mughal throne backs seems more than coincidental” (Begley 16).\r\n\r\n\"This is the West, sir. When the legend becomes fact, print the legend.\"\r\n-The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance\r\n\r\nPersian histories record that construction began on the Taj Mahal around January, 1632.  There are three dated epigraphs on the Taj Mahal itself that suggest the exterior of the building itself was complete around 1636.  The entire project probably took no more than 15 years (Begley 9).  Those are the facts.  The legends are more romantic.\r\n\r\nApproved court poetry and legend promoted the idea that the Taj Mahal was built out of love.  Court poets declared that \"The color of youth flew away from his cheeks; The flower of his countenance ceased blooming.\" He wept so often \"his tearful eyes sought help from spectacles\" (Bartholet).  European travelers were enthralled.  Francois Bernier said, “it is said that he was constant to her during life, and at death was so affect as nearly to follow her to her grave.”\r\n\r\nThe problem with the magnificent wonder of these legends is that they aren’t supported by the historical record.  Even worse, the legends are so seductive and pervasive that they are presented as fact even to this day, perpetuating the misinformation.  For example, one legend says that Shah Jahan planned to build an identical mausoleum to the Taj Mahal, except out of black marble instead of white, on the other side of the Agra.  Unfortunately, the only evidence to support this comes from the account of a French traveler at the time, Jean-Baptiste Tavernier.  Yet Fiero says, “[h]e directed his architects to construct alongside the Jumna River a glorious tomb, a twin to the one he planned for himself on the adjoining riverbank.”\r\n\r\nJean-Baptiste Tavernier said that it took 22 years and 20,000 men to build the Taj Mahal, plus he says he was there at the start of construction and at the end (Begley 9).  That statement is the most easily disproved of all the Taj Mahal legends and yet it is widely disseminated.  (While Begley flatly denounces Tavernier’s estimates as “greatly exaggerated”, he only disputes the number of years it took to build the structure, not the number of workers.)  To this day, several modern sources continue repeat what is essentially the account of a tourist as historical fact.  For example, the “Encyclopedia of Anthropology” says, “the entire project took 22 years to complete with the efforts of 20,000 laborers and craftsmen” (Birx).  While Fiero’s text book does not outright state how long it took to build the Taj Mahal, the caption under Figure 21.24 reads, “Taj Mahal, Agra, India, 1623-1643.” implying her acceptance of Tavernier’s legend as fact.  Most recently, in a September, 2011 article for the Smithsonian magazine, Jeffrey Bartholet said, “For more than 15 years, [Shah Jahan] directed the construction of a complex of buildings and gardens that was meant to mirror the Islamic vision of Paradise.”\r\n\r\nHuman beings are amazingly complex creatures.  We are capable of great loves and cunning.  As a group, we love a good story, we strive to create beautiful things and we want to be remembered.  The Taj Mahal gives us all of those things wrapped up in a neat little package.\r\n\r\nShah Jahan and Mumtaz Muhal loved each other and, while the poetic accounts from that time seem ostentatious to us, his grief was undoubtedly real.  He probably did want to build a beautiful tomb to commemorate her memory.  The question becomes then, when did the legend begin and why?  How did it grow into the epic that it is today? Was the Taj Mahal itself so lovely and grand that people could not look at it and think that it must have a deeper, grander meaning than just a burial place?\r\n\r\nAs loving a husband as the Shah may have been, he could also be ruthless and cold-blooded.  He gained the throne after a five year war against his father and then murdered several family members, including one of his brothers, to solidify his power base (Birx).  An Italian traveler of the time, Niccolao Manucci said that the Shah behaved “as if the only thing [he] cared for was the search for women to serve his pleasure.”  Other European travelers spread rumors that Shah Jahan maintained an incestuous relationship with his eldest daughter, Jahanara (Begley 10).\r\n\r\nWas Shah Jahan truly devastated by his wife’s death, or did the court poets do such a good job of embellishing the story of his grief that the Taj Mahal became a public relations coup that remains to this day?  Could such a man of such unsympathetic character truly love one woman at all?  The truth is never simple and that makes the story of Taj Mahal so compelling.\r\n\r\nThe Taj Mahal complex should be included in the Time Capsule project so that future generations will be able to gain an understanding of our past by studying its architecture, techniques and design elements.  In addition, the conflict between the history and the legend of the Taj Mahal is a cautionary example of how people will believe what they want to believe.  In this case, in spite of evidence to the contrary, people want to believe that the Taj Mahal was built purely out of love and devotion.\r\n\r\nWorks Cited\r\n\r\nBartholet, Jeffrey. \"What Ails the Taj Mahal? (Cover Story).\" Smithsonian 42.5 (2011): 44. Middle Search Plus. Web. 7 Oct. 2012.\r\n\r\nThis article is about preservationist’s concerns that the Taj Mahal is deteriorating due to pollution, poor maintenance and vandalism.  It also provided some historical background about the Taj Mahal.\r\n\r\nBegley, Wayne E. \"The Myth Of The Taj Mahal And A New Theory Of Its Symbolic Meaning.\" Art Bulletin 61.1 (1979): 7. Academic Search Complete. Web. 30 Sept. 2012.\r\n\r\nThis source offers theories for the design and construction of the Taj Mahal that contradict most commonly held and romantic beliefs.  Begley gives examples of the myths and then shows how they are unsupported by the historical record.\r\n\r\nThe main argument against the romantic myths is that Shah Jahan was not actually as pure in his devotion to his wife as the stories would have one believe.  Begley supports his argument well, but also misses some nuances of political necessity that may have predicated some of Shah Jahan’s actions.\r\n\r\nThis paper was originally presented as a series of lectures to various universities and museums between 1976 and 1978.  A significant number of other sources cite in this paper in their bibliographies.\r\n\r\nChurch, Jill M. \"Taj Mahal.\" Encyclopedia of Anthropology. Ed. H. James Birx. Vol. 5. Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage Reference, 2006. 2156-2157. Gale Virtual Reference Library. Web. 30 Sep. 2012.\r\n\r\nThe “Encyclopedia of Anthropology” is a reference work focusing on “physical/biological anthropology, archaeology, cultural/social anthropology, linguistics, and applied anthropology.”  This article provides simple historical background of the Taj Mahal, the design, building materials and layout of the grounds.\r\n\r\nA problem with this source is that it erroneously maintains that it took 22 years to build the Taj Mahal; a statement that is actually based on legend, not fact.  However, that error supports the thesis that the legend surrounding the Taj Mahal is just as significant as the building itself.\r\n\r\nChing, Francis D.K., Mark Jarzombek, and Vikramaditya Prakash. A Global History of Architecture. 2nd. Hoboken, NJ: John Wiley &amp; Sons, Inc., 2011. 503-509. Print.\r\n“A Global History of Architecture” presents the history of architecture around the world, arranged first by time and then by region, beginning in 3500 BCE.  It is a comprehensive historical resource for people who do not specialize in architecture.\r\n\r\nThe authors offer brief comparisons between similar structures in the area around the Taj Mahal.  In addition, there are tombs and mausoleums listed in the book along with their features that I used to compare to the Taj Mahal. The book also provides excellent illustrations.\r\n\r\nFiero, Gloria K.. Trans. Array The Humanistic Tradition.  6th ed. New York: McGraw-Hill, 2011. Print.\r\n\r\nThis is the humanities text for this course.  It provides a good general overview of general history, but the facts presented are not all correct.\r\n\r\n\"Mughal Aesthetics.\" World History Encyclopedia. Ed. Alfred J. Andrea and Carolyn Neel. Vol. 11: Era 6: The First Global Age, 1450-1770. Santa Barbara, CA: ABC-CLIO, 2011. 232-234. Gale Virtual Reference Library. Web. 30 Sep. 2012.\r\n\r\nThis particular volume of “World History Encyclopedia” focuses on what they call “The First Global Age, 1450-1770”.  The themes for this article are how Mughal aesthetics developed, remaining constant in some respects and evolving in others.\r\n\r\nThe article discusses the evolution of Mughal aesthetics from one distinct style into another.  The first period is most easily identifiable by the predominance of red sandstone in its architectural styles.  The second period added white marble over the red sandstone which added a new decorative element and required new construction techniques.\r\n\r\nThe article makes passing mention of the Jain religion, but does not go into any depth about its history or examples of its contributions.  Presumably because the Jain religion is not as prominent as Hindu (the other major religion mentioned).\r\n\r\nPreston, Diana, and Michael Preston. Taj Mahal: Passion and Genius at the Heart of the Moghul Empire. New York: Walker Publishing Company, Inc., 2007. Print.\r\nThis book is written for the general public to give a background about the Taj Mahal.  It speaks more to the culture of the area and worldwide historical context at the time rather than the building itself.\r\n\r\nRoth, Leland M. \"Architecture: Asia.\" New Dictionary of the History of Ideas. Ed. Maryanne Cline Horowitz. Vol. 1. Detroit: Charles Scribner\'s Sons, 2005. 128-132. Gale Virtual Reference Library. Web. 30 Sep. 2012.\r\n\r\nThe “New Dictionary of the History of Ideas” is a resource work targeting students and it documents the way human thought has developed through time.  This particular article chronicles the cultural developments of architecture in Asia from the beginning of the common era to present day.\r\n\r\nThis article is divided into two parts.  The first talks about the architectural style of the three major regions of Asia; India, China and Japan.  The second provides examples of architecture for each region, including the Taj Mahal.\r\n\r\nIn particular for this Time Capsule Project, the article shows how the three major religions that populated India combined to create what we now recognize as Mughal aesthetic.\r\n\r\n<strong>Image Source</strong>: http://thatandthisinmumbai.files.wordpress.com/2011/11/taj-mahal-8.jpg?w=584','The Legends and Truths of the Taj Mahal','','inherit','open','open','','2785-revision-7','','','2012-10-16 22:53:06','2012-10-17 04:53:06','',2785,'http://jeanatacc.com/2011/?p=2823',0,'revision','',0),(2807,56,'2012-10-16 14:40:43','2012-10-16 20:40:43','The Taj Mahal is a dramatically large and beautiful mausoleum that was built in 17th century C.E.  The Mughal emperor, Shah Jahan, built it on the shores of the Yamuna river in India for his favorite wife.  It is one of the most recognizable buildings on earth.  Exquisite in and of itself, the legend surrounding it reveals how our desire for a good story can override facts.  It should be preserved, not only for its architectural and artistic merits, but for what it reveals about our collective psychology.\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"\" align=\"aligncenter\" width=\"280\"]<a href=\"http://thatandthisinmumbai.files.wordpress.com/2011/11/taj-mahal-8.jpg?w=584\"><img src=\"http://thatandthisinmumbai.files.wordpress.com/2011/11/taj-mahal-8.jpg?w=584\" alt=\"\" width=\"280\" height=\"357\" /></a> A photo of the Taj Mahal from the front showing the red sandstone overlaid with white marble.[/caption]\r\n\r\n<!--more-->\r\nMumtaz Mahal (Chosen One of the Palace) died suddenly in 1631 at the age of 38 after giving birth to their 14th child.  The couple had been married for 19 years, but her death came only three years after the Shah came to power.  One of the most popular legends about the Taj Mahal is its origin.  It was said that, as she was dying, Mumtaz Mahal asked Shah Jahan to promise her two things; that he not father any other children by his remaining wives and “that he build such a mausoleum over her, the like of which was not to be found anywhere else” (Begley).\r\nThe Taj Mahal is the culmination of a syncretistic trend incorporating Byzantine, Muslim and Hindu traditions in Mughal architecture (Fiero).  It is built out of red sandstone overlaid with white marble which is carved with decorative patterns that depict the flowers of paradise (Andrea and Neel).  The marble carvings are studded with “forty-three types of precious and semiprecious stones from all around India” including sapphires, onyxes, yellow amber, nephrite jade and crystal.  The artists also used shells, coral and mother-of-pearl from the Indian Ocean (Ching, Jarzombek, and Prakash).\r\n\r\nThe seventy-three years of Shah Jahan’s life, from 1592 to 1666, were a pivotal period in the fortunes of the Mughals, but also a time of rapid change in the wider world (Preston and Preston 7).  European courts received Persian and Asian dignitaries with splendor and honor while Christian missionaries traveled to “Hindu, Buddhist and Muslim lands.”  Galileo perfected the telescope and could see “the craters of the moon, the rings of Saturn, and the moons of Jupiter” (Fiero).\r\n\r\nNot only did the “Old World” become less isolated on its half of the world, but the “New World” rapidly began to flourish. The English colony Jamestown was founded the year Shah Jahan was betrothed to his wife.  Just seventeen years later, the English acquired New Amsterdam and named it New York (Preston and Preston 7).\r\nThroughout time, tombs and mausoleums for royalty have had served to honor and glorify their memory.  Zoser, one of the first Pharaohs of a unified Egypt, build a mortuary complex for himself on a hill outside Memphis, the capital of Old Egypt.  The Mortuary Complex of Zoser was surrounded by massive walls of white stone.  The walls protected the tomb, not from physical threats, but from “the chaos of the unordered world outside.”  Egyptian rulers measured their accomplishments against The Mortuary Complex of Zoser for centuries  (Ching, Jarzombek, and Prakash 39).\r\n\r\nThe Tomb of the First Emperor of China, who ruled China between 246 and 210 BCE is “probably the largest and most costly tomb in history, even compared with the Egyptian pyramids.”  More than 8,000 terra cotta soldiers surround the emperor’s burial chamber, protecting him even after death (Ching, Jarzombek, and Prakash 184).\r\n\r\nBy contrast the Taj Mahal is a living monument, designed to keep the memory of those people interred there alive. Its walls do not protect it from anything, they simply enclose the complex. It fact, one of the buildings on the grounds is a “residential court for tomb attendants” (Andrea and Neel).\r\n\r\nThe most prominent and often photographed feature of the Taj Mahal is the main building, generally shown from the rear, but the largest portion of the complex is the garden that surrounds it (Andrea and Neel).  The gardens span an area of approximately 42 acres  (Begley 9). Like the Grand Canyon in Arizona, it is impossible to appreciate the extent and beauty of the gardens through photographs alone.\r\n\r\nThe gardens are a typical example of Persian “chahar-bagh” or four-fold gardens.  “Persian gardens in general and Mughal garden tombs in particular, are often described metaphorically in Persian poetry and inscriptions as being like Paradise.”  However, the designers of the Taj Mahal placed the buildings at one end of the gardens, rather than at the center, as was typical for the time  (Begley 11).\r\n\r\nShah Jahan made some unusual choices when he built the Taj Mahal.  First and foremost, he went against Islamic tradition; “a tomb for a wife on such a scale was entirely without precedent”  (Begley 9).  Second, the dome is “curiously similar to the shape of Mughal ceremonial crowns...  Although Islamic tombs characteristically have domes, the resemblance of the Taj’s dome to actual Mughal throne backs seems more than coincidental” (Begley 16).\r\n\r\n\"This is the West, sir. When the legend becomes fact, print the legend.\"\r\n-The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance\r\n\r\nPersian histories record that construction began on the Taj Mahal around January, 1632.  There are three dated epigraphs on the Taj Mahal itself that suggest the exterior of the building itself was complete around 1636.  The entire project probably took no more than 15 years (Begley 9).  Those are the facts.  The legends are more romantic.\r\n\r\nApproved court poetry and legend promoted the idea that the Taj Mahal was built out of love.  Court poets declared that \"The color of youth flew away from his cheeks; The flower of his countenance ceased blooming.\" He wept so often \"his tearful eyes sought help from spectacles\" (Bartholet).  European travelers were enthralled.  Francois Bernier said, “it is said that he was constant to her during life, and at death was so affect as nearly to follow her to her grave.”\r\n\r\nThe problem with the magnificent wonder of these legends is that they aren’t supported by the historical record.  Even worse, the legends are so seductive and pervasive that they are presented as fact even to this day, perpetuating the misinformation.  For example, one legend says that Shah Jahan planned to build an identical mausoleum to the Taj Mahal, except out of black marble instead of white, on the other side of the Agra.  Unfortunately, the only evidence to support this comes from the account of a French traveler at the time, Jean-Baptiste Tavernier.  Yet Fiero says, “[h]e directed his architects to construct alongside the Jumna River a glorious tomb, a twin to the one he planned for himself on the adjoining riverbank.”\r\n\r\nJean-Baptiste Tavernier said that it took 22 years and 20,000 men to build the Taj Mahal, plus he says he was there at the start of construction and at the end (Begley 9).  That statement is the most easily disproved of all the Taj Mahal legends and yet it is widely disseminated.  (While Begley flatly denounces Tavernier’s estimates as “greatly exaggerated”, he only disputes the number of years it took to build the structure, not the number of workers.)  To this day, several modern sources continue repeat what is essentially the account of a tourist as historical fact.  For example, the “Encyclopedia of Anthropology” says, “the entire project took 22 years to complete with the efforts of 20,000 laborers and craftsmen” (Birx).  While Fiero’s text book does not outright state how long it took to build the Taj Mahal, the caption under Figure 21.24 reads, “Taj Mahal, Agra, India, 1623-1643.” implying her acceptance of Tavernier’s legend as fact.  Most recently, in a September, 2011 article for the Smithsonian magazine, Jeffrey Bartholet said, “For more than 15 years, [Shah Jahan] directed the construction of a complex of buildings and gardens that was meant to mirror the Islamic vision of Paradise.”\r\n\r\nHuman beings are amazingly complex creatures.  We are capable of great loves and cunning.  As a group, we love a good story, we strive to create beautiful things and we want to be remembered.  The Taj Mahal gives us all of those things wrapped up in a neat little package.\r\n\r\nShah Jahan and Mumtaz Muhal loved each other and, while the poetic accounts from that time seem ostentatious to us, his grief was undoubtedly real.  He probably did want to build a beautiful tomb to commemorate her memory.  The question becomes then, when did the legend begin and why?  How did it grow into the epic that it is today? Was the Taj Mahal itself so lovely and grand that people could not look at it and think that it must have a deeper, grander meaning than just a burial place?\r\n\r\nAs loving a husband as the Shah may have been, he could also be ruthless and cold-blooded.  He gained the throne after a five year war against his father and then murdered several family members, including one of his brothers, to solidify his power base (Birx).  An Italian traveler of the time, Niccolao Manucci said that the Shah behaved “as if the only thing [he] cared for was the search for women to serve his pleasure.”  Other European travelers spread rumors that Shah Jahan maintained an incestuous relationship with his eldest daughter, Jahanara (Begley 10).\r\n\r\nWas Shah Jahan truly devastated by his wife’s death, or did the court poets do such a good job of embellishing the story of his grief that the Taj Mahal became a public relations coup that remains to this day?  Could such a man of such unsympathetic character truly love one woman at all?  The truth is never simple and that makes the story of Taj Mahal so compelling.\r\n\r\nThe Taj Mahal complex should be included in the Time Capsule project so that future generations will be able to gain an understanding of our past by studying its architecture, techniques and design elements.  In addition, the conflict between the history and the legend of the Taj Mahal is a cautionary example of how people will believe what they want to believe.  In this case, in spite of evidence to the contrary, people want to believe that the Taj Mahal was built purely out of love and devotion.\r\n\r\nWorks Cited\r\n\r\nBartholet, Jeffrey. \"What Ails the Taj Mahal? (Cover Story).\" Smithsonian 42.5 (2011): 44. Middle Search Plus. Web. 7 Oct. 2012.\r\n\r\nThis article is about preservationist’s concerns that the Taj Mahal is deteriorating due to pollution, poor maintenance and vandalism.  It also provided some historical background about the Taj Mahal.\r\n\r\nBegley, Wayne E. \"The Myth Of The Taj Mahal And A New Theory Of Its Symbolic Meaning.\" Art Bulletin 61.1 (1979): 7. Academic Search Complete. Web. 30 Sept. 2012.\r\n\r\nThis source offers theories for the design and construction of the Taj Mahal that contradict most commonly held and romantic beliefs.  Begley gives examples of the myths and then shows how they are unsupported by the historical record.\r\n\r\nThe main argument against the romantic myths is that Shah Jahan was not actually as pure in his devotion to his wife as the stories would have one believe.  Begley supports his argument well, but also misses some nuances of political necessity that may have predicated some of Shah Jahan’s actions.\r\n\r\nThis paper was originally presented as a series of lectures to various universities and museums between 1976 and 1978.  A significant number of other sources cite in this paper in their bibliographies.\r\n\r\nChurch, Jill M. \"Taj Mahal.\" Encyclopedia of Anthropology. Ed. H. James Birx. Vol. 5. Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage Reference, 2006. 2156-2157. Gale Virtual Reference Library. Web. 30 Sep. 2012.\r\n\r\nThe “Encyclopedia of Anthropology” is a reference work focusing on “physical/biological anthropology, archaeology, cultural/social anthropology, linguistics, and applied anthropology.”  This article provides simple historical background of the Taj Mahal, the design, building materials and layout of the grounds.\r\n\r\nA problem with this source is that it erroneously maintains that it took 22 years to build the Taj Mahal; a statement that is actually based on legend, not fact.  However, that error supports the thesis that the legend surrounding the Taj Mahal is just as significant as the building itself.\r\n\r\nChing, Francis D.K., Mark Jarzombek, and Vikramaditya Prakash. A Global History of Architecture. 2nd. Hoboken, NJ: John Wiley &amp; Sons, Inc., 2011. 503-509. Print.\r\n“A Global History of Architecture” presents the history of architecture around the world, arranged first by time and then by region, beginning in 3500 BCE.  It is a comprehensive historical resource for people who do not specialize in architecture.\r\n\r\nThe authors offer brief comparisons between similar structures in the area around the Taj Mahal.  In addition, there are tombs and mausoleums listed in the book along with their features that I used to compare to the Taj Mahal. The book also provides excellent illustrations.\r\n\r\nFiero, Gloria K.. Trans. Array The Humanistic Tradition.  6th ed. New York: McGraw-Hill, 2011. Print.\r\n\r\nThis is the humanities text for this course.  It provides a good general overview of general history, but the facts presented are not all correct.\r\n\r\n\"Mughal Aesthetics.\" World History Encyclopedia. Ed. Alfred J. Andrea and Carolyn Neel. Vol. 11: Era 6: The First Global Age, 1450-1770. Santa Barbara, CA: ABC-CLIO, 2011. 232-234. Gale Virtual Reference Library. Web. 30 Sep. 2012.\r\n\r\nThis particular volume of “World History Encyclopedia” focuses on what they call “The First Global Age, 1450-1770”.  The themes for this article are how Mughal aesthetics developed, remaining constant in some respects and evolving in others.\r\n\r\nThe article discusses the evolution of Mughal aesthetics from one distinct style into another.  The first period is most easily identifiable by the predominance of red sandstone in its architectural styles.  The second period added white marble over the red sandstone which added a new decorative element and required new construction techniques.\r\n\r\nThe article makes passing mention of the Jain religion, but does not go into any depth about its history or examples of its contributions.  Presumably because the Jain religion is not as prominent as Hindu (the other major religion mentioned).\r\n\r\nPreston, Diana, and Michael Preston. Taj Mahal: Passion and Genius at the Heart of the Moghul Empire. New York: Walker Publishing Company, Inc., 2007. Print.\r\nThis book is written for the general public to give a background about the Taj Mahal.  It speaks more to the culture of the area and worldwide historical context at the time rather than the building itself.\r\n\r\nRoth, Leland M. \"Architecture: Asia.\" New Dictionary of the History of Ideas. Ed. Maryanne Cline Horowitz. Vol. 1. Detroit: Charles Scribner\'s Sons, 2005. 128-132. Gale Virtual Reference Library. Web. 30 Sep. 2012.\r\n\r\nThe “New Dictionary of the History of Ideas” is a resource work targeting students and it documents the way human thought has developed through time.  This particular article chronicles the cultural developments of architecture in Asia from the beginning of the common era to present day.\r\n\r\nThis article is divided into two parts.  The first talks about the architectural style of the three major regions of Asia; India, China and Japan.  The second provides examples of architecture for each region, including the Taj Mahal.\r\n\r\nIn particular for this Time Capsule Project, the article shows how the three major religions that populated India combined to create what we now recognize as Mughal aesthetic.','The Legends and Truths of the Taj Mahal','','inherit','open','open','','2785-revision-6','','','2012-10-16 14:40:43','2012-10-16 20:40:43','',2785,'http://jeanatacc.com/2011/?p=2807',0,'revision','',0),(2825,72,'2012-10-17 17:54:23','0000-00-00 00:00:00','','Auto Draft','','auto-draft','open','open','','','','','2012-10-17 17:54:23','0000-00-00 00:00:00','',0,'http://jeanatacc.com/2011/?p=2825',0,'post','',0),(2808,64,'2012-10-17 01:55:36','0000-00-00 00:00:00','','Auto Draft','','auto-draft','open','open','','','','','2012-10-17 01:55:36','0000-00-00 00:00:00','',0,'http://jeanatacc.com/2011/?p=2808',0,'post','',0),(2809,64,'2012-10-17 01:59:21','2012-10-17 07:59:21','[caption id=\"\" align=\"aligncenter\" width=\"279\"]<a href=\"religious music in google images\"><img src=\"http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_DtmhjiI3ruk/TEspGnU0qCI/AAAAAAAAA_Y/-9sqTL1s6hY/s1600/lucy.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"279\" height=\"492\" /></a> <br />Religious music[/caption]\r\n<p style=\"text-align: center\">http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_DtmhjiI3ruk/TEspGnU0qCI/AAAAAAAAA_Y/-9sqTL1s6hY/s1600/lucy.jpg</p>\r\nDuring the time of Johan Sebastian Bach’s musical career, a lot was going on in the world. This was a turning point in the world, the Early 1700’s. “One of the most influential cultural events of the early seventeenth century” (1)(fiero) had just taken place, the new English translation of the Holy Bible. Recruited by James 1 of England, a committee of about 50 scholars had begun the work of the translations of scriptures.” This marked the beginning of the Protestant Reformation. This was the  time when Martin Luther had translated the Holy Bible from Greek to German. “The translation of the Holy Bible played a special significance in those times. It gave people an inner light, (fiero) and brought a new light to urge people to break away from Roman Catholic beliefs. This spawned a Reformation, and through music it carried the same theme and message. There is one hymn that symbolizes the Protestant Reformation; it is \"A Mighty Fortress Is Our God.\" by Bach. Those persecuted and martyred for their convictions during the Reformation sang these same words.<!--more-->\r\n\r\n\"The one hymn that most symbolizes the Protestant Reformation is \"A Mighty Fortress Is Our God.\" In it, Martin Luther proclaims his confidence in God and rallies all Christians to war against evil. Basing his words on Psalm 46, he victoriously states \"We will not fear, for God has willed His truth to triumph through us.\" Those persecuted and martyred for their convictions during the Reformation sang these words from Bach’s “A Mighty Fortress is Our God” Luther understood the power of evil: “After he posted his ninety-five theses on the door of Wittenberg\'s Castle in 1517, he faced years of trials and persecution, he was excommunicated from the Roman church, and he continually faced threats against his life and his freedom.” “Other reformers had been persecuted and burned at the stake.”                                                                                                                                                                              “But he also knew God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in danger\" (Psalm 46:1) and so he wrote \"A Mighty Fortress is our God,\" proclaiming boldly that \"the prince of darkness grim, we tremble  not for him . . . one little word shall fell him.\" Since he wrote it in 1529,” (2)\r\n\r\nThis piece both compares and differentiates to another piece of its time.  I think this piece compares to Handel’s Messiah, “Handel’s music brought scripture to life, that celebrates the birth of Jesus and is a collection of versus from the Old and New testament. “ The most famous of Handel’s works is the Messiah, which was written in the English of the King James Bible.” (fiero) The two compare because Bach’s “A Mighty Fortress is our God” also is based on scripture, that cover Thessalonians, Revelations and Psalms.  The two differentiate because in Handel’s Messiah, the first part “recounts the Old Testament prophesies of a savior, the second part relates to the suffering and death of Jesus, and the third part rejoices in the redemption of humankind through Christ’s resurrection.”(fiero) while in Bach’s “A Mighty Fortress is Our God” his piece translated is the scriptures from 2 Thessalonians 2:3-8 which talk about a man of Lawlessness, or a man of sin,(when translated) verse 3 of chapter 2 in the New testament of the Holy Bible also the first part of Bach’s “A Mighty Fortress is Our God” say “Don’t let anyone deceive you in any way, for that day will not come until the rebellion occurs and the man of sin (some translations say rebellion) is revealed, the man doomed to destruction.”(3)  Bach’s piece is warning us of sin, unlike Handle’s Messiah which celebrate Jesus’ life. I believe “A Mighty Fortress is Our God” by Bach had a much more huge significance in the past than in today’s times because in those times people were willing to die for their own given right to practice what they religiously believed in, an example was Martin Luther’s friend Ulrich Zwingli, “who died Oct. 11, 1531, who was part of the Reformation as well, and believed one simple truth, it was the bible was the truth and anything else was not. Zwingli debated against the Roman Catholic Church on lent and clerical celibacy “calling them unbiblical.”(4) “The Roman Catholic Church declared war against the Protestants and Zwingly was killed, and his body was defiled.”(4)  Bach’s “A Mighty Fortress is Our God” has been known to be the same exact battle that Zwingli died for and was attached to the Protestant movement, which was that “all western Christian believers that did  not adhere to Roman Catholic faith. This was a definitive decade for the creation of the Evangelical faith.”(5) This was the main theme behind Bach’s “A Mighty Fortress is our God.” “Cantata No.80, the most important hymn of the Lutheran Church, Its melody unifies the eight movements of the cantata, which concludes with a four part setting of the chorale melody, sung in the style of the congregational hymn”(2)\r\n\r\nBach’s “A Mighty Fortress is Our God” in my opinion does not have the same affect on listeners today as it did back in Bach’s time, although Bach’s “A Mighty Fortress is Our God” is still around today. “Bach’s hymn has been translated into nearly every language. There are said to be over eighty English translations alone to this hymn, but the version most used in the United States is the translation by Frederic Henry Hedge in 1852. The first line of \"A Mighty Fortress Is Our God\" is inscribed on the tomb of Martin Luther at Wittenberg. And its powerful words and tune continue to live.” “The hymn was sung at the funeral of President Dwight D. Eisenhower at the National Cathedral in Washington DC, March 1969. And it was also included in the National Service of Prayer and Remembrance, held shortly after the September 11, 2001 attacks against America”(2). Today, Bach’s song doesn’t have the same impact on listeners because a lot of people including me did not even know the whole background setting of the song, what was going on during the years it was written and why it was written, its meaning and lyrics, and understanding of the Reformation movement, and to what they were reforming against. Today we do not have the same restrictions as in Bach’s times, being forced to believe in a religion, that know one really knew the religion because there was only one priest that had a bible that was written in Latin, and only the priest knew Latin and what the priest said was law, if anyone disagreed there were great repercussions sometimes death.  Today we are able to carry a bible of your choice at your own free will and express and believe in what ever you chose to believe in, because of the people of Bach’s time and of Bach’s song.  Many people died to have that right to believe in a religion of your choice. This song today does not have the same affect as it did back then, since we are overwhelmed with the many great choices in the land of the free to do and practice any religion of choice.\r\n\r\nIn Conclusion this song still helps to remind me to not take for granted of the many great opportunities that I do have today, and to cherish those opportunities, and to be grateful of the present freedoms we do have, because of this Bach’s “A Mighty Fortress is Our God” would be a definite choice to take as a TCP to save and cherish for future generations.\r\n\r\n\"God is our refuge and strength, an ever-present help in trouble\" (Psalm 46:1). With a beautiful reminder of that truth, \"A Mighty Fortress Is Our God\" gives us hope amidst the struggles of life. The words, written nearly five hundred years ago, still ring true today: When life storms blow in around us, we can find refuge in the mighty fortress of our God.”(2)\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n<p align=\"center\">Works Cited</p>\r\n&nbsp;\r\n<ol>\r\n	<li> Fiero, Humanistic Tradition, Volume 2</li>\r\n	<li><a href=\"http://songsandhymns.org/hymns/detail/a-mighty-fortress-is-our-god\">http://songsandhymns.org/hymns/detail/a-mighty-fortress-is-our-god</a></li>\r\n	<li>The Holy Bible, New International Version. Zondervan, Grand Rapids, M.I. 2006</li>\r\n	<li><a href=\"http://www.reformationtours.com/\">www.reformationtours.com</a></li>\r\n	<li><a href=\"http://www.saintpeters.org/events/detail/235/details/\">http://www.saintpeters.org/events/detail/235/details/</a></li>\r\n</ol>','The work “A Mighty Fortress is Our God” by Johan Sebastion Bach should be preserved because it inspired a Reformation and forces us to be grateful ','','inherit','open','open','','2695-autosave','','','2012-10-17 01:59:21','2012-10-17 07:59:21','',2695,'http://jeanatacc.com/2011/?p=2809',0,'revision','',0),(2810,64,'2012-10-15 14:39:25','2012-10-15 20:39:25','[caption id=\"\" align=\"aligncenter\" width=\"279\"]<a href=\"religious music in google images\"><img src=\"http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_DtmhjiI3ruk/TEspGnU0qCI/AAAAAAAAA_Y/-9sqTL1s6hY/s1600/lucy.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"279\" height=\"492\" /></a> <br />Religious music[/caption]\r\n<p style=\"text-align: center\">http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_DtmhjiI3ruk/TEspGnU0qCI/AAAAAAAAA_Y/-9sqTL1s6hY/s1600/lucy.jpg</p>\r\nDuring the time of Johan Sebastian Bach’s musical career, a lot was going on in the world. This was a turning point in the world, the Early 1700’s. “One of the most influential cultural events of the early seventeenth century” (1)(fiero) had just taken place, the new English translation of the Holy Bible. Recruited by James 1 of England, a committee of about 50 scholars had begun the work of the translations of scriptures.” This marked the beginning of the Protestant Reformation. This was the  time when Martin Luther had translated the Holy Bible from Greek to German. “The translation of the Holy Bible played a special significance in those times. It gave people an inner light, (fiero) and brought a new light to urge people to break away from Roman Catholic beliefs. This spawned a Reformation, and through music it carried the same theme and message. There is one hymn that symbolizes the Protestant Reformation; it is \"A Mighty Fortress Is Our God.\" by Bach. Those persecuted and martyred for their convictions during the Reformation sang these same words.<!--more-->\r\n\r\n\"The one hymn that most symbolizes the Protestant Reformation is \"A Mighty Fortress Is Our God.\" In it, Martin Luther proclaims his confidence in God and rallies all Christians to war against evil. Basing his words on Psalm 46, he victoriously states \"We will not fear, for God has willed His truth to triumph through us.\" Those persecuted and martyred for their convictions during the Reformation sang these words from Bach’s “A Mighty Fortress is Our God” Luther understood the power of evil: “After he posted his ninety-five theses on the door of Wittenberg\'s Castle in 1517, he faced years of trials and persecution, he was excommunicated from the Roman church, and he continually faced threats against his life and his freedom.” “Other reformers had been persecuted and burned at the stake.”                                                                                                                                                                              “But he also knew God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in danger\" (Psalm 46:1) and so he wrote \"A Mighty Fortress is our God,\" proclaiming boldly that \"the prince of darkness grim, we tremble  not for him . . . one little word shall fell him.\" Since he wrote it in 1529,” (2)\r\n\r\nThis piece both compares and differentiates to another piece of its time.  I think this piece compares to Handel’s Messiah, “Handel’s music brought scripture to life, that celebrates the birth of Jesus and is a collection of versus from the Old and New testament. “ The most famous of Handel’s works is the Messiah, which was written in the English of the King James Bible.” (fiero) The two compare because Bach’s “A Mighty Fortress is our God” also is based on scripture, that cover Thessalonians, Revelations and Psalms.  The two differentiate because in Handel’s Messiah, the first part “recounts the Old Testament prophesies of a savior, the second part relates to the suffering and death of Jesus, and the third part rejoices in the redemption of humankind through Christ’s resurrection.”(fiero) while in Bach’s “A Mighty Fortress is Our God” his piece translated is the scriptures from 2 Thessalonians 2:3-8 which talk about a man of Lawlessness, or a man of sin,(when translated) verse 3 of chapter 2 in the New testament of the Holy Bible also the first part of Bach’s “A Mighty Fortress is Our God” say “Don’t let anyone deceive you in any way, for that day will not come until the rebellion occurs and the man of sin (some translations say rebellion) is revealed, the man doomed to destruction.”(3)  Bach’s piece is warning us of sin, unlike Handle’s Messiah which celebrate Jesus’ life. I believe “A Mighty Fortress is Our God” by Bach had a much more huge significance in the past than in today’s times because in those times people were willing to die for their own given right to practice what they religiously believed in, an example was Martin Luther’s friend Ulrich Zwingli, “who died Oct. 11, 1531, who was part of the Reformation as well, and believed one simple truth, it was the bible was the truth and anything else was not. Zwingli debated against the Roman Catholic Church on lent and clerical celibacy “calling them unbiblical.”(4) “The Roman Catholic Church declared war against the Protestants and Zwingly was killed, and his body was defiled.”(4)  Bach’s “A Mighty Fortress is Our God” has been known to be the same exact battle that Zwingli died for and was attached to the Protestant movement, which was that “all western Christian believers that did  not adhere to Roman Catholic faith. This was a definitive decade for the creation of the Evangelical faith.”(5) This was the main theme behind Bach’s “A Mighty Fortress is our God.” “Cantata No.80, the most important hymn of the Lutheran Church, Its melody unifies the eight movements of the cantata, which concludes with a four part setting of the chorale melody, sung in the style of the congregational hymn”(2)\r\n\r\nBach’s “A Mighty Fortress is Our God” in my opinion does not have the same affect on listeners today as it did back in Bach’s time, although Bach’s “A Mighty Fortress is Our God” is still around today. “Bach’s hymn has been translated into nearly every language. There are said to be over eighty English translations alone to this hymn, but the version most used in the United States is the translation by Frederic Henry Hedge in 1852. The first line of \"A Mighty Fortress Is Our God\" is inscribed on the tomb of Martin Luther at Wittenberg. And its powerful words and tune continue to live.” “The hymn was sung at the funeral of President Dwight D. Eisenhower at the National Cathedral in Washington DC, March 1969. And it was also included in the National Service of Prayer and Remembrance, held shortly after the September 11, 2001 attacks against America”(2). Today, Bach’s song doesn’t have the same impact on listeners because a lot of people including me did not even know the whole background setting of the song, what was going on during the years it was written and why it was written, its meaning and lyrics, and understanding of the Reformation movement, and to what they were reforming against. Today we do not have the same restrictions as in Bach’s times, being forced to believe in a religion, that know one really knew the religion because there was only one priest that had a bible that was written in Latin, and only the priest knew Latin and what the priest said was law, if anyone disagreed there were great repercussions sometimes death.  Today we are able to carry a bible of your choice at your own free will and express and believe in what ever you chose to believe in, because of the people of Bach’s time and of Bach’s song.  Many people died to have that right to believe in a religion of your choice. This song today does not have the same affect as it did back then, since we are overwhelmed with the many great choices in the land of the free to do and practice any religion of choice.\r\n\r\nIn Conclusion this song still helps to remind me to not take for granted of the many great opportunities that I do have today, and to cherish those opportunities, and to be grateful of the present freedoms we do have, because of this Bach’s “A Mighty Fortress is Our God” would be a definite choice to take as a TCP to save and cherish for future generations.\r\n\r\n\"God is our refuge and strength, an ever-present help in trouble\" (Psalm 46:1). With a beautiful reminder of that truth, \"A Mighty Fortress Is Our God\" gives us hope amidst the struggles of life. The words, written nearly five hundred years ago, still ring true today: When life storms blow in around us, we can find refuge in the mighty fortress of our God.”(2)','The work “A Mighty Fortress is Our God” by Johan Sebastion Bach should be preserved because it inspired a Reformation and forces us to be grateful ','','inherit','open','open','','2695-revision-10','','','2012-10-15 14:39:25','2012-10-15 20:39:25','',2695,'http://jeanatacc.com/2011/?p=2810',0,'revision','',0),(2811,64,'2012-10-17 02:17:50','0000-00-00 00:00:00','','Auto Draft','','auto-draft','open','open','','','','','2012-10-17 02:17:50','0000-00-00 00:00:00','',0,'http://jeanatacc.com/2011/?p=2811',0,'post','',0),(2812,64,'2012-10-17 02:51:54','0000-00-00 00:00:00','','Auto Draft','','auto-draft','open','open','','','','','2012-10-17 02:51:54','0000-00-00 00:00:00','',0,'http://jeanatacc.com/2011/?p=2812',0,'post','',0),(2813,64,'2012-10-17 02:52:04','0000-00-00 00:00:00','','Auto Draft','','auto-draft','open','open','','','','','2012-10-17 02:52:04','0000-00-00 00:00:00','',0,'http://jeanatacc.com/2011/?p=2813',0,'post','',0),(2814,64,'2012-10-17 03:45:47','0000-00-00 00:00:00','','Auto Draft','','auto-draft','open','open','','','','','2012-10-17 03:45:47','0000-00-00 00:00:00','',0,'http://jeanatacc.com/2011/?p=2814',0,'post','',0),(2815,1,'2012-10-16 16:59:47','2012-10-16 22:59:47','Collin Weir\r\n\r\nThe philosopher in meditation by Rembrandt should be preserved because it is symbolic of the light and dark of the human psyche, and expresses it in a way that is timeless. This will be important for future generations because the painting will provide an introspective look into the viewer, helping guide them through the rebirth of humanity.\r\n\r\n<!--more-->\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nThe painting I’m analyzing Philosopher in meditation by Rembrandt and was approximately created in 1653. This work is of a man, women, and another woman in the downstairs of a house. The man is sitting in the light coming in from the window, and the women are in the darkness, one on the stairs and one by the stove. It was during the late renaissance which saw increased exploration of European countries to new lands like the Americas and Africa. The times are also very religiously charged and the Catholic Church was undergoing reformation with people breaking off starting their new sects of Christianity.\r\n\r\nArt work of this time is categorized by who or what the painter is depicting. Since this was during the late renaissance the artwork is very realistic and has definite form and structure. Most painters during this time were painting Religious scenes from the bible or notable figures from the bible. There were also lots of paintings that were of nobles or scenes of the aristocratic lifestyles. These paintings were commissioned by those who had money, like nobility or church, and were the primary mean of income for these artists.\r\n\r\nThis piece is unique because it features a stark contrast between the light and dark of the house. There are two sources of light in this painting, the windows and the fire stove, yet the house is still filled with darkness. His use of lines in this painting is very distinct, as in they are not blurred like the detail on the walls and the space in between his distinct lines. Another very unique thing about this painting is that from first glance it seems that there is only 2 people in this painting, however if you find a copy of the image that has its contrast turned up, you will notice that there is a third person coming down the stairs holding a basket of some sort.\r\n\r\nRembrandt’s paintings are what allowed him to “achieved fame and fortune in his lifetime” (source 1), yet many of his works were left unfinished and are therefore considered undesirable. This painting though is considered complete since he signed it, and no one has concluded that it wasn’t. Also according to Tuttle, in his article he discusses how there was a group of researchers that concluded that this Rembrandt painting was actually done by one of his many apprentices, and all he did was sign his name one it (Tuttle).\r\n\r\nThe painting in modern times has a significant place in our appreciation of art. The painting is current being housed at the Louvre. Considering the Louvre is considered one of the world’s best art museums, having the painting there is a sure sign saying that our society still appreciates it and wants it preserved. (source 2). There are other places in which the painting has popped up in modern times. As I was watching TV right after choosing this painting as my topic, I noticed a Lowes commercial make reference to Rembrandt while talking about their paint department. Now it can’t be said that Rembrandt would go to Lowes to get his paint, but it does say that any work of Rembrandt is considered to be an integral part of human art and that people today still aspire to emulate his work. This reoccurring appearance of this painting in modern times shows in everlasting relevance to human culture.\r\n\r\nThis painting really stood out to me when comparing it to other Rembrandt works. One of the main reasons I choose this painting was the title, Philosophy and meditation are both very relevant to my life. However the mere contrast of Light and Dark in this painting spoke to me on a deeper level. The Idea of the shadow of human psyche that Carl Jung discusses is something that came to mind while analyzing this painting. The man sitting by the window could be characterized as The conscious portion of our psyche, since it is what is present in the light, and what we can easily view. The woman by the stove is just a characterization of the little portion of the sub consciousness presenting itself in our life at certain times. The figure coming down the stairs however is the perfect example of the deepest parts of our unconscious mind, never being able to be seen by the viewer. The light and dark also is related to the Taoist Idea of the Yin yang, which is also a symbol of the polar opposites being present within each other. The Stove in the painting is the light with in the dark and the philosopher at the desk is the dark within the light.\r\n\r\nA painting that was produced with Rembrandts era is the portrait of Louis xiv by Hyacinthe Rigaud (Fiero figure 21.2). This painting is the Very typical of the aristocratic influence on certain art being produced since it is just a portrait of a king in his palace. This style differs from the more intelligent and soulful work of Rembrandts philosopher in meditation. Riguad’s painting has very distinct characteristics in it, like the fleur-de-lis, which makes it possible to recognize that the painting is French. Rembrandts painting however has no distinct characteristics in it, making it impossible to recognize the origin of the painting or the artist. Riguad’s painting is also a flaunt of royal wealth and power while Rembrandts is a piece looking for a deeper truth about the human experience.\r\n\r\nThis work is a Rembrandt, which makes it very sought after since all of his works have their own style that differs from many of the other artists of the era. But it also is about the balance of light and dark in a symbolic way and this is something future generations will have to learn to come to terms with. The painting offers a lot of interpretation about the mood to the viewer and allows them to look inside to create their own understanding of it. Future generations will also benefit from learning that creating art isn’t about painting what is front of you, unless you really trying to capture a unique moment. All in all this painting will provide a lot of intellectual “food” for future generations and will help guide them in answering many of life’s questions.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nPotter, Polyxeni. \"Footnotes.\" <em>National Center for Biotechnology Information</em>. U.S. National Library of Medicine, 25 Aug. 0005. Web. 10 Oct. 2012. &lt;http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3291467/&gt;.\r\n\r\nThis source was a general blurb about Rembrandts life and work ethic. It helped in giving me a general idea about Rembrandts life and some of the struggles and opinions others during his time had of him.\r\n\r\n\"Louvre Museum Official Website.\" <em>Louvre Museum Official Website</em>. N.p., n.d. Web. 9 Oct. 2012. &lt;http://www.louvre.fr/en&gt;.\r\n\r\nThis source is just the museum in which the painting is currently being housed in. Since one of my sources said that this painting should no longer be attributed to Rembrandt, the museum still officially states that it is.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nTuttle, A. (1991, Oct 03). The gallery: Rembrandt and his shrinking corpus.<em> </em><em>Wall Street Journal</em>. Retrieved from http://search.proquest.com/docview/398253976?accountid=7013; <a href=\"http://partneraccess.oclc.org/wcpa/servlet/Search?wcapi=1&amp;wcpartner=proquesta&amp;wcautho=http://firstsearch.oclc.org/dbname=WorldCat;done=referer;FSIP&amp;wcissn=00999660&amp;wcdoctype=ser\">http://partneraccess.oclc.org/wcpa/servlet/Search?wcapi=1&amp;wcpartner=proquesta&amp;wcautho=http://firstsearch.oclc.org/dbname=WorldCat;done=referer;FSIP&amp;wcissn=00999660&amp;wcdoctype=ser</a>\r\n\r\nThis source discussed how many of the works attributed to Rembrandt are now being considered as plagiarized and how they were actually the work of his student. I got a better of idea of how this piece is thought of today.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;','Rembrandts Philosopher in Meditation','','inherit','open','open','','2804-revision-3','','','2012-10-16 16:59:47','2012-10-16 22:59:47','',2804,'http://jeanatacc.com/2011/?p=2815',0,'revision','',0),(2816,68,'2012-10-17 11:23:46','2012-10-17 17:23:46','Collin Weir\n\nThe philosopher in meditation by Rembrandt should be preserved because it is symbolic of the light and dark of the human psyche, and expresses it in a way that is timeless. This will be important for future generations because the painting will provide an introspective look into the viewer, helping guide them through the rebirth of humanity.\n\n<!--more-->\n\nThe painting I’m analyzing Philosopher in Meditation by Rembrandt and was approximately created in 1653. This work is of a man, woman, and another woman in the downstairs of a house. The man is sitting in the light coming in from the window, and the women are in the darkness, one on the stairs and one by the stove. It was during the late renaissance which saw increased exploration of European countries to new lands like the Americas and Africa. The times are also very religiously charged and the Catholic Church was undergoing reformation with people breaking off starting their new sects of Christianity.\n\nArt work of this time is categorized by who or what the painter is depicting. Since this was during the late renaissance the artwork is very realistic and has definite form and structure. Most painters during this time were painting religious scenes from the bible or notable figures from the bible. There were also lots of paintings that were of nobles or scenes of the aristocratic lifestyles. These paintings were commissioned by those who had money, like nobility or church, and were the primary mean of income for these artists.\n\nThis piece is unique because it features a stark contrast between the light and dark of the house. There are two sources of light in this painting, the windows and the fire stove, yet the house is still filled with darkness. His use of lines in this painting is very distinct, as in they are not blurred like the detail on the walls and the space in between his distinct lines. Another very unique thing about this painting is that from first glance it seems that there is only 2 people in this painting, however if you find a copy of the image that has its contrast turned up, you will notice that there is a third person coming down the stairs holding a basket of some sort.\n\nRembrandt’s paintings are what allowed him to “achieved fame and fortune in his lifetime” (source 1), yet many of his works were left unfinished and are therefore considered undesirable. This painting though is considered complete since he signed it, and no one has concluded that it wasn’t. Also according to Tuttle, in his article he discusses how there was a group of researchers that concluded that this Rembrandt painting was actually done by one of his many apprentices, and all he did was sign his name one it (Tuttle).\n\nThe painting in modern times has a significant place in our appreciation of art. The painting is current being housed at the Louvre. Considering the Louvre is one of the world’s best art museums, having the painting there is a sure sign saying that our society still appreciates it and wants it preserved. (source 2). There are other places in which the painting has popped up in modern times. As I was watching TV right after choosing this painting as my topic, I noticed a Lowes commercial make reference to Rembrandt while talking about their paint department. Now it can’t be said that Rembrandt would go to Lowes to get his paint, but it does say that any work of Rembrandt is considered to be an integral part of human art and that people today still aspire to emulate his work. This reoccurring appearance of this painting in modern times shows in everlasting relevance to human culture.\n\nThis painting really stood out to me when comparing it to other Rembrandt works. One of the main reasons I choose this painting was the title, Philosophy and meditation are both very relevant to my life. However the mere contrast of light and dark in this painting spoke to me on a deeper level. The idea of the shadow of human psyche that Carl Jung discusses is something that came to mind while analyzing this painting. The man sitting by the window could be characterized as the conscious portion of our psyche, since it is what is present in the light, and what we can easily view. The woman by the stove is just a characterization of the little portion of the sub consciousness presenting itself in our life at certain times. The figure coming down the stairs however is the perfect example of the deepest parts of our unconscious mind, never being able to be seen by the viewer. The light and dark also is related to the Taoist Idea of the Yin yang, which is also a symbol of the polar opposites being present within each other. The stove in the painting is the light with in the dark and the philosopher at the desk is the dark within the light.\n\nA painting that was produced with Rembrandts era is the portrait of Louis xiv by Hyacinthe Rigaud (Fiero figure 21.2). This painting is the very typical of the aristocratic influence on certain art being produced since it is just a portrait of a king in his palace. This style differs from the more intelligent and soulful work of Rembrandts philosopher in meditation. Riguad’s painting has very distinct characteristics in it, like the fleur-de-lis, which makes it possible to recognize that the painting is French. Rembrandts painting however has no distinct characteristics in it, making it impossible to recognize the origin of the painting or the artist. Riguad’s painting is also a flaunt of royal wealth and power while Rembrandts is a piece looking for a deeper truth about the human experience.\n\nThis work is a Rembrandt, which makes it very sought after since all of his works have their own style that differs from many of the other artists of the era. But it also is about the balance of light and dark in a symbolic way and this is something future generations will have to learn to come to terms with. The painting offers a lot of interpretation about the mood to the viewer and allows them to look inside to create their own understanding of it. Future generations will also benefit from learning that creating art isn’t about painting what is front of you, unless you really trying to capture a unique moment. All in all this painting will provide a lot of intellectual “food” for future generations and will help guide them in answering many of life’s questions.\n\n&nbsp;\n\n&nbsp;\n\n&nbsp;\n\n&nbsp;\n\nPotter, Polyxeni. \"Footnotes.\" <em>National Center for Biotechnology Information</em>. U.S. National Library of Medicine, 25 Aug. 0005. Web. 10 Oct. 2012. &lt;http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3291467/&gt;.\n\nThis source was a general blurb about Rembrandts life and work ethic. It helped in giving me a general idea about Rembrandts life and some of the struggles and opinions others during his time had of him.\n\n\"Louvre Museum Official Website.\" <em>Louvre Museum Official Website</em>. N.p., n.d. Web. 9 Oct. 2012. &lt;http://www.louvre.fr/en&gt;.\n\nThis source is just the museum in which the painting is currently being housed in. Since one of my sources said that this painting should no longer be attributed to Rembrandt, the museum still officially states that it is.\n\n&nbsp;\n\nTuttle, A. (1991, Oct 03). The gallery: Rembrandt and his shrinking corpus.<em> </em><em>Wall Street Journal</em>. Retrieved from http://search.proquest.com/docview/398253976?accountid=7013; <a href=\"http://partneraccess.oclc.org/wcpa/servlet/Search?wcapi=1&amp;wcpartner=proquesta&amp;wcautho=http://firstsearch.oclc.org/dbname=WorldCat;done=referer;FSIP&amp;wcissn=00999660&amp;wcdoctype=ser\">http://partneraccess.oclc.org/wcpa/servlet/Search?wcapi=1&amp;wcpartner=proquesta&amp;wcautho=http://firstsearch.oclc.org/dbname=WorldCat;done=referer;FSIP&amp;wcissn=00999660&amp;wcdoctype=ser</a>\n\nThis source discussed how many of the works attributed to Rembrandt are now being considered as plagiarized and how they were actually the work of his student. I got a better of idea of how this piece is thought of today.\n\n&nbsp;','Rembrandts Philosopher in Meditation','','inherit','open','open','','2804-autosave','','','2012-10-17 11:23:46','2012-10-17 17:23:46','',2804,'http://jeanatacc.com/2011/?p=2816',0,'revision','',0),(2817,1,'2012-10-17 08:55:46','2012-10-17 14:55:46','Collin Weir\r\n\r\nThe philosopher in meditation by Rembrandt should be preserved because it is symbolic of the light and dark of the human psyche, and expresses it in a way that is timeless. This will be important for future generations because the painting will provide an introspective look into the viewer, helping guide them through the rebirth of humanity.\r\n\r\n<!--more-->\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nThe painting I’m analyzing Philosopher in meditation by Rembrandt and was approximately created in 1653. This work is of a man, women, and another woman in the downstairs of a house. The man is sitting in the light coming in from the window, and the women are in the darkness, one on the stairs and one by the stove. It was during the late renaissance which saw increased exploration of European countries to new lands like the Americas and Africa. The times are also very religiously charged and the Catholic Church was undergoing reformation with people breaking off starting their new sects of Christianity.\r\n\r\nArt work of this time is categorized by who or what the painter is depicting. Since this was during the late renaissance the artwork is very realistic and has definite form and structure. Most painters during this time were painting Religious scenes from the bible or notable figures from the bible. There were also lots of paintings that were of nobles or scenes of the aristocratic lifestyles. These paintings were commissioned by those who had money, like nobility or church, and were the primary mean of income for these artists.\r\n\r\nThis piece is unique because it features a stark contrast between the light and dark of the house. There are two sources of light in this painting, the windows and the fire stove, yet the house is still filled with darkness. His use of lines in this painting is very distinct, as in they are not blurred like the detail on the walls and the space in between his distinct lines. Another very unique thing about this painting is that from first glance it seems that there is only 2 people in this painting, however if you find a copy of the image that has its contrast turned up, you will notice that there is a third person coming down the stairs holding a basket of some sort.\r\n\r\nRembrandt’s paintings are what allowed him to “achieved fame and fortune in his lifetime” (source 1), yet many of his works were left unfinished and are therefore considered undesirable. This painting though is considered complete since he signed it, and no one has concluded that it wasn’t. Also according to Tuttle, in his article he discusses how there was a group of researchers that concluded that this Rembrandt painting was actually done by one of his many apprentices, and all he did was sign his name one it (Tuttle).\r\n\r\nThe painting in modern times has a significant place in our appreciation of art. The painting is current being housed at the Louvre. Considering the Louvre is considered one of the world’s best art museums, having the painting there is a sure sign saying that our society still appreciates it and wants it preserved. (source 2). There are other places in which the painting has popped up in modern times. As I was watching TV right after choosing this painting as my topic, I noticed a Lowes commercial make reference to Rembrandt while talking about their paint department. Now it can’t be said that Rembrandt would go to Lowes to get his paint, but it does say that any work of Rembrandt is considered to be an integral part of human art and that people today still aspire to emulate his work. This reoccurring appearance of this painting in modern times shows in everlasting relevance to human culture.\r\n\r\nThis painting really stood out to me when comparing it to other Rembrandt works. One of the main reasons I choose this painting was the title, Philosophy and meditation are both very relevant to my life. However the mere contrast of Light and Dark in this painting spoke to me on a deeper level. The Idea of the shadow of human psyche that Carl Jung discusses is something that came to mind while analyzing this painting. The man sitting by the window could be characterized as The conscious portion of our psyche, since it is what is present in the light, and what we can easily view. The woman by the stove is just a characterization of the little portion of the sub consciousness presenting itself in our life at certain times. The figure coming down the stairs however is the perfect example of the deepest parts of our unconscious mind, never being able to be seen by the viewer. The light and dark also is related to the Taoist Idea of the Yin yang, which is also a symbol of the polar opposites being present within each other. The Stove in the painting is the light with in the dark and the philosopher at the desk is the dark within the light.\r\n\r\nA painting that was produced with Rembrandts era is the portrait of Louis xiv by Hyacinthe Rigaud (Fiero figure 21.2). This painting is the Very typical of the aristocratic influence on certain art being produced since it is just a portrait of a king in his palace. This style differs from the more intelligent and soulful work of Rembrandts philosopher in meditation. Riguad’s painting has very distinct characteristics in it, like the fleur-de-lis, which makes it possible to recognize that the painting is French. Rembrandts painting however has no distinct characteristics in it, making it impossible to recognize the origin of the painting or the artist. Riguad’s painting is also a flaunt of royal wealth and power while Rembrandts is a piece looking for a deeper truth about the human experience.\r\n\r\nThis work is a Rembrandt, which makes it very sought after since all of his works have their own style that differs from many of the other artists of the era. But it also is about the balance of light and dark in a symbolic way and this is something future generations will have to learn to come to terms with. The painting offers a lot of interpretation about the mood to the viewer and allows them to look inside to create their own understanding of it. Future generations will also benefit from learning that creating art isn’t about painting what is front of you, unless you really trying to capture a unique moment. All in all this painting will provide a lot of intellectual “food” for future generations and will help guide them in answering many of life’s questions.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nPotter, Polyxeni. \"Footnotes.\" <em>National Center for Biotechnology Information</em>. U.S. National Library of Medicine, 25 Aug. 0005. Web. 10 Oct. 2012. &lt;http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3291467/&gt;.\r\n\r\nThis source was a general blurb about Rembrandts life and work ethic. It helped in giving me a general idea about Rembrandts life and some of the struggles and opinions others during his time had of him.\r\n\r\n\"Louvre Museum Official Website.\" <em>Louvre Museum Official Website</em>. N.p., n.d. Web. 9 Oct. 2012. &lt;http://www.louvre.fr/en&gt;.\r\n\r\nThis source is just the museum in which the painting is currently being housed in. Since one of my sources said that this painting should no longer be attributed to Rembrandt, the museum still officially states that it is.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nTuttle, A. (1991, Oct 03). The gallery: Rembrandt and his shrinking corpus.<em> </em><em>Wall Street Journal</em>. Retrieved from http://search.proquest.com/docview/398253976?accountid=7013; <a href=\"http://partneraccess.oclc.org/wcpa/servlet/Search?wcapi=1&amp;wcpartner=proquesta&amp;wcautho=http://firstsearch.oclc.org/dbname=WorldCat;done=referer;FSIP&amp;wcissn=00999660&amp;wcdoctype=ser\">http://partneraccess.oclc.org/wcpa/servlet/Search?wcapi=1&amp;wcpartner=proquesta&amp;wcautho=http://firstsearch.oclc.org/dbname=WorldCat;done=referer;FSIP&amp;wcissn=00999660&amp;wcdoctype=ser</a>\r\n\r\nThis source discussed how many of the works attributed to Rembrandt are now being considered as plagiarized and how they were actually the work of his student. I got a better of idea of how this piece is thought of today.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;','Rembrandts Philosopher in Meditation','','inherit','open','open','','2804-revision-4','','','2012-10-17 08:55:46','2012-10-17 14:55:46','',2804,'http://jeanatacc.com/2011/?p=2817',0,'revision','',0),(2819,68,'2012-10-17 11:24:16','2012-10-17 17:24:16','Collin Weir\r\n\r\nThe philosopher in meditation by Rembrandt should be preserved because it is symbolic of the light and dark of the human psyche, and expresses it in a way that is timeless. This will be important for future generations because the painting will provide an introspective look into the viewer, helping guide them through the rebirth of humanity.\r\n\r\n<!--more-->\r\n\r\nThe painting I’m analyzing Philosopher in Meditation by Rembrandt and was approximately created in 1653. This work is of a man, woman, and another woman in the downstairs of a house. The man is sitting in the light coming in from the window, and the women are in the darkness, one on the stairs and one by the stove. It was during the late renaissance which saw increased exploration of European countries to new lands like the Americas and Africa. The times are also very religiously charged and the Catholic Church was undergoing reformation with people breaking off starting their new sects of Christianity.\r\n\r\nArt work of this time is categorized by who or what the painter is depicting. Since this was during the late renaissance the artwork is very realistic and has definite form and structure. Most painters during this time were painting religious scenes from the bible or notable figures from the bible. There were also lots of paintings that were of nobles or scenes of the aristocratic lifestyles. These paintings were commissioned by those who had money, like nobility or church, and were the primary mean of income for these artists.\r\n\r\nThis piece is unique because it features a stark contrast between the light and dark of the house. There are two sources of light in this painting, the windows and the fire stove, yet the house is still filled with darkness. His use of lines in this painting is very distinct, as in they are not blurred like the detail on the walls and the space in between his distinct lines. Another very unique thing about this painting is that from first glance it seems that there is only 2 people in this painting, however if you find a copy of the image that has its contrast turned up, you will notice that there is a third person coming down the stairs holding a basket of some sort.\r\n\r\nRembrandt’s paintings are what allowed him to “achieved fame and fortune in his lifetime” (source 1), yet many of his works were left unfinished and are therefore considered undesirable. This painting though is considered complete since he signed it, and no one has concluded that it wasn’t. Also according to Tuttle, in his article he discusses how there was a group of researchers that concluded that this Rembrandt painting was actually done by one of his many apprentices, and all he did was sign his name one it (Tuttle).\r\n\r\nThe painting in modern times has a significant place in our appreciation of art. The painting is current being housed at the Louvre. Considering the Louvre is one of the world’s best art museums, having the painting there is a sure sign saying that our society still appreciates it and wants it preserved. (source 2). There are other places in which the painting has popped up in modern times. As I was watching TV right after choosing this painting as my topic, I noticed a Lowes commercial make reference to Rembrandt while talking about their paint department. Now it can’t be said that Rembrandt would go to Lowes to get his paint, but it does say that any work of Rembrandt is considered to be an integral part of human art and that people today still aspire to emulate his work. This reoccurring appearance of this painting in modern times shows in everlasting relevance to human culture.\r\n\r\nThis painting really stood out to me when comparing it to other Rembrandt works. One of the main reasons I choose this painting was the title, Philosophy and meditation are both very relevant to my life. However the mere contrast of light and dark in this painting spoke to me on a deeper level. The idea of the shadow of human psyche that Carl Jung discusses is something that came to mind while analyzing this painting. The man sitting by the window could be characterized as the conscious portion of our psyche, since it is what is present in the light, and what we can easily view. The woman by the stove is just a characterization of the little portion of the sub consciousness presenting itself in our life at certain times. The figure coming down the stairs however is the perfect example of the deepest parts of our unconscious mind, never being able to be seen by the viewer. The light and dark also is related to the Taoist Idea of the Yin yang, which is also a symbol of the polar opposites being present within each other. The stove in the painting is the light with in the dark and the philosopher at the desk is the dark within the light.\r\n\r\nA painting that was produced with Rembrandts era is the portrait of Louis xiv by Hyacinthe Rigaud (Fiero figure 21.2). This painting is the very typical of the aristocratic influence on certain art being produced since it is just a portrait of a king in his palace. This style differs from the more intelligent and soulful work of Rembrandts philosopher in meditation. Riguad’s painting has very distinct characteristics in it, like the fleur-de-lis, which makes it possible to recognize that the painting is French. Rembrandts painting however has no distinct characteristics in it, making it impossible to recognize the origin of the painting or the artist. Riguad’s painting is also a flaunt of royal wealth and power while Rembrandts is a piece looking for a deeper truth about the human experience.\r\n\r\nThis work is a Rembrandt, which makes it very sought after since all of his works have their own style that differs from many of the other artists of the era. But it also is about the balance of light and dark in a symbolic way and this is something future generations will have to learn to come to terms with. The painting offers a lot of interpretation about the mood to the viewer and allows them to look inside to create their own understanding of it. Future generations will also benefit from learning that creating art isn’t about painting what is front of you, unless you really trying to capture a unique moment. All in all this painting will provide a lot of intellectual “food” for future generations and will help guide them in answering many of life’s questions.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nPotter, Polyxeni. \"Footnotes.\" <em>National Center for Biotechnology Information</em>. U.S. National Library of Medicine, 25 Aug. 0005. Web. 10 Oct. 2012. &lt;http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3291467/&gt;.\r\n\r\nThis source was a general blurb about Rembrandts life and work ethic. It helped in giving me a general idea about Rembrandts life and some of the struggles and opinions others during his time had of him.\r\n\r\n\"Louvre Museum Official Website.\" <em>Louvre Museum Official Website</em>. N.p., n.d. Web. 9 Oct. 2012. &lt;http://www.louvre.fr/en&gt;.\r\n\r\nThis source is just the museum in which the painting is currently being housed in. Since one of my sources said that this painting should no longer be attributed to Rembrandt, the museum still officially states that it is.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nTuttle, A. (1991, Oct 03). The gallery: Rembrandt and his shrinking corpus.<em> </em><em>Wall Street Journal</em>. Retrieved from http://search.proquest.com/docview/398253976?accountid=7013; <a href=\"http://partneraccess.oclc.org/wcpa/servlet/Search?wcapi=1&amp;wcpartner=proquesta&amp;wcautho=http://firstsearch.oclc.org/dbname=WorldCat;done=referer;FSIP&amp;wcissn=00999660&amp;wcdoctype=ser\">http://partneraccess.oclc.org/wcpa/servlet/Search?wcapi=1&amp;wcpartner=proquesta&amp;wcautho=http://firstsearch.oclc.org/dbname=WorldCat;done=referer;FSIP&amp;wcissn=00999660&amp;wcdoctype=ser</a>\r\n\r\nThis source discussed how many of the works attributed to Rembrandt are now being considered as plagiarized and how they were actually the work of his student. I got a better of idea of how this piece is thought of today.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;','Rembrandts Philosopher in Meditation','','inherit','open','open','','2804-revision-6','','','2012-10-17 11:24:16','2012-10-17 17:24:16','',2804,'http://jeanatacc.com/2011/?p=2819',0,'revision','',0),(3337,75,'2013-09-24 00:35:48','2013-09-24 06:35:48','Hernan Cortes, the first Marquis of the valley of Oaxaca was born in 1485 in the town of Medellin, in modern day Extremadura, Spain, he was a Spanish conquistador who led an expedition that caused the fall of the Aztec empire and brought large portions of mainland Mexico under the rule of the king of castle in the early 16<sup>th</sup> century. Cortes was part of the generation of Spanish colonizers that began the first phase of the Spanish colonization of the Americas. Cortes first arrival was in Santo Domingo in 1504, the capital of Hispaniola where he registered as a citizen which entitled him to a building plot and land to farm, Cortés was given an encomienda by Nicolas de ovando the governor of Hispaniola, and also made Cortés a notary of the town of Azua de compostela. In 1506, Cortés took part in the conquest of Hispaniola and Cuba, receiving a large estate of land and Indian slaves for his effort from the leader of the expedition.<!--more-->\r\n\r\nHernan Cortes in the year 1511 accompanied Diego Velázquez de cuellar in his expedition to conquer Cuba at the age of 26, at 26 Cortés was made clerk to the treasurer with the responsibility of ensuring that the crown received the quinto, or customary one fifth of the profits from the expedition. Cortes became secretary for  the governor Velazquez, Cortés was twice appointed municipal magistrate (alcalde) of Santiago, Cortés became a man of substance with an encomienda to provide Indian labor for his mines and cattle, the new position of power also made him the new source of leadership.\r\n\r\nCortes was appointed Captain – General of a new expedition in October 1518, but was advised to move fast before Velazquez changed his mind, whose relationship with Cortés stained due the Juan de Grijalva expedition made by Cortés establishing a colony on the mainland where there was a bonanza of silver and gold, and Cortés was the captain- general., with Cortés experience as an administrator, knowledge gained from many failed expeditions, and his impeccable rhetoric, he was able to gather six ships and 300 men, within a month. And this made Velazquez’s jealous and wanting to replace Cortés leadership of the expedition in other hands. Cortes began to look beyond his substantial status as a mayor of the capital of Cuba and as a man of affairs in the thriving colony.\r\n\r\nCortes in another expedition, the Spanish conquest of the Aztec empire, in 1518 Valazquez put him in command of an expedition to explore and secure the interior of Mexico for colonization but due to the old gripe between Velázquez and Cortés, he changed his mind and revoked his charter but Cortés ignored the orders and went ahead anyway.  In February, 1519, in an act of open mutiny, Accompanied by about 11 ships, 500 men, 13 horses and a small number of cannons, he landed in the Yucatan peninsula in Mayan territory, there he encountered Geronimo de Aguilar, a Spanish Franciscan priest who translate the chontal Mayan language to Cortés. In March 1519, Cortés formally claimed the land for the Spanish crown, he stopped in Trinidad to hire more soldiers and obtain more horses. Then he proceeded to tabasco, where he met with resistance and won a battle against the natives. He received twenty young indigenous women from the vanquished natives and he converted them all to Christians, and among these women was La Malinche (Marina), his future mistress and mother of his child Martin, a woman who is likely responsible for much of the success Cortés had in communicating with the Mexican people.  .\r\n\r\nThe 1<sup>st</sup> Letter was likely written by Cortés early in 1519 after he has created a settlement in Veracruz on the Gulf of Mexico, he bestowing gifts of elaborate gold and feather headdresses from the local people around Veracruz to Queen Dona Juana and King Don Carlos of Spain, and trying hard to justify his going around his superior officer Velazquez in Cuba. In July 1519, his men took over Veracruz by this act; Cortés dismissed the authority of the Governor of Cuba to place himself directly under the orders of Charles. In order to eliminate any ideas of retreat, Cortés scuttled his ships. In Veracruz, he met some of the tributaries of the Aztecs, and there he wrote the 2<sup>nd</sup> letter.\r\n\r\nThe 2<sup>nd</sup> Letter written by Cortés to the emperor Charles V describing the magnificent city found the “Temixitan” (Tenochtitlan), Cortés description of tenochitlan in letter 2 is full of wonder: gigantic market places full of people and foods and goods of all kinds, fresh water flowing in a canal from the mountains, and beautiful houses, and he then asked the Tenochtitlan to arrange a meeting with Montezuma 11, the tlatoani (ruler) of the Aztec empire. Moctezuma repeatedly turned down the meeting, but Cortés was determined, leaving a hundred men in Veracruz, Cortés marched on Tenochtitlan in mid-august 1519, along with 600 men, 15 horsemen, 15 cannons, and hundreds of indigenous carriers and warriors, On the way to Tenochtitlan Cortés made alliances with indigenous people such as the Nahuas of Tlaxcala and in October 1519, Cortés and his men, accompanied by about 3000 Tlaxcalteca, marched to Cholula, the second largest city in central Mexico. Cortes either in a pre-meditated effort to instill fear upon the Aztecs waiting for him at Tenochtitlan or (as he later claimed when under investigation) wishing to make an example when he feared native treachery, massacred thousands of unarmed members of the nobility gathered at the central plaza, then partially burned the city, Cortés took Moctezuma as a hostage in his own palace, indirectly ruling Tenochtitlan through him. On July 1, 1520 Moctezuma was killed (the Spaniards claimed he was stoned to death by his people; other claim he was murdered by the Spanish once they realized his inability to placate the locals.\r\n\r\nLetter 3 follows the efforts of Cortés to surround and recapture the island capital Tenochtitlan, during the Noche Triste (30 June- 1 July 1520), the Spaniards managed a narrow escape from Tenochtitlan across the Tlacopan causeway, while their back guard was being massacred. Much of the treasure looted by Cortés was lost (as well as his artillery) during this panicked escape from Tenochtitlan, after a battle in Otumba, they managed to reach Tlaxcala, having lost 870 men. With the assistance of their allies, Cortés men finally prevailed with reinforcement arriving from Cuba. Cortes began a policy of attrition towards Tenochtitlan, cutting off supplies and subduing the Aztecs’ allied cities; clearly the people of the Tenochtitlan were starving and having trouble locating fresh water. Finally, after seventy five days and most of the city were under Spanish control, Guatimucin, the last “emperor” of the Aztecs was captured and the siege of Tenochtitlan ended with Spanish victory and the destruction of the city.\r\n\r\nIn January 1521, Cortés countered a conspiracy against him, headed by Antonio de Villafana, who was hanged for the offence. Finally with the capture of Cuannhtemoc, the Tlatoani (ruler) of Tenochtitlan, on 13 august 1521 the Aztecs empire disappeared, and Cortés was able to claim it for Spain, and thus renaming the city as Mexico City. Many historical sources have conveyed an impression that Cortés was unjustly treated by the Spanish crown, and that he received nothing but ingratitude for his role in establishing New Spain.\r\n\r\nLetter 4, October 15, 1524, “Cortés personally was not ungenerously rewarded, but he speedily complained of insufficient compensation to himself and his comrades. Thinking himself beyond reach of restraint, he disobeyed many of the orders of the crown, and what was more imprudent in this letter Cortés besides recalling in a rather abrupt manner that the conquest of Mexico was due to him alone, deliberately acknowledges his disobedience in terms which could not fail to create a most unfavorable impression”, King Charles appointed Cortés as governor, captain general and chief justice of the newly conquered territory, dubbed “New Spain of the Ocean Sea”. But also, much to the dismay of Cortés, four royal officials were appointed at the same time to assist him in his governing- in effect, submitting him to close observation and administration. Cortes initiated the construction of Mexico, destroying Aztec temples and building and then rebuilding on the Aztec ruins what soon became the most important European city in the Americas. Cortes managed the funding of the cities and appointed men to extend Spanish rule to all of New Spain, imposing the encomienda land tenure system in 1524. He also supported efforts to evangelize the indigenous people to Christianity and sponsored new exploration.\r\n\r\nLetter 5, from 1524-1526, Cortés headed an expedition to Honduras where he defeated Cristobel de Olid, who had claimed Honduras as his own under the influence of the Governor of Cuba Diego Velázquez, fearing that Cuauhtémoc might head an insurrection in Mexico, he brought him with him in Honduras and hanged him during the journey. Raging over Olid’s treason, Cortés issued a decree to arrest Velázquez whom he was sure was behind Olid’s treason. This, however, only served to further estrange the Crown of Castle and the Council of Indies, both of which were already beginning to feel anxious about Cortés rising power. On this fifth letter to King Charles Cortés attempts to justify his conduct, concludes with a bitter attack on “various and powerful rivals and enemies” who have “obscured the eyes of your majesty” Unfortunately, the Charles, who was also Holy Roman Emperor, had little time for distant colonies (much of Charles’s reign was taken up with wars with France, Germany Protestant and the expanding Ottoman Empire). The religious patriotism of Cortés takes the form of destroying any temples or religious shrines he should find and putting crosses and signs of the Virgin Mary in their place. Throughout the letters there is very little mention of the priest who accompanied his expedition, although pagden in his footnotes mentions that the priest attempted to stop him many times from his overt destruction of traditional Mexican religious artifacts as it definitely impede their attempts at peaceful conversion. Cortes also does not seem realize that much of the militant opposition he faces among the Indian population comes from this continual destruction of their traditional religious culture.\r\n\r\nIn conclusion, the five letters and the story behind Hernan Cortés shows a fascinating expedition by Cortés which cut across the entire Americas, a man who wanted to explore and conquer and dominate the entire America and this can be likened to a man full of “greed” and what t have it all, the only limit towards his expedition was illness and death.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nQuestion:\r\n<ol>\r\n	<li>What are the reasons that make the Crown of Castle and the Council of Indies to feel anxious about the Cortés rising power?</li>\r\n	<li>What was the major event that took place in 13 August, 1521?</li>\r\n</ol>\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nAnswers:\r\n<ol>\r\n	<li>a. When Cortes dismissed the authority of the governor of Cuba to place himself directly under the orders of King Charles.</li>\r\n</ol>\r\nb. When Cortés made a decree to arrest Velázquez who was his former Governor raging over Olid’s Treason.\r\n\r\n2.  The total capture of the Aztecs Empire by Cortés for Spain.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n<b><span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\">Books Cited From</span></b>:\r\n\r\n# The Social studies (2010) 101,232-235\r\n\r\nCopyright Taylor &amp; Francis Group, LLC\r\n\r\nISSN: 0037-7996 print/2152-405X online.\r\n\r\n# <a title=\"A Book Review of the Very First Historical Mexican Classic: Hernan Cortes. Letters from Mexico. \" href=\"http://ehis.ebscohost.com.lsproxy.austincc.edu/ehost/viewarticle?data=dGJyMPPp44rp2%2fdV0%2bnjisfk5Ie41%2fOL8t%2fsRuvX54as2%2baH8eq%2bUa2oskewpq9LnqewUrCsuEqxlr9lpOrweezp33vy3%2b2G59q7RbensUu1rLFOtZzqeezdu33snOJ6u9e3gKTq33%2b7t8w%2b3%2bS7TbOpr0i1rbE%2b5OXwhd%2fqu37z4uqM4%2b7y&amp;hid=105\">A Book Review of the Very First Historical Mexican Classic: Hernan Cortes.<b> Letters</b> from <b>Mexico</b>. </a> Full Text Available By: Pahl, Ron H. <i>Social Studies. </i>Nov/Dec2010, Vol. 101 Issue 6, p232-235. 4p. DOI: 10.1080/00377996.2010.524549.\r\n\r\nSubjects: BOOKS -- Reviews; NONFICTION; HERNAN Cortes: <b>Letters</b> From <b>Mexico</b> (Book); PAGDEN, Anthony;CORTES, Hernan, 1485-1547.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n# Web: <a href=\"http://ehis.ebscohost.com.lsproxy.austincc.edu/ehost/results?sid=cecf5cda-6454-40e6-9cb9-995fb8de1699%40sessionmgr15&amp;v\">http://ehis.ebscohost.com.lsproxy.austincc.edu/ehost/results?sid=cecf5cda-6454-40e6-9cb9-995fb8de1699%40sessionmgr15&amp;v</a>.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n# en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hernán_Cortés','HERNAN CORTES: LETTERS FROM MEXICO','','publish','open','open','','hernan-cortes-letters-from-mexico-2','','','2013-09-24 12:07:38','2013-09-24 18:07:38','',0,'http://jeanatacc.com/2011/?p=3337',0,'post','',8),(3339,75,'2013-09-24 00:42:33','2013-09-24 06:42:33','','HERNAN CORTES: LETTERS FROM MEXICO','','inherit','open','open','','3337-revision-v1','','','2013-09-24 00:42:33','2013-09-24 06:42:33','',3337,'http://jeanatacc.com/2011/?p=3339',0,'revision','',0),(3341,75,'2013-09-24 00:46:44','2013-09-24 06:46:44','<a href=\"http://jeanatacc.com/2011/wp-content/uploads/2013/09/Hernan-Cortes-expedition1.docx\">Hernan Cortes expedition</a>','HERNAN CORTES: LETTERS FROM MEXICO','','inherit','open','open','','3337-revision-v1','','','2013-09-24 00:46:44','2013-09-24 06:46:44','',3337,'http://jeanatacc.com/2011/?p=3341',0,'revision','',0),(3344,1,'2013-09-24 12:08:45','2013-09-24 18:08:45','Donatello’s bronze statue of David is estimated to have been created somewhere between the years 1430 &amp; 1440.  The exact date is still a common topic for debate as no one has been able to find solid evidence (Schneider).  It was among the first nudes in the art world used in a context other than religious (italianrenaissance.org).  While it is more common to find David depicted as a strong, large, muscular, giant of a man, Donatello’s depiction of a sleek, younger man was a distinct difference.  His stance of victory holds an almost homosexual feminism to it, something that was fairly common in works of the period.  It is uncertain who actually commissioned the work, but some have proposed the assumption that it may have been Cosimo il Vecchio de’ Medici (<a href=\"http://www.palazzo-medici.it\">http://www.palazzo-medici.it</a>).  Donatello changed the world of art in ways he never could have imagined.  His technique, his skill, his creative bravery, and the greatness that is David are worthy of being preserved for centuries to come.\r\n<p dir=\"ltr\"><!--more--></p>\r\n<p dir=\"ltr\" style=\"text-align: center;\"><a href=\"http://jeanatacc.com/2011/wp-content/uploads/2013/09/Jessie-Donatello.jpg\"><img class=\"size-medium wp-image-3266 aligncenter\" alt=\"Jessie Donatello\" src=\"http://jeanatacc.com/2011/wp-content/uploads/2013/09/Jessie-Donatello-185x300.jpg\" width=\"185\" height=\"300\" /></a><a href=\"http://jeanatacc.com/2011/wp-content/uploads/2013/09/Jessie-Donatello.jpg\">http://www.italianrenaissance.org/donatellos-david/</a></p>\r\n<p dir=\"ltr\" style=\"text-align: center;\"><a href=\"http://jeanatacc.com/2011/wp-content/uploads/2013/09/jessie-donatello-3.jpg\"><img class=\"size-medium wp-image-3272 aligncenter\" alt=\"jessie donatello 3\" src=\"http://jeanatacc.com/2011/wp-content/uploads/2013/09/jessie-donatello-3-231x300.jpg\" width=\"231\" height=\"300\" />http://www.gunnzone.org/GunnImages/images/11_David_Donatello-L-R.jpg</a></p>\r\n<p dir=\"ltr\">Despite having a considerable religious influence, the arts of the Renaissance era began to take on more lifelike appearances.  The Renaissance artists were steering away from the abstract qualities of the Classical period and began making their works more realistic.  Donatello’s David with its attention to the human form is a prime example of the changes that began to occur.  The artists of the Renaissance era such as Donatello, da Vinci, Raphael, and Michelangelo brought change and influence that was felt and seen for centuries to come, even today.  (Fiero, B3.43)  Around this time literature, science, art were beginning to tie themselves to the church as people such as Pope Nicholas V.   Even members of the church were showing an enthusiasm for learning and the arts.  Many church officials commissioned Renaissance artists to renovate libraries, and to build churches, and to paint chapels (i.e. The Sisteen Chapel).</p>\r\n<p dir=\"ltr\">In the time leading up to the Renaissance era, art tended to have a significant amount of religious influence.  As the artists of the Renaissance era began to try to revive the Classical heritage, they began applying a more realistic approach to their work.  Portrait work soared in popularity as it focused on the individual.  Nude works were not widely known outside of the religious context as many artists tended to be rather self-concious.  Even then, in most cases, any nude subjects tended to be portrayed as Gods.  Throughout the Renaissance era, artists were falling away from the abstract works of the Medieval time period and began to create more tangible and realistic pieces.  As artists lost inhibitions and became more creative, they began to explore the human form more and created works such as Donatello’s David.  “in his bronze David (circa 1450), Donatello created the first sexually charged male nude since the collapse of the classical Greco-Roman Testhetic a thousand years earlier.”  (Frontain)</p>\r\n<p dir=\"ltr\">Donatello’s David was a nude statue.  While not the only one of the time period, it was among the first.  The appearance of nudes in the art world was mostly found in the religious context.  Donatello was neither the first nor the last sculptor to produce their interpretation of David.  However, while the majority of the David statues depicted him as a larger-than-life man of great strength, Donatello showed him as a young and sinewy boy with an almost homosexual feminism to him.  Also, many artists/sculptors utilized marble, but Donatello chose to utilize bronze for this particular piece. Interestingly enough, this particular piece was his second attempt.  His first version of David was done in marble somewhere around 1408/1409.</p>\r\n<p dir=\"ltr\">This statue was received very well.  It became very popular and was considered to be the symbol of Florence.  The Medici family kept it on display in their court yard causing quite the scandal.  Regardless, once explained away by Donatello, the statue was received with great enthusiasm.  Due to the chosen placement of the sculpture (in the courtyard) some did not take to it very well.  However, many artists and scholars of the time made claims that it very well could have been one of Donatello’s finest works created within his lifetime.</p>\r\n<p dir=\"ltr\">The reception of Donatello’s bronze David today seems to be comparable to when it made its debut.  The beauty, creativity, and originality of Donatello’s work has never been argued.  The beauty of the nude form quite obviously influenced by Donatello’s own homosexuality seems to be the focus of many of today’s critics and historians.  Today there seems to much debate regarding the original appearance of the statue.  For example, many think the original statue – before the influences of time – had golden luscious curls that any women would envy.  (www.ancientworlds.net)  There is much debate amongst scholars as to the exact time, original appearance, whether or not Donatello used a live nude model, and a whole host of other details that seem to have been lost over the course of the passing centuries.  One important thing that has been agreed upon is that Donatello’s David is/was one of the most influential works of its time and that Donatello was one of the cornerstones of the beginning of the modern art community.</p>\r\n<p dir=\"ltr\">I have always been exposed to the larger, more masculine versions of the David statues.  I’ve always made the assumption they were all that had existed.  My first impression of Donatello’s work was that it was very feminine, seemed to be homosexually motivated, and couldn’t possibly be the correct statue.  After discovering that, in fact, it was I simply stared at it.  Given the time period, I was rather shocked that a statue of this type gained such popularity.  I thought it was very well done.  Again, given the time period, I was very impressed that a statue of this caliber could be created out of any medium especially one such as bronze.  In regards to its symbolism, it has been hard for me to truly understand it as my prior knowledge of this particular era is not very extensive.  For me personally, it was more the bravery and creativity that came from Donatello’s bronze David.  Knowing now of the political controversy started by its creation, I am able to appreciate it far more.  After looking at it for the first time, I was a bit taken aback.</p>\r\n<p dir=\"ltr\">Michelangelo and Donatello were both commissioned to create sculptures of David.  David was a great symbol for the people of Florence.  He stood-to them-for their freedom and liberty.  Both of which were under constant threat.  One important difference, in terms of history, was that Michelango’s piece was commissioned by The Board of Works for the Cathedral of Florence while Donatello’s piece was commissioned be the Medici family.  A family that was considered to have been one of the biggest threats toward the very freedoms and liberties David was supposed to have represented.  While David’s work is very well known, Michelango’s David is the one most thought of when “the sculpture of David” is mentioned.</p>\r\n<p dir=\"ltr\">Artistically speaking, they both used different mediums to create their individual works.  Donatello actually created two pieces depicting David.  One was done in marble while the other, the one he is most recognized for, was created from bronze.  Michelango kept with the classic/typical depiction of David showing him, while young, to be a man of strength and masculine victory.  Donatello, on the other hand, showed David as a sinewy young man.  While his stance with his foot on top of the severed head of Goliath was one of victory, he still showed more of a feminine quality almost homosexual.  This was a quality seen in many works of that time.</p>\r\n<p dir=\"ltr\">Donatello’s bronze David is not one of the most well-known of the many depictions of David.  Future generations need to know.  If asked, a number of high school students would most likely be unable to tell you any other David than that done by Michelangelo.  It is important that this generation and those to come be taught.</p>\r\n<p dir=\"ltr\">Donatello created a great work of symbolism.  On a daily basis, the very family that commissioned him to create this great piece threatened the freedoms and liberties of the citizens of Florence-the freedoms and liberties that David represented.  Some artists of his time went so far as to label this work as Donatello’s finest of his lifetime.  Donatello was one of the great artistic masters.  His work has influenced other artists and their own works over the course of centuries.  To look at it simply, it was formed from bronze-a task not easily accomplished almost 600 years ago.</p>\r\n<p dir=\"ltr\">Donatello’s David was a great example of Humanist art.  This is shown not only in the choice of medium but also in the pose and nudity of the subject.  What better way to learn of the great artists of this time than through the study of the work itself.  Reproductions can never adequately represent the artist or his work.  It is important for individuals to be able to see and study this work firsthand.  To see the stunning accuracy of David’s anatomical features.  To understand and feel the symbolism of his foot on the head of the slain giant.  And after having gained this understanding, to hopefully appreciate the irony of that symbolism when considering those who commissioned this work.</p>\r\n<p dir=\"ltr\">At some point in history, it was decided this was a work of such great importance that it needed to be guarded and protected and preserved for generations to come.  Donatello’s bronze masterpiece needs to be saved.  That importance once found has not changed in the last 600 years nor will it change in the next 600.</p>\r\n<p dir=\"ltr\">David did and still does represent the coveted freedoms and liberties of a seemingly repressed  people.  However, of equal importance, is that in a time when homosexuality wasn’t as publicized as it is in today’s society and sodomy was deemed illegal, the homosexual air of this nude young man seemed to go unnoticed.  In fact, it was the wish of those who commissioned the work that David be portrayed in such a way.   It was common knowledge that Donatello was a gay man.  This was a huge step into the future not only for art but also for human sexuality.</p>\r\n<p dir=\"ltr\">Artists such as Donatello were innovators in their time and started a movement that has carried forth into our world today.  While many may fail to see the significance of a work like David, I feel that it is important to show how artists and other individuals like Donatello shaped what we know today.  An important part of making sure that can happen is to do whatever is possible to insure the works of the greats are preserved.</p>\r\n&nbsp;\r\n<p dir=\"ltr\">Janson, H W. The Sculpture of David. Princeton, NJ: Princeton University Press, 1979. Acadenic</p>\r\n<p dir=\"ltr\">    Search Complete. Web. 26 Aug. 2013.</p>\r\n<p dir=\"ltr\">Frontain, Raymond-Jean. Gay &amp; Lesbian Review Worldwide 13.4: 12-15. Academic Search</p>\r\n<p dir=\"ltr\">Complete.  Web. 26 Aug. 2013.</p>\r\n<p dir=\"ltr\">**Frontain allowed for more of a focus on the homosexual nature of the statue.  It also addressed the fact that it was one of the first sexually charged male nudes.</p>\r\n&nbsp;\r\n<p dir=\"ltr\">\"\"David\" by Donatello.\" Mediateca di Palazzo Medici Riccardi Window on the Renaissance.</p>\r\n<p dir=\"ltr\">Mediateca di Palazzo, n.d. Web. 26 Aug. 2013. &lt;<a href=\"http://www.palazzo-medici.it/mediateca/en/schede.php?nome=David_di_Donatello\">http://www.palazzo-medici.it/mediateca/en/schede.php?nome=David_di_Donatello</a>&gt;.</p>\r\n<p dir=\"ltr\">**This source proved helpful as it came from an Italian source.  It gave a great perspective as to the controversy surround the placement of the statue and the family that commissioned the work.</p>\r\n&nbsp;\r\n<p dir=\"ltr\">Schneider, Laurie. \"Donatello\'s Bronze David.\" The Art Bulletin June 1973: 213-16. Web. 26</p>\r\n<p dir=\"ltr\">    Aug. 2013.  &lt; <a href=\"http://www.jstor.org/stable/3049095\">http://www.jstor.org/stable/3049095</a>&gt;.</p>\r\n<p dir=\"ltr\">    **Schneider gave a more technical approach to analysis.  However, it was an easy read and satisfied one of the academic credit.</p>\r\n&nbsp;\r\n<p dir=\"ltr\">Macrohistory and World Timeline. N.p., n.d. Web. 2 Sept. 2013.</p>\r\n<p dir=\"ltr\">    &lt;<a href=\"http://www.macrohistory.com/time/ce15.htm\">http://www.macrohistory.com/time/ce15.htm</a>&gt;.</p>\r\n<p dir=\"ltr\">    **This timeline allowed me to better understand the historical context of the time.  It laid out world history, not only that in Florence, of the time and created a better understanding of the “controversy”, etc.</p>\r\n&nbsp;\r\n<p dir=\"ltr\">Fiero, Gloria K. The Humanistic Tradition. 6th Editionth ed. Vol. 2. N.p.: McGraw-Hill, 2011.</p>\r\n<p dir=\"ltr\">N. pag. 2 vols. Web. 26 Aug. 2013. &lt;http://connect.mcgraw- hill.com/connect/hmEBook.do?setTab=sectionTabs&gt;.</p>\r\n<p dir=\"ltr\">**The textbook has proven to be quite helpful.  It holds information not only on the work itself but also other works and artists of the time.  It also gave insight into the historical timeline.</p>\r\n&nbsp;\r\n<p dir=\"ltr\">***<a href=\"http://www.italianrenaissance.org/donatellos-david/\">http://www.italianrenaissance.org/donatellos-david/</a></p>\r\n<p dir=\"ltr\">**This site analyzes pose, biblical influence, David’s background, etc all from an artistic standpoint as well as the influence of the Italian renaissance.</p>','Donatello\'s David in Bronze','','inherit','open','open','','3253-revision-v1','','','2013-09-24 12:08:45','2013-09-24 18:08:45','',3253,'http://jeanatacc.com/2011/?p=3344',0,'revision','',0),(3342,1,'2013-09-24 12:04:36','2013-09-24 18:04:36','<p dir=\"ltr\" id=\"docs-internal-guid-48d84c9d-4be3-73d5-8795-cbd823d6058f\" style=\"text-align: center;\">Donatello’s David</p>\r\n<p dir=\"ltr\">Donatello’s bronze statue of David is estimated to have been created somewhere between the years 1430 &amp; 1440.  The exact date is still a common topic for debate as no one has been able to find solid evidence (Schneider).  It was among the first nudes in the art world used in a context other than religious (italianrenaissance.org).  While it is more common to find David depicted as a strong, large, muscular, giant of a man, Donatello’s depiction of a sleek, younger man was a distinct difference.  His stance of victory holds an almost homosexual feminism to it, something that was fairly common in works of the period.  It is uncertain who actually commissioned the work, but some have proposed the assumption that it may have been Cosimo il Vecchio de’ Medici (<a href=\"http://www.palazzo-medici.it\">http://www.palazzo-medici.it</a>).  Donatello changed the world of art in ways he never could have imagined.  His technique, his skill, his creative bravery, and the greatness that is David are worthy of being preserved for centuries to come.</p>\r\n<p dir=\"ltr\"><!--more--></p>\r\n<p dir=\"ltr\" style=\"text-align: center;\"><a href=\"http://jeanatacc.com/2011/wp-content/uploads/2013/09/Jessie-Donatello.jpg\"><img class=\"size-medium wp-image-3266 aligncenter\" alt=\"Jessie Donatello\" src=\"http://jeanatacc.com/2011/wp-content/uploads/2013/09/Jessie-Donatello-185x300.jpg\" width=\"185\" height=\"300\" /></a><a href=\"http://jeanatacc.com/2011/wp-content/uploads/2013/09/Jessie-Donatello.jpg\">http://www.italianrenaissance.org/donatellos-david/</a></p>\r\n<p dir=\"ltr\"></p>\r\n<p dir=\"ltr\" style=\"text-align: center;\"><a href=\"http://jeanatacc.com/2011/wp-content/uploads/2013/09/jessie-donatello-3.jpg\"><img class=\"size-medium wp-image-3272 aligncenter\" alt=\"jessie donatello 3\" src=\"http://jeanatacc.com/2011/wp-content/uploads/2013/09/jessie-donatello-3-231x300.jpg\" width=\"231\" height=\"300\" />http://www.gunnzone.org/GunnImages/images/11_David_Donatello-L-R.jpg</a></p>\r\n<p dir=\"ltr\"></p>\r\n<p dir=\"ltr\">Despite having a considerable religious influence, the arts of the Renaissance era began to take on more lifelike appearances.  The Renaissance artists were steering away from the abstract qualities of the Classical period and began making their works more realistic.  Donatello’s David with its attention to the human form is a prime example of the changes that began to occur.  The artists of the Renaissance era such as Donatello, da Vinci, Raphael, and Michelangelo brought change and influence that was felt and seen for centuries to come, even today.  (Fiero, B3.43)  Around this time literature, science, art were beginning to tie themselves to the church as people such as Pope Nicholas V.   Even members of the church were showing an enthusiasm for learning and the arts.  Many church officials commissioned Renaissance artists to renovate libraries, and to build churches, and to paint chapels (i.e. The Sisteen Chapel).</p>\r\n<p dir=\"ltr\">In the time leading up to the Renaissance era, art tended to have a significant amount of religious influence.  As the artists of the Renaissance era began to try to revive the Classical heritage, they began applying a more realistic approach to their work.  Portrait work soared in popularity as it focused on the individual.  Nude works were not widely known outside of the religious context as many artists tended to be rather self-concious.  Even then, in most cases, any nude subjects tended to be portrayed as Gods.  Throughout the Renaissance era, artists were falling away from the abstract works of the Medieval time period and began to create more tangible and realistic pieces.  As artists lost inhibitions and became more creative, they began to explore the human form more and created works such as Donatello’s David.  “in his bronze David (circa 1450), Donatello created the first sexually charged male nude since the collapse of the classical Greco-Roman Testhetic a thousand years earlier.”  (Frontain)</p>\r\n<p dir=\"ltr\">Donatello’s David was a nude statue.  While not the only one of the time period, it was among the first.  The appearance of nudes in the art world was mostly found in the religious context.  Donatello was neither the first nor the last sculptor to produce their interpretation of David.  However, while the majority of the David statues depicted him as a larger-than-life man of great strength, Donatello showed him as a young and sinewy boy with an almost homosexual feminism to him.  Also, many artists/sculptors utilized marble, but Donatello chose to utilize bronze for this particular piece. Interestingly enough, this particular piece was his second attempt.  His first version of David was done in marble somewhere around 1408/1409.</p>\r\n<p dir=\"ltr\">This statue was received very well.  It became very popular and was considered to be the symbol of Florence.  The Medici family kept it on display in their court yard causing quite the scandal.  Regardless, once explained away by Donatello, the statue was received with great enthusiasm.  Due to the chosen placement of the sculpture (in the courtyard) some did not take to it very well.  However, many artists and scholars of the time made claims that it very well could have been one of Donatello’s finest works created within his lifetime.</p>\r\n<p dir=\"ltr\">The reception of Donatello’s bronze David today seems to be comparable to when it made its debut.  The beauty, creativity, and originality of Donatello’s work has never been argued.  The beauty of the nude form quite obviously influenced by Donatello’s own homosexuality seems to be the focus of many of today’s critics and historians.  Today there seems to much debate regarding the original appearance of the statue.  For example, many think the original statue – before the influences of time – had golden luscious curls that any women would envy.  (www.ancientworlds.net)  There is much debate amongst scholars as to the exact time, original appearance, whether or not Donatello used a live nude model, and a whole host of other details that seem to have been lost over the course of the passing centuries.  One important thing that has been agreed upon is that Donatello’s David is/was one of the most influential works of its time and that Donatello was one of the cornerstones of the beginning of the modern art community.</p>\r\n<p dir=\"ltr\">I have always been exposed to the larger, more masculine versions of the David statues.  I’ve always made the assumption they were all that had existed.  My first impression of Donatello’s work was that it was very feminine, seemed to be homosexually motivated, and couldn’t possibly be the correct statue.  After discovering that, in fact, it was I simply stared at it.  Given the time period, I was rather shocked that a statue of this type gained such popularity.  I thought it was very well done.  Again, given the time period, I was very impressed that a statue of this caliber could be created out of any medium especially one such as bronze.  In regards to its symbolism, it has been hard for me to truly understand it as my prior knowledge of this particular era is not very extensive.  For me personally, it was more the bravery and creativity that came from Donatello’s bronze David.  Knowing now of the political controversy started by its creation, I am able to appreciate it far more.  After looking at it for the first time, I was a bit taken aback.</p>\r\n<p dir=\"ltr\">Michelangelo and Donatello were both commissioned to create sculptures of David.  David was a great symbol for the people of Florence.  He stood-to them-for their freedom and liberty.  Both of which were under constant threat.  One important difference, in terms of history, was that Michelango’s piece was commissioned by The Board of Works for the Cathedral of Florence while Donatello’s piece was commissioned be the Medici family.  A family that was considered to have been one of the biggest threats toward the very freedoms and liberties David was supposed to have represented.  While David’s work is very well known, Michelango’s David is the one most thought of when “the sculpture of David” is mentioned.</p>\r\n<p dir=\"ltr\">Artistically speaking, they both used different mediums to create their individual works.  Donatello actually created two pieces depicting David.  One was done in marble while the other, the one he is most recognized for, was created from bronze.  Michelango kept with the classic/typical depiction of David showing him, while young, to be a man of strength and masculine victory.  Donatello, on the other hand, showed David as a sinewy young man.  While his stance with his foot on top of the severed head of Goliath was one of victory, he still showed more of a feminine quality almost homosexual.  This was a quality seen in many works of that time.</p>\r\n<p dir=\"ltr\">Donatello’s bronze David is not one of the most well-known of the many depictions of David.  Future generations need to know.  If asked, a number of high school students would most likely be unable to tell you any other David than that done by Michelangelo.  It is important that this generation and those to come be taught.</p>\r\n<p dir=\"ltr\">Donatello created a great work of symbolism.  On a daily basis, the very family that commissioned him to create this great piece threatened the freedoms and liberties of the citizens of Florence-the freedoms and liberties that David represented.  Some artists of his time went so far as to label this work as Donatello’s finest of his lifetime.  Donatello was one of the great artistic masters.  His work has influenced other artists and their own works over the course of centuries.  To look at it simply, it was formed from bronze-a task not easily accomplished almost 600 years ago.</p>\r\n<p dir=\"ltr\">Donatello’s David was a great example of Humanist art.  This is shown not only in the choice of medium but also in the pose and nudity of the subject.  What better way to learn of the great artists of this time than through the study of the work itself.  Reproductions can never adequately represent the artist or his work.  It is important for individuals to be able to see and study this work firsthand.  To see the stunning accuracy of David’s anatomical features.  To understand and feel the symbolism of his foot on the head of the slain giant.  And after having gained this understanding, to hopefully appreciate the irony of that symbolism when considering those who commissioned this work.</p>\r\n<p dir=\"ltr\">At some point in history, it was decided this was a work of such great importance that it needed to be guarded and protected and preserved for generations to come.  Donatello’s bronze masterpiece needs to be saved.  That importance once found has not changed in the last 600 years nor will it change in the next 600.</p>\r\n<p dir=\"ltr\">David did and still does represent the coveted freedoms and liberties of a seemingly repressed  people.  However, of equal importance, is that in a time when homosexuality wasn’t as publicized as it is in today’s society and sodomy was deemed illegal, the homosexual air of this nude young man seemed to go unnoticed.  In fact, it was the wish of those who commissioned the work that David be portrayed in such a way.   It was common knowledge that Donatello was a gay man.  This was a huge step into the future not only for art but also for human sexuality.</p>\r\n<p dir=\"ltr\">Artists such as Donatello were innovators in their time and started a movement that has carried forth into our world today.  While many may fail to see the significance of a work like David, I feel that it is important to show how artists and other individuals like Donatello shaped what we know today.  An important part of making sure that can happen is to do whatever is possible to insure the works of the greats are preserved.</p>\r\n&nbsp;\r\n<p dir=\"ltr\">Janson, H W. The Sculpture of David. Princeton, NJ: Princeton University Press, 1979. Acadenic</p>\r\n<p dir=\"ltr\">    Search Complete. Web. 26 Aug. 2013.</p>\r\n<p dir=\"ltr\">Frontain, Raymond-Jean. Gay &amp; Lesbian Review Worldwide 13.4: 12-15. Academic Search</p>\r\n<p dir=\"ltr\">Complete.  Web. 26 Aug. 2013.</p>\r\n<p dir=\"ltr\">**Frontain allowed for more of a focus on the homosexual nature of the statue.  It also addressed the fact that it was one of the first sexually charged male nudes.</p>\r\n&nbsp;\r\n<p dir=\"ltr\">\"\"David\" by Donatello.\" Mediateca di Palazzo Medici Riccardi Window on the Renaissance.</p>\r\n<p dir=\"ltr\">Mediateca di Palazzo, n.d. Web. 26 Aug. 2013. &lt;<a href=\"http://www.palazzo-medici.it/mediateca/en/schede.php?nome=David_di_Donatello\">http://www.palazzo-medici.it/mediateca/en/schede.php?nome=David_di_Donatello</a>&gt;.</p>\r\n<p dir=\"ltr\">**This source proved helpful as it came from an Italian source.  It gave a great perspective as to the controversy surround the placement of the statue and the family that commissioned the work.</p>\r\n&nbsp;\r\n<p dir=\"ltr\">Schneider, Laurie. \"Donatello\'s Bronze David.\" The Art Bulletin June 1973: 213-16. Web. 26</p>\r\n<p dir=\"ltr\">    Aug. 2013.  &lt; <a href=\"http://www.jstor.org/stable/3049095\">http://www.jstor.org/stable/3049095</a>&gt;.</p>\r\n<p dir=\"ltr\">    **Schneider gave a more technical approach to analysis.  However, it was an easy read and satisfied one of the academic credit.</p>\r\n&nbsp;\r\n<p dir=\"ltr\">Macrohistory and World Timeline. N.p., n.d. Web. 2 Sept. 2013.</p>\r\n<p dir=\"ltr\">    &lt;<a href=\"http://www.macrohistory.com/time/ce15.htm\">http://www.macrohistory.com/time/ce15.htm</a>&gt;.</p>\r\n<p dir=\"ltr\">    **This timeline allowed me to better understand the historical context of the time.  It laid out world history, not only that in Florence, of the time and created a better understanding of the “controversy”, etc.</p>\r\n&nbsp;\r\n<p dir=\"ltr\">Fiero, Gloria K. The Humanistic Tradition. 6th Editionth ed. Vol. 2. N.p.: McGraw-Hill, 2011.</p>\r\n<p dir=\"ltr\">N. pag. 2 vols. Web. 26 Aug. 2013. &lt;http://connect.mcgraw- hill.com/connect/hmEBook.do?setTab=sectionTabs&gt;.</p>\r\n<p dir=\"ltr\">**The textbook has proven to be quite helpful.  It holds information not only on the work itself but also other works and artists of the time.  It also gave insight into the historical timeline.</p>\r\n&nbsp;\r\n<p dir=\"ltr\">***<a href=\"http://www.italianrenaissance.org/donatellos-david/\">http://www.italianrenaissance.org/donatellos-david/</a></p>\r\n<p dir=\"ltr\">**This site analyzes pose, biblical influence, David’s background, etc all from an artistic standpoint as well as the influence of the Italian renaissance.</p>','Donatello\'s David in Bronze','','inherit','open','open','','3253-revision-v1','','','2013-09-24 12:04:36','2013-09-24 18:04:36','',3253,'http://jeanatacc.com/2011/?p=3342',0,'revision','',0),(2826,72,'2012-10-17 17:54:24','0000-00-00 00:00:00','','Auto Draft','','auto-draft','open','open','','','','','2012-10-17 17:54:24','0000-00-00 00:00:00','',0,'http://jeanatacc.com/2011/?p=2826',0,'post','',0),(2827,72,'2012-10-17 17:54:42','0000-00-00 00:00:00','','Auto Draft','','auto-draft','open','open','','','','','2012-10-17 17:54:42','0000-00-00 00:00:00','',0,'http://jeanatacc.com/2011/?p=2827',0,'post','',0),(2828,72,'2012-10-17 17:54:42','0000-00-00 00:00:00','','Auto Draft','','auto-draft','open','open','','','','','2012-10-17 17:54:42','0000-00-00 00:00:00','',0,'http://jeanatacc.com/2011/?p=2828',0,'post','',0),(2829,72,'2012-10-17 18:03:15','2012-10-18 00:03:15','<p align=\"center\">Le Nozze Di Figaro</p>\r\n<p align=\"center\">Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart</p>\r\n<p align=\"center\">1786</p>\r\n<strong>Mozart’s Le Nozze di Figaro received it’s world premier in Vienna, Austria, on May first, 1786. Mozart would compose four operas that are among the most important and popular in classical music. Le Nozze di Figaro was the first piece during Mozart’s most productive and successful span of his life which is why it should be preserved for future generations. </strong>\r\n\r\n<!--more-->Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart ( Johannes Chrysostomus Wolfgangus Theophilus), was born in a small town in Austria by the name of Salzburg on January 27, 1756. Raised by his successful composer father Leopold, things were quite strict in their household, but music was always an important part of their life. By the age of three, Mozart had already begun playing the harpsichord ( musical instrument much like an organ or a piano). His musical genius was so prevalent that in 1762, at the ripe age of six, his father took him and his older sister on a concert tour beginning in Munich and Vienna and continuing through Paris and London from 1763-1766.\r\n\r\nYoung Mozart was so impressive in his musical talents that he was considered a “wonder child” in every city he played. His astounding piano playing and improvisations left wondering ears in awe. Mozart was also considered to have a photographic memory and could play an entire piece of music after listening to it only once.(www.imbd.com/nm0003665/bio). In 1769, at age thirteen he became the concertmaster of the Archbishop and was knighted by the Pope in Rome. For twelve years he remained there until a heated argument with the Archbishop forced him to quit and move to Vienna in 1781.\r\n\r\nIn the early 1780’s, the city of Vienna began to embrace the movement of enlightenment. Joseph II reformed censorship which allowed the Viennese people to have access to all the great works of the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries. For the next decade, the city took advantage of their “freedom” and created a wave of inspired writers, publishing houses and reading rooms.( Pursuing Enlightenment in Vienna, 1781-1790 by Heather Morrison Aug. 2005 ). Due to the king’s lack of support, the movement came to a halt. But for Mozart, the timing of his arrival could not have been better to let his musical creativity shine, composing thirty symphonies by the time he was eighteen.\r\n\r\nBy 1786, Mozart was considered one of, if not the most experienced and accomplished thirty year old musician in the world. Although he had composed four popular operas, his success did not began until the release of his four act opera buffa (comic opera), <em>Le Nozze di Figaro</em>. The piece was a collaboration with an Italian by the name of Lorenzo Da Ponte and inspired by a 1784 stage comedy by Pierre Beaumarchais called <em>La Folle Journee, ou le Mariage de Figaro</em>. The opera made it’s debut in Vienna on May 1, 1786, but almost did not make the stage. The opera was banned due to it’s “recklessness” but Da Ponte managed to get approval for an operatic version which eventually achieved an abundant amount of success.\r\n\r\nThere were five encores during the premiere performance of <em>Figaro </em>on this day in 1786, and seven during it’s second performance one week later, prompting the emperor himself to impose a ban on encores during future performances, in order \"to prevent the excessive duration of operas, without however prejudicing the fame often sought by opera singers from the repetition of vocal pieces.\" Basically, this piece was so awesome and that well received that the emperor had to put a stop to all future acts that desired to attempt encores! The combination of da Ponte\'s libretto and Mozart\'s score made <em>Le Nozze di Figaro</em> an instant success and led to two further triumphant collaborations on <em>Don Giovanni </em>and<em> Cosî fan tutte.</em>\r\n\r\nDuring the year of 1786, it seemed that the dramatic operas the community were accustomed to, had begun to be replaced by more uplifting and triumphant pieces of music. Pieces like Joseph Haydn’s <em>Symphony no. 82 in C </em>(also known as “The Bear”) were among those. If you were to listen to both Haydn’s Symphony and Mozart’s Le Nozze, the similarities between the two definitely stand out. Much like <em>Le Nozze di Figaro</em>, The Bear Symphony is composed of the same instrumental sections (two flutes, two oboes, two clarinets, two bassoons, two horns etc.). Each musical composition includes a strong sound in their horn section along with fluctuating melodies and a “happy feeling” in their string section. Although one can make out the great similarities between the two pieces, it is Mozart who’s music captures the heart of the people.\r\n\r\nMozart’s musical relationship with the public was so powerful that even before the release of <em>Le Nozze di Figaro</em>, his operas were causing great competitions with other artists of his time. One in particular is that of Antonio Salieri’s <em>Prima la Musica e Poi le Parole. </em>On February 7, 1786, Salieri’s triumphant musical creation was commissioned by the Emperor Joseph II to perform at a festival in Vienna. While his opera was performed on one end of the stage, Mozart’s musical comedy <em>Der Schauspieldirektor </em>was being held at the other end. Due to Mozart’s growing popularity, it is safe to say that Salieri was not pleased as Mozart was praised. That began an on going musical battle between the two composers and their librettists.\r\n\r\nPersonally, I can understand the demand for Mozart’s music back then. It seems that he came around at a time when people wanted to laugh and be merry and be entertained by comedy instead of tragedy. When I hear the overture of <em>Le Nozze di Figaro</em>, it gives me a sense of warmth and enlightenment. I love the way the piece crescendos in the beginning and takes you on a journey through the flutes and clarinets. I imagine a lot of comedic chaos, like if this were the music to a silent film, there would be overly dramatic hands and arms and things being out of place and unruly.\r\n\r\nI am not one to listen to classical music nor am I one to go to an opera. Just last year, I went to my first ballet…<em>The Nutcracker </em>(composed by Peter Ilyich Tchaikovsky in 1892). I was surprised at how much I enjoyed the experience. The dancers made the music come alive for me and I actually felt myself slip into somewhat of a trance during the dance of the Snow Queen. The music itself just reminded me of Christmas time. I never knew that all those holiday commercials were inspired by the music in <em>The Nutcracker</em>.\r\n\r\nLike <em>The Nutcracker</em>, Mozart’s <em>Le Nozze di Figaro </em>has done more than stand the test of time. It has influenced even our current generation in ways that I honestly would not have noticed if I did not do this assignment. Much of his music is featured as a musical score in many films but this particular piece is also in television shows, commercials and I even found a video game that uses <em>Le Nozze di Figaro </em>as a score as well. It is currently being featured as the music to motivate America to lose weight and eat healthier in a Subway ad. You can also hear this piece in cartoons such as <em>Bugs Bunny </em>and <em>Ren and Stimpy</em>, movies like the <em>Shawshank Redemption </em>and <em>Zombieland</em>, to television shows like <em>Seinfeld.</em>\r\n\r\nMozart is probably the only composer in history to have written undisputed masterworks in virtually every musical genre of his age. Of Mozart’s operas, <em>Le Nozze di Figaro</em>, is the earliest opera still found in the repertoire of virtually all of today’s opera houses.( <a href=\"http://www.ipl.org/div/mushist/clas/mozart.html\"><span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\"><span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\"><span style=\"color: #0000ff;\">http://www.ipl.org/div/mushist/clas/mozart.html</span></span></span></a>). It could be said that today’s society appreciates and accepts the piece just as well as they did when it debuted back in 1786. <em>Le Nozze di Figaro </em>is even being showcased at the Austin Lyric Opera this year proving its capability to stand the test of time. It is a remarkable piece that is always recognized when heard by anyone, whether they are a classical music lover or not and should be kept in the hearts for generations to come.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nWorks Cited List\r\n\r\n-Pursuing Enlightenment in Vienna, 1781-1790 by Heather Morrison Aug. 2005\r\n\r\nThis paper assisted with the discovery of how talented Mozart was at such a young age. It informed me of some of his musical achievements as well.\r\n\r\n-http://www.ipl.org/div/muschist/clas/Mozart.html\r\n\r\nThis site helped me discover how important and prominent Figaro is in today’s opera houses. It’s the earliest piece still found in today’s opera houses. \\\r\n\r\n-www.history.com/this-day-in-history/mozarts-le-nozze-di-Figaro-premiers-in-Vienna\r\n\r\nThis site was great in helping with information on the exact day it was debuted . Vital information on how the crowd responded and the actions Figaro would cause for future acts and there ‘attempts’ to perform encores were found here.\r\n\r\n-www.1000recordings.com/music/marriage-Figaro/\r\n\r\nThis site helped with the overall importance of the piece.\r\n\r\n-www.imbd.com/nm0003665/bio\r\n\r\nThis site listed all the different places Figaro can be heard, including all the film scores, television shows, cartoons etc. It informed me of basic bio and family information as well.','Mozart\'s Le Nozze di Figaro','','publish','open','open','','mozarts-le-nozze-di-figaro','','','2012-10-17 19:01:06','2012-10-18 01:01:06','',0,'http://jeanatacc.com/2011/?p=2829',0,'post','',6),(2830,72,'2012-10-17 17:57:33','2012-10-17 23:57:33','','mozart\'s le nozze di figaro','','inherit','open','open','','mozart-shit','','','2012-10-17 17:57:33','2012-10-17 23:57:33','',2829,'http://jeanatacc.com/2011/wp-content/uploads/2012/10/mozart-shit.doc',0,'attachment','application/msword',0),(2831,72,'2012-10-17 17:55:26','2012-10-17 23:55:26','','Mozart\'s Le Nozze di Figaro','','inherit','open','open','','2829-revision','','','2012-10-17 17:55:26','2012-10-17 23:55:26','',2829,'http://jeanatacc.com/2011/?p=2831',0,'revision','',0),(2832,56,'2012-10-17 15:52:06','2012-10-17 21:52:06','The Taj Mahal is a dramatically large and beautiful mausoleum that was built in 17th century C.E. The Mughal emperor, Shah Jahan, built it on the shores of the Yamuna river in India for his favorite wife. It is one of the most recognizable buildings on earth. Exquisite in and of itself, the legend surrounding it reveals how our desire for a good story can override facts. It should be preserved, not only for its architectural and artistic merits, but for what it reveals about our collective psychology.\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"\" align=\"aligncenter\" width=\"196\"]<a href=\"http://thatandthisinmumbai.files.wordpress.com/2011/11/taj-mahal-8.jpg?w=584\"><img class=\" \" src=\"http://thatandthisinmumbai.files.wordpress.com/2011/11/taj-mahal-8.jpg?w=584\" alt=\"http://thatandthisinmumbai.files.wordpress.com/2011/11/taj-mahal-8.jpg?w=584\" width=\"196\" height=\"250\" /></a> A photo of the Taj Mahal from the front showing the red sandstone overlaid with white marble.[/caption]\r\n\r\n<!--more-->\r\nMumtaz Mahal (Chosen One of the Palace) died suddenly in 1631 at the age of 38 after giving birth to their 14th child. The couple had been married for 19 years, but her death came only three years after the Shah came to power. One of the most popular legends about the Taj Mahal is its origin. It was said that, as she was dying, Mumtaz Mahal asked Shah Jahan to promise her two things; that he not father any other children by his remaining wives and “that he build such a mausoleum over her, the like of which was not to be found anywhere else” (Begley).\r\n\r\nThe Taj Mahal is the culmination of a syncretistic trend incorporating Byzantine, Muslim and Hindu traditions in Mughal architecture (Fiero). It is built out of red sandstone overlaid with white marble which is carved with decorative patterns that depict the flowers of paradise (Andrea and Neel). The marble carvings are studded with “forty-three types of precious and semiprecious stones from all around India” including sapphires, onyxes, yellow amber, nephrite jade and crystal. The artists also used shells, coral and mother-of-pearl from the Indian Ocean (Ching, Jarzombek, and Prakash).\r\n\r\nThe seventy-three years of Shah Jahan’s life, from 1592 to 1666, were a pivotal period in the fortunes of the Mughals, but also a time of rapid change in the wider world (Preston and Preston 7). European courts received Persian and Asian dignitaries with splendor and honor while Christian missionaries traveled to “Hindu, Buddhist and Muslim lands.” Galileo perfected the telescope and could see “the craters of the moon, the rings of Saturn, and the moons of Jupiter” (Fiero).\r\n\r\nNot only did the “Old World” become less isolated on its half of the world, but the “New World” rapidly began to flourish. The English colony Jamestown was founded the year Shah Jahan was betrothed to his wife. Just seventeen years later, the English acquired New Amsterdam and named it New York (Preston and Preston 7).\r\n\r\nThroughout time, tombs and mausoleums for royalty have had served to honor and glorify their memory. Zoser, one of the first Pharaohs of a unified Egypt, build a mortuary complex for himself on a hill outside Memphis, the capital of Old Egypt. The Mortuary Complex of Zoser was surrounded by massive walls of white stone. The walls protected the tomb, not from physical threats, but from “the chaos of the unordered world outside.” Egyptian rulers measured their accomplishments against The Mortuary Complex of Zoser for centuries (Ching, Jarzombek, and Prakash 39).\r\n\r\nThe Tomb of the First Emperor of China, who ruled China between 246 and 210 BCE is “probably the largest and most costly tomb in history, even compared with the Egyptian pyramids.” More than 8,000 terra cotta soldiers surround the emperor’s burial chamber, protecting him even after death (Ching, Jarzombek, and Prakash 184).\r\n\r\nBy contrast the Taj Mahal is a living monument, designed to keep the memory of those people interred there alive. Its walls do not protect it from anything, they simply enclose the complex. It fact, one of the buildings on the grounds is a “residential court for tomb attendants” (Andrea and Neel).\r\n\r\nThe most prominent and often photographed feature of the Taj Mahal is the main building, generally shown from the rear, but the largest portion of the complex is the garden that surrounds it (Andrea and Neel). The gardens span an area of approximately 42 acres (Begley 9). Like the Grand Canyon in Arizona, it is impossible to appreciate the extent and beauty of the gardens through photographs alone.\r\n\r\nThe gardens are a typical example of Persian “chahar-bagh” or four-fold gardens. “Persian gardens in general and Mughal garden tombs in particular, are often described metaphorically in Persian poetry and inscriptions as being like Paradise.” However, the designers of the Taj Mahal placed the buildings at one end of the gardens, rather than at the center, as was typical for the time (Begley 11).\r\n\r\nShah Jahan made some unusual choices when he built the Taj Mahal. First and foremost, he went against Islamic tradition; “a tomb for a wife on such a scale was entirely without precedent” (Begley 9). Second, the dome is “curiously similar to the shape of Mughal ceremonial crowns… Although Islamic tombs characteristically have domes, the resemblance of the Taj’s dome to actual Mughal throne backs seems more than coincidental” (Begley 16).\r\n\r\n“This is the West, sir. When the legend becomes fact, print the legend.”\r\n-The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance\r\n\r\nPersian histories record that construction began on the Taj Mahal around January, 1632. There are three dated epigraphs on the Taj Mahal itself that suggest the exterior of the building itself was complete around 1636. The entire project probably took no more than 15 years (Begley 9). Those are the facts. The legends are more romantic.\r\n\r\nApproved court poetry and legend promoted the idea that the Taj Mahal was built out of love. Court poets declared that “The color of youth flew away from his cheeks; The flower of his countenance ceased blooming.” He wept so often “his tearful eyes sought help from spectacles” (Bartholet). European travelers were enthralled. Francois Bernier said, “it is said that he was constant to her during life, and at death was so affect as nearly to follow her to her grave.”\r\n\r\nThe problem with the magnificent wonder of these legends is that they aren’t supported by the historical record. Even worse, the legends are so seductive and pervasive that they are presented as fact even to this day, perpetuating the misinformation. For example, one legend says that Shah Jahan planned to build an identical mausoleum to the Taj Mahal, except out of black marble instead of white, on the other side of the Agra. Unfortunately, the only evidence to support this comes from the account of a French traveler at the time, Jean-Baptiste Tavernier. Yet Fiero says, “[h]e directed his architects to construct alongside the Jumna River a glorious tomb, a twin to the one he planned for himself on the adjoining riverbank.”\r\n\r\nJean-Baptiste Tavernier said that it took 22 years and 20,000 men to build the Taj Mahal, plus he says he was there at the start of construction and at the end (Begley 9). That statement is the most easily disproved of all the Taj Mahal legends and yet it is widely disseminated. (While Begley flatly denounces Tavernier’s estimates as “greatly exaggerated”, he only disputes the number of years it took to build the structure, not the number of workers.) To this day, several modern sources continue repeat what is essentially the account of a tourist as historical fact. For example, the “Encyclopedia of Anthropology” says, “the entire project took 22 years to complete with the efforts of 20,000 laborers and craftsmen” (Birx). While Fiero’s text book does not outright state how long it took to build the Taj Mahal, the caption under Figure 21.24 reads, “Taj Mahal, Agra, India, 1623-1643.” implying her acceptance of Tavernier’s legend as fact. Most recently, in a September, 2011 article for the Smithsonian magazine, Jeffrey Bartholet said, “For more than 15 years, [Shah Jahan] directed the construction of a complex of buildings and gardens that was meant to mirror the Islamic vision of Paradise.”\r\n\r\nHuman beings are amazingly complex creatures. We are capable of great loves and cunning. As a group, we love a good story, we strive to create beautiful things and we want to be remembered. The Taj Mahal gives us all of those things wrapped up in a neat little package.\r\n\r\nShah Jahan and Mumtaz Muhal loved each other and, while the poetic accounts from that time seem ostentatious to us, his grief was undoubtedly real. He probably did want to build a beautiful tomb to commemorate her memory. The question becomes then, when did the legend begin and why? How did it grow into the epic that it is today? Was the Taj Mahal itself so lovely and grand that people could not look at it and think that it must have a deeper, grander meaning than just a burial place?\r\n\r\nAs loving a husband as the Shah may have been, he could also be ruthless and cold-blooded. He gained the throne after a five year war against his father and then murdered several family members, including one of his brothers, to solidify his power base (Birx). An Italian traveler of the time, Niccolao Manucci said that the Shah behaved “as if the only thing [he] cared for was the search for women to serve his pleasure.” Other European travelers spread rumors that Shah Jahan maintained an incestuous relationship with his eldest daughter, Jahanara (Begley 10).\r\n\r\nWas Shah Jahan truly devastated by his wife’s death, or did the court poets do such a good job of embellishing the story of his grief that the Taj Mahal became a public relations coup that remains to this day? Could such a man of such unsympathetic character truly love one woman at all? The truth is never simple and that makes the story of Taj Mahal so compelling.\r\n\r\nThe Taj Mahal complex should be included in the Time Capsule project so that future generations will be able to gain an understanding of our past by studying its architecture, techniques and design elements. In addition, the conflict between the history and the legend of the Taj Mahal is a cautionary example of how people will believe what they want to believe. In this case, in spite of evidence to the contrary, people want to believe that the Taj Mahal was built purely out of love and devotion.\r\n\r\nWorks Cited\r\n\r\nBartholet, Jeffrey. “What Ails the Taj Mahal? (Cover Story).” Smithsonian 42.5 (2011): 44. Middle Search Plus. Web. 7 Oct. 2012.\r\n\r\nThis article is about preservationist’s concerns that the Taj Mahal is deteriorating due to pollution, poor maintenance and vandalism. It also provided some historical background about the Taj Mahal.\r\n\r\nBegley, Wayne E. “The Myth Of The Taj Mahal And A New Theory Of Its Symbolic Meaning.” Art Bulletin 61.1 (1979): 7. Academic Search Complete. Web. 30 Sept. 2012.\r\n\r\nThis source offers theories for the design and construction of the Taj Mahal that contradict most commonly held and romantic beliefs. Begley gives examples of the myths and then shows how they are unsupported by the historical record.\r\n\r\nThe main argument against the romantic myths is that Shah Jahan was not actually as pure in his devotion to his wife as the stories would have one believe. Begley supports his argument well, but also misses some nuances of political necessity that may have predicated some of Shah Jahan’s actions.\r\n\r\nThis paper was originally presented as a series of lectures to various universities and museums between 1976 and 1978. A significant number of other sources cite in this paper in their bibliographies.\r\n\r\nChurch, Jill M. “Taj Mahal.” Encyclopedia of Anthropology. Ed. H. James Birx. Vol. 5. Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage Reference, 2006. 2156-2157. Gale Virtual Reference Library. Web. 30 Sep. 2012.\r\n\r\nThe “Encyclopedia of Anthropology” is a reference work focusing on “physical/biological anthropology, archaeology, cultural/social anthropology, linguistics, and applied anthropology.” This article provides simple historical background of the Taj Mahal, the design, building materials and layout of the grounds.\r\n\r\nA problem with this source is that it erroneously maintains that it took 22 years to build the Taj Mahal; a statement that is actually based on legend, not fact. However, that error supports the thesis that the legend surrounding the Taj Mahal is just as significant as the building itself.\r\n\r\nChing, Francis D.K., Mark Jarzombek, and Vikramaditya Prakash. A Global History of Architecture. 2nd. Hoboken, NJ: John Wiley &amp; Sons, Inc., 2011. 503-509. Print.\r\n\r\n“A Global History of Architecture” presents the history of architecture around the world, arranged first by time and then by region, beginning in 3500 BCE. It is a comprehensive historical resource for people who do not specialize in architecture.\r\n\r\nThe authors offer brief comparisons between similar structures in the area around the Taj Mahal. In addition, there are tombs and mausoleums listed in the book along with their features that I used to compare to the Taj Mahal. The book also provides excellent illustrations.\r\n\r\nFiero, Gloria K.. Trans. Array The Humanistic Tradition. 6th ed. New York: McGraw-Hill, 2011. Print.\r\n\r\nThis is the humanities text for this course. It provides a good general overview of general history, but the facts presented are not all correct.\r\n\r\n“Mughal Aesthetics.” World History Encyclopedia. Ed. Alfred J. Andrea and Carolyn Neel. Vol. 11: Era 6: The First Global Age, 1450-1770. Santa Barbara, CA: ABC-CLIO, 2011. 232-234. Gale Virtual Reference Library. Web. 30 Sep. 2012.\r\n\r\nThis particular volume of “World History Encyclopedia” focuses on what they call “The First Global Age, 1450-1770”. The themes for this article are how Mughal aesthetics developed, remaining constant in some respects and evolving in others.\r\n\r\nThe article discusses the evolution of Mughal aesthetics from one distinct style into another. The first period is most easily identifiable by the predominance of red sandstone in its architectural styles. The second period added white marble over the red sandstone which added a new decorative element and required new construction techniques.\r\n\r\nThe article makes passing mention of the Jain religion, but does not go into any depth about its history or examples of its contributions. Presumably because the Jain religion is not as prominent as Hindu (the other major religion mentioned).\r\n\r\nPreston, Diana, and Michael Preston. Taj Mahal: Passion and Genius at the Heart of the Moghul Empire. New York: Walker Publishing Company, Inc., 2007. Print.\r\n\r\nThis book is written for the general public to give a background about the Taj Mahal. It speaks more to the culture of the area and worldwide historical context at the time rather than the building itself.\r\n\r\nRoth, Leland M. “Architecture: Asia.” New Dictionary of the History of Ideas. Ed. Maryanne Cline Horowitz. Vol. 1. Detroit: Charles Scribner’s Sons, 2005. 128-132. Gale Virtual Reference Library. Web. 30 Sep. 2012.\r\n\r\nThe “New Dictionary of the History of Ideas” is a resource work targeting students and it documents the way human thought has developed through time. This particular article chronicles the cultural developments of architecture in Asia from the beginning of the common era to present day.\r\n\r\nThis article is divided into two parts. The first talks about the architectural style of the three major regions of Asia; India, China and Japan. The second provides examples of architecture for each region, including the Taj Mahal.\r\n\r\nIn particular for this Time Capsule Project, the article shows how the three major religions that populated India combined to create what we now recognize as Mughal aesthetic.\r\n\r\n<strong>Image Source</strong>: http://thatandthisinmumbai.files.wordpress.com/2011/11/taj-mahal-8.jpg?w=584','The Legends and Truths of the Taj Mahal','','inherit','open','open','','2785-revision-8','','','2012-10-17 15:52:06','2012-10-17 21:52:06','',2785,'http://jeanatacc.com/2011/?p=2832',0,'revision','',0),(2833,72,'2012-10-17 18:01:17','2012-10-18 00:01:17','<p align=\"center\">Le Nozze Di Figaro</p>\n<p align=\"center\">Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart</p>\n<p align=\"center\">1786</p>\n<p align=\"center\"> </p>\n<strong><span style=\"font-size: large\">Mozart’s Le Nozze di Figaro received it’s world premier in Vienna, Austria, on May first, 1786. Mozart would compose four operas that are among the most important and popular in classical music. Le Nozze di Figaro was the first piece during Mozart’s most productive and successful span of his life which is why it should be preserved for future generations<span style=\"font-size: large\">. </span></span></strong><span style=\"font-size: large\">Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart ( Johannes Chrysostomus Wolfgangus Theophilus), was born in a small town in Austria by the name of Salzburg on January 27, 1756. Raised by his successful composer father Leopold, things were quite strict in their household, but music was always an important part of their life. By the age of three, Mozart had already begun playing the harpsichord ( musical instrument much like an organ or a piano). His musical genius was so prevalent that in 1762, at the ripe age of six, his father took him and his older sister on a concert tour beginning in Munich and Vienna and continuing through Paris and London from 1763-1766.</span>\n\nYoung Mozart was so impressive in his musical talents that he was considered a “wonder child” in every city he played. His astounding piano playing and improvisations left wondering ears in awe. Mozart was also considered to have a photographic memory and could play an entire piece of music after listening to it only once.(www.imbd.com/nm0003665/bio). In 1769, at age thirteen he became the concertmaster of the Archbishop and was knighted by the Pope in Rome. For twelve years he remained there until a heated argument with the Archbishop forced him to quit and move to Vienna in 1781.\n\nIn the early 1780’s, the city of Vienna began to embrace the movement of enlightenment. Joseph II reformed censorship which allowed the Viennese people to have access to all the great works of the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries. For the next decade, the city took advantage of their “freedom” and created a wave of inspired writers, publishing houses and reading rooms.( Pursuing Enlightenment in Vienna, 1781-1790 by Heather Morrison Aug. 2005 ). Due to the king’s lack of support, the movement came to a halt. But for Mozart, the timing of his arrival could not have been better to let his musical creativity shine, composing thirty symphonies by the time he was eighteen.\n\nBy 1786, Mozart was considered one of, if not the most experienced and accomplished thirty year old musician in the world. Although he had composed four popular operas, his success did not began until the release of his four act opera buffa (comic opera), <em>Le Nozze di Figaro</em>. The piece was a collaboration with an Italian by the name of Lorenzo Da Ponte and inspired by a 1784 stage comedy by Pierre Beaumarchais called <em>La Folle Journee, ou le Mariage de Figaro</em>. The opera made it’s debut in Vienna on May 1, 1786, but almost did not make the stage. The opera was banned due to it’s “recklessness” but Da Ponte managed to get approval for an operatic version which eventually achieved an abundant amount of success.\n\nThere were five encores during the premiere performance of <em>Figaro </em>on this day in 1786, and seven during it’s second performance one week later, prompting the emperor himself to impose a ban on encores during future performances, in order \"to prevent the excessive duration of operas, without however prejudicing the fame often sought by opera singers from the repetition of vocal pieces.\" Basically, this piece was so awesome and that well received that the emperor had to put a stop to all future acts that desired to attempt encores! The combination of da Ponte\'s libretto and Mozart\'s score made <em>Le Nozze di Figaro</em> an instant success and led to two further triumphant collaborations on <em>Don Giovanni </em>and<em> Cosî fan tutte.</em>\n\nDuring the year of 1786, it seemed that the dramatic operas the community were accustomed to, had begun to be replaced by more uplifting and triumphant pieces of music. Pieces like Joseph Haydn’s <em>Symphony no. 82 in C </em>(also known as “The Bear”) were among those. If you were to listen to both Haydn’s Symphony and Mozart’s Le Nozze, the similarities between the two definitely stand out. Much like <em>Le Nozze di Figaro</em>, The Bear Symphony is composed of the same instrumental sections (two flutes, two oboes, two clarinets, two bassoons, two horns etc.). Each musical composition includes a strong sound in their horn section along with fluctuating melodies and a “happy feeling” in their string section. Although one can make out the great similarities between the two pieces, it is Mozart who’s music captures the heart of the people.\n\nMozart’s musical relationship with the public was so powerful that even before the release of <em>Le Nozze di Figaro</em>, his operas were causing great competitions with other artists of his time. One in particular is that of Antonio Salieri’s <em>Prima la Musica e Poi le Parole. </em>On February 7, 1786, Salieri’s triumphant musical creation was commissioned by the Emperor Joseph II to perform at a festival in Vienna. While his opera was performed on one end of the stage, Mozart’s musical comedy <em>Der Schauspieldirektor </em>was being held at the other end. Due to Mozart’s growing popularity, it is safe to say that Salieri was not pleased as Mozart was praised. That began an on going musical battle between the two composers and their librettists.\n\nPersonally, I can understand the demand for Mozart’s music back then. It seems that he came around at a time when people wanted to laugh and be merry and be entertained by comedy instead of tragedy. When I hear the overture of <em>Le Nozze di Figaro</em>, it gives me a sense of warmth and enlightenment. I love the way the piece crescendos in the beginning and takes you on a journey through the flutes and clarinets. I imagine a lot of comedic chaos, like if this were the music to a silent film, there would be overly dramatic hands and arms and things being out of place and unruly.\n\nI am not one to listen to classical music nor am I one to go to an opera. Just last year, I went to my first ballet…<em>The Nutcracker </em>(composed by Peter Ilyich Tchaikovsky in 1892). I was surprised at how much I enjoyed the experience. The dancers made the music come alive for me and I actually felt myself slip into somewhat of a trance during the dance of the Snow Queen. The music itself just reminded me of Christmas time. I never knew that all those holiday commercials were inspired by the music in <em>The Nutcracker</em>.\n\nLike <em>The Nutcracker</em>, Mozart’s <em>Le Nozze di Figaro </em>has done more than stand the test of time. It has influenced even our current generation in ways that I honestly would not have noticed if I did not do this assignment. Much of his music is featured as a musical score in many films but this particular piece is also in television shows, commercials and I even found a video game that uses <em>Le Nozze di Figaro </em>as a score as well. It is currently being featured as the music to motivate America to lose weight and eat healthier in a Subway ad. You can also hear this piece in cartoons such as <em>Bugs Bunny </em>and <em>Ren and Stimpy</em>, movies like the <em>Shawshank Redemption </em>and <em>Zombieland</em>, to television shows like <em>Seinfeld.</em>\n\nMozart is probably the only composer in history to have written undisputed masterworks in virtually every musical genre of his age. Of Mozart’s operas, <em>Le Nozze di Figaro</em>, is the earliest opera still found in the repertoire of virtually all of today’s opera houses.( <a href=\"http://www.ipl.org/div/mushist/clas/mozart.html\"><span style=\"text-decoration: underline\"><span style=\"text-decoration: underline\"><span style=\"color: #0000ff\">http://www.ipl.org/div/mushist/clas/mozart.html</span></span></span></a>). It could be said that today’s society appreciates and accepts the piece just as well as they did when it debuted back in 1786. <em>Le Nozze di Figaro </em>is even being showcased at the Austin Lyric Opera this year proving its capability to stand the test of time. It is a remarkable piece that is always recognized when heard by anyone, whether they are a classical music lover or not and should be kept in the hearts for generations to come.\n\n&nbsp;\n\n&nbsp;\n\n<!--more-->','Mozart\'s Le Nozze di Figaro','','inherit','open','open','','2829-revision-2','','','2012-10-17 18:01:17','2012-10-18 00:01:17','',2829,'http://jeanatacc.com/2011/?p=2833',0,'revision','',0),(2834,72,'2012-10-17 18:01:55','2012-10-18 00:01:55','<p align=\"center\">Le Nozze Di Figaro</p>\r\n<p align=\"center\">Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart</p>\r\n<p align=\"center\">1786</p>\r\n<p align=\"center\"> </p>\r\n<strong><span style=\"font-size: large\">Mozart’s Le Nozze di Figaro received it’s world premier in Vienna, Austria, on May first, 1786. Mozart would compose four operas that are among the most important and popular in classical music. Le Nozze di Figaro was the first piece during Mozart’s most productive and successful span of his life which is why it should be preserved for future generations<span style=\"font-size: large\">. </span></span></strong><span style=\"font-size: large\">Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart ( Johannes Chrysostomus Wolfgangus Theophilus), was born in a small town in Austria by the name of Salzburg on January 27, 1756. Raised by his successful composer father Leopold, things were quite strict in their household, but music was always an important part of their life. By the age of three, Mozart had already begun playing the harpsichord ( musical instrument much like an organ or a piano). His musical genius was so prevalent that in 1762, at the ripe age of six, his father took him and his older sister on a concert tour beginning in Munich and Vienna and continuing through Paris and London from 1763-1766.</span>\r\n\r\nYoung Mozart was so impressive in his musical talents that he was considered a “wonder child” in every city he played. His astounding piano playing and improvisations left wondering ears in awe. Mozart was also considered to have a photographic memory and could play an entire piece of music after listening to it only once.(www.imbd.com/nm0003665/bio). In 1769, at age thirteen he became the concertmaster of the Archbishop and was knighted by the Pope in Rome. For twelve years he remained there until a heated argument with the Archbishop forced him to quit and move to Vienna in 1781.\r\n\r\nIn the early 1780’s, the city of Vienna began to embrace the movement of enlightenment. Joseph II reformed censorship which allowed the Viennese people to have access to all the great works of the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries. For the next decade, the city took advantage of their “freedom” and created a wave of inspired writers, publishing houses and reading rooms.( Pursuing Enlightenment in Vienna, 1781-1790 by Heather Morrison Aug. 2005 ). Due to the king’s lack of support, the movement came to a halt. But for Mozart, the timing of his arrival could not have been better to let his musical creativity shine, composing thirty symphonies by the time he was eighteen.\r\n\r\nBy 1786, Mozart was considered one of, if not the most experienced and accomplished thirty year old musician in the world. Although he had composed four popular operas, his success did not began until the release of his four act opera buffa (comic opera), <em>Le Nozze di Figaro</em>. The piece was a collaboration with an Italian by the name of Lorenzo Da Ponte and inspired by a 1784 stage comedy by Pierre Beaumarchais called <em>La Folle Journee, ou le Mariage de Figaro</em>. The opera made it’s debut in Vienna on May 1, 1786, but almost did not make the stage. The opera was banned due to it’s “recklessness” but Da Ponte managed to get approval for an operatic version which eventually achieved an abundant amount of success.\r\n\r\nThere were five encores during the premiere performance of <em>Figaro </em>on this day in 1786, and seven during it’s second performance one week later, prompting the emperor himself to impose a ban on encores during future performances, in order \"to prevent the excessive duration of operas, without however prejudicing the fame often sought by opera singers from the repetition of vocal pieces.\" Basically, this piece was so awesome and that well received that the emperor had to put a stop to all future acts that desired to attempt encores! The combination of da Ponte\'s libretto and Mozart\'s score made <em>Le Nozze di Figaro</em> an instant success and led to two further triumphant collaborations on <em>Don Giovanni </em>and<em> Cosî fan tutte.</em>\r\n\r\nDuring the year of 1786, it seemed that the dramatic operas the community were accustomed to, had begun to be replaced by more uplifting and triumphant pieces of music. Pieces like Joseph Haydn’s <em>Symphony no. 82 in C </em>(also known as “The Bear”) were among those. If you were to listen to both Haydn’s Symphony and Mozart’s Le Nozze, the similarities between the two definitely stand out. Much like <em>Le Nozze di Figaro</em>, The Bear Symphony is composed of the same instrumental sections (two flutes, two oboes, two clarinets, two bassoons, two horns etc.). Each musical composition includes a strong sound in their horn section along with fluctuating melodies and a “happy feeling” in their string section. Although one can make out the great similarities between the two pieces, it is Mozart who’s music captures the heart of the people.\r\n\r\nMozart’s musical relationship with the public was so powerful that even before the release of <em>Le Nozze di Figaro</em>, his operas were causing great competitions with other artists of his time. One in particular is that of Antonio Salieri’s <em>Prima la Musica e Poi le Parole. </em>On February 7, 1786, Salieri’s triumphant musical creation was commissioned by the Emperor Joseph II to perform at a festival in Vienna. While his opera was performed on one end of the stage, Mozart’s musical comedy <em>Der Schauspieldirektor </em>was being held at the other end. Due to Mozart’s growing popularity, it is safe to say that Salieri was not pleased as Mozart was praised. That began an on going musical battle between the two composers and their librettists.\r\n\r\nPersonally, I can understand the demand for Mozart’s music back then. It seems that he came around at a time when people wanted to laugh and be merry and be entertained by comedy instead of tragedy. When I hear the overture of <em>Le Nozze di Figaro</em>, it gives me a sense of warmth and enlightenment. I love the way the piece crescendos in the beginning and takes you on a journey through the flutes and clarinets. I imagine a lot of comedic chaos, like if this were the music to a silent film, there would be overly dramatic hands and arms and things being out of place and unruly.\r\n\r\nI am not one to listen to classical music nor am I one to go to an opera. Just last year, I went to my first ballet…<em>The Nutcracker </em>(composed by Peter Ilyich Tchaikovsky in 1892). I was surprised at how much I enjoyed the experience. The dancers made the music come alive for me and I actually felt myself slip into somewhat of a trance during the dance of the Snow Queen. The music itself just reminded me of Christmas time. I never knew that all those holiday commercials were inspired by the music in <em>The Nutcracker</em>.\r\n\r\nLike <em>The Nutcracker</em>, Mozart’s <em>Le Nozze di Figaro </em>has done more than stand the test of time. It has influenced even our current generation in ways that I honestly would not have noticed if I did not do this assignment. Much of his music is featured as a musical score in many films but this particular piece is also in television shows, commercials and I even found a video game that uses <em>Le Nozze di Figaro </em>as a score as well. It is currently being featured as the music to motivate America to lose weight and eat healthier in a Subway ad. You can also hear this piece in cartoons such as <em>Bugs Bunny </em>and <em>Ren and Stimpy</em>, movies like the <em>Shawshank Redemption </em>and <em>Zombieland</em>, to television shows like <em>Seinfeld.</em>\r\n\r\nMozart is probably the only composer in history to have written undisputed masterworks in virtually every musical genre of his age. Of Mozart’s operas, <em>Le Nozze di Figaro</em>, is the earliest opera still found in the repertoire of virtually all of today’s opera houses.( <a href=\"http://www.ipl.org/div/mushist/clas/mozart.html\"><span style=\"text-decoration: underline\"><span style=\"text-decoration: underline\"><span style=\"color: #0000ff\">http://www.ipl.org/div/mushist/clas/mozart.html</span></span></span></a>). It could be said that today’s society appreciates and accepts the piece just as well as they did when it debuted back in 1786. <em>Le Nozze di Figaro </em>is even being showcased at the Austin Lyric Opera this year proving its capability to stand the test of time. It is a remarkable piece that is always recognized when heard by anyone, whether they are a classical music lover or not and should be kept in the hearts for generations to come.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nWorks Cited List\r\n\r\n-Pursuing Enlightenment in Vienna, 1781-1790 by Heather Morrison Aug. 2005\r\n\r\nThis paper assisted with the discovery of how talented Mozart was at such a young age. It informed me of some of his musical achievements as well.\r\n\r\n-http://www.ipl.org/div/muschist/clas/Mozart.html\r\n\r\nThis site helped me discover how important and prominent Figaro is in today’s opera houses. It’s the earliest piece still found in today’s opera houses. \\\r\n\r\n-www.history.com/this-day-in-history/mozarts-le-nozze-di-Figaro-premiers-in-Vienna\r\n\r\nThis site was great in helping with information on the exact day it was debuted . Vital information on how the crowd responded and the actions Figaro would cause for future acts and there ‘attempts’ to perform encores were found here.\r\n\r\n-www.1000recordings.com/music/marriage-Figaro/\r\n\r\nThis site helped with the overall importance of the piece.\r\n\r\n-www.imbd.com/nm0003665/bio\r\n\r\nThis site listed all the different places Figaro can be heard, including all the film scores, television shows, cartoons etc. It informed me of basic bio and family information as well.\r\n\r\n　\r\n\r\n　\r\n\r\n　','Mozart\'s Le Nozze di Figaro','','inherit','open','open','','2829-revision-3','','','2012-10-17 18:01:55','2012-10-18 00:01:55','',2829,'http://jeanatacc.com/2011/?p=2834',0,'revision','',0),(2835,72,'2012-10-17 18:02:09','2012-10-18 00:02:09','<p align=\"center\">Le Nozze Di Figaro</p>\r\n<p align=\"center\">Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart</p>\r\n<p align=\"center\">1786</p>\r\n<p align=\"center\"> </p>\r\n<strong><span style=\"font-size: large\">Mozart’s Le Nozze di Figaro received it’s world premier in Vienna, Austria, on May first, 1786. Mozart would compose four operas that are among the most important and popular in classical music. Le Nozze di Figaro was the first piece during Mozart’s most productive and successful span of his life which is why it should be preserved for future generations<span style=\"font-size: large\">. </span></span></strong><span style=\"font-size: large\">Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart ( Johannes Chrysostomus Wolfgangus Theophilus), was born in a small town in Austria by the name of Salzburg on January 27, 1756. Raised by his successful composer father Leopold, things were quite strict in their household, but music was always an important part of their life. By the age of three, Mozart had already begun playing the harpsichord ( musical instrument much like an organ or a piano). His musical genius was so prevalent that in 1762, at the ripe age of six, his father took him and his older sister on a concert tour beginning in Munich and Vienna and continuing through Paris and London from 1763-1766.</span>\r\n\r\nYoung Mozart was so impressive in his musical talents that he was considered a “wonder child” in every city he played. His astounding piano playing and improvisations left wondering ears in awe. Mozart was also considered to have a photographic memory and could play an entire piece of music after listening to it only once.(www.imbd.com/nm0003665/bio). In 1769, at age thirteen he became the concertmaster of the Archbishop and was knighted by the Pope in Rome. For twelve years he remained there until a heated argument with the Archbishop forced him to quit and move to Vienna in 1781.\r\n\r\nIn the early 1780’s, the city of Vienna began to embrace the movement of enlightenment. Joseph II reformed censorship which allowed the Viennese people to have access to all the great works of the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries. For the next decade, the city took advantage of their “freedom” and created a wave of inspired writers, publishing houses and reading rooms.( Pursuing Enlightenment in Vienna, 1781-1790 by Heather Morrison Aug. 2005 ). Due to the king’s lack of support, the movement came to a halt. But for Mozart, the timing of his arrival could not have been better to let his musical creativity shine, composing thirty symphonies by the time he was eighteen.\r\n\r\nBy 1786, Mozart was considered one of, if not the most experienced and accomplished thirty year old musician in the world. Although he had composed four popular operas, his success did not began until the release of his four act opera buffa (comic opera), <em>Le Nozze di Figaro</em>. The piece was a collaboration with an Italian by the name of Lorenzo Da Ponte and inspired by a 1784 stage comedy by Pierre Beaumarchais called <em>La Folle Journee, ou le Mariage de Figaro</em>. The opera made it’s debut in Vienna on May 1, 1786, but almost did not make the stage. The opera was banned due to it’s “recklessness” but Da Ponte managed to get approval for an operatic version which eventually achieved an abundant amount of success.\r\n\r\nThere were five encores during the premiere performance of <em>Figaro </em>on this day in 1786, and seven during it’s second performance one week later, prompting the emperor himself to impose a ban on encores during future performances, in order \"to prevent the excessive duration of operas, without however prejudicing the fame often sought by opera singers from the repetition of vocal pieces.\" Basically, this piece was so awesome and that well received that the emperor had to put a stop to all future acts that desired to attempt encores! The combination of da Ponte\'s libretto and Mozart\'s score made <em>Le Nozze di Figaro</em> an instant success and led to two further triumphant collaborations on <em>Don Giovanni </em>and<em> Cosî fan tutte.</em>\r\n\r\nDuring the year of 1786, it seemed that the dramatic operas the community were accustomed to, had begun to be replaced by more uplifting and triumphant pieces of music. Pieces like Joseph Haydn’s <em>Symphony no. 82 in C </em>(also known as “The Bear”) were among those. If you were to listen to both Haydn’s Symphony and Mozart’s Le Nozze, the similarities between the two definitely stand out. Much like <em>Le Nozze di Figaro</em>, The Bear Symphony is composed of the same instrumental sections (two flutes, two oboes, two clarinets, two bassoons, two horns etc.). Each musical composition includes a strong sound in their horn section along with fluctuating melodies and a “happy feeling” in their string section. Although one can make out the great similarities between the two pieces, it is Mozart who’s music captures the heart of the people.\r\n\r\nMozart’s musical relationship with the public was so powerful that even before the release of <em>Le Nozze di Figaro</em>, his operas were causing great competitions with other artists of his time. One in particular is that of Antonio Salieri’s <em>Prima la Musica e Poi le Parole. </em>On February 7, 1786, Salieri’s triumphant musical creation was commissioned by the Emperor Joseph II to perform at a festival in Vienna. While his opera was performed on one end of the stage, Mozart’s musical comedy <em>Der Schauspieldirektor </em>was being held at the other end. Due to Mozart’s growing popularity, it is safe to say that Salieri was not pleased as Mozart was praised. That began an on going musical battle between the two composers and their librettists.\r\n\r\nPersonally, I can understand the demand for Mozart’s music back then. It seems that he came around at a time when people wanted to laugh and be merry and be entertained by comedy instead of tragedy. When I hear the overture of <em>Le Nozze di Figaro</em>, it gives me a sense of warmth and enlightenment. I love the way the piece crescendos in the beginning and takes you on a journey through the flutes and clarinets. I imagine a lot of comedic chaos, like if this were the music to a silent film, there would be overly dramatic hands and arms and things being out of place and unruly.\r\n\r\nI am not one to listen to classical music nor am I one to go to an opera. Just last year, I went to my first ballet…<em>The Nutcracker </em>(composed by Peter Ilyich Tchaikovsky in 1892). I was surprised at how much I enjoyed the experience. The dancers made the music come alive for me and I actually felt myself slip into somewhat of a trance during the dance of the Snow Queen. The music itself just reminded me of Christmas time. I never knew that all those holiday commercials were inspired by the music in <em>The Nutcracker</em>.\r\n\r\nLike <em>The Nutcracker</em>, Mozart’s <em>Le Nozze di Figaro </em>has done more than stand the test of time. It has influenced even our current generation in ways that I honestly would not have noticed if I did not do this assignment. Much of his music is featured as a musical score in many films but this particular piece is also in television shows, commercials and I even found a video game that uses <em>Le Nozze di Figaro </em>as a score as well. It is currently being featured as the music to motivate America to lose weight and eat healthier in a Subway ad. You can also hear this piece in cartoons such as <em>Bugs Bunny </em>and <em>Ren and Stimpy</em>, movies like the <em>Shawshank Redemption </em>and <em>Zombieland</em>, to television shows like <em>Seinfeld.</em>\r\n\r\nMozart is probably the only composer in history to have written undisputed masterworks in virtually every musical genre of his age. Of Mozart’s operas, <em>Le Nozze di Figaro</em>, is the earliest opera still found in the repertoire of virtually all of today’s opera houses.( <a href=\"http://www.ipl.org/div/mushist/clas/mozart.html\"><span style=\"text-decoration: underline\"><span style=\"text-decoration: underline\"><span style=\"color: #0000ff\">http://www.ipl.org/div/mushist/clas/mozart.html</span></span></span></a>). It could be said that today’s society appreciates and accepts the piece just as well as they did when it debuted back in 1786. <em>Le Nozze di Figaro </em>is even being showcased at the Austin Lyric Opera this year proving its capability to stand the test of time. It is a remarkable piece that is always recognized when heard by anyone, whether they are a classical music lover or not and should be kept in the hearts for generations to come.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nWorks Cited List\r\n\r\n-Pursuing Enlightenment in Vienna, 1781-1790 by Heather Morrison Aug. 2005\r\n\r\nThis paper assisted with the discovery of how talented Mozart was at such a young age. It informed me of some of his musical achievements as well.\r\n\r\n-http://www.ipl.org/div/muschist/clas/Mozart.html\r\n\r\nThis site helped me discover how important and prominent Figaro is in today’s opera houses. It’s the earliest piece still found in today’s opera houses. \\\r\n\r\n-www.history.com/this-day-in-history/mozarts-le-nozze-di-Figaro-premiers-in-Vienna\r\n\r\nThis site was great in helping with information on the exact day it was debuted . Vital information on how the crowd responded and the actions Figaro would cause for future acts and there ‘attempts’ to perform encores were found here.\r\n\r\n-www.1000recordings.com/music/marriage-Figaro/\r\n\r\nThis site helped with the overall importance of the piece.\r\n\r\n-www.imbd.com/nm0003665/bio\r\n\r\nThis site listed all the different places Figaro can be heard, including all the film scores, television shows, cartoons etc. It informed me of basic bio and family information as well.\r\n\r\n　\r\n\r\n　\r\n\r\n　','Mozart\'s Le Nozze di Figaro','','inherit','open','open','','2829-revision-4','','','2012-10-17 18:02:09','2012-10-18 00:02:09','',2829,'http://jeanatacc.com/2011/?p=2835',0,'revision','',0),(2836,72,'2012-10-17 18:04:20','2012-10-18 00:04:20','<p align=\"center\">Le Nozze Di Figaro</p>\n<p align=\"center\">Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart</p>\n<p align=\"center\">1786</p>\n<p align=\"center\"> </p>\n<strong><span style=\"font-size: large\">Mozart’s Le Nozze di Figaro received it’s world premier in Vienna, Austria, on May first, 1786. Mozart would compose four operas that are among the most important and popular in classical music. Le Nozze di Figaro was the first piece during Mozart’s most productive and successful span of his life which is why it should be preserved for future generations<span style=\"font-size: large\">. </span></span></strong><span style=\"font-size: large\">Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart ( Johannes Chrysostomus Wolfgangus Theophilus), was born in a small town in Austria by the name of Salzburg on January 27, 1756. Raised by his successful composer father Leopold, things were quite strict in their household, but music was always an important part of their life. By the age of three, Mozart had already begun playing the harpsichord ( musical instrument much like an organ or a piano). His musical genius was so prevalent that in 1762, at the ripe age of six, his father took him and his older sister on a concert tour beginning in Munich and Vienna and continuing through Paris and London from 1763-1766.</span>\n\nYoung Mozart was so impressive in his musical talents that he was considered a “wonder child” in every city he played. His astounding piano playing and improvisations left wondering ears in awe. Mozart was also considered to have a photographic memory and could play an entire piece of music after listening to it only once.(www.imbd.com/nm0003665/bio). In 1769, at age thirteen he became the concertmaster of the Archbishop and was knighted by the Pope in Rome. For twelve years he remained there until a heated argument with the Archbishop forced him to quit and move to Vienna in 1781.\n\nIn the early 1780’s, the city of Vienna began to embrace the movement of enlightenment. Joseph II reformed censorship which allowed the Viennese people to have access to all the great works of the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries. For the next decade, the city took advantage of their “freedom” and created a wave of inspired writers, publishing houses and reading rooms.( Pursuing Enlightenment in Vienna, 1781-1790 by Heather Morrison Aug. 2005 ). Due to the king’s lack of support, the movement came to a halt. But for Mozart, the timing of his arrival could not have been better to let his musical creativity shine, composing thirty symphonies by the time he was eighteen.\n\nBy 1786, Mozart was considered one of, if not the most experienced and accomplished thirty year old musician in the world. Although he had composed four popular operas, his success did not began until the release of his four act opera buffa (comic opera), <em>Le Nozze di Figaro</em>. The piece was a collaboration with an Italian by the name of Lorenzo Da Ponte and inspired by a 1784 stage comedy by Pierre Beaumarchais called <em>La Folle Journee, ou le Mariage de Figaro</em>. The opera made it’s debut in Vienna on May 1, 1786, but almost did not make the stage. The opera was banned due to it’s “recklessness” but Da Ponte managed to get approval for an operatic version which eventually achieved an abundant amount of success.\n\nThere were five encores during the premiere performance of <em>Figaro </em>on this day in 1786, and seven during it’s second performance one week later, prompting the emperor himself to impose a ban on encores during future performances, in order \"to prevent the excessive duration of operas, without however prejudicing the fame often sought by opera singers from the repetition of vocal pieces.\" Basically, this piece was so awesome and that well received that the emperor had to put a stop to all future acts that desired to attempt encores! The combination of da Ponte\'s libretto and Mozart\'s score made <em>Le Nozze di Figaro</em> an instant success and led to two further triumphant collaborations on <em>Don Giovanni </em>and<em> Cosî fan tutte.</em>\n\nDuring the year of 1786, it seemed that the dramatic operas the community were accustomed to, had begun to be replaced by more uplifting and triumphant pieces of music. Pieces like Joseph Haydn’s <em>Symphony no. 82 in C </em>(also known as “The Bear”) were among those. If you were to listen to both Haydn’s Symphony and Mozart’s Le Nozze, the similarities between the two definitely stand out. Much like <em>Le Nozze di Figaro</em>, The Bear Symphony is composed of the same instrumental sections (two flutes, two oboes, two clarinets, two bassoons, two horns etc.). Each musical composition includes a strong sound in their horn section along with fluctuating melodies and a “happy feeling” in their string section. Although one can make out the great similarities between the two pieces, it is Mozart who’s music captures the heart of the people.\n\nMozart’s musical relationship with the public was so powerful that even before the release of <em>Le Nozze di Figaro</em>, his operas were causing great competitions with other artists of his time. One in particular is that of Antonio Salieri’s <em>Prima la Musica e Poi le Parole. </em>On February 7, 1786, Salieri’s triumphant musical creation was commissioned by the Emperor Joseph II to perform at a festival in Vienna. While his opera was performed on one end of the stage, Mozart’s musical comedy <em>Der Schauspieldirektor </em>was being held at the other end. Due to Mozart’s growing popularity, it is safe to say that Salieri was not pleased as Mozart was praised. That began an on going musical battle between the two composers and their librettists.\n\nPersonally, I can understand the demand for Mozart’s music back then. It seems that he came around at a time when people wanted to laugh and be merry and be entertained by comedy instead of tragedy. When I hear the overture of <em>Le Nozze di Figaro</em>, it gives me a sense of warmth and enlightenment. I love the way the piece crescendos in the beginning and takes you on a journey through the flutes and clarinets. I imagine a lot of comedic chaos, like if this were the music to a silent film, there would be overly dramatic hands and arms and things being out of place and unruly.\n\nI am not one to listen to classical music nor am I one to go to an opera. Just last year, I went to my first ballet…<em>The Nutcracker </em>(composed by Peter Ilyich Tchaikovsky in 1892). I was surprised at how much I enjoyed the experience. The dancers made the music come alive for me and I actually felt myself slip into somewhat of a trance during the dance of the Snow Queen. The music itself just reminded me of Christmas time. I never knew that all those holiday commercials were inspired by the music in <em>The Nutcracker</em>.\n\nLike <em>The Nutcracker</em>, Mozart’s <em>Le Nozze di Figaro </em>has done more than stand the test of time. It has influenced even our current generation in ways that I honestly would not have noticed if I did not do this assignment. Much of his music is featured as a musical score in many films but this particular piece is also in television shows, commercials and I even found a video game that uses <em>Le Nozze di Figaro </em>as a score as well. It is currently being featured as the music to motivate America to lose weight and eat healthier in a Subway ad. You can also hear this piece in cartoons such as <em>Bugs Bunny </em>and <em>Ren and Stimpy</em>, movies like the <em>Shawshank Redemption </em>and <em>Zombieland</em>, to television shows like <em>Seinfeld.</em>\n\nMozart is probably the only composer in history to have written undisputed masterworks in virtually every musical genre of his age. Of Mozart’s operas, <em>Le Nozze di Figaro</em>, is the earliest opera still found in the repertoire of virtually all of today’s opera houses.( <a href=\"http://www.ipl.org/div/mushist/clas/mozart.html\"><span style=\"text-decoration: underline\"><span style=\"text-decoration: underline\"><span style=\"color: #0000ff\">http://www.ipl.org/div/mushist/clas/mozart.html</span></span></span></a>). It could be said that today’s society appreciates and accepts the piece just as well as they did when it debuted back in 1786. <em>Le Nozze di Figaro </em>is even being showcased at the Austin Lyric Opera this year proving its capability to stand the test of time. It is a remarkable piece that is always recognized when heard by anyone, whether they are a classical music lover or not and should be kept in the hearts for generations to come.\n\n&nbsp;\n\n&nbsp;\n\nWorks Cited List\n\n-Pursuing Enlightenment in Vienna, 1781-1790 by Heather Morrison Aug. 2005\n\nThis paper assisted with the discovery of how talented Mozart was at such a young age. It informed me of some of his musical achievements as well.\n\n-http://www.ipl.org/div/muschist/clas/Mozart.html\n\nThis site helped me discover how important and prominent Figaro is in today’s opera houses. It’s the earliest piece still found in today’s opera houses. \\\n\n-www.history.com/this-day-in-history/mozarts-le-nozze-di-Figaro-premiers-in-Vienna\n\nThis site was great in helping with information on the exact day it was debuted . Vital information on how the crowd responded and the actions Figaro would cause for future acts and there ‘attempts’ to perform encores were found here.\n\n-www.1000recordings.com/music/marriage-Figaro/\n\nThis site helped with the overall importance of the piece.\n\n-www.imbd.com/nm0003665/bio\n\nThis site listed all the different places Figaro can be heard, including all the film scores, television shows, cartoons etc. It informed me of basic bio and family information as well.\n\n　\n\n　\n\n　','Mozart\'s Le Nozze di Figaro','','inherit','open','open','','2829-autosave','','','2012-10-17 18:04:20','2012-10-18 00:04:20','',2829,'http://jeanatacc.com/2011/?p=2836',0,'revision','',0),(2837,1,'2012-10-17 18:03:15','2012-10-18 00:03:15','<p align=\"center\">Le Nozze Di Figaro</p>\r\n<p align=\"center\">Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart</p>\r\n<p align=\"center\">1786</p>\r\n<p align=\"center\"> </p>\r\n<strong><span style=\"font-size: large\">Mozart’s Le Nozze di Figaro received it’s world premier in Vienna, Austria, on May first, 1786. Mozart would compose four operas that are among the most important and popular in classical music. Le Nozze di Figaro was the first piece during Mozart’s most productive and successful span of his life which is why it should be preserved for future generations<span style=\"font-size: large\">. </span></span></strong><span style=\"font-size: large\">Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart ( Johannes Chrysostomus Wolfgangus Theophilus), was born in a small town in Austria by the name of Salzburg on January 27, 1756. Raised by his successful composer father Leopold, things were quite strict in their household, but music was always an important part of their life. By the age of three, Mozart had already begun playing the harpsichord ( musical instrument much like an organ or a piano). His musical genius was so prevalent that in 1762, at the ripe age of six, his father took him and his older sister on a concert tour beginning in Munich and Vienna and continuing through Paris and London from 1763-1766.</span>\r\n\r\nYoung Mozart was so impressive in his musical talents that he was considered a “wonder child” in every city he played. His astounding piano playing and improvisations left wondering ears in awe. Mozart was also considered to have a photographic memory and could play an entire piece of music after listening to it only once.(www.imbd.com/nm0003665/bio). In 1769, at age thirteen he became the concertmaster of the Archbishop and was knighted by the Pope in Rome. For twelve years he remained there until a heated argument with the Archbishop forced him to quit and move to Vienna in 1781.\r\n\r\nIn the early 1780’s, the city of Vienna began to embrace the movement of enlightenment. Joseph II reformed censorship which allowed the Viennese people to have access to all the great works of the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries. For the next decade, the city took advantage of their “freedom” and created a wave of inspired writers, publishing houses and reading rooms.( Pursuing Enlightenment in Vienna, 1781-1790 by Heather Morrison Aug. 2005 ). Due to the king’s lack of support, the movement came to a halt. But for Mozart, the timing of his arrival could not have been better to let his musical creativity shine, composing thirty symphonies by the time he was eighteen.\r\n\r\nBy 1786, Mozart was considered one of, if not the most experienced and accomplished thirty year old musician in the world. Although he had composed four popular operas, his success did not began until the release of his four act opera buffa (comic opera), <em>Le Nozze di Figaro</em>. The piece was a collaboration with an Italian by the name of Lorenzo Da Ponte and inspired by a 1784 stage comedy by Pierre Beaumarchais called <em>La Folle Journee, ou le Mariage de Figaro</em>. The opera made it’s debut in Vienna on May 1, 1786, but almost did not make the stage. The opera was banned due to it’s “recklessness” but Da Ponte managed to get approval for an operatic version which eventually achieved an abundant amount of success.\r\n\r\nThere were five encores during the premiere performance of <em>Figaro </em>on this day in 1786, and seven during it’s second performance one week later, prompting the emperor himself to impose a ban on encores during future performances, in order \"to prevent the excessive duration of operas, without however prejudicing the fame often sought by opera singers from the repetition of vocal pieces.\" Basically, this piece was so awesome and that well received that the emperor had to put a stop to all future acts that desired to attempt encores! The combination of da Ponte\'s libretto and Mozart\'s score made <em>Le Nozze di Figaro</em> an instant success and led to two further triumphant collaborations on <em>Don Giovanni </em>and<em> Cosî fan tutte.</em>\r\n\r\nDuring the year of 1786, it seemed that the dramatic operas the community were accustomed to, had begun to be replaced by more uplifting and triumphant pieces of music. Pieces like Joseph Haydn’s <em>Symphony no. 82 in C </em>(also known as “The Bear”) were among those. If you were to listen to both Haydn’s Symphony and Mozart’s Le Nozze, the similarities between the two definitely stand out. Much like <em>Le Nozze di Figaro</em>, The Bear Symphony is composed of the same instrumental sections (two flutes, two oboes, two clarinets, two bassoons, two horns etc.). Each musical composition includes a strong sound in their horn section along with fluctuating melodies and a “happy feeling” in their string section. Although one can make out the great similarities between the two pieces, it is Mozart who’s music captures the heart of the people.\r\n\r\nMozart’s musical relationship with the public was so powerful that even before the release of <em>Le Nozze di Figaro</em>, his operas were causing great competitions with other artists of his time. One in particular is that of Antonio Salieri’s <em>Prima la Musica e Poi le Parole. </em>On February 7, 1786, Salieri’s triumphant musical creation was commissioned by the Emperor Joseph II to perform at a festival in Vienna. While his opera was performed on one end of the stage, Mozart’s musical comedy <em>Der Schauspieldirektor </em>was being held at the other end. Due to Mozart’s growing popularity, it is safe to say that Salieri was not pleased as Mozart was praised. That began an on going musical battle between the two composers and their librettists.\r\n\r\nPersonally, I can understand the demand for Mozart’s music back then. It seems that he came around at a time when people wanted to laugh and be merry and be entertained by comedy instead of tragedy. When I hear the overture of <em>Le Nozze di Figaro</em>, it gives me a sense of warmth and enlightenment. I love the way the piece crescendos in the beginning and takes you on a journey through the flutes and clarinets. I imagine a lot of comedic chaos, like if this were the music to a silent film, there would be overly dramatic hands and arms and things being out of place and unruly.\r\n\r\nI am not one to listen to classical music nor am I one to go to an opera. Just last year, I went to my first ballet…<em>The Nutcracker </em>(composed by Peter Ilyich Tchaikovsky in 1892). I was surprised at how much I enjoyed the experience. The dancers made the music come alive for me and I actually felt myself slip into somewhat of a trance during the dance of the Snow Queen. The music itself just reminded me of Christmas time. I never knew that all those holiday commercials were inspired by the music in <em>The Nutcracker</em>.\r\n\r\nLike <em>The Nutcracker</em>, Mozart’s <em>Le Nozze di Figaro </em>has done more than stand the test of time. It has influenced even our current generation in ways that I honestly would not have noticed if I did not do this assignment. Much of his music is featured as a musical score in many films but this particular piece is also in television shows, commercials and I even found a video game that uses <em>Le Nozze di Figaro </em>as a score as well. It is currently being featured as the music to motivate America to lose weight and eat healthier in a Subway ad. You can also hear this piece in cartoons such as <em>Bugs Bunny </em>and <em>Ren and Stimpy</em>, movies like the <em>Shawshank Redemption </em>and <em>Zombieland</em>, to television shows like <em>Seinfeld.</em>\r\n\r\nMozart is probably the only composer in history to have written undisputed masterworks in virtually every musical genre of his age. Of Mozart’s operas, <em>Le Nozze di Figaro</em>, is the earliest opera still found in the repertoire of virtually all of today’s opera houses.( <a href=\"http://www.ipl.org/div/mushist/clas/mozart.html\"><span style=\"text-decoration: underline\"><span style=\"text-decoration: underline\"><span style=\"color: #0000ff\">http://www.ipl.org/div/mushist/clas/mozart.html</span></span></span></a>). It could be said that today’s society appreciates and accepts the piece just as well as they did when it debuted back in 1786. <em>Le Nozze di Figaro </em>is even being showcased at the Austin Lyric Opera this year proving its capability to stand the test of time. It is a remarkable piece that is always recognized when heard by anyone, whether they are a classical music lover or not and should be kept in the hearts for generations to come.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nWorks Cited List\r\n\r\n-Pursuing Enlightenment in Vienna, 1781-1790 by Heather Morrison Aug. 2005\r\n\r\nThis paper assisted with the discovery of how talented Mozart was at such a young age. It informed me of some of his musical achievements as well.\r\n\r\n-http://www.ipl.org/div/muschist/clas/Mozart.html\r\n\r\nThis site helped me discover how important and prominent Figaro is in today’s opera houses. It’s the earliest piece still found in today’s opera houses. \\\r\n\r\n-www.history.com/this-day-in-history/mozarts-le-nozze-di-Figaro-premiers-in-Vienna\r\n\r\nThis site was great in helping with information on the exact day it was debuted . Vital information on how the crowd responded and the actions Figaro would cause for future acts and there ‘attempts’ to perform encores were found here.\r\n\r\n-www.1000recordings.com/music/marriage-Figaro/\r\n\r\nThis site helped with the overall importance of the piece.\r\n\r\n-www.imbd.com/nm0003665/bio\r\n\r\nThis site listed all the different places Figaro can be heard, including all the film scores, television shows, cartoons etc. It informed me of basic bio and family information as well.\r\n\r\n　\r\n\r\n　\r\n\r\n　','Mozart\'s Le Nozze di Figaro','','inherit','open','open','','2829-revision-5','','','2012-10-17 18:03:15','2012-10-18 00:03:15','',2829,'http://jeanatacc.com/2011/?p=2837',0,'revision','',0),(2838,1,'2012-10-17 18:59:29','2012-10-18 00:59:29','<p align=\"center\">Le Nozze Di Figaro</p>\r\n<p align=\"center\">Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart</p>\r\n<p align=\"center\">1786</p>\r\n<p align=\"center\"></p>\r\n<strong><span style=\"font-size: large;\">Mozart’s Le Nozze di Figaro received it’s world premier in Vienna, Austria, on May first, 1786. Mozart would compose four operas that are among the most important and popular in classical music. Le Nozze di Figaro was the first piece during Mozart’s most productive and successful span of his life which is why it should be preserved for future generations<span style=\"font-size: large;\">. </span></span></strong>\r\n\r\n<span style=\"font-size: large;\"><!--more-->Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart ( Johannes Chrysostomus Wolfgangus Theophilus), was born in a small town in Austria by the name of Salzburg on January 27, 1756. Raised by his successful composer father Leopold, things were quite strict in their household, but music was always an important part of their life. By the age of three, Mozart had already begun playing the harpsichord ( musical instrument much like an organ or a piano). His musical genius was so prevalent that in 1762, at the ripe age of six, his father took him and his older sister on a concert tour beginning in Munich and Vienna and continuing through Paris and London from 1763-1766.</span>\r\n\r\nYoung Mozart was so impressive in his musical talents that he was considered a “wonder child” in every city he played. His astounding piano playing and improvisations left wondering ears in awe. Mozart was also considered to have a photographic memory and could play an entire piece of music after listening to it only once.(www.imbd.com/nm0003665/bio). In 1769, at age thirteen he became the concertmaster of the Archbishop and was knighted by the Pope in Rome. For twelve years he remained there until a heated argument with the Archbishop forced him to quit and move to Vienna in 1781.\r\n\r\nIn the early 1780’s, the city of Vienna began to embrace the movement of enlightenment. Joseph II reformed censorship which allowed the Viennese people to have access to all the great works of the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries. For the next decade, the city took advantage of their “freedom” and created a wave of inspired writers, publishing houses and reading rooms.( Pursuing Enlightenment in Vienna, 1781-1790 by Heather Morrison Aug. 2005 ). Due to the king’s lack of support, the movement came to a halt. But for Mozart, the timing of his arrival could not have been better to let his musical creativity shine, composing thirty symphonies by the time he was eighteen.\r\n\r\nBy 1786, Mozart was considered one of, if not the most experienced and accomplished thirty year old musician in the world. Although he had composed four popular operas, his success did not began until the release of his four act opera buffa (comic opera), <em>Le Nozze di Figaro</em>. The piece was a collaboration with an Italian by the name of Lorenzo Da Ponte and inspired by a 1784 stage comedy by Pierre Beaumarchais called <em>La Folle Journee, ou le Mariage de Figaro</em>. The opera made it’s debut in Vienna on May 1, 1786, but almost did not make the stage. The opera was banned due to it’s “recklessness” but Da Ponte managed to get approval for an operatic version which eventually achieved an abundant amount of success.\r\n\r\nThere were five encores during the premiere performance of <em>Figaro </em>on this day in 1786, and seven during it’s second performance one week later, prompting the emperor himself to impose a ban on encores during future performances, in order \"to prevent the excessive duration of operas, without however prejudicing the fame often sought by opera singers from the repetition of vocal pieces.\" Basically, this piece was so awesome and that well received that the emperor had to put a stop to all future acts that desired to attempt encores! The combination of da Ponte\'s libretto and Mozart\'s score made <em>Le Nozze di Figaro</em> an instant success and led to two further triumphant collaborations on <em>Don Giovanni </em>and<em> Cosî fan tutte.</em>\r\n\r\nDuring the year of 1786, it seemed that the dramatic operas the community were accustomed to, had begun to be replaced by more uplifting and triumphant pieces of music. Pieces like Joseph Haydn’s <em>Symphony no. 82 in C </em>(also known as “The Bear”) were among those. If you were to listen to both Haydn’s Symphony and Mozart’s Le Nozze, the similarities between the two definitely stand out. Much like <em>Le Nozze di Figaro</em>, The Bear Symphony is composed of the same instrumental sections (two flutes, two oboes, two clarinets, two bassoons, two horns etc.). Each musical composition includes a strong sound in their horn section along with fluctuating melodies and a “happy feeling” in their string section. Although one can make out the great similarities between the two pieces, it is Mozart who’s music captures the heart of the people.\r\n\r\nMozart’s musical relationship with the public was so powerful that even before the release of <em>Le Nozze di Figaro</em>, his operas were causing great competitions with other artists of his time. One in particular is that of Antonio Salieri’s <em>Prima la Musica e Poi le Parole. </em>On February 7, 1786, Salieri’s triumphant musical creation was commissioned by the Emperor Joseph II to perform at a festival in Vienna. While his opera was performed on one end of the stage, Mozart’s musical comedy <em>Der Schauspieldirektor </em>was being held at the other end. Due to Mozart’s growing popularity, it is safe to say that Salieri was not pleased as Mozart was praised. That began an on going musical battle between the two composers and their librettists.\r\n\r\nPersonally, I can understand the demand for Mozart’s music back then. It seems that he came around at a time when people wanted to laugh and be merry and be entertained by comedy instead of tragedy. When I hear the overture of <em>Le Nozze di Figaro</em>, it gives me a sense of warmth and enlightenment. I love the way the piece crescendos in the beginning and takes you on a journey through the flutes and clarinets. I imagine a lot of comedic chaos, like if this were the music to a silent film, there would be overly dramatic hands and arms and things being out of place and unruly.\r\n\r\nI am not one to listen to classical music nor am I one to go to an opera. Just last year, I went to my first ballet…<em>The Nutcracker </em>(composed by Peter Ilyich Tchaikovsky in 1892). I was surprised at how much I enjoyed the experience. The dancers made the music come alive for me and I actually felt myself slip into somewhat of a trance during the dance of the Snow Queen. The music itself just reminded me of Christmas time. I never knew that all those holiday commercials were inspired by the music in <em>The Nutcracker</em>.\r\n\r\nLike <em>The Nutcracker</em>, Mozart’s <em>Le Nozze di Figaro </em>has done more than stand the test of time. It has influenced even our current generation in ways that I honestly would not have noticed if I did not do this assignment. Much of his music is featured as a musical score in many films but this particular piece is also in television shows, commercials and I even found a video game that uses <em>Le Nozze di Figaro </em>as a score as well. It is currently being featured as the music to motivate America to lose weight and eat healthier in a Subway ad. You can also hear this piece in cartoons such as <em>Bugs Bunny </em>and <em>Ren and Stimpy</em>, movies like the <em>Shawshank Redemption </em>and <em>Zombieland</em>, to television shows like <em>Seinfeld.</em>\r\n\r\nMozart is probably the only composer in history to have written undisputed masterworks in virtually every musical genre of his age. Of Mozart’s operas, <em>Le Nozze di Figaro</em>, is the earliest opera still found in the repertoire of virtually all of today’s opera houses.( <a href=\"http://www.ipl.org/div/mushist/clas/mozart.html\"><span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\"><span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\"><span style=\"color: #0000ff;\">http://www.ipl.org/div/mushist/clas/mozart.html</span></span></span></a>). It could be said that today’s society appreciates and accepts the piece just as well as they did when it debuted back in 1786. <em>Le Nozze di Figaro </em>is even being showcased at the Austin Lyric Opera this year proving its capability to stand the test of time. It is a remarkable piece that is always recognized when heard by anyone, whether they are a classical music lover or not and should be kept in the hearts for generations to come.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nWorks Cited List\r\n\r\n-Pursuing Enlightenment in Vienna, 1781-1790 by Heather Morrison Aug. 2005\r\n\r\nThis paper assisted with the discovery of how talented Mozart was at such a young age. It informed me of some of his musical achievements as well.\r\n\r\n-http://www.ipl.org/div/muschist/clas/Mozart.html\r\n\r\nThis site helped me discover how important and prominent Figaro is in today’s opera houses. It’s the earliest piece still found in today’s opera houses. \\\r\n\r\n-www.history.com/this-day-in-history/mozarts-le-nozze-di-Figaro-premiers-in-Vienna\r\n\r\nThis site was great in helping with information on the exact day it was debuted . Vital information on how the crowd responded and the actions Figaro would cause for future acts and there ‘attempts’ to perform encores were found here.\r\n\r\n-www.1000recordings.com/music/marriage-Figaro/\r\n\r\nThis site helped with the overall importance of the piece.\r\n\r\n-www.imbd.com/nm0003665/bio\r\n\r\nThis site listed all the different places Figaro can be heard, including all the film scores, television shows, cartoons etc. It informed me of basic bio and family information as well.','Mozart\'s Le Nozze di Figaro','','inherit','open','open','','2829-revision-6','','','2012-10-17 18:59:29','2012-10-18 00:59:29','',2829,'http://jeanatacc.com/2011/?p=2838',0,'revision','',0);
