Andrew Horiuchi’s College Class Blog

Kneeling Attendant Bodhisattva, Late 7th Century. Dunhuang, China. Unfired Clay and Straw over Wooden Armature. Photo from Harvard Art Museums.       This was one of eight figures surrounding a figure of a preaching Shakyamuni Buddha. It was found in the Mogao Complex in Dunhuang, China. It was found during the First Fogg Expedition to China in 1923-1924. It is currently in the collection of the Harvard Art Museums.      The figurine is a little over 48" tall and the base it sits on is roughly 28" across. It is made from a mix of clay mixed with fibers and straw, over a wooden armature, to give it some structure. Some white was added to the surface of the statue, along with polychromy and gilding. The figurine also wears jewelry and flowing clothing. The white is used on the skin, while the polychromy and gilding is used on the jewelry and clothing. It is kneeling on a lotus flower, hands clasped flat against each other. Like most sacred figures in Bud...

Dado Panel, Courtyard of the Royal Palace of Mas’ud III, Marble, 28 1/8"x12 13/16"x3 1/2"       The piece above is a Dado Panel from the palace of Mas'ud III of Ghazni. Mas'ud III was one of the rulers during the Ghaznavid dynasty. He ruled over the Indian subcontinent. This piece dates to the 22nd of March, 1112. As of 2009, the panel’s dimensions are 28 ⅛ x 12 13/16, 3 ½.  A Dado Panel is a lower section of a wall, usually decorated with various things. The word Dado is borrowed from Italian meaning dice or cube, it refers to a die, an architectural term for the middle of a plinth or pedestal. This panel was not found on the site of the palace, it was connected to the palace panels by examining the carvings on this panel and carvings found at the palace and determined that they were from the same place. The panel can be broken up into three parts. The top is a Kufic inscription, a type of Arabic script. The Brooklyn Museum says that the inscription at the...

Etruscian, Sarcophagus of Seianti Hanunia Tlesnasa,150-140 B.C.E., https://www.britishmuseum.org/collection/object/G_1887-0402-1      The title of this piece is Sarcophagus of Seianti Hanunia Tlesnasa. It was created by the Etruscan people. The piece was discovered in 1886 in Tuscany. The function of this artwork was to hold the remains of an important figure and the statue that was found with the sarcophagus was an idealized version of this person. The piece is made out of terracotta and is 72in in length and 46in in height. It is dated to 150-140 B.C.E. As of right now this piece is located in the British Museum. The name of this woman is known because it was written across the base of the sarcophagus.      The remains of this woman were found inside of the sarcophagus and it is estimated that she was about 50-55 years old when she died. Specialists were able to recreate what she would have looked like by analyzing her skull and sculpting the face. From ...

        The piece in the picture was found at Circle Grave A at Mycenae. It has been identified as a diadem. The medium used for the piece is gold. It has seven points and the base plate. The points and base plate are no longer connected, it can be inferred that they were connected at one point in time. It features geometric designs across the points and base. Each point has seven circles, going from largest at the base and smallest at the point. The base plate has nine base circles, largest in the center, and smallest at the edges. In between each of the circles on the base plate, there are two small circles, one above and one below. The entire piece is heavily dented, creased, and chipped. There is a piece missing out of the rightmost point. The damage observed on the piece was most likely caused by being buried under rocks and rubble at an archaeological site that was not properly excavated or maintained.     Works Cited Dr. Steven Zucker and D...

 Hello, my name is Andrew. I am a fine arts major with an emphasis in ceramics. At this point in time I am not sure what I want to do with my degree, but I would like to create pieces that are useful in everyday life like plates, bowls, and mugs. A few of my hobbies include: gardening, bonsai, cooking, and video games. In the past I have taken mostly ceramics classes, mostly because I enjoy creating new pieces. I have taken a sculpture class, and I am currently taking photography and this art history class. Some of my favorite artists is Robin Furuta, Toshiko Takaezu, Ngozi Ukasu, William Daley, and Yamada Akihiro. Though these artists have different types of art and styles of art, I really enjoy the attention to detail in the line work within their pieces.  Jade Cong, c.2500 B.C.E, 49cm. China, Liangzhu culture. I chose this piece because the method used to create it is very interesting. They were created using abrasion/sanding, this material would shatter if it was carved so...