Formalism and Iconography Essay Sample

Regarding the analysis of the carpets, it can be seen that the symbols have meanings. For instance, he outlines that the dogs might have meant the symbol of crucifixion. Regarding his analysis, nothing made of the cross can lack sense in human life, and for that matter, the symbols of birds and dogs seem to portray a reason that was not aired out. The context by which the symbols were used depicts that there was a particular meaning, but the symbols were used in a way to confuse the viewers from connecting the actual meanings of the symbols by the application of pure aesthetic experience.

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There are aspects of sharing religions and the claim that the symbols have a strong association. In spite of the fact that there are various reasons to claim that the symbols portray specific meanings, it is outlined that there will be no inventory of purposes that will ever fit the Lindisfarne page and the appearance of Shang Bronze since the page has an infinitely ramified history that is embedded beneath it.

Bagley's thoughts concerning the symbols align with other scholars' motifs. For instance, Chinese scholars depict that some birds have hidden meanings in architecture. There are birds of ill omens while others of good fortune. In spite of the fact that some birds' symbols are used to portray different information, Bagley's ideas did not point out the exact connection of the bird image, but from the look of things, the twisting of the image can suggest that the bird portrays some weird qualities in the architectural works.

Also, the iconographies in works of art by different scholars have proved to be in line with Bagley's assumptions and iconographic analysis of architectural works. For instance, motifs and meanings in among Christian buildings that incorporate Pagan structures seem to challenge scholars' meanings of symbols in art. In analyzing Professor Chang's arguments on the applications of Bronzes, art was not just for art sake. Also, Freudian rationale outlines that the use of symbols in art act as psychological and mental teaching on specific aspects and beliefs in societies. In most cases, architectures tend to include some symbols to praise certain traditions in the world in a manner praising their work. On the other hand, William Watson tries to air out the meaning of symbols in the art in a unique way. For instance, he outlines that "the extraordinary unity of design and logic of stylistic evolution" tend to reflect some sorts of ritual requirements. The artifact in William's arguments proves that symbols carry a given structured meaning.

Bagley uses Lindisfarne as a case study for describing the mask motifs. He outlines that the interlaced animals featured in figure 2 are birds and digs. However, he said that they are not easy to disentangle. He describes that they are ingenious and do not go past knotwork to the point that the viewer whose eyes tend to be caught by the parts of the animals used. Bagley outlines that on the Lindisfarne, colors are sometimes used to help the search and to hinder and tease. He describes that the interlace is inventive and looks miraculously made to conform with the architectural works.

The other types of questions that he addresses

The problem of meaning was the primary question that he discussed apart from the question of asking us to identify the possible symbols that painters put in their architectural works. Another problem was "why the monks of North Umbria and Ireland use animal designs to make their decorations? Last but not least was "what function did these designs serve in their ideologies and why was there such variety?" The evidence available for Shang Bronze that is not Iconographic is the half-parameters that decorate the mandorla which is behind the head of a Buddhist deity.

Bibliography

Bagley, Robert, Meaning and Explanation. Archives of Asian Art Vol. 46, p.6-26.

David Keightley, Sources of Shang History (University of California Press, 1978), p. 137, quoted in Allan, The Shape of the Turtle, p. 128.

The art of Dynastic China, New York, 1981, p.43