Metropolitan Musuem of Art Trip Essay

Neil Diestro

HUN 192

10-7-15

Metropolitan Museum of Art Trip Essay

The trip to the Metropolitan Museum of Art trip was a very memorable one because there was a wide range of artwork from many iconic artists. The majority of the artwork that was presented in all exhibits that was available was very impressive. But, there was two pieces of artwork that myself gave extreme interest towards. To be specific, they are sculptures. One of the sculptures was from the Italian Renaissance exhibit. The other was in the Greek Mythology exhibit. These two sculptures share a number of similarities and a few differences. One thing that both of them do share for sure is creativity.

The sculpture from the Italian Renaissance that I got the opportunity to encounter is very standard and traditional to Italy’s history. It is a soldier's battle armor. The wall label that came with the sculpture has the title of ‘Armor.’ The armor is made of steel and leather. It weighs approximately 45 lbs (20.04 kg). This armor was actually made in by a German, possibly from Lower Saxony around 1540-50. It was from the Bashford Dean Memorial Collection and was a gift from Helen Fahnestock Hubbard. Even though this was a typical appearance of a knight, it still shines brightly in any light that it encounters. The term used for that is called “white armor.” The armor can also be used back then for personal use. It didn’t necessarily mean that armor is only used for the average fighting men. The little pieces of leather in the armor is located wrapped around the waist. Almost like a belt and also located at the groin area of the sculpture. Even though this is kind of plain to the regular viewer, the background and history that this possesses makes up for it to be a fine piece of artwork.

Greek Mythology was the second most interesting exhibit that I encountered during my visit at the Metropolitan Museum of Art. When I first stepped into the exhibit, I saw elegance and class. But when I saw this sculpture, I managed to have high interest in it. Just because of the height, and that there was a missing left hand and head. The sculpture is titled ‘Bronze statue of man.’ It is Greek, Hellenistic. It may have been made around the mid-2nd-1st century BC. It was a gift to the museum from Renee E., and Robert A. Belfer in 2001. On the wall label, the MET described this statue ‘honorific.’ The reason why they call it honorific is because just about any sculpture that was made back then was mainly a symbol for the highest honor. His stance seems to be like this man is attempting to grab an object or have an object being handed to. One line from the wall label that was significant was “The horizontal bands that decorate the fabric, which may have been painted or gilded, are a rare detail.”

Both of these sculptures has similarities and differences to one another. For instance, Armor is made from steel and leather. While the Bronze statue of a man was made of bronze. The stance of both artworks are very different too. The sculpture from the Greek Mythology exhibit represented a higher level of elegance and had a more natural feeling. While the Italian Renaissance sculpture had a more muscular nature, but a much more stiff stance. One thing that they do have in common is that the man color that both of them share is gray. The reason why I selected these two works is because not only does it have history behind both, but because both sets the standards of what to expect in both exhibits. When someone would picture both exhibits, an artwork similar to both of these sculptures would most likely come up in their mind. This is also the reason why I felt that these two sculptures were mainly in the museum. The experience of viewing these two works from different eras was positive. It felt like I stepped into two different nations.