Discuss the use and significance of proportion and scale in Benin ...

[sheilaspns]

Discuss the use and significance of proportion and scale in Benin sculpture.
 
  What will be an ideal response?

Question 2

Compare and contrast the mosaics found in mosques with those in a Byzantine church, explaining the cultural and doctrinal reasons for the differences.
 
  What will be an ideal response?

[KKcool]

Answer to Question 1

Like the rulers of ancient Egypt, Benin kings are viewed as sacred beings, which is common in many African societies. Art is employed to dramatize and support this concept of a sacred kingship. Royal altars were dedicated to the king's hand, a symbol of physical prowess. Hands are depicted around its base where they alternate with rams' heads. The king is shown seated atop the altar flanked by attendants in a symmetrical composition, which expresses a social hierarchy. The king is at the center and is portrayed larger than the other figures, which employs scale as an indication of importance. Proportionally, the king takes up one-third of his total height. Representations of the king manifest themselves through the use of proportion.

Answer to Question 2

Where the mosaics in a Byzantine church might depict Jesus, Mary, and saints, the mosaics in a mosque do not portray any people, much less images of God. The Qur'an contains a stern warning against the worship of idols, and this led to a doctrine prohibiting images of animate beings in religious contexts. The creative result was decorative geometric patterns and stylized plant forms. Arabic script also became an important element of decoration.