Decorative Motifs Research Articles

A Proximate Past

In a stinging critique of the work of Danh Vo, Claire Bishop argues that he reduces moments of historical significance to pretexts for ornamental displays. In stressing the need for sustained engagement with historical trauma, she aligns herself with Theodor Adorno and others who have identified a waning historical consciousness in modern society and culture. Writers descended from Adorno have put forward models for an art of remembrance, including ‘memory sculpture’ (Andreas Huyssen) and the ‘counter-monument’ (James Young). A closer examination of Vo’s work suggests that he borrows elements of both of these models in works that display powerful but contrasting investments in the past. Bishop’s analysis is harsh. The ornamental motifs that dismayed her are crucial to a practice in which the continuing relevance of the past is established through the conflict between different attitudes to the objects it leaves behind.

Measurement of constant radius swept features in cultural heritage

Abstract The dimensional characterization of archaeological fragment is a very complex operation and could prove to be useful for identifying the presence of standard attributes in the ceramics found from a specific archaeological site, or for making comparisons and analysis of similarities or for studying ancient technologies used for manufacture of objects. The dimensional analysis of the fragments is now carried out manually with traditional measuring devices. Typically, the results obtained are inaccurate and non-repeatable measurements. This paper focuses on the dimensional characterization of a specific geometric class of features: the constant radius swept features (called here CRS features). Several archaeological features, such as rims, bases, decorative motifs, processing marks and grooves are referable from a geometric point of view to the class of CRS features. These are detail features, which may be very interesting for the investigation of some aspects related to the historical-archaeological classification of the find. CRS features are often found on worn, damaged (e.g. chipped) or fragmented objects; they are frequently characterized, from a geometric point of view, by free form surfaces and by a limited cross sectional extension. In some cases, CRS features can be of axially symmetrical geometry: this occurs quite frequently in the case of archaeological pottery. For all these reasons, it is often difficult to apply traditional manual methods for the quantitative dimensional characterization of CRS features. This paper describes an original methodology for the measurement of CRS features acquired by scanning technologies. The algorithmic implementation of this methodology, consisting of a suitable processing of the feature nodes, allows to carry out automatically the dimensional characterization of the feature.

Traditional ornament in the multimedia space

The subject of this research is the project process of introducing the art of traditional ornament into the multimedia space. The relevance and novelty of the topic are caused by the use of motifs of Russian traditional ornaments in a new technological environment, which also helps to attract the attention of the younger generation to traditional culture, strengthening the connection between traditions and modernity. The aim of the research is to study the interpenetration and mutual influence of artistic techniques and creative methods of creating traditional ornaments for adaptation and application in the process of developing multimedia projects. The main objectives of the research include, firstly, consideration of the use of motifs of Russian traditional ornaments in a new technological environment on the example of student projects; secondly, analysis of the project process for creating motion graphics made using elements of traditional ornament and revealing the sound image of a musical composition created for an orchestra of folk instruments; in-third, the analysis of aspects of the development of elements of traditional ornament with examples of tools that implement a particular technology.In the course of the study, the analytical method of pre-project analysis, the formal-stylistic method of describing and analyzing the art form as the internal organization of the structure of the interaction of elements in the composition of a traditional ornament were applied, the experimental method of designing a multimedia composition was considered. As a result of the research, specific features of synthesizing a set of possible solutions in creating a design project with the active use of the sound component were identified. The role of sound/musical composition in the design of a multimedia project, the main methods, techniques of working with images and applying effects to create a comfortable existence and development of traditional ornamental motifs in a modern digital environment are analyzed. The technological aspect of creating a visual and sound composition was also analyzed.

Highlights on the Use of Acanthus as an Ornamental motif from Greco-Roman to Islamic period

Highlights on the Use of Acanthus as an Ornamental motif from Greco-Roman to Islamic period

EVOLUTION OF A TRADITIONAL SHIRT AMONG THE KRASNOUFIMSK MARIS IN THE SECOND HALF OF THE 19th AND EARLY 20th CENTURIES

The research object in this paper is a shirt as part of a traditional costume among the Mari people from Krasnoufimsk District of Sverdlovsk Oblast, Russian Federation. The research subject includes the processes of development and modification of the folk costume shapes that occurred in the late 19 and early 20 centuries. The paper is based on the author’s field materials obtained in 2002 and 2006, collection of the Museum of Archeology and Ethnography, IES UFIC RAS, photo collection of the IHLL UFIC RAS and previously published materials on the topic of this paper. The aim of the research is to identify the development trends of a traditional shirt among the Krasnoufimsk Maris in the late 19 and early 20 centuries as well as the factors affecting the evolutionary transformations in its design, colouring and decoration. In accordance with the aims of the research, the author has set the following objectives: To give a detailed description of peculiar features in design and decoration of archaic white linen shirts of the 19th century and fabric cotton shirts of the 20 century; To reveal, on these grounds, their stable traits preserved in the 20 century, on the one hand, and innovations in design and decoration, on the other hand; To determine the sequence of changes. The research shows that changes in the traits of Krasnoufimsk Mari shirts were in line with the processes of modernization of the traditional costume among the peoples of the region in the late 19 and early 20 centuries (replacing white linen with coarse cotton fabric, homespun braid used in decoration with red calico strips, homespun thread for weaving with store-bought one, hand woven cloths for sewing with manufactured fabrics), this being primarily explained by the affordability of manufactured goods and their increased use in sewing and decoration. Another factor contributing to the development of the traditional costume among the peoples of the region during the period under investigation was interethnic interaction. On the shirts of the Krasnoufimsk Maris, a definite, although relatively slight, influence of the neighbouring Turkic-speaking peoples can be seen in decorative motives.

Eneolithic ceramics of the Ozymenki II site in Primokshan

The paper analyzes a complex of ceramics of the Volosovskaya culture of the Ozymenki II parking lot located in Primokshan within the framework of a typological and historical-cultural approach to the study of pottery. Previously, the authors published the Neolithic materials of this monument; this work is devoted to the Eneolithic ware. In the course of the study, the most stable forms of corollas, ornamental elements and ornamental motifs were identified. To carry out a technical and technological analysis, the Volosovskaya ceramics were divided into groups according to the characteristic elements of the ornament. The tradition of selecting raw materials characteristic of all Eneolithic ceramics of the site was highlighted: the predominant use of plastic (unpeeled) silty clay in a naturally moistened state. Recipes of the molding mass are also recorded, which demonstrate a variety of options: MC + FB + OS, MC + FB + C + OS, IPRM + C + OS, MC + CS + C + OS, MC + OS, MC + FB. According to the results of the study, the authors concluded that the materials of this monument should be attributed to the middle stage of the Volosovskaya culture, since there is a combination of dishes without ornament and dense ornamentation, a weakly profiled form of vessels prevails, there are no L-shaped corollas.

Structural colors with embedded anti-counterfeit features fabricated by laser-based methods

Structural colors can be induced on metals not only to fabricate logos or decorative motives but also to embed anti-counterfeit features for product protection. In this study, stainless steel (EN 1.4301) plates are colorized by growing a thin oxide layer using direct laser writing (DLW) and hidden anti-counterfeit measures are included on their surfaces by direct laser interference patterning (DLIP) processing. The periodic microstructures resulting from the DLIP treatment have a spatial period of 1 µm and act as relief diffraction gratings, featuring a characteristic diffraction pattern. These microstructures are not visible to the human eye but are easily detectable upon shining a coherent beam on the surface. Furthermore, the reflectance over the visible spectrum of the colorized surfaces with and without the DLIP microtexture is measured, giving low differences in the color perception following the so-called “CIE L*a*b*” color space. Finally, a demonstrator is fabricated, in which colorized fields with and without the security features are shown.

Lost and Gone: A Representational Study of Bronze Ornaments in the Ancient Dian Kingdom, China

Abstract Amidst its diverse prehistoric civilizations, the Shizhaishan culture has provided evidence concerning the lives the ancient Dian people more than 2,000 years ago with its vivid and figurative excavated artifacts exhibiting exquisite craftsmanship and varied forms. One of the artifacts unearthed from Tomb M6, the “Golden Seal of the King of Dian,” matches exactly with descriptions in the Historical Records, serving as the only domestic case in which the “the dual evidence method” of historical research has been applied. Bronze ornaments embodying the sophistication of Bronze Age civilization in the Dian Kingdom have been excavated from this and subsequent large tombs, the cultural interaction between Dian and the Bronze Age plaques of the Scythians on the Eurasian steppe and the North System implies exchange between different prehistoric civilizations an issue that is still source of current academic debate. This paper provides an iconographic study of the Dian Kingdom bronze ornaments through the study of decorative motifs, inlaid materials, and the casting and gilding techniques. In this respect, we explore social production in the Dian Kingdom and contact between the civilizations of the East and the West across the “golden latitude” and connected by the “Southern Silk Road.” Our paper concludes that Bronze Ornaments are the concrete embodiment of the Ancient Chinese South-west highland and Western civilization in terms of the integration in the integration Dian culture. Therefore, this subject of is great value in terms of our understanding of both regional prehistory and cultural development.

Cultural heritage values and underlying spatial characteristics of the Temple of Literature in Vinh Long, Southern Vietnam

PurposeAmong others in South Vietnam, the Temple of Literature in Vinh Long is the only one that has preserved its original form and layout. As such in 1991, the temple was recognized by the Ministry of Culture as a national-level historical and cultural relic. Nevertheless, the temple has been neither studied nor documented to any great depth. Only a few historical descriptions for local tour guidebooks and photo catalogs exist. Therefore this paper aims to initially record heritage values, spatial characteristics and the process of major changes, while documenting the current state of the temple structure and carrying out on-site inspections to survey the buildings.Design/methodology/approachThis paper outlines the collection of survey data through field survey and provides an overview of the existing significant heritage factors of the Temple of Literature in Vinh Long by comparative examination in relation to other surviving temples and analyzing its unique spatial characteristics and indigenous cultural decorations in detail.FindingsAlthough the layout of the temples was influenced by the Chinese Confucius's principles and the notion of Feng Shui, it is evident from the study that the design of the temple has many architectural elements that reveal Vietnam's unique culture and local features. In particular, the Temple of Literature in Vinh Long was a symbol of feudal education, symbolizing sacred traditional values in the field of education for the people of Vinh Long province. Stone steles recorded names of all contributors related to the construction and restoration of the temple with sincere gratitude. Moreover, many of the decorative motifs contain many indigenous cultural and artistic values of Vietnam, reflecting traditional Vietnamese beliefs and ethnographic features.Research limitations/implicationsBy comparatively analyzing the temple with others, it reveals the unique spatial features, layouts, changes and evolutions of the temple. Unlike the oldest and the largest Temple of Literature in Hanoi, the temples in the South are much smaller in terms of complex sizes and the number of buildings. They are mostly composed of a singular structure, the Attained Talent House, with some basic gates and water features interwoven within the landscape of the site. Based on the elementary layout, some subsidiary buildings were added according to the needs and site conditions, and in accordance with the bilateral axis.Social implicationsThe awareness and preservation of the architectural features of the local temple are needed to protect heritage monuments and to enhance cultural resources as part of securing Vietnamese ideology for a longer period of time. While the interest in historic preservation and conservation activities of heritage buildings in Vietnam has slowly grown in attention over the last decade, it is evident that many opportunities remain. It is hoped that this research is a small step toward further research, education and advocacy in the preservation of historic buildings in Vietnam.Originality/valueThe introduction of Chinese Confucian thought to Vietnam was one of the most substantial influences in Vietnamese intellectual history. Despite being an important part of the nation's architectural, cultural and intellectual heritage sites, the study and documentation of the Temples of Literature have been relatively neglected or marginalized. Accordingly, this study is significant to reveal not only the values and unique heritage characteristics of the temple, but also to prioritize resources for continued study and preservation.

The Originality of the Artistic Search of the Volyn Artist Oleksandr Valenta

The multifaceted culture of the Volyn land is distinguished by a colorful palette of prominent figures in the field of art, including fine art, and their creative achievements. A Volyn artist Oleksandr Valenta (1944–1997), was well-known far beyond our country. He was a master of the still life and landscape genre, which combined features of post-impressionism, cubism, pointillism. At the same time, the artist had highly distinct, specifically Ukrainian, namely Volyn individual handwriting, marked by folklore motifs, decorative motifs, ornamental construction of the composition, which are still not studied by art critics and are still waiting for their scientific understanding. This article is the first to introduce factual and analytical materials into scientific circulation, the authors cataloged the creative works of the master, which will help in further scientific practice of research of little-known creative heritage, and highlighting his creative methods and techniques. The authors proved that the peculiarity of O. Valenta’s paintings is a peculiar image of space composed of small particles. They are painted lush, colorful, full of light and freshness. The Ukrainian color of his paintings is revealed by the peculiarities of the image and color palette. The artist often painted his canvases using different variations of one shade, striking the bold combination of colors, conciseness, decorativeness, and symbolism of the image. As a result of the research, it was established that a significant number of the artist’s works are the property of private collections (collectors) of Poland, Germany, Israel, some are in the collection of the Volyn Museum of Local Lore, and the study revealed the artist’s appeal to the historical genre in particular, attention is focused on the theme of glorifying the work of Lesya Ukrainka.

Mapping medieval tombstones in the municipality of Osmaci

The first research of medieval tombstones on the territory of the municipality of Osmaci began in the first half of the 20th century. By 1970, eight sites with a total of ninety-seven medieval tombstones had been discovered. Recent terrain research correlated with the use of the Geographic Information System revealed a significant number of new necropolises. On the territory of the municipality of Osmaci, there are twenty-six necropolises with a total of two hundred and sixteen medieval tombstones. The most common are stelas, which makes up 59.26% of all monuments. According to that, the area of the municipality of Osmaci differs from other areas of Bosnia and Herzegovina, where tombstones in the shape of sarcophagi are most represented. The ornaments contain twenty medieval tombstones. The most common motifs are crosses and crescents that appear on stelas. In addition to that, relief presentations of the sun, spirals, S-spirals, grapes, rosettes, twisted ribbons, sword, lily were also discovered. According to the shape of the monuments and decorative motifs, it can be concluded that the medieval tombstones in the municipality of Osmaci belong to the East Bosnian stonemason’s school.

The Evolution of the "Gryphon’s Head" Ornamental Motif in the Art of the Early Period of the Pazyryk Culture

The Evolution of the "Gryphon’s Head" Ornamental Motif in the Art of the Early Period of the Pazyryk Culture

FOLK COSTUME IN BUKOVYNA IMAGES OF THE 20TH–21ST CENTURIES

The article analyzes various options for using the national costume to create an image – from the desire to convey the decorative expressiveness and even exoticism of the clothes of the characters in the picture to the attempt to use it to indicate the inner essence of the person portrayed, to outline the historical background, the importance of the depicted event for a certain ethnic group, or to transform the national costume or its individual recognizable elements to a symbol, thus demonstrating the artist's own position. The outwardly effective approach to the depiction of folk clothing, with observance of the latter's ethnographic features, was more characteristic of the works of European and local artists of the second half of the 19th century. (Yu. Zuber, E. Buchevskyi, A. Kokhanovska). Despite the presence in the 20th century of a significant number of artists for whom folk dress is an important sign of national identity, no less number of authors use it precisely as a mark of the region, a decorative motif that gives the work more picturesqueness. This is often found not only in paintings but also in posters and illustrations, in particular, from the Soviet period. The artists of the late 20th and early 21st centuries sometimes turn folk costume into a symbolic and expressive part of a portrait, composition, or even a still life; the costume helps the author to give the work a special meaning and emotional color (Y. Zayats, I. Salevych, O. Kryvoruchko). The national costume, as an emphasis on the selfidentification of both the artist and his model, is gaining particular popularity in Bukovyna (and in Ukraine in general) at a time when there is a threat of leveling, or even destroying, the uniqueness of the nation. Therefore, similar manifestations were observed both in the period after 1940 and during the events of the end of the 20th – the first quarter of the 21st century.

ORNAMENTAL DECORATION OF THE EARLY CHRISTIAN MAUSOLEUM CHAPEL OF EXODUS (KHARGA OASIS, EGYPT): ROLE, CONNOTATIONS, DATING

The Chapel of Exodus is a small Coptic mausoleum located in the outskirts of the oasis of Kharga in Libyan Desert (Egypt). It is famous for its elaborated pictorial program which is loosely dated back to the late 4th through the early 5th century A.D. While its figure paintings have long been under the academic scrutiny, the decorative program has not so far attracted the scholars’ attention. Meanwhile, the non-figured decorations usually tell the story of their own, and the study of the decorative programs can be highly enlightening. This is exactly the case of the Chapel of Exodus. The style and color palette of the decorative paintings stand in stark contrast to the figure scenes. While the latter look rather outdated for the suggested timespan, the former seem precocious in many ways. The decorative program is holistic, polychromic and rich in ornamental motifs, which is unusual for Egyptian murals of the 5th century A.D., while being characteristic of the 6th century decorations of Christian churches. Painted imitations of spiral fluted columns also support the idea of later dating. Moreover, the holistic character of the program and accent on precious stone veneer imitations underline the high status of the mausoleum owner. It seems plausible that by the time when the decorative program was added (presumably, in the 6th century), the 5th century mausoleum had become an important commemorative monument.

The Lotus in Central Asia: A Sassanian Motif in the Islamic Stucco Decoration

This publication aims to review the history of Lotus images as reproduced in the stucco décor of pre-Mongolian Islamic Central Asia and to trace its evolution between the 9th and 12th century. The Lotus motif originates in Achaemenid Iran and is sequentially re-interpreted in the stucco of Sassanid Iran, Central Asian Sogdia, and the Umayyad and Abbasid Caliphates. There are many studies dedicated to succession between Sassanid and Islamic ornamentation; however, such reviews either have a limited coverage of the stucco ornament of Central Asia or overlook it altogether. The publication is focused on the Central Asian iconography of the Lotus that embodies all the above influences. The study follows a descriptive and historic approach. The Lotus images in stucco are selected chronologically and on a regional basis: monuments of Sassanid Iran and Central Asian Sogdia, and Islamic monuments of Iraq, Iran, Syria, Afghanistan, and Central Asia. Regional versions of the motif are identified and compared with those classified previously. I analysed the formal characteristics of ornament on thirty monuments: composition, scale, proportions, location, symmetry type, rhythm, and technique. Five vectors of the development in 9th to 12th century Central Asia were identified: Sassanian motif re-scaled and relocated in the overall arrangement; the motif incorporated into new ornamental designs; plant morphology altered; and both symmetry and carving techniques becoming more complicated. This research not only provides a brief review of Lotus in the Islamic art of Central Asia for architectural conservation projects, but also serves as a starting point for studying other ornamental motifs along the same lines.

House carving decoration as a field of interaction between the folk art and the art of Grand styles

The article is dedicated to the interaction between professional art and folk art in the city culture of the second half of the XIX – the beginning of the XX century. Choosing as an example the wooden houses preserved in West Siberian cities (Tyumen, Tobolsk, Tara, Tomsk, Barnaul, Omsk, Kurgan, Novosibirsk) the author examines the use of decorative stylistic features of stone buildings in wooden architecture constructed as part of mass city development. It is accentuated that master craftsmen often turned for inspiration to Baroque, Art Nouveau and Russian Ropet-Gartman styles, transforming their decorative motives and creating carved compositions marked by originality and high quality of workmanship.

The Transmission of Decorative Motifs in the History of Chinese Song and Yuan Ceramics Technology--On the Origin of Decorative Motifs on Yuan Blue and White Porcelain

Blue-and-white porcelain suddenly appeared at the Jingdezhen kilns during the Yuan Dynasty. Regarding the subject matter and layout of porcelain decoration, the underglaze brown porcelain of the Jizhou kiln is closely related to the decoration of the blue-and-white porcelain of the Yuan dynasty. It is a reference and inheritance from the latter to the former.

Comparison and Application of Auspicious Cloud Patterns in Chinese and Thai Buddhist Paintings

Both China and Thailand have a tradition of believing in Buddhism, especially in Thailand, therefore these two countries have produced a large number of paintings with Buddhist themes from ancient times to the present. In both Chinese and Thai Buddhist paintings, auspicious clouds is an essential decorative motif. The auspicious clouds in Chinese and Thai Buddhist paintings have their own characteristics and similarities in terms of symbolic meaning, shape and expression, from which we can see the deep integration during Chinese and Thai cultures. This thesis focuses on the similarities and differences of the auspicious cloud motifs between Chinese and Thai Buddhist paintings. By using their similarities, it will be applied to all aspects of contemporary cultural, economic and personnel exchanges between China and Thailand, and play a positive role in promoting friendly exchanges between China and Thailand.

Concerning the Aquatic-Bovine Dimension to YHWH Worship and Its Relation to the Double Cornucopia on Jewish Coinage

Why is the image of the double cornucopia so utterly pervasive on Judaean coinage of the Hasmonean Dynasty? Is it a mere decorative motif, perhaps mimicking Seleukid or other Greek types also featuring a cornucopia, or is there a deeper, authentically Jewish religious dimension to the iconography? A few numismatists have offered cursory explanations for its appearance but none of the explanations are particularly satisfying, largely because they leave much of the earlier history of Jewish cult outside of the interpretation. Meshorer, in his essay, claimed that, although the cornucopia was a near-universal symbol in antiquity, the double cornucopia was a Greek iconographic development that was adopted by the Jews and assimilated into their culture.

RAGAM HIAS MOTIF BATIK MELALUI RELIEF FLORA CANDI BOROBUDUR PADA MAHASISWA PGSD FKIP UAD

His study aims to describe the implementation of the decorative reliefs of the Borobudur temple flora on the batik motifs of PGSD FKIP UAD students. The research method that will be used is qualitative with a case study approach. Data collection techniques were carried out by interview, observation, and document review. Data analysis techniques that will be used in the form of data reduction, data presentation and drawing conclusions. The results of the study were the implementation of various relief batik motifs through the reliefs of the flora of the Borobudur temple on the work of PGSD UAD students. The motifs that appear in the decorative motifs made by students are geometric and non-gemetric batik motifs combined with flora reliefs in the form of frangipani trees, lotus trees, banana trees and lotus trees. Student works are in the form of 2-dimensional works with the identification of elements of straight, curved, zigzag and irregular lines, geometric expressions, organic expressions, multi-angled faces, and irregular shapes. and tertiary, playing dark and light, applying the principles of composition work. Keywords: Decorative Variety, Batik Motif, Relief