Discuss how curatorial practices shape an exhibition Essay

Discuss how curatorial practices shape an exhibition - Essay Example London, from 15th October, 2008 to 18th January, 2009; explores the dramatic rise of portraiture during the 15th and 16th century Renaissance, through the art works of great masters of Northern and Southern Europe. The exhibition is organised in collaboration with the Museo Nacional del Prado, Madrid (Artdaily.org, 2008). It is essential that the exhibition is an intelligently planned and painstakingly executed interpretation of the art works selected. While providing for other possible understandings of the art displayed, it is essential to acknowledge the fact that some art pieces that might have been included to enhance the experience further, could not be procured. According to Storr (2006: 14), â€Å"a good exhibition is never the last word on its subject†. The exhibition’s curator, Susan Foister states that during the Renaissance, â€Å"great painters burst upon the scene with a fascination for the human likeness. They not only acquired the technique to do it, but also the intellectual liberation required to think about what it meant to an individual† (Higgins, 2008). After the dark ages, humanism greatly focused on the individual. The exhibition Renaissance Faces: Van Eyck to Titian at the National Gallery, London provides a rare opportunity to explore over seventy Renaissance portraits along with important sculptures, drawings and medals. Some major paintings have been loaned from the United Kingdom, Europe and North America. These are displayed alongside a selection from the rich in-house collection of Renaissance portraits in The National Gallery, London such as Holbein’s â€Å"The Ambassadors†. Similarly, outstanding masterpieces by Raphael, Titian, Botticelli, Van Eyck, Holbein, Durer, Lotto, Pontormo and Bellini are featured (Artdaily.org, 2008). The curator, Susan Foister has stated that the exhibition examines the reasons why portraits were made during the Renaissance, â€Å"the motivations that animated lives are the same as those today. Love,

To what extent were ancient historians concerned to achieve a high Essay

To what extent were ancient historians concerned to achieve a high standard of objectivity in the production of their narratives - Essay Example Many a scholar has commented that even if objectivity is achieved by a historian, such objectivity always remains confined within the narration of the facts that are presented sequentially. According to (RÃ ¼sen, 2), the best definition of history must include the sense and meaning within the expression of time in the past, present and future. The connectivity of these aspects of time utilizes the main mental form of presentation that narration offers. Narration gives past, present and future some meaning to human life by relating experience to expectation. It is therefore correct to state narratives as the form in which history is stored in human minds and assists them to orientate themselves in temporal change. Objectivity in historical narratives has been analyzed to act as a yardstick of validity, integrity and truth in narratives. The main purpose of narrative objectivity can be said to be the linking impact of historical occurrences and the cumulative complement that each part of history gives to the other. In ancient historical narratives, there was lack of linkage of historical ideas from different writers and time. Objectivity was lacking due to the fact that there was no platform to refer one’s work from pre-existing similar ideas. Many inconsistencies were identified in ancient narratives when comparisons of such uniformed texts were done. Later, ancient historical narratives adopted the truth claim of connecting history to valid explanations of events. The validity of the majority of ancient texts is highly questionable, partly due to the fact that the literacy levels were limited. Majority of ancient historical texts were primary sources since the authors were the first to generate and write on the topics. Modern historical narration has however adopted a more literature perspective in offering validity to events and occurrences. Almost every topic in history has been explored and the relevant information backed up in form of databases.