Film Critique - Cairo Time

Sarah Khalil

Humanities 101

Professor Bomboy

November 20, 2015

            I have chosen to analyze and critique the movie Cairo Time written and directed by Ruba Nadda. I chose to critique the way the music in the film is used to heighten emotional response.

            The film Cairo Time is simply about a terse romantic connection between two people that cannot be together. The film basically shows the West meeting the East for the first time and exploring more about each other’s beliefs and cultures. It illustrates that in the Western culture, people are constantly busy, accomplishing deadlines and never having a chance to slow down and think. However, when the American woman arrives to the East she is forced to slow down and think more about her life. I believe the intent of the film is to show viewers that two people from different cultures can have an unexpected love affair despite their cultural and religious differences. Since the film was actually shot in Egypt, I believe its other intent is to show people the beauty of Egypt and its people.

            The movie consists of two main characters, Juliette Grant and Tareq Khalifa and it takes place the same year the movie was produced. There are other important characters such as Kathryn and Mark.

 Many know that music portrays a wide range of emotions. Music is powerful in that sense and because of that Ruba Nadda does an excellent job of incorporating the right music in the right scenes. More than 90% of the music used in Cairo Time is instrumental and/or classical music. Most of the music used has a soft yet intriguing rhythm. I believe Ruba Nadda did this because the movie is a slow paced romantic movie and she wants the audience to pay attention to what the characters are saying to one another and their facial expressions rather than paying attention to the words of a song.

Ruba Nadda only incorporated two Egyptian songs in the movie and I believe she did so to make the audience feel like they’re actually in Egypt. The song “Ahwak” by Abdel Halim Hafez (a popular classic in Egypt) was played when Tarek took out Juliette for a walk. Ahwak in Arabic means “I love you”. I don’t believe Tarek loved Juliette just yet but Nadda played this song to show that he was in fact falling in love with her slowly without realizing it.

When Juliette goes to the White Desert (a small town in Western Egypt) with her friend, Kathryn, the instrumental song “White Desert” by Niall Byrne is played in the background and sets a sorrowful yet mellow mood. I believe this is one of the most important scenes in the movie because Kathryn is telling Juliette how she once fell in love with an Egyptian man and almost left her husband for him. Kathryn then tells Juliette “You seem happy. That’s all that matters” (Iron & Nadda, 2009). When in fact the audience can see Juliette looking out into the distance thinking if she truly is happy or is just lying to herself to keep her marriage alive.

Tarek was a former bodyguard to Mark (Juliette’s husband) and due to this Tarek is asked by Mark to show her around the city until he returns from the UN. In the beginning of the movie, Tarek asks Juliette if she’d like to see the pyramids but she politely declines and says she can’t because she made a promise to Mark that they would see the pyramids together. However, towards the very end of the movie, the instrumental song “Cairo Time” by Niall Byrne sets a calm and romantic mood and is played when Juliette agrees to see the pyramids with Tarek. This shows the audience that she is slowly falling in love with Tarek and slowly forgetting about her husband. During this scene no words are exchanged, just facial expressions.

As soon as Juliette and Tarek arrive at the hotel after seeing the pyramids together, Mark arrives, thanks Tarek for everything and takes Juliette to the pyramids. As they’re in the taxi on their way to the pyramids, “Till I kissed you” by The Everly Brothers on the radio starts playing. I believe the Nadda incorporated this song into the scene because Juliette and Mark are almost leaving Egypt and heading back home to America. The reality for Juliette starts to set in and she starts to sob for a moment quietly.

Overall, I believe Nadda did a superb job of delivering her message to the audience. I believe there are several different messages from Cairo Time. But I believe the main one is that the choices you make in life determine your fate. All of the choices that Juliette made in her life lead up to one important moment, meeting and falling in love with Tarek. I also believe that Patricia Clarkson (Juliette) and Alexander Siddig (Tarek) were perfect actors for the film. Not because they delivered the lines correctly but because of the facial expressions they expressed in the movie. When I first watched the movie I kept forgetting it was a movie because of how realistic the actors made it out to be. This movie actually encouraged me to look more into the whole soundtrack of the movie because it was very touching, heartwarming and nostalgic. Although the music used was very quiet and calm, I believe Nadda has attracted many towards her movie due to the music she chose to incorporate.

Works Cited

Cairo Time. By Ruba Nadda. Perf. Patricia Clarkson and Alexander Siddig. IMDb, 2009. DVD.

Iron, Daniel, prod. Cairo Time. Screenplay by Ruba Nadda. Dir. Ruba Nadda. IFC Films, 2009.   

          Film

Feminism within Art

Sarah Khalil

November 04, 2015

Professor Bomboy

Humanities 101

Feminism within Art

            Throughout the years different viewpoints and movements have been expressed through art. To some, art is merely an aesthetic. While to others, it is a way to express ones emotions, beliefs and even experiences. Similarly to storytelling, art is just the same. Art is a way to narrate a story through details, elements of art, and principles of design. One artist who has expressed feminism vividly through her artworks is Artemisia Gentileschi. “Judith Slaying Holofernes” is one of her famous artworks that was completed between 1614-1620 (Fiero 48). “Judith Slaying Holofernes” is a narrative painting that not only reveals her viewpoints of society, but more importantly her viewpoints of feminism. In fact, this famous artwork is known to be linked to a real-life experience that Gentileschi had experienced.

            Like any artwork, “Judith Slaying Holofernes” has many elements of art and principles of designs incorporated into it. “Judith Slaying Holofernes” is an oil on canvas type of painting that shows two women, one resembles to be Judith and the other resembles to be a maid. There’s also a man who seems to be Holofernes in the painting on a bed outstretched with Judith standing above him and striking his neck with his own sword. The maid is aiding Judith to hold down Holofernes while Judith is portrayed as barely using any strength and still managing to cut off Holofernes’s head. This painting is famous mainly because it is a biblical story and is expressed through a feminist viewpoint (Fiero 48). It is seen to be expressed in a feminist viewpoint because Judith and the maid are both shown with their sleeves rolled up and working in unison to resemble that women who work together are focused and strong women. This shows the viewer that Gentileschi thinks of women as strong, independent and powerful. Whereas, painter Caravaggio’s “Judith Slaying Holofernes” painting resembles a very small and petite woman with a surprised expression on her face while slaying Holofernes with an old lady behind her that seems to be the maid assisting her. Caravaggio’s painting also shows creases on Judith’s wrist implying that physical strength is required for her to cut off Holofernes head. This shows the viewer that Caravaggio thinks of women as tiny, feminine, and possibly even weak.

The use of lines in this painting is phenomenal because it shows every little detail ranging from the bedsheets and clothing to the blood escaping Holofernes neck. All of which resemble the painting to seem more vivid. Since Gentileschi is a woman, her paintings resemble realistic shapes of a woman figure as opposed to male painters who paint unrealistic or idealistic women figures. Not only that but the painting itself has many organic/natural shapes incorporated into it. All of which make the painting seem more realistic and 3-D. Another thing that makes the painting appear as natural looking is the color scheme. Many of the colors used are natural-like colors, such as red, white, brown, black, etc. The overall texture of the painting is very realistic to the point where it seems as if the painting is an actual photograph. The texture of the clothes resemble the wrinkles, the blood from Holofernes neck isn’t dramatic but is seemingly more realistic looking, and the bedsheets and mattress have similar textures as one would see in real life. The use of value is incorporated evenly in this painting, because Gentileschi uses shadows in the correct places to make the painting seem more 3-D. Such as the complete black background behind Judith and the maid to resemble that Judith is killing Holofernes during the nighttime. When it comes to space, the painting seems almost crowded but not too crowded for anyone to miss any details. Gentileschi does this to make it seem as if the viewers are in the painting with Judith in the tent. The obvious form of the painting is to give the illusion that it is 3-D and more than just a painting. It seems as if Gentileschi wants the viewer to experience what Holofernes is going through and by doing so she gives the painting realistic forms and qualities.

The elements of art and principles of design go hand in hand in any artwork because the principles of design are merely to rearrange the elements of art. In this painting, contrast is found in the organic shapes as on the characters in the painting. For example, there is a contrast between dark colors and the characters in the painting such as the pitch black background and the light being focused more on the characters. Gentileschi does this because she wants the viewers to focus on the characters, which is why the detail itself isn’t very detailed but instead simple yet informative. This is also seen with proportion, since proportion can resemble how much color one thing holds as opposed to something else. The only things that hold color in the painting are the characters clothing, the characters, and the bed containing Holofernes. The whole emphasis on this painting is Holofernes head. This is because Judith’s goal is primarily to kill Holofernes and to cut off his head. This act resembles power and being in control. This whole painting from Gentileschi’s point of view is to resemble that women are always in power and should never be underestimated. Since rhythm is defined as ones eye bouncing from “like” object to “like” object, in this painting Gentileschi wants the viewer to look at Holofernes (since he is the focal point), then to Judith and then to the maid. There isn’t much repetition going on in the painting other than the repetition of natural colors and organic shapes being used continuously, which ultimately leads to unity. Everything in this painting resembles unity because everything matches and everything is well put together in a delicate and simple way. There is unity in the way colors and lines are used to bring this painting all together. Gentileschi’s use of elements and principles come together in unity to bring the painting to life. Every little element and principles were used strategically to pull the viewer into the painting. Gentileschi doesn’t want a viewer to look away from this painting until they have understood every little aspect of it and she does this by pulling the viewer into the painting. The lines, shapes, colors, and textures in the painting create a serious mood. Whereas, the value, space and form display control and power. On the other hand, the principles of design are what truly give the illusion that this painting is a carbon copy of a “photograph”.

Although “Judith Slaying Holofernes” is a biblical story, Gentileschi also incorporated her own meaning into her painting of “Judith Slaying Holofernes”. During the 1600’s and many other eras, women were constantly viewed as people who were merely created to cook, clean, serve and give birth. Due to this corrupted viewpoint it allowed many men to take advantage of women and get away with it. Unfortunately, Gentileschi was one woman who was taken advantage of by her art teacher Agostino Tassi. Tassi was a convicted rapist who had previously served time for raping his previous wife and his sister-in-law. In 1612, a trial was held of Tassi being charged and convicted of raping Gentileschi. During the 16^th century, when a woman accused a man of raping her, she was put under torture in order to force the woman to lie and say that she wasn’t raped and to prove that women are merely delusional. During the trial, Gentileschi was tortured with thumbscrews and other methods of torture to “prove” that she wasn’t lying (Garrard and Steinem). However, through the course of this torture, whenever she was asked if she was raped, Gentileschi never gave up and continued to state that she was in fact raped by Tassi (Garrard and Steinem).

The biblical story behind “Judith Slaying Holofernes” tells a story of the assassination of the Assyrian general Holofernes committed by the Israeli, Judith. Judith assassinated Holofernes because Holofernes was trying to take advantage of her and waiting for an opportunity to seduce her (Fiero 48). The interpretation of “Judith Slaying Holofernes” by Gentileschi is to show that women are just as powerful and have the ability to triumph over powerful men. Gentileschi drew herself as Judith and drew her rapist, Agostino Tassi, as Holofernes. Overall, I believe that Gentileschi has accomplished the idea of being a feminist figure to other women by encouraging other women to speak up and to defend themselves no matter what the situation may be. Gentileschi did this by never giving up during her rape trial, no matter how much torture she had gone through. I believe the aim Gentileschi was going for was simply a cathartic expression of her traumatic experience(s). Not only was she a rape victim, but she had to prove to the court that Tassi was her abuser. One can only imagine how much anger, rage and disappointment that Gentileschi was feeling at the time when she had no one on her side. As I stated earlier, art is a way of expressing ones emotions and Gentileschi used art to her advantage to express her emotions since she could barely write at the time (Garrard and Steinem). The key that motivated Gentileschi to paint “Judith Slaying Holofernes” was merely her traumatic rape trial/experience. It is often seen that people who experience life-changing calamities are the ones that express their pain through art, writing, and poetry all in a tragic yet exquisite manner. For example, Vincent Van Gogh suffered with depression and committed suicide but left the world with many aesthetically pleasing paintings behind.

From my perspective, I truly believe that Gentileschi communicated the idea she was trying for; which is, feminism. When I first saw this painting, I had no background knowledge of Gentileschi but I still knew that the meaning behind “Judith Slaying Holofernes” is that women are powerful, independent and don’t need to rely on men. From my viewpoint, this painting empowers women and reminds society that not all women are designed to be “lady-like” or “feminine”. This painting also shows that women are equal to men and just as capable to doing anything a man can do. This painting makes me feel confident and powerful and it gives me a sense of “You can do anything if you put your mind and strength to it”. Before I saw Gentileschi’s painting of “Judith Slaying Holofernes” I never thought of myself as a feminist. Mainly because I’ve seen many extreme feminists and it discouraged me to support feminism. But after looking into Gentileschi’s life, I realized that feminism only means one thing, and that is equality. From a feminist viewpoint, Gentileschi only wanted to be treated with respect and equality. It is obvious that through her painting(s), Gentileschi treats/views women as queens with control and power. I believe that Gentileschi was a forward-thinking artist and because of this she believed that one day women would receive the rights they deserve. During the 1600, women were constantly being underestimated and viewed as incompetent and weak. Although, from a Marxist viewpoint, Gentileschi portrays power in women. For example, advertisements display subtle hints or messages that the subconscious mind picks up and processes later on unintentionally. Nowadays, the “ideal” woman is portrayed to be Kim Kardashian and because of this many women try to imitate her looks; some even imitate her looks without even realizing it. The same thing goes towards Gentileschi’s painting of “Judith Slaying Holofernes” because Gentileschi is trying to send the message that women are just as powerful. By doing this it could even cause some men to become intimidated by the painting or even by certain women. Overall, Gentileschi’s painting of “Judith Slaying Holofernes” has a deeper meaning and holds a feminist viewpoint that many overlook. Although, Artemisia Gentileschi is no longer around, her paintings still prosper.

“Judith Slaying Holofernes” by Artemisia Gentileschi. 1614-1620. Oil on canvas.

  

“Judith Beheading Holofernes” by Caravaggio. 1598-1599. Oil on canvas.

Works Cited

Camara, Esperança. "Khan Academy." Khan Academy. Khan Academy, n.d. Web. 05 Nov.         

2015.

Fiero, Gloria K. The Humanistic Tradition. 7^th ed. Vol 2. New York: McGraw-Hill, 2015. Print.

Garrard, Mary, and Gloria Steinem. "ON ARTEMISIA GENTILESCHI." ON ARTEMISIA             GENTILESCHI. Members.efn, n.d. Web. 04 Nov. 2015

Non-western art critique

Sarah Khalil

Humanities 101

Professor Bomboy

October 10, 2015

Non-Western Art Critique

            All around the world there are many art pieces that represent exquisite detail and tell many stories. Every art piece reflects the artist’s personality and culture. This is definitely seen in a lot of non-western art pieces such as Islamic art. The most fascinating thing about Islamic art is its religion. The fact that Islam was the only religion to spread at such a fast pace and have a diversity of cultures shared within it, is what makes it so interesting. Still to this day, Islam is the world’s fastest growing religion. Islam was born in the seventh century causing it to stretch from Spain to Africa and even India. Due to this, the Islamic empire ruled the Mediterranean Sea and was announced as one of the most successful empires in history. Not only was religion spread, different cultures and styles were absorbed and expanded along the way as well. Islamic culture and art are well known for their diversity and assimilation of many different ethnic backgrounds. The different styles of art and culture is seen to be expressed in mosques around the world. One particular artwork resides in the Great Mosque of Córdoba.

The Great Mosque of Córdoba is located in Córdoba, Spain and was built in 784 by 'Abd al-Rahman I and was later expanded and reconstructed in the 9^th and 10^th century. It is one of many early examples of Islamic Architecture (Fiero 243). Inside the mosque contains a mihrab; a beautiful Islamic art piece. A mihrab is a niche that marks the direction of Mecca for Muslim prayer (Fiero 244). The mihrab and mosque are both authentic as they’re well known to contain major historical figures that express all the different cultures that have existed in Spain. Córdoba is well-known for growing continuously over the past years, because of this the mosque and mihrab have bear witnessed the successful reconstructions and changes it has had to endure. Córdoba itself has many areas that belong to different styles and timelines, all of which reflect on each other to hold a high degree of authenticity.

When it comes to Islamic art there are three motifs that dominate it: geometric, floral, and calligraphic (Fiero 244). Calligraphy is the decorative handwriting found on every Islamic art piece written in Arabic. Most calligraphy pieces consist of verses from the Quran, the Word of Allah (Arabic word for God) or any Islamic script. This is seen on the “Mihrab of the Great Mosque of Córdoba” as it consists of calligraphic bands all around it. The mihrab also consists of gold tesserae’s that adorn the arch. Islamic art is well-known for consisting of “meander and frame” which is an expression that means that a pattern will go on forever and ever unless it’s stopped by something. This is another feature seen on the mihrab with calligraphy pieces going on and on until they hit a border. This Islamic aesthetic is seen with calligraphy, floral, and geometric motif pieces being expressed in repetition and infinite rhythmic patterns (Fiero 244). The infinite repetition of patterns represents the unchanging laws of God. Such as the five pillars of faith in Islam, which are common rules that are expected of Muslims to follow. Since the use of human and animal forms are forbidden in Islam, Islamic artists use geometric forms instead. As stated before, the Islamic empire was one of the most powerful and with that brought on many resources and inventions such as mathematics. Muslims are known to be the founders of mathematics. Hence, why in the Islamic culture, the geometric design is used continuously because it connects Islamic faith to mathematics. Not only that but geometric patterns are seen as logical and orderly just like Allah. This is also seen on another artwork located inside the Great mosque of Córdoba. Which is the dome above the mihrab. The “Dome of the Great Mosque of Córdoba” consists of crisscrossing arches that form a geometric pattern that are elegantly covered with gold mosaic in an extravagant pattern.

There are many elements incorporated into this particular artwork, such as shape. Which is a simple horseshoe arch, containing many thin lines separating the different calligraphic phrases. The color of the arch contains very natural yet elegant colors, as it appears to look golden yet touched with natural colors of different shades of brown, yellow and black. The texture appears to look smooth and clean. The value of the “Mihrab of the Great Mosque of Córdoba” is well balanced; it’s not too dark or too light. There are both equally balanced amounts of dark and light value, which is makes it aesthetically appealing to the eye. Any mihrab in any mosque is designed to have a 3D spatial depth for the imam to stand while calling on for people to prayer. Lastly, I would describe this mihrab as containing a well-rounded form.

Not only did the “Mihrab of the Great Mosque of Córdoba” contain many elements of art, but it also contains many principles of design. The principles of design are basically to rearrange the elements of art. For example, one can contrast value and one can contrast the use of space. In this mihrab, there is definitely a contrast of space because the huge dome is located right above the mihrab and allows one to see a significant contrast between a small amount of space of the mihrab and the gigantic amount of space located on the “Dome of the Great Mosque of Córdoba” right above. The proportion of the “Mihrab of the Great Mosque of Córdoba” is that it contains many thin lines as seen with the calligraphy. Also the proportion of color is equally balanced, the same amount of color is seen to be distributed evenly in equal amounts all over and around the mihrab. The emphasis of the mihrab would be the empty amount of space in the middle of the mihrab. I believe that is the focal point of the whole artwork, because no matter how much I stare at the mihrab to study its design, my eye seems to come back to the empty space in the middle. There is rhythm and repetition all over the mihrab, because my eye bounces from like object to like object. This is not only seen on the mihrab, but all over many artworks all over the mosque. There is a pattern of Arabic words beautifully written all over in an almost “never ending” pattern until it hits a border. I believe if ones artwork contains rhythm and repetition, it automatically contains a sense of balance. The “Mihrab of the Great Mosque of Córdoba” also contains a sense of unity. Everything in the mihrab is put together, unified and matched together to the point where one can cut the mihrab in half and have both sides symmetrical. I believe most Islamic artworks contain a sense of unity because Islam itself is a religion that brings its followers together in harmony.

The obvious function of this art piece is that it was built for a place of worship and built for the imam to lead prayer, although now it is used simply to attract tourists. Throughout history, many different things change drastically. In this case, it was once a mosque and is now a Catholic cathedral. In modern society, many historical pieces all over the world are used to attract tourists; which is why one may go to Spain today and visit the Great Mosque of Córdoba. It fits in the culture that it was produced in because of the beautiful colors used in this mosque. In Spain today, it’s very common to see many buildings full of bold colors and beautiful designs. It also integrates Islamic culture by displaying elegant calligraphy in Arabic on the “Mihrab of the Great Mosque of Córdoba” and other parts of the mosque. It fits in the culture that produced it because the art piece itself is located in a mosque that represents Islamic culture by proving that Muslims have indeed visited and spread Islam across Spain. The cultural information it conveys is the fact that today, the Great Mosque of Córdoba is a mosque and a cathedral. This shows religious changes that have taken place in Spain over the years. Not only that, but the fact that many Muslims today follow many similar designs of the mihrab onto other Islamic artworks.

As a practicing Muslim, I’m actually ashamed that I have never seen or heard of this mosque before, although I probably haven’t heard of it because it is now a cathedral and a “mosque”. When I first saw this mosque, I was astonished. Astonished because it was built hundreds and hundreds of years ago and is more beautiful than any modern mosque I’ve seen nowadays. The thing that amazed me the most is how spacious it is and how it got more exquisite as the years went on. It also amazes me how beautiful the “Mihrab of the Great Mosque of Córdoba” has contained to be over the past decades. Never in my life, have I seen such an aesthetically pleasing Islamic mihrab. All of these reactions are caused mainly because I live in a predominately non-diverse town and have never been exposed to beautiful non-western artworks. I honestly wish I lived during that time period just so I could experience how luxurious and beautiful it must be to pray and connect with God at the Great Mosque of Córdoba.

          

“Mihrab of the Great Mosque in Córdoba” photograph by monchoparis (originally created in 784)

 

“Dome of the Great Mosque of Córdoba” photograph by bongo vongo (originally created in 784)

Works Cited

Fiero, Gloira K. The Humanistic Tradition. 7^th ed. Vol 1. New York: McGraw-Hill, 2015. Print.

Monchoparis. Mihrab of the Great Mosque of Córdoba. 2015. The Great Mosque of Córdoba, 

    Córdoba. Flickr.com. Web. 10 Oct. 2015.

Vongo, Bongo. Mihrab Dome of the Great Mosque in Córdoba. 2007. The Great Mosque of    

     Córdoba, Córdoba, Spain. Flickr. Web. 18 Sept. 2015

            

Classical Architecture Critique

Sarah Khalil

Professor Bombay

Modern Culture and the Arts

September 10, 2015

Classical Greek Architecture is everywhere

            Today in modern society one may notice that many of the buildings around us reflects upon Greek architecture. One building that emulates Greek architecture is the Guthrie Memorial Library in Hanover, Pennsylvania. As opposed to the ancient Egyptians, the ancient Greeks designed great monuments to serve the living and not the dead. Whereas, the Egyptians built monuments to serve the dead and not the living because they were more concerned with the hereafter than the ancient Greeks were. The Greeks were more obsessed with life on earth, and as a result their love for life on earth is expressed in their exquisite temples and theaters. Furthermore, the Parthenon is a historically famous Greek temple dedicated to Athena, the goddess of war, and resembles the Doric order, which is “one of the three programs of architectural design developed by the ancient Greeks” (1: 123). This resembles the idea that Greek monuments were built for power, prestige and royalty. Each order consists of different details and each order is used for different types of monuments. In this instance, the Guthrie Memorial Library is seen using the Corinthian order which is the most elaborate or fancy of all orders. But it is not just seen with this specific library, in fact many libraries contain the Corinthian order. This goes to show that the Classical Greek architecture is indeed ubiquitous.

            The Corinthian order was the closest order chosen for the Guthrie Memorial Library. One thing that stands out to resemble the Corinthian style is that the library contains leaves on its capitals. Whereas, the Ionic order has a volutes (a spiral scroll) on its capitals and an echinus (a rounded mold) and the Doric order contains an abacus (flat slab on top of the capital) and an echinus. This goes to show that the “simplest” order is the Doric and the most “fancy” is the Corinthian. The similarity between all orders is that they all contain a stylobate, which is a flat base that supports the columns and an entablature above the columns. Although, on this specific library it only contains a frieze (decorative band along the top of the wall) and an architrave (a main beam resting on top of the columns) on its entablature. Whereas, all orders usually contain an architrave, a frieze and a cornice on its entablature. Another similarity between the Corinthian order and the library is that the base is rounded in a simple way. The library also contains a pedimental sculpture which are figures decorated onto the library as seen in classical Greek temples. Of course like any building, it must contain a fundamental structure which is the post and lintel. The post and lintel was originally derived from ancient Egyptians and also used in ancient Greek architecture. The post and lintel are two vertical columns with a horizontal member over it. This method is used to support the weight of any building, such as libraries, houses, banks, etc. Although the Corinthian order consists of containing flutes and fillets on its shafts, the Guthrie Memorial library does not seem to be containing any. Which could possibly be due to the fact that it was built in 2005, so the architectures and designers have most likely modernized it. Lastly, it does not seem to be containing any dentils (small blocks repeated continuously next each other) as seen on most Corinthian orders. This goes to show that this library has many designs and has been influenced by many different people but was originally inspired by the ancient Egyptians and ancient Greeks.

            I believe the message the Guthrie Memorial Library is trying to convey is that anyone can put their trust in the quality of the books, the employees, the computers, etc. Furthermore, because it is such a huge library, in a way it conveys that it welcomes anyone from any educational or cultural background and that they are professional. Which is actually true because the library hosts many cultural activities and events every once in a while. Big buildings attract people and the Guthrie Memorial Library succeeded in doing just that.

            Over the years, many architects influenced other architects. For example, ancient Egyptians practically influenced the whole world with their designs and the way they built their famous monuments and buildings. With that being said, I believe two well-known and intellectual architects influenced the design of the Guthrie Memorial Library and many other buildings. Thomas Jefferson and Andrea Palladio. For example, the Rotunda at the University of Virginia was designed by Jefferson but originally inspired by the Pantheon in Rome. Except the Rotunda consists of the Corinthian columns whereas the Pantheon consists of the Doric columns (2: 191). The Doric order is found on many Greek buildings because “it was originated on the Greek mainland and is simple and severe” (1: 123). The Rotunda was designed by Thomas Jefferson to represent the "authority of nature and power of reason" (Judd). This goes to show that huge buildings such as the Guthrie Memorial Library are conveying the message that they are powerful and in control. Due to nature, people tend to unintentionally follow and listen to people in authority with power and confidence. The similarity between the library and the Rotunda is the fact that both buildings are used for educational purposes. The reason why Palladio and Jefferson have similar designs is because Jefferson’s designs were influenced by the drawings of Andrea Palladio. One famous building by Andrea Palladio is Villa Capra “La Rotonda” in Italy. As opposed to the Rotunda by Jefferson, La Rotonda contains the Ionic order due to its appearance containing volutes and echinus on its capital. Overall, one can see that the Pantheon in Rome is what ultimately influenced both architects in their drawings and designs. Again, this shows that classical Greek architecture inspired every architect from various time periods.

            The affect the Corinthian order has on my perception of the Guthrie Memorial Library is respect and power. The Corinthian order is type of order to be found on victory monuments (1: 123). Big buildings such as the Guthrie Memorial Library attract people to come to the library often. As young kids, we are exposed to famous building all around the world by ancient Egyptians, Greeks and Romans in our history classes. We are taught that these buildings are powerful and because of that caused many wars between many countries. As we get older, when we see a huge building such as the Guthrie Memorial Library we automatically associate it with power and trust.

            The style chosen for the Guthrie Memorial Library enhances the library by giving it the ability to catch everyone’s attention. If the library would have chosen the Doric order it would have been plain and simple. But the library chose the most complex and detailed design for a reason. Simply to attract people. Not only that, but in a way they modernized the library to fit modern society’s standards. I believe this style is the most appropriate for this library because it delivers the message that this library is serious and in order. For example, if I saw the Guthrie Memorial Library and saw another library across from it, how would I choose which library to go to? I’d judge it by its design. If I see that the Guthrie Memorial Library has detailed and complex designs as opposed to the other library that has no designs whatsoever, I’d automatically choose the Guthrie Memorial Library. That is how the human brain works unintentionally, we become attracted to the monuments or buildings that our brains perceive has “beautiful” or “enormous”. After all, the most thing that mattered to the ancient Greeks was beauty and they not only expressed beauty within themselves but within their monuments as well.

Works Cited

Fiero, Gloria K. The Humanistic Tradition. 7th ed. 2 Vols. New York: McGraw-Hill,                     

            2015. Print.

Judd, Timothy. “Thomas Jefferson: Architect, Musician.” Suzuki Violin Lessons. 19 Aug. 2015.     Web. 10 Sept. 2015.