In this paper, I suggest that the Byzantine Patriarch Photios (r. 858-867, 877-886) used the composition of the apse mosaic of the Theotokos and Christ-Child and its relationship to the light within Hagia Sophia to his political advantage. I propose that on Holy Saturday, 867, Photios attempted to counteract political threats through his Homily 17, which dedicated the apse mosaic, the first figural image installed in Hagia Sophia after the end of Iconoclasm. In Byzantine liturgy, the emperor played a ceremonial role as the embodiment of Christ, an idea that was widely propagated, for example, by images of Christ on imperial coins. I argue that Photios emphasized his own ceremonial role as a "God Bearer" and appropriated the image of the Theotokos as his own opposing political symbol. With the dedication of the Theotokos image, Photios garnered the visual language needed to oppose imperial authority and created an opportunity to assert his Iconophile polemic. Homily 17 is a result of the continuation of the Iconoclast controversy that persisted since the so-called Truimph of Orthodoxy in 843. Through Photios's dedication of the apse image and its relationship to Hagia Sophia's liturgy, the apse mosaic became a performative image. The activation of the apse mosaic as a performative image is due in part to the effect of light caused by the reflection of the sun off of the gold and glass tesserae. Rico Franses discusses how this light effect creates visual layers of bright golden reflections and dark areas of matte glass in the mosaic's composition. He suggests that these layers convey Orthodox theology to the church's congregation. He explains that the changing light in Hagia Sophia, as the sun rises and lowers, and the effect of the reflected light on the gold tessarae illuminate either the Theotokos or the Christ Child. I propose that Photios took advantage of Hagia Sophia's unique light effect in order to emphasize the Theotokos and his own ceremonial role as a "God Bearer" over the Christ-Child in the political rhetoric of Homily 17 and the liturgy of Hagia Sophia. / A Thesis Submitted to the Department of Art History in Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Degree of Master of Arts. / Spring Semester, 2011. / March 29, 2011. / Photios Hagia Sophia ekphrasis Byzantine Byzantium patriarch, Orthodoxy Michael III, Emperor, liturgy, light, Seals, Theotokos, Mother of God, Eucharist, Politics, Performance, Spectacle, Rhetoric, Homily, Sermon, Apse, Mosaic, Tesserae, Christ Child / Includes bibliographical references. / Lynn Jones, Professor Directing Thesis; Paula Gerson, Committee Member; Karen Bearor, Committee Member.

The reliquary chapel of Saint John the Baptist in Siena Cathedral, built between 1482 and 1504, provides valuable insight into an important cultural and historical moment in late fifteenth century Italy. This dissertation explicates the meaning of the chapel and its multi-media decoration on three levels: the viewpoint of the patron, Alberto Aringhieri; the significance for the city of Siena; and in response to the knightly Order of Saint John of Jerusalem. For Aringhieri, the chapel continued a tradition of commemoration on the part of his family. The portraits painted by Pinturicchio depict Aringhieri and his son Luzio underscore the dynastic content of the monument while stressing the membership of these figures among the noble ranks of the Knights of Rhodes. The chapel's civic significance is revealed by reference to the ancient Roman and early Christian heritage of Siena. The all' antica façade is related to the codification of the Siena's Roman past by local humanists, and the presence of Saint Ansanus, baptizer of the Sienese, in the interior makes clear the city's venerable place in the history of Christianity. Another level of civic meaning in terms of Siena's politically-turbulent relationship with Florence is suggested by the importance of Donatello's bronze statue of the Baptist, which could have been read both as a confirmation of Sienese supremacy over their traditional rivals and as supportive of the Florentine government. Alberto and Luzio Aringhieri's membership in the Order of Saint John (Knights Hospitaller of Rhodes) is directly relevant to the decoration and function of the chapel. The Knights' devotion to John the Baptist and their interest in relics of this saint are vital for understanding the chapel's meaning for its patron and other local members of the Order. The traditional role of the Hospitallers as protectors of sacred relics and is continued by the painted Aringhieri Knights that flank the chapel entrance on the interior. The enduring importance of the chapel was underscored in the mid-seventeenth century by Pope Alexander VII who used the monument, which he refurbished, as a model for his new Cappella del Voto located in a pendant position across the transept. The pope's interests in the chapel reflect the same familial, civic, and knightly issues important for the original patron, Alberto Aringhieri. / A Dissertation Submitted to the Department of Art History in Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Degree of Doctor of Philosophy. / Fall Semester, 2002. / November 1, 2002. / Siena, Alberto aringhieri, Art history / Includes bibliographical references. / Jack Freiberg, Professor Directing Dissertation; Mark Pietralunga, Outside Committee Member; Nancy de Grummond, Committee Member; Robert Neuman, Committee Member.

This thesis examines the work of contemporary Mexican artist Carlos Amorales dealing with the theme of lucha libre, professional Mexican wrestling. It assess the critical literature on the subject and offers new avenues of interpretation. Specifically, I relate Amorales' lucha libre works to critical theories on the spectacle, performance art, wrestling, and the semantic framework E-Prime as a means of clarifying misinterpretations in the surrounding discourse on the artist. In this vein, I pay close attention to the sport of lucha libre itself as a historical and cultural entity in Mexico and propose a method for broadening the artist's interpretive audience. / A Thesis submitted to the Department of Art History in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Arts. / Spring Semester, 2006. / March 24, 2006. / E-Prime, Lucha Libre, Carlos Amorales, Contemporary Mexican Art / Includes bibliographical references. / Tatiana Flores, Professor Directing Thesis; Adam Jolles, Committee Member; Robinson Herrera, Committee Member.

The medieval Roman icon, known as the Madonna della Clemenza (Santa Maria in Trastevere), is unusual for both its large size and its inclusion of a papal portrait. Debate over the age and patron of the icon has centered on the interpretation of two documents thought to refer to the image. In this thesis, the relevance and accuracy of these documents as a means of dating the icon is questioned, in part following the criticisms of Carlo Bertelli. Stylistic arguments put forth by Bertelli and others are also questioned in favor of the importance of iconographic evidence. In the first chapter, Pope John VII (707-707) is supported as the most logical patron of the icon based upon iconographic details. The most significant point concerns the similarity of Mary's costume to other known commissions by John VII. The iconographic similarity the icon shares with other works is also explored in terms of the icon's meaning. In a break with past scholarship, this thesis argues that the Madonna della Clemenza was commissioned for a papal palace. This idea is supported by a comparison with known palace decoration in Constantinople and Rome that share iconographic similarities with the icon. Finally, the possible meaning of the icon is discussed. Through a close examination of past scholars' interpretations of a political motive for the icon's creation, this paper suggests an alternative theory based upon the function of the icon to stimulate devotion. By connecting the icon's creation to devotional practices in Rome during John's lifetime, it is argued that the icon conflates Byzantine and Roman practices and is an early example of a new, devotional art. / A Thesis submitted to the Department of Art History in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Art. / Spring Semester, 2005. / October 28, 2004. / Pope John VII, Byzantine, Papal Portrait, Queen Mary, Loros, Santa Maria Antiqua, Maria Regina, Devotion, Roman Icons / Includes bibliographical references. / Cynthia Hahn, Professor Directing Thesis; Paula Gerson, Committee Member; Jack Freiberg, Committee Member.

Frank Gehry introduced a new era in architecture with the Guggenheim Museum in Bilbao, Spain. The expressive quality of the building signaled to both architects and critics alike that an important change had occurred; yet, the most important issues were not discerned through an examination of its style alone. Noteworthy are the Guggenheim's design and building processes which mark a paradigm shift in architectural historiography and pedagogy. The museum comprises three significant over-arching ideas which Gehry repeats in subsequent constructions: an unprecedented use of e-technology to design and build, an extensive and innovative use of architectural language, including Jacques Derrida's "deconstruction," and a sensitive awareness of cultural memory and history. Furthermore, the design and construction of the Guggenheim Museum have created a ripple effect throughout the architectural world, altering pedagogical models and introducing new styles. Using e-technology to design and construct the Guggenheim Museum, Gehry effectively mirrored society's transformation from industrial to post-industrial. Therefore, this museum serves as the earliest model of society's change to a ubiquitous incorporation of e-technology, while representing a historical architectural shift from industrial construction to technological construction. As a result of the immense transpositions and transformations Gehry created in architecture, a new discourse has been opened among architects and critics alike. Now termed "The Bilbao Effect," this new dialogue challenges ideas of architecture as economic tool used for urban revitalization. Furthermore, "The Bilbao Effect" incorporates issues of signature designs and a new "mechanization" of architectural design. This dissertation briefly outlines the beginning dialogue of "the Bilbao effect." Furthermore, I demonstrate that the Guggenheim Bilbao is a new style—Techno-Morphism—a term I have coined. Since the museum is both formed and informed by e-technology, technomorphism is also a process. This process is due to Gehry's employment of CATIA, a multi-faceted aeronautic software which includes CAD (Computer Aided Drafting), CAM (Computer Aided Manufacturing), and CAE (Computer Aided Engineering) capabilities. This highly sophisticated software streamlined the processes Gehry needed to produce more "artistic" buildings, while being cost effective. I have also demonstrated that Gehry's use of CATIA for design and construction finalized the mechanized industrial age, prevalent in the mid-nineteenth and twentieth centuries. / A Dissertation submitted to the Department of Art History in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy. / Summer Semester, 2004. / April 23, 2004. / Frank Gehry, Contemporary Architecture / Includes bibliographical references. / Lauren Weingarden, Professor Directing Dissertation; William Cloonan, Outside Committee Member; Cynthia Hahn, Committee Member; Robert Neuman, Committee Member.

My thesis seeks to examine three painting cycles by Cy Twombly (b. 1928)—The Roses and Untitled (Roses) of 2008 and Untitled (Peony Blossom Paintings) of 2007—as sites of memory. Each series consists of large-scale wood panels upon which painted flower forms co-exist with handwritten lines of poetry appropriated from stanzas penned by various Western poets as well as Japanese haikus. Scholarship dedicated to these paintings mostly ignores the textual components, which, as I argue, contain significant parallels to the painted elements. The poems and haikus provide additional layers of meaning to each work, compelling viewers to make multiple connections and simultaneous associations in a manner that is similar to the construction of memory. I begin by surveying Twombly's writing practice and presenting theories that validate how forms of writing construct cultural memory. Twombly has marked his canvases with written symbols since the early 1950s, but in later years, as evidenced by Roses and Peony Blossom Paintings, the artist's word evocations have become more cohesive, and now include entire lines of handwritten poetry. Next I utilize secondary literary sources to scrutinize the poems and haikus in order to suggest a more nuanced understanding of these paintings. Throughout the course of my textual discussion I connect the poetic forms to the layered painted representations. The visual parallels between the words and images, and the spatial dimensions among the two, evoke a shifting sense of meaning in the same way that memory is constructed. / A Thesis submitted to the Department of Art History in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Arts. / Spring Semester, 2011. / April 4, 2011. / the nation / Includes bibliographical references. / Lauren S. Weingarden, Professor Directing Thesis; Roald Nasgaard, Committee Member; Adam Jolles, Committee Member.

This thesis investigates the effigy funerary urn as an important genre of Highland Maya art. Effigy funerary urns like the fifty-five examples that are the focus of this project date to the Terminal Classic to Early Postclassic Period and were produced within the northern areas of the Departments of Quiche and Huehuetenango in the Guatemalan Highlands, most likely in the area surrounding Nebaj. I examine the urns by addressing the interrelated issues of genre, iconography, and function to provide a holistic study of these objects. The iconographic and formal variations between the urns are explored and as a result, I identify three standard urn shapes and seven distinct iconographic categories. The urns boast a pervasive iconographic complex that features the Jaguar God of the Underworld, the Trefoil Jaguar, the old god of the hearth, and the Maize God. The true significance of these objects lies in the connection between this iconography and the urns' funerary function. I argue that this iconography makes explicit the analogy that exists between eschatology, the life cycle of maize, and the rebirth of the Maize God. I reveal how the iconographic complex informs and even directs the sacred cycle believed to take place within the urns, one shared by maize, the Maize God, and humans. The imagery effectively marks the urns as a location for sprouting or rebirth by providing the symbolic heat, water, and darkness necessary for this process. Effigy funerary urns, although they belong to a different class of objects, are conceptually linked to temples (mortuary structures), houses, and incensarios. These urns condense architectural tombs into a single ceramic vessel while preserving tomb symbolism and represent a distinct departure from other contemporaneous Highland funerary urns. / A Thesis submitted to the Department of Art History in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Arts. / . / April 5, 2010. / Popol Vuh, Mary Butler Lewis, Maize, Burial, Ceramic, Huehueteotl, Maize God, Jaguar, Tomb Symbolism, Funerary Ritual, Nebaj, Jaguar God of the Underworld / Includes bibliographical references. / Michael D. Carrasco, Professor Directing Thesis; Stephanie Leitch, Committee Member; Nancy de Grummond, Committee Member; Elin Danien, Committee Member.

This study examines early seventeenth-century Parisian churches supported by French monarchs, concentrating on the manner in which the buildings illuminate the political goals of the patrons. Specifically it focuses on the reign of King Louis XIII (1610-1643), a period during which the king's mother Queen Maria de' Medici ruled as regent from 1610 to 1617. During the king's reign twenty-one new places of worship were constructed in Paris, making it one of the most active phases of church building in the entire history of the French capital. Of the twenty-one churches built during this period, ten received support from the current monarch. Scholars traditionally attribute the volume of construction to the impact of the Catholic Reformation and the subsequent establishment of numerous reformed religious groups in Paris. While the religious renewal that swept France in the early seventeenth century certainly fueled the construction of churches, the factors prompting Louis XIII and Maria de' Medici to support such a high number of buildings remains unexplored in the literature. By investigating the architecture, painting, and sculpture of these churches in tandem with the historical and political context of the period, the buildings reveal how they took on additional meaning beyond reflecting the devout Catholic state. Instead of Maria de' Medici and Louis XIII only using the churches as symbols of their religious beliefs, they supported them as a means of pursuing their political objectives, goals that varied depending upon who was in control of the throne. Specifically, Maria de' Medici became a patron of ecclesiastical institutions to promote her authority while demonstrating her support of the Catholic faith, its institutions, and its allies. In contrast, Louis XIII advocated the sovereignty of the state, contributing to churches that honored French kingship and the monarch's divine right to rule through their architecture, painting, and sculpture. / A Dissertation Submitted to the Department of Art History in Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Degree of Doctor of Philosophy. / Spring Semester, 2009. / March 23, 2009. / France, Churches, Architectural History, Art History, Early Modern Europe / Includes bibliographical references. / Robert N. Neuman, Professor Directing Dissertation; William Cloonan, Outside Committee Member; Jack Freiberg, Committee Member; Paula Gerson, Committee Member.

In 1984 George Rodrigue, then known primarily as a naïve surrealist or Cajun primitive expressionist, was asked to paint illustrations for a collection of Louisiana ghost stories entitled Bayou. When the moment came to illustrate the French-Cajun tale of the werewolf, or loup-garoup, the artist used his previously deceased black and white spaniel-terrier mix, Tiffany, as a model. Bathed in the light of a Cajun moon, the creature took on a blue hue. Since then, Blue Dog, as the animal has become known, has generated wide recognition with original canvases and silk screens portraying this subject selling for as high as $350,000. George Rodrigue's artistic background is rooted in commercial design. From his earliest recollections he has maintained an interest in the ability of art images to impart specific feelings and emotions and exercise influential power over those who view them. In search of a niche market and subject matter with which to showcase his artistic talents, Rodrigue turned to painting images from his Acadian heritage. Efforts within this context earned Rodrigue domestic and international acclaim. His works sold relatively well within selected circles –offered initially at prices of $50 and eventually, through enhanced product placement and networking efforts, reaching values of $150,000. However, as Rodrigue's artistic focus shifted away from his Acadian past and began to focus intently upon Blue Dog, an icon more closely aligned with his immediate, commercially influenced present, what positive critical interest Rodrigue had been able to foster in his work began to subside. Conversely, putting to work theories concerning the power of public interest to diminish considerably the effectiveness of scant or negative critical commentary, Blue Dog's popularity grew exponentially. This icon ushered Rodrigue into a phase of his career that, with its ability to foster instant audience report and spur mass-market appeal, reflects a heretofore-unrealized synergy between his artistic and commercial sensibilities. Today, George Rodrigue stands as an example of artistic success achieved outside the traditional artist/dealer/gallery establishment and propagated not through the centralized voices of select critics, but via the consensus opinions and economic power of a mainstream, art-purchasing audience. Using lessons learned through relationships with agents, dealers, fellow artists, friends, and established marketing and promotional professionals, Rodrigue has generated for himself a version of the business model used historically by the art industry and infused it with his own approachable, genial persona. Without question, Blue Dog has provided Rodrigue a level of artistic freedom and financial success that was for him previously unattainable. Through the mass public appeal of the canine icon, Rodrigue's earning potential as an artist presently dwarfs that which he achieved with his early Acadian-influenced efforts. Averaging an annual income of $10 million, it is clear that whether gleaned from the world of art or the world of business, the mantra of "success breeds success" remains true and verifiable. / A Thesis Submitted to the Department of Art History in Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Degree of Master of Arts. / Fall Semester, 2003. / November 3, 2003. / Art Marketing, Art and Commercialism / Includes bibliographical references. / Robert Neuman, Professor Directing Thesis; Jack Freiberg, Committee Member; Adam D. Jolles, Committee Member.

This thesis explores how the British Museum, David Roberts and Francis Frith asserted English identity throughout first part of the nineteenth-century. I argue that they did this through the collection and display of ancient Egyptian imagery. For each example, I apply the concept of the gaze. The gaze, as an art historical term, defines the visual dialogue between the viewer and the subject. I believe that emphasizing contrasts is the most effective was of defining national identity. In nineteenth-century England, the use of Egyptian imagery was particularly effective because of the popular idea that anything Eastern was "Other" or exotic. This thesis discusses how the British Museum, David Roberts, and Francis Frith exploited this otherness. I chose my three examples because of their physical connection with the Egyptian material. Each translated immediacy into effective visual statements. I also chose them because they represent three distinct periods within the nineteenth-century. For each, I discuss how the images were collected and how they made these accessible to the public. The British Museum opens the nineteenth-century. It had the strongest ties to institutional control of Egyptian imagery. It was not only an influential English institution in its own right, but was also supported by Parliament. The British Museum had an incredible level of control because it housed the actual objects for the public to come and view. Towards the middle of the century, the artist David Roberts traveled to Egypt to collect its imagery for paintings and lithographs to be completed upon his return. He joined the influential Royal Academy of Arts shortly after. The photographer Francis Frith closes the period under study. With Frith, we see the loosening of the institutional control of Egyptian imagery. He traveled to Egypt, on his own, to photograph the same range of subject matter that his predecessor sketched. Upon his return, he used his printing business to distribute the photos. Frith also represents how increased access to Egypt also diminished the sense of "otherness." / A Thesis Submitted to the Department of Art History in Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Degree of Master of Arts. / Fall Semester, 2004. / November 1, 2004. / Egypt, Otherness, Victorian, Nineteenth Century, Royal Academy, British Museum, Imperial, Empire, British, England, Francis Frith, Gaze, Display, Collecting, Lithograph, English, Tourist Gaze, Tourist, Ancient Egypt, National Identity, Material Culture, David Roberts, Egyptian, Photography, Photographs, Photo Views, Landscape, Painting, Museum, Orientalism, Wet Collodion / Includes bibliographical references. / Daniel J. Pullen, Professor Directing Thesis; Adam D. Jolles, Committee Member; Paula Gerson, Committee Member.