Colossal Head No. 1 was carved from a single piece of stone by an Olmec sculptor almost 3000 years ago. That’s more than 2000 years before Christopher Columbus sailed to the Americas, only a few hundred years after the pyramids of Egypt were built, and 1000 years before the Great Wall of China was constructed! The artistic and historical significance of this piece cannot be overstated. This sculpture is nearly 9 feet tall (that's nearly as high as a basketball hoop), is estimated to weigh twenty tons (that's equivalent to 1 sperm whale, or 3 elephants, or 250 people), and would have taken its builders fifteen months to move into place! Why do you think the sculptor(s) chose to make this sculpture so big? How did the sculptor want the viewer to feel when looking at this giant head? Would the meaning of the artwork have been changed if the size were decreased? Where in the world were the Olmecs located, and how is their location significant when considering their artworks? What other cultures/societies have been influenced by the artwork of the Olmecs?
References:
Hirst, K. (2010). Olmec Timeline and Definition: Guide to the Olmec civilization. Found at: http://archaeology.about.com/od/olmeccivilization/a/olmec.htm
Whale Information Sheet. (2010). found at: http://www.enchantedlearning.com/subjects/whales/alphawhales.shtml
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| Colossal Head No. 1 Image Found at: http://www.latinamericanstudies.org/olmec/san-lorenzo-1.jpg |
The size of the head makes it noticeable. I think they made it so large because it symbolized something very important to their civilization. He wanted people to feel like they were in the presents of a large power. A civilization not to mess with.
ReplyDeleteDecreasing the size of the scultpure would have decreased from the impression it makes on people. The size is one of the things that make it noticable, and make people want to see it. Then they also reaslize the sculptures other features besides it's size.
The Olmec's were located in South-Central Mexico. Which is in the modern day states of Tabasco and Veracruz. The location made it possible for them to make these sculptures as they did. The materials they used basalt, and jade were easier to find in the area they were in.
The Olmec's influenced Mesoamerican area, as well as areas farther away. Many people believe that this is because the Olmecs traveled to other centers for missionary type works.
Sources:
Unknown. Olmec Civilization. (2002-2010) http://www.crystalinks.com/olmec.html
Academic Dictionary's and Encyclopedia's. Olmec Influence on Mesoamerica. (2010) http://en.academic.ru/dic.nsf/enwiki/4986559
I think they made the head so big to make a statement and show people how talented he was. I think the sculptor wanted people to be amazed and astonished when they looked at this giant head. I agree with Ry when he said it symbolized something very important to their civilation. I think that the reason this Giant Haed was so popular is because it was so huge and very creative and if it was smaller not as many people would have been impressed. They were located in Mesoamerica who lived in tropical lowlands of south-central Mexico. The location was significant because where they were located they didnt have many materials to use but they found enought to make good art. i agee with Ry on how the Olmecs influenced art in other areas.
ReplyDeleteSources:
http://www.crystalinks.com/olmec.html
http://www.mnsu.edu/emuseum/prehistory/latinamerica/meso/cultures/olmec.html
I think the sculptors chose to make this sculpture so big, because they wanted that everone see this sculpture. They wanted to show how important Colossal was.
ReplyDeleteI think the sculptor want the viewer to feel impressed, amazed and a little bit awed when looking at this giant head.
I agree with Lindsay and Ry and think that not so many people would have been impressed if the Colossal-Sculpture was smaller.
The Olmecs were located in South-Central Mexcio. It was the only location which made it possible for them to make these sculptures.
They used the materilas basalt and jade by the artwork.
my sources:
ReplyDeletehttp://www.crystalinks.com/olmec.html
http://www.mnsu.edu/emuseum/prehistory/latinamerica/meso/cultures/olmec.html
www.latinamericanstudies.org/olmec-colossal-heads-1.htm
I agree with Lindsay on her thought that he was trying to show his skills as well with the size. The enormatity of it shows how difficult it must have been when he made this.
ReplyDeleteI also agree on Lindsay's point in it's reason for worldly popularity. The size is such a draw in that it could be a very big reason for it's large popularity
The heads are very large. I believe that they made them so large so that they would have an intimidating factor. The heads were sculpted after the leaders in the society. Making the sculptures so big gave a more powerful intimidating factor to the rulers. If they were not as big they would not have same intimidating affect. It would simply be a stone carving of a head. The Olmecs resided in Mexico. Historians have used the colossal heads to define what the Olmec culture was all about. Many have felt influenced by them.
ReplyDeleteI agree that the size of the sculptures symbolized the importance of people being carved.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Olmec
The Olmec have been credited with using zero, and is one of the oldest civilizations. They lived by the Gulf of Mexico. The head is made out of rock. They lived more than3000 years ago. The sculpture is starting to get cracks. The heads range from 5 feet to 11 feet and weigh many tons. It took 1,500 people 3 to 4 months to carve. They all are wearing helmets, and 17 heads have been found. They brought them to their villages by rafts. They look like they may be players in a ballgame or kings. They look like they may be mad. The sculptors maybe made them so big so that people could see them. The sculpture is very detailed because you can see the pupil in the lift eye it has chubby lips.
ReplyDeleteI agree with Lindsey that they made them so big so people could see how talented the sculptors were in sculpting. I also agree that it would not be as impressive or memorable if it was smaller.
Source: www.squidoo.com/olmecheads
The sculptor made it that size because it would be more memorable and have a larger impact on people if the sculpture was that big. The meaning would be changed slightly if it were smaller because it is the size that makes it so famous, many people wouldn’t take the time to look at it or study it if it were smaller. They were located in Veracruz and Tabasco. Their location made the artwork possible.
ReplyDeleteI agree with RY that the impression people have about the sculpture would be different if it was smaller.
I think if the heads were made smaller they wouldnt be as intimidating to those who saw them and wouldn't show how highly they thought of their rulers. I think that is the feelng the scalpture wanted people to feel when they saw them.
ReplyDeleteThe Olmecs are now considered the "mother-culture" of Mexico
The Olmec were a Pre-Columbian civilization living in the lowlands of south-central Mexico, near the modern-day cities of Veracruz and Tabasco.
I agree with Ry and Lindsay's point that it's reason for worldly popularity. The size brings people to see them.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Olmec
http://www.micahwright.com/olmec.htm
I agree with Ry. The sculpture was made so large to inspire reverence and respect. The artist wanted the viewer to feeled awed and respect the king that the sculpture portrayed. If the size were decreased, the viewer might not be awed by the size and it would show less reverence toward the ruler. The Olmecs were located on the southern most edge of what is now Mexico. They influened Aztec and Mayan civilizations which also made gigantic monuments.
ReplyDeletehttp://www.crystalinks.com/olmec.html
this sculpture so big because they wanted to show appearance. they made these huge heads out of rock. The Olmecs resided in Mexico.He wanted people to feel like stong and endure.
ReplyDeletehttp://www.theurgics.com/products/olmechead.html
i agree with ar3293 that she think the sculptors chose to make this sculpture so big, because they wanted that everone see this sculpture. They wanted to show how important Colossal was.
I think the sculptors chose to create the head so big to make an impact. I definately think they achieved this. I think the sculptor wanted the viewers to see the impact of the Olmecs. Maybe they even wanted to show the power of the Olmecs. I think the meaning would be totally different if the sculpture was a smaller size because it is so massive and was very meaningful to the Olmec people. It wouldn't be as meaningful in a smaller size. The Olmecs were located near the Gulf of Mexico in 1200 to 400 BC. They were located around 80 miles from their stone quarries which made transporting their sculptures rather difficult. They influenced the Mesoamerican civilizations and even the Egyptians with their pyramids.
ReplyDeletehttp://library.thinkquest.org/18778/olmec.htm
I think the sculptor made this piece bigger so it would have a greater impact on the viewer. It is more memorable this way. I think if he would have made it smaller it would be less memorable and have less impact on the viewer.
ReplyDeleteI agree with Ry. Decreasing the size of the sculpture would make it less noticeable and would take away from the uniqueness of the piece.
ReplyDeleteI think this peice is just really creepy. Just the fact that no matter wat he is always looking at you. Plus the detail in his face just makes it worse. The size of his lips is looks like he got collogen injections and couldnt get rid of it so he got a sculpture of his face just to show people not to do it.
ReplyDeleteWell i know that if i was going to make something like that, i would have made it even bigger!To show that I am better.I think the sculptor may have made it this big to show that his civilization rules or something idk. I can't read his mind.The meaning would be the same of course, but it wouldn't be as intense. The olmec were located in Mexico and i think their artwork was significant because they showed their power through it. idk what other places have been influenced by them but they probably aren't as good!
ReplyDeleteI agree with Tanisha that the sculpture is very detailed.
ReplyDeleteI also agree with Lisa that they made them so large so that they have an intimidating factor.
i think he made the sculpture so big because it wanted to shown that sculpture like a strong and power. when you looking at giant head you feeling like you active and arrogant. if the artist made it smaller it not have meaning and people to interested this sculpture.The Olmec were located in South-Central Mexico.
ReplyDeletehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Olmec
i agree with jeremy that she think the sculptor wanted the viewers to see the impact of the Olmecs. Maybe they even wanted to show the power of the Olmecs.
the head are very big. the sculpture show the detail of the face and it's look have more power. The Olmecs were located in South-Central Mexcio. When you looking on the giant face
ReplyDeleteyou feeling to respect and dignified.
http://www.theurgics.com/products/olmechead.html
i agree with Ry that she says it symbolized something very important to their civilization. He wanted people to feel like they were in the presents of a large power.
The Colossal Head No.1 is just one huge head out of a collection of huge heads. They are located in San Lorenzo, Mexico. This is a kind of remarkable, because the region is swampy and the stones are from a mountain miles away, so the Olmecs had to move these heavy stones with hundreds of people for months. The size and the early birth make them also something very special. Moreover they have a flat face and thick lips, therefore some people thought that this must be Africans, who settled down in the New World; other said that they must be Asians, because of their eye shape. Now it’s clear that they are rulers, a important job in the Olmec culture. I think the heads are that big, because rulers had a high position in their culture and the inhabitants should feel a kind of respect or awe of them. I guess if the heads would be smaller than the folks, they wouldn’t be so impressed and maybe a little bit afraid of them.
ReplyDeleteAnd I agree with Ry and Linsay that the artist want to show his skills in size.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Olmec
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/San_Lorenzo_Tenochtitl%C3%A1n
I feel the reason they made the heads so big was so that anything at was going to try and hurt or destroy ceremonial core they would scare them off.
ReplyDeleteIf they had made the heads smaller it wouldn't be as famous. The size of the heads give it its recognition.
Like i said earlier the sculpture would want the person to feel small or inadiquit to the head. i agree with dylan about the size of the head and if it was smaller that it would be as intimidating.
http://www.mysticunicorn.com/PCO-P13.html
I think they chose to make it so big to show how they honored they’re gods or culture. They probably wanted it so big to show their gratitude for their gods and hoped to have good fortune. “it has been suggested that they represented kings or other significant leaders. The helmets give the impression that they might be warriors.” The art work would have deffinately been changed if the size was smaller the size makes the sculoture realized because people wonder how the olmec’s moved them because of there size.
ReplyDeletehttp://www.squidoo.com/olmecheads
The heads were found in Mexico and other regions of the world this relates to there culture by showing how other civilizations have created their sculptures that relate to the Olmecs.I really like the idea of the large sized heads because it's a way to to be recongized for your art work. If I were to do any peice of artwork and want to be remebered I'd go above and beyond!
ReplyDeletehttp://www.micahwright.com/olmec/colossal.html
this is my source http://amolife.com/image/art/top-25-most-popular-sculptures-in-the-world.html
ReplyDeleteI think that they made the head the size it was to make a statement. To show that it Can be done, and to show how the artist tried something that someone else didn't really try to do before. I think that he also did it to show that he was capable of something like that. I myslef do think that if it wasn't as big as it is, it wouldn't be so influential, and it would have been wore down more that what it is now too. If it was smaller. Some were found in the Tuxtlas Mountains. It is also significant to where they are at becasue they are so big. Also they wouldn't have been able to move it, becasue to move it to where it is loccated now it took a while. And yes they were to other places and people because they were found in othere places than just in the Tuxtlas Mountains.
ReplyDeleteLike Lindsay, Ry, and AR3292; because if they did make it the head smaller it wouldn't be as impressive as it is, and i honestly don't think that Colossal would be as famous as he is now. And my source was: :))
ReplyDeletehttp://www.squidoo.com/olmecheads
I love this one! This is because it has so much meaning to it. Theres so many things that can and will run through peoples heads when they look at this art work, because its so big. I think the reasoning behind making the head so big is because they wanted to be seen, they wanted people to think that even the bigger and better things in life CAN be done. Theres no such thing as something that CANT be done. Obviously this piece shows that signifigance very well. These big heads were found in the Tuxtlas mountains. They were not only found there though, so they were widely known. A wonderful piece of art.
ReplyDeletehttp://www.mysticunicorn.com/PCO-P13.html
I also agree with ry, she made a good point that if the head was smaller that it wouldnt be as impressinve or signifigant to others as it is now when its nice and big. Colossal definatly would have failed this art piece if he wouldve made it smaller. I honestly dont think anyone would have been as interested in its uniquness as if it were smaller.
ReplyDeleteI think the sculptor chose to make this sculpture so big because he wanted it to be more noticeable and more important. He wanted people to think of this piece and appreciate it. If it would have been made smaller people probably wouldn’t appreciate it as much. The Olmecs was located in South-Central Mexico in Tabasco. They built it there because many people might travel there a lot, and the materials they used are near that area.
ReplyDeletehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/La_Venta