Sculpture Appreciation 101- The Farnese Atlas Sculpture

In my previous postings, I talked about Music and Art Appreciation 101, but have not mentioned another art form that must be appreciated. Again, I have never had a formal class on Sculpture Appreciation, But have attended a lecture on Sculpture and Paintings during my college years. I was lucky to have Dorm mate who was majoring in Fine Arts and was invited to a lecture by one of the most famous Filipino sculpture during my college years, Napoleon Abueva💚. 

https://theculturetrip.com/asia/philippines/articles/napoleon-abueva-the-artist-who-created-modern-filipino-sculpture

  This posting is about the Farnese Atlas Sculpture. 

"The Farnese Atlas, housed in the National Archaeological Museum of Naples, is a marble sculpture standing 1.85 meters tall, dating from the 2nd century AD. This statue, part of the Farnese collection, was discovered in 1546 at the Baths of Caracalla in Rome and was transferred to Naples in 1787 when it was inherited by Charles III of Bourbon. The sculpture depicts the Titan Atlas supporting a globe on his shoulders, which is detailed with representations of 43 constellations.

The uniqueness of the Farnese Atlas lies in its status as a Roman copy of an earlier Hellenistic prototype. The Farnese Globe is the most complete representation of the celestial sphere as conceived by Greek-Hellenistic culture. This iconography was preserved through the centuries, reaching the Renaissance via the works of Ptolemy, and provides a detailed view of constellations and ancient cosmic understanding."

Visit the site below for Additional Details:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Farnese_Atlas

Finally, here's the history of the Lesher Center for Arts-3 blocks from the Heritage DownTown, where THD residents have enjoyed the presentations on arts and music for several years.    

https://www.walnutcreekmagazine.com/2020/10/06/331329/a-look-back-opening-night-at-the-lesher-center?fbclid=IwZXh0bgNhZW0CMTAAAR3MDcpQ58rlJmpWfwey9BPkGckpXYh2hulW43ZT45UUBfYy0MFsiBmyxBk_aem_nfp5UoL8glu8MYx32IQQoA#:~:text=Now%20in%20its%2030th%20year,%E2%80%9CThanks%20for%20the%20memory.%E2%80%9D

💚Napoleon Abueva, Blood Compact