The MET assignment was to choose one object and once an action to see how the functions have shifted. This is only part one of my research 🙂

Objects

I chose beds as my objects:

Haverhill Room Haverhill, Massachusetts, ca. 1805

I chose this display room because of the beautiful bedsheets and the hanging curtains around the top. I only focused on the bed itself because of comfort that I can imagine myself being in it. I didn’t focus on the frame of the bed because it didn’t mean much to me even though it does have an intricate carving.

Bedroom from the Sagredo Palace ca. 1720

This second bed gave me more of a cold feeling, with the muted colors of the bedsheets and the matching headboards. It also felt more of a royalty type of bed. I didn’t feel comfortable but rather more of beauty. A bed that is beautiful as a display rather than to spend your restless night in.

ACTION:

My chose of action was dancing.

Facsimiles Painted in 1921-22 By Chales K. Williams
Music and Dance Facsimiles Painted in 1921-22 By Charles K. Williams. (Original Art is from 1400–1390 A.C during the Dynasty 18, Region of Thutmose IV)

I wanted to find dancing throughout the years, this Egyptian replica was a great find.

Mask (Banda) 19th–20th century. Wood, paint; raffia and textile
Helmet Mask: Warthog 20th century Wood, pigment, fiber

Then I found large masks that were used for dancing, and different rituals in African countries.

Two Dancers, 1ca. 1758 Höchst Manufactory. Hard-paste Porcelain

For these two porcelain mini decorations, I loved the small detail on their garments. The descriptions for these decorations were model after Johann Friedrich Luk, and the woman figure is based on Marie Salle portrait by Nicolas Lancret (1690-1745) who was a ballet dancer and innovator.

Bacchante and Infant Faun 1893–94, cast 1894. Bronze     This last sculpture brought me to my attention because of the mood she brings. The movement is very flowing and freeing and brings such bright emotions.

Questions

  1. Why did you choose your object and your action?
    1. For my action, I chose dancing. The reason why was because dancing meant so many things through the ages. It meant rituals, wars, and even romance. At the MET, I saw different objects, sculptures, and paintings that depict dancing.
  2. How easy or difficult was it to find examples of your object and action in the art that was on display? Why? You should elaborate on this.
    1. For my object I had several things that I wanted to do, makeup was one of my objects, then was the bed. The reason why I ended up picking the bed was that I feel more connected to my own bed rather than makeup. I find so much comfort on the way my bed looks and is the way I decorated. I was happy to find bedrooms displays throughout the museum in American and European history wings.
    2. For my action, I thought it was going to be hard to find my objects because I only focused on seeing people dancing, however dancing is more than just people moving in pictures. I was able to find objects that cultures used for dancing and that was fascinating and also dancing meant a happy emotion at times, it is why I added the last sculpture.
  3.  what else do you want to know about these objects, actions, and artworks?
    1. For my object, I would like to know why bedrooms were so decorated, and sometimes very over the top.
    2. For my action, I want to know the more is the history of dancing through different cultures.