mien:

air, bearing, or demeanour, as showing character, feeling

 

Augustus in armour (Spearman of Polycletus): * see EndNote<A>

aka Augustus of Prima Porta, full-length portrait statue of Augustus, 2.08 meters tall weighing 1,000 kg; discovered at the Villa of Livia (owned by Augustus’ third wife, Livia Drusilla) at Prima Porta near Rome).  She retired to the villa after Augustus’s death in AD 14. Carved by Greek sculptors, a copy of a lost bronze original displayed in Rome.

 

Lenbach (and Rembrandt): * see EndNote <B>

1836-1904, German painter known for his portraits of prominent personalities from the nobility, arts & industry.  As a young artist he travelled to Italy, often copying German & Italian masterpieces, selling them to private collectors.  After 1868 he devoted himself to portraiture.  His sitters included: Emperor William I, Wagner, Liszt, & Gladstone & Bismarck, (whom he painted 80 times).  Influenced by the chiaroscuro, colour & painterly qualities of Titian, Rembrandt, Velázquez & Reynolds.

 

Makart (and Rubens): * see EndNote <C>

1840-1884, Austrian academic history painter, designer & decorator; famous for his influence on Gustav Klimt & while alive considered an important artist himself & celebrity figure in the high Vienna culture.  He became the acknowledged leader of the artistic life of the Vienna.  His style was an aestheticism that was quite unique.   Called the "magician of colours", he painted in brilliant colours & fluid forms, which placed the design and aesthetic of the work before all else.  Often to heighten the strength of his colours he introduced asphalt into his pain.  The paintings were usually large-scale and theatrical productions of historical motifs.  Works such as The Papal Election reveal Makart's skill in the bold use of colour to convey drama as well as his later developed virtuoso draughtsmanship.  His work (like those of other academic artists of the time), consisted of allegorical painting and history painting as seen in Catherina Carnaro,  Dianas Hunt, The Entry of Charles V into Antwerp, Abundantia , Spring, Summer, The Death of Cleopatra, The Five Senses, and Bacchus and Ariadne.

 

Egyptian portrait (Amasis I to Cleopatra): * see EndNote<D>

Spengler is referring to the period from 1549 BC (the start of Amasis I’s rule) to 51 BC (the start of Cleopatra’s rule).  This was Egypt’s Late Civilization or Winter.  Egyptian art was always very conservative, styles changed remarkably little over time.  Early portraits aim to show an individual as a ruler & follow idealizing artistic conventions rather than individual features.  The degree of idealization can be hard to assess.  The purpose of most pharaonic portraits was dynastic, temples were decorated to show the inclusion of the pharaoh in the company of the gods.  The pharaoh is represented as an idealized figure, in the prime of life, differing in no respect from the gods.  Only twice was this convention broken; in the 12th dynasty (which show individual human traits never thought of as characteristic of the gods) and during the reign of Akh-en-Aten.

 

Turfa:* See EndNote<E>

aka Turpan, both a generalized name for the ancient settlements in the Tarim basin & a specific location (an oasis) in the Basin.  The Basin is in western China, at a key site on the Silk Road.  It played a significant role in migration, culture & communications between East & West.  Archaeological expeditions have discovered manuscripts, stucco reliefs, painted wooden panels & murals.  Several strong, independent city states inhabited the periphery of the basin.  One of these, Khotan, controlled travel & trade throughout the region for over a thousand years.  It was a colony settled 3rd century BC by an Indian prince, one of several sons of the legendary King Asoka (304–232 BC).  He was expelled from India after Asoka's conversion to Buddhism.  Asoka was a ruler of the Maurya Empire, an Indian empire based in Magadha, founded by Chandragupta Maurya.  It dominated the subcontinent between 322 and 185 BC & was the largest political entity ever to exist in the Indian subcontinent, extending over 1.9 million square miles at its zenith under Ashoka. 

 

Indian drama:

tradition of dramatic literature & performance is regarded as the highest achievement of Sanskrit literature. Buddhist philosopher Asvaghosa (who composed Buddhacarita) is considered the first Sanskrit dramatist.  This drama utilised stock characters, such as the hero, heroine  or clown & actorsprobably specialised in a particular type. The Mahābhāṣya, a treatise on grammar by Patañjali, contains the earliest reference to the seeds of Sanskrit drama & gives the 2nd century BC as the beginnings of theatre in India.

 

Kalidasa:

a Classical Sanskrit writer, active 4th or 5th century AD, considered the greatest Sanskrit poet & dramatist.  His plays & poetry are based on the Vedas, the Ramayana, the Mahabharata & the Puranas.  He is the author of the Raghuvaṃśa ("Dynasty of Raghu") an epic poem about the kings of the Raghu dynasty; and Kumārasambhava (Kumar meaning youth, & sambavam meaning story or incident) describing the birth & adolescence of the goddess Parvati, and her marriage with Lord Shiva.  Much about his life is unknown.  Spengler would identify him as belonging to the Indian Culture.

 

Chinese painting (post Han dynasty): * see EndNote<F>

The Han dynasty was the 2nd imperial dynasty of China (206 BC–220 AD), it is considered a golden age in Chinese history.