Formal Analysis Relief With Ashurbanipal Killing A Lion

FORMAL ANALYSIS OF ART
‘RELIEF WITH ASHURBANIPAL KILLING A LION’
Your Name
Instructor
Institution
Date
Picture: Lion Hunt of Ashurbanipal
Art is such an important aspect of life. Ever since time immemorial, man has been known to use art to express feelings, thoughts, to tell a story and generally to keep memories flowing from one generation to another. Art comes in many forms like music, drawing, crafting, acting, only to mention but a few. One thing people tend to gain from art is entertainment. However, people studying art tend to be very critical hence need for/to analyze any piece of art given. From the Mona Lisa, the Last Supper, among many, the Assyrian Hunting the lion pieces are among the world’s greatest art pieces that have seen better days.
Lion killing in the ancient times was reserved for the royalty. This picture shows the King killing an Asian lion which was commonplace. Both images convey the same message even though the first picture looks incomplete. It depicts the King near the lion, thrusting a weapon in the lion’s chest. The king is accompanied with a relief from the royal palace. From the historical and religious point of view, the slabs from which the crafts of the Kings killing the lions were placed in the Palace for décor. These were very much treasured items in the ancient Mesopotamia.
The first picture depicts the King killing the lion. In accordance with the Mesopotamian beliefs, a King was supposed to kill the lion and if he got overpowered, a relief came in handy. The first sculpture shows the King in control. He has t...