Tlatilco
GENERAL DESCRIPTION
Settling as early as 2000 BCE, the Tlatilco people flourished in the Valley of Mexico between 1250 BCE and 800 BCE during the Early Formative period. The major archaeological sites of the area include Tlatilco, Tlapacoya, and Coapexco. They were so named for the Nahuatl word, meaning “place of hidden things,” though we do not know what they actually called themselves.
Han dynasty (206 BCE- 220 CE)
GENERAL DESCRIPTION
Following the death of the Qin emperor Qin Shi Huang, civil war ensued before China was reunited under the Han dynasty (206 BCE - 220 CE). The Han is divided into two periods: the Western Han (206 BCE - 9 CE) and Eastern Han (25-220 CE).
1991.2.FA Saddle
GENERAL DESCRIPTION
The saddle consists of four pieces of lacquered wood ti
1991.381 Portrait of an arhat
GENERAL DESCRIPTION
This figure of a monk contemplating a lotus
Zen
GENERAL DESCRIPTION
Zen is a form of Japanese Buddhism transmitted to Japan in the 13th century from China, where it is called Ch'an. It was taken from India to China in the 6th century CE by the monk Bodhidharma (Japanese: Daruma), who is considered the first patriarch of Ch'an.
Britannia Standard Silver
GENERAL DESCRIPTION
The Britannia Standard for silver was implemented by English King William III from 1697 to 1719 in order to assist in making new coins. This rule raised the amount of silver in the alloy to 95.8 percent. Preceding and following this rule, British coinage was made from sterling silver which contains 92.5 percent of the precious metal.
Colors, complementary
GENERAL DESCRIPTION
Complementary colors are those that have a maximum contrast when placed next to their opposite on the color wheel.
Gouache
GENERAL DESCRIPTION
Gouache is a technique of painting with opaque pigments in a water base. (It also refers to a work in this medium.) Although often associated with watercolor paints, the primary difference is that gouache is not transparent.
Pastel
GENERAL DESCRIPTION
The medium pastel refers to crayon sticks made of finely ground pigments combined with a fixative, such as a gum. Works made with this medium are also called pastels. Artists often apply pastels to paper supports.
Porcelain
GENERAL DESCRIPTION
Porcelain is the purest workable clay, made with little earth and mostly kaolin, silica, and feldsapr. After firing at very high temperatures (1250°-1350°C), it has a glasslike, water-tight gloss finish.