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Olmec Art
Rating: 4.7 out of 5(14 ratings)
46 students

Olmec Art

Art of the Mother Culture for Artists, Travelers and Adventurers
Created byFederico von Borstel
Last updated 8/2021
English

What you'll learn

  • Any student taking this course will acquire a strong foundation that will allow them to appreciate and understand the art of all prehispanic America.
  • Increased appreciation of Art
  • Better understanding and appreciation of Mesoamerican cultures
  • Awareness of the History of Mesoamerica

Course content

1 section • 16 lectures • 1h 48m total length

  • Introduction2:02
  • The Olmec Heartland9:22
  • The Central Deity7:02
  • Figurative Art3:10
  • The Proportions of Olmec Sculptures2:36
  • Tlapacoya and Tlatilco3:21

    Explore Olmec art in the Valley of Mexico with Tlapacoya and Tlatilco, featuring distinctive earthenware figurines with large heads, hip emphasis, and decorated headdresses that show Olmec influence.

  • Postures3:30
  • Transformations12:15
  • Portrait and Deity Masks4:11
  • Monumental Heads10:30
  • Flora and Fauna7:31

    Explore early formative Olmec art of flora and fauna, from carved pumpkins and squash vessels to jaguar iconography, open-fire ceramics, and abstract animal forms.

  • Non-figurative and Abstract Designs2:33
  • Celts and Olmec Theology15:16
  • Monuments and Stelas from La Venta7:47

    Explore La Venta, one of the three major Olmec sites, famed for basalt monuments and stelas, including monument 5 'the grandmother', altars for offerings, and ritual imagery.

  • Beginnings of Writing Images to Symbols9:28

    Explore how the Olmec began encoding images as symbols, tracing early glyphs like eye and leaf motifs across formative monuments. It links Olmec symbolism to Maya writing and dating practices.

  • Related Courses7:51

Requirements

  • The most important requirement is a curiosity and interest in the origins of art.

Description

This Olmec art course is a journey into the jungles of the Black Jaguar, Ex Balam. We will study and enjoy the art produced by this mysterious and long forgotten culture. It is a culture that through its art influenced all the subsequent cultures that emerged in Mesoamerica. I grew up exploring, playing, finding and wondering at these monumental and exquisite works of art from the past. And have continued to date to study, marvel and enjoy the art produced by these people. So, I bring you direct knowledge and contact with the Olmec and their unique, beautiful and mystifying art. During my career I have received three Senior Scholar Fulbright awards as part of my continued study, research and enjoyment of Olmec art and architecture. Central Deity, Tenocique, Tabasco. The were-jaguar was both an Olmec motif and a supernatural entity, perhaps a deity. The were-jaguar motif is characterized by almond-shaped eyes, a downturned open mouth, and a cleft head. The Central Deity and the Evolution of Mesoamerican

Maize Deity


The evolution of Mesoamerican rain and maize gods:


Left, the Zapotec and Mixtec deities;


Center, the Central Mexican Tlaloc;


Right, the Maya Chaak;


Bottom center, the Olmec Maize deity.

Olmec Art


Lectures


1.Welcome and Table of Contents

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2.The Olmec Heartland

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3.The Central Deity

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4.Figurative Art

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5.The Proportions of Olmec Sculptures

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6.Tlapacoya and Tlatilco

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7.Postures

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8.Transformations


9. Portrait and Deity Masks


10. Monumental Heads


11. Flora and Fauna


12. Non-figurative and Abstract Designs


13. Celts and Olmec Theology


14. Monuments and Stelas from La Venta


15. Beginnings of Writing. Images to symbols

Who this course is for:

  • This course is for explorers, adventurers and travellers in mind and art.

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