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Paper analyzes the commentary on the use of history in art in Eleanor Antin’s Last Days of Pompeii.
Physical Description
22 p.: ill.
Notes
Abstract: Throughout history, artists have appropriated scenes from ancient Greco-Roman culture to convey truths about the present. In the photography series, The Last Days of Pompeii, 2001, Eleanor Antin continues this legacy by recreating Pompeii in La Jolla, California. However, Antin’s work possesses a self-consciousness about its position in the lineage of Greco-Roman appropriation. Rather than recount Roman mythology, The Last Days of Pompeii mimics Renaissance and Rococo interpretations of classical antiquity. By juxtaposing techniques of Renaissance and Rococo art with hyper-realism, Pompeii critiques not only contemporary American values, but the romanticizing of history in art. While Antin draws many parallels between Pompeii and La Jolla, my primary focus is her commentary on artists’ use of history. By comparing palettes and iconography in Pompeii to those of iconic Renaissance and Rococo art, and by consulting Nietzsche’s identification of Western Europe’s inheritance of the Greco-Roman “master” morality, I will demonstrate how Antin’s series parodies artistic reinventions of the past.
This article is part of the following collections of related materials.
The Eagle Feather
Launched in 2004 by UNT's Honors College, The Eagle Feather was an interdisciplinary undergraduate research journal that promoted the work of students and their faculty mentors. The Eagle Feather was published annually until 2017 when it transitioned into the North Texas Journal of Undergraduate Research.
This collection presents scholarly and artistic content created by undergraduate students. All materials have been previously accepted by a professional organization or approved by a faculty mentor. Most classroom assignments are not eligible for inclusion. The collection includes, but is not limited to Honors College theses, thesis supplemental files, professional presentations, articles, and posters. Some items in this collection are restricted to use by the UNT community.
