Mercantilism and Baroque Art: A Historical Overview

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The new economic system known as mercantilism defended the wealth of a country, which was based on the amount of precious metal (gold and silver) that it possessed. Therefore, it was necessary to promote domestic industry and trade, to sell much, buying abroad and earn some money. To maintain the new system, state aid was necessary, so mercantilism helped the power of European monarchies. Jean-Baptiste Colbert (1619-1683).

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Monarchy Types

In the feudal monarchy, the king

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Russian and Victorian Literature: Realism and Social Critique

Russian Realism and the Victorian Novel

Russian Realism focused on:

  • Social awareness.
  • Development of novels.
  • Presence of God.
  • Deep psychological analysis of the characters.

The Victorian Novel (1817-1891) explored:

  • Middle-class morality.
  • Hypocrisy.
  • Religious feelings and the crisis in faith.
  • Darwin’s The Origin of Species and its impact.
  • Defense of the family.

Gogol

  • Reflects and criticizes habits and characters.
  • Omniscient narrator.
  • Descriptive writing.
  • Linearity in the action.
  • Unique use of humor and irony.
  • Fantastic
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Italian Trecento Painting and Gothic Art Concepts

Gothic Art Commentary

  1. Why did Siena decorate its palace with religious art?

    Because in the Middle Ages and early modern times, religion permeated all aspects of life. People and institutions placed themselves under the protection of God, the Virgin Mary, and the saints. In this particular case, the presence of the Maestà in the main hall of Siena’s City Council is justified because the Virgin Mary was the patron saint of the city. The city sought her protection in times of difficulty, and the municipal

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David’s Oath of the Horatii: Neoclassical Duty and Sacrifice

Oath of the Horatii by Jacques-Louis David

General Information

  • Author: Jacques-Louis David was one of the first artists concerned with managing his public image. For example, regarding works completed in Rome but not yet seen in France, he generated publicity and spread rumors about them. When this painting arrived in France and was exhibited at the Louvre, it created a mass phenomenon. He was an artist identified with the French Revolution (e.g., The Death of Marat, 1793) and later with Napoleon
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Participatory Planning for Community Project Development

Collective and Participatory Project Planning

From Diagnosis to Collective Definition

Once the study of the social conditions the group wishes to address has been developed, and the diagnosis is complete, a process begins. This process converts the gathered data and conclusions into a collective definition, establishing goals, actions, strategies for the required new organization, and more.

Publishing research results or selective dissemination provides a valuable opportunity to extend community action

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Plato’s Forms, Senses, and the Language of Signs

Plato’s World of Senses and Forms

According to Plato, reality isn’t limited to past, present, or future. If everything is constantly changing, driven by the law of contrasts, then something unchanging must exist. Within this constant flux, we can distinguish between two realms: the sensory (perceived through the senses) and the intelligible (grasped through intellect). The intelligible realm is immutable and consists of FORMS, which are essentially concepts.

The Sensory World Mimics the World of Forms

The

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