Theme of Cosmology and Belief in Art

Aeriel Image of Borobudur

In all cultures, people strive to understand their reason for being and their place in the universe. Art can be an instrument for not only recording spiritual beliefs, but also for creating myths, defining the realms of mortal and immortal, communing with ancestors, channeling forces of good, and repelling those of evil. Religious stories, myths, and folklore presented in the form of visual art transcend language differences and provide explanations that bind people together and help them understand their place in the universe. Artists from around the world and throughout history have played a major role in reinforcing the spiritual and cosmological beliefs of cultures, as well as shaping the evolution of those ideas.

Questions for Thought

What can architecture tell us about belief?
How do we picture our gods?
How can art facilitate communication with the gods?
What is the relationship between art, ritual, and belief?
Why do we visualize creation?
What purpose do creation myths play in the development of societies and cultural values?
Even when societies are distant from each other, their creation stories often have similar underlying themes and comparable characters. What themes or character types are similar in different stories or art depicting divine creation? What do these narratives' similarities say about humankind in general?
Many cultures have organized their universe in some type of cosmological order. How has this helped people discover their own roles in life? How do these organizational conceptions of the universe influence how societies govern their social structures and systems? In examples from the program, how have different cultures reconciled their spiritual notions with the scientific theories available to them?

The College Board has used this theme on the AP Art History exam over the years. This review component has been designed to help you explore this theme. In the earlier modules, you were introduced to several works that use writing as part of the artwork. The following list is just a few examples.

In this module, a few of the works that are good examples of representations of cosmology and belief are the following:

Great Stupa at Sanchi. Madhya Pradesh, India. Buddhist; Maurya, late Sunga Dynasty. c. 300 B.C.E.-100 C.E. Stone masonry, sandstone on dome.
Borobudur Temple. Central Java, Indonesia. Sailendra Dynasty. c. 750-842 C.E. Volcanic-stone masonry.
Churning of Milk. Angkor, the temple of Angkor Wat, and the city of Angkor Thom, Cambodia. Hindu.
Lakshmana Temple. Khajuraho, India. Hindu, Chandella Dynasty. c. 930-950 C.E. Sandstone.
Shiva as Lord of Dance (Nataraja). Hindu; India (Tamil Nadu), Chola Dynasty. c. 11^th century C.E. Cast bronze.
Angkor, the temple of Angkor Wat, and the city of Angkor Thom, Cambodia. Hindu, Angkor Dynasty. c. 800-1400 C.E. Stone masonry, sandstone.

The following images from past modules are a few of the possible examples of the artistic representation of cosmology and creation beliefs:

Templo Mayor (Main Temple). Tenochtitlan (modern Mexico City, Mexico). Mexica (Aztec). 1375-1520 C.E. basalt (Calendar Stone).
Sistine Chapel ceiling and altar wall frescoes. Vatican City, Italy. Michelangelo. Ceiling frescoes: c. 1508-1512 C.E.; altar frescoes: c. 1536-1541 C.E. Fresco.
Adam and Eve. Albrecht Dürer. 1504 C.E. Engraving.
Transformation mask. Kwakwaka'wakw, Northwest coast of Canada. Late 19 century C.E. Wood, paint, and string.
City of Cusco, including Saqsa Waman (Sacsayhuaman). Central highlands, Peru. Inka. c. 1440 C.E.
Lintel 24 and 25 from Yaxchilán. Chiapas, Mexico. Maya. 725 C.E. Limestone.

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