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9: Art and Power

  • Page ID
    10163
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    Learning Objectives

    • Describe why and how art and artists have in some cultures been considered to have exceptional power.
    • Distinguish between images of persuasion and propaganda, and specify characteristics of each.
    • Recognize how and why images are used for such purposes as to display power, influence society, and effect change.
    • Indicate ways that images establish and enhance a ruler’s position and authority.
    • Identify changes in images of conflict, heroic action, and victims of violent confrontation in various cultures and time periods, including the artist’s intentions as well as the public response.
    • Distinguish between and describe the prohibition of images enforced within some religions.
    • Describe why protestors or conquerors might destroy images and monuments of a past or defeated culture.


    This page titled 9: Art and Power is shared under a CC BY-SA license and was authored, remixed, and/or curated by Pamela Sachant, Peggy Blood, Jeffery LeMieux, & Rita Tekippe (GALILEO Open Learning Materials) via source content that was edited to the style and standards of the LibreTexts platform; a detailed edit history is available upon request.