Evil incarnate : depiction of demons in art history and mythology
Gröhn, Ilari (2020)
2020
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Julkaisun pysyvä osoite on
https://urn.fi/URN:NBN:fi:amk-2020051511628
https://urn.fi/URN:NBN:fi:amk-2020051511628
Tiivistelmä
Demons have been a recurring theme in mythologies around the world for thousands of years. They have provided a source of artistic inspiration because of their peculiar characteristics and the mysticism surrounding them, letting artists express their creativity without limits. The objective of this thesis was to examine the way demons had been depicted historically and if that information could be applied to creating concept art.
The theoretical part of the thesis explores the origins of demons in different religions and cultures and the ways they were portrayed in art. Books and articles written on the subject were used as the main sources of information, accompanied with pictures of historical art pieces featuring demons. A quantitative study was conducted to analyze the occurrence of common physical features in descriptions of demons. A project consisting of two concept art illustrations was produced to demonstrate the application of the ideas covered in the thesis.
The research showed that similarities and common themes can be found be-tween different religions and cultures, suggesting that the mythological imagery arises from deep-seated mental patterns in humans. It was discovered that demons often become manifestations of fears and uncontrollable forces, pictured as terrifying creatures bringing misfortune. The idea that humans represent order as opposed to the chaos of nature was found to be one of the main motifs in depiction of demons. Using those models as abstract guidelines proved to be a resourceful tool for concept art and design.
While this thesis presents only one theme, similar studies that analyze the historical origins of art and mythology could be conducted on other subjects of artistic expression and imagination. Because of the abstract nature of such themes, different research methods should be utilized to reveal other aspects of the ideas discussed in the research.
The theoretical part of the thesis explores the origins of demons in different religions and cultures and the ways they were portrayed in art. Books and articles written on the subject were used as the main sources of information, accompanied with pictures of historical art pieces featuring demons. A quantitative study was conducted to analyze the occurrence of common physical features in descriptions of demons. A project consisting of two concept art illustrations was produced to demonstrate the application of the ideas covered in the thesis.
The research showed that similarities and common themes can be found be-tween different religions and cultures, suggesting that the mythological imagery arises from deep-seated mental patterns in humans. It was discovered that demons often become manifestations of fears and uncontrollable forces, pictured as terrifying creatures bringing misfortune. The idea that humans represent order as opposed to the chaos of nature was found to be one of the main motifs in depiction of demons. Using those models as abstract guidelines proved to be a resourceful tool for concept art and design.
While this thesis presents only one theme, similar studies that analyze the historical origins of art and mythology could be conducted on other subjects of artistic expression and imagination. Because of the abstract nature of such themes, different research methods should be utilized to reveal other aspects of the ideas discussed in the research.