PINTING Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

PINTING - Essay Example The painting was created during the Dutch Golden Age. Its current location is Kunsthistorisches Museum, in Vienna. This type of painting can be described as oil on canvas. The dimensions of the painting are 51 inches by 43 inches or 130 centimeters by 110 centimeters. This painting was created after Vermeer completed working on The Procuress painting. The composition as well as the iconography applied while working on the painting makes it one of the complex works by Vermeer. Such characteristic make it one of the most famous paintings by Vermeer. The painting has been passed through generations since Vermeer died. In spite of the fact that the artist was in debt even during the time of his death, he did not sell it to settle such debts. This shows that the painting had attachment with the painter. To prevent its sale, Vermeer’s widow willed the painting to her mother. Although it is not clear who owned the painting during the 18th century, it was acquired by Gerard van Swieten and later inherited by his son. Before 1860, the painting was believed to have been the work of Pieter de Hooch who forged his own signature into the painting to make it look legitimate. The intervention of one of Vermeer’s scholars, Thore Burger, prompted the recognition that the painting was indeed Vermeer’s own original work. In 1940, Hitler bought the painting, which was later found at the end of the Second World War. Since then, the painting had been in the possession of Americans until it was presented to Austria in 1946. It has remained there to present day. The painting, Painter in His Studio, portrays a painter painting a woman in a room that appears to be his studio. The artist is seated on a stool looking at the woman and hiding a painting tool. At the present point, the artist is painting the upper part of her head. On the other hand, the female subject is

Arab-Israeli War of 1948 Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3000 words

Arab-Israeli War of 1948 - Essay Example Observers claim that the Arab nations were not satisfied with the UN ruling, which they criticized greatly on the basis of great imbalance on the partition. Most Arabs claimed that the partition plan did not adequately balance the two groups. More so the Arabs, whom they claimed to, have been the majority. The UN voted in favor of the partition, ruling that the British were to terminate their mandate in Palestine in order to pave way for the partition to be implemented. Avi (1998) continue to argue that by the beginning of the Second World War; most Arab countries were under the strong influence of their colonial masters. Most notably were British and the French groups. He point out that Jordan in particular remained under the strong influence of the British thus acquired arms supply and military training. The Arabs countries joined hand to form the Arab league, which was mandated to coordinate the policies between their states after independence. According to Gelber (2006), the UN p artition plan was unanimously rejected by the Arab League of Nations. They declared holy war (jihad) upon all the Jews both in the Arab states and those living in Israel. He further claims that by 1940, most Jews had flown back to Israel from the Arab states fearing being persecuted. Consequently, he adds that the Arabs in Israel were encouraged to leave the country with a promise of returning after they purge the Jews land. Gelber (2006) estimates the number of Jews refugees running from the Arab states to be around one million (1,000,000), and that of Arabs from Israel to have been around three hundred and forty three thousand (343,000). War triggered a mass exodus from the Arab states. It is claimed that the Jews easily integrated in their mother country thus the claims that most Jews today are descendants of the Jews from the Arabic countries. However, it is also argued that, intentionally, the Arabs did not integrate their fellow Arabs who had escaped from Israel following war outbreak. During the initial stages of the Arab-Israel war, Avi (1998) observes that the British who were in control of Palestine, denied the Jews a chance to defend themselves. He further argues that this was done in many ways some of which were blocking those coming from other countries and denying them entry into Israel. Second, they outlawed Israel’s militia men as terrorists groups and denied them a chance to import weapons. In the mean time, it is argued that the British were supplying arms to the Arab countries and freely allowed them into Palestine. This is argued to have greatly compromised the Jewish ability to defend themselves against the Arabs. This continued until the British mandate was terminated. By February Benny (2008) observes that the Palestinian informed the UN Security Council that the partition plan could not be carried out without military aid. Because of the long process to come up with a defense force, the situation in Palestine got out of control. Benny claims that this resulted as disagreements raged the formation of the military forces without incorporating the support of the major powers. Consequently, war broke out in Palestine. He further states that the UN council blamed the Arabs for the war outbreak, with most of the western and European countries condemned Israel’s’ invasion by the Arabs. The British and the Palestine denied the UN Palestine Commission access to resolve the war crisis. Avi (1998) points out that, despite all the mounting pressure in Palestine, the UN did not suspend the partition plan. As a result, Israel