Studying classic art, architecture, & literature creates exceptional thinkers.
Why?
Because they represent ideas.. but not just any ideas the best ideas ever thought. When you look Falling Water by Frank Lloyd Wright, you're not looking at a building
You are looking at the inception of a brand new idea.
The idea that nature & architecture should harmonize & be seamlessly woven together.
Falling Waters - Frank Lloyd Wright
Classic buildings weren’t just functional. They were made to evoke emotion & even change people’s behavior.
The Hagia Sophia wasn't just a church. It was a symbol of Justinian’s imperial power.
This building was so powerful that when conquered, Mehmed didn’t destroy it. Rather he set his throne down upon it, converted it into a Mosque, and made it an enduring symbol of his strength. This building still evokes strong emotions today - it is 1,500 years old.
Classic art showcases a moment in time but also exemplifies change in a way that studying history alone can not.
Botticelli’s Birth of Venus is an example of this. It’s a blend of Classical, Medieval, and Renaissance styles. The past, present, & future in one.
Birth of Venus - Botticelli
Sometimes with art you can feel something even if you can’t quite put it into words.
Because when you look at a painting, it’s influencing your mood & behavior.
Modern science shows that people are more helpful after viewing images like Leighton’s Music Lesson
Admit it, you just smiled
Music Lesson -Leighton
Classics speak to us in ways we can’t quite put into words.
That’s why they are perfect to develop the mind through discussion & contemplation
It’s all well and good to look at a pretty sculpture but it’s far better for children to think about the sculpture.
Where did it come from? Who made it? What is it about? What is it made of? What is the artist trying to tell me? How is it different from art that came before or after? What is the artist influenced by - culture, faith, current events like war, strife, or famine?
Apollo & Daphne, Bernini
These questions teach logic, inductive reasoning, & most importantly how to think. You see we don’t want children just accepting what is. That’s a pretty building. We want them to think new thoughts. What if we made a building with a river running through it?
Falling Water, Frank Lloyd Wright
Socrates taught Plato. Plato taught Aristotle. You teach your children. We are part of a lineage of thought. But it doesn’t happen all on its own.
School of Athens - Raphael
The mission of ahimsa is to foster beautiful minds. Minds that think new thoughts. Minds that contemplate the past as they create the future.
Together, let’s ignite a spark of profound thinking in the next generation
~Dr. Claire Honeycutt (aka HippyMomPhD)
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