Orthoses Intervention Essay Example for Free

Orthoses Intervention Essay Presently, there exists a wide variety of various clinical interventions which are on the market based on personal interest, experience and skills of every clinician. Accordingly, it has become intricate for the therapist and also the patient to select the most efficient treatment for their specific problem. Since all the people who work in the health sector are involved in being answerable for providing best tools and options for the most efficient intervention, clinicians have a challenge treat their patients with the most efficient available intervention. Research hypothesis The hypothesis formulated for this research is: †¢ Orthoses are a clinically successful Podiatric Intervention Disease selected for the research background information A patient suffering from Charcot-Marie-Tooth sickness was prescribed for an ankle-foot orthoses to assist his gait. The patient was an ardent bicyclist and sought an evaluation of the impact of orthoses on his ardent bicycling activities, and also his gait. The impact of three ankle-foot orthoses on the joint angles when bicycling and walking and, ankle torque as well as production of power during walking processes as well as heart rate when bicycling were calculated. The quantitative impacts of every AFO on walking and bicycling workings are then discussed in relation to the patients inclination. Charcot-Marie-Tooth (CMT) Charcot-Marie-Tooth (CMT) sickness is a genetic neuropathic illness which results in progressive degenerate of the muscles which are distal to the knee and commonly results in gait restrictions. Ankle-foot orthoses (AFOs) devices have been used and revealed to have constructive impact on the gait of patients who are suffering from ankle muscle weakness, which includes restitution of heel strike, enhanced management of plantar flexion subsequent to foot strike, normalizing of heel rise, improved thrust for the period of push-off, stabilizing of the knee when in stance, and reduction in unusual hip and knee flexion in the process of swinging. The design of AFO might as well influence gait movement in patients who have CMT sickness. In the present study, we shall assess the effects of three different kinds of AFOs on joint angles when walking and also when bicycling, the ankle torque as well as power production when walking, and the heart rate in the course of bicycling for an individual suffering from CMT. The research also discusses the association amid these effects as well as the patients liking for AFO variety for walking as well as bicycling. Methodology Subsequent to manufacture and the patient was fitted with AFOs , the patient was later requested to use the AFO as much as he could for walking as well as bicycling, he was also asked to decide which one of the braces he had used he favored for each different activity. When a period of a bout one month elapsed during which the patient was using the devices, the gait of the patient was evaluated without AFO and also with the three different AFOs. Another period of two weeks elapsed and the patients bicycling activity was assessed without the AFO at first and then with the three different AFOs afterwards. Results Gait speed The resulted indicated that, the pace of walking on the ground was quicker when using the no-AFO state (1. 09 m/s), then the solid ankle AFO state followed with (1. 04 m/s), and this was followed by the posterior trim AFOs and the prefabricated AFO (1. 01 m/s). The usual self-chosen adult walking pace ranges between 1. 33 m/s and 1. 51 m/s, (Pierson-Carey et al, 1997) so the patient’s walking pace was slower compared to the normal pace. The variations in pace amongst the three AFO states as well as the no-brace state are minute, however using the AFOs might have reduced the patients walking pace a little. Joint angles The key distinction in joint angles happened at the joint of the ankle during swing point with the utilization of solid ankle as well as posterior trim AFOs. It was observed that the prefabricated AFO had slight consequence on ankle joint angles when contrasted with the no-AFO state. During a foot strike where an AFO was not used and when the prefabricated AFO was used the results were that the ankle of the patient was plantar flexed. In addition, there was just a small upward angulation position of the foot comparative to the floor (Table1). But, when posterior trim AFO as well as solid ankle AFO were used, the ankle joint of the patient was observed to b in dorsiflexion at point of the foot strike with an additional normal heel strike. Ankle torque A person’s internal ankle torque production is due to a different muscle activity in the body inactive broadening of tissue, as well as restrictions due to the AFO and also the shoe. Contrasted with usual gait, every state resulted in a lot lesser torque production for dorsiflexion as well as plantar flexion (Figure 1). It was observed that, the solid ankle and posterior trim AFO conditions both resulted in dorsiflexion torques of longer period following foot strike when contrasted with the no-AFO as well as the prefabricated AFO states produced results which were inline with the ankle joint angle outcomes, which revealed a lot of heel strike with solid ankle as well as posterior trim AFO. Discussion It is commonly accepted that putting on ankle foot orthosis (AFO) can result in a positive impact on the gait in patient suffering from hemiplegia. The orthoses assist in a number of functions in ambulation which includes controlling dorsiflexion and also plantarlexion in stance as well as swing stages of gait. In addition, AFOs are believed to steady the ankle in ankle’s transverse and frontal planes in times of gait activities and balance. Pierson-Carey, et al (1997) however, points out that, traditionally, a normal metal (Bicaal) AFOs have in the past been researched to additional asses clinical observation on joint stability among patients with Charcot-Marie-Tooth who use these devices Lehmann, et al (1986) observes that, in the process of the mid stance as well as propulsion stages of gait of the patient, the no-AFO as well as posterior trim AFO states led in lesser values of plantar flexion torque being produced when compared to solid ankle AFO or even the prefabricated AFO states. When in the mid stance point of gait of the patient, the plantar flexors usually offer restrictions to forward movement of the tibia, while the foot of the patient remains rooted on the ground. In the propulsion stage the plantar flexors usually operate to bring fourth heel rise as well as plantar flexion of the patient. Solid ankle AFO as well as the prefabricated AFO were observed to be more efficient in offering plantar flexion torque (restriction to dorsiflexion) when in these stages. On the while the posterior trim AFO was formulated to give restriction to plantar flexion and not resist dorsiflexion, as a result it was not as efficient to provide to plantar flexion torque in these stages. Conclusions This research has concluded that, using the posterior trim as well as solid ankle AFOs when walking reduced the extreme hip and knee flexion of an individual. It also reduces the ankle plantar flexion in the process of swinging. However, there were no significant modifications during stance period. The patient in the case study was conscious of these encouraging transformations in his gait when using the AFOs. Nevertheless these transformations were not important enough to result in him using AFOs in every circumstance, and as such the patient used them merely in circumstances in when the look of his own gait was imperative to him only. When the patient indeed used AFOs for walking, the patient favored the posterior trim AFO compared to the solid ankle AFO since it fit him better than the posterior trim into his dress shoes. When cycling his bicycle, usage of the different AFOs reduced the inclination toward extreme dorsiflexion when performing the downward stroke and the solid ankle AFO was observed as the most efficient. Consequently the patient favored to using solid ankle AFO when cycling, however the patient did not detect any variation in the cycling speed on his normal road bicycle when using solid ankle AFO. However as Lehmann (1993) notes not any of the AFOs attested to be better in walking process or cycling activities, as such the patient favored to using dissimilar AFOs for these activities. More research would be required integrating diverse AFO designs, equipment, and positions, to establish if it is probable to formulate one particular AFO which optimizes the patient’s walking as well as bicycling effectiveness. Extra outcome procedures, which include oxygen expenditure and ankle power assessments when cycling, might assist to better discern amongst variations in performance which are attributed to the using of diverse AFOs.

Apollo 13

Apollo 13 Apollo 13 Apollo 13 is a film of year 1995 based on the ill fated Apollo13 lunar mission. The film is based on the book the lost moon by Jim Lovell and Jeffrey Kluger. The film was directed by Ron Howard. The film was a huge success as it was different from the common films released in those days and it was based on a true event during the space race. Story On July 20, 1969, astronaut Jim Lovell is at his home celebrating the Apollo 11 moon landing party. He tells his wife Marilyn that he wish if he could ever land on the moon after watching Neil Armstrongs historic first step steps on the moon. Lovell was expecting that he will fly Apollo 14 but after some time he is given a VIP tour of Apollo 13s massive Saturn v rocket is ready to be launched. Then Lovell is informed that he and his crew has been selected as prime crew of Apollo 13. after hearing the news, Lovell tells his family about his launch. Her wife was little tensed because it was not a journey on earth it was towards moon. Before launch Lovell is informed that Ken Mattingly is not coming on the mission with him, Lovell tries best to get him on the flight but he is unsuccessful in doing so. Ken is replaced by pilot Jack Swigert. Next day they are ready for the launch and finally they move on. After the launch the middle engine of Saturn v cuts off prematurely because of over heat but they enter into orbit without problem, after performing the burn which will send Apollo 13 to the moon, Swigert changes the Apollo command module odyssey to dock with the lunar module Aquarius. After three days of the mission, Swigert is asked to stir the cryogenic oxygen tanks, leading to explosion in service module. The crew got to know that there is problem with oxygen tank and they think to cancel their landing on the moon and shut down the odyssey and on up the Aquarius for saving their life. John Aaron on earth who is a flight controller specifically trained to deal with the electrical and communication system recruits the crew to restart odyssey but they shut down the odyssey and powers up Aquarius and are near moon, they see the moon near to them and Lovell gets depressed by this. As the crew has powered up the Aquarius, there is a problem again, to conserve power they have to shut down the Aquarius and stay in freezing cold. The environment gets scary in the crew and Swigert blame mission control centre for not letting them to find out the technical problem in the craft, but Haise blames the Swigert and calls him inexperienced. Argument arises between both but it i s soon cleared by Lovell. Aquarius is meant for two people only but it has to mange the carbon dioxide thrown by three men. An engineering team assembles at radio station Houston and makes a crude method of removing poisonous gas and air cleaners to be used in Aquarius. The space craft enters the earth atmosphere and the crew makes risky correction of igniting the decent engine of lunar module to avoid skipping off earths atmosphere. Haise is suffering from fever inside the cabin; the crew gets successful in righting their way to earth. There on earth Mattinglys team struggle to find out the way to power up the spacecraft as very little power is left, and finally he guides swigert to revive odyssey. The crew says good bye to Aquarius, the lunar module which saved their life is jettisoned, odyssey re enters the earths, and after four minutes of radio ionization blackout, three minutes normal reentry is there and crew reports that they are safe and well. There is celebration in the mission controls and the homes of crew members. After that spacecraft splashes in water, crew is taken out of water and taken to USS lwo jima for their welcome. Cast Tom hanks as jim lovell Bill Paxton as Fred Haise Kevin Bacon as Jack Swigert Gary Sinise as Ken Mattingly Ed Harris as Gene Kranz Kathleen Quinlan as Marilyn Lovell Jean Speagle Howard as Blanch Lovell About Ron Howard Ron Howard was born in Duncan, Oklahoma, the son of Jean Spiegel Howard, an actress, and Rance Howard, a director, writer, and actor. His family moved to Burbank, California in 1958, the year before his parents gave birth to his younger brother, Clint Howard. Howard graduated from John Burroughs High School, and later attended the University of Southern Californias School of Cinematic Arts but did not graduate. At age 23, Ron Howard had one of the most recognizable faces in America. His years on The Andy Griffith Show and Happy Days had made him familiar to millions of Americans. He had even directed episodes of Happy Days, but when he looked for feature film directing work, no one believed the young actor had what it took. Finally he made a deal with low-budget film legend Roger Corman: Howard would act in a film for Corman in exchange for the opportunity to direct. The result, Grand Theft Auto, succeeded beyond anyones expectations, and started Howard on his career as a feature film director.[ Rons films Rons films are nominated for Oscars several times but Cocoon, Apollo 13, how the grinch stole Christmas and a beautiful mind successfully won Oscar. As a director, Ron won Oscar for the best director in year 2002 for his intense film a beautiful mind. Ron has been always known for some different work in his own style. Recently he directed Frost/Nixon which was nominated for five Oscar awards in year 2008. And his Angels and Demons proved to be a great success on the box office in year 2009. Working style of Ron Ron generally works with renowned Hollywood actors Tom hanks and Russell Crowe. He made his recent two thriller films The Da Vinci code and Angels and Demons on the famous books written by Dan Brown. Ron is not only a director but he is a good actor also which he proved when he appeared in film at the age of just 18 months. His high visibility films make him different from other film directors of Hollywood. [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ron_Howard] Saving Private Ryan Saving Private Ryan is an American war film which was released in year 1998 and has a plot of invasion of Normandy in World War ll. The film was directed by Steven Spielberg. The film reveals the truth about the Omaha beach assault of June 6, 1944. The film got a lot of appreciation and became one of the biggest hit in America as well as other countries also. Story The film begins with an elderly World war ll veteran and his family who visits the Normandy American Cemetery and memorial at colleville-sur-mer; Normandy, France. The veteran sits on his knees in front of grave and gets emotional, then suddenly scene changes to a Normandy invasion, with American soldiers landing on Omaha beach and having war with the Germans. One officer survived in initial landing John h miller, the commanding officer of C Company. He assembles a group of soldiers and slowly starts attacking the Germans, leading to the breakout from the beach. Meanwhile general of America comes to know that three out of four brothers of Ryan family has died but fourth son private first class James Francis Ryan of baker company, 506th parachute infantry regiment is missing in war somewhere in Normandy, and he orders to the Ryan should be sent home immediately. Miller receives the order from the general to find Ryan. He makes a team of six members and one man who speaks German and Fr ench. Miller do not have any information about the Ryan, where he is? But he and his team moves on to Neuville. Near border of Neuville they meet platoon 101st. after entering the city one member of millers team Adrian Caparzo get wound by sniper and dies there only. But the team locates Ryan from Minnesota but soon realize their mistake. Then they find member of Charlie Company, 506th, who informs that his drop zone was at Vierville. Then miller locates friend of Ryans, who tells him that Ryan is defending himself from strategically important bridge over the Merderet River in Ramelle. Miller starts moving towards Ramelle. On the way he decides to take position close to an abandoned radar station. The technician of the team Irwin wade of miller is wounded. The fifth grade Timothy E. Upham protest miller about letting the squad kill the German soldier. Miller decides to surrender himself in next allied patrol. The team loses their confidence in millers leadership. Then miller reveals his identity that he is an English teacher and high school base ball coach in Adley, Pennsylvania, then the team reunites. The squad finally arrives on the outskirts of Ramelle where they fight with German army and they find Ryan. Then American paratroopers join them in Ramelle. Miller informs Ryan about his brothers death and his mission to take him home. Ryan refuses to come back and demand that he want to defend the bridge against germens counterattack miller also helps him orders his unit to help in defending the bridge. The American soldiers are very low in number and Germans arrive in more quantity. Miller leads the defense but while attempt of blowing bridge he is shot by steamboat Willie. In the duration the American P-51 Mustang comes and destroys the German tanks and steamboats. Ryan survives with two more other team members. Miller is wounded very badly and in his last words he say to Ryan, James†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦.earn this. Earn it. Back to the present day in graveyard the veteran is at millers grave and Ryan tells his wife that he was a good man and led a good life, Ryan salutes Miller and film ends. Cast Tom Hanks as Captain John H. Miller Tom Sizemore as Technical Sergeant Michael Mike Horvath Edward Burns as Private First Class Richard Reiben, a BAR gunner Jeremy Davies as Technician Fifth Grade Timothy E. Upham, a cartographer and interpreter Barry Pepper as Private Daniel Jackson, a marksman Adam Goldberg as Private Stanley Mellish, a rifleman Van Diesel as Private Adrian Caparzo, a rifleman Giovanni Ribisi as Technician Fourth Grade Irwin Wade, a medic Matt Damon as Private First Class James Francis Ryan, a paratrooper Steven Spielberg Steven Allan Spielberg was born on 18th December 1946 in Cincinnati. He is famous producer, director, and screenwriter. He is listed in the most powerful and influential personality in the world by motion picture industry and times listed him as one of the most important person in the world. One of the most acclaimed directors of the late 20th century; Steven Spielberg is an American icon. From Close Encounters to Schindlers List, Spielberg has never failed to amaze and delight his audience. At the age of 13 he won a contest with his 40 minute film, Escape to Nowhere. In 1963, at the age of 16, Spielberg produced the movie Firelight (which would later inspire Close Encounters). The movie made a $100 profit at the local movie theater. Although Spielberg attended California State University in Long Beach studying English, he couldnt get into a traditional film school. As with anything, Spielberg wasnt going to let that stop him. Spielbergs Films Steven has been nominated for six times for Academy awards for best director and he won for two films which are Schindlers list in 1993 and Saving Private Ryan in 1998. He directed and produced many successful films but his jaws (1975 ), raiders of the Lost ark ( 1981), Extra terrestrial ( 1982 ), The color purple ( 1985 ), Schindlers List ( 1993 ) [ win ], saving private Ryan ( 1998 ), munich ( 2005) and letters from lwo Jima ( 2006 ) were on the stage of Academy awards. Working style of Steven He often shows shooting stars in his films. He uses suns images in his films as a background in many scenes (Raiders of the Lost Ark (1981), The Color Purple (1985), Empire of the Sun (1987), Saving Private Ryan (1998)). He uses piano as a main instrument in his films and he frequently shows children in some kind of danger in his film and introduces important characters through rear view mirror of the car. Generally cast Tom hanks, Richard Deryfuss, Harrison Ford, Frank Welker and Tom Cruise. Similarities between Apollo 13 and Saving Private Ryan Both of these films are based on real events of American history, saving Private Ryan shows the history of Omaha beach and Apollo 13 shows the truth about spacecraft of NASA which was sent in year 1969. Both the films are decorated by the acting of superstar Tom Hanks. He played lead character in both the films and has his own style of acting, but as we know that the two films are of two great directors in the world so half credit of Hanks performance will go to Steven and Ron. Both of these films are Oscar wining films for their different departments. Both the film has mission involved in them which is in concern with national departments. Differences Between Saving Private Ryan and Apollo 13 Apollo 13 is directed by Ron Howard and Saving Private Ryan is directed by Steven Spielberg, both films shows the different department of America, Apollo 13 shows the technical and science related department and saving Private Ryan is about the security department of America. Tom hanks character in both the films is totally different, in Apollo 13 he played the character of an astronaut and in saving private Ryan he is playing a soldier. Apollo 13 has a plot of 1969 while saving Private Ryan has plotting of year 1944 which reveals the conditions at the time of Second World War. Probable influence of Saving Private Ryan Saving Private Ryan is a American war film which tells the story of Omaha beach and how the brave and wise soldier John H. Miller gave his life in saving the Ryan and his faith towards his nation and his work is seen, so by the character of miller one might get patriotic and get influenced by the his wise ness and bravery. The visual effects of the film were excellent as the film is directed by Steven Spielberg and he is known for high budget and glamorized film making. As the film is in the plot of 1944 so, giving the visual effects for the weapons and war pattern of that age is not easy at all and all upcoming students of visual effects should see the film and try to understand the technical part of film and it will surely help students in understanding that if they are working in any period film what kind of visual effects are used. Probable influence of Apollo 13 Apollo 13 is a film based on real event in the history of NASA. by hearing news we can just imagine that what might have been the situation in the spaceship when the engine Odyssey got heated up but Ron Howard has shown in the film the emotions inside the war craft and he not only made story strong but the technical stuff shown in the film is really fantastic and the visual effects of the film is amazing as they showed the characters in zero gravity and in space ship , these kind of effects were shown in the film which was released in 1995 and we can just imagine what creativity was required for the work of this film and the challenge was excepted by Ron Howard and is beautifully presented in front of audience. The team of the astronauts shows the patience and intelligence in such critical situation which gives a message that whatever happens in life one should stay cool and calm. Film might inspire some kids those who want to become the astronauts and may generate their interest mor e in this branch of science.

Jamaica, Trinidad, and Guyana as Free Labor Colonies :: American History Historical Essays

Jamaica, Trinidad, and Guyana as Free Labor Colonies Introduction The main concept of this paper is to show how Britain turned three of its colonies (Jamaica, Trinidad, and Guyana) into "free labor" colonies after gradual emancipation of slaves was introduced in 1833, and full emancipation was accepted in 1838. British West Indian colonies could be put into two categories: established colonies and new colonies. Jamaica had officially been a British colony since 1670, while Trinidad was converted to British rule in 1802 and Guyana in 1814. The age difference between the two categories resulted in different situations for the colonies and that is what will be discussed here. Before Emancipation At the end of the 18th Century into the beginning of the 19th Century, Britain was moving toward industrialization, which in turn led to a movement towards free labor from its citizens. Britain was also expanding is enterprises within it’s East Indian Trade Company. The East Indian countries had the raw materials that the new textile industry needed. Free people are also a better market for the textiles than the slave populations of the West Indies would. [1] The movement towards industry and Britain’s concentration in East Asia hindered the sugar plantations in the Caribbean. All of this caused a movement towards emancipating the slaves in the Caribbean. But the movement towards industrialization increased the need for sugar. [2] When the slaves were freed, Jamaica, Trinidad, and Guyana all had to deal with the new need for labor. Jamaica was already an established sugar producer and was at one point the jewel of the British West Indies. Jamaica was not a crown colony, however, and was organized by independent citizens, while Trinidad and Guyana, on the other hand, were recently acquired Royal colonies and had different economic circumstances than Jamaica. [3] Jamaica was about 2,848,000 square acres of land and only one quarter of land was unfit for cultivation. An estimation of about a quarter of the land was cultivated and only about a third of the available land was tilled in 1842. [4] Trinidad was considered the most fertile of any of the British colonies and second largest island after Jamaica. Of about 1,400,000 acres, it was estimated that only one-thirtieth part was unfit for cultivation; but not more than 209,000 acres had been appropriated, and of these less than 44,000 were under tillage. Sugar-planting had been a few years in operation when the island came into out possession in 1802.

Johannes Brahms Essay -- biographies bio biography musician

Johannes Brahms was a German Composer, Pianist and conductor of the 19th century or the Romantic period. He was one of the 3 B's or the Big three: Bach, Beethoven and Brahms. Johannes was a very self-critic man he burned many of his pieces before he could get anyone's opinion on them and he burned all of his compositions that he wrote before the age of 19. Johannes Brahms was born on Tuesday 7th may 1833, in the city of Hamburg the birthplace also of Mendelssohn. Johann Brahms was himself a musician, and played the double bass for a time at the Karl Schultze Theatre, and later in the Stadttheater orchestra. In 1847 Johannes attended a good Burgerschule (citizens? school), and in 1848 a better, that of one Hoffmann. When he was eight years old his father requested the teachers to be very easy with him because of the time that he must take for his musical studies. Brahms?s boyhood days passed uneventfull. He grew up with his brother fritz and sister Elise amid the poorest surroundings. Fritz turned to music (the Neue Zeitschrift mentions his successful debut at Hamburg in January 1864) was a piano teacher in Hamburg, lived for many years in Caracas, and died at an early age in Hamburg of a disease of the brain. Elise married a watchmaker, much to Johannes? disappointment. As a boy Johannes worked and studied with his father and learnt lessons from books with his mother, with whom he would play ?four-hands? at the piano, ?just for fun.? There were never any doubts as to his becoming a musician. From early childhood he learn everything his father could teach him, read everything he could lay hands on, practiced with undeviating enthusiasm, and filled reams of paper with exercises and variations. The soul of the child went out in music. He played scales long before he knew the notes, and great was his joy when at the age of six he discovered the possibility of making a melody visible by placing black dots on lines at different intervals, inventing a system of notation of his own before he had been made acquainted with the method which the musical world had been using for some centuries. When Johannes was in his tenth year he had made such remarkable progress that Cossel thought it best to secure a more advanced instructor. He was thus put under the care of Eduard Marxsen (Cossel?s own teacher), the royal music director at Altona, who took him unwillingly ... ...for the folksong of his fatherland, which he used as themes for some remarkable variations a musical form, by the way, which he rescued by his masterly treatment form the disrepute into which it had fallen. No career, however, open up before him. He had to continue playing at the low sailors? haunts and to eke out his earnings by giving cheap lessons and arranging popular music for the piano or for brass bands. This hack work continued for what must have seemed a distressingly long time, and it was brightened for him only by the composition of three important works for his instrument, the scherzo in E flat minor (Op. 4) in 1851, the Sonata in F sharp minor (Op.2) in 1852 and the Sonata in C major (Op. I) early in 1853.] It was not only until the spring of that year that he for first time left Hamburg professionally. He undertook a tour with the Hungarian violinist Eduard Remenyi for the purpose of introducing himself and his works. At Gottingen they gave a concert in which the young pianist made a deep impression upon the musicians present. He and Remenyi were to play Beethoven?s Kreutzer sonata, but at the last moment it was discovered that the piano was half a tone too low.

Religious Revival of the 1950s Essay

After Americans endured two decades of continuous depression, war and crisis through the 1930’s and 40’s, they sought a return to normalcy and longed to focus on the more private details of existence. Instead of national objectives, the public concentrated on family, home, and career, while becoming increasingly absorbed in religion. As the 1950’s saw America in a state of national exhaustion, religion-in-general experienced a surge in popularity. Many critical views were silenced or ignored as people became more accepting of a wide variety of beliefs. While the revival was unexpected and unstructured, several events fueled the movement. World War II left the country weary and drained. During the four seemingly-endless years of conflict, almost all churches had rallied behind the war effort. Post-war America a burst in prosperity, and with this support, churches expanded. Church attendance soared while their purpose and goals shifted. As all denominations gained a more powerful voice, they used it to increase their role in society. In 1950, several of the oldest Protestant denominations formed the National Council of Churches in order to improve relations with the government, encourage interchurch connections, and promote projects such as Bible translation.1 This organization also helped to do away with the harsh attitudes and antagonism aimed at Catholicism after the war. Toleration and acceptance seemed to be the key to deepened communication between both church and state as well and Protestants and Catholics. Following World War II, an era known as the Cold War shook American faith in the possibility of a peaceful nation. A war with the Soviet Union looming overhead, the threat of a communist takeover, and the potential for nuclear disaster sent Americans rushing to churches in part to find a sense of stability and security. Survey data shows that Church attendance reached an all-time high 49% of the American population in the mid-1950’s2 while nearly 96% claimed ties to some religious affiliation or another.3 Religion helped them cope with the uncertainty of having to live one of two opposing ways of life; a poverty-stricken, war torn country, or a thriving, peaceful nation  with an economy to support their growing families. Beneath the surface of mainstream optimism due to the booming economy, America’s crises with other countries instilled a sense of urgency concerning salvation. Moral values became somewhat self-indulgent, and self-absorption became characteristic of the religious movement, explaining in part the lack of conflict due to varying beliefs. While foreign affairs helped to shape religion in the 1950’s, it was perhaps the more informal networks that anchored public interest and in turn became more influential. A small organization called the National Association of Evangelicals, founded in 1942, united several theological groups in an effort to spread the message of the gospels. They promoted such campaigns as that of Billy Graham, perhaps the most popular evangelist in American history. Graham both warned the nation of the peril they faced due to communism and failing American foreign policy, while also providing them an escape through salvation in Jesus Christ. His combination of religion and public concern set Protestants to action in the effort to â€Å"save† America. His rallies attracted crowds upwards of a half million in the mid-1950’s.4 Another man offered a much more relaxed message concerning one’s role in society in relationship to religion. Norman Vincent Peale, a minister from the Reformed Church of America who pastored a church in New York City, preached to large crowds using â€Å"psychological, therapeutic, and scriptural elements.†5 Peale encouraged people to practice their faith and visualize how they wanted to live their lives in order to achieve their goals. This approach to religion caused many to call him â€Å"the rich man’s Billy Graham.†6 He wrote the book The Power of Positive Thinking, in 1952. â€Å"Positive thinking† eased the minds of Americans who remained uncertain about war with the Soviet Union and the permanence of economic expansion in the states. Catherine Wood Marshall also wrote a book offering realistic insight and moral inspiration. Women were contributing more directly to public life in  the 1950’s, and when her husband, minister Peter Marshall, died, she gathered his journals and sermons to publish A Man Called Peter. Not only were women writing religious books, but Post-war America saw women entering the ministry. Women had made up the majority of members in church congregations for centuries, but few denominations had recognized them as leaders before the 50’s. Conservative churches limited leadership to Bible studies and social programs, but many major denominations joined the Quakers and Pentecostals in ordaining them as ministers. With an endless reserve of new students and a thriving economy to fall back on, theological schools flourished. Seminaries and other Bible-based schools saw record enrollment. New faculty was added and new areas of study were introduced into the curriculum. Most of these schools became part of the evangelical enterprise, with traveling ministers or radio broadcasts, like those of the Moody Bible Institute in Chicago. These schools sought to guide the church leaders of the future while also creating a positive public image for evangelism and religious education. With these new advancements in the Protestant and Catholic churches, also came the growth of other religions. A network called the â€Å"Beat Movement† connected young writers who demonstrated a care-free, often reckless approach to both literature and religion. They joined small religious communities called ashrams, where Eastern religions, including Hinduism, Daoism, and Zen Buddhism were explored. Meditation and yoga were widely practiced. Like other groups of their time, they used their religious beliefs as a social stance. Their opposition to government policy and their desire to separate themselves from mainstream social activity was somewhat evident in their religious preferences. These movements and individuals of the 1950’s have all altered the America in which we live today. One of the most obvious changes that is so often overlooked was the adjustment of the Pledge of Allegiance. In 1954, following a crusade led by the Knights of Columbus,(a Catholic mens’ society), Congress added the words â€Å"under God.† Their desire was for the  pledge to serve both as a patriotic oath and a public prayer.7 Politicians, however, argue to this day about the constitutionality of endorsing religion in the nation’s pledge. Many of these decisions were made before there was substantial concern surrounding the relationship between church and state, and how much each side should be involved in the other. At the same time in Washington, after President Eisenhower was elected, the prayer room and the prayer breakfast were established in the Capitol building. Then in 1955, with the support of the president, Congress added the words â€Å"In God We Trust† to all paper currency. One year later, the same phrase replaced â€Å"E Pluribus Unum† as the nations official motto. Legislators even began to submit Constitutional amendments that ordered Americans to obey â€Å"the authority and law of Jesus Christ.† The government directly fueled the revival in the 1950’s, and the American public fell deeper and deeper into their own interests all the while believing â€Å"what is good for one’s own private interest is good for all,†8 as was mentioned to the country by General Motors’ Charles E. Wilson. National needs began to fall by the wayside as personal improvement took over top priority in the American household. Still, spiritual rebirth was the topic of concern in the minds of the American people. Southern revivalism got a boost with the beginning of the Civil Rights movement. Thousands of black and white Americans alike took part in the movement for justice. The â€Å"Southern Christian Leadership Conference,† attended by Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., sought to end racial segregation and was fueled by Christian ideals rather than political agenda. Dr. King, a Southern Baptist minister, lead the non-violent undertaking, which lead to a civil rights movement that extended well into the 60’s and 70’s. He urged Americans to â€Å"stand up for justice, stand up for truth.†9 Americans felt a sense of moral responsibility in the 1950’s. The revival of the decade, if nothing else, proved there was a civil religion in the nation. Most Americans at the time put faith in four basic points. First, the existence of God; second, a life to come; third, they would be rewarded  for the good and punished for their sinful actions; and lastly, that there was no room for religious intolerance if there was to be peace in the nation.10 A change in the religious tone of the country was perhaps most evident in Washington. Even the government and its leaders recognized a â€Å"higher law,† and evidence of their dedication to the fusion of religious principles and democratic ideals is evident still today. They believed that a nation with strong values and beliefs would lead to a responsible social system, a strong sense of patriotism and common ideals around which to base strong communities. Such beliefs created an atmosphere that encouraged religious pluralism and as a result the 1950’s saw some of the most rapid spiritual growth in American history to date.

Adidas Internal Analysis Essay

1. Introduction Competition and competitive markets are common in every industry. Especially since Globalization is influencing our economy, companies need to stay competitive in order to survive against new rising competitors, which are basically rooted in the Middle East Asia. Analyzing own strengths and weaknesses and capturing new opportunities or avoiding threats, are one of the most important factors for reaching this goal. This paper is dealing with the German apparel â€Å"Adidas†, which is one of the world’s largest manufacturers for sportswear and sport utilities. But why are they one of the leading global players in this certain industry? There are some key factors, which influenced their worldwide success. A part of different departments, e.g. : research and development, human resources and in-and outbound logistics, which are working together in a fluent way, elements like customer relationship management and brand recognition are the main drivers for capturing new custome rs and the retention of regular customers. The intention of this dissertation will be, to explain Adidas’ internal strategies and the construction of their individual competitive advantage. One important basis for this competitive advantage is the â€Å"resource based view modelâ€Å".The resource-based view as a basis for a competitive advantage of a firm lies primarily in the application of the bundle of valuable intangible and tangible resources at the firm’s disposal. (Crook, T. R., et. al., 2008). In this scientific paper, I will conduct an internal organizational analysis of the firm. I will figure out how and why Adidas is one of the most important companies in its industry and will identify their success. 2. General Information and Organizational Structure The Adidas AG (Adidas Group) is a German multinational corporation, which designs and produces sportswear, accessories and sport utilities. The company is based in Herzogenaurach, Bavaria, Germany. The corporation basically consists of three companies, â€Å"Adidas†, the brand itself, â€Å"Reebok  sportswear† and â€Å"Tailor-made-Adidas Golf Company†. Reebok is a subsidiary of Adidas since 2005 and also a manufacturer of athletic shoes, clothing and accessories. â€Å"Tailor-made-Adidas Golf Company† designs and markets all products which are related to Golf. The Adidas group is the largest sportswear producer in Germany and Europe and the second manufacturer in the world, right behind â€Å"Nike†. The company was founded in 1924 as the â€Å"Gebrà ¼der Dassler Schuhfabrik†, but was officially registered in 1949 by Adolf Dassler, after the split of â€Å"Gebrà ¼der Dassler Schuhfabrik† between him and his older brother Rudolf. On e of the most important competitors of Adidas was and still is, â€Å"Puma†, which was established by his brother Rudolf Dassler in 1949. The structure of the organization is very well defined. There are different functional departments such as marketing, production, R&D, customer services, operations, distribution, and human resource with clearly defined jobs at all levels. The vision of the Adidas Group is to be the leader in the sportswear industry, with sub-brands built upon a passion for sports and a sporting lifestyle. In order to achieve the goal a profound understanding of the consumer and customer is essential. To satisfy the needs of the customers it is essential to build a strong customer relationship in order to understand their buying behavior (AdidasGroup, 2013). Adidas ´revenue in 2012 was listed at 14.488 billion euros and profit was listed at 1185 million euros. In 2010, Adidas worked with 1,236 independent factories, in 69 countries. 69% of these factories where located in Asia and the rest in Europe and the U.S. 27% of the Asian factories are based in China. In 2006 the sales of Adidas ´ in the A sian regions and in the emerging countries (South Korea, Romania, Russia, Croatia, and Brazil etc.) increased up to 147,8%. (Annual Report 2012, 2013) 3. Resource Based View 3.1. Tangible/Intangible Criteria In every business are many types of resources and assets. Some resources are clearly visible and tangible and others may not. The Resource Based View is a device to assess the amount of tangible and intangible resources, in order to capture possible capabilities with the goal, to build a sustain competitive advantage. The device is differentiating between intangible and tangible resources. Intangible resources are skills, services, corporate  reputation or knowledge a firm can provide. The collective knowledge of a firm’s workforce represents a tremendous resource. Intangible assets are difficult to quantify in financial terms and often impossible to sell. Education and experience are the main drivers for the knowledge of a corporate workforce, and grows within the structure of a particular industry. Tangible resources are known as raw materials, products or workforce. Corporations that are committed in primary resource extraction have holdings of very tangible goods or reso urces and often own the land outright on which their resources are located or manufactured (Freiling, J., 2001). Furthermore, but less a tangible resource, the corporation owns the rights to the coal, oil or any other raw material, that is located on public land. In both cases, the resource is a physical reality, more or less tangible and the value of which can be financially determined by observing the going market value of a certain good. Regarding â€Å"Adidas†, as one of the most important global players in their industry, it is also possible to distinguish their resources. Adidas is holding more than 50.000 employees, all over the world into their workforce. CNC machines are used in the assembly line for the mass production of shoes, which is more or less their cash cow and keeps them successful. The Research and Development departments are equipped with CAM. Software’s for creating cutting edge designs. The main manufactories are located in Vietnam and China and the bases for the organization are based in Portland, Oregon (U.S) and in Herzogenrauch, Bavaria (Germany) (Adidas Group, 2013). Patents, partnerships, sponsorships and cooperation’s with universities are intangible assets, which Adidas owns. 3.2. Capabilities Especially in times where raw materials and resources are gaining more and more value, companies need to use their assets and resources in the most efficient way, in order to stay competitive. These opportunities are called â€Å"capabilities†. Capabilities can be described as organizationally embedded non-transferable firm-specific resources. (Crook, T. R., et. al., 2008). Capabilities can be divided into distinctive and threshold capabilities. On the one hand, Threshold capabilities or resources are fulfilling the general criteria a firm has to provide, in order to survive on the market. Regarding our example of Adidas, the threshold criteria for their certain industry are  buildings, land, workforce, several departments and outsourced manufactories. But on the other hand, there are distinctive capabilities, which should not just keep the company alive, but deliver a competitive advantage. (Porter, M.E.1980). Also known as core capabilities, distinctive capabilities are the talents and unique elements that are embedded within the organization. These essential characteristics are considered highly preferred, since they provide the business with what it needs to be competitive in the marketplace and also provides the firm a competitive advantage. Therefore distinctive capabilities are generating the core competencies of an organization and are the key driving forces for a company to achieve its competitive advantages. Adidas utilizes its key resources and capabilities to create value and performance excellence. Distinctive capabilities that Adidas holds are e.g., Special R & D departments and correlations (universities), sponsorship agreements (FIFA/ NBA) , diversified operations, network and portfolio, good reputation as mid-priced brand in the industry, distribution network and strategic innovation. (AdidasGroup, 2013). 3.3. Value Chain Analysis Understanding what a particular business or firm is all about, it is necessary to analyze the specific activities the company is going through in their daily work process. The competitive advantage is build up on added values the enterprise is giving their products. Michael Porter ´s â€Å"Value Chain† is modeling a chain of different activities, companies are performing in order to deliver and provide valuable products or services. Porter is differentiating between primary activities and supporting activities. Primary activities are more or less focusing on generating profit margin and to exceed the cost structure of particular products. These activities are mainly enabled by supporting activities, which are industry-specific (Daft, L.R., 1983). By sourcing the activities, process flows can be mapped and can be used to isolate specific activities, in order to decrease the cost structure. Focusing back on Adidas, the company is separating their activities as following; in-/ and outbound logistics, operations, marketing and sales and services as primary activities. Supporting activities in their  key industry are; procurement, research and development and human resource management. Value chain analysis examines business’ units and examines how products pass through the chain, in order from inbound logistics to service, market & sales and other sections. The information provided shows where in the chain products are slowed or altered from the intended design or its usage. 4. Competitive Advantage One of the most important goals of Adidas has been, to develop a strong competitive advantage, in order to stay successful and survive against the large number heavyweight competitors. The industry, in which Adidas interacts, is characterized by a set of many specific features. The extreme rivalry between Adidas and its competitors, Nike, Puma or New Balance is higher than ever before. Nevertheless, most of these brands outsourced their production and re-defined themselves as brands or marketing organizations. Despite the fact that Adidas currently ranks right behind Nike in the segment of sports shoes and sportswear market, Adidas still has been a successful business enterprise right from the beginning of their establishment by Dassler in 1945. The encouragement and application of a spirit of constant and updated technological innovation and excellence has resulted in generating such a powerful competitive advantage for Adidas that its market opponents find it hard to beat. The high performance, market orientation, technological development and brand promise, created the expected value for customers. Especially the company’s policy and corporate culture, that includes providing their customers with the necessary technological applications, in order to meet and satisfy the full needs of their end-consumer. (Kumar, V. & Reinartz W. 2012). Ultimately, this translates to tailor-made performance products for individual customers. Tailor-made is concentrating on especial product line and a particular market segment. Therefore technological superiority of its products is the primary factor of market penetration for Adidas. Nevertheless, an intense and targeted marketing mix and strategy is the second most important key driver of success. An important fact and promotional tool for products has been, to integrate celebrities and professional sport idols into their  marketing mix. This strategy seemed to be very successful and generated a steady source of profit and sales. Consumers appreciated and enjoyed the emotional experience, to share the same daily products with their idols or people, who are influencing them. Furthermore, Adidas is following the main rules of Customer relationship management. Feedback from regular customers and surveys about particular products or advertisements created a high level of customer invo lvement and loyalty, what turned out to be the most effective strategy. These methods and tools helped Adidas to develop and build a long-term profitable customer relationship. 5. Conclusion 5.1. SWOT / TOWS During the economic crisis in year 2009, many companies and enterprises suffered turnover, profit and had to restructure their business. Many different factors were key drivers for this crisis, but not successfully adapted strategies regarding supply and demand. Consultants, who are analyzing and advising enterprises, implement different methods and tools, in order to improve the client’s business. One of these powerful tools is the SWOT- Analysis. But what is SWOT? How should companies or consultants use this tool, in order to succeed? And the most important question is, is Adidas using or ever used this methods, if yes how did they? SWOT is expecting from its users to examine, internal strengths and weaknesses of their business and to summarize external opportunities and threats, in order to develop new strategies for improvement. (Bà ¶hm, A., 2008). After developing these ideas, the proper implementation of them is important as well as the examination itself. The TOWS-matr ix ore the TOWS-analysis involves the same basic process of listing strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats like the SWOT analysis is claiming from its users. But furthermore the TOWS analysis is a tool that enables managers to take advantage of opportunities and minimize threats by exploiting strengths and overcoming weaknesses. In case of Adidas the strengths are mainly, their strong brand value as one of the most successful brand, a strong and proven marketing strategy, networks and strong franchising, their leading position in the industry as one of the largest player in the industry, diversified  operations in different parts of the world and the most important strength is their competitive pricing. But the enterprise has also some weaknesses. Some of the weaknesses Adidas might has to struggle with are the bad performance of Reebok in non US markets, stiff competition and similar big brands which means customers have high brand switching, high cost structure and the dependency on sport industry/athletes/sponsorships (Borowski, A. 2011). External factors are including the threats and opportunities. Increasing prices for raw materials, forged product-imitation and the tough competition in the sector with Puma and Nike are the key threats, which could menace Adidas (AdidasGroup, 2013). It is possible to use strengths to avoid threats and to capture opportunities, with the help of the TOWS-matrix. Therefore strategies, which Adidas could use in order to capture opportunities and avoid threats could be, to use diversified operations in different parts of the world and strong brand recognition for sponsorships in growing markets and the well-considered usage of celebrities (not just for advertisement, also for opening private sport academies). To minimize internal weaknesses by capturing opportunities, the enterprise should keep their focus on their strong and proven marketing strategy, networking and their strong franchising, in order to stay competitve and build close long-term customer relationships (Borowski, A. 2011). A part of that, the acquisition of competitors could decrease cost structure and rivalry within the industry and safe their status quo for the future. 6. Bibliography â€Å"Adidas, Deutsche Telekom, Infineon: German Equity Preview†. Bloomberg L.P. 16 January 2008. Retrieved on 15th of March from http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=newsarchive&sid=ah3ZhaeNWMdM&refer=germany AdidasGroup, (2013) Retrieved on 18th of March from http://www.adidas-group.com â€Å"Annual Report 2012†. Adidas. Retrieved on 10th March 2013 from http://www.adidas-group.com/en/investorrelations/financial_data/default.aspx Barney, J.B., (1991). Firm Resources and Sustained Competitive Advantage. Journal of Management. Texas: A&M University. Borowski, A. (2011). Adidas Marketing Strategy – An Overview. Norderstedt: GRIN Verlag Bà ¶hm, A., (2008).The SWOT Analysis. Mà ¼nchen: GRIN Verlag. Crook, T. R., et. al., (2008). Strategic resources and performance: A meta-analysis. Strategic Management Journal. UK: John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. Daft, L.R., (1983). Organizational Theory and Designs, St. Paul: West Pub. Co. Freiling, J., (2001). Resource-based View und à ¶konomische Theorie: Grundlagen und Positionierung des Resourcenansatzes. Heidelberg: Deutscher Università ¤ts-Verlag. Kumar, V. & Reinartz W. (2012). Customer Relationship Management – Concept, Strategy, and Tools. Berlin/Heidelberg: Springer Verlag. Nickels, W. G., McHugh, J. M., and McHugh, S. M. (2012). Understanding Business (10th edition). UK: McGraw-Hill Education. Porter, M.E. (1980). Competitive Advantage: Creating and Sustaining Superior Performance. New York: Free Press. Satya Sekhar, G.V., (2009). Business Policy and Strategic Management. New Delhi: I K International Publishing House Pvt. Ltd

John the Baptist Portrayed in Art

Saint John The Baptist There are countless portrayals of John the Baptist and the representation of his relationship to Jesus and to the Church. John has been one of the saints most frequently appearing in Christian art. The Baptism of Christ was one of the earliest scenes from the life of Christ to be frequently depicted in Early Christian art. John's tall, thin, and bearded figure is already established and recognizable by the 5th century. In the Gospel of Luke, we are first introduced to him when Mary goes to tell her cousin, Elizabeth, the news of her pregnancy.Elizabeth, already six month’s pregnant, felt the unborn child â€Å"jump for joy† in her womb. According to the Gospels, John declared, â€Å"I am the voice of one crying in the wilderness, ‘Make straight the way of the Lord. ’† Christians interpret this to mean that John was sent to prepare for the coming of the Messiah. John does just this, when he is the one who recognizes Jesus as the Messiah and baptizes him. The baptism marks the beginning of Jesus' ministry. Because this was said to be the beginning, John is know as John the Baptist and John the Forerunner.We will describe the appearance of John the Baptist further in our analysis and how this depicts his life hundreds of years later. The first work, titled â€Å"John the Forerunner† was done by an unknown iconographer in the typical Orthodox style during the 11th Century. It follows the prototypes established for John the Baptist within the Eastern tradition. In fact, the orthodox often refer to John as the Forerunner, as you see in this piece, because as stated before, he led the way for Christ’s arrival. As most orthodox works are, John is very still and lacking emotion, and there is no emphasis on three dimensionality.The mosaic relies heavily on symbolism instead, by portraying John with a scroll in his left hand and a gesture pointing up to Jesus Christ with his right hand. The iconic imag ery of the scroll symbolizes John’s importance and holiness as a preacher of God. The scroll reads â€Å"ECCE AGNUS DEI, QUI TOLLIT PECCATA MUNDI†, or â€Å"Behold, the lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world,† marking John’s prediction of the Messiah’s approach. Typically, we see John dressed in his camel tunic, but here, we see the specifics of his clothing may vary. John the Baptist is also depicted with a halo, emphasizing his ainthood and his major contribution to the life and mission of Christ. In Donatello’s bronze statue of Saint John the Baptist, we see his tunic made of camel hair, along with the iconographic imagery of his raised right arm and his symbolic staff and scroll in his let arm. Although the imagery is still present, Donatello gives St. John emotions with the expression of pain or grief on his face. The adding of emotion was a fairly common trait of the Florentine High Renaissance period, and it also signifies a slight shift in representation compared to our previous Orthodox work.For quite some time, there was debate over the completion date of the sculpture. In 1973, the restoration of the piece revealed a signature and date of 1438. The date confirms that Donatello carved the sculpture in Florence for the Venetian confraternity of the Florentines. The Renaissance was a time of innovation within religious art. We start to see it with Donatello’s work, but it is strikingly clear in Jacopo del Sellaio’s circa 1480 version of St. John. Sellaio abandons the iconic scroll, traditional clothing, and even John’s gesture made toward the heavens.Instead, Sellaio shows us a youthful John the Baptist, wearing bright, impressive colors. Included is a small bowl, placed at John’s feet to symbolize the baptism of Christ. Other than that, most of the religious symbolism has transferred to political symbolism, evident in the detail of the landscape. In the distance, we see th e Palazzo Vecchio, Brunelleschi’s dome cathedral and the campanile designed by Giotto. Therefore, this work would have appealed to the Church and the people of Florence by combining a sense of religious, social, and political pride, which was also not uncommon during the Renaissance in Florence.The Sermon of Saint John the Baptist, by Pieter Bruegel, was done in the elaborately detailed Baroque style during the Reformation Period of Northern Europe. In the painting dated 1566, and done with oil on wood, we recognize a village preacher at one of the countless religious congregations that took place during the Reformation. The preacher is identified as John the Baptist, as he is in his traditional camel cloak. St. John is almost lost in the heart of the picture, leaving the colorful, unorganized crowd to be the principal subject of the painting.We must search for the meaning of the painting by looking closely; scanning to see what story the painter intended to tell. John the Ba ptist therefore is not in the traditional iconic format here. The size, detail, and landscape seem to be more of the focus, which is a quality of Baroque Reformation art. This change in focus served as a statement for the Protestants, insinuating that the salvation of humankind lies within the individual’s faith alone, not solely with the canons of the Catholic Church. Our group looked at this painting and immediately noticed the â€Å"light at the end of the tunnel†, or how the path forward, is lit up so brightly.John the Baptist is almost preaching and pointing the way from the dark to the light, from wrong to right, towards the path of Christ. This painting is now on display in the Museum of Fine Arts in Budapest. Dutch artist, Bartholomeus Breenbergh, completed his version of The Preaching of John the Baptist circa 1634, which is again in the Baroque Reformation period. Breenbergh does represent John the Baptist traditionally for the most part, keeping his right ha nd pointed to the sky and his left hand holding a staff. On the contrary though, the attention to individuality and landscape still presents itself, much like Bruegel’s work.The crowd around John the Baptist seems to be preoccupied and somewhat inattentive, further symbolizing the Catholic and Protestant split. John the Baptist may be talking of the Saviors arrival, and has scared those who do not or refuse to believe. Breenbergh’s piece can be viewed in person in the Metropolitan Museum of Art, in New York City. Spanish artist, El Greco is credited for his Counter Reformation work in his rendition of St. John the Baptist. The detailed landscape we have discussed previously is still incorporated, however, the focus and iconography are extremely emphasized.Paying tribute to the traditional St. John the Baptist, El Greco removes the confusion of the Reformation style and retains his pose, staff, camel tunic, and lamb. The images we have seen so far have not included the lamb, but in earlier images of St. John the Baptist, the lamb was commonly interchangeable with the scroll or staff. If the scroll or staff were absent from the image, then a book or object with a picture of a lamb on it would be present, in order to keep the iconography of Jesus Christ within the context.We see El Greco taking the initiative and mixing the Catholic Church’s traditional conventions with the Baroque style, which essentially is the definition of Counter Reformation art. Another example of Counter Reformation art during the Baroque period can be seen in Mattia Preti’s Saint John the Baptist Preaching. Similar to El Greco’s work, the symbolism and iconography is much more in-depth compared to the Reformation art in the north. The Counter Reformation style resorts back to the heavy emphasis on symbolism in art, a quality that seemed to fade during the Renaissance.This return to symbolism served as the Catholic Church’s statement on the importa nce of tradition and its restoration after the Protestant Reformation. John the Baptist looks almost exhausted, assumed from preaching, as the background shows the sun setting after a long day. The lamb is also laying down, looking towards where John is pointing to the coming of Jesus. In Philippe de Champaigne’s 1657 version of John the Baptist, we are able to see him up close and large in size in comparison to other portrayals as well as to the background of this painting in general. De Champaigne has St.John looking out, assuming that he does not yet have your attention. His glare seems to take you in and point you in the direction of an approaching figure. As the Forerunner, Jesus’ precursor, John the Baptist is announcing the coming of the Messiah with the staff and scroll announcing â€Å"Behold the Lamb of God, that taketh away the sins of the world. † John the Baptist is about to hand over his reign as preacher to the greater one who is on His way. This painting almost transcends time, John is not just pointing us back to the past, but to how Jesus’ mission is still in the future.The picture shows Jesus as someone we haven't met, haven't heard of, and can barely see yet. It is showing its viewer the coming of Jesus then and as He will come again, as the scripture tells us. The life-size marble statue of St. John the Baptist, by Giuseppe Obici, shows that during the 19th century, the Catholic Church was still holding strong to its iconic representation of St. John the Baptist. By this point, the traditional conventions displayed in this sculpture should be obvious, furthering the importance of iconography in art, at least by the Catholic Church’s standards.Just twenty-two years after Obici’s ever-symbolic John the Baptist, French sculptor Auguste Rodin breaks the mold of the Church’s iconographic representation. In Rodin’s version, St. John is stripped of his normal tunic and left nude, a feature t hat would not have been popular amongst the ideals of the Roman Catholic Church in the 19th century. The religious symbolism is also removed from this work. The lamb representing his holiness as a preacher is left out, and although it appears St. John’s gesture towards heaven remains, this convention is left out also.Sources say that the statue was originally holding a cross in his right hand, but was soon removed to take away any narrative context for the figure. Without the cross, there aren’t any religious connotations involved with this piece, other than its title. Some may consider this to be a sign of the Church’s declining influence on art and a beginning to the contemporary age of the 20th century. Moving on to Modern art, the work done last year by a young English artist, Lara French, entitled â€Å"John the Baptist† after its inspiration, the medieval work on the right.This abstracted piece of modern art removes itself even further from the orig inal icon of John the Baptist, maybe as far as physically and symbolically possible. We speculated and talked as a group about any possible connections between the two, and came up with very few. We therefore look forward to hearing what our classmates have to say and to see if they find any features that we missed. In conclusion, we have looked at works ranging from the 11th century to today. The early Orthodox works appear highly iconographic and unconcerned with anything else.The Renaissance introduced to the world new ways to look at religious art. This was mainly due to the growing power and pride of Popes, aristocratic families, and the politics of Florence at the time. The Church lost some of this power during the Reformation, in which the Protestants used art to make statements about their beliefs. In reaction, the Catholic Church did the same by restoring their tradition and iconography in their art. Finally, as the need for patrons declined and the presence of artistic fre edom increased, iconography in art is now generally decided by artists themselves.