3 Flashcards
effect of war on art
WWII: paris abandoned as art capital. NY took over
20th cent patronage
- sponrsored by cultivated, intellectual patrons who were members of the avant-garde
armory show
intorudced modern art to amer audiences, generally reviled
ready-made
commonplace obj selected n exhibited as art
mobiles
stuff dangled from ceiling
frottage
made by rubbing crayon/pencil over paper placed over surface w/ raised design
abstraction
- pure form
- before it existed in marginal areas, but modern art placed abstract form directly in center
fauvism
- critic thought paintings looked as if they were created by ‘wild beasts’
- inspired by post-imps
- painterly surface w/ broad flat areas of violently contrasting color
dada
- artistic concept over execution
- disillusioned by violence of WWI
- ready-mades
- incorporated words prominently
the bridge
- kirchner
- group of german artists
- saw selves as bridge from traditional to modern painting
- emphasized same fauve ideals expressed in violent juxtapositions of color
der blaue reiter
- forsake representational art, move toward abstraction
- highly intellectual, filled w/ theories of artistic representation
what was cubism
- born in picasso’s studios
- influences by simple geometries of african masks
- break down human form into shapes n angles; multiple views showed face from number of angles
cubism phases
- analytical - jagged edges, sharp multifaceted lines
- synthetic - inspired by collages n found objects, featured flattened forms
- curvilinear
bimorphism
stresses organic shapes that hint at natural forms
surrealism
- inspired by psychological studies; represent unseen world of subconscious
- meant to puzzle n challenge
constructivism
- experimented w/ new architectual materials n assembled in a way devoid of historical reference
- influenced by cubists; no precise facades
destijl
- dutch mondrian
- completely abstract
- only primary colors
- only perpendicular lines, no diagnoal
ferroconcrete
steel reinforced concrete; 2 materials act together ro resist building stresses
cantilever
projecting beam attached to building at one end but suspended in air at the other
prairie style
- lloyd wright
- rejected idea that buildings should be done in historic styles; should be in harmony w/ site
- complex irregular plans and forms that reflected abstract shapes of contemporary painting
international style
- “machine for living”
- lack of ornament
mexican muralists
- unmistakable meaning; socialist agenda
- artists were trained in fresco painting
abstract expressnism
- aka NY school
- 1st american avant garde mvmnt
- action painting
color field
subtle tonal values that r often variations of a monochromatic hue
pop art
- materials of everyday world, items of mass pop culture
- glorifies, magnifies the commonplace
happenings
performance art that’s initially planned but involves spontaniety n often audience participation
site art
(earth art) dependent on location to render full meaning; often temporary
earthworks
large outdoor work in which earth itself is medium
postmodern architecture
sees intl style as cold. nothing wrong w ornament, traditional expressions, n references to past styles
chinese religion emphasized
- budd: living in harmony w/ nature n one another
- daoism n confucianism: living ethically w/in society’s boundaries
indian art
- artist often carry out work at the behest of an artist who acts as team leader, so monuments have surprising uniformity of style
- design may have also been determined by priest
buddha
- uniformy in depictions
- compact pose w/ little negative space
- often seated, lotus position – wheel marking on bottom of feet
- detached mood that suggests meditation
buddha symbols lion wheel lotus columns surrounded by wheel empty throne
- royalty
- law
- pure nature
- teaching
- him or reminder of his presence
bodhisattvas
helpers, deities who refrain from entering nirvana to help others
- sometimes attached to nimbus (halo)
mudra
symbolic hand gesture in hindu n buddhist art that reveals actions n feelings
ushnisha
protrusion at top of head, or buddha’s top knot
urna
circle of hair on brows of deity, sometimes represetend as focal point
yakshi (male, yaksha)
fertility figures in buddhist n hindu art; they r nature spirits that have been incorporated into buddhist pantheon
predella
base beneath buddha statues which can include donor fiugres n may have illustrations of teachings or story from his life
stupa
early buddhist worship. mound-shaped shrine w/ no interior.
- reliquary - worshippers gain spiritual merit thru being in close proximity to its contents
- b/c of shape and b/c one walks and prays w/ the sun (clockwise/easterly) direction, has cosmic symbolism: symbol of mt meru, mt at center of world and serves as axis connecting earth n heavens in buddhist cosmology
toranas
4 gateways to (near) stupa at cardinal points of the compass
- 2 upright posts, 3 horizontal lintels; elaborately carved
shiva
hindu god of creation n destruction
brahma
creator god
vishnu
preserver god
hinduism
- folk beliefs exist side by side w/ sophisticated philosophical schools
- all forms concentrate on infinite variety of divine
mithuna
divine couples that appear on exterior n doorways of some temples
- in india, mating in ritualistic sense
darshan
hinduism - ability of worshipper to see diety n diety to see worshipper
buddha
a fully enlightened being
puja
hindu prayer ritual
hindu temple
- not a hall for congregational worship – it’s the residence of a god
- at center is tiny interior cella called “womb of the world” where the status is placed
- to touch the statue is to touch the god himself; few can do this
indian painting
- crowded, colorful
- emotional humans
- nature is friendly
- anonymous works
chinese art
- characterized by paintings on scrolls w/ limited color
- calligraphy is central art form
literati
sophisticated, scholarly group of chinese artists who painted for themsleves rather than for fame or mass acceptance. highly individualized work
- didn’t sell; gave works to friends and connoisseurs
daoism
laozi - stresses individual expression n striving to find balance in 1’s life
confucianism
stresses education, devotion to family, mutual respect, trad culture
pagoda
- design of stupa transformed into pagoda when it reached china
- tower of many stories; each story identical in style to the one beneath it, only smaller
- dramatically projecting eaves that curl up at ends
colophon
commentary (poetry) on end panel of chinese handscroll; an inscription at end of manuscript containing relevant info on publication
porcelain
ceramic made from clay that when fired in kiln produces hard, white, brittle, shiny product. obj appear to be utilitarian but actually stand alone
yin n yang
yin: feminine, dark, soft, moist, weak
yang: male, bright, hard, dry, strong
DAOIST theory
coiling
originally most ceramics made my coiling - clay rolled onto long, flat surface so that it resembles a long cord; cords were wrapped around themselves creating a sculpture
potter’s wheel
clay placed on flat round table, w/ pedal to make the table spin
throwing
to mold forms on a potter’s wheel
ukiyo-e
“pics of the floating world” jap genre painting popular from 17th - 19th cent
- scenes of everyday life or pleasure
- “floating” - budhist sense of transient nature oflife
- immensely popular 1658 - 1858
zen
rejects worldliness. metaphysical branch of buddhism, teaches fulfillment thru self-discipline n intuition
japanese style
elevated viewpoints, diagonal lines, depersonalized faces
haboku
(splashed ink) monochrome jap ink painting done in free style in which ink seems to be splashed on a surface
yamato-e
jap painting style characterized by native subj matter, stylized features, thick bright pigments, depersonzliation of figures
ancient americas artistic life
artists were commoners, as was true in most ancient socieites
chavin
coastal peru
chacmool
typical work that appears everywher ein mayan cities
- half sitting, half lying figure; face turns 90deg from body
- on his stomach is a plate,maybe meant to receive offerings
ashlar masonry
perfectly grooved n fitted stones placed together in almost jigsaw puzzle arrangement, support building w/o use of concrete or other masonry
fav building shape of early americans
trapezoid
african patronage
artists worked on commission, often living w/ patrons until completed
tapa
cloth made from bark soaked n beaten into fabric; still done by pacific women
pacific society
men n women had clearly defined roles
men carved wood, women sewed n made pottery
acrylic
dveloped in 1950s. very little time to dry unlike oils, dont change color when they dry unlike watercolor. crack w/ time much faster than other paints do
assemblage
3D work made of various materials such as wood, cloth, paper, misc obj
installation
temporary artwork made of assemblages created for a particular space, like art gallery / museum
catacomb of priscilla
rome, italy excavated tufa and fresco late antique europe - 4 million dead, 7 popes + early christian martyrs - wall paintings r 1st christian artwork
orants figure
orant: a female figure in the posture of prayer in ancient Greek art
- fresco over a tomb niche; cemetery of family vault
- left: teacher w/ children
- r: mom n child
greek chapel
- named for 2 greek inscriptions on right niche
- 3 niches for sarcophagi
lunette
crescent-shaped space, stimes over doorway, that contains sculpture or painting
santa sabina
rome, italy
brick, stone, wooden roof
late antique europe
- spolia: tall slender columns taken from roman temple (triumph of christianity)
- bare exterior, sensitively decor interior
- axial plan
- light effects: Light would have been understood as a symbol of divinity. Light was a symbol for Christ. The emphasis in this architecture is on the spiritual effect and not the physical.
vienna genesis
- illum manuscript, pigment on vellum
- early byzantine europe
san vitale
ravenna, italy
early byzantine europe
brick, marble, stone veneer // mosaic
- justinian and theodora panels, both of them are actively participating in Mass (position over altar)
- martyrium: a church of a specific architectural form, centered on a central element and thus built on a central plan, that is, of a circular or sometimes octagonal
- large windows for illuminating interior designs
- interior: thin columns, open arched spaces
theodora n attendants
- slight displacemet of absolute symmetry w/ theodora – she plays 2ndary role to husband
- flattened, weightless figures – barely a hint of a body can be detected beneath drapery
- she holds chalice for mass
chalice
cup containing wine used during christian service
justinian n attendants
- maj theme: authority of the emperor in the Christian plan of history
- flattened, weightless figures
- left, clergy; right, military
- holds paten
- justinian frontally in center in purple imperial robe
- archbishop maximianus idenfitied w/ inscription
- halo indicates saintliness, semidivinity as head of church n state
- far left (to his right) soldiers
- central position of the Emperor between the power of the church and the power of the imperial administration and military
eucharist
bread sanctified by priest
theotokos
virgin mary in her role as mother of god
mosaic
decor using piece sof stone, marble or colored glass, called tesserae, that’re cemented to a wall or floor
martyrium
shrine built over a palace of martyrdom or grave of martyred christian saint; central plan
cahtedral
principal church of a diocese, where bishop sits
hagia sophia
constantinople / istanbul
Brick and ceramic elements with stone and mosaic veneer
- “holy wisdom”
- combo of central and axial plan
- exterior: plain, massive, little decor
- interior: large central dome w/ 40 windows at base symbolically acting as a halo over the congregation when filled w/ light – floating dome
- patrons: justinian n theodora
hagia sophia as mosque
- minarets added in islamic period after ottoman turks invaded (it was a mosque then, now its a museum)
- covered up mosaics b/c religious imagery
- added arabic calligraphy
theotokos mosaic
- dates to right after iconoclasm ends
- virgin mary seated, holding christ in lap
- she is right above windows, as if shes floating
- gold of apse represents divine light of heaven
deesis mosaic
- christ center, left hand holding gospels, RH blessing
- flanked by virgin mary n st john the baptist, both bowed
- figures much larger than life n high off ground + gold reminds us that it’s a heavenly space
Virgin (Theotokos) and Child between Saints Theodore and George
- early byzantine europe
- encaustic on wood
- monastery of st catherine, mt sinai, egypt
- virgin n child flanked by 2 soldier saints
- Above these are two angels who gaze upward to the hand of God, from which light emanates, falling on the Virgin.
- suggest a cosmos of the world, earth and real people, through the Virgin, heavenly angels, and finally the hand of God. The viewer who stands before the scene make this cosmos complete, from “our earth” to heaven
- passive saints appear ready to receive viewer’s veneration n pass it up to god
great mosque (masjid-e jameh)
- brick, wood, plaster, ceramic tile
- isfahan, iran
- Timurid and Safavid Dynasties
- large central rectangular courtyard surrounded by 2story arcade
- each side of courtyard has centrally placed iwan
- 1 iwan is entry for private space used by sultan
- qibla iwan is largest n most decorative; allows ppl to find place for prayer easily; only one flanked by 2 minarets
- urban integration: formed a pedestrian hub, connecting the network of paths crisscrossing the city
great mosque (the 1 in spain)
- stone masonry
- cordoba, spain
- 8th - 10th centuries
- umayyad dynasty
- horseshoe-shaped arches have a tradition in visigothic spain n roman architecture
- hypostyle: no central focus, no congregational worship
- columns r spolia from ancient roman structures
