Art History Midterm #1 Flashcards
Questions art historians ask
How old is it? What is its style? What is its subject? Who made it? Who paid for it?
Perspective
The view point of the art piece
Proportions
How big the objects or body parts are
Iconography
The visual images and symbols used in a work of art or the study or interpretation of these
Patronage
The support given by a patron
Connoisseurship
A kind of expertise in a particular subject
Stylization
Process of designing or presenting in accordance with a style
Art history
Paintings, sculptures, drawings, architecture
archeology
Materials that are dug up
Artifact
Function and utility
Artwork
Aesthetics, made to be pretty, subjective
Purpose of prehistoric
Survival
Meanings and usage of Stonehenge
Purpose: calendar
Important to them for farming
Maslow’s hierarchy of needs
Physiological, safety, love and belonging needs, esteem, and self-actualization
Hybrid
A mix of two things (man and bull)
Zoomorphic
Representing animal forms or gods of animal form
Anthropomorphic
Having human characteristics
Syncretization
Adoption of culture
Bird headed man
First drawing of human
Megalith
Large stone that forms a prehistoric monument
Post and lintel
A form of architecture construction—two vertical with one horizontal
Cromlech
U shape that opens to the winter solstice
Henge
The circles that form a monument
Blue stones
Smaller stones once outside, later moved inside the henge
Summer and winter solstice
Shortest and longest days of the year
Middle eastern art main theme
Propaganda and power
Sumerian art
Ziggurat and temples—votive statues—importance of gods and worship
Neo-Sumerian
Gudea—leaders and gods
Babylonian
300 laws—oldest law—power—god is equal to leader
Hittites
Lion gate—power in architecture
Assyrian
Lamassu—hunting lions—power
Neo Babylonian
Ishtar gate, hanging gardens, power in beauty and grandeur
Persian art
Darius throne scene—power in portrayal
Cuneiform
Invention of writing
Votives
Objects offered to god in worship
Egyptian style and consistency
Rigid-left foot forward-big eye-side profile-consistency of scale based on measurements and grid
Evolutions and key characters in the building of the pyramids
Stepped pyramid (Imhotep), broken pyramid (Sneferu), Giza pyramids at 51 degrees
Egyptian ideal vs real
(Most) pharohs want to be remembered as strong and in the best physical condition possible
Amarna style
Developed by Akhenaten—break from the ideal—stylized—weird proportions
King tut significance
One of the few tombs left in tact—teaches about the ways of the Egyptian—their religious beliefs and mummification
Twisted perspective
Way Egyptians were painted—side profile face/ torso facing the viewer
Ka and Ka statue
The life force/life force can live in statue after death
Damnatio memoriae
Someone erases memory and account of other person (Hatshepsut)
Pylon
Monumental gate of Egyptian temple
Sculptor of Akhenatons statuary
Bek
Howard Carter
Discovered king tuts tomb
How did the Israelites worship?
Temples instead of idols
Brazen sea
Similar to temple baptismal font
Ark of the covenant and the mercy seat
The holy thing that the glowy ball appears on
What is the meaning of classical?
Timeless-classy-what other things is based off of-ICONIC
Greek evolution
Cycladic, geometric, Orientalizing, classical, Hellenistic
Palace of Knossos
Red columns-communal living-oldest throne room-no depictions of power besides overall lavishness-peaceful because of trading
Difference of Minoan and Mycenaean
Mycenaean built FORTRESSES
Orientalizing period
Borrowed from Egyptians in stiffness-start to explore nakedness and realism
Archaic
Smile to look more alive—get better at proportions
Canon of Doryphorus
The perfect proportional sculpture of a man
Red figure ware
Leave red background/paint black figures
Black figure ware
Paint black background/ leave figures unpainted (red)
Linear A
Minoan writing system
Megaron
Largest room in building
Parthenon optical refinements
Entasis: swelling of columns belly to appear straight; swelling Stylobate; columns slant inward
Contrapposto
Leaning on one foot—realistic of human being actual stance—the way the body actually moves and appears
Sculptor of the three goddesses
Phidias
Who built the temple of Hatshepsut
Senmut
Who sculpted Doryphorus?
Poylkleitos (remember poly is many and there were many statues made after Doryphorus)
Who made bust of Nefertiti
Thutmose
