Art Section 2 Flashcards
Who was the first to create concrete?
in the Ancient Near East
How did the Romans contribute to the historical use of concrete?
Romans spread its use throughout the empire
What is the primary purpose of revetment?
a facing of impact-resistant material to protect the inner structure from wear
How did adding pozzolana sand to mortar change the use of concrete?
The material was more durable, inexpensive, strong and could set, or cure, underwater
How did the wooden frames makes shapes that differed from those cut from stone, wood, or mud brick?
The frames would shape the concrete into shapes not able to be formed from cutting
Ashlar masonry vs concrete barrel vaults
-Were less stable
-If even one block comes loose, the whole thing could collapse
-Using concrete, windows could be placed anywhere, it was structurally sound, and fireproof
What was the Pantheon in Rome constructed for?
Religious worship
Whose reign was the Pantheon constructed?
Emperor Hadrian
What gods was the Pantheon dedicated to?
Five planetary gods: Jupiter, Mars, Mercury, Saturn, and Venus
But it was meant as a temple for all gods: Jupiter, Juno, Mars, Mercury,Neptune, Venus, Apollo, Diana, Minerva, Ceres,Vulcan, and Vesta
The Pantheon was based on what concept
a Hellenistic concept
What is the oculus of the Pantheon?
circular opening that is 27 feet in diameter and is the only light source
What are coffers in the Pantheon?
the square sunken decorative panels on the dome which also lessens the domes weight
What is the colonnaded entry of the Pantheon?
The colonnaded(s) is a straight row of columns that support the roof. It is the narrow entry that leads to the open-space of the court
Porticoes of the Pantheon
It is the porch, leading to the entrance of the Pantheon. The porticoes hide the temple’s circular drum from view. There is a roof structure over the walkway that is supported by columns.
What is a rotunda?
a building w/circular ground plan and, in the case of the Pantheon, it is covered by a dome
What are the seven niches that punctuate the curved walls of the rotunda at ground levels of the Pantheon?
Marked for a specific deity
What decorates the interior structure of the surface of the Pantheon’s walls and floor?
Patterns of circles and squares in colored stones
Which of the following materials went into the mixture for the bottommost foundation of the Pantheon?
Basalt and travertine stone
-These materials became lighter as the structure rose
What does illuminated circle of the oculus symbolize?
The eye of Jupiter
What does the perfect spherical shapes of the dome and oculus symbolize?
Eternity and perfection; a reflection of the heavens
How does the dome of the Pantheon reflect the heavens that was made to honor?
The coffers were painted deep blue and represented with bronze rosettes (image of the stars against the night sky)
How does the emphasis on circular shapes affect the visual experience for the viewer?
There is an absence of vertical lines that connect the floor to the dome so the dome seems as if it is floating
How did Emperor Hadrian take advantage of the temple’s connection to the heavens?
Used it as a way to reinforce his own power
What did Egyptians believe about death?
That it is only the beginning of the journey to the eternal life into the Kingdom of Osiris (land of the dead). They also believed in material existence in the afterlife.
What is mummification?
the embalming and wrapping of the human body for preservation
Describe the process of embalming the corpses to prepare them for their sarcophagi (decorated coffins)
Seventy-two day process
1. All internal organs were removed except the heart
2. The body is then packed in dry natron to dehydrate and dissolve the body fats
3. The corpse was washed, treated with oils, and then wrapped in twenty layers of linen. The body was then filled with linen to make it more life-like.
Where were the organs that were removed from the body placed?
They were embalmed with and then place in canopic jars
What factor caused Egyptian artwork to become more naturalistic?
Roman colonization
What did the Egyptians replace the traditional stylized masks with after Roman colonization?
Portraits painted in encaustic
What is encaustic?
colored pigments is mixed with wax (typically beeswax) and then it is applied to a material to a smooth surface
What is the best region for the encaustic technique?
Fayum (aka Faiyum)
When were the encaustic panels for ones coffins painted?
When the person was still alive
Describe the encaustic panel of the: Portrait of a Young Woman in Red
-The background was originally gilded with gold, suggesting the illusion of pulsating life
-Long lashes
-And she seems to be staring into the future representing Egyptian’s belief in eternal life
How is Mummy with an Inserted Panel Portrait of a Youth (selected work) a rare example of a Fayum Portrait?
It is still attached to the mummy case
Where is the Mummy with an Inserted Panel Portrait located now?
The Metropoltan Museum of Art in New York
Who does the Mummy with an Inserted Panel Portrait show?
An unnamed young man (indicated by the small moustache)
How did the Fayum panel portraits have a double pictorial function?
They were meant to distinguish the dead on their journey to the Kingdom of Osiris and served as mementoes of the departed for the family
Steps to create a mummy portrait in encaustic
- Sketch outlines of face
- Then quickly apply encaustic for a thinner mixture of the background
What origin were painting techniques used in Fayum portraits?
Greco-Roman (many of the subjects were dressed like the Roman and had Greek names but believed in the afterlife)
But using mummies is completely Egyptian
What was the first High Gothic building?
Chartres Cathedral
Where was the Gothic style developed? Another name for it?
Around Paris, France
Commonly known as opus modernum
Which artists coined the term “Gothic?” And in which one of his published works did he include it in?
Giorgio Vasari
1550 “Introduction to the Three Arts of Design”
Advantages of Gothic architecture:
- Requires less flying buttressing
- Thinner walls
-Larger window openings - Appear taller
How did the pointed arches in Gothic empire further support the view that they were “Cities of God”?
They direct the eye upward to make the vaults appear taller. This creates the illusion that they are soaring into the heavens
What did Gothic architects develop?
Pointed arches which meant less buttressing was needed
On what Gothic architecture was the flying buttresses first used on?
The Cathedral of Notre-Dame in Paris
This allowed for enormous openings in the structure for windows
Who wrote the book that details the technique for making stained glass?
Theophilus Presbyter
True or False? Stained glass windows are a Gothic invention
False
Composition of stained glass
- Molten mixture of silica (similar to sand)
- Potash (lowered temp. that silica melts)
- Lime (a stabilizer)
- Metal oxides (to stain the glass)
Steps for production of stained glass
- The master designer drew the composition of a window on a wooden panel
- Flat sheets of different colored glass were provided to glassworkers from the glassblowers
3a. The glaziers (glassworkers) would then cut the windowpanes into the correct size and shape using iron shears
3b. Glaziers produced more colors by fusing different colored glasses together (flashing) - Details are traced in enamel from the master design
- The glass is heated to fuse the enamel to the surface of the glass
- Glaziers “leaded” the various fragments of glass with metal strips of lead and a web of iron
