Editing Flashcards
109
Both paintings address
the Sublime.
Both paintings are primarily concerned with themes of
109
nature
What is true about both paintings?
109
They reflect a transcendental vision of nature.
From an art historical perspective, Magdalena Abakanowicz’ Androgyne III can best be interpreted as
228
expressing human suffering.
From an art historical perspective, Magdalena Abakanowicz’ Androgyne III can be interpreted as expressing human suffering, in keeping with the artist’s interest in the effects of war and totalitarianism. The hollow, genderless figure speaks broadly to human experience. By focusing on this figure’s cracked skin, hunched back, and need for wooden supports to prop it up, the artist further emphasizes brutal suffering.
035
The type of complex shown can be defined as an acropolis because it
was converted from a fortress to a site for religious ritual.
The building can be identified as part of an acropolis due to its location within a fortified complex as well as its function as a center for religious rituals.
The freestanding female figures associated with the Parthenon, including the now-lost chryselephantine statue of Athena and the surviving Peplos Kore, have what in common?
035
They both functioned as religious images and offerings made to a deity.
The freestanding female figures associated with the Parthenon, including the chryselephantine statue of Athena and the Peplos Kore, functioned as religious images and offerings made to a deity. Both statues were gifts created for the Goddess Athena, who was the patroness of the Athenian people.
These buildings date to what century?
035
fifth-century B.C.E.
Both buildings are part of a complex built to celebrate
035
Athens’ domination of the eastern Mediterranean.
The development of the Athenian agora as a public space differed substantially from the Forum of Trajan in that the agora
045
evolved gradually over centuries in response to political change.
The development of the Athenian agora as a public space differed substantially from the Forum of Trajan in that the agora of Athens, having been in use since Neolithic times, was gradually transformed over time in response to political change. In contrast, the Forum of Trajan was commissioned by Emperor Trajan and constructed as part of a major building project by an architectural engineer, Apollodorus of Damascus.
The citizens of ancient Athens likely responded to the Athenian agora with a sense of
026
civic pride, because it represented a place of communal governance and cultural identity.
The citizens of ancient Athens most likely regarded the agora of their city with a sense civic pride because it represented a place of communal governance and cultural identity. As a central place surrounded by buildings, the Athenian agora constituted the focal point of public life, where citizens met to conduct business, discuss issues of communal governance, and exchange ideas. Since Athenians practiced an early form of direct democracy during the classical period, Athenians were directly involved in the communal government. As a place where political and philosophical discourse was practiced, the agora is believed to have fostered the development of Athenian democracy.
The patterns on the cape are traditionally
215
associated with a particular lineage.
Traditionally, feather-cape creators recited the genealogy of the wearer during the construction of the cape, weaving the story of the family and the individual into the patterns of the garment.
The cape was intended to accomplish what three functions?
215
frighten the viewer
protect the wearer
contain the owning family’s mana
The capes were not created for purely aesthetic reasons or to specifically demonstrate wealth. The brightly colored, intricately crafted garments woven with sacred feathers and individualized geometric design elements were intended to convey power and social standing in Hawaiian culture and to connect the wearer with the gods.
The Hawaiian feather cape was created to be a
215
sacred garment worn by chiefs.
The Hawaiian feather cape was created as a sacred object. Both feathers and the color red were associated with gods. The cape symbolized the king’s religious responsibilities and conveyed his divinity.
The choice of sunflower seeds as the subject matter of the work shown was influenced by their association with
250
Chairman Mao and China’s Cultural Revolution.
Ai Weiwei uses layered references in Kua Hua Zi (Sunflower Seeds) to offer a critical reflection on modern Chinese society, as well as on modern society in general, by examining issues such as the role of individualism and cultural conformity. Among others, the subject matter of the sunflower seeds in Ai Weiwei’s work references Chairman Mao, who was often associated with the Sun and sunflowers in Cultural Revolution–era propaganda, in which sunflowers often symbolized the Chinese people who would turn towards Chairman Mao as if he were the Sun. By evoking this reference, Ai Weiwei reflects on the relationship between the individual and society, and on issues of cultural and political conformity.
In the work shown, one reason that Ai Weiwei included over a million handmade sunflower seeds spread across a large area was to
250
allude to the volume of Chinese goods in contemporary global markets.
The 100 million sunflower seeds in Ai Weiwei’s work were handmade by Chinese laborers in order to reference the large volume of Chinese goods on the international market.
Ai Weiwei chose to use porcelain to create sunflower seeds because the material
250
connects the work to China’s long tradition of porcelain production.
Ai Weiwei uses porcelain in his work to reference China’s long history of producing and exporting porcelain.
The medium Ai Weiwei used in Kui Hua Zi (Sunflower Seeds) comments on an artistic tradition exemplified by which work of art?
250
David Vases
The David Vases are made of porcelain and exemplify the processes of the Chinese tradition of porcelain making that Ai Weiwei intended to reference in this work.
The relief shown can be attributed to the Amarna period in Egypt based on what typical characteristic?
022
The depiction of the deified Aten as a sun disk with diagonal rays
The relief shown can be attributed to the Amarna period in Egypt due to the depiction of Aten. The work depicts Aten as a disk surrounded by diagonal rays. This was a common subject for the Amarna period, during which the pharaoh Akhenaton established a monotheistic religion centered around the worship of the sun god Aten.
Originally located in a private house in Pompeii, the Alexander Mosaic was likely interpreted by viewers in what way?
040
It conveyed the elevated and learned status of the owner of the house.
Art played a serious role in the intellectual and cultural life of the Roman elite who used their homes to showcase their taste and erudition.
The foreshortening of figures in the Alexander Mosaic likely affected viewers in what way?
040
It conveyed the climactic moment of a narrative.
The horses and figures are foreshortened, dramatizing the retreat of Darius and his Persian army as Alexander the Great charges into the scene.
The use of over one million small tiles to make the Alexander Mosaic allowed its creator to
040
model the anatomy of the figures naturalistically.
The numerous tiles allowed the artist to contrast lights and darks, creating modeled figures and cast shadows, along with a number of other illusionistic details.
The artist of the Alexander Mosaic likely intended to celebrate ancient Greek art by
040
emulating an earlier painting described in ancient texts.
Evidence indicates that the Alexander Mosaic is a copy of a Greek painting by Philoxenes of Eretria. A description of the original painting by Pliny the Elder has led to this attribution.
The work depicts a battle in which
040
Alexander the Great overthrew King Darius III.
The work is a
040
mosaic.
The variety of t’oqapu designs covering the All-T’oqapu tunic indicates to scholars that
the garment was a royal tunic that symbolized the power of the Sapa Inka.
The decoration of the tunic is where its name derives from. T’oqapu are the square geometric motifs that make up the entirety of this tunic. These designs were only allowed to be worn by those of high rank in Inka society. Individual t’oqapu designs appear to have been related to various peoples, places, and social roles within the Inka Empire. Covering a single tunic with a large variety of t’oqapu, as seen in this example, likely makes it a royal tunic and symbolizes the power of the Inka ruler (the Sapa Inka). The collection of many patterns shows that the Sapa Inka (which means “unique Inka” in Quechua) was a special individual who held claim to all t’oqapu and therefore all the peoples and places of his empire. It is a statement of absolute dominion over the land, its people, and its resources, manifested in an item that is typically Andean in its material and manufacture.
In the work shown from the Amarna period, the use of sunken-relief carving creates strong contours that accentuate the figure’s
022
curvilinear form and elongated features.
In the work shown from the Amarna period, the use of sunken-relief carving creates strong contours that accentuate the figure’s curvilinear form and elongated features. The work uses the sunken-relief technique to create strong shadows along carved, linear contours. The strong outlines produced draw attention to the stylized, curvilinear form and elongated features of the figure.
The physical properties of the Ambum Stone have led scholars to propose which of the following theories about the work?
009
It must have held special value for its owners, because creating it would have been extremely time consuming.
The Ambum Stone stands out through its extraordinary sculptural quality, which includes well defined and carefully crafted details. Given the Neolithic technology available to the society of ancient Papua New Guinea who created this work, and the extremely hard and difficult to shape nature of the stone it was made from, the sculpture must have been extremely time consuming to make using the type of stone tools that would have been available to the artist. Scholars have therefore theorized that the stone likely held special value with its owners beyond that of an ordinary, every-day object.
The creator of the work shown, which is from Neolithic Papua New Guinea, carved the top into an elongated, rounded shape most likely to suggest the
009
head and upper body of an animal, conforming to the shape of a handle.
The work shown belongs to a group of objects from Neolithic Papua New Guinea that are thought to have functioned as mortars and pestles, used to grind substances such as food. As with other pestles of this type, such as the Ambum Stone, the top of the work has been shaped by the artist into the form of an animal, including what appears to be an elongated head ending in a long snout, a curved neck, and a pair of limbs. The curved head and neck conform to a shape that a person using this object as a tool would find easy to hold.
The artist used all of the following features in the work EXCEPT
a clear relationship between figure and ground
In Androgyne III, Magdalena Abakanowicz used a headless, shell-like, hollow figure to communicate which of the following to viewers?
The brutality of war and political trauma
In Androgyne III, Magdalena Abakanowicz sought to communicate the brutality of war and political trauma. Using a rough burlap material to create an abstracted and dismembered human form, Abakanowicz intended to express a sense of alienation and dehumanization resulting from war and political turmoil.
Magdalena Abakanowicz’ Androgyne III demonstrates continuity with other figural works from the late twentieth century in the artist’s use of
provocative imagery to address issues of humanity
Magdalena Abakanowicz’ Androgyne III demonstrates continuity with other figural works from the late twentieth century in the use of provocative imagery to address issues of humanity, specifically concerns over brutality and dehumanization in contemporary political society.
The painting shown can be attributed to the Master of Calamarca (La Paz School) because of its representation of
an angel in the dress of an Andean nobleman
The clothing worn by the angel, including the balloon-sleeved coat and wide-brimmed hat with feathers, imitates that of indigenous Andean noblemen, as in other versions of the same subject by the Master of Calamarca, such as Archangel with Arquebus, Asiel Timor Dei.
The temple at Angkor Wat was originally designed as a
manifestation of the connection between the king and divine power
The temple at Angkor Wat is dedicated to Vishnu and was begun by the Khmer king Suryavarman II as a way of legitimizing his claim to political office and demonstrating his ability to harness the power and energy of Vishnu. This follows a Khmer tradition, according to which each Khmer king constructed his own temple mountain and dedicated it to a Hindu god with whom he was considered to have a close connection. Such temples were built on a grand scale to express the power of the king and to legitimize their rule.
The temple on the left is the Lakshmana Temple in India. The creation of the temple on the right demonstrates the
importation of Hinduism from India by royal patrons for political purposes
The two figures on the left reflect the impact of
the French court style
What is the subject of the two figures on the left?
Annunciation
The work shown can be identified as the
anthropomorphic stele from the Arabian Peninsula, created in the fourth millennium B.C.E.
he work shown is the anthropomorphic stele from the Arabian Peninsula, created in the fourth millennium B.C.E.
The work shown can be identified as
the Apollo 11 stones from Namibia, created c. 25,500–25,300 B.C.E.
The work shown can be identified as the Apollo 11 stones from Namibia, created c. 25,500–25,300 B.C.E.
The work was found in which of the following contexts?
Located in a rock shelter in the mountains
The Apollo 11 stones were excavated from a rock shelter in the Huns Mountains in Namibia.
The form of the animal is represented using which of the following techniques?
Profile so that distinctive aspects of the animal are clearly recognizable
The form of the animal is represented in profile so that distinctive aspects, such as the head, legs, and horns, are clearly recognizable.’’
The culture that created the work can be characterized as
composed of groups of mobile hunters and gatherers
Archaeological evidence suggests that the culture that painted the Apollo 11 stones was most likely composed of groups of mobile hunters and gatherers, for whom portable art such as these stones would have been appropriate.
Archaeological evidence from the site where the work was found has led scholars to suggest that the original audience lived in which of the following locations?
In an ongoing settlement that included places with ritual significance
Archaeological evidence suggests that the original audience for the Apollo 11 stones lived in an ongoing settlement that included places with ritual significance. In addition to the rock shelter where the Apollo 11 stones were found, the site also includes cave paintings and engravings of animal forms along the banks of the riverbed made by different individuals over many thousands of years. This evidence has led scholars to suggest that the site had ritual significance over a long period of time.
Archaeological evidence suggests that the Apollo 11 stones in Namibia
are among the earliest known rock paintings in Africa
The Apollo 11 stone plaques, which feature animal imagery, are among the earliest known rock paintings in Africa.
Scholars believe that the sculpture of Apollo from the Temple of Minerva at Veii served as a
part of group of figures depicting a mythological narrative
The sculpture of Apollo from the Temple of Minerva at Veii was originally part of a larger sculptural program consisting of several terra cotta statues, which together most likely depicted the story of one of the twelve labors of Hercules, and which were displayed on the rooftop of the temple.
The Umayyad architects of the Great Mosque of Córdoba borrowed from the city’s Roman architectural heritage by
incorporating columns from older structures
The Great Mosque of Córdoba was built on the site of a previous church and included recycled ancient columns and other elements from Roman and Visigoth structures.
The compositional focus of the work on the right is a
saint
The relief is the product of which of the following cultures?
Imperial Roman
The relief depicts a
celebration of conquest
When sculptural figures take the place of columns in similar architectural structures, they are called
caryatids
The horizontal band above the columns in both works is known as the
frieze
In the building on the left, the triangular area that had been formed by the roof and the cornice is the
pediment
The builders organized the nave of the church in three-dimensional modules called
bays
The nave of the church is covered by
a barrel vault
The mathematical unit that organizes the plan is derived from the
crossing square
The architectural feature perpendicular to the nave is known as a
transept
The interior shows a two-story elevation consisting of a nave arcade and a
gallery
Which of the following help to articulate the three-dimensional modules of the nave?
Compound piers and transverse arches
When designing the Ardabil Carpet, in consideration of the fact that it would be displayed in a sacred space, the artist decided to include a
large central medallion that supports two lamps shown hanging from each end
In consideration of the fact that the Ardabil Carpet would be displayed in a sacred space, the shrine of the Sufi saint Shaykh Safi al-Din Ardabili, the artist decided to include a medallion that supports two lamps of the type that were typically found hanging in mosques. Additionally, the medallion features sixteen pendants that create a form that some suggest represents the inside of a heavenly dome.
The Ardabil Carpet’s status as a luxury item is indicated by the artist’s
use of a high knot count to create detailed patterns
The Ardabil Carpet’s status as a luxury item is indicated by the use of a high knot count to create detailed patterns. The complex floral and geometric patterns in the Ardabil Carpet are made possible by its high knot count per square inch.
The Ardabil Carpet demonstrates continuity with Persian artistic traditions by featuring
complex patterns created through intricate hand knotting
The Ardabil Carpet, created during the sixteenth century C.E. in a workshop of the Safavid Dynasty, features complex patterns that were created by knotting differently colored pieces of yarn onto the underlying vertically positioned warp threads, a technique that is characteristic of Persian carpet-making tradition of that time.
The Ardabil Carpet’s rich, decorative patterning reflects the influence of Islam on Persian artistic tradition by
excluding figural representations of animals or humans
The decoration of the Ardabil Carpet, would be appropriate for a carpet designed for the shrine of the Sufi saint, Safi al-Din Ardabili. It is comprised of nonfigural designs which exclude images of animal or human figures, as indicated by the traditions of Muslim aniconism. The rug design includes scrolling vines and floral motifs as well as imagery that alludes to real objects, such as the centrally placed sunburst medallion that visually references the interior of a heavenly dome. The medallion is surrounded by pendant shapes and depictions of two mosque lamps. These are all visual elements that relate to the Islamic context for which the carpet was created.
The work was painted by
Van Eyck
The work was painted in which century?
Fifteenth
Although Jan van Eyck’s Arnolfini Portrait has traditionally been interpreted as representing a wedding, the painting has more recently been interpreted as representing a
betrothal ceremony between a wealthy merchant and his future bride
Instead of depicting the sacrament of marriage, some scholars argue the painting is a scene commemorating an alliance between two wealthy Italian mercantile families — a ceremonial betrothal reflecting social and legal conventions of the time.
The artist who created the painting worked primarily in
Bruges
The artist includes himself in the painting in the form of
written text
The work has been interpreted as a visual document of all of the following EXCEPT
coronation
The painting incorporates
religious symbolism
The subject of the work is
Judith and Holofernes
The artist of this work was trained
by a relative
The sculpture shown appears life-like and natural as a result of the
sense of balance provided by the contrapposto stance
The contrapposto stance, in which weight is placed on one leg while the other naturally bends, was an innovation of fifth century Classical Greek sculpture adopted in many later Greek and Roman sculptures, such as the statue shown of Augustus of Prima Porta. Figures in the contrapposto stance seem more life-like than Archaic Greek sculptures, such as the Anavysos Kouros, whose straight-legged stance appears far more rigid.
The formal qualities of the sculpture shown suggest a strong influence by which of the following earlier works?
Doryphoros (Spear Bearer)
Art historians have noted the close resemblance between of the statue of Augustus of Prima Porta and the Classical Greek sculpture of the Doryphoros (Spear Bearer) by Polykleitos, which follows an idealized canon of proportions and a contrapposto stance very similar to the portrayal of the Roman emperor.
The sculptor of the work shown chose to show the figure’s arm extended to
highlight his speaking skills as a gifted orator
As Roman Emperor, Augustus was a gifted orator (public speaker), who was skillful in giving political speeches, as well as addressing his troops prior to military confrontations. The pose of the statue, in which one arm is outstretched, is commonly used in ancient Roman art to represent the act of public speaking and is used in the work to emphasize one of Augustus’ skills that enabled him to be a successful leader.
The choice of iconography of the work shown was strongly influenced by the
establishment of the Roman Empire under Augustus
The work shown, Augustus of Prima Porta, was created during a time of political transition of the Roman state from a Republic to an Empire. Emperor Augustus, who had himself depicted in this work, was the first ruler of the Roman Empire from 27 B.C.E. until his death in 14 C.E. The iconography of the statue was intended to lend legitimacy to Augustus’ authority as emperor by emphasizing his contributions to the Roman people.
Which of the following characteristics do the Augustus of Prima Porta and Ndop (portrait figure) of King Mishe miShyaang maMbul share?
Both celebrated rulers’ attributes that contributed to their successful reigns
The Augustus of Prima Porta and Ndop both celebrated rulers’ attributes that contributed to their successful reign. The Ndop is depicted with a large head to represent intelligence, whereas the pose and imagery included in the Augustus of Prima Porta represent the emperor’s skill as an orator and a general.
The choice of imagery on the breastplate of the individual depicted was most likely intended to elicit which of the following responses from viewers?
Appreciation of his services as protector of peace and prosperity
The iconography of the breastplate worn by Augustus includes references to military and diplomatic accomplishments of Emperor Augustus in ensuring peace and stability for the Roman empire. The inclusion of these references in the work shown were intended to serve a propagandist function of legitimizing Augustus’ authority as emperor, by highlighting his services to the Roman people and state
The work shown was created using which of the following techniques commonly used in Aztec art?
Carving with stone tools to create a deep relief on the top and sides
The sculpture shown, the Stone of Tizoc, from the Templo Mayor complex at the Aztec capital of Tenochtitlan, was carved with stone tools, similar to the Calendar Stone and the Coyolxauhqui Stone from the same complex. All stone working in ancient Mesoamerica was accomplished with stone chisels, hammers, grinders, and saws. After the sculptures were finished, they were frequently polished with stones and fine sand. Metal tools were never used to work stone.
This fan demonstrates the Aztec tradition of
featherwork
his work is an example of Aztec featherwork, a technique used to create the feather headdress in the image set.
In Great Il-Khanid Shahnama folios such as Bahram Gur Fights the Karg, techniques and motifs borrowed from traditional Chinese sources were incorporated to create a
new style of manuscript illumination that combines elements from various artistic traditions
In Great Il-Khanid Shahnama folios such as Bahram Gur Fights the Karg, motifs and techniques borrowed from Chinese sources were incorporated to create a new visual style of manuscript illumination that combined elements from various artistic traditions. Wealthy patrons encouraged Mongol painters to move beyond the traditions of Persian painting and create a unique and innovative style of book illustration. Artists creating the lavish book illustrations for the Shahnama, a classic epic poem, combined Persian traditional style with elements borrowed from other cultural traditions, such as elements from Chinese landscape painting tradition. In the folio Bahram Gur Fights the Karg, the style of the rock outcroppings and trees included in the scene reflect artistic influences from China.
In the work shown, Bahram Gur Fights the Karg, the depiction of the subject matter visually contributes to the story by
identifying the hero through his luxurious, kingly garb
The depiction of the subject matter in Bahram Gur Fights the Karg visually contributes to the story by identifying the hero through his luxurious, kingly garb. The work is an illuminated page in the Shahnama, the eleventh-century epic poem by Firdawsi that is an account of Persian history from creation up until the defeat of the Persians by Islamic conquerors in the seventh century C.E. The Shahnama recounts the stories of great Persian rulers and heroes, both mythical and historical, and it is the most celebrated work in Persian literature. By illustrating the story of a heroic king defeating “a monstrous horned wolf” that was terrorizing the population, the illumination page symbolizes the victory of good over evil and order over chaos. The noble hero, Bahram Gur, is aptly depicted on horseback, like a Mongol warrior, wearing a golden crown, earrings of gold and pearl, and a luxurious garment.
Some scholars have indicated that leopard designs were included on the beaded Aka elephant mask from Cameroon for which of the following reasons?
To further advance the divine power of the Fon (king)
Both the leopard and the elephant were associated with divine rule. The leopard was believed to possess the ability to turn into a human, while a Fon (king) could transform into an elephant.
The combination of repeated patterns, vertical lines, and contrasting colors enabled the artist of the work shown to convey a sense of
dynamism and energy
In the work shown, the combination of repeated patterns comprised of undulating curves (curves that rise and fall), simplified geometric forms, vertical lines, and contrasting colors create a sense of energy and dynamism. This reflects the original context in which the Aka elephant masks were used by the Bamileke culture. The masks were only one part of a spectacular costume worn by members of a high-ranking society who danced at royal functions. In addition to the mask, the costume included a dramatic towering red and black headdress, a colorful beaded garment in bold geometric patterns, and a leopard skin worn on the back.
Which of the following is a characteristic of the Bamiyan Buddhas that reflects the influence of other artistic traditions fostered by Bamiyan’s location on the Silk Road?
Realistically draping folds of the robes, influenced by Hellenistic Greek style
The cultural connections fostered by Bamiyan’s location on the Silk Road are reflected in the realistically draping folds of the robes, influenced by Hellenistic Greek style. The drapery found on the works closely resembles that of the Victory adjusting her sandal from the Acropolis, the Winged Victory of Samothrace, or reliefs from the Great Altar of Zeus.
Which characteristic of the Lenape bandolier bags reflects an influence from an outside culture?
The shape of the bags was inspired by those carried by European soldiers to store ammunition.
The shape of Lenape bandolier bags was inspired by bags carried by European soldiers to store ammunition. The shoulder straps and rectangular pouch were modeled after functional ammunition bags. The format of these bags demonstrates the influence of Europeans on Lenape art.
The use of imported materials such as tiny colored glass beads and silk ribbons on Bandolier bags were intended to show the
The use of imported materials such as tiny colored glass beads and silk ribbons on Bandolier bags were intended to show the
The use of imported materials such as tiny colored glass beads and silk ribbons on Bandolier bags were intended to indicate the social status of the bag’s wearer. Though Bandolier bags are based on leather ammunition pouches used by European soldiers in present-day northeastern United States and Canada, they have not traditionally been used by the Lenape, or Delaware tribe, for that purpose. Instead, they are part of male ceremonial dress, similar to tuxedos, and indicate social status and cultural identity. While the bags were initially decorated with porcupine quills, they were later decorated with bright, tiny glass “seed beads” made in Venice and Prague after these beads had become available through trade; the beads enhanced the value of the bag in communicating the wearer’s social status, as did the attachment of imported silk ribbons.
The combination of vegetal and figural forms in the Basin (Baptistère de St. Louis) reflects the distinction drawn in medieval Islamic culture between
eligious and secular law
The combination of vegetal and figural forms in the Basin reflects the distinction in medieval Islamic culture between religious and secular law, and the influence this distinction had on artistic production. While medieval Islamic art works created for religious contexts are generally characterized by non-figural imagery and ornamentation, this is not necessarily the case for artworks created for secular, non-religious, contexts. In fact, there are many examples of representative imagery in Islamic art in the ornamentation of palaces and in illustrated manuscripts, such as in Persian Shahnama manuscripts. This distinction is also illustrated in the Basin (Baptistère de St. Louis), which was probably commissioned by a wealthy Mamluk patron for secular private use, and includes depictions of royal figures, battle scenes, and animals, a choice of imagery that may indicate the preference of its patron.
The Basin (Baptistère de St. Louis) exemplifies Islamic metalworking tradition as evidenced by its
interconnected figural designs
The visual characteristics of the secular medieval Islamic metalworking tradition includes interconnected figural and animal representations. The Basin is distinguished by its multiple bands of organic figural, animal, and vegetal designs.
Both works were painted in which period?
Baroque
The church is located in
Toulouse, France
One indication that this object originally functioned in a secular, as opposed to sacred, context is its
friezes of animals and fantastic creatures
The surfaces of this vessel are decorated with friezes of figures, such as Mamluk officials and dignitaries, as well as animals, fantastic creatures, and coats of arms. Such designs indicate that the work was intended for a courtly, secular audience.
Originally used as a wash basin by a Mamluk patron, the object shown was later used by French royalty for which of the following functions?
As a baptismal font
This option is correct. The Basin (Baptistère de St. Louis) was likely commissioned by a wealthy Mamluk patron, and it is thought to have been used for ceremonial hand washing or as a banquet piece. The abundant, detailed imagery likely appealed to its original audience as a representation of specific figures and possibly events (Mamluk emirs and battle scenes, for example), as well as symbolic content. The basin was sought out as a luxury object by European monarchy. It was used as a baptismal font for children born to the French royal family. The baptistère in this context demonstrates the prestige and value of the craftsmanship of Islamic art beyond the Islamic world.
The scenes of courtly life and hunting depicted on this object are most reminiscent of scenes depicted on which of the following earlier works?
The Umayyad Pyxis of al-Mughira
The Umayyad Pyxis of al-Mughira is a royal vessel decorated with princely iconography such as hunting, horseback riding, and date picking. Griffons, peacocks, lions, and other animals, along with an Arabic inscription of blessing, also appear. The richly detailed imagery of courtly life, flora and fauna, and mythological creatures is reminiscent of the scenes shown on the Basin (Baptistère de St. Louis).
interest in the role of improvisation and its relationship to jazz
Jean-Michel Basquiat’s experimentation with form and content in Horn Players has been interpreted as demonstrating his interest in the role of improvisation and its relationship to jazz. The painting’s free use of paint, repeated words, words stricken out, expressive drawing, and other characteristics can all be viewed as linking the work to Basquiat’s interest in improvisation and jazz.
On the basis of style, the work shown can be attributed to
Jean-Michel Basquiat
The work can be attributed to Jean-Michel Basquiat. The style of this painting, Slave Auction, is similar to Basquiat’s Horn Players. Basquiat first gained attention as a graffiti artist in the 1970s. His work fuses words, symbols, and stick figures in an expressionistic, painterly manner.
The building housed
a school of design and architecture
The building is notable for its
lack of architectural ornamentation
Which of the following best applies to the building?
International Style
The building is located in
Germany
Because of the context in which it was found, the beaker with ibex motifs from prehistoric Susa is believed to have functioned in a way that was most similar to which of the following works?
The funeral banner of Lady Dai (Xin Zhui)
Both the beaker with ibex motifs from ancient Susa and the funeral banner of Lady Dai (Xin Zhui) are objects that functioned in a funerary context and were found in connection with burials.
Which of the following is a characteristic of the work shown that allows it to be attributed to the Edo peoples of Benin?
The beaded coral neck rings and crown, which were associated with the oba
The beaded coral neck rings and crown depicted in the work allow it to be attributed to the Edo peoples of Benin because they were associated with royalty and were part of the traditional regalia of the oba, or Benin king.
This sculpture from the Kingdom of Benin is made from
brass using the lost-wax technique
The work shown is a brass sculpture from the Kingdom of Benin and was created by using the lost-wax technique. Lost-wax casting is a traditional Benin art form that can be identified by the fine detail in the work as well as its hollow form.
The artist who created the Benin bronze wall plaque from Oba’s palace used which of the following techniques to show the importance of the Oba?
Hierarchical scale
The artist who created the Benin bronze wall plaque from Oba’s palace uses the technique of hierarchical scale to show the importance of the Oba (or king) in comparison with the other smaller figures in the work. Hierarchy of scale is utilized when the most important person is portrayed relatively larger than other people in the same picture. In this case, the king is noticeably larger than the attendants accompanying him, denoting the Oba’s high level of importance.
The two works shown are similar in that they both present
idealized representations of a king
The central figure of the first work is the Benin Oba of the Edo peoples, while the figure depicted on the second work is that of King Mishe miShyaang maMbul of the Kuba peoples. Both images are idealized. For example, both figures possess an enlarged head to suggest their intellect and wisdom.
Which of the following statements explains why the plaque demonstrates continuity with Benin tradition?
It is part of a series that document the history of the obas.
The plaque demonstrates continuity with Benin tradition because it was one of many plaques that were displayed in the palace of the oba. As a group, they illustrated the chronology of the obas, back to the first Oba of Benin.
The work shown can be attributed to which historic African kingdom?
Benin
The work shown can be attributed to the kingdom of Benin. It would have been created using the same bronze lost-wax casting method used in wall plaque, from Oba’s palace. This head is similar in shape to the Oba’s, or ruler’s, conical crown, which helps to identify it as a work from this kingdom. More specifically, this work can be identified as a Queen Mother because of her “chicken’s beak” crown. The Queen Mother’s heavily outlined eyes and stylized nose share the same visual characteristics with those found on Wall plaque, from Oba’s palace. Like in the wall plaques, textured bronze rings around the neck and crown depict multiple strands of small coral beads that emphasize the ruling family’s link to trade, wealth, and the god of the sea, Olokun. An example of the coral regalia can be seen in Contextual Photograph: Oba of Benin.
The work shown was displayed
alongside a number of related works depicting similar figures
The work shown is a sixteenth-century wall plaque from Oba’s palace from Benin and was intended to be hung on pillars within a courtyard of the royal palace, alongside other plaques. The plaque is one of about 900 that survive today as a reminder of how the Oba’s palace was once decorated, as well as a source of knowledge about royal history and international trade. Although the plaques’ original hanging order is unknown, their sequence would have traced the long history of Oba lineage in Benin.
Access to the copper and tin needed to fabricate the brass wall plaque of the Oba’s palace was made possible among the Edo peoples of Benin due to their
trade with Portuguese voyagers
The brass needed to fabricate Benin brass plaques was usually acquired in the form of large bracelets called “manillas,” provided by the Portuguese in exchange for slaves and items such as ivory, pepper, and animal skins.
Both works represent a
biblical hero
The material of both works is
marble
The work of this artist dates to which of the following periods?
Baroque
The diagonal composition of the work on the right is indicative of which style?
Baroque
The sculptor of the work on the right was
Bernini
The Cornaro Chapel exemplifies Italian Baroque art with its
combination of sculptural and architectural elements to create drama
The Cornaro Chapel exemplifies Italian Baroque art through its combination of architectural and sculptural forms used to create a sense of drama. The interior appears highly theatrical with lively sculptures extending from the various architectural features. This is a common characteristic of Italian Baroque art.
Gian Lorenzo Bernini’s inclusion of sculptures of the Cornaro family members in the side balconies of the chapel was intended to elicit which of the following audience responses?
Identification with their role as witnesses of Saint Teresa’s experience
Bernini includes sculptures of the Cornaro family members in the side balconies of the chapel to help the audience identify as witnesses to Saint Teresa’s experience. Like the audience the family members depicted in the sculptures are also viewing Saint Teresa. By including these figures, Bernini heightens the theatricality of the scene and helps the viewer connect with the work.
Which of the following artists did Bernini acknowledge as being the most influential on his depiction of the human form?
Michelangelo
Bernini acknowledged Michelangelo as being the artist who most influenced his depiction of the human form. Bernini studied the work of Michelangelo, and the impact of his work is clear in the poses and facial expressions used by Bernini.
Saint Teresa’s writings most likely influenced which of the following aspects of Bernini’s sculpture?
The figure’s pose and expression
Saint Teresa’s writings most likely influenced the pose and expression of Bernini’s statue. In her writings Saint Teresa emphasized the emotional intensity of her visions, which Bernini attempted to capture with the swooning posture and enraptured expression of his figure.
Both works show an interest in
Hellenistic Greek sculpture
Both works allude to the artist’s interest in
theatrical illusion
The sculptor of the work was
Bernini
The subject of the work is
a mystical experience of Saint Teresa
The work promoted ideas associated with the
Counter-Reformation
Which of the following are depicted in carved balconies on each side of the work?
Patron family members
The work is located in
Rome
The patron of the work was
Federico Cornaro
Gian Lorenzo Bernini’s sculpture Ecstasy of Saint Theresa was designed to be seen by the viewer
within a chapel, as though seen on a stage
Bernini designed his Ecstasy of Saint Theresa to appear as if the sculptural group rests on the proscenium of a stage. He carried this design throughout the chapel space to convey the illusion of a theater.
The artist’s principal patrons were
members of the church hierarchy
The work reveals the sculptor’s interest in
theatrical stage design
Both works are examples of
bronze casting
Both works functioned as
doors
The painting on the right focuses on the
idea of Manifest Destiny
Frank Gehry selected titanium instead of more traditional materials when designing the Guggenheim Museum Bilbao for which of the following reasons?
To create a reflective effect that utilized surface and sunlight
Gehry chose titanium primarily for its reflective qualities. Because titanium reflects light, it provided the building’s facade with a variety of surface effects throughout the day and in varying weather conditions.
The designs used for San Ildefonso black-on-black pottery reflects the influence of which of the following traditions?
Prehistoric pottery sherds found in the Southwest during the early twentieth century
The designs used for San Ildefonso black-on-black pottery are inspired by prehistoric pottery sherds found nearby during the early twentieth century. Maria Martínez and her husband Julian were inspired by ancient pottery sherds found in the area.
San Ildefonso Pueblo artist Maria Martínez achieved the decorative black-on-black effect of the ceramic vessel shown by
firing it outdoors using an oxygen-reduction technique
Traditional Puebloan ceramics of the Southwestern United States are fired outdoors in a pile, with wood or cow chips as fuel. Potters cover their vessels with broken ceramics or other materials to keep the fire from touching their piece. In the early twentieth century, Maria Martínez discovered that limiting the oxygen that reaches the ceramics during firing yields a black-on-black effect, a technique called oxygen reduction. Black-on-black ceramics were popular and were soon made by many others at San Ildefonso Pueblo, this type of ceramic continues to be the signature style of the Pueblo.
The pot shown and its decoration both suggest that its creators had a desire to
harmonize the ornamentation with the form of the vessel
The pot shown and its decoration both suggest that its creators, Maria and Julian Martinez, had a desire to harmonize the ornamentation with the form of the vessel. Two sets of three parallel lines emerge from the center of the pot, wrapping around the two necks and mirroring the shape of the lower part of the pot, while the three matte triangles pointing downward complement both the shape of the spouts and the three visual elements in the upper part of the work.
The artist of the work on the right was a principal member of which of the following art movements?
Futurism
The artist of the work on the right is
Umberto Boccioni
The work shown is painted on
papyrus
The last judgment of Hu-Nefer, from his tomb (page from the Book of the Dead), is part of an Egyptian New Kingdom scroll painted on papyrus.
In its original context, the work would have been placed
in a tomb to guide a deceased person in the afterlife
In its original context, the work would have been placed in a tomb to guide a deceased person in the afterlife. The work is part of a New Kingdom scroll called the Book of the Dead, which functioned as an aid to ensure the safe passage of the deceased into the afterlife, and as such would have been placed inside a tomb.
The visual organization of the work is meant to suggest a
sequence of successive events in an important narrative
The visual organization of the work is meant to suggest a sequence of successive events in an important narrative. In the last judgment of Hu-Nefer from his tomb (page from the Book of the Dead), the figures are organized to show the character of Hu-Nefer as he undergoes the process of judgment before the god Osiris. Several characters, including Hu-Nefer himself, repeat to indicate the sequence of the narrative: for example, at the far left, Hu-Nefer is shown being led by the jackal-headed Anubis into the judgment area. Just left of center, Anubis is shown supervising the judgment scales, then right of center, the falcon-headed Horus presents Hu-Nefer to Osiris after Hu-Nefer has passed the test.
The scenes depicted in the work are intended to convey the ancient Egyptian concept of
justice and morality, by depicting the divine judgment of a mortal person’s life
The scenes depicted in the work most closely relate to the ancient Egyptian concept of justice and morality by depicting the divine judgment of a mortal person’s life. The narrative depicts Hu-Nefer’s heart, believed to be the repository of his intellect and his character, being placed on the scales of judgment to determine whether he had lived a righteous life. A mythological beast waits to devour Hu-Nefer if he is deemed unworthy, if his heart should weigh more than the feather, the symbol of Maat and of what is right. Having passed the test, Hu-Nefer is presented to Osiris.
In its original function, the work is most similar to the
Great Pyramids (Menkaura, Khafre, Khufu) and Great Sphinx
In its original function as a funerary object, the work is most similar to the Great Pyramids (Menkaura, Khafre, Khufu) and Great Sphinx. Both the Book of the Dead and the Great Pyramids were meant to assist in a safe transition from the world of the living to the world of the dead. The Book of the Dead served as a guide, while the pyramid served primarily as a tomb.
Borobudur was designed in the form of a giant mandala in order to
mirror the sacred cosmic order
Borobudur was designed in the form of a giant mandala in order to mirror the sacred cosmic order. The iconography and many levels of meaning at Borobudur are believed to reflect Buddhist ideas of the cosmic order so that pilgrims are able to harness this spiritual energy as they circumambulate each terrace.
The form of Borobudur Temple creates an opportunity for the faithful to
walk on an upward path toward enlightenment
The form of Borobudur Temple creates an opportunity for the faithful to experience the circuitous ascent of the temple that symbolizes the path to enlightenment.
The design of the architectural work shown can be attributed to Francesco Borromini because of its
curved, undulating forms and broken entablatures
The design can be attributed to Francesco Borromini because the inwardly curving architectural facade shown is characteristic of his innovative style based on a balance between convex and concave forms. The design includes oversized orders that squeeze tiny columns holding broken entablatures. These features are all arrayed across a concave surface fronted by a projecting, convex window opening, typical of Borromini’s work, such as at San Carlo alle Quattro Fontane.
The facade of Borromini’s San Carlo alle Quattro Fontane exemplifies Baroque architecture because it includes which of the following characteristic elements?
Curving elements that create a dynamic design
The facade of Borromini’s San Carlo alle Quattro Fontane exemplifies Baroque architecture because it includes curving elements that create a dynamic design. In contrast to the straight lines of classical and Renaissance building facades, Borromini’s facade is notable for curves that make it swell and recede.
The painting is noteworthy for its
graceful linearity
The family name of the patrons of this work was
Medici
The pose of the figure in the center is derived from
a Classical statue
Works like this were denounced by
Fra Girolamo Savonarola
The work shown was painted by
Botticelli
The work dates from the end of the
fifteenth century
The figure in the center of the illustration represents
Venus
One leading interpretation of the painting is that it reflects the ideas of
Neoplatonism
The central figure was innovative in its time because of its
nudity
Sandro Botticelli’s painting Birth of Venus and Albrecht Dürer’s engraving Adam and Eve are similar in that both artists
relied on classical models to represent the concept of ideal beauty
The two works are similar in that both relied on classical models to represent the concept of ideal beauty. Botticelli’s figure of Venus is derived from the Classical Greek statue of Aphrodite of Knidos. Dürer traveled to Italy where he became familiar with classical figurative models.
Constantin Brancusi’s The Kiss reflects artistic trends in early-twentieth-century Modern sculpture by
focusing on abstraction as a way to explore the inner nature of things
Constantin Brancusi’s The Kiss reflects artistic trends in early-twentieth-century Modern sculpture by focusing on abstraction as a way to explore the inner nature of things. Like painting, sculpture in the early twentieth century moved increasingly away from depicting forms that directly resembled nature and toward creating increasingly more abstract forms. According to his writings, Brancusi considered the process of abstraction as a means to explore the essence of things. For example, to create The Kiss Brancusi retained the rectangular form of the block of stone from which the sculpture is made, and he used carved lines to merely suggest essential features of the human body. By retaining a monolithic quality in his work, Brancusi emphasized the union of the two lovers depicted in The Kiss.
Constantin Brancusi recommended that The Kiss be displayed without a base because a pedestal would have
detracted from the essential nature of the limestone
In The Kiss Brancusi explores the material qualities of limestone. Brancusi made subtle alterations to the stone, leaving much of it raw and unworked. In doing so, he preserved its blocky shape and natural texture. Brancusi argued that the work should be displayed on the ground because a pedestal would detract from the stone’s essential nature.
In Hunters in the Snow, Bruegel unifies the composition through
the repetition of a limited color palette
In Hunters in the Snow, Flemish painter Pieter Bruegel the Elder unifies the composition through the use of a limited color palette repeated throughout the work. Bruegel predominantly uses white, dark brown, and the same hue, value, and saturation of the color blue-green to connect and unify the spatial planes of the painting. The use of the same limited colors throughout pulls and pushes the viewer’s eyes between the foreground, middle ground, and background of the work.
Despite their origins in two different religious traditions, the statue of the Buddha at Todai-ji and the Shiva as Lord of Dance (Nataraja) both convey meaning through the use of
hand gestures that invite viewers to come forward without fear
Despite their origins in two different religious traditions, the statue of the Buddha at Todai-ji and Shiva as Lord of Dance (Nataraja) both convey meaning through the use of hand gestures that invite viewers to come forward without fear.
The work shown can be attributed to the peoples of the Torres Strait for which of the following reasons?
The inclusion of human and animal features to reference a mythical hero and his totemic species
The work shown can be attributed to the peoples of the Torres Strait because of the inclusion of human and animal features to reference a mythical hero and his totemic species. The Buk mask created by the people of the Torres Strait included both a human face and animal features to reference an important hero from mythology and his totemic species.
In the way it combines human and animal features, the Buk (mask) from the Torres Strait is most similar to the
transformation mask of the Kwakwaka’wakw
Both the Buk (mask) from the Torres Strait and the transformation mask of the Kwakwaka’wakw combine the features of a human face with those of a bird. The transformation mask represents the head of an eagle or crow in its closed stage and can be opened to reveal a human face, while the Buk (mask) represents a human head with a frigate bird mounted on top.
In the work shown, textural accents such as coconut fiber, feathers, and seashells are attached to the mask’s base in such a way as to
facilitate the movement of the accent materials
Buk masks from the Torres Strait, such as the work shown, are part of an elaborate costume donned for performances and include elements that are designed to respond to a dancer’s movement. The mask shown incorporates an assortment of accent materials, including coconut fiber, feathers, and strung up shells, which are strategically attached to the mask in a way that causes them to move in response to a dancer’s spins, leaps, and dips.
The work shown can be attributed to the Sande Society’s Bundu mask tradition because of the
glossy black surface representing a woman’s inner beauty
The work shown can be attributed to the Sande Society’s Bundu mask tradition because of the glossy black surface representing a woman’s inner beauty. The mask’s style is indicative of male carvers within the Mende peoples. Bundu masks are carved out of wood, smoothed, and then rubbed with an oily stain that produces a Bundu mask with a distinctive black, shiny surface. The surface treatment is meant to symbolically represent the inner quality and inner morality young girls should strive for when initiated into the Sande Society and womanhood.
This work can be attributed to
the Mende from West Africa
Bundu masks, danced by members of the female Sande Society as part of initiation of girls in the Mende culture, are recognizable in the ways that they communicate both the outer beauty and inner characteristics considered ideal for a Mende woman. The elaborate hairstyle suggests the care a woman takes to maintain an orderly household, and the high forehead symbolizes intelligence, wisdom, and confidence. The small, downcast eyes reflect the ideal that a woman should be thoughtful and reserved, and the small closed mouth suggests that she should think before speaking and never gossip. The glossy black finish refers to female spirits who have just surfaced from their homes in the water. Since the mask is danced in initiation training and ceremonies, raffia fiber is attached around the base to cover the body and obscure the identity of the dancer.
The audience witnessing Sande Society masquerades would have recognized the glossy black patina of the Bundu mask’s surface as representing
the idealized beauty of smooth and glistening dark skin
The audience witnessing Sande Society masquerades would have recognized the glossy, black patina of the Bundu mask’s surface as representing an ideal form of beauty. The deep, black color and shimmering, smooth texture of the Bundu mask’s surface represent a youthful and healthy ideal for young girls who undergo the Sande initiation.
In Mende culture, the Bundu mask, as a part of a masquerade ritual related to gender roles, is worn by the
female elders, who serve as teachers and mentors during the girls’ initiation
In Mende culture, the Bundu mask, as part of a public masquerade ritual related to gender roles, is worn in dance performance by the female elders, who serve as teachers and mentors during the girls’ initiation into the all-women Sande Society. The Bundu mask is worn by women leaders and performed as part of an initiation ceremony for young girls. The creators of the masks are men, but the wearing of the mask during the ritual is reserved for the elder women who are guiding young women through the ceremony.
Art historians interpret the neck rings on the Bundu mask shown as symbolizing
healthy body fat and the chrysalis of a moth
Art historians interpret the neck rings on the Bundu mask shown as symbolizing healthy body fat and the chrysalis of a moth. The neck rings have been interpreted in many ways; healthy body fat, the chrysalis of a moth, and ripples of water have all been confirmed by women from the Sande Society as valid interpretations of the symbolism of the mask’s neck rings.
What do the features on a Bundu mask embody?
Ideals of feminine beauty, morality, and conduct
Bundu masks are used during female initiation rites. As a result, the masks’ physical qualities are made to embody ideal feminine traits. The soft rolls of fat around the neck, triangular head, slit eyes, and the wood’s dark reflective surface all symbolize female beauty and virtue.
Rodin’s representation of the figures was influential on later artists mainly because of the
emotional impact and lack of idealization
Rodin’s break from the idealized academic tradition in favor of greater realism and emotional impact influenced later sculptors in Europe and abroad.
In the commission for The Burghers of Calais, Auguste Rodin was asked to depict
city elders who offered themselves as hostages in the Hundred Years’ War
During the Hundred Years’ War, when the English king Edward III agreed to save the city of Calais if its leaders surrendered, six burghers, expecting to be executed, emerged carrying the keys to the city and the castle and offering themselves as hostages. Rodin was commissioned by the city of Calais to depict these heroic men and their act of self-sacrifice.
In contrast to how Rodin composed the sculpture, his patrons had which of the following expectations?
The burghers would be represented in a glorified manner.
Instead of representing the burghers in a glorified manner, as his patrons, the city leaders of Calais, expected, Rodin’s sculptural composition presented the men as thin and weak, dressed in plain garments, vulnerable, and conflicted.
The patrons responded to Rodin’s mode of representation by
elevating the sculpture on a raised platform
The sculpture was unveiled in 1895 C.E. on a pedestal over 5 feet high and surrounded by an ornate iron grille. It was located in the Parc Richelieu.
The work shown most strongly emphasizes a connection to ancestors through the depiction of
a projecting navel
The work shown most strongly emphasizes a connection to ancestors through the projecting navel. The work shown is a Fang reliquary figure, which is used to guard a box containing ancestral remains. The projecting navel represents new life and is intended to symbolize the Fang belief that deceased ancestors are eventually reborn.
Fang byeri figures such as the work shown were intended to function as
talismans
The work shown, a reliquary figure (byeri), guarded containers holding the relics of the Fang peoples’ ancestors (a reliquary) and functioned as a talisman, a kind of object with supernatural properties that protects from evil or brings good luck.
The Fang peoples of southern Cameroon sculpted byeri figures to guard containers holding their ancestors’ relics, in part because the Fang
were historically a nomadic people and did not practice earthen burials
As a nomadic people, the Fang did not practice earthen burials. Instead they commemorated their dead through the worship of ancestral relics, which they kept in portable reliquaries. These portable reliquaries were then guarded by byeri figures.
The art historical period of both works is
Byzantine
The architectural forms and decoration of the structure identify it as
Byzantine
Two structures associated with Emperor Justinian are
Hagia Sophia and San Vitale
In order to achieve great height and plentiful light, Byzantine churches often used a dome raised from a larger hemisphere by triangular sections called
pendentives
The central figure in the work on the left is set within a
mandorla
The golden background of the work on the left conveys a sense of
mystical vision
The Byzantine mosaics of Emperor Justinian and Empress Theodora from the Church of San Vitale in Ravenna differ from classical Roman mosaics in that they
favor stylized figures against a gold-leaf background, reflecting the emphasis of early Christian art on spirituality
The Byzantine mosaics of Emperor Justinian and Empress Theodora from the church of San Vitale in Ravenna differ from classical Roman mosaics in that they favor stylized figures against a gold-leaf background, reflecting the emphasis of early Christian art on spirituality. Byzantine art, while building on the Classical tradition, starts moving away from the focus of Roman art on realistic depictions of the human form and spatial relationships. Byzantine art is mostly Christian art, and its primary interest is more in depicting spiritual ideas than in accurately portraying the real world. This can be seen when comparing the mosaic panels of Justinian and Theodora with the ancient Roman Alexander Mosaic from Pompeii. The Alexander Mosaic depicts a historical battle, and its artist employs methods such as foreshortening and the depiction of light and shadow to accurately portray the three-dimensional forms of the men and horses and their placement in space. In the Justinian and Theodora panels, on the other hand, the forms of the figures and objects are more flat and stylized, and the spatial relationships appear to be deliberately ambiguous. In addition, as is common for Byzantine mosaics, both panels contain a shimmering golden background made from little glass cubes backed with gold-leaf, which gives the impression that the scenes are set in an otherworldly environment. This also contrasts with the Alexander Mosaic, which depicts a scene set firmly set a worldly space.
Both works represent the
Transfiguration
Both works were created using
mosaic
Both works are found in which part of a church?
Apse
The formal qualities of the work shown identify it as an example of an
Early Byzantine icon because of the heavily contoured figures in a shallow space
The materials and art-making process used to create the work demonstrate the influence of
Late Antique Egyptian funerary portraiture
The steady gazes and frontal poses of the foreground figures likely affected the original audience by
encouraging a personal connection with holy figures
While some Christian worshipers at the time of the work’s creation saw such works as necessary to their devotions, others objected because they believed that the works
tempted the faithful to worship them as idols
Both works can be considered part of
Modernist sculpture
In these works, both sculptors were preoccupied primarily with which of the following challenges?
New ways to deal with the concept of motion
The artist of the work on the left is
Alexander Calder
The work on the left is a
mobile
The painting depicts a subject recorded in the
New Testament
Stylistic aspects of the painting identify it as being from the
Italian Baroque
The drama in the painting is reinforced by the use of
tenebrism
The outstretched hand of the figure on the far right is a visual homage to a famous painting by
Michelangelo
The painting was created as part of a larger decorative program for a
chapel
The painting is by
Caravaggio
The use of light symbolizes a moment of
conversion
The basic form of the camelid sacrum in the shape of a canine from prehistoric Mexico was most likely determined by the
natural shape of the animal bone into which it was carved
The camelid sacrum bone has a natural shape that lends itself to the creation of an object that suggests the head of a canine or similar animal. This practice of allowing the form or shape of the material guide subject matter is a common occurrence in prehistoric art.
Like other paintings of the Northern Renaissance, the work shown differs from Italian paintings of the same period in that it shows
greater interest in the depiction of details and less concern for perspective
Northern Renaissance painters tended to put a higher emphasis on the depiction of small details and surface effects, while Italian artists tended to place more emphasis on replicating three-dimensional forms and deep space. This development in Northern European art was supported by the introduction of oil paint, which allowed Northern European painters to create highly realistic and detailed representations of everyday objects as well as illusionistic surface textures. In the Merode Altarpiece this is exemplified by the detailed rendition of a domestic interior with a meticulous attention to details, such as the smoke coming from the extinguished candle next to the Virgin Mary, the reflection on the tea kettle in the background of the central panel, or the depiction of rusty nails in the door of the left side panel.
The artist of the work shown was able to achieve highly naturalistic textures and luminous color by using
oil paint, whose properties allow for translucent color and the depiction of illusionistic details
Like other Northern Renaissance works created during the same time period, the artist who created the Merode Altarpiece used oil paint, which has a slow drying time that allowed artists to build layers of paint, resulting in highly naturalistic colors and textures.
The two kneeling figures in the panel on the left are included because they represent
the patrons who commissioned the altarpiece for private use in their home
As was common in other European works of private devotional art, the portraits of the donors who purchased the work for their private devotion are incorporated into the Merode Altarpiece. They are shown piously kneeling in the left wing of the altarpiece, while looking at the biblical scene in the central panel through an open door.
The work exemplifies a central concern of Northern European painting traditions in its inclusion of
objects from everyday life that communicate deeper symbolic meaning
Northern Renaissance paintings often include carefully rendered everyday objects that hold symbolic meaning. In the Merode Altarpiece for example, several objects in the central panel can be interpreted as references to the purity of the Virgin Mary; such as the water in the kettle, the smoke pouring from the candle, or the white lilies on the table; while the mouse trap depicted in the background of the right side panel is thought to be a symbolic reference to Christ’s victory over the devil.
While Caravaggio uses light in The Calling of Saint Matthew to suggest a divine presence within a religious narrative, Joseph Wright of Derby uses light in A Philosopher Giving a Lecture on the Orrery to emphasize
the act of learning and education
Both Caravaggio and Joseph Wright of Derby use dramatic lighting to express meaning in the context of their painting. Wright of Derby’s work A Philosopher Giving a Lecture on the Orrery depicts a group of people of different ages surrounding an orrery, while listening to a professor who is using the model of the solar system to teach about the orbits of the planets around the Sun. Wright of Derby uses strong contrast between light and dark in his work, which makes the figure of the professor and the faces of his captive audience stand out dramatically against the dark background, in order to symbolize the attainment of scientific knowledge and internal “enlightenment”. In Caravaggio’s work, the strategic use of lighting is used to suggest a divine presence and the spiritual enlightenment of Saint Matthew.
The work shown was created by
Mary Cassatt
The work shown demonstrates the influence of Japanese ukiyo-e prints through its depiction of
daily life using flattened shapes and patterns
he print shown can be attributed to Mary Cassatt because of its
domestic subject and reference to Japanese prints
The work shown can be attributed to Mary Cassatt because of its domestic subject and reference to Japanese prints. Consistent with Cassatt’s other work, this object shows an upper middle class woman performing an everyday routine. The floral print on the floor and the water pitcher evidence the artist’s interest in Japanese art and its visual effects. The French fascination with Japan, apparent in the work of Cassatt and Vincent van Gogh, would be so great that in 1872 it would be termed Japonisme.
The Catacomb of Priscilla was designed by its original founders to provide a
burial place for members of the early Christian community
The Catacomb of Priscilla was designed by its original founders to provide a burial place for members of the early Christian community. It consists of an extensive underground network of tunnels that served as a burial place for a local Christian community in Rome between the third and fourth century C.E. Most of the dead were placed on stacked shelves that were cut into the walls of the narrow passageways (called loculi); wealthier families excavated small, private burial rooms (called cubicula). The Catacomb of Priscilla is named after a wealthy Roman woman who seems to have donated the space for this underground area beneath her private residence and whose family members are also buried there.
Early Christians would probably have recognized the figures with raised arms shown between the lunettes of the fresco as representing
believers in the act of prayer
Early Christians would probably have recognized the figures with raised arms shown between the lunettes of the fresco as representing believers in the act of prayer. Such figures are called orants (meaning “one who is praying”) and are commonly depicted in early Christian art. They are thought to represent the standard pose adopted by early Christians for prayer and, as such, would have been instantly recognizable to the early Christian audience.
While different theories exist about why no Christian art older than the earliest paintings from catacombs seems to have survived, some scholars theorize that early Christians
avoided making religious images to distinguish themselves from members of other religions
Some scholars have theorized that the reason for the lack of Christian artworks that are older than the earliest paintings from Roman catacombs from the third century C.E., such as the Catacomb of Priscilla, might be that early Christians avoided making religious images to distinguish themselves from members of other religions, such as Roman paganism, where the depiction of gods and other religious imagery was common. As monotheists who believed in a singular deity, early Christians would have been careful to distinguish themselves from the polytheistic religion that was prevalent in the Roman Empire during the first two centuries C.E. In fact, the second commandment of the Bible forbids the worship of idols as well as the worship of other gods, so early Christians would have been careful not to create images that might have given the impression that they were breaking the fundamental laws of their faith.
Which of the following formal elements of Liu Chunhua’s work contributes most to its meaning?
The scale of the figure in the composition
Liu Chinhua’s depiction of Mao Zedong as a colossal figure contributes most to the meaning of the work because the scale of the figure corresponds to the work’s message of Mao’s overwhelming importance in Chinese society.
Which of the following features of the Great Mosque (Masjid-e Jameh) of Isfahan is typical of Persian architecture?
Iwans
Iwans are large, vaulted spaces projecting from the facade of a building. They were often decorated with mosaics or calligraphy and functioned as entryways into buildings or mosques. Iwans are a typical feature of Persian architecture.
The combination of a new level of realism with a complex system of symbolism is characteristic of
fifteenth-century Flemish paintings
The plan demonstrates that the church is a
pilgrimage church
All of the following features are typically found in an Early Christian basilica EXCEPT a
groin vault
Which of the following is true of the Gothic period?
Church patronage encouraged religious art.
The work shown can be attributed to which of the following ancient cultures?
Greek, because of the use of red figure painting
The vase can be attributed to ancient Greece because of its similarity to the Niobides Krater. Both vases exemplify the red-figure technique invented and frequently employed by Greek vase painters.
The work shown can be identified as a Persian miniature because of all of the following characteristics EXCEPT its
atmospheric perspective
Persian miniatures do not generally use atmospheric perspective, nor is the perspective in this miniature atmospheric. Like other Persian manuscripts, the two artists who created this folio emphasized pattern and detail more than the illusion of depth
The church is constructed in the architectural style known as
Romanesque
The church of Sainte-Foy at Conques is similar to other Romanesque pilgrimage churches in that it
contains radiating chapels for the veneration of relics
The construction technique typically used to cover the nave in early Romanesque cathedrals is called
barrel vaulting
The work on the right demonstrates all of the following EXCEPT
an interest in individual expression
Aside from their function as places for sacred worship, the Great Stupa at Sanchi and Chartres Cathedral are similar in that both were built
to attract pilgrims through their links with relics
Pilgrims at Chartres would come to see the tunic of the Virgin that was stored in the cathedral’s crypt. The healing powers attributed to the relic made the cathedral attractive for pilgrims. Since the early stupas built by the emperor Ashoka held actual remains of the Buddha, later stupas like the one at Sanchi were venerated as his body and, by extension, as means of coming closer to enlightenment.
Chartres Cathedral differs from early Christian churches constructed on a basilican plan, such as Santa Sabina, in that Chartres has
a floor plan that includes a transept, a choir, and radiating chapels
Chartres Cathedral differs from Early Christian churches constructed on a basilican plan, such as Santa Sabina, in that Chartres contains a transept, a choir, and radiating chapels, all of which are common features of cathedrals built in the Gothic style.
The detail shown of a painting from the Chauvet–Pont d’Arc Cave demonstrates an early interest in naturalism through which of the following visual characteristics?
The staggered arrangement of the animals, so that some animals are placed behind others
The detail shown of a painting from the Chauvet–Pont d’Arc Cave demonstrates an early interest in naturalism through the staggered arrangement of the animals. Some animals are placed one behind the other, creating an effect of recession in space. This placement suggests an artistic interest in naturalistic space.
Scholars believe that the tunnels in the architectural complex at Chavín de Huántar were intended to create an otherworldly environment by manipulating space and light; more recent excavations have revealed that the tunnels may also have
been strategically placed to create a distinct auditory experience
Recent excavations at Chavín de Huántar have led scholars to theorize that the tunnels in the complex were strategically placed to create a distinct auditory experience. Scholars studying the acoustics of the complex have found that sounds made inside the temple are amplified and have significant resonance. Furthermore, they theorize that the pathways may have allowed for sounds from inside the temple to be directed outside to pilgrims and visitors.
This illustration of an ancient stele from Chavín de Huántar demonstrates the use of contour rivalry through
the use of ambiguous shapes that can be interpreted as multiple depictions of different forms
The technique shown in this illustration, in which the tall headdress can also be interpreted as multiple faces with snakes for hair, is called contour rivalry, a characteristic of the intentionally complex art style used by the sculptors at Chavín de Huántar. This technique employs visual elements that, looked at one way, may be interpreted as one thing, and looked at in another way, may be seen as something different.
The structure shown here is an example of a
hall church
The temporal character of Christo and Jeanne-Claude’s outdoor, site-specific installations, such as The Gates, was intended primarily to elicit which of the following responses from viewers?
Appreciation for the ephemeral quality of their artworks
The Gates was a piece of installation art briefly exhibited in Central Park, New York City during February 2005. The work consisted of a series of metal gates from which saffron-colored cloth hung. At the end of the exhibition period, the gates were deconstructed and their materials recycled. By only exhibiting the work for a brief period the artists hoped that the viewers would experience the work with a sense of immediacy.
The design of churches such as this was most likely a practical response to the medieval phenomenon of
pilgrimage
Although the Inkan capital city of Cusco was largely destroyed by invading Spaniards, many scholars believe that Cusco was originally laid out in the shape of a puma, a symbol of Inkan royal power, on the basis of
early written accounts by the Spanish
Although the Inkan capital city of Cusco was largely destroyed by invading Spaniards, many scholars believe that Cusco was originally laid out in the shape of a puma, a symbol of Inkan royal power, on the basis of early written accounts by the Spanish. Several early Spanish visitors wrote that they had been told that the first Inkan emperor himself said the city was shaped like a puma. The connection grew stronger in written accounts during the century after the Inka’s defeat. Some scholars still disagree about whether or not these early accounts, often contradictory in other ways, were meant metaphorically rather than literally.
In designing the Basilica Ulpia for the Forum of Trajan, Apollodorus of Damascus drew upon ancient Egyptian traditions of the clerestory most likely because a clerestory provided
an efficient way to illuminate the interior
A clerestory is created by raising the central part of the building above the rest of the roof, thereby creating openings that can provide additional illumination for the building’s interior. The clerestory was first developed in ancient Egypt. A prominent example can still be seen in the Hypostyle Hall of the Temple of Amun-Re in Karnak. Ancient Roman architects adopted this architectural form in the basilica, a type of building constructed on a rectangular plan and containing a large interior space for public use. In the Basilica Ulpia, the inclusion of a clerestory provided better illumination of the interior space by allowing ample natural light into the building from above.
The work serves to legitimize the
king’s right to rule
The work employs
hierarchical scale
The work is
Babylonian
The two figures portray a
god and a king
The inscribed text outlines
laws governing crime and punishment
Both paintings are examples of
Romanticism
In The Oxbow (View from Mount Holyoke, Northampton, Massachusetts, after a Thunderstorm), Thomas Cole contrasts a stormy mountain wilderness on the left with sunny cultivated farmland on the right, capturing his possible views regarding the
westward expansion of American settlement
In The Oxbow (View from Mount Holyoke, Northampton, Massachusetts, after a Thunderstorm) Thomas Cole’s depiction of a stormy mountain wilderness on the left in contrast with a view of sunny, cultivated farmland on the right implies Cole’s possible views regarding the nineteenth-century ideology, later called Manifest Destiny, which promoted the westward expansion of the United States into new territories. Although it is unclear whether Cole actually supported the taming of unspoiled wildernesses in favor of settling new territories, his work was generally interpreted by contemporary viewers as an endorsement of westward expansion.
The choice of the site for the Colosseum in Rome indicates that members of the Flavian Dynasty sought to
eradicate the memory of Nero by building the structure on an area that had previously belonged to him
The choice of the site for the Colosseum in Rome indicates that members of the Flavian Dynasty sought to eradicate the memory of Nero by building the structure on an area that had previously belonged to him. The Colosseum was constructed on the site of Nero’s palace by Emperor Vespasian of the Flavian Dynasty in an attempt to erase Nero’s legacy and to revitalize the city of Rome.
The images show two views of the Colosseum (Flavian Amphitheater). The Flavian Amphitheater became commonly known as the Colosseum because of the
monumental statue of an emperor that stood nearby
The Flavian Amphitheater became commonly known as the Colosseum because of a monumental statue of the emperor Nero, known as the Colossus, that stood nearby, where the emperor’s villa was located. Over time, the statue was modified to represent different emperors, and this colossal statue served as a directional reference point and sometimes name for this section of Rome. The statue remained in the locale through the early medieval era, and its base still stands nearby.
The images show two views of the Colosseum (Flavian Amphitheater).The facade decorations of the Colosseum were notable in that
different architectural orders of columns were used to distinguish each level
The facade decorations are distinctive in that different architectural orders of columns were used to differentiate each level of the Colosseum (Flavian Amphitheater). The engaged columns on the first level are Tuscan in style. The engaged columns on the second level are Ionic in style. The third level includes the most intricate style of engaged columns, in the Corinthian style, while the fourth level is decorated with Corinthian pilasters. These engaged columns offer no structural support. Instead, they provide visual interest to the surface of the building.
The images show two views of the Colosseum (Flavian Amphitheater). In the work shown, the influence of earlier architecture styles can be seen in the
arches that are framed by engaged columns and a lintel
The influence of earlier architecture styles can be seen in the arches that are framed by engaged columns and a lintel at the openings of the Colosseum (Flavian Amphitheater). The use of Greek- and Tuscan-style engaged columns framing an arch can be seen in earlier monuments.
The images show two views of the Colosseum (Flavian Amphitheater).Roman innovations in concrete allowed the builders of the Colosseum to
create a multileveled freestanding structure with tiered seating that could be constructed quickly
Roman innovations in concrete allowed the builders of the Colosseum to create a multileveled freestanding structure with tiered seating that could be constructed quickly. Before concrete, amphitheaters had been built into hillsides to use the natural slope of the earth to provide tiered seating. With concrete, the Roman builders of the Colosseum (Flavian Amphitheater) were able to construct an elaborate network of concrete barrel vaulting to support high multiple tiers, a process that took only about ten years.
The images show two views of the Colosseum (Flavian Amphitheater). Spectators in the amphitheater would frequently have witnessed
gladiators and wild animals being lifted into view from the substructure
Spectators in the amphitheater would frequently have witnessed gladiators and wild animals being lifted into view from the substructure. Below the Colosseum (Flavian Amphitheater) were hidden rooms that housed gladiators and cages for wild animals as well as machinery for raising and lowering them into view, along with stage sets.
The Column of Trajan was built mainly for the purpose of
commemorating Trajan’s victories in recent military campaigns
The Column of Trajan was built mainly for the purpose of commemorating Trajan’s victories in the two Dacian campaigns. The column includes a spiraling narrative frieze that depicts Trajan’s army preparing for battle as well as the victorious conquest of the Dacians under Trajan’s leadership.
In designing the forum in which the column stands, Apollodorus of Damascus departed from the design traditions demonstrated in earlier Roman imperial fora by
making the basilica the central building in the public space
In designing the forum in which the column stands, Apollodorus of Damascus departed from the design traditions demonstrated in earlier Roman imperial fora by making the basilica the central building in the public space. The Basilica Ulpia was placed at the center of the complex, in between the open forum and the two libraries that flanked the Column of Trajan, in the space that had been designated for a temple in earlier imperial fora.
Roman viewers would have recognized and responded to the location of the events depicted by the relief sculptures on the column largely because of the inclusion of the
personification of the Danube River on the frieze
Roman viewers would have recognized and responded to the location of the events depicted by the relief sculptures of the column largely because of the inclusion of the personification of the Danube River on the frieze. Near the bottom of the column, there is a large representation of the Danube as a bare-chested man standing in water. The personification of the river would have helped viewers to place the Dacian campaigns in a geographical context.
The Carson, Pirie, Scott and Company Building shares which of the following design characteristics with the Seagram Building?
A steel-frame structure
Both buildings are known for their innovative steel- framed structures
The plan of San Vitale differs from that of the Pantheon by the inclusion of a
narthex
Both buildings do which of the following?
Incorporate innovative structural elements.
The sculpture of Apollo from the Temple of Minerva at Veii shows the greatest stylistic similarity to the
Anavysos Kouros
Both the Etruscan figure of Apollo and the Anavysos Kouros were created during the sixth century B.C.E., and they both exhibit the so-called Archaic smile. Each work is stylized and lacks individualized features.
Robert Venturi’s House in New Castle County is most similar to Thomas Jefferson’s Monticello in its
adaptation of classical design elements
Robert Venturi’s House in New Castle County is most similar to Thomas Jefferson’s Monticello in its adaptation of classical design elements. Jefferson designed his house in emulation of classical design principles promoted by Andrea Palladio. Venturi based the form of the House in New Castle County on nearby 18th-century barns.
The exteriors of both buildings suggest
structural integrity
The Fang byeri are most similar in terms of function to which of the following works?
Reliquary of Sainte-Foy in Conques, France
The reliquary of Sainte-Foy is portable and functions as a reliquary at a church in Conques, France. In this way, it is most similar to the Fang reliquary figures.
The way the human form is idealized in the grave stele of Hegeso is most characteristic of which of the following ancient Greek art periods?
Classical as seen in the Plaque of the Ergastines
The style of the grave stele of Hegeso is reminiscent of the sculptural program of the Parthenon, specifically the low-relief frieze, such as in the Plaque of the Ergastines. Both works reflect an idealized approach to figural representation that is characteristic of Classical Greek sculpture. The grave stele of Hegeso depicts a seated woman and her female attendant carved in shallow relief. A sense of body mass is achieved through the intricate folds of draped garments that follow the contours of their bodies. The multiple figures seen in the Plaque of Ergastines are also rendered in an idealized manner, with proportional anatomy clothed in complex draped cloth.
Both works show an understanding of
movement
Both San Vitale and the Pantheon have which of the following architectural features?
A dome
The Parthenon and the White Temple at Uruk both included which of the following architectural features?
A sacred cella that contained votive figures or cult statues
Both the Parthenon and the White Temple of Uruk contained an inner sanctuary, or cella, which housed sacred objects or cult figures.
The figures in both paintings can be characterized as
balanced and solid
Both works have all of the following EXCEPT
multiple vanishing points
A primary figure found in both works is
St. Peter
The mortuary temple of Hatshepsut differs from the Great Pyramids at Giza in that the temple did not function as a
tomb for a deceased ruler
The pyramids of Giza are believed to have held tombs for the pharaohs Khufu, Khafre, and Menkaura. Hatshepsut was not buried in her mortuary temple; her tomb is thought to be in the Valley of the Kings, KV20.
The chair is often compared to the painting of
Piet Mondrian
Both sculptures are from which art-historical period?
Gothic
Both plans are best characterized as
central
One factor contributing to the difference between these structures is the rise of
Christianity
All of the following are similarities of both the Great Serpent Mound and Spiral Jetty EXCEPT that they
While some scholars suggest that the Great Serpent Mound was created in response to astronomical events, Smithson was interested primarily in the process of entropy, referring in Spiral Jetty to the cycles of life and death surrounding us in the natural world. None of his comments regarding Spiral Jetty address an interest in astronomical events.
In both buildings, the architects make reference to twentieth-century
technology
Both works represent all of the following EXCEPT
a staged illustration for medical textbooks
The viewpoint of both works is primarily that of
an observer
During which art historical period were most large pilgrimage churches built?
Romanesque
The pose of the statue of the Aphrodite of Knidos can best be described as
contrapposto
The pose of the statue of the Aphrodite of Knidos can best be described as contrapposto. The figure has a raised hip, raised foot, and tilted head, which are characteristics of a contrapposto pose.
The repetition of architectural elements in the Great Mosque at Córdoba, evident in the plan shown, indicates how the design could do which of the following as it was expanded over time?
Retain the spatial orientation and reinforce the spiritual purpose of the building
The repetition of architectural elements in the Great Mosque at Córdoba indicates how the design could retain the spatial orientation and reinforce the spiritual purpose of the building as it was expanded over time. The plan of the Great Mosque at Córdoba shows a large hypostyle hall and courtyard, which was expanded over the years to accommodate a growing congregation of worshipers.
The work shown, attributed to Cotsiogo (Cadzi Cody), can be interpreted as an art form that affirms Eastern Shoshone identity because it was
painted on an animal hide using natural pigments and stencils
The work shown is a painted elk hide. The practice of painting scenes and motifs on animal hide using stencils and natural pigment exemplified by the work shown can be tied to the painting traditions of Shoshone art, which scholars believe most likely began with petroglyph painting and was later extended to hide painting.
Which of the following interpretations of Gustave Courbet’s The Stone Breakers accurately represents the general intent of the painting?
The painting gives prominence to content that was traditionally excluded from serious consideration.
The Stone Breakers gave precedence to traditionally excluded content by representing laborers engaged in back-breaking work. The old man and the young boy are depicted without drama; the viewer is asked to engage with the figures’ everyday reality, which also includes their tasks, their low status in French society, and their isolation.
In The Court of Gayumars, Sultan Muhammad’s use of intricacy, fanciful figures, and lavish color had the effect of
encouraging viewers to take their time in exploring the details of the work
The dimensions of the manuscript page—18 ½ by 12 ½ inches—render it practical for only one viewer at a time, and the wealth of miniature detail invites slow, leisurely inspection. The elements of the story of the mythical King Gayumars would have been well-known to courtly viewers, who would have delighted in discovering them in the work’s details. The use of intricate lines, as well as the luxuriant, jewel-like colors, also encourage viewers to enjoy taking their time exploring the image.
Shah Tahmasp’s patronage of illustrated manuscripts, such as the Shah Tahmasp Shahnama, was influenced by his
childhood training in the arts of calligraphy and painting
Shah Tahmasp was especially enthusiastic about the art of manuscript illumination because he had received training as a child in both calligraphy and drawing. This illuminated version of the Shahnama was likely begun under the reign of his father, Shah Isma’il, but completed under the direction of Shah Tahmasp. The result was a book created by many artists over the period of a decade. It contained 258 paintings illustrating the stories of Persia’s kings and heroes of long ago.
The Coyolxauhqui Stone was placed at the foot of the Templo Mayor staircase in order to communicate to the Mexica audience that the goddess
had been thoroughly humiliated and defeated
The Coyolxauhqui Stone’s position at the base of the pyramid reflects Coyolxauhqui’s defeat at the hands of Huitzilopochtli, who dismembered her and threw her from Coatepec Mountain (Snake Mountain), a mythological event that was reenacted at the Templo Mayor through ritual sacrifices of war captives.
In its original placement at the Templo Mayor, the Coyolxauhqui Stone was
placed at the foot of the staircase of Huitzilopochtli’s temple
The Coyolxauhqui Stone sat at the base of the Templo Mayor to commemorate Huitzilopochtli, the patron deity of the Aztecs, and his victory over his sister Coyolxauhqui.
For the inhabitants of the city, the image of Coyolxauhqui was intended to provide
a reminder of the power and might of the Mexica (Aztec) state
The Coyolxauhqui Stone was created to commemorate Huitzilopochtli, god of war and the patron deity of the Aztecs. The stone depicts the dismembered body of the moon goddess Coyolxauhqui, who was killed in a power struggle with Huitzilopochtli. Following his battle with Coyolxauhqui, Huitzilopochtli became the chief deity in the Aztec pantheon. The stone’s position at the base of the pyramid represents both Huitzilopochtli’s status as supreme deity and the power of the Aztec state.
The right side of the work shown, Cranach’s Allegory of Law and Grace, can be interpreted as being an illustration of Protestant Reformation theology, because
the connection made between the nude man on the right side and the crucified Christ shows that salvation can only be granted through God’s grace and sacrifice
The right side of Lucas Cranach the Elder’s Allegory of Law and Grace can be interpreted as an illustration of the central teaching of Protestant Reformation theology that salvation can only be granted through God’s grace and Christ’s sacrifice. Cranach, who was a personal friend and follower of the Christian reformer Martin Luther, created this print in 1530 C.E. to help spread the key teachings of Luther on the question of how Christians can attain salvation and eternal life after death. The print is split into two halves; the left side represents Luther’s image of Christianity under the sixteenth-century Catholic Church, and the right side represents the Christianity according to the understanding of the Protestant reformers. Luther believed that Christians can never achieve salvation alone by simply following rules and doing good works (such as giving money to the church); this belief is illustrated on the right where a naked man, representing the soul of a person, is being driven into Hell. The left side shows Luther’s understanding of the path to salvation; here the naked man is showered by the blood of the crucified Christ, showing Luther’s belief that salvation is only given through the grace of God and the faith of the believers.
In in the work shown, Cranach used which of the following means of demonstrating that Luther’s radical ideas were still part of the Christian tradition?
He included several biblical scenes in a single image.
Cranach’s Allegory of Law and Grace demonstrates that Luther’s radical ideas were still part of the Christian tradition by following the older convention in Christian art of including several biblical scenes in a single image. For example, the left side of the image shows both Adam and Eve in the Garden of Eden, a scene that as part of the Christian story of Creation, as well as Christ sitting in Last Judgment over the souls of the deceased at the end of time, while the left side of the image shows a scene from the Old Testament as well as Christ’s crucifixion and resurrection; two events that take place at different points in time as part of the New Testament story. This practice follows long standing traditions in Christian art, as can be seen for example in the Vienna Genesis.
Works like Cranach’s Allegory of Law and Grace would have appealed to a wide audience because
woodcuts were inexpensive and could be reproduced in large quantities
Works like Cranach’s Allegory of Law and Grace would have appealed to a wide audience because woodcuts were inexpensive and could be reproduced in large quantities. Late fifteenth- and sixteenth-century northern European artists like Cranach took advantage of the fairly new medium of woodcut on paper and the new technology of the printing press to be able to reach a large audience with their art. In the Middle Ages, most images were drawn or painted. Books had to be painstakingly written and illustrated by hand, often using costly materials such as vellum and expensive pigment, which made them affordable only to the wealthy. Woodcut prints, on the other hand, could be produced at much lower cost, since many copies could be made quickly, and the materials, such as paper, were also inexpensive. This made images and text accessible to a much wider audience. Artists therefore often produced copies in woodcut of their painted works; Cranach’s Allegory of Law and Grace woodcut, for example, is a copy of a painting that he completed in 1529 C.E., a year before the print was published.
The cross-carpet page of the Lindisfarne Gospels demonstrates both continuity and change through the use of
indigenous styles to express new religious meaning
The cross-carpet page from the Lindisfarne Gospels demonstrates both continuity and change through the use of traditional indigenous styles to assert new religious meaning. The Lindisfarne Gospels is a Christian codex that was created c. 700 C.E. in England, when Christianity was still a fairly new religion in the British Isles and other parts of Europe. The artist who created the cross-carpet page was influenced by older styles of the British Isles and other parts of western and northern Europe, characterized by complex geometric designs composed of tightly interlaced organic forms. Monks working in the Hiberno Saxon style adapted this older style from metalwork and other media to its use in manuscript illumination.
The work reflects the artist’s interest in
multiple viewpoints
Louis-Jacques-Mandé Daguerre’s Still Life in Studio makes use of an arrangement of objects reminiscent of traditional still-life painting in an attempt to
elevate the artistic status of a new medium
Daguerre created his daguerreotype (an early photography technique that he invented) Still Life in Studio in 1837 C.E., when photography was still a very new medium. By referencing classical motifs in his still-life arrangement, Daguerre implied the potential for the new medium of photography to soon be on a level plane with other media, such as painting or sculpture.
Louis-Jacques-Mandé Daguerre’s early photograph Still Life in Studio shows the influence of works such as
Ruysch’s Fruit and Insects, with its deliberate arrangement of purposefully chosen objects
Daguerre’s Still Life in Studio was influenced by seventeenth-century Dutch vanitas paintings such as the work by Ruysch. A characteristic of these still life paintings is compositions created from carefully chosen and equally carefully observed objects.
The work on the right was painted during the
fifteenth century C.E.
In Nadar Raising Photography to the Height of Art, Honoré Daumier used lithography not only to reach a wide audience but also to
comment on the rising status of photography as an art form
Daumier’s lithograph Nadar Raising Photography to the Height of Art commented on the elevation of photography to the status of an art form by a French court decision. Daumier represented this literally (and sarcastically) by showing Nadar aloft over Paris, photographing the city. Nadar did, in fact, take the first aerial photographs of Paris about twenty years after the lithograph was published.
Both works do which of the following?
Combine emotional narrative and didactic content
Both works illustrate the reaction against
the Rococo
In The Oath of the Horatii, Jacques-Louis David drew on Classical Roman style and subject matter in order to
communicate a moral message to his audience by referencing ancient civic values
In Oath of the Horatii, David drew on ancient Roman style and subject matter to communicate a moral message to its viewers. The story of the Horatii involves the oath of three brothers to protect Rome or die. The work was commissioned by the French King, Louis XVI who believed in the pedagogical value of art in raising moral virtues.
The patron of Jacques-Louis David’s The Oath of the Horatii was
King Louis XVI
The Oath of the Horatii (created in 1784 C.E.) was commissioned by the French King, Louis XVI who believed in the pedagogical value of art in raising moral virtues.
Although the patron intended for the painting to promote loyalty to the state, the contemporary political climate caused viewers to interpret the work as
a revolutionary call to arms for those who opposed the monarchy
Although The Oath of the Horatii was commissioned by King Louis XVI, many of David’s contemporaries believed that the work promoted revolutionary action against the Crown. Painted five years before the start of the French Revolution, the work celebrated the importance of personal sacrifice and duty to one’s people in times of conflict. As a result, the painting was often interpreted as a call to arms for those who opposed the monarchy.
A feature of Donatello’s David that reflects Italian Renaissance interest in reviving the classical Greco-Roman sculptural tradition is the figure’s
contrapposto stance
A feature of Donatello’s David that reflects Italian Renaissance interest in reviving the classical Greco-Roman sculptural tradition is the figure’s contrapposto stance. “Contrapposto” refers to opposing alternation of relaxation and tension around a central axis or, in other words, representing a figure with its weight shifted onto one foot. Two classical examples of this strategy are the Doryphoros (Spear Bearer) of Polykleitos and the imperial Roman Augustus of Prima Porta.
The David Vases are significant in the history of Chinese art primarily because
their inscriptions make them one of the earliest dated examples of blue-and-white porcelain
A long dedication inscription, the earliest known inscription of this kind, provides the year (1351) in which the vases were made. Chinese blue-and-white porcelain has been traded and collected throughout the world.
The subject of the work on the right was also sculpted by
Donatello
The structure shown can be attributed to
Zaha Hadid because of its deconstructed geometric form
This structure is the Phaeno Science Center designed by Zaha Hadid. It displays complex, dynamic, and fluid spaces in its design that encourage free circulation throughout. As with Hadid’s MAXXI National Museum of XXI Century Arts, it presents a futuristic construction of deconstructed geometric forms and de-emphasizes boundaries in its interior and exterior spaces.
In* Liberty Leading the People*, Eugène Delacroix included which of the following compositional elements to elicit the idea that freedom comes at a great cost?
Graphic depictions of the fallen and the wounded
In order to elicit the idea that freedom comes at a great cost, Delacroix has depicted Liberty and a group of revolutionary fighters marching forward as the bodies of the fallen and wounded crowd the ground around them (in the lower foreground of the painting), so that the viewer is made aware of the sacrifice that is made in the struggle for freedom.
Eugène Delacroix took inspiration for his painting Liberty Leading the People from a
political uprising against a ruling king
Delacroix’s painting Liberty Leading the People was inspired by the French July Revolution of 1830, an uprising in Paris against King Charles X, which replaced the ruling French monarch with Louis Philippe I, the “Citizen King.”
he painting shown can be attributed to a follower of Caravaggio based on which of the following formal qualities?
Dramatic tenebrism
Both of these works served as
grave markers
Both of these works were created in
Greece
The style of the work on the left relates it to which century B.C.E.?
Eighth
Figurative depictions on the vase on the left represent a
funeral procession
The function of the structure is most similar to the function of
the Mosque of Selim II
The function of the structure is most similar to the function of the Mosque of Selim II. Both the Great Mosque of Djenné and the Mosque of Selim II are used as centers for Muslim prayer and religious activities.
The architects used projecting beams, called toron, in the design of the structure to function primarily as
permanent scaffolding
The projecting wooden beams on the exterior of the Mosque of Djenné, known as toron, function as scaffolding that is used during an annual festival where the mosque is replastered.
The annual preservation of the structure does which of the following?
Engages all members of the community in a social activity
The annual preservation of the structure engages all members of the community in a social activity. Every year in Djenné, the Great Mosque is replastered during the Crepissage festival. During the festival the whole community comes together to put a new coat of plaster on the exterior of the mosque.
The Great Mosque of Djenné is situated next to a marketplace for which of the following reasons?
To emphasize its role as an epicenter of religious and cultural life
The location of the mosque next to the market place, which served as the commercial heart of the city, was derived from the collective choice of the community of Djenné and reflects the importance of the mosque for the people of Djenné
At the time of the Dome of the Rock’s construction, Muslim practitioners in Jerusalem were meant to recognize the triumph of the new faith of Islam through which external aspect of the structure?
Its symbolic location at a sacred religious site
Muslim practitioners in Jerusalem at the time of the Dome of the Rock’s construction were meant to recognize the triumph of the new faith of Islam through the structure’s symbolic location at a sacred religious site. This site is important for practitioners of several faiths. Therefore, the Dome of the Rock’s construction in this location as a site of Islamic worship is a physical manifestation of the religion’s triumph over the Jewish and Christian faiths.
Which of the following is generally accepted as the reason why the Dome of the Rock was centered around the rock shown in the image?
To highlight the rock as the place from which Muhammad began his night journey
The Dome of the Rock was most probably built with the rock at its center to commemorate the place from which Muhammad is believed to have started his night journey.
The Dome of the Rock was built on the site of the Temple Mount because the site
marks the location from which Muhammad ascended to heaven
The Dome of the Rock was built on the site of the Temple Mount because it marks the location from which Muhammad ascended to heaven. According to the Quran Muhammad ascended to heaven at the site marked by the Dome of the Rock during his Night Journey.
The ornate exterior and interior surface treatments of the Dome of the Rock link this structure to earlier examples of
Byzantine mosaic design
The ornate exterior and interior surface treatments of the Dome of the Rock link this structure to earlier examples of mosaic design. The Dome of the Rock’s decorative program includes an extensive use of mosaics. Many Byzantine churches, such as San Vitale in Ravenna from the sixth century, included elaborate mosaics.
Both works depict the same subject. The work on the right is by Michelangelo. The work on the left is by
Donatello
Donatello was a Renaissance sculptor. The work on the left exemplifies Renaissance sculpture with its contrapposto pose, its nudity, and the youthfulness of the figure.
Both works depict the same subject. The work on the right is by Michelangelo.The work on the left revives classical representations of the male figure in all of the following ways EXCEPT through the
miniature scale of the figure
The sculpture on the left is not miniature in scale but life-size. Small scale is also not typical of Classical representations of the male figure.
Both works depict the same subject. The work on the right is by Michelangelo. After its creation, the work on the left was relocated to within the Palazzo della Signoria in Florence, indicating the
use of a biblical subject to achieve political motives
The biblical figure of David was adopted by the city of Florence as a civic symbol. Donatello’s sculpture of David was appropriated by the city when it was removed from the residence of the exiled Medici family and moved to the city hall for public display.
Both of the sculptures were made by
Donatello
The sculpture on the left represents
David
The patron of the work on the left was
Bishop Bernward of Hildesheim
The work on the left was made during which of the following art-historical periods?
Ottonian
The work on the left pairs scenes from
the Old Testament with scenes from the New Testament
The work is clearly derived from the
Byzantine style
The term that best describes this style of painting is
proto-Renaissance
The medium of the work is
tempera
Marcel Duchamp displayed a urinal upside down on a pedestal
to invite the viewer to see a ready-made object in a new way
Marcel Duchamp displayed a urinal upside down on a pedestal to invite the viewer to see a ready-made object in a new way, as a work of art. Duchamp intentionally chose an ordinary, everyday, ready-made object from a plumbing supply store as a provocative artistic statement. Duchamp asks the philosophical question, does art have to be made by the hand of an artist? Is art the concept or the object?
On the basis of its subject matter and its style, the painting shown can be attributed to which of the following artists?
Johannes Vermeer
The painting is The Milkmaid by Johannes Vermeer. Vermeer was a genre painter known for domestic interiors illuminated by warm light. His style included the use of underpainting and glazing, as demonstrated in Woman Holding a Balance, which is in the required course content.
The objects in the work on the right contain references to
the transience of life
The work on the right is a typical example of a still life from
Baroque Holland
The work shown can be attributed to the style of Hellenistic Greece because of which of the following characteristics?
The depiction of the psychological effects of defeat to elicit an emotional response from the viewer
The work shown can be attributed to the style of Hellenistic Greece because of the depiction of the psychological effects of defeat to elicit an emotional response from the viewer. The statue, the Dying Gaul, depicts an old, defeated athlete whose neck is torqued and face is contorted as he lies bracing himself against the ground in pain. Hellenistic art is notable for its expressiveness, for its presentation of figures that display emotion, such as the gigantomachy from the Great Altar of Zeus and Athena at Pergamon. Such works were intended both to convey the psychological state of the subjects and to elicit an emotional response from the viewer.
Both of these works belong to which century?
Nineteenth
The style of painting most closely identified with the work on the left is
Realism
The artist of the work on the left was concerned with light in a way that recalls
Rembrandt
In the work on the left, the artist used light to
dramatically highlight the doctor and the operation
Like most churches from this period, the eastern end of the building terminates in
an apse
The reused columns in this building are examples of
spolia
The church shown is
Early Christian
Church interiors from this time period typically were covered with
timber roofs
The plan for this church is best described as
basilican
The first story of this church interior is
an arcade
Churches like the one shown were based on the design of which ancient structures?
Administrative buildings
The sculptural work originally functioned as a
sarcophagus
The movement represented by this work became prominent during the
1960’s and 1970’s
Another artist with general aims similar to those of the creator of this work was
Robert Smithson
Which of the following architectural innovations provided an enhanced religious experience for visitors walking through the Hypostyle Hall at the Temple of Amun-Re at Karnak?
The clerestory, which allowed for the illumination of the central aisle
The clerestory is an Egyptian innovation that allowed sunlight to illuminate the central aisle of the Hypostyle Hall in the Temple of Amun-Re at Karnak.
The sculpture shown is most closely associated with images of
Akhenaten
The art produced during this period involved
radical stylistic change
The culture that produced this work was
Egyptian
Which term best describes the religious beliefs of the period during which this work was produced?
Monotheistic
In the Egyptian stele shown, the imagery is organized in which of the following ways?
As composite figures placed in registers
The sculpture depicts composite figures standing on two horizontal registers.
The work is part of a larger program intended to
provide for the afterlife
The work was created using
fresco
The work was found in a
tomb
The specific pose of the largest figure can be best described as
composite
The scale of the central figure indicates
high rank
The work incorporates text in
hieroglyphics
The relief served all of the following purposes EXCEPT to
document a specific event
In Old Man’s Cloth, El Anatsui creates meaning by
using recycled metal to create a work reminiscent of traditional fabrics
In Old Man’s Cloth, El Anatsui creates meaning by using recycled metal to create a work reminiscent of traditional fabrics. The work is created from flattened metal liquor bottle labels that are fastened together and draped on a wall, giving the work the appearance of fabric.
To give his work, such as Old Man’s Cloth, the appearance of a flowing tapestry, El Anatsui uses
flattened labels from liquor bottle-caps fastened together with copper wire
Although El Anatsui’s work looks like a draped textile, it is composed of the labels from flattened liquor bottle caps that are fastened together with copper wire.
El Anatsui’s Old Man’s Cloth demonstrates the artist’s desire to maintain a connection with traditional art from Nigeria by including visual references to
Nigerian cloth and its geometric patterns
El Anatsui’s Old Man’s Cloth demonstrates the artist’s desire to maintain a connection with traditional art from Nigeria by visually referencing to Nigerian cloth and its geometric patterns.
El Anatsui’s Old Man’s Cloth is experienced differently by viewers each time it is displayed because the work
takes a new shape each time it is hung
The malleable creation functions like a textile. El Anatsui intended the work to hang vertically but allowed for variations in how it is displayed.
Nam June Paik uses multichannel video in Electronic Superhighway to display which of the following?
Images emblematic of different states
The televisions in Paik’s Electronic Superhighway are each positioned behind the neon outlines of individual states in the United States. Each television cuts between images, newscasts, movies, and TV clips that are emblematic of the state that the television is associated with.
In addition to outlining the contour of each state, the neon tubing in Paik’s installation evokes
neon signs associated with traveling on the interstate
Paik used neon tubing in reference to the neon signs used for motels, diners, drive-ins, and other roadside businesses and rest areas found along the interstate.
The medium of the work on the left is encaustic, which is pigment mixed with
wax
The culture in which the work was produced is known for
the relative equality of women
The work primarily reveals the influence of ancient
Greece
The work is
a sarcophagus
The work is from which culture?
Etruscan
The medium of the work is
terracotta
The work shown can be identified as an ancient Etruscan sarcophagus because of which of the following characteristics?
The stylized depiction of a couple reclining on a couch as they would have comported themselves at a banquet
The work shown can be identified as an ancient Etruscan sarcophagus because of the stylized presentation of a couple reclining on a couch as they would have comported themselves at a banquet. Like the Sarcophagus of the Spouses, the work shows a couple embracing on a single dining couch, referencing scenes of feasting and revelry, as was common in Etruscan funerary art. The figures are stylized with tightly braided hair and elongated proportions.
On the basis of style and subject matter, the work shown can be attributed to which of the following cultures?
Etruscan
On the basis of style and subject matter, the work shown can be attributed as Etruscan. The frescoes in the Etruscan Tomb of the Triclinium show similar scenes of dancing and feasting with figures in profile, presented using a type of foreshortening.
The painted, low-relief sculpture is representative of the culture of
Old Kingdom Egypt
The architect who designed the building is
Frank Lloyd Wright
In Fallingwater, Frank Lloyd Wright’s decision to include dramatically cantilevered terraces that extend over the flowing water was made possible by the use of
reinforced ferroconcrete
The dramatically cantilevered terraces of Fallingwater were created through the use of ferrconcrete. However, the technology was imperfect, and the terraces have needed repair on multiple occasions.
Fallingwater and Le Corbusier’s Villa Savoye represent similarities in the artists’ approach to domestic architecture in that both buildings
were designed to incorporate the structures’ natural surroundings
Both Fallingwater and the Villa Savoye represent similarities in the artists’ approach to domestic architecture in that both buildings were designed to incorporate the natural surroundings of the buildings. Le Courbusier accomplished this by including long horizontal bands of windows and a rooftop terrace in the Villa Savoye as well as by raising the entire building into the air on slim pillars. The stream and waterfall are integral parts of the design of Fallingwater.
Frank Lloyd Wright’s Fallingwater demonstrates his conviction that this building should
be an integrative part of the landscape
Frank Lloyd Wright’s design of Fallingwater demonstrated his conviction to harmoniously fuse the building with its site and make it an integrative part of the surrounding landscape. He decided to build the house over a waterfall, anchored to rocks, and he included details like corner-opening windows that open the house to the outdoors and allow unobstructed views of the natural setting and a boulder that juts into the living room and serves as a hearth.
Frank Lloyd Wright’s decision to use cantilevered, reinforced concrete balconies in his design of Fallingwater allowed him to
create a dynamic spatial interplay between the interior of the house and the surrounding landscape
Which of the following statements accurately reflects the Chinese Neo-Confucian artistic tradition that is embodied in Fan Kuan’s Travelers among Mountains and Streams ?
Nature should be depicted as a metaphor for moral and orderly life.
The Chinese Neo-Confucian artistic tradition that is embodied in Fan Kuan’s Travelers among Mountains and Streams is accurately reflected in the statement that nature should be depicted as a metaphor for moral and orderly life. In the painting, nature is idealized and represented in a carefully ordered composition of harmonious parts.
Although Lin’s work was created about 900 years after Fan’s, both works include which of the following that convey a similar meaning?
Mountains that reach toward the heavens to evoke a sense of power and awe
Traditionally, Chinese landscape artists have viewed tall mountains as powerful sacred spaces which form a connection to a higher plane of existence. Both Fan Kuan and Liu Chunhua made use of this convention, although for quite different reasons.
Which of the following is a visual characteristic of Travelers among Mountains and Streams that contributes to the illusion of deep space?
The overlapping forms of the foreground, middle ground, and background
Fan Kuan used the overlapping forms of the foreground, middle ground, and background to contribute to the illusion of deep space. The rocks at the bottom of the work overlap the road; the boulders or low hills in the middle ground overlap the base of the mountains, hidden by mist. This strategy appears to push each region farther back as one moves from the bottom to the top of the work.
Which of the following statements most accurately describes a visual choice that Fan Kuan used to shape his work Travelers among Mountains and Streams?
Light ink washes and empty space convey a sense of distance between the closer objects and the towering mountains.
Light ink washes and empty space convey a sense of distance between the closer objects and the towering mountains. In Travelers among Mountains and Streams, Fan Kuan allows the base of the tall mountains to dissolve into ever lighter ink washes as the eye moves downward. An area of the scroll below the washes is left untouched. This technique creates the sense that there is a gap between the hills in the middle ground and the more distant mountains.
Which of the following statements about Fan Kuan’s painting Travelers among Mountains and Streams reflects the approach to landscape that the work embodies?
It is more important to depict the essence of the landscape than to represent an actual place in detail.
Fan Kuan’s painting Travelers among Mountains and Streams embodies the philosophy that painting should show the ideal, or essence, of landscape. Fan did not paint a specific scene but rather one that he generated after intense study of the type of landscape in the painting.
The Fang byeri are primarily
guardians of ancestral remains
The Fang attached reliquary figures to sacred cylindrical baskets so that they could guard the ancestral relics (skulls and bones) within.
Which of the following elements of Fang life best describes and accounts for artistic production of works such as the Fang byeri ?
Their migratory culture
Since Fang people were migratory, the remains of important people were carried from place to place in a container called a nsek-bieri. The reliquary figures and the containers were made from light materials that facilitated ease of transportation.
The Fang reliquary figure sat on top of a container that primarily held
ancestral relics, most often in the form of bone fragments
Fang reliquary figures sat upon boxes containing the skulls and bone fragments of ancestors. The Fang people believed that such relics possessed tremendous power; therefore, they created figures to guard them.
Because of the work’s importance, which of the following actions was taken to preserve it?
It was rubbed periodically with palm oil.
Fang reliquary figures are periodically coated with palm oil. Repeated application of palm oil over time keeps the statues appearing vibrant and provides the wood with an alluring glow.
The anatomical features that signify both childhood and adulthood featured on the Fang reliquary figure were intended to convey the
changes associated with the cycle of life
The Fang reliquary figure contains both adult and prepubescent anatomical features to suggest the changes that occur throughout a person’s life.
The symmetric design and use of vibrantly colored feathers in the ‘ahu ‘ula shown were designed to
highlight materials that embodied the divine power of the ruler
Divine rulers surrounded themselves with objects that embodied and protected the ruler’s divine power. This cape, with its powerful design and brilliant feathers, literally encased the ruler’s body with materials and designs valued for their association with deities, royal lineage, and wealth. The cape’s yellow feathers, for example, which come from the ‘o‘o bird, were valued in the Hawaiian Islands due to their scarcity.
In ancient Hawaii, male nobles wore traditional feather garments such as the ‘ahu ‘ula (feather cape) in battle because the
red feathers indicated that the wearer was protected by the gods
The form of the figural work shown, from Nukuoro in Micronesia, can best be described as
stylized
The form of the figural work shown, from Nukuoro in Micronesia, can best be described as stylistic. Carved wooden figurines from Nukuoro in Micronesia follow a certain schematic formula rather than an individualistic, realistic approach to representing the human form. All the sculptures share stylized elements such ovoid heads, columnar necks atop sloping shoulders. All are similarly proportioned with flexed, short legs and flattened buttocks.
Nukuoro figures of Micronesia were made as abstract figures with smooth wood in order for them to
embody local deities and be honored with feathers, paint, and woven fiber decoration
Micronesian Nukuoro figures were made as abstract figures with smooth wood in order for them to embody local deities. Each Nukuoro figure represents and takes on the vital energy of a specific local deity at harvest festivals. The figures are further honored with the addition of feathers, paint, and loom-woven decoration. Although their wooden forms are shaped to be largely featureless and abstract, with little detail, the way in which they are used and embellished with other materials underscores their individual identities as local deities.
Scholars think that early medieval fibulae, such as the Merovingian looped fibulae, served as
status symbols owned to enhance prestige
Scholars think that early medieval fibulae, such as the Merovingian looped fibulae, served as status symbols owned to enhance prestige. Fibulae are characteristic of prestige adornments and, although practically functioning as a garment fastener, often featured lavish ornamentation, displaying a high degree of stylistic and technical sophistication. The pair of Merovingian looped fibulae features silver filigree gilt, cloisonné enamel, with inlays of semiprecious stones such as garnets. The lavish fibulae likely belonged to a wealthy Merovingian woman and were included in her burial grave.
Both sculptures exemplify the use of
contrapposto
The importance of the ceremony seen in the photograph was reinforced by the presentation of
tapa cloth and woven mats
In Polynesian cultures, tapa is used for both utilitarian and ceremonial purposes. In the case of the presentation of Fijian mats and tapa cloth to Queen Elizabeth II, seen in the photograph, tapa cloth and woven mats were made by Fijian women and presented to the queen as gifts that reinforced the importance of her visit.
The purpose of the photograph depicting the welcoming processional for Queen Elizabeth II is to
document a complex and prescribed cultural exchange
This photograph records a ceremony and cultural presentation in honor of the royal visit of Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Philip to Fiji in 1953. In the picture, a procession of Fijian women can be seen carrying rolls of woven mats, which are traditionally used in Fijian society as a form of ritual exchange, and which were presented to Queen Elizabeth to honor her and to affirm her authority over Fiji. Photographs like this one functioned as documents of formal and prescribed cultural exchanges that were intended to reinforce the authority of the Crown of England over the colony of Fiji.
One of the major reasons for the grand size of these two structures was to
convey economic and cultural superiority
Both of these structures were begun in the late
thirteenth century
The dome on the structure on the left was designed by
Brunelleschi
The structure shown in the slide on the left is located in
Florence
The dome on the structure on the left is crowned by a
lantern
These two structures were built in two different locales that can best be described as
rival city-states
The Hall of Supreme Harmony in the Forbidden City was placed on a high terrace at the end of the north-south axis in order to
provide the formal setting for the emperor, who was known as the son of Heaven
Within the Forbidden City, the Hall of Supreme Harmony was placed on a white marble terrace at the end of the north-south axis in order to provide the formal setting for the emperor, who was known as the son of Heaven. The placement of the hall symbolized the emperor’s divine position.
Jean-Honoré Fragonard’s painting The Swing reflects Rococo style in its
choice of lighthearted and playful subject matter, depicted with pastel colors and soft lighting
Fragonard’s The Swing reflects Rococo style in its lighthearted, playful subject matter that is depicted with pastel colors and soft lighting. In fact, this combination of content and technique is typical of the Rococo. Subject matter was often sensual and indulgent, as is the case here.
Jean-Honoré Fragonard’s The Swing is associated with the Rococo because it
presents the life of the aristocracy in a light and playful manner
Jean-Honoré Fragonard’s The Swing is associated with the Rococo style because it presents the life of the aristocracy in a light and playful manner. The painting depicts a wealthy young man watching a young woman on a swing as she kicks her shoe at him in a flirtatious manner. Lighthearted scenes of the upper class were a common subject for Rococo paintings.
Francisco de Goya was an artist associated with which art-historical movement?
Romanticism
Francisco Goya is known for all of the following EXCEPT his
pure landscapes
In The Bay, Helen Frankenthaler created a large-scale work that invites the viewer to
appreciate the relationships and interactions between colors, which are not intended to be representative
In The Bay, Helen Frankenthaler poured paint in a controlled manner onto the surface of unprimed canvas to create a large scale work that primarily uses color relations as subject, not representing anything in particular. According to Frankenthaler, it’s important for viewers to not be too encumbered by context and speculation when they look at her work. The color juxtapositions and the shapes created through the pouring process convey an evocative, ambiguous, emblematic quality to the viewer.
In The Saint-Lazare Station, Claude Monet chose a railway station as his subject, consistent with the Impressionists’ interest in
observing the environment of day-to-day urban life
In The Saint-Lazare Station Claude Monet chose a railway station as his subject, consistent with the Impressionists’ interest in observing the environment of day-to-day urban life. The Saint-Lazare Station focuses on the atmospheric effects of steam in a train station, which was a common subject for Impressionist painters at the time.
The repetition of form and color in Christo and Jeanne-Claude’s installation The Gates is most strongly intended to call attention to which of the following?
The lines of the walking paths in the park
The repetition of form and color in Christo and Jeanne-Claude’s The Gates calls attention to preexisting paths; the work was specifically designed to follow the walking paths of Central Park in New York City.
The Gates is similar to other large-scale, twentieth-century public sculptures, such as Claes Oldenburg’s original version of Lipstick (Ascending) on Caterpillar Tracks, in that it was
conceived as being temporary to enhance the dramatic effect
In Triumph of the Name of Jesus, Giovanni Battista Gaulli uses sculpture and painting to
erase a clear division between the ceiling’s illusionism and the church structure
In Triumph of the Name of Jesus, Giovanni Battista Gaulli uses sculpture and painting to erase the division between the illusionism of the ceiling and the structure of the church. Gaulli used painted sculptural and architectural features to blur the line between the interior and painting. In doing so he creates the illusion that the painting extends into the physical space of the building.
The building on the right was designed by
Frank Gehry
A primary building material used in the structure on the right is
titanium
The design of Frank Gehry’s Guggenheim Museum Bilbao differs from Modernist architectural designs in part because Gehry wanted to
create engaging spaces that intrigue visitors
The design of Frank Gehry’s Guggenheim Museum Bilbao differs from Modernist architectural designs in part because Gehry wanted to create engaging spaces that intrigue visitors. He criticized some Modernist structures as “faceless things” with a geometric regularity that was difficult for people to embrace.
The artist who painted this work is
Artemisia Gentileschi
The work on the right was made during which of the following art-historical periods?
Italian Renaissance
The work on the right reveals the development of
linear perspective
Which of the following artists created the work on the right?
Lorenzo Ghiberti
Quick-to-See Smith chose to use collaged materials from commercial products and popular culture both to highlight contemporary racial stereotypes and to
demonstrate that Native American artists were engaged in contemporary art practice
Starting in the early twentieth century, artists began to use collage to incorporate outside elements into their work. Smith’s use of commercial products and popular culture in Trade (Gifts for Trading Land with White People), illustrates her awareness and engagement with this artistic practice.
Quick-to-See Smith’s inclusion of cheap trinkets is intended to
reference a history of exploitative economic transactions between Native Americans and Europeans
Smith included cheap trinkets, such as sports paraphernalia, figurines, bumper stickers, and toys in her work to reference popular stories in which Europeans traded inexpensive goods with Native people in exchange for their land.
The depiction of the gigantomachy on the reliefs of the Great Altar of Zeus at Pergamon may have served as an allegory of
King Attalos’ victory over the Gauls
In the third century B.C.E., King Attalos I successfully fought back an invasion of Gauls into Asia Minor. The reliefs of the Great Altar, built in the second century B.C.E. under the direction of Eumenes II, could have alluded to this event as well as to all conflicts the Hellenistic Greeks experienced with outsiders.
Giotto di Bondone’s Lamentation demonstrates a shift from Gothic painting traditions in its
plastic modeling of form
Giotto’s Lamentation demonstrates a shift from Gothic painting traditions in its heightened attention to naturalism, spatial dimensions, and the physical mass of the figures depicted in this work.
In the Arena (Scrovegni) Chapel, Giotto used which of the following?
Fresco, the application of pigment onto damp plaster
Both objects shown suggest a belief in an afterlife because both
were made from precious materials and deposited in graves
The two works shown—a jade cong from the Liangzhu culture of Neolithic China (3300–2200 B.C.E.) and the gold and jade crown from the Silla Kingdom of ancient Korea (fifth to sixth century C.E.)—were both made from precious materials and were found with burials of what are considered to be high-status individuals. Because of their precious nature, these objects likely signified wealth and status, and their placement in graves suggests that they were meant to ensure wealth and status in the afterlife for the individuals with whom they were buried. The belief in the afterlife is underscored by the investment required for objects that would never be used by living persons but only by those who have moved on to the spiritual world. Such items, requiring significant family wealth, are given to the dead for their use in the afterlife, and that wealth is made forever inaccessible to the family.
The images show the sika dwa kofi (Golden Stool) and the Nkisi n’kondi.
reinforce the object’s significance and restricted use
The Golden Stool is believed to embody the soul of the Ashanti nation, and as such, is considered to be more important than any individual Ashanti king. It is therefore not used as a functional object that one would sit on; instead, it is seated on its own stool and is put on display as a symbolic representation of Ashanti royalty.
The Golden Stool (sika dwa kofi) of the Ashanti people must be presented on its side, resting on its own stool, to remind viewers that
the stool is sacred and no person may sit on it
The Golden Stool (sika dwa kofi) of the Ashanti people must be presented on its side, resting on its own stool, to remind viewers that the stool is sacred and no person may sit on it. The stool represents the embodiment of the Ashanti people. Even the king does not sit on it but, rather, beside it. The stool itself is given a wooden stool to rest on.
This work was made in the fifth century C.E. in
Ravenna
The work is
a mosaic
The central symbolic image of this work refers to
Christ
Which characteristic typically differentiates a Gothic church from a Romanesque church?
The use of flying buttresses
The interior of the building shown can be attributed to which of the following architectural styles?
Gothic
The interior of the building shown can be attributed to the Gothic style. Features of Gothic architecture that are visible in the image include the nave arcade with compound pilasters, which is surmounted by the triforium and the clerestory to create a tall, narrow space; four-part ribbed vaulting on pointed arches; and lancet windows with stained glass.
The narrative imagery in Gothic stained-glass windows is most comparable to that of
manuscript illumination
The artist withdrew the series from public auction because he
was concerned about being tried by the Inquisition
Some scholars believe that Francisco de Goya did not publish his series Los Desastres de la Guerra (The Disasters of War) during his lifetime because he believed that the response would have been
persecution because he depicted atrocities committed by individuals on both sides of the conflict
Scholars believe that Goya avoided publishing his series Los Desastres de la Guerra (The Disasters of War) because he was worried about persecution, as the series was highly critical of actions committed by both the Spanish and the French military.
In this work, the animals symbolize
superstition
The artistic process used to create this particular work was
etching
Goya created this work while
working as the court painter to the king of Spain
The man in the foreground represents
Enlightenment ideals
The work is part of a series called
Los Caprichos
The style of the work on the right relates it to which century B.C.E.?
Fifth
The work on the right does which of the following?
Depicts a domestic event.
Although the cave paintings in the Great Hall of the Bulls at Lascaux were originally interpreted as depictions of hunting scenes, they have more recently been interpreted as paintings intended to
document a series of animal-based rituals
The architect’s choice to use primarily mud brick to build the Great Mosque of Djenné resulted in which of the following?
Softer exterior surfaces that needed periodic replastering
The architect’s choice to use primarily mud brick to build the Great Mosque of Djenné resulted in softer exterior surfaces that needed periodic replastering. The mud brick used in the Great Mosque of Djenné eroded during each rainy season, causing the building to need repairs and replastering every few years. The wooden beams jutting out from the structure provided a scaffold for volunteers to use in the replastering process.
At the Great Mosque (Masjid-e Jameh) at Isfahan, Iran, the qibla iwan reminds worshippers to direct themselves toward the city of Mecca as they pray through the presence of
minarets
The presence of two minarets, or towers used to call the faithful to prayer, above one of the four iwans in the courtyard of the Great Mosque at Isfahan reminds worshippers of the need to position themselves toward the city of Mecca as they pray. At the same time, the minarets show worshippers the direction in which Mecca lies.
What purpose did the architect’s inclusion of ostrich eggs serve at the Great Mosque of Djenné?
As a symbolic representation of fertility and purity
The architect included ostrich eggs at the Great Mosque of Djenné as a symbolic reference known to the people of the Malian region. The Great Mosque of Djenné incorporates conical towers that are each crowned with an ostrich egg, a symbol of fertility and purity. Though the eggs are a regional addition, their inclusion in the Mosque remains consistent with the Muslim tradition of symbolic, rather than strictly representative art.
For a person standing outside of the Great Mosque of Isfahan, the dominant visual element of the mosque is
the pair of cylindrical minarets that indicate the direction of Islamic prayer
For a person outside of the Great Mosque of Isfahan, the dominant visual element of the mosque is the pair of cylindrical minarets that indicate the direction of the city of Mecca, towards which Islamic prayer is directed. The Great Mosque of Isfahan has four iwans linked through a large, open air courtyard. The Qibla iwan is flanked by two cylindrical minarets that indicate the direction believers should face while praying.
The great Mosque of Isfahan was built with a large sahn (courtyard) in its center in order to
accommodate the entire male population of the town during Friday prayers
According to the traditional design of congregational mosques, the courtyard in the Great Mosque of Isfahan was built on such a large scale in order to make sure the mosque could accommodate the city’s entire adult male population during Friday prayers.
The images show a plan and an overview of the same architectural complex. The architectural complex shown can be identified as the
Great Pyramids (Menkaura, Khafre, Khufu) and Great Sphinx
The architectural complex shown is called the Great Pyramids (Menkaura, Khafre, Khufu) and Great Sphinx.
The images show a plan and an overview of the same architectural complex. In the geographical region, the evolution in form from earlier tombs to the architectural complex shown most likely resulted from a desire to
heighten the symbolic association with the Sun
The change in form from earlier mastabas to the Great Pyramids most likely resulted from an increasing focus on worship of the Sun god, Re. For example, the funerary temples of the Great Pyramids are oriented to the east to reinforce the association with the rising Sun, unlike older temples, which were generally oriented to the north.
The images show a plan and an overview of the same architectural complex.The plan shows processional routes and secondary structures that were primarily intended to
facilitate priestly offerings of food and drink to the deceased
The funerary complex included raised causeways leading to mortuary temples where priests made offerings to the deceased. These offerings were first made in preparation for the pharaoh’s entombment and later, the offerings were made to ka statues of the pharaoh.
In a Greek temple, the absence of a base on the columns identifies the architectural order as
Doric
The style of the work on the left is
Geometric
The use of high relief in the work shown allowed the sculptor to convey
shadows and highlights
The use of high relief in the work shown allowed the sculptor to convey shadows and highlights. Generally, a work rendered in high relief is carved or modeled so that deep shadows and highlights appear on a surface that does not itself vary in value.
The work on the left was created during the
sixth century B.C.E.
Precedents for works such as the one on the left have been found primarily in which of the following cultures?
Egyptian
The work on the left was originally used as a
grave marker
Which of the following is true of the work on the left?
It was originally painted.
The work shown can be attributed to which of the following styles?
Classical Greek
The work on the right is an example of
genre painting
The work on the right is associated with the growing interest in
sentimentality and rustic virtue
Frank Gehry’s design for the Guggenheim Museum Bilbao is considered Deconstructivist because of the
manipulation of asymmetrical, fragmented forms
Frank Gehry’s design for the Guggenheim Museum Bilbao is considered Deconstructivist because of the manipulation of asymmetrical, fragmented forms. Similar to other works of Deconstructivist architecture, the Guggenheim Bilbao lacks overt symmetry and includes nonrectilinear forms.
Which of the following best describes Zaha Hadid’s MAXXI National Museum of XXI Century Arts in Rome?
A complex interior of geometric shapes and curvilinear elements
The interior of Hadid’s MAXXI National Museum of XXI Century Arts is a complex space in which the prevailing geometric shapes contrast with curvilinear elements such as the stairways.
The images show an exterior and an interior view of Hagia Sophia. Original viewers of the interior of Hagia Sophia were described as reacting with
awe that its dome seemingly hovered on a cushion of light
Original viewers of the interior of Hagia Sophia were described as reacting with awe that its dome seemingly hovered on a cushion of light. Procopius and other commentators reported that the dome appeared to be suspended from heaven by a string, or to hover in space as if divinely supported.
The images show an exterior and an interior view of Hagia Sophia. Originally Hagia Sophia may have lacked figural imagery either because the builders feared making graven images or because
they desired to focus the attention of visitors on the architecture and surface decoration
Originally Hagia Sophia may have lacked figural imagery either because the builders feared making graven images or because they desired to focus the attention of visitors on the architecture and surface decoration. The lavish, variegated stone revetment, carved basket capitals, and glittering mosaics dissolved the surfaces and created a lush landscape that inspired contemporaries to imagine fields, billowing seas, and stars washing across the architecture. The light pouring through the windows bounced around the interior and multiplied. This may have been considered sufficiently ornate.
The images show an exterior and an interior view of Hagia Sophia. After the original dome of Hagia Sophia collapsed in 558 C.E., its architects responded by
increasing the height of the dome and adding buttresses
After the original dome of Hagia Sophia collapsed in 558 C.E., its architects responded by increasing the height of the dome and adding buttresses. By increasing the height of the dome, the architects reduced its lateral thrust, creating a more stable dome that could, in conjunction with increased buttressing, better withstand the stresses, such as earthquakes, that threatened it.
The images show an exterior and an interior view of Hagia Sophia. Byzantine churches built after Hagia Sophia often imitated its
use of a dome resting on pendentives
Byzantine churches built after Hagia Sophia often imitated its use of a dome resting on pendentives. Later churches imitated Hagia Sophia’s combination of a dome on a square base bridged by pendentives (which were sometimes later substituted with squinches).
The architects of the Hagia Sophia created an expansive internal space by using
pendentives to support the central dome
A pendentive is a form of triangular vaulting used to support a dome within a square or rectangular space. The architects of the Hagia Sophia used pendentives to visually expand the space containing the central dome, since it allowed them to crown the large central space, which is based on a square plan, with a lofty dome.
The architects of the structure were also
mathematicians
The building combines
a basilican plan with a central plan
The building was constructed in the
sixth century
The original interior decoration primarily featured
mosaics
The patron of the building was
Justinian
The building is
Hagia Sophia in Istanbul
An important structural innovation of the building is the use of
pendentives
In its original context, the interaction between the god Shamash and Hammurabi on the Code of Hammurabi was intended to cause in viewers a sense of
respect for the laws recorded on the stele by suggesting their divine origin
In its original context, the interaction between the god Shamash and Hammurabi on the Code of Hammurabi was intended to cause in viewers a sense of respect for the laws recorded on the stele by suggesting their divine origin. The Code of Hammurabi records a legal code that the Babylonian king Hammurabi enacted for his people. A sculptural relief on top of the stele shows Hammurabi receiving a rod and a coil of rope from the god Shamash, who is seated on a throne. Both of these items have been interpreted as symbols of order and justice, as well as emblems of divine authority. When combined with the recorded laws on the stele, this scene would have demonstrated to the ancient Babylonians the divine origin of their laws and the legitimacy of the king. The scene would therefore have served to raise Babylonians’ respect for their legal code as having a divine origin.
The form of the Code of Hammurabi is shaped as a
stele
The form of the Code of Hammurabi is shaped as a stele. A stele is a tall rectangular form, often erected as a freestanding sculpture in the ancient world as a grave marker or a monument.
The mortuary temple of Hatshepsut originally included which of the following features as part of the complex?
Terraces filled with exotic trees and plants
Archaeological evidence indicates that the terraces of the mortuary temple of Hatshepsut were originally filled with exotic trees and other plants, while reliefs in the complex depict garden beds as well as an expedition to Somalia to collect incense trees for the garden. These trees may have been grown in pots. There is also archaeological evidence of pools surrounded by small pits filled with Nile mud where trees may have been planted.
The material and manufacturing process of the Hawaiian ‘ahu ‘ula shown served to
inspire fear and awe in viewers
Helen Frankenthaler used diluted paint primarily to
demonstrate the spontaneous flowing of paint across a surface
Helen Frankenthaler perfected a “soak stain” method of applying diluted paint directly to the surface of an unprimed canvas. She controlled the paint by tilting the canvas and allowing the paint to flow over the surface, simulating the spontaneous flow of color across a surface.
Hiberno-Saxon manuscripts such as the Book of Kells often included
abstract intertwined animal forms
The stylistic innovations that are evident in the relief sculpture of Akhenaton, Nefertiti, and three daughters are a result of
the introduction of a new monotheistic religion under the Pharaoh Akhenaton
During the Amarna period of New Kingdom Egypt, the pharaoh Akhenaton introduced a new monotheistic belief system that was centered around the worship of a single deity, the sun god, Aten, with Akhenaton himself regarded as Aten’s divine representative on Earth. This meant a radical shift from the religious tradition of worshiping a pantheon of multiple gods. Scholars have attributed the stylistic changes in the art of that period, for example, the emphasis on curvilinear over rectilinear forms, to the requirements of this new religion, especially with regard to depictions of the pharaoh and his family.
In the work shown, Hogarth contrasts the title with iconographic details to critique the aristocracy and other moneyed classes for their
extravagance and self-indulgence
The title, which implies an intimate conversation, is contrasted with the extravagance and self-indulgence that is suggested by the iconographic details. Evidence that points to these traits includes the exasperated accountant, or steward, holding a stack of unpaid bills, the overly decorated home, the woman’s bonnet poking out of the man’s jacket pocket, and the disheveled look of the woman, with the woman’s appearance and the presence of another woman’s bonnet implying extramarital affairs.
The work is part of a larger series by Hogarth that has the overall theme of the
folly of marriages of convenience
Marriage à la Mode is a series of six paintings (which Hogarth also produced as prints) that depict a narrative of a marriage between a man and a woman, arranged by their parents for financial convenience. The marriage contract is the subject of the first painting, and the series goes on to portray the decline and decadence of their relationship.
Throughout the series, Hogarth used narrative and carefully chosen details in order to engage the audience’s
senses of humor and irony
Throughout the series of works, Hogarth used humor in narrative and iconographical details in order to show the irony of marriages that are formed to suit convenience and are inevitably doomed to fail.
Which of the following characteristics helps attribute this work to Katsushika Hokusai?
The inclusion of a view of Mount Fuji in the background
Hokusai’s best-known work, Under the Wave off Kanagawa (Kanagawa oki nami ura) was part of a series called Thirty-Six Views of Mount Fuji. The clear delineation of the mountain in the background is a strong clue to this print being the work of Hokusai.
Hokusai’s Under the Wave off Kanagawa (Kanagawa oki nami ura) demonstrates the influence of European art on his work in its use of
a composition with a low horizon line, which is indicative of Dutch painting
The use of a low horizon line in Under the Wave off Kanagawa shows the influence of Dutch engravings, which Hokusai had studied. Earlier traditional Japanese art, such as Night Attack on the Sanjô Palace, typically uses a higher horizon line.
Edo period ukiyo-e woodblock prints, such as Hokusai’s Under the Great Wave off Kanagawa (Kanagawa oki nami ura), directly influenced the landscape compositions of the painter
Vincent van Gogh
Vincent van Gogh purchased and copied Japanese ukiyo-e prints; their influence changed his painting style.
The work was influenced by technical innovations, as demonstrated through the artist’s use of
perspective
Katsushika Hokusai was influenced by the sense of space and depth created by Dutch landscape artists, and he demonstrates the use of perspective in this work. Dutch artists had exposure in Japan because of Dutch trade agreements with the Japanese government.
Most of Honoré Daumier’s graphic works were intended for
the popular press
In its posture and expression, Jean-Antoine Houdon’s statue of George Washington references
Classical Greek statues, such as the Doryphoros (Spear Bearer)
Jean-Antoine Houdon’s statue of George Washington references the Classical Greek style of sculpture, such as the Doryphoros (Spear Bearer), as can be seen, for example, in the figure’s classical contrapposto pose and its serene and dignified expression.
Which of the following characteristics of Jean-Antoine Houdon’s sculpture of George Washington made it most appropriate for display in the rotunda of a government building?
Its use of Neoclassical imagery, which evokes the political ideals of ancient Rome
Houdon incorporates Neoclassical imagery referencing Roman history to hark back to classical political ideas rather than reflecting the European monarchic model. Colonial leaders such as Washington and Thomas Jefferson admired Rome as a political model and felt that classically inspired art and architecture could serve as examples of virtue and democracy. Houdon portrays Washington standing with a bundle of thirteen Roman fasces, or rods, meant to symbolize the original thirteen colonies that became the United States. Fasces were used in ancient Rome to symbolize civil authority. The figure leans on a farmer’s plow, a reference to Cincinnatus, a legendary figure of Roman republican civic virtue. After a triumphant military career, Cincinnatus gave up his political power to return to a life of farming, much like George Washington did when he returned to life as a farmer at Mount Vernon.
Although the bound rods in Jean-Antoine Houdon’s portrait statue of George Washington allude to republican ideals of ancient governance, they may also refer to
the original thirteen colonies that revolted against Britain
The images show a plan and an interior of the House of the Vettii. The House of the Vettii functioned as a
home for a prosperous family of freedmen
The House of the Vettii functioned as a home for a prosperous family of freedmen. The House of the Vettii was a type of townhouse, known as a domus, which was typically inhabited by members of the upper class or wealthy freedmen. Scholars believe that the House of the Vettii was owned by a family of former slaves (freedmen).
The images show a plan and an interior of the House of the Vettii. The House of the Vettii included wall paintings and a peristyle garden for which of the following reasons?
To impress visitors with the wealth and taste of the patrons
The House of the Vettii included wall paintings and a peristyle garden to impress visitors with the wealth and taste of the patrons. The intricate wall paintings and large garden in the House of the Vettii were intended to communicate the material wealth and elevated taste of the owners of the house.
The images show a plan and an interior of the House of the Vettii. Which of the following works features paintings that are most similar in painting technique to those in the House of the Vettii?
Tomb of the Triclinium
The painting techniques used in the House of the Vettii are most similar to the techniques used in the Tomb of the Triclinium. The House of the Vettii and the Tomb of the Triclinium are both decorated with fresco paintings, which were created by applying pigments directly to fresh plaster on the walls.
The spatial system followed in the overall decoration shown on the right is best characterized by its
mixture of perspective models
The walls of the interior shown on the right are decorated with
paintings
The interior on the left is called
an atrium
