Midterm 1 Flashcards
What is the purpose of the text and the images?
Is there a narrative?
How does time progress through the text and images?
How do the text and images relate?
What aspects of Nofretiri are emphsized in the texts? The paintings?
These texts and images were meant to be seen by visitors, compared to Old Egyptians tombs which were only entered by priests and pharoahs.
The narratives (and many tombs of New Kingdom Egypt) were influenced by the Book of the Dead.
The images in text in the tomb wrap around the walls like a scroll. There are rooms dedicated to certain sections. As the viewer moves through the tomb they go through a journey, bringing life to the Book fo the Dead.
The text depicts what is occuring in the images (sometimes spells, incantations and offerings). In the Book of the Dead the text accompanying the images was often incorrect.
The texts describe rituals and offerings Nofretiri made to many gods during life and death.
What: Relief With Akhenaten, Nefertiti and Children
Where: Amarna
When: 1300 BC
Who: New Kingdom Egypt (Akhenaten)
Why: This relief is important because it depicts Akhenaten and his family in the presence of the sun disk god, Aten (new religion that Akhenaten introduced). It also features how Akhenaten and his family were possibly deformed (elongated head and sagging bellies). Despite the fact, Akhenaten chose to be shown that way which in turn developed a new style of portrait in a relaxed, peronal posture.
What: Nefertiti (wife of Akhenaten)
Where: Amarna
When: 1300 BC
Who: New Kingdom Egypt (Nefertiti)
Why: This sculpture was found in an abandoned sculptors (Thutmose’s) workshop. It remains deliberatly unfinished (unpainted right eye) and was probably never meant for the public eye (before and after demonstration) The artists adjusted the actaul likeness of his subject to meet the era’s standard of spiritual beauty. This statue accompanied many others including plaster casts of faces and and elderly statue of Nefertiti that showed her aging and unsightly features.
What: Queen Ti
Where: Kom Medinet Ghurab
When: 1300 BC
Who: New Kingdom Egypt (Queen Ti)
Why: Queen Ti, mother of Akhenaten, was not royalty. After Akhenaten’s death, her golden headress was covered up to make her look like a commoner. Or her headdress was covered up to eliminate reference to deities of the old religion during Akhenaten’s reign. She is shown as an older woman which demonstrates the relaxation of artistic rules in the Amarna age.
What: Vignette from a Book of the Dead, Judgement Before Osiris
Where: Thebes
When: 1300 BC
Who: New Kingdom Egypt
Why: The Book of the Dead was a form of manuel to pass into the afterlife, it is riddle with hymns and incatations to say. The illustrations came before the text and the text is often misleading and flawed. Scrolls like this could have been premade (insert name here) or repurposed. The concept of The Book of the Dead influenced many New Kingdom Egyptian tombs.
What: Gold Mask
Where: Thebes (Tomb of Tutankhamen)
When: 1300 BC
Who: New Kingdom Egypt (Tutankhamen)
Why: Tutankhamen was probably the son of a minor wife of Akhenaten. He is a minor figure in Egyptian history but is widely known because his tomb and treasures were discovered largely intact. His riches and treasures express Egyptian power, pride and affluence.
What: Warchest of Tutankhamen
Where: Thebes
When: 1300 BC
Who: New Kingdom Egypt (Tutankhamen)
Why: Tutankhamen was too young to fight, but his position as pharoah required that he be represented as a conqueror. The fluid, curvilinear forms are reminiscent of the Amarna style.
What: Nebamun Hunting Birds
Where: Thebes (Tomb of Nebamun)
When: 1300 BC
Who: New Kingdom Egypt (Nebamun)
Why: Hieroglyphic text reads that Nebamun is enjoying recration in the eternal afterlife. Compared to Ti’s static pose in Hippopatomus Hunt, Nebamun is striding foward in hunt. His wife and daughter accompany him but are scaled down in their rank as done by Old Kingdom artists.
What: Wall Painting of Dancers and Musicians
Where: Thebes (Tomb of Nebamun)
When: 1300 BC
Who: New Kingdom Egypt (Nebamun)
Why: Features a customary funeral feast for the living to commune with the dead. Also shows that New Kingdom artists did not always adhere to old standards of figural representation (loose, overlapping and frontal facing figures).
What: Wall Painting of the Queen of Punt
Where: Deir el-Bahri (Tomb of Hatshepsut)
When: 1400 BC
Who: New Kingdom Egypt (Hatshepsut)
Why: The texts depict this as a voyage to the land of punt to collect tribute from the natives who admit their allegience to the pharoah. In reality it is a trade expidition to the well established trade-post.
What: Figurine of a Woman
Who: Greek
Where: Syros (Cyclades Islads)
When: 2600-2300 BC
Why: Shows how early greek art was geometric and simple. Some statues came from cemetaries and its speculated that they represent the deceased, mourners or worshippers (compare to Votive Statues from the Square Temple).
What: Lyre Player
Who: Greek (Cycladic)
Where: Keros (Cyclades Islands)
When: 2600-2300 BC
Why: Shows how early greek art was geometric. Uncertain what the statues were for (entertaining the dead?). It is also uncertain weather or not these statues are real for they were found on the Swedish market and not excavated properly.
What: Palace of Minos
Who: Minoan (Minos)
Where: Knossos, Crete
When: 1700-1300 BC
Why: According to myth the bull-man minotaur lived under the palace of Minos and ate children that were sacrificed until Theseus defeated the monster. (elaborate?)
What: Fresco of Bull Leaping
Who: Minoan (Minos)
Where: Palace of Minos, Knossos, Crete
When: 1500 BC
Why: Depicted the Minoan ceremony of bull-leaping. Shows white women and brown men (compare to Egyptian art). Many frescos such as this decorated the Palace of Minos. Bulls were a sacred animal to the Minoans and appear often in their art.
What: Grand Staircase in Palace of Minos
Who: Minoan (Minos)
Where: Knossos, Crete
When: 1700-1300 BC
Why: Shows how the Palace of Minos was a complex in elevation as well as plan. Interior light and air wells with staircases proveded necessary illumination and ventilation.
What: Landscape with Swallows and Lillies
Who: Minoan
Where: Akrotiri, Thera
When: 1600 BC
Why: One of the earliest examples of pure landscape painting. It is abstract and does not truly reperesent the rocky terrain of Akrotiri in the spring time. The painter wanted to capture the essence of springtime rather than what it actually looked like (what you know vs what you see).
What: Miniature Fresco
Who: Minoan
Where: Akrotiri, Thera
When: 1600 BC
Why: This fresco is a specific rendition of a place, it possibly represents a real event that occurred. There is also a possible relationship to Greek epic poetry (Homer).
What: Sarcaphogas
Who: Minoan
Where: Hagia, Triada
When: 1400 BC
Why: This is Minoan ritual based art (compare to the Book of the Dead). There are no minoan temples featured but there are trees, leading us to believe that rituals were performed outside. Features tan men and white women. The sarcaphogas features the sacrifice of a bull which were sacred to the Minoans and appear often in their art.
What: Funerary Mask
Who: Mycenaean (not Agamemnon)
Where: Mycenae
When: 1600 BC
Why: One of the first Greek attempts at lifesized sculpture. Specific rendition of a mature man’s face (compared to Egyptian sculpture). The mask was made using the repousse technique where goldsmiths hammered a single sheet of metaland pushed features out from behind.
What: Dagger Blade
Who: Mycenaean
Where: Mycenae
When: 1600 BC
Why: It is made of bronze and was decorated by inlay technique with niello. The figures are of Minoan style (commisioned artist?). The dagger features men hunting lions, perhaps and sport with imported lions.
What: Mycenaean Citadel
Who: Mycenaean
Where: Tiryns
When: 1400 BC
Why: Greeks later believed that Cyclopes erected these edifices because mere humans could not have. Contrast with the open Minoan palaces and have defensive character.
What: Reconstruction of Megaron
Who: Mycenaean
Where: Pylos
When: 1300 BC
Why: (elaborate?)
What: Lion Gate
Who: Mycenaean
Where: Mycenae
When: 1300 BC
Why: It is a corbeled arch which the Mycanaeans commenly used in their architecture featuring a relief of confronting lions. The idea of placing monsterous guardians at entrances of important monuments originated for Egypt and the near East.
What: Treasury of Atreus
Who: Mycenaeans
Where: Mycenae
When: 1300 BC
Why: Was believed to be the repository of the treasure of Atreus but is actually a tholos tomb where wealthy Mycenaeans were laid to rest outside the citadel walls. The tomb is made up of corbeled stones surrounding a circular base and is held together by the packed dirt on top. When the earth erodes away from the dome it will most likely collapse.
What: Krater
Who: Greek
Where: Dipylon Cemetary, Athens
When: 700 BC
Why: Features the geometric era of Greek art. Possibly used as grave markers (kraters for men, amphoras for women). A detail of the figures reveals the common notion to reveal what you know vs what you saw (all legs & arms, body under blanket).
What: Amphora
Who: Greek
Where: Dipylon Cemetary, Athens
When: 700 BC
Why: Features the geometric era of greek art. Glazed with diluted clay. The black figures are made with air control while firing the pottery (reduced: black, oxidized: red).
What: Corinthian Black-Figured Amphora
Who: Archaic Greek (Conrinthian)
Where: Rhodes
When: 600 BC
Why: This is oriental art appropriated from near East cultures like Egypt, it features animals like lions and sphinx from the East (Greeks went to Egypt and saw cool art). The animal figures are similar to the Gate of Ishtar because they lack narrative.
What: Athenian Black-Figure Volute Krater
(Francois Vase)
Who: Archaic Greek (Kleitias and Ergotimos)
Where: Athens
When: 500 BC
Why: Features scenes from mythology and shows the close relationship between myth and painting. The vase was signed by the artists in the perspective of the vace (Ergotimos made me, Kelitias painted me).
What: Anthenian Black-Figured Vase (Ajax and Achilles)
Who: Arhaic Greek (Exekias)
Where: Athens
When: 500 BC
Why: Features the close relationship between painting and mythology. The viewers are focused on the figures and the figures are focused on the game of dice (intense emotion). The artist conveys what the figure is going through emotionally.
What: Bilingual Amphora (Ajax and Achilles)
Who: Archaic Greek (Andokidas Painter)
Where: Athens
When: 500 BC
Why: This is the Black-Figured side of the Amphora. Bilingual amphoras feature both black-figure and red-figure copies of the scene. The Andokidas Painter invented the red-figure technique and expanded the chromatic range of the craft.
What: Bilingual Amphora (Ajax and Achilles)
Who: Archaic Greek (Andokidas Painter)
Where: Athens
When: 500 BC
Why: This is the Red-Figured side of the Amphora. Bilingual amphoras feature both black-figure and red-figure copies of the scene. The Andokidas Painter invented the red-figure technique and expanded the chromatic range of the craft.
What: Red-Figured Krater (Herakles and Antaios)
Who: Archaic Greek (Euphronios)
Where: ???
When: 500 BC
Why: This vase shows clear distinction of character (curly frills vs rustic beard), the artist used diluted glaze. This is the pinnacle of Greek emotion in art (slightly open mouth of Antaios). Artist rejected the age-old conventional coposite posture and instead attempted to reproduce how the human body is seen from a particular viewpoint.
What: Red-Figured Amphora
Who: Archaic Greek (Euthymides)
Where: ???
When: 500 BC
Why: The artist chose to show figures in motion rather than still (twisting, in motion, daily life). The artist signed the amphora speaking to another artist (As never Euphronios could do). This reveals the competition between artists.
What: Bronze Centaur and Man
Who: Archaic Greek
Where: Olympia, Greece
When: 700 BC
Why: An early example of mythological narrative (Herakles and Nessos). Nudity is a Greek tradision (compared to near East). Greek athletes exercised and competed in the nude.
What: Statuette Dedicated to Apollo
Who: Archaic Greek (Mantiklos)
Where: Thebes, Greece
When: 700 BC
Why: Features the geometric era of Greek art. It is speculated that the neck is long to show both the hair and the chest of the figure. The statuette is dedicated to Apollo (compare to the votive statues from the square temple).
What: New York Kouros
Who: Archaic Greek
Where: Attic, Greece
When: 600 BC
Why: One of the earliest examples of life-size statuary in Greece. The artist adopted the Egyptian pose for standing figures but remains Greek by featuring a young, nude male (Greek athelete and oriental work).
What: Kouros of Kroisos
Who: Archaic Greek
Where: Anavysos, Greece
When: 500 BC
Why: This kouros stood over the grave of Kroisos, a soldier who died in battle. Emphasizes the Greek way of depicting the emotional state and essence of a being (eternally youthful, good). Later kouros are more volumetric and fleshy.
What: Auxerre Kore
Who: Archaic Greek
Where: Crete?
When: 600 BC
Why: Femaile kore were often clothed and painted. Their stance and hair is similar to that of Egyptian statues (oriental adoption). Speculated to represent a diety or a worshipper.
What: Kore of Phrasikleia
Who: Archaic Greek
Where: Attica, Greece
When: 500 BC
Why: This kore represents a maiden who died unmarried. She compares herself to Persephone, the goddess of the underworld.
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What: Temple at Prinias
Who: Archaic Greek
Where: Prinias, Crete
When: 600 BC
Why: One of the first stone buildings with architectural designs on the outside. Has similarities to Egyptian architechture. Features two goddesses facing eachother (remeniscent of the lady of auxerre).
What: Temple of Hera I
Who: Archaic Greek
Where: Poseidonia
When: 500 BC
Why: A prime example of early Greek efforts at Doric (less decorative) temple design. Central row of collumns provide interior support but allowed no place for a central statue.
What: Temple of Artemis
Who: Archaic Greek
Where: Corfu, Greece
When: 600 BC
Why: Doric temples dedicated to Artemis. Reliefs decorated the metopes and filled borth pediments.
What: Pediment of the Temple of Artemis
Who: Archaic Greek
Where: Corfu, Greece
When: 600 BC
Why: Pediment from a Doric temple. The artwork is experimental in scale and lack of narrative (features medusa and her offspring). The felines follow the tradition of guardian figures (Mycenaean and Egyptian).
What: Temple of Artemis
Who: Archaic Greek
Where: Corfu, Greece
When: 600 BC
Why: Doric temples dedicated to Artemis. Reliefs decorated the metopes and filled borth pediments.
What: Temple at Didyma
Who: Hellenistic Greek
Where: Didyma, Turkey
When: 300 BC
Why: One of the most ambitious temple projects of the Hellenistic period dedicated to Apollo. Hypaethral (open to the sky) and large doorway stage 5ft off the ground. Departure from classical Greek architechture which made the exterior like sculpture and the inerior undeveloped.
What: Siphnian Treasury
Who: Archaic Greek
Where: Dephi
When: 500 BC
Why: Ionic treasury in the sanctuaray of Apollo. Featured rare architectural Caryatids (kore that protect a monument). Features a continuous sculptured frieze on all four sides of the building.
What: North Frieze of the Siphnian Treasury
Who: Archaic Greek
Where: Dephi
When: 500 BC
Why: Part of a continuous frieze on all four sides of the treasury. Features the popular theme of gigantomachy (Apollo and Artemis pursuing a giant). The artist inscribed his name but it was unfortunatly lost.
