AP Art History 250 Notecards – Flashcards
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Apollo 11 Stones Nambia. c. 25000-25300 B.C.E. Charcoal on stone
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1. 7 painted stone slabs of brown-grey quartzite, depicting a variety of animals painted in charcoal, ochre, and white. The images are not easily identifiable to species level, but have been interpreted variously as felines. One of them in particular has been observed to be either a zebra, giraffe, or ostrich, demonstrating the ambiguous nature of the depictions. (1-2b) 2. The animal, which may be some sort of supernatural creature, suggests a complex system of shamanistic belief (someone who interacts with a spirit world). Apollo 11 then becomes a site of ritual significance. (1-2f) 3. The Apollo 11 stones are the oldest discovered representational art in Africa, but it is now well-established, through genetic and fossil evidence, that homo sapiens developed in Africa more than 100,000 years ago. (1-2b) 4. The geometric images are painted on stone rather than the inside of a cave. (1-1b)
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Running horned women Tassili n'Ajjer, Algeria. 6000-4000 B.C.E. Pigment on rock.
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1. There are more than 15,000 rock paintings and engravings in Tassili. The art depicts herds of cattle and large wild animals such as giraffe and elephant, as well as human activities such as hunting and dancing. (1-2B) 2. Although the styles and subjects of north African rock art vary, the images usually depict both wild and domestic animals and human figures who are adorned with recognizable clothes and weapons. (1-2E) 3. Composite view of the body. The dots may reflect body paint applied for ritual. The entire site was most likely painted by different groups of people over time. (1-2B) 4. The area was once grasslands but climate change turned it into a desert. (1-1A)
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Anthropomorphic stele Arabian Peninsula. Fourth millennium B.C.E. Sandstone.
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1. The stele was found in Saudi Arabia, an area with extensive trade routes, and is one of the earliest works from Arabia. 2. It is thought to be associated with religious or burial practices, and was probably used as a grave marker. 3. Anthropomorphic is a term to describe something that resembles a human. This figure is abstract, but clearly human. The broad shoulders suggest strength, and the rectangular figure signifies that this was is a man. 4. It was created by carving sandstone with a harder type of rock.
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Statue of Votive figures from the Square Temple at Eshnunna Sumerian. c. 2700 B.C.E. Gypsum inland with shell and black limestone
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1. The statues were found beneath the floor of a Sumerian temple, the Square Temple at Eshnunna, modern Tell Asmar, Iraq. Essential Knowledge 2-1a 2. The statues of votive figures are of different heights, denoting hierarchy of scale. The tallest and largest figure held the highest importance. Essential Knowledge 2-2a. 3. Votive figures represent mortals, placed in a temple and praying (possibly to the god Abu), and stood continually in prayer attentive to god in place of people of elite class. Inscribed on the back is "It offers prayers". Enduring Understanding 2-1 4. The bodies of the figures are stylistic, with their pinkies in a spiral, chin a wedge shape, and ear a double volute. Essential Knowledge 2-2a 5. The male figures have a bare upper chest, wear a skirt from the waist down, have a flowing beard in rippling patterns, and wear a belt. The females are shown with their dress draped over one shoulder. Essential Knowledge 2-1a.
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Temple of Amun-re and Hypostyle Hall Karnark, near Luxor, Egypt. New Kingdom, 18th and 19th Dynasties. Temple: c. 1550 B.C.E.; hall: c. 1250 B.C.E. Cut sandstone and mud brick.
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1. This is a massive temple complex that was the principal religious center of the god Amun-Re in Thebes during the New Kingdom. It held not only the main precinct to the god Amun-Re, but also the precincts of the gods Mut and Montu. (2-2b) 2. One of the greatest architectural marvels is the hypostyle hall. Like most of the temple decoration, the hall would have been brightly painted. With the center of the hall taller than the spaces on either side, the Egyptians allowed for clerestory lighting. (2-3a) 3. Not many ancient Egyptians would have had access to this hall. One would enter the complex through a massive sloped pylon gateway into a peristyle courtyard. The further into the hypostyle hall, the more restricted the access became. (2-3b) 4. The columns in the hall are large, and tightly packed together, admitting little light into the sanctuary. They are elaborately painted and carved in sunken relief. The tallest columns have papyrus capitals and have a clerestory to allow some light and air into the darkest parts of the temple. (2-3a)
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Akhenaten, Nefertiti, and Three Daughters New Kingdom (Amarna), 18th Dynasty. c. 1353-1335 B.C.E. Limestone.
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1. This is a (once) painted limestone relief showing Akhenaton, Nefertiti, and their three daughters. Nefertiti's throne has symbols of Upper and Lower Egypt. The carved sun represents the god Aton. (2-1a) 2. Akhenaton changed the state religion from worship of Amun to Aton. The society is now monotheistic, and the art changed to reflect this shift. (2-3a) 3. The shift in state religion created more artist experimentation. Akhenaton and his family are represented in a new canon, characterized by low hanging bellies, slack jaws, smoother curved surfaces, thin arms, epicene bodies and heavy lidded eyes. (2-1a) 4. The royal family has a private relationship with the god Aton, giving them the power. The priests now had no political power. (2-3b)
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Tutankhamun's Tomb, intermost coffin. New Kingdom, 18th Dynasty. c. 1,323 B.C.E. Gold with inlay of enamel and semiprecious stones.
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The innermost coffin is painted to look like King Tut in god form. Gods were though to have skin of gold, bones of silver, and hair of lapis lazuli. The crook and flail that he holds are the symbols of the king's right to rule. The goddesses Nekhbet (vulture) and Wadjet (cobra) are inlaid with semiprecious stones, along with Isi and Nephthys.
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Last judgement of Hu-Nefer, from his tomb New Kingdom, 19th Dynasty. c. 1,275 B.C.E. Painted papyrus scroll
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1. This work was originally found in the tomb of Hu-Nefer. Hu-Nefer was a scribe, and would have been considered high status. 2. The illustration comes from the Book of the Dead, which is a collection of spells, prayers, and charms. 3. The scroll shows Anubis, the jackal headed god, leading Hu-Nefer to his judgment. Anubis weighs Hu-Nefer's heart on a scale against the feather of truth, while Thoth, the god of scribes, records the results. A creature that is part crocodile, leopard and hippo sits ready to devour Hu-Nefer's heart if it is not pure. Hu-Nefer's heart is true, and Horus, the falcon headed god, presents him to Osiris, the judge and god of the underworld. 4. The scroll is made of papyrus, which is a paper-like substance that grows in the Nile Delta.
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Anavysos Kouros Archaic Greek. c. 530 B.C.E. Marble with remnants of paint
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- "Kouros" statues were idealized statues of young men common throughout Ancient Greece. They were used as grave markers or set up near graves as votive statues or set up outside temples. - This statue is representative of the development of naturalism and the movement away from abstraction. Greeks elevated the human body and the human mind to the highest status. There was more emphasis on capturing realism than in Egyptian culture. The artist depicts toned muscles, especially in the strong legs and abdomen. It also would have been painted to make it seem more lifelike. - It is very idealized and follows the Greek Cannon. For the artist, it was seen as a mark of expertise if they would sculpt a human body that actually looked realistic. - The artist uses heroic nudity to show the figure's self control and physical excellence - The headdress and left leg in front are similar to those of Egyptian statues, suggesting that the greeks were both influenced and inspired by the Egyptians
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Peplos Kore from the Acropolis Archiac Greek. c. 530 B.C.E. Marble, painted details
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1. It is a sculpture of a young female with open eyes, an archaic smile, braided hair, a damaged nose, and a broken left arm. There are also holes in her head which have originally may have held a crown. (2-5B) 2. They were usually created as votives or offerings to goddesses, but this particular sculpture might not be an offering but an actual goddess herself. It might be the goddess Artemis who would have been holding a bow and arrows. (2-4C) 3. There are traces of red paint that are still visible. With a special camera, other bright colors and patterns can be seen. An example of this is her archaic smile which is an unnatural smile that is meant to show a sense of well-being. (2-4C) 4. The sculpture is done in marble. It was painted using the encaustic technique which is the mixing of colored pigments with wax so the color bonds well to the heated sculpture. (2-5B)
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Sarcophagus of the Spouses Etruscan. c. 520 B.C.E. Terracotta
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1. The outside is a portrait of the married couple, whose ashes were placed inside. The couple has a symbolic relationship; the man has a protective arm around the woman, while the woman is seen feeding the man. This reflects the high standing women had in Etruscan society. Essential Knowledge 2-5a 2. Although the Etruscan's have many influences from the Greeks, the joint sarcophagus is unique to Etruscan burial because the Greeks were buried individually, separate from their partners. Tombs were also not apparent in burials of Greeks either. Enduring Understanding 2-4 3. The bodies of the figures are placed at an angle where their legs are forced into an unrealistic L-turn. The bodies have broad shoulders but are shown with little anatomical modeling, as well as emaciated hands. Essential Knowledge 2-4c 4. The couple is seen reclining. There is an ancient tradition of reclining while eating, and their sarcophagus represents a banquet couch, which the couple rests on. Enduring Understanding 2-4
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Tomb of the Triclinium Tarquinia, Italy. Etruscan. c. 480-470 B.C.E. Tufa and fresco
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1. Funerary Contents in the Etruscan culture tell us the most about their civilization, for example, the elite members performed funerary rituals and we are able to see how they changed based on time and location. 2. The city where this tomb was found was one of the most powerful and important cities in Etruscan times and is specifically known for its painted chamber tombs. The tombs were also made out of subterranean rock. The walls of this tomb reveal important information about funeral processes but also ways of living. For example, we can tell that the Etruscans got much of their wealth from long trading networks where they traded metal and mineral oils. 3. The tombs hold the remains of the person but also grave goods and offerings. This tomb is called the Triclinium tomb because of the fresco painted on the wall of a three-couch dining room. The back wall included a scene of many people enjoying a dinner party, people are eating while reclining (Kline figures). The diners are dressed very well which implies high status. Dancers and music appear all over the walls which show the happy tone and the accompany of games and which was a tradition. 4. The tone of the frescos are happy and festive because it Etruscan Culture they celebrated the dead and sought to share a final meal with the deceased. They also were trying to emphasize the importance of the person who died.
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Acropolis Athens, Greece. Iktinos and Kallikrates. c. 447-410 B.C.E. Marble
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1. There was an older temple to Athena in that same area that was destroyed when the Persians invaded. The Persians destroyed and burned down the temple and the Athenians took a vow to never rebuild it but a generation later they decided to rebuild the Athenian temple. The Delian League, a tax money fund, may have been what paid for it. It was a sacred area that was dedicated to Athena. Eventually housed the city-state tax money, storehouse, and treasury, full of valuable things and functioned as a symbol of the city's wealth and power and point of awe. 2. Mathematics and building skills and search for perfect harmony and balance were all important to the Greeks so the Parthenon demonstrates all these things. Its architectural perfection is an illusion based on subtle distortions that correct the imperfections of human sight. For example, the columns bulge out fractions of an inch towards the center in order to create the illusion of a perfectly straight column. The Parthenon is a doric temple with ionic elements. There are massive column outside with shallow, broad flutes going directly down and a simple little flair at the top and four ionic columns in the west end of the temple. The triglyphs and metopes were covered in sculptures depicting stories or Greeks battling against enemies. There was a frieze inside the porch depicting a procession of the people of Athens towards the Parthenon (a historical representation rather than mythological or religious) that ran along the outside of the Temple which was an ionic feature. (2-4c, 2-5b) 3. There are a series of Nikes in the Temple of Athena Nike, the most famous sculpture is Nike Adjusting her Sandal. The sculpture shows her possibly taking her sandal off as she is in a sacred space and she is depicted with eroticism through her clothes and the way that they drape her body which was a big deal. The emphasis on drapery was a stylistically very much a part of the Classical period. There was also an emphasis on her body and form seeming natural, relaxed, and imbalanced. (2-4b, 2-5b) 4. The Acropolis represents the birth of democracy as there was a shift in government in the 5th century that made it easier for the Greek people to participate in their government. Many more governmental buildings are based upon the outward architecture of the Parthenon to embody that same sense of democracy and its roots. (2-4d)
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Winged Victory of Samothrace Hellenistic Greek. c. 190 B.C.E. Marble
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1. This statue has its name because it was found on the island in the north of the Aegean which is called Samothrace. It was found in a sanctuary in the harbor that actually faces the predominant wind that blows off the coast, which seems to be enlivening her drapery. It was probably built to commemorate a navel victory in 190 BCE. (2-4a) 2. She is the goddess of victory and a messenger goddess who spreads the news of victory. (2-5b) 3. This image has an enormous impact on Western art because of the lack of reserved, high classical style. There is voluptuousness and a windswept energy that is full of motion and emotion. This is what the Hellenistic style looked like. She moves in several directions at the same time, is grounded by her legs but strides forward, and her torso lifts up. There is dramatic twist and contrapposto of the torso. (2-4b & 2-4d) 4. The statue is a reminder of the sculptures from the Parthenon frieze, but instead of the quiet, relaxed attitude of the gods on Mount Olympus, there is energy to natural forces that the goddess is responding to. The wet drapery look imitates the water playing on the wet body and shows evidence of invisible wind on her body. (2-4c)
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Head of a Roman patrician Republican Roma. c. 75-50 B.C.E. Marble - Only patrician (wealthy) families could have these. They would parade them through the streets during the person's funeral as a "death mask". - The parade was meant to highlight the person's role as a patrician and the busts highlighted the old age of the person (the oldest male of each patrician family would sit in the senate). - After the parade, the busts would be kept in the family's residence as a reminder of the lineage of ancestors and their everlasting power and wealth. - Veristic verism was used by the sculptors to depict someone just as ugly as they were (or uglier). This caused the busts to express little vanity and allowed the dead to be remembered as wise, knowledgeable, and having longevity.
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1. The bust was created in the style of verisitic verism. In this style, the features of the individual are exaggerated to emphasize their wisdom, experience, and humility. Although features are altered, the ancestor is still easily identifiable. 2. These busts were essentially death masks of important ancestors that were kept and displayed by the family. 3. The masks would have been used in parades at other funerals in order to honor the individual's role as a patrician and portray deceased ancestors. 4. The realistic portrayal of the individual shows the influence of Hellenistic art.
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Chartres Cathedral Chartres, France. Gothic Europe. Orignal construction. c. 1145-1115 C.E.; reconstructed c. 1194-1220 C.E. Limestone, stained glass
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1. The church was associated with the Virgin Mary. A relic of the tunic of the Virgin Mary was gifted to the church. This tunic was believed to be what she wore when she gave birth to Christ. It was thought to have healing and protecting powers which drew many visitors. 2. The church was burned to the ground, however the tunic remained unharmed. This was a sign to the people to build a new church. Only the Westwork of the previous church survived. 3. The new church was built on the foundation of the previous church. It's design sought to create heaven on earth. The interior is dark, however light from the stained glass windows shines through and reflects off the walls. The light is supposed to represent divinity and is considered to be the least material of god's earthly creations. 4. The gothic elements of the design include ribbed vaults, pointed arches, and flying buttresses.
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Röttgen Pietà Late medieval Europe (Germany). c. 1300-1325 C.E. Painted wood
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1. When looking at the Rottgen Pieta you are meant to feel something like terror or distaste. It is meant to intrigue you because that is what Gothic art does. This is very different from previous representations of Christ because in the past he was portrayed as divine and never suffering. 2. This representation of Christ was a shift into showing Jesus suffer the way humans suffer, to make him more like us. Francis of Assisi stressed Jesus' humanity and poverty, like us. Several faith writers talked about Mary holding her dead son and then artists started to catch on. 3. It emphasizes that God understands how we feel and how hard the pain is of being a human. In the Rottgen Pieta you can see that is skin is taut around his ribs to show he led a life of hunger and suffering, like a human. 4. Mary is also traditionally shown as pretty, happy, grateful, wise and older but in Pietas she is shown as grieving and obviously upset about her only sons crucifixion and death which shows her humanity as well. 5. All pietas were devotional images that were intended for contemplation and prayer. Meant to give humans a more personal connection to God because Mary and Jesus are human-like.
