Introduction to Art History and Its Key Concepts

Art History

Reconstruction of social and cultural, economic contexts in art

Aesthetics

Philosophical inquiry into beauty's nature and expression

Art Criticism

Explanation of current art events to the general public via the press

Formal Analysis

Focus on visual qualities of the artwork itself using elements of art

Contextual Analysis

looking outside the art to determine meaning; focuses on the cultural, social, religious, economic context

Comparative Study

Contrasting different works to identify unique features

Pliny the Elder

Ancient Roman who analyzed contemporary art history

Giorgio Vasari

Renaissance figure who documented artists' societal roles

Johann Joachim Winckelmann

Scholar emphasizing stylistic development in art

Old Stone Age

Period known for earliest cave art creations

Chauvet Cave

Location of oldest known artwork, in France

Venus of Willendorf

Femalem(feritility) figures with exaggerated physical features

Middle Stone Age

Period marked by shift to rock shelters.

Neolithic

Characterized by megalithic structures like Stonehenge.

Stonehenge

Megalithic monument aligned with summer solstice.

Heel Stone

Marks sunrise on midsummer solstice at Stonehenge.

Cave Paintings

Depictions of animals and human figures in caves.

Red Ochre

Pigment used in ancient cave artworks.

Black Charcoal

Material used for outlining cave paintings.

Megalithic

Refers to large stone structures in Neolithic period.

Ritual Behaviors

Ceremonial practices associated with ancient artworks.

Sumerians

First civilization in Mesopotamia, known for urban culture.

Akkadians

Sumerian successors, unified Mesopotamia under one rule.

Ziggurats

Step pyramids serving religious and administrative purposes.

Code of Hammurabi

Oldest legal code, displayed on stone stele.

Assyrians

Known for military conquests and relief carvings.

Hanging Gardens of Babylon

One of the Seven Wonders, terraced garden structure.

Ishtar Gate

Decorative entrance to Babylon, adorned with animal figures.

Persian Art

Influenced by Egyptian architecture, exemplified by Persepolis.

Cycladic Culture

Known for simplified, geometric nude female figures.

Minoan Culture

Centered in Crete, known for frescoes and sea life.

Mycenaean Culture

Elaborate tombs and mastery in goldsmithing.

Contrapposto

Sculptural pose with weight shifted to one leg.

Doric Columns

Basic column style, simple and sturdy.

Ionic Columns

Fancier than Doric, with scroll-like capitals.

Corinthian Columns

Most ornate column style, floral decorations.

Linear Perspective

Art technique using a single vanishing point.

Sfumato

Technique for soft transitions between colors.

Chiaroscuro

Dramatic contrast of light and dark in art.

Mannerism

Art style characterized by distorted elements.

Baroque Art

Emotionally charged art style, rich in color.

Rococo Style

Ornate style with romance and pastel colors.

Neoclassicism

Inspired by ancient art, emphasizing simplicity and order.

Ecstasy of Saint Teresa

Sculpture by Bernini, dramatic use of light.

Palace of Versailles

Symbol of Baroque architecture and art.

El Greco

Artist known for works associated with counter-reformation.

Venus de Milo

Famous ancient Greek statue representing beauty.

Book of Kells

Illuminated manuscript, preserved by the church.

Jacques Louis David

Painter known for Oath of the Horatii illustrating republican virtues.

Jean Dominique Ingres

Disciple of David, characterized by sharp outlines and unemotional, careful geometric forms.

Romanticism

Art movement emphasizing emotional expression similar to baroque.

Eugene Delacroix

Artist known for exotic themes, foreign settings, violence, and historical subject matter.

Gustave Courbet

Painter of The Stonebreakers, depicting ordinary men.

Impressionism

Art style characterized by bright and contrasting lights.

Edouard Manet

Artist known for denial about his use of impressionism.

Le Dejeuner Sur L'herbe

Painting that created scandal by showing half classicism (nude women) and realism (clothed men).

Post-Impressionism

Art movement representing a different interpretation of impressionism.

Georges Seurat

Artist who played with colors and created a new technique known as vibrance.

Vincent Van Gogh

Artist known for using contrasting color and direct application with intense brushwork.

Camera Invention

Changed realism drastically, questioning the need to capture ordinary reality in art.

Pre-Raphaelites

Group of artists dissatisfied with the effects of the industrial revolution.

Art Nouveau

Style of decoration focused on nature, architecture, and design.

Henri Matisse

Led a group of artists using arbitrary (wild) colors in the 20th century.

Cubism

Art movement created by Picasso and Braque, featuring abstract geometric shapes.

Expressionism

Emphasis on inner mind workings and emotion in art.

Der Blaue Reiter

Expressionist group that created total abstraction.

Dada

Group protesting against everything in society, altering originals to create new meanings.

Surrealism

Art movement exploring the inner workings of the mind.

Bauhaus

Group that established standards for architecture and bold designs.

Abstract Expressionism

Art style emphasizing direct representation of feeling through color and brush strokes.

Action Painting

Technique involving dramatic brushworks or drip paint.

Color Field Painting

Art characterized by geometric forms of color.

Pop Art

Art style featuring comic book aesthetics and celebrity imagery.

Minimalism

Art reduced to essentials with precise outlines.

Photorealism

Art that looks hyper-realistic with clear contrasts and shadows.

Earthworks

Art created in nature, not meant for museums.

Performance Art

Art combining theatre where the artist is the main visual element.

Islamic Art

Art characterized by non-figurative, abstract or calligraphic decorations.

Pueblo Complexes

Large, multi-room buildings made of stone or adobe built by the Pueblo people.

Line

Path of a point moving through space with various characteristics.

Shape

2D object that can create an illusion of form through shadowing and perspective.

Form

3D object characterized by length, width, and depth.

Texture

Feel or touch of a surface.

Composition

Organization of elements of art.

Focal Point

Main part of attention in a piece of art.