Handout 1 - Introduction, Prehistoric Art, Ancient Near Eastern Art, Ancient Egyptian Art

Paleolithic

Begins about 200,000 BCE; The “old” Stone Age, during which humankind produced the first sculptures and paintings

Neolithic

Begins about 8,000 BCE

Bronze Age

Begins 3,000 BCE

Archaeology

Study of human past through the material remains genetic archaeology, inherited DNA, both in fossils and humans

Venus of Willendorf (Austria), ca. 28,000 BCE, limestone with traces of red paint

Hall of Bulls, Lascaux Cave (France), painting, ca. 16,000-13,000 BCE

Twisted Perspective

When a subject is represented from multiple view points at once

Post and lintel door opening; construction in which two upright elements support a horizontal element

Corbel arch door opening

Megalith

Construction in large stones, corbel vault

Corbel

A projection in a wall that supports a beam or other object above

Corbel Vault

A stone ceiling made of corbels (technically not a vault)

Visual Art

This term refers to the practice of creating works that are primarily visual in nature, including painting, sculpture, photography, and digital art. It focuses on aesthetics, composition, color, and form to convey ideas, emotions, or narratives.

Archaeology

The scientific study of human history and prehistory through the excavation of sites and the analysis of artifacts, structures, and other physical remains. It helps us understand past cultures and societies.

Medium/Media

Material used; The material in which an artist works; also, in painting, the vehicle (usually liquid) that carries the pigment

• Ex. Bronze, marble, clay

Pigment

Color ingredient

Support

What was painted on

Mural

A wall painting

Fresco

Painting on lime plaster, either dry or wet. In the latter method, the pigments are mixed with water and become chemically bound to the freshlt laid lime plaster, allowing the colors to bond as the plaster dries. This method is known for its durability and vibrant colors. Often found in historical buildings, churches, and palaces, with notable examples including Michelangelo's Sistine Chapel ceiling.

Carving & Modeling

• Carving: Subtractive; created by cutting away; hard material

• Modeling: Additive; soft material; created by building up; soft material

Lost Wax Casting

A metal casting process that involves creating a wax model of the desired object, encasing it in a mold, and then melting away the wax to leave a cavity. Molten metal is poured into the mold to create the final product, allowing for intricate designs and precise details.

Relief Sculpture

A type of sculpture where the figures are raised above the background. It can be classified into two main types:

1. Low Relief (Bas-Relief): The projection from the background is minimal.

2. High Relief: The figures project significantly from the background, often with parts fully detached.

Relief sculptures are commonly found in architecture and monuments. In low/bas relief, artists cut designs into the surface so that the highest projecting part of the image are no higher than the surface itself.

Sculpture in the Round

Free standing figures, carved or modeled in three dimensions

Architecture

The art of designing buildings (once considered a minor art/decorative art)

Patron

Person/entity (business, church, etc), who employs the artist

Patronage

Refers to the support, encouragement, or financial aid that an organization or individual provides to artists, writers, or other creators. It can also denote the practice of appointing individuals to positions of power or influence, often based on their loyalty or service rather than merit. Patronage has historically played a significant role in the arts and politics.

Visual Analysis

A method of examining art, architecture, or design to understand its communication and functionality. It involves assessing elements like composition, color, form, and context to interpret meaning and impact

Iconography

The study of a work of art’s subject matter or symbolism

• What does the picture represent? Does the picture tell a story? Are the images symbolic?

• Iconographic categories

  • Narrative; religious, historical, mythological

  • Genre paintings; paintings of everyday life

  • Landscapes (and seascapes and cityscapes)

  • Still-life paintings; paintings of inanimate objects

  • Portraits

• Do the visuals contribute to the meaning?

Iconology

The study of visual imagery and its symbolism in art and culture. It goes beyond mere description of images to interpret the deeper meanings and cultural contexts behind them; analyze how images reflect societal values, beliefs, and historical contexts.

Lascaux Cave(France), ca.16,000-13,000 BCE, Wounded Man

Stonehenge, Salisbury Plain (England), ca.2550-1600 BCE, stone (megaliths)

Ziggurat

Temple raised on a high platform

Cella

Innermost room of a temple

White Temple and ziggurat, Uruk (modern Warka, Iraq), ca. 3200–3000 BCE

Statues of worshippers, ca. 2700 BCE, gypsum, shell, black limestone

Pharaoh

A ruler/king in Ancient Egypt

Hierarchical Scale

An artistic technique that uses unnatural proportions to emphasize the importance of certain figures or objects in a work of art. In this technique, figures of higher importance are depicted as larger than those of lesser importance

• Pharaohs and other important figures were depicted as much larger than other figures in paintings and sculptures.

Ka

Spirit of life or force

Mastaba

Standard tomb in Ancient Egypt

Pyramid

Monument structures to house the tombs of the pharaohs

Sarcophagus

Stone coffin

Papyrus

A material and plant invented by the Egyptians around 3000 B.C. as a writing surface and was used for writing, art, transportation, and construction

Palette of King Narmer, ca.3000-2920 BCE, slate

Imhotep, Stepped pyramid and mortuary precinct for Pharaoh Djoser, Saqqara (Egypt),2630-2611 BCE

Great Pyramids of Pharaohs Khufu (Grandfather), Khafre (Father), and Menkaure(Son), Gizeh (Egypt), ca. 2528-2490 BCE

Pharaoh Menkaure and Queen, ca.2490-2472 BCE, graywacke

Seated Scribe,c. 2500 BCE, painted limestone

Ti watching a hippopotamus hunt,mastaba at Saqqara (Egypt), ca.2450-2350 BCE,painted limestone relief

Mortuary temple of Hatshepsut, Deir el-Bahri (Egypt), ca. 1473–1458 BCE

Death Mask of Tutankhamen, ca. 1323, gold with semiprecious stones

Vault

An arched roof or ceiling that is usually made of stone, brick, or concrete

True Arch

Has a continuous line from one end to the other, almost dome-like

Façade

The “face” of a building, especially the principal front that looks onto a street or open space

Hypostyle Hall

An architectural space with a roof supported by columns

Ashlar

A finely cut and squared stone block, or the masonry built of such stone

Clerestory

The upper section of a wall in a building, typically in a church, that contains windows placed high above eye level, allowing light to penetrate the interior space by rising above the roofline of the surrounding aisles