Art History Flashcards

These flashcards cover key artworks, their historical context, and artistic styles from various periods.

Ahu Ula

Ceremonial cape made of bird feathers from Polynesia, created in the 1700s. It was often worn by high-ranking individuals during important ceremonies, symbolizing status and power.

Cueva de Las Manos

A site in Argentina dating to 7000 BC, known for its collective social memory represented by blowing paint onto non-dominant hands.

Lady Dai's Funeral Banner

Funerary drapery from China dating to 200 BC that depicts spiritual beliefs. The banner features a detailed illustration of the afterlife, showcasing various deities and ancestral figures.

School of Athens

A fresco by Raphael from the 1500s in Italy, characterized by linear perspective and identifiable characters. It represents philosophers and scholars, most notably Plato and Aristotle, discussing their philosophies.

Bifolium of the Pink Quran

An illuminated manuscript from Spain in the 13th century, sold in pieces, represents Islamic art.

The Dance Class

An oil painting by Edgar Degas from 1874, showcasing an artistic response to technology. It captures ballet dancers during a rehearsal, highlighting movement and composition. It was made in paris france as well.

The Black Square

An oil painting by Kazimir Malevich, created in 1915, represents art as a protest, placed in the corner of the room as a form of protest. This painting was also created in Russia.

Guernica

A painting by Pablo Picasso from 1937 also made in france, depicts the tragedies of war and serving as art propaganda within the Cubism movement.

Mountains and Sea

An abstract expressionist artwork by Helen Frankenthaler from 1952, representing human experience in an abstract form. The mediums of this art piece are charcoal, oil paint, and a regular canvas.