AP Art History FULL Notes

Apollo 11 Stone

A prehistoric artwork found in Namibia, depicting animal-like figures with human legs, possibly a Therianthrope, made of charcoal on stone.

Great Hall of the Bulls

Paleolithic rock painting in Lascaux, France, depicting animals like bulls, horses, and deer, created using charcoal and ochre on nonporous rock.

Camelid Sacrum in the Shape of a Canine

A prehistoric sculpture from central Mexico, made from a camelid sacrum bone, possibly symbolizing fertility or ancestry, with a head resembling a canine.

Running Horned Woman

Rock painting from Tassili n’Ajjer, Algeria, showing a horned woman running, emphasizing survival and the relationship between animals and humans.

Beaker with Ibex Motifs

A painted terra cotta vessel from Susa, Iran, featuring ibex and greyhound motifs, used in funerary practices.

Anthropomorphic Steele

A sandstone sculpture from the Arabian Peninsula representing a human figure, with trapezoid head, daggers, and a belt, serving as a vertical stone monument.

Jade Cong

Carved jade artifact from Liangzhu, China, symbolizing dead ancestors with precise engravings, showcasing power, wealth, and connections to nature.

Stonehenge

Neolithic monument in Wiltshire, UK, constructed with bluestones in a post and lintel style, used for burials and marking solstices.

The Ambum Stone

A sculpture from Papua New Guinea made of greywacke, possibly depicting an Echidna, with unknown function but likely used for religious purposes.

Tlatilco Female Figurine

Ceramic figurine from Central Mexico, featuring a female form with elaborate hair, possibly used in burial practices.

Terra Cotta Fragments

Incised terra cotta fragments from Lapita culture, used for storing food and possibly for ritualistic purposes, showing trade and communication among groups.

Standard of Ur

A wooden artifact from Sumer, 2600-2400 B.C.E., depicting scenes of war and peace, divided into registers, with a hierarchical scale showing the king's importance.

Great Pyramids of Giza

Monumental structures in Egypt, built during the Old Kingdom, serving as burial sites for kings, reflecting the solar cycle, and representing the passages of the dead.

King Menkaura and Queen

A sculpture from the Old Kingdom, depicting Egyptian king Menkaura and his wife, communicating the divinity of the pharaoh and serving as a memorial structure.

The Code of Stele of Hammurabi

A basalt stele from Babylon, 1792-1750 B.C.E., showing King Hammurabi receiving laws from the god of justice, with over 300 laws governing Babylonian society.

Temple of Amun-Re and Hypostyle Hall

A temple in Egypt from the New Kingdom, 1550 B.C.E., dedicated to the god Amun-Re, featuring a hypostyle hall with columns and serving as a center of worship.

Mortuary Temple of Hatshepsut

A temple near Luxor, Egypt, from the New Kingdom, dedicated to Pharaoh Hatshepsut, featuring relief carvings and statues of the pharaoh with the gods.

Akhenaton, Nefertiti, and Three Daughters

A limestone sculpture from the New Kingdom, depicting Akhenaton, Nefertiti, and their daughters, emphasizing worship of the sun god Aten.

Tutankhamun’s Tomb

The innermost coffin of Pharaoh Tutankhamun, made of gold with gem inlays, serving to protect the pharaoh's body and aid in reaching the afterlife.

Last Judgement of Hu-Nefer

A painted papyrus scroll from the New Kingdom, showing Hu-Nefer's judgement in the afterlife based on his ethical life, with Egyptian conventions and symbolism.

Kouros

Idealized male body statue from the Archaic period, representing youth and strength.

Peplos Kore

Statue of a young maiden wearing a peplos robe, with a rigid stance and transcendent facial expression.

Sarcophagus of the Spouses

Etruscan tomb artifact depicting a deceased man and woman in intimacy, serving as a grave marker.

Audience Hall of Darius and Xerxes

Persian ceremonial hall with intricate columns and relief carvings, symbolizing the empire's power.

Temple of Minerva

Etruscan temple near Rome dedicated to Minerva, showcasing assimilation of Greek gods and goddesses.

Tomb of the Triclinium

Etruscan tomb with fresco paintings depicting banquets and rituals, reflecting Etruscan funerary customs.

Niobides Krater

Greek vase depicting the story of Niobe and her children, showcasing red-figure technique and mythological scenes.

Doryphoros

Sculpture by Polykleitos celebrating the human body's beauty and strength, showcasing contrapposto and ideal proportions.

Acropolis

Religious center in Athens with various buildings like the Parthenon, serving as a significant site in Greek history.

Winged Victory of Samothrace

Hellenistic statue of Nike, the goddess of victory, with a spiraling body and wet drapery technique.

High relief sculpture

Sculpture where the figures project prominently from a background, creating a three-dimensional effect.

Mythical winged gods of Love

Depiction of winged gods associated with love and desire in art, often symbolizing romantic themes.

Veristic style

A hyper-realistic form of portraiture that exaggerates physical features, often used to convey respect and wisdom in Roman Republican art.

Contrapposto

A pose in sculpture where the figure's weight is shifted to one leg, creating a more natural and dynamic stance.

Oculus

A circular opening in the center of a dome, allowing light and air to enter a building, often symbolizing the movement of the heavens.

Commemorate

To honor and remember an event or person through a monument or artwork.

Forum

An open public space in a Roman city, typically containing important buildings like temples and basilicas.

Ludovisi Battle Sarcophagus

A marble sarcophagus from Late Imperial Rome depicting a battle scene with Romans and enemies, showcasing emotional subject matter and narrative storytelling.

Catacomb of Priscila

An underground burial site in Rome with numerous tombs and biblical scenes depicted on the walls.

Santa Sabina

An early Christian church in Rome with selenite windows and a design to inspire followers.

Rebecca and Eliezer at the Well and Jacob Wrestling the Angel

Illuminated manuscript from Early Byzantine Europe with symbolic and abstract elements.

San Vitale

A centrally planned basilica in Ravenna with Christian iconography to worship and glorify the Byzantine Emperor.

Hagia Sophia, Istanbul

A monumental building with a domed ceiling, minarets, and a pendentive, serving as a cathedral, mosque, and museum.

Merovingian Looped Fibulae

Silver gilt brooches with garnets and filigree, symbolizing status and identity, buried with the dead.

Virgin (Theotokos) and Children between Saints Theodore and George

An encaustic icon painting with divine subjects and spatial ambiguity.

Lindisfarne Gospels

Illuminated manuscript from Early medieval Europe with intricate designs and animal symbols.

Great Mosque, Cordoba

A hypostyle prayer hall with a mihrab, ribbed dome, and mosaics, showcasing Islamic architectural and mathematical achievements.

Pyxis of al-Mughira

A cylindrical ivory container from Islamic Spain, representing the tradition of carved ivory.

Pyxis

A small cylindrical container often used to hold perfumes and cosmetics.

Eight-lobed medallions

Decorative elements with eight lobes used to adorn the pyxis.

Princely iconography

Images or symbols associated with royalty depicted on the medallions.

Carved ivory

Ivory material sculpted from an elephant tusk, known for its durability and smoothness.

Inlaid jade

Jade stones precisely embedded into the ivory pyxis for decoration.

Royal family

Members of the monarchy who received the pyxides on special occasions.

Romanesque architecture

Architectural style characterized by thick walls, barrel vaults, and decorative portals.

Tympanum

Elaborately carved semi-circular relief above the church doors, often depicting religious scenes.

Gothic cathedral

A type of church with pointed arches, ribbed vaults, and large stained glass windows.

Jamb figures

Sculpted figures on the sides of portals, typically representing spiritual beings in Gothic style.

Encro

The chapel dedicated to Mary, with figures interacting in a humanistic manner, mourning Christ.

Lamentation

Depicts Christ mourned by followers, Mary holding him, and angels mourning, symbolizing renewal.

Illusionism

Creating architectural elements for an earthly setting, transitioning from the Middle Ages to the Renaissance.

Humanism

Figures interacting emotionally, like kissing and crying, emphasizing human emotions and connections.

Symbols

Including a dead tree symbolizing rebirth and Mary Magdalene with red hair at Christ's feet.

Golden Haggadah

An illuminated manuscript from late Medieval Spain depicting the history of Passover.

Alhambra

A palace complex in Granada, Spain, showcasing intricate decorations and geometric patterns.

Annunciation Triptych

A painting by Robert Campin depicting the scene of Mary and Gabriel, with detailed realism.

Pazzi Chapel

A masonry structure in Florence, Italy, commissioned by the Pazzi family with Roman temple influences.

The Arnolfini Portrait

A painting by Jan van Eyck symbolizing a wedding, with rich details and symbolism.

David

A bronze sculpture by Donatello depicting the biblical story of David and Goliath with contrapposto stance.

Palazzo Rucellai

A partially finished palace in Florence, Italy, showcasing Greek and Roman architectural elements.

Madonna and Child with Two Angels

A painting by Fra Filippo depicting Mary, Christ, and angels in a playful manner.

Birth of Venus

A painting by Botticelli depicting the Roman goddess Venus standing on a shell, symbolizing love.

Last Supper

A painting by Leonardo da Vinci depicting the biblical scene of the Last Supper in oil and tempera.

High Renaissance

Refers to the period in art history known for its cultural movement that took place in Italy during the 15th and 16th centuries, characterized by a renewed interest in classical art and humanism.

Linear perspective

A technique used in art to create the illusion of depth and space on a flat surface by making parallel lines appear to converge at a vanishing point.

Sfumato technique

A painting technique where glazes in slightly different tones are used to create a soft transition between colors, particularly to depict light and shadow.

Woodcut engravings

A printmaking technique where the image is carved into a block of wood, which is then inked and pressed onto paper to create a print.

Mannerist style

An artistic style that emerged after the Renaissance, characterized by elongated figures, exaggerated poses, and a sense of instability and tension.

Frontispiece

An illustration facing the title page of a book, often containing important information or setting the tone for the content within.

Templo Mayor

Symbol above the eagle in Aztec art, possibly representing a temple.

Tzompantli

Skull rack found near Templo Mayor in Aztec art.

Maize

Important crop for the Aztec people.

Tenoch

Name associated with 10 men depicted in Aztec art, leaders of the island.

Priest

Figure in Aztec art with specific characteristics like gray skin, red marks, and a speech scroll.

Year Glyphs

Symbols representing years in Aztec art, emphasizing events like fire ceremonies and military conquests.

Macana

Obsidian bladed swords used in Aztec military conquests.

Aztec Power

Emphasized through art, serving as a tribute to the Aztecs.

II Gesu

Church in Rome with a Triumph of the Name of Jesus ceiling fresco, showcasing Baroque and rational styles.

Hunters in the Snow

Painting by Pieter Bruegal depicting the hardships and enjoyments of winter in a realist style.

Mosque of Selim II

Ottoman mosque in Edirne, Turkey, showcasing architectural features like domes, minarets, and painted interiors.

Calling of Saint Matthew

Caravaggio's painting portraying a biblical scene in a contemporary setting with significant use of light.

Marie de' Medici Cycle

Series of paintings by Peter Paul Rubens, including "Henri IV Receives the Portrait of Marie de' Medici," serving as propaganda.

Self-Portrait with Saskia

Rembrandt's etching depicting himself and his wife Saskia in an intimate moment.

San Carlo alle Quattro Fontane

Baroque church in Rome designed by Francesco Borromini, known for its undulating facade and unique plan.

Ecstasy of Saint Teresa

Sculpture by Gian Lorenzo Bernini in Rome, representing Saint Teresa's spiritual experience with expressive features.

Angel with Arquebus

Painting from the La Paz School in the 17th century, likely part of a series from the Viceroyalty of Peru.

Androgynous Angel

Depictions of celestial beings in stunning clothes holding a harquenas gun.

Harquenas

A type of gun with a large barrel.

Oil on Canvas

The medium used for the painting.

Celestial, Aristocratic, Military Beings

Representations made in the artwork.