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001
Identify ARTIST, MATERIALS, PERIOD, & PURPOSE
TITLE: Apollo 11
ARTIST: unknown
MATERIALS: charcoal on stone
PERIOD: 25000-25300 BCE, Nambia (PALEOLITHIC)
PURPOSE: proved that homo sapiens knew of modern anatomy & behavior way earlier than previously understood
found in a site of ritual significance
captured in PROFILE view to capture the essence of the animal’s anatomy
named by an archaeologist in 1969 after hearing a shortwave radio of NASA’s successful mission to the moon
002
Identify ARTIST, MATERIALS, PERIOD, & PURPOSE
TITLE: The Great Hall of Bulls
ARTIST: unknown
MATERIALS: rock painting (ocher, charcoal, pigment)
incised/scratched into rock in separate sessions
PERIOD: 15000-13000 BCE; Lascaux, France (PALEOLITHIC)
PURPOSE: considered part of ritual “hunting magic” that would be used to ensure a successful hunt
overlapping forms had ritual significance & made the animals appear to be moving
over 2000 figures in the Paleolithic period: horses, cattle, bison, felines, stags, rhinos
shown in TWISTED perspective (body - profile, face - frontal)
no common ground line
probably painted using tree-limb scaffolding
003
Identify ARTIST, MATERIALS, PERIOD, & PURPOSE
TITLE: Camelid Sacrum in the Shape of a Canine
ARTIST: unknown
MATERIALS: bone
made from an extinct camelid (family of camels, llamas, alpacas)
original shape dictates what the artist can create
meant to resemble the face of a COYOTE
PERIOD: 14000-7000 BCE, Central Mexico (MESOLITHIC)
PURPOSE: used as a PORTABLE instrument for ritual preparation before a hunt
sacrum was considered to be SACRED to indigenous Mesoamericans
worn as a MASK during rituals
sacrum: thought of as the animal’s spiritual essence since it was the fulcrum for its physical support
004
Identify ARTIST, MATERIALS, PERIOD, & PURPOSE
TITLE: Running Horned Woman
ARTIST: unknown
MATERIALS: pigment on rock
PERIOD: 6000-4000 BCE, Algeria (NEOLITHIC)
PURPOSE: found on an isolated rock in one of the highest massifs in Tassili, the artwork held a special status due to elevation that suggests RITE & CEREMONY
scarification: white dotted marks for a ritual
raffia: a material made for garments that adorned white parallel patterns
subject matter could be a horned deity or a mortal dressed in a horned headdress
005
Identify ARTIST, MATERIALS, PERIOD, & PURPOSE
TITLE: Beaker with Ibex Motifs
ARTIST: unknown
MATERIALS: painted terra cotta
highly malleable clay that was made by hand rather than on a potter’s wheel
PERIOD: 4200-3500 BCE, Iran (NEOLITHIC)
PURPOSE: most likely used in a funerary practice, discovered in a CEMETARY
top: long neck aquatic birds that would have been common in a river valley
frieze of Salukis (hunting dog) & a long-horned ibex in the center
ibex: over-sized horns from a twisted perspective
006
Identify ARTIST, MATERIALS, PERIOD, & PURPOSE
TITLE: Anthropomorphic Steele
ARTIST: unknown
MATERIALS: sandstone
PERIOD: ~4000 BCE, Arabian Peninsula (NEOLITHIC)
PURPOSE: associated with religious or burial practices, used as a GRAVE MARKER in an open-air sanctuary
various meanings based on the region, village, & tribe associated with it (Ha’il Steele)
appears human (anthropomorphic) but does not have a mouth or eyebrows
awl: a small, pointed tool across its chest
007
Identify ARTIST, MATERIALS, PERIOD, & PURPOSE
TITLE: Jade Cong
ARTIST: unknown
MATERIALS: carved jade (nephrite/TRUE JADE)
required special tools for ABRASION since the materials cannot be easily carved & needed precise accuracy for intricate patterns
PERIOD: 3300-2200 BCE; Liangzhu, China (NEOLITHIC)
PURPOSE: found in graves (for funerary purposes), but also important symbols of the Earth & the Heavens
used in a culture of expert rice growers known for their food surplus
008
Identify ARTIST, MATERIALS, PERIOD, & PURPOSE
TITLE: Stonehenge
ARTIST: unknown
MATERIALS: sandstone
PERIOD: 2500-1600 BCE; Wiltshire, UK (NEOLITHIC)
PURPOSE: a place of healing or ancestor worship (could also be for the solstice through a heel stone)
megaliths: rough-cut stones that weighed more than 40 tons & over 15 ft tall
trilithons: 3-stone constructions made megaliths
lintel: horizontal opening supported by 2 posts
arranged in a post-and-lintel construction
surrounds a ring of bluestones that encircle a horseshoe formation of sarsens
009
Identify ARTIST, MATERIALS, PERIOD, & PURPOSE
TITLE: The Ambum Stone
ARTIST: unknown
MATERIALS: greywacke
known for its dark color, hardness, & grainy composition
PERIOD: 1500 BCE, Papua New Guinea (NEOLITHIC)
PURPOSE: used by elites to pound food in a ritual setting (took months to carve)
Papua New Guinea: common for having mortars & pestles in the form of birds, humans, & animals
depicts the EMBRYONIC form of a long-beaked spiny anteater
010
Identify ARTIST, MATERIALS, PERIOD, & PURPOSE
TITLE: Tlatilco Female Figure
ARTIST: unknown
MATERIALS: ceramic
PERIOD: 1200-900 BCE, Central Mexico (NEOLITHIC)
PURPOSE: symbolizes duality, nature, & a woman’s role in fertility according to early Mesoamerican religions
shown through exaggerated female figures: wide hips, spherical upper thighs, & pinched waist
depicts an elaborate hairstyle important to the people of Tlatilco
fused heads document the culture’s fascination with PHYSICAL DEFORMITIES (seen as supernatural)
011
Identify ARTIST, MATERIALS, PERIOD, & PURPOSE
TITLE: Terra Cotta Fragment
ARTIST: unknown
MATERIALS: incised terra cotta
PERIOD: 1000 BCE, Solomon Islands (NEOLITHIC)
PURPOSE: created for cooking, serving, & storing food
patterns are seen in modern Polynesian tattoos & bark cloth today
relief sculpture: carved into a medium such as wood or stone
materials produced by Lapita, an ancient Pacific seafaring people of Polynesia, Melanesia, & Micronesia
civilization was known for creating relief designs that involved geometric patterns & anthropomorphic elements (either a face or figure)
012
Identify ARTIST, MATERIALS, PERIOD, & PURPOSE
TITLE: White Temple & Its Ziggurat
ARTIST: unknown
MATERIALS: mud brick (rare to come by)
PERIOD: 3500-3000 BCE; Uruk/Iraq (SUMERIAN)
PURPOSE: religious symbol dedicated to the sky god Anu to assert the deity’s political authority & the importance of a theocratic system
visitors walk around the temple to access the interior at a BENT AXIS approach
white washed: appearance that gets the temple’s name & dazzles brightly under strong sunlight
cella: central hall of the patron deity that can only be seen by the elite
priests & scribes conduct administrative & commercial business within the temple
013
Identify ARTIST, MATERIALS, PERIOD, & PURPOSE
TITLE: Palette of King Narmer
ARTIST: unknown
MATERIALS: greywacke
PERIOD: 3000-2900 BCE, Egypt (PREDYNASTIC)
PURPOSE: ceremonial use (related to the general concept of unification) + palettes were flat objects used for grinding materials for cosmetics (such as eyeliner to prevent glaring)
Namer wears crowns from BOTH Upper & Lower Egypt in a relief sculpture
discovered in a controlled excavation
iconography: registers/horizontal bands + hierarchical scale (shows importance of Narmer)
focuses on human actions rather than animals
KING NAMER: represented in human form with a sandal bearer; seen as a powerful bull destroying a walled city (referred to as “Strong Bull”)
included created called SEOPARDS w/ snaky necks that are controlled by a pair of attendants
014
Identify ARTIST, MATERIALS, PERIOD, & PURPOSE
TITLE: Statues of Votive Figures from the Square Temple at Eshnunna
ARTIST: unknown
MATERIALS: gypsum inlaid with shell & black limestone
eyes: made with LAPIS LAZULI (imported from Afghanistan)
body: made out of diorite or dolerite
PERIOD: 2700 BCE, modern Iraq (SUMERIAN)
PURPOSE: meant to preserve a donor, god, or specific prayer to a deity in human form
originally placed within the cellar
shown with praying hands to hold beakers for LIBERATION (liquids that were poured for a ritual)
male figures: belted fringed skirts, shoulder-length hair
females: longer robes with shorter hairstyles
ranged from 9-30 inches tall
heads tilt slightly upward to symbolize awareness
015
Identify ARTIST, MATERIALS, PERIOD, & PURPOSE
TITLE: The Seated Scribe
ARTIST: unknown
MATERIALS: painted limestone
PERIOD: 2620-2500 BCE, Egypt (OLD KINGDOM)
PURPOSE: meant to portray a scribe of the lower class through a more realistic, ordered interpretation of the human body
societal status decr. = realism incr.
shown with a potbelly with natural proportions
scribe: respected in Egyptian society for their ability to read & write (held in low position in court society)
shows signs of age (indicating he is MORTAL)
016
Identify ARTIST, MATERIALS, PERIOD, & PURPOSE
TITLE: Standards of Ur from the Royal Tombs at Ur
ARTIST: unknown
MATERIALS: wood inlaid with shell, lapis lazuli, & red limestone
PERIOD: 2600-2400 BCE, modern Iraq (SUMERIAN)
PURPOSE: original function is unknown, but it could have been used for…
being carried on a pole as a standard
formed the soundbox of a musical instrument
cemetery purpose (close to temple buildings)
could have been used for kings or queens
figures are seen in composite view
hierarchy of scale: subjects of greater importance are seen on a larger scale (ex: the ruler in the top register on the Peace side is so large, it breaks the upper border)
Main panels show “war” & “peace”
WAR: chariots, donkeys, soldiers being killed with axes, naked people presented to the king
PEACE: animals, fish, people wearing woolen fleeces or fringed skirts, drinks accompanied royals with a musician playing the lyre
017
Identify ARTIST, MATERIALS, PERIOD, & PURPOSE
TITLE: The Great Pyramids & Sphinx
ARTIST: unknown
MATERIALS: cut limestone
PERIOD: 2550-2490 BCE; Giza, Egypt (OLD KINGDOM)
PURPOSE: pyramids were built to be tombs for pharaohs (such as King Khufu); reflected the influence of the cult of Ra/Re (the sun god) + sphinx symbolizes the royal power of Egyptians
built by 3 kings of the Fourth Dynasty: Khufu, Khafre, & Menkaure
ashlar masonry: technique used to cut bricks or stones with precision to allow them to fit seamlessly
accentuated with whitewashing
satellites: smaller pyramids belonging to queens
GREAT SPHINX: a lion with a man’s head (probably King Khafre) carved “in situ” (in place)
018
Identify ARTIST, MATERIALS, PERIOD, & PURPOSE
TITLE: King Menkaura & Queen
ARTIST: unknown
MATERIALS: greywacke
PERIOD: 2490-2472 BCE, Egypt (OLD KINGDOM)
PURPOSE: meant to represent a marriage of the elite & the eternal youth of the empire
DYAD sculpture (two elements/parts)
shendjet: traditional, short-pleated skirt
wears iconic striped NEMES headdress & artificial royal beard
no signs of realistic motion
uses stone to reinforce their perpetuity
queen’s pose: meant to represent MARRIAGE
both are taking a step forward
019
Identify ARTIST, MATERIALS, PERIOD, & PURPOSE
TITLE: Code of Hammurabi
ARTIST: unknown
MATERIALS: basalt stone
presented as a STEELE from a volcanic rock
PERIOD: 1792-1750 BCE, modern Iran (BABYLON)
PURPOSE: solidifies a set of 300 laws created by the king of Babylon, Hammurabi, ranging from topics in commerce, property, & the penalties for crimes such as theft & murder
top: depicts Hammurabi meeting with the sun god, Shamash while he gives him a rod & coiled rope (symbolizes being a figurehead of divine power & building an empire in Shamash’s name)
not in proportion: figures are the same height (although Shamash would be taller if he was standing)
eyes are NOT FRONTAL, composite view
Deity: glowing four-tiered headdress + flames burning behind him + feet off ground = higher authority/divine power
020
Identify ARTIST, MATERIALS, PERIOD, & PURPOSE
TITLE: Temple of Amun-Re
ARTIST: unknown
MATERIALS: cut sandstone & mudbrick
PERIOD: 1550-1250 (NEW KINGDOM/AMARNA)
PURPOSE: functioned as a location for the cult of Amun (local deity) & a working estate for the priestly community
built during the Middle Kingdom & was meant to be small until Thebes incr. in importance
an artificial lake was built to symbolize Amun-Re rising from the Earth the same way the primeval water did
central columns are raised higher on each side to create clerestory lighting
decorated with lotus, papyrus, & palm plants to replicate the marsh-like environment of creation
021
Identify ARTIST, MATERIALS, PERIOD, & PURPOSE
TITLE: Mortuary Temple of Hatshepsut
ARTIST: unknown
MATERIALS: sandstone (partially carved into a rock cliff) & red granite
PERIOD: 1473-1458 BCE, Egypt (NEW KINGDOM)
PURPOSE: serves as a tribute to the female ruler & her achievements in the arts
Hatshepsut: 1st female ruler in Egypt after being named regent by her nephew (the boy-king Thutmose II) & shortly took the crown
Thutmose I chose her as the rightful heir to the throne before he died
included a causeway (raised path) to connect a valley temple
decorated with reliefs of the queen’s reign to glorify her power & authority
symbolizes ORDER as the temples blend into the mountains + the courts, temples, & chapels have a symmetrical layout
approx. 200 statues of Hatshepsut exist
KNEELING HATSHEPSUT
holding jars as offerings to the gods
shown wearing the traditional costume of a MALE pharaoh (names headdress, ceremonial beard, kilt)
022
Identify ARTIST, MATERIALS, PERIOD, & PURPOSE
TITLE: Akhenaten, Nefertiti, and Three Daughters
ARTIST: unknown
MATERIALS: limestone
PERIOD: 1353-1335 BCE (AMARNA)
PURPOSE: found in a private shrine for worshipping, rejected traditional Egyptian gods in the place of ATEN, the only god (god of the sun)
makes him & his wife the only representatives of Aten on Earth (will return to traditional religion after Akhenaten dies)
radical artistic movement: odd body shapes, elongated necks, protruding bellies
unusual to have royal children in art
depicts royal family basking in a life-giving style
ANKH: an Egyptian symbol of life is moving towards the children
ATEN: a sun-disk deity at the top of the artwork
Akhenaten: claimed he was the son & prophet of Aten, removed the god Amun-Re from temples’ inscriptions
023
Identify ARTIST, MATERIALS, PERIOD, & PURPOSE
TITLE: King Tut
ARTIST: unknown
MATERIALS: gold with inlay of enamel & semiprecious stones (lapis lazuli, carnelian, & turquoise)
PERIOD: 1323 BCE (NEW KINGDOM)
PURPOSE: stored the mummy of King Tut & would ensure his status in the afterlife as a pharaoh
Akhenaten’s son; became king at age 8 before dying 10 years later
considered an insignificant figure in history, but was well known for his tomb discovered in 1922
weighed over 200 lbs, made from beaten gold
headdress includes the vulture of Upper Egypt & the serpent of Lower Egypt
024
Identify ARTIST, MATERIALS, PERIOD, & PURPOSE
TITLE: Book of the Dead
ARTIST: unknown
MATERIALS: painted papyrus scrolls
PERIOD: 1275 BCE (NEW KINGDOM)
PURPOSE: part of a collection of prayers & spells that were buried with high-ranking members of society; would help the ka navigate the trials of the afterlife
found in the tomb of Hu-Nefer
returned to classical Egyptian styles
characters are shown in hierarchical scale & composite view
LEFT: Annubis adjusts the scales that will weigh the deceased’s heart against the feather of Maat (the goddess of truth & right); Ammit, a crocodile-hippo lion, will eat the heart if it weighs more than the feather
RIGHT: Thoth, an ibis-headed god of knowledge, records the test of the scales + Osiris (accompanied by his sisters Isis & Nephthys) rewards Hu-Nefer with the gift of eternal life
025
Identify ARTIST, MATERIALS, PERIOD, & PURPOSE
TITLE: Lamassu
ARTIST: unknown
MATERIALS: alabaster
PERIOD: 720-705 BCE (ASSYRIAN)
PURPOSE: human-headed bull sculptures that served as a hall entrance to greet the king + the walls are painted with military victories towards the king’s power
has 5 LEGS: meant to be moving from a side view, but standing from a frontal view
made from a relief sculpture
13ft, 9in tall: considered to be short in comparison to the original temple
decorative patterned beard with swirls followed by friezes/horizontal bands of hair
026
Identify ARTIST, MATERIALS, PERIOD, & PURPOSE
TITLE: Athenian Agora
ARTIST: unknown
MATERIALS: plan (none)
PERIOD: 600 BCE - 150 CE (Archaic/Hellenistic Greece)
PURPOSE: served as a place where people gathered in a large open square for philosophical & political commerce (either a marketplace, election area, etc.)
located in the HEART of Athens
abandoned by the Persians (480 BCE) until the Greeks expanded it in the 4th - 5th centuries
1931: excavations revealed 40 volumes of information including bronze election ballots & clocks that indicate public life/daily activity
027
Identify ARTIST, MATERIALS, PERIOD, & PURPOSE
TITLE: Anavysos Kouros
ARTIST: unknown
MATERIALS: marble with remnants of paint
PERIOD: 530 BCE (ARCHAIC)
PURPOSE: used as a funerary statue that stood over a grave in a rural area outside of Athens / votive offering
Egyptian influence: frontal pose, block-like form, & extended left foot
less Geometric traits: oversized head, triangular & flattened face, & tiny waist
nude (unlike Egyptian statues)
open space between legs & arms (gives the impression of being free from the stone)
more naturalistic/humanistic compared to earlier generations of Kouros
Kouros: naked male figures produced in marble during the archaic period
Inscribed: “stay & mourn at the monument of dead Kourisos who raged Ares slew as he fought in the front ranks”
028
Identify ARTIST, MATERIALS, PERIOD, & PURPOSE
TITLE: Peplos Kore from the Acropolis
ARTIST: unknown
MATERIALS: painted marble
PERIOD: 530 BCE (ARCHAIC)
PURPOSE: believed to be sculpted after a female goddess from Athena’s sanctuary on Acropolis & could have been a companion to Anavysos Kouros
similar features: frontal posture, left arm extended, same “freeing” posture
named after the belted garment she is wearing (peplos) & was made to be naturalistic
her arm would have held an ATTRIBUTE (a conventional object used in art to identify a saint or mythical creature); would have identified what deity she represented
same ARCHAIC SMILE: symbol of well-being
029
Identify ARTIST, MATERIALS, PERIOD, & PURPOSE
TITLE: Sarcophagus of the Spouses
ARTIST: unknown
MATERIALS: terra cotta
PERIOD: 520 BCE (ETRUSCAN)
PURPOSE: clay coffin of a reclining couple most likely at a banquet (same features as the Archaic period)
different from the stiff poses of the Egyptian funerary sculpture
assembled in 400 parts, accounts for the awkward transition of the lower to upper half of the figures’ bodies
Greek women were expected to stay at home (only slave girls & prostitutes could attend a SYMPOSIUM, a Greek banqueting party usually for men)
Etruscan women had more freedom, as shown by the reclining pose unheard of for Greek & Roman cultures
030
Identify ARTIST, MATERIALS, PERIOD, & PURPOSE
TITLE: Audience Hall (Apadana) of Darius & Xerses
ARTIST: unknown
MATERIALS: limestone
PERIOD: 520-465 BCE; Persepolis, Iran (PERSIAN)
PURPOSE: used as a heavily fortified citadel complex with several royal buildings on top of a plateau; also served as a stronghold, a sacred connection to Mithra, the Persian New Year’s festival, & an economic center
had to pass through “the Gate of all Nations” (symbolized harmony under Persian control)
features columns that show influence from Mesopotamian, Greek, & Egyptian traditions
Apadana: where the king would meet the delegates from the surrounding areas
reliefs on the outer walls: displays processions of the royal guard marching & nobles bringing gifts to the king
began with Darius I & finished with Xerses I
worshipped ANHURAMAZDA, the god of light (requires no temple —> outdoor altar)
later destroyed by Alexander the Great’s army as an act of revenge for rejecting the Athenian Acropolis
031
Identify ARTIST, MATERIALS, PERIOD, & PURPOSE
TITLE: Temple of Minerva and Sculpture of Apollo
ARTIST: Master Sculptor Vulca
MATERIALS: wood, mud brick, tufa (volcanic rock) & terra cotta sculpture
PERIOD: 510-500 BCE (ETRUSCAN)
PURPOSE: dedicated to the goddess Minerva (Roman version of the goddess Athena)
Etruscan temples could only be accessed by a small central staircase (compared to Greek temples that can be accessed at all sides)
Acroteria: a figure placed at the top or edge of the ranking cornice (compared to being just on the top of the structure)
figures lined the temple rooftops instead of the pediments (Etruscan assimilations of Greek Gods)
use the same archaic smile (but have a more lively Etruscan flair)
032
Identify ARTIST, MATERIALS, PERIOD, & PURPOSE
TITLE: Tomb of Triclinium
ARTIST: unknown
MATERIALS: tufa (volcanic rock) & fresco (watercolor on paint plaster)
PERIOD: 480-470 BCE, Italy (ETRUSCAN)
PURPOSE: contained remains & grave offerings for a funerary purpose, meant to be a festive environment as people shared a final meal with the deceased before transitioning into the afterlife
composed of a single chamber
fresco: depicts banqueters lying on long klinai (couches) while being entertained by musicians & being attended to by servants
L & R walls: three female dancers & one male dancer while a male musician is playing the barbiton (similar to the lyre)
conventions of gender typing: females are painted in a LIGHT color, while males are in a DARKER orange-brown tint
conveys the lively tone of an Etruscan funeral
reinforced the socioeconomic class of the deceased + the family of the deceased needed to be reminded of their standing in society
033
Identify ARTIST, MATERIALS, PERIOD, & PURPOSE
TITLE: Niobides Krater
ARTIST: an anonymous Niobid painter
MATERIALS: clay, red-figure technique with white highlights (black background, negative red space)
PERIOD: 460-450 BCE (EARLY CLASSICAL GREECE)
PURPOSE: pottery used for either water & wine or decoration, depicts the story of the children of Niobe
Niobe had many children (7 daughters, 7 sons) & believed that this made her superior to the goddess Leto (mother of the gods Apollo & Artemis)
Leto punishes Niobie for her HUBRIS by sending all of her children to kill Niobe’s children
Apollo & Artemis are seen shooting arrows
REVOLUTIONARY compositional formats: placing figures on different ground levels + broke traditional frontal & composite views
034
Identify ARTIST, MATERIALS, PERIOD, & PURPOSE
TITLE: Doryphoros (Spear Bearer)
ARTIST: Polykleitos
MATERIALS: Greek original - bronze | Roman copy - marble
PERIOD: 450-440 BCE (EARLY CLASSICAL)
PURPOSE: considered part of Polykleitos’s canon & can be easily replicated (considered the most copied original Greek work)
would have been holding a spear
seen as perfection in statuary based on a mathematical formula (similar to Iktinos, Kallikrates, & Pythagoras)
Polykleitos: wrote a treatise that outlined the ideal proportions of the human body
example of CONTRAPASSO through the use of a chiastic (cross) balance; shift of weight that makes the stone appear to be “moving”
creates a harmony of asymmetry & balance that contrasts the rigid statuary of the Egyptians
035
Identify ARTIST, MATERIALS, PERIOD, & PURPOSE
TITLE: Acropolis
ARTIST: architects Iktinos & Kallikrates + sculptor Phidias
MATERIALS: marble
PERIOD: 447-410 BCE; Athens, Greece (HIGH CLASSICAL)
PURPOSE: symbolizes the birth of democracy (limited to women & slaves, only white men) + originally as a place to worship Athena
entire structure is governed by a numerical ratio: x = 2y + 1 (ex: 17 = 2(8) + 1 —> 17 lengthwise columns & 8 widthwise columns)
largest Doric temple ever completed (with some ionic elements)
meant to appear symmetrical & proportional when viewed at a longer distance
has a 4-sided frieze depicting Greeks fighting various enemies (Trojans, Centaurs, Amazons)
had enough $$$ to expand because of the DELIAN LEAGUE (city-states paid dues or performed military service)
entasis: columns bulge towards the center to make the building appear more organic
imagery within the Acropolis conveys the importance of Athena, the festival, & the Athenian people
Chryselephantine: statues made out of wood that were fashioned with gold & ivory
Ergastines: young women who wore peplos (garments) for the sacred sculpture of Athena
Temple of Athena Nike: built as a small, ionic amphiprostyle temple to commemorate the Greek victory over the Persians
Phidian wet drapery technique: a style of rendering clothing while simultaneously revealing the anatomical forms underneath
036
Identify ARTIST, MATERIALS, PERIOD, & PURPOSE
TITLE: Grave Steele of Hegeso
ARTIST: Kallimachos
MATERIALS: painted marble
PERIOD: 410 BCE (EARLY CLASSICAL)
PURPOSE: discovered in Dipylon cemetery in Athens as a private sculpture used for a woman named Hegeso
women were not considered citizens of Athens & were defined by their relationship with men
depicts Hegeso seated on an elegant chair attended by her maid with a box of jewelry (DOWRY) the servant brought her
illustrates a moment of everyday Greek life for the wealthy elite
no part of her is touching the ground (another symbol of wealth)
shares the sculptural style & drapery of the reliefs from the Temple of Athena, Nike, & the compositional format of the vases from the same period
037
Identify ARTIST, MATERIALS, PERIOD, & PURPOSE
TITLE: Winged Victory of Samothrace
ARTIST: unknown
MATERIALS: marble
PERIOD: 190 BCE (HELLENISTIC)
PURPOSE: a votive offering given to the soldiers of Rhodes to commemorate its victory in a 2nd-century naval battle + was used to honor future victories of war (as attributed to the goddess of victory, Nike)
openness of wings & holds in the drapery create a sense of movement & emotional intensity
taken by the Romans from the Greek island of Samothrace (later stolen by French imperialists)
part of a great fountain on the highest vantage point of the island facing the sea
himation (cloak) in thick folds across her leg & her chiton (gown) pulled tightly across her abdomen (demonstrates MOVEMENT)
similar to the drapery of the PARTHENON figures
038
Identify ARTIST, MATERIALS, PERIOD, & PURPOSE
TITLE: Great Altar of Zeus and Athena at Pergamon
ARTIST: unknown
MATERIALS: marble
PERIOD: 175 BCE, Asia Minor (HELLENISTIC)
PURPOSE: honored the Pergamene kingdom’s defeat of barbarian invaders with reliefs of gigantomachy (the battle between Olympian gods & the Giants)
goes against the calm, serene harmony of the Classical period
carving marble creates a variety of shadows & movement
depicts Athena seizing giant Alcyoneus by the hair, Gaia’s (Alcyoneus’s mother) agonizing reaction, & Athena’s elaborate drapery
was created to look towards the sky & the waters of Turkey (since Athena is the goddess of the sky)
Nike, the goddess of victory, is already crowning Athena before the battle is won
building: considered a HYPAETHRAL (a building with no roof & with columns forming a partial wall)
039
Identify ARTIST, MATERIALS, PERIOD, & PURPOSE
TITLE: House of Vettii
ARTIST: unknown
MATERIALS: cut stone & fresco
PERIOD: 62-79 CE; Pompeii, Italy (EARLY IMPERIAL ROME)
PURPOSE: more than a simple dwelling; used for ritual of daily life/social hierarchy + ranking aristocratic families or patricians would use the domestic display to reinforce their position in society & advance their fortunes
also used as a typical Roman house (domus) during the Republican period where the majority of the pop. lived in apartment buildings (insula)
made with an inward-looking nature: fauces (single entrance), tabernacle (adjacent shops), cubiculum (private room in domus), & impluvium (water-catching pool system)
peristyle court: continuous porch formed by rows of columns surrounding the perimeter of a courtyard
owned by 2 merchant brothers who used to be slaves/freedmen (liberti) who rose up in prominence to eventually own a house of the upper-class
contained frescos from the fourth style (decorative 3D designs)
040
Identify ARTIST, MATERIALS, PERIOD, & PURPOSE
TITLE: Alexander Mosaic from the House of Faun, Pompeii
ARTIST: unknown
MATERIALS: mosaic
PERIOD: 100 BCE (REPUBLICAN ROME)
PURPOSE: commissioned to depict Alexander the Great’s victory over the Persian king, Darius III at Issus (modern Turkey)
made up of 1.5 million tesserae (small, cubed pieces of glass or stones cut into shapes)
tesserae were mostly earth-colored to emphasize the details in the scene
portrays DEPTH: horses appear smaller beside the central horse who comes straight out at the viewer (all figures appear naturalistic)
found on the floor between 2 peristyle gardens & 2 courtyards surrounded by columns
041
Identify ARTIST, MATERIALS, PERIOD, & PURPOSE
TITLE: Seated Boxer
ARTIST: unknown
MATERIALS: bronze
PERIOD: 100 BCE (HELLENISTIC)
PURPOSE: meant to portray a realistic version of Greek athletes & appeal to the audience’s intense emotions
contrasts the youthful athletes of the High Classical period by being an older man, worn out from countless fights, & sits in a relaxed pose
shown with broken teeth & nose (cartilage damage) along with cauliflower ears
blood created from inlaid copper drips from cuts in his forehead, nose, & cheeks
hands display leather straps that were used as boxing “gloves” in ancient times
042
Identify ARTIST, MATERIALS, PERIOD, & PURPOSE
TITLE: Head of a Roman Patrician
ARTIST: unknown
MATERIALS: marble
PERIOD: 75-50 BCE (REPUBLICAN)
PURPOSE: originated with the Roman custom of creating wax portraits-masks of loved ones (were later preserved in public homes in wooden shrines as funeral rites)
verism: uncompromising realism & directness in portraiture that is the OPPOSITE of the imperial periods in Greece (veris = Latin for truth)
not idealized or portrayed to be perfect
illustrates a LITERAL interpretation of the subjects’ appearances with receding hairlines & wrinkling faces (shows wisdom & experience)
patricians: ruling classes of elite families usually governed by older men
043
Identify ARTIST, MATERIALS, PERIOD, & PURPOSE
TITLE: Augustus of Prima Porta
ARTIST: unknown
MATERIALS: marble
PERIOD: 1st century CE (EARLY IMPERIAL)
PURPOSE: commissioned to demonstrate his skills as an orator & a general (+ portrayed as youthful no matter how old he was)
originally found in his wife Livia’s villa
military skills are shown through his military regalia & right arm outstretched (giving commands)
center of cuirass (breastplate): depicts an enemy Parthian returning a standard (direct reference to an international diplomatic victory)
bottom of cuirass: Tellus (earth goddess) cradles two babies (symbol of fertility)
features a baby riding a dolphin, a reference that might allude to Augustus claiming to have descended from the gods through the Trojan Aeneas (divine lineage)
borrows the weight shift technique (contrapasso) from the Greeks
044
Identify ARTIST, MATERIALS, PERIOD, & PURPOSE
TITLE: Colosseum (Flavian Amphitheater)
ARTIST: unknown
MATERIALS: stone & concrete
PERIOD: 70-80 CE (EARLY IMPERIAL)
PURPOSE: built as a gift to the Roman people after Vespasian became emperor & placed on top of destroyed buildings burned in a fire after 64 CE
known as a grand palace called DOMUS AUREA (“Golden House”)
had an artificial lake
Vespasian died before the project was finished, but Titus finished his father’s work in his honor
3 bands of arches (classical orders of architecture: Doric, Ionic, Corinthian)
highest level: Corinthian pilasters (flat, rectangular columns)
had 76 entrances & could fit 50,000 people
used BARREL-VAULTED COVERED CORRIDORS (similar to Pompeii) due to the malleable nature of concrete
velarium: a sunshade that unrolled to cover the structure & created a shade for spectators
translated in Greek as a double theater
most important people were seated closest to the action, while the least important people (mainly women) were at the top floor
045
Identify ARTIST, MATERIALS, PERIOD, & PURPOSE
TITLE: Forum of Trajan
ARTIST: Apollodorus of Damascus
MATERIALS: brick, concrete, marble
PERIOD: 106-113 CE (HIGH IMPERIAL)
PURPOSE: meant to illustrate Trajan’s career & his military successes against the Darcians
Basilica Ulpia: has APSES (semicircular recesses) at each end & people enter from the long side of the building (model for early Christian churches)
Column of Trajan
650 feet of continuous reliefs that recounted Trajan’s two Dacian campaigns
meant to mimic the unrolling of a scroll
light, shadow, & varying levels are used to produce a sense of motion & depth
Trajan Markets
concrete made it possible for the slope to be transformed into a complex
purpose: a centralized area for commerce & gov.
taberna: a basic unit of markets that included a single-room shop covered by a barrel vault
046
Identify ARTIST, MATERIALS, PERIOD, & PURPOSE
TITLE: Pantheon
ARTIST: unknown
MATERIALS: concrete with stone facing
PERIOD: 118-125 CE (HIGH IMPERIAL)
PURPOSE: considered a temple for all of the gods + need for an enclosed, uninterrupted space for worship
the original structure was destroyed in 27 CE
pumice: stone used for the concrete to remove the possibility of a lighter load
a needed space given the noise of a rapidly growing population
the interior contains an intersection of two circles that were imagined as the domes of the earth & keys to the heavens
coffering: sunken, decorative panels that decreased the weight of the dome’s exterior
047
Identify ARTIST, MATERIALS, PERIOD, & PURPOSE
TITLE: Ludovisi Battle Sarcophagus
ARTIST: unknown
MATERIALS: marble
PERIOD: 250 CE (LATE IMPERIAL)
PURPOSE: a large burial tomb commissioned by someone wealthy (design was influenced by historical changes of civil wars & political unrest)
the custom of cremation was abandoned
decorated with a battle scene between the Romans & the Goths (considered barbarians)
Romans are depicted as heroic, while the Goths have wilder expressions on their faces
figures are piled on top of each other, causing them to lose INDIVIDUAL AUTONOMY
complete REJECTION of classical style: lack of motion, no baseline for figures, figures are disproportional & frontal
center figure: believed to be the son of one of the warrior-emperors (perhaps who the sarcophagus was meant for)
the artist incorporated ideas of the plebian/lower class & set the tone for the Middle Ages
048
Identify ARTIST, MATERIALS, PERIOD, & PURPOSE
TITLE: The Catacomb of Priscilla
ARTIST: unknown
MATERIALS: excavated tufa & fresco
PERIOD: 200-400 CE (Late Antique Europe/Early Christian)
PURPOSE: served as a Christian burial for popes, martyrs, and others dedicated to the faith
fresco features a young, beardless Christ & orant figures with raised arms & open hands
illustrates a testament from the Book of Daniel
fish images are commonly used as an acronym for their Savior, Jesus, & a symbol of their religion
includes horizontal holes called LOCULI (the larger the loculi, the wealthier the owner)
some tombs are empty due to grave robbing & people were hunting for relics of Christian martyrs (killed for their faith) —> Christianity was not tolerated until 313 CE with the Edict of Milan
paintings of the Old & New Testament, including those for suffered due to their faith (3 men)
built with the Roman “first style” wall painting (painting on rock to look like an ornate building)
049
Identify ARTIST, MATERIALS, PERIOD, & PURPOSE
TITLE: Saint Sabina
ARTIST: unknown
MATERIALS: brick & stone + wooden roof
PERIOD: 422-432 CE (EARLY CHRISTIAN)
PURPOSE: normal church functions; used for law, public assemblies, & religious purposes
Old Saint Peter (Roman house-church) was destroyed during the Renaissance to build a modern basilica on Vatican Hill
spacious nave, clerestory windows illuminate the interior space (the exterior was plain)
inside: 24 Corinthian columns made from Prconnesian marble to line the nave
light from windows symbolized divinity & Christianity (overall sense of spirituality)
similar characteristics as Old Saint Peter’s: simple brick exterior, rows of columns along the nave, a terminating apse, & clerestory windows
050
Identify ARTIST, MATERIALS, PERIOD, & PURPOSE
TITLE: Vienna Genesis
ARTIST: unknown
MATERIALS: illuminated/handwritten manuscript (tempera, gold, & silver on purple vellum) —> expensive, created for someone of high social rank
PERIOD: 6th century CE (EARLY CHRISTIAN)
PURPOSE: commissioned from a wealthy patron, likely a member of the imperial court for practical use of the Christian faith
folios: separate sheets of manuscript bound together to create a CODEX (ancient manuscript in book form)
Rebecca and Eliezer
scene from Genesis 24
Eliezer (son of Abraham) was searching for a wife for Issac (son, 40)
stopped to get water with his camels until he noticed Rebecca who was chosen to be his wife
continuous narrative: 2 episodes, shows Rebecca twice on the same page
Rebecca leaves the city of Nahor to retrieve water from the well
nude female is the personification of spring (source of water)
Jacob Wrestling the Angel
from Genesis 32:22-31
continuous narration using scenes across a U-shaped path
center: Jacob is wrestling an angel & then receives the angel’s blessing
Joseph is sold into slavery until he serves as a captain in the Egyptian pharaonic guard
the master’s wife accuses him of attacking her & he is placed in jail
051
Identify ARTIST, MATERIALS, PERIOD, & PURPOSE
TITLE: San Vitale
ARTIST: unknown
MATERIALS: brick, marble, stone veneer, & mosaic
PERIOD: 526-547 CE (EARLY BYZANTINE)
PURPOSE: built in honor of Bishop Vitalis (martyred in Ravenna in the 2nd century) & holds many of the relics of Saint Vitalis + serves regular church function
connected by two concentric octagons (the inner octagon rises above the outer one to allow for clerestory lighting
contains a cross-vaulted chancel (part of the church reserved for clergy)
made of simple brick (similar to other Early Christian churches)
JUSTINIAN WITH BISHOP MAXIMIANUS
followed by 12 attendants (a reference to Christ’s 12 apostles)
right of emperor: imperial bureaucrats & Soldiers
left of emperor: members of the clergy
two figures are united by their purple robes & halos (along with Justinian)
chi-rho-iota symbol: monogram of Christ on a soldier’s shield
THEODORA AND HER ATTENDANTS
same presentation, but in a physical setting; depicted outside of a church
Empress Theodora is holding a chalice of wine in a Eucharist ritual
neither Justinian nor Theodora visited Ravenna, presence is symbolic & propagandistic (attempting to legitimize the right to rule Ravenna as part of the Byzantine empire)
052
Identify ARTIST, MATERIALS, PERIOD, & PURPOSE
TITLE: Hagia Sophia
ARTIST: mathematicians Anthemius of Tralles & Isidorus of Miletus
MATERIALS: brick, ceramic elements with stone & mosaic veneer
PERIOD: 532-537 CE, Constantinople/Istanbul (BYZANTINE)
PURPOSE: functioned as a church for Christians, representing Justinian’s contributions to Constantinople (until taken over by the Ottomans)
elements of Early Christian architecture: the longitudinal plan of the basilica & the vertical orientation of the central-plan structure
theme of plain exterior & rich interior
added buttress (a mass of masonry or brickwork used as a support or brace counteracting the lateral thrust as an arch or vault)
MINARETS were added after the church became an Islamic mosque (rule to Turkish Muslims)
strong presence of light through windows gives a sense of mysticism & spirituality
053
Identify ARTIST, MATERIALS, PERIOD, & PURPOSE
TITLE: Merovingian Looped Fibulae
ARTIST: unknown
MATERIALS: silver gilt worked in filigree with inlays of garnets & other stones
PERIOD: mid-6th century CE (EARLY MEDIEVAL EUROPE)
PURPOSE: essential brooches (fibulae) used as a status symbol among medieval warrior lords; used to fasten garments together
likely belonged to a wealthy Merivingian noblewoman buried with her in the afterlife
decorated with ZOOMORPHIC (animal) patterns that fit the shape of the object
patterns are organic to the functionality of the item (fish, eagle inlaid with garnet eyes)
closionné: method of decoration during the Middle Ages that used metal strips (closions) & glass paste (bounded stones together)
054
Identify ARTIST, MATERIALS, PERIOD, & PURPOSE
TITLE: Virgin (Theotokos) and Child between Saints Theodore and George
ARTIST: unknown
MATERIALS: encaustic (a wax-based pigment) on wood
PERIOD: 6th or early 7th century (BYZANTINE)
PURPOSE: considered an icon, a small, portable painting (often a wooden panel) depicting Christ, the Virgin Mary, and/or Saints
Mary holds an infant Christ referred to as Theotokos (“Throne of Wisdom”)
some icons were believed to break the Second Commandment (denies creation & worship of images)
Mary is seated on a throne to symbolize her elevated status
The hand of God descends from the heavens between the heads of two angels
055
Identify ARTIST, MATERIALS, PERIOD, & PURPOSE
TITLE: Lindisfarne Gospels
ARTIST: unknown
MATERIALS: illuminated manuscript
PERIOD: 700 CE (EARLY MEDIEVAL/HIBERNO SAXON)
PURPOSE: recounts the life & teachings of Jesus Christ + promotes & celebrates the Christian religion
colophon: page of the text that contains information on the book’s manufacture
cross-carpet page: the theme of Christian iconography & animal interlace style of Northern warriors
incipit page (“it begins”): opens Luke’s Gospel with spirling forms, swirling vortexes, & animal life (takes up the whole page)
portrait image: Saint Luke seated at an angle as a scribe with his feet elevated on a stool (attempt at GRECO-ROMAN ILLUSIONISM), but the subject is limited in line & color
over Luke’s head: a winged ox (evangelical symbol) & carries a copy of his gospel
056
Identify ARTIST, MATERIALS, PERIOD, & PURPOSE
TITLE: The Great Mosque
ARTIST: unknown
MATERIALS: stone masonry
PERIOD: 785-786 CE (UMAYYAD)
PURPOSE: stands as a symbol of Muslim presence & power in the Iberian Peninsula
considered the first Islamic dynasty who ruled from the capital Damascus
believed to be a temple for the god Janus before being converted into a church by the Visigoths & then a mosque by the Umayyads
comprised of a hypostyle hall (meaning full of columns)
prayer hall uses repeated geometry; built from recycled Roman columns
known for the famous horseshoe arched MIHRAB or prayer niche (used to identify the wall that faces the MECCA during daily prayers)
gold tesserae (small pieces of glass) create a combination of intricate calligraphic bands & vegetal motifs
dome: built of crisscrossing ribs that create pointed arches with gold mosaic in a radial pattern
057
Identify ARTIST, MATERIALS, PERIOD, & PURPOSE
TITLE: Pyxis of al-Mughira
ARTIST: unknown
MATERIALS: ivory (easily carvable & highly desirable for diptychs)
PERIOD: 968 CE (UMAYYAD)
PURPOSE: cylindrical box used for cosmetics such as perfume (pyxis) for al-Mughira, the son of a caliph, as a coming of age present (18)
stands as an example of the royal ivory carving tradition in Al-Andalus (Islamic Spain)
highly portable, often seen as gifts (also considered an icon)
decorated with 4 eigh-lobed medallions which are surrounded by figures & animals that include falconers, wrestlers, griffons, birds, etc. (each medallion uses religious iconography)
pyxides were bestowed upon members of the royal family for important or memorable occasions such as marriage, birth, or coming of age
also given as Caliphal gifts to important allies such as the Berbers
ex: one medallion shows two men collecting eggs from the nest of falcons (a symbol of Umayyad legitimacy)
CENTER MEDALLION: depicts a lute player flanked by 2 figures (one holds a braided scepter & flask of the Umayyads, while the other holds a fan) —> symbolizes the Umayyad Caliph & the Abassids
Arabic inscription in kufic script: “God’s blessings, favors, joy, beatitude to al-Mughira son of the Commander of the faithful, may God have mercy upon him, in the year 357)
058
Identify ARTIST, MATERIALS, PERIOD, & PURPOSE
TITLE: Church of Sainte-Foy
ARTIST: unknown
MATERIALS: stone, paint (tympanum), gold, silver, gemstones, & enamel over wood
PERIOD: 1050-1130 CE (ROMANESQUE)
PURPOSE: served as a church dedicated to the loss of Sainte-Foy, a child martyr who was beheaded because she refused to pay homage to the Roman gods + REMINDS WOULD HAPPEN IF CHRISTIANS SIN
her relic skull was housed in the abbey before being stolen by a monk as furta sacra (holy theft)
nave with barrel-vaulted bays flanked by aisles
barrel-vaults are divided by piers (large horizontal stone blocks)
ambulatory allows for pilgrims to see the sanctuary through a metal grill
contains 200 columns decorated with relief columns (plant motifs & Bible stories)
The Last Judgement
imagery based on Matthew 25:31-46
explains the separation of the blessed & sinners
tympanum: divided into 3 registers separated by a banner with inscriptions in Latin
Center: Christ sits enthroned in Majesty surrounded by star-filled madorla
hierarchical perspective makes Christ the most important figure (largest)
Below Christ: Archangel Micheal & a demon are weighing souls to send them to heaven or hell
Reliquary of Sainte-Foy
reliquaries: used to keep sacred relics
oversized head caused by being a reworked Roman parade helmet
covered in gold leaf & silver gilt to create a container to preserve saint’s relics
throne: has an engraved image of crucifixion, creates a parallel of her & Jesus’s martyrdom
059
Identify ARTIST, MATERIALS, PERIOD, & PURPOSE
TITLE: Bayeux Tapestry
ARTIST: unknown
MATERIALS: embroidery on linen
PERIOD: 1066-1080 CE (ROMANESQUE)
PURPOSE: depicts a continuous frieze-like narrative of the Norman defeat of the Anglo-Saxons at Hastings in 1066 (caused a crossing of languages)
not actually a tapestry, but relates to what is seen in Romanseque illuminated manuscript
8 colors of dyed wool yarn (yellow, blue, terracotta red, buff, & green)
2 types of stitching: stem stitching (used to outline contours) & laid-and-couched stitching (used for solid areas)
mainly illustrates the Battle of Hastings & Norman conquest, but includes lesser events such as preparing for battle & serving meals
theme of RELATING EVENTS (similar to Column of Trajan 045)
060
Identify ARTIST, MATERIALS, PERIOD, & PURPOSE
TITLE: Chartes Cathedral
ARTIST: unknown
MATERIALS: limestone, stained glass
PERIOD: 1145-1155 CE (GOTHIC)
PURPOSE: representation of “Heaven on Earth” & pilgrimage for people to visit the reliquary of Mary’s Tunic
West Facade
opposite of Early Christian churches by using an elaborate exterior
Great Portal of the West Facade
common theme: power & majesty of Christ
Left tympanum: Christ’s ascension into glory
Right tympanum: Christ in the lap of the Virgin Mary (“Throne of Wisdom”)
Center portal: Christ surrounded by a mandorla & flanked by the symbols of the Four Evangelists
below the capitals: jamb statues depict Old Testament kings & queens (Christ’s ancestors)
Notre Dame de la Belle Verriere
windows were created to read like illuminated manuscripts for the poor who could not read
subject matters: biblical stories, lives of saints, religious parables, zodiac signs, & epic stories
Queen of Heaven holding the Christ child dressed in a blue robe & a nimbus with a crown
surrounded by angels in the “Throne of Wisdom” pose
061
Identify ARTIST, MATERIALS, PERIOD, & PURPOSE
TITLE: Bibles Moralisees
ARTIST: unknown
MATERIALS: illuminated manuscript (ink, tempera, & gold lead on vellum)
PERIOD: 1225-1245 CE (GOTHIC)
PURPOSE: designed for the personal use of Louis XI & the royal family to teach the French king’s religion + depicts episodes to explain allegorical & moral meanings (commissioned by Blanche of Castile, mother of Louis XI)
influenced by stained glass windows
type of Bible picture that traditionally paired Old & New Testament scenes
extremely expensive, were created to interpret scriptures (does not contain the full text)
Dedication Page
Blanche & Louis enthroned in the upper panel + Monk & Scribe in the lower panel
Blanche: Louis’s regent until he came of age to rule France (similar to how the monk instructs the scribe)
Parisian court style: refined features of figures, graceful proportions, & delicate hands
Scenes of the Apocalypse
Folio of the text of the Bible
pairings of the Old & New Testament with explanatory texts
combine literary & visual readings to convey a moral
062
Identify ARTIST, MATERIALS, PERIOD, & PURPOSE
TITLE: Röttgen Pietà
ARTIST: unknown
MATERIALS: painted wood
PERIOD: 1300-1325 CE (LATE MEDIEVAL/GOTHIC)
PURPOSE: viewers could connect to the suffering of Christ & Mary + find comfort in ultimate salvation after huge sacrifice
Mary’s mouth open in anguish (appears audible)
Christ’s body is twisted & distorted
the suffering in the artwork draws a parallel to the difficulties in Germany during the 14th c.
image of past suffering, but also connects the viewer to the intensity of his sacrifice
063
Identify ARTIST, MATERIALS, PERIOD, & PURPOSE
TITLE: Arena (Scrovegni)
ARTIST: Giotto di Bondone (artist), unknown architect
MATERIALS: brick & fresco
PERIOD: 1305 CE (14TH CENTURY)
PURPOSE: chapel inside a Christian church commissioned by a family to atone for their sins
includes 38 registers in 3 registers
First level: scenes from the life of Madonna & her parents, Anna & Joachim
Middle level: images of Christ’s life
Lower level: presents Christ’s Passion, Crucifixion, & Resurrection
the chapel is painted in a DEEP BLUE to represent heaven (also creates a sense of unity)
Lamentation Scene
depicts the mourning of Christ before his entombment (grieving angels, Mary holds her dead son)
mourners on both sides create a sense of depth on a flat surface
figures possess volume & solidarity (not done since Classical times)
juxtaposes the flat, frontal, & static Byzantine style (uses light & shadow to create corporal volume)
064
Identify ARTIST, MATERIALS, PERIOD, & PURPOSE
TITLE: Golden Haggadah
ARTIST: unknown
MATERIALS: illuminated manuscript (pigment & gold lead on vellum)
PERIOD: 1320 CE (LATE MEDIEVAL SPAIN)
PURPOSE: show the resiliency of Jewish persecution on the Iberian Peninsula (considered an education text & would have been used in a private home)
depicts the various activities of the Jewish Passover (originally thought of as Christian)
long bodies of red & blue in every manuscript
Haggadah: collection of Jewish prayer written to accompany a seder (a ritual meal eaten the night before the Passover festival begins)
likely created for a rich patron that could allow him to show off his wealth & piety
065
Identify ARTIST, MATERIALS, PERIOD, & PURPOSE
TITLE: Alhambra
ARTIST: unknown
MATERIALS: whitewashed adobe stucco, wood, tile, paint, & gilding
PERIOD: 1354-1391 CE (NASRID DYNASTY)
PURPOSE: structures with three distinct purposes —> citadel: a residence for the ruler & close family, Alcazabra: barracks for the elite guard who was responsible for the safety of the complex, & the medina (city): where court officials lived/worked
built by the last Muslims to rule in Spain (the Nasrid)
1 mile of walls & 30 towers enclose the city & access is restricted to four main gates
highly ornate interior spaces & patios contrast the plain walls of the fortress exterior
Palace of the Lions
has a fountain with a complex hydraulic system consisting of a marble basin on the backs of 12 carved stone lions situated at the intersection of the two water channels
stucco carvings are held up by a series of slender columns
Hall of the Two Sisters
large domed room decorated with carved & painted stucco in muqarnas forms with elaborate & STAR MOTIFS
the ceiling represents where the prophet Muhammed received revelations from god
mocarabes: smaller indented pieces neatly arranged to create Arabesque patterns in Islamic architecture
066
Identify ARTIST, MATERIALS, PERIOD, & PURPOSE
TITLE: Annunciation Triptych
ARTIST: Robert Campin in his workshop
MATERIALS: oil on wood
PERIOD: 1427-1432 CE (EARLY RENAISSANCE)
PURPOSE: a small, portable object used for worship in a private home (different from large-scale pieces in churches or cathedrals) because the clergy became involved in the politics of the Great Schism
Center Panel
annunciation scene that takes place in a 15th-century Flemish home (helped the worshipper better connect to the events in the panel)
small image of Christ with his cross coming through the window on a beam of light & heading to Mary’s womb
The Bible book opened to Isaiah 7:14
Lillies: a symbol of Mary’s purity
smoking candle: the incarnation (Isaiah 42:3)
copper basin & towel: washing away sin
Right Wing
depicts Joseph in his workshop
ax, sax, rod: all relate to the prophecy of Isaiah 10:15
crafting a mousetrap (refers to Christ as the bait to catch the devil)
Left Wing
depicts donors (patrons) looking in the center scene inside a walled garden
garden: another symbol of Mary’s purity
flowers in the garden are iconography of the Virgin Mary
067
Identify ARTIST, MATERIALS, PERIOD, & PURPOSE
TITLE: Pazzi Chapel (of Sante Croce)
ARTIST: architect Filippo Brunelleschi
MATERIALS: masonry
PERIOD: 1429-1461 CE (ITALIAN RENAISSANCE)
PURPOSE: meeting for Franciscan monks, burial site for Pazzi family members, representation of family’s power
included a central-plan design & a central square capped by a round dome on pendentives
outside was never finished because the family suffered the consequences of a conspiracy organized by Jacopo & Francesco de’ Pazzi
extensions are placed at each end that are exactly half the width of the central square (creating PERFECT PROPORTIONS)
contains 6 Corinthian columns placed next to the central arch
interior: Corinthian pilasters, ornamental arches, & roundels (round panels) featuring the 12 Apostles above the blind arches
includes 4 Evangelists & cherubs on the medals of the extern frieze
theme: graceful, balanced, & harmonious
068
Identify ARTIST, MATERIALS, PERIOD, & PURPOSE
TITLE: The Arnolfini Portrait
ARTIST: Jan van Eyck
MATERIALS: oil on wood
PERIOD: 1434 CE (EARLY RENAISSANCE)
PURPOSE: commissioned by Giovanni Arnolfini, a silk merchant from the Medici family in Flanders, to paint him pledging fidelity to his wife
Convex mirror: two additional figures are reflected on its surface (most likely Jan van Eyck & his assistant; function as witnesses to the dutiful pledge)
Symbolism
dog: fidelity
clogs cast aside: holy ground
peaches on the window still: fertility'
single candle in chandelier: nuptials of a Flemish tradition
image of Saint Margaret (bedpost finial): patron saint of childbirth
husband’s position near the window: indicates that he is the provider & part of the “outside” world
wife’s position near the bed: indicates her domestic responsibilities & that she is part of the “inside” world
069
Identify ARTIST, MATERIALS, PERIOD, & PURPOSE
TITLE: David
ARTIST: Donatello
MATERIALS: bronze
PERIOD: 1440-1460 CE (ITALIAN RENAISSANCE)
PURPOSE: depicts David, a king from the Old Testament, at an earlier point in his life to suggest his youth & innocence + the power of David paralleled Florentine people
depicts a nude David with his foot placed on the head of Goliath (a victorious moment from a biblical story)
summary: David struck Goliath with a rock from a slingshot & cut off his head with a sword
boots & shepard hat: refers to his victory or role as a poet/musician
his muscles are barely developed enough to hold his sword (makes his victory seem almost impossible)
Drastic changes from previous depictions
during the Middle Ages, nudity was only used in moral contexts (such as Adam & Eve)
usually depicted as an older king (not young)
nudity: common for rendering figures who were gods, heroes, or athletes (can apply to David as a triumphant hero)
070
Identify ARTIST, MATERIALS, PERIOD, & PURPOSE
TITLE: Palazzo Rucellai
ARTIST: architect Leon Battista Alberti
MATERIALS: stone & masonry
PERIOD: 1450 CE (ITALIAN RENAISSANCE)
PURPOSE: commissioned by the Medici family; made the city look aesthetically pleasing & drew attention to foreigners (especially ambassadors)
stories are defined by flat pilasters under full entablatures (replicated elements of ancient Rome in arches & pilasters)
larger blocks on the ground floor = heighten the impression of strength & solidarity
creates an effect reminiscent of the Coliseum
TURNING POINT in architecture (see apart from fortress-like structures in the rest of Florence)
frescoed vaulted ceilings depict mythological figures & motifs
071
Identify ARTIST, MATERIALS, PERIOD, & PURPOSE
TITLE: Madonna and Child with Two Angels
ARTIST: Fra Filippo Lippi
MATERIALS: tempera on wood
PERIOD: 1465 CE (ITALIAN RENAISSANCE)
PURPOSE: used as a model for artists with Madonna’s emotion in the composition, gracefulness of veils, & the woman’s hairdressing (could also be a portrait of Lucrezia Buti, his wife)
displays “human” presentations of Madonna, the child of angels
Virgin Mary: shown in profile, praying in front of boys whose expressions seem mischievous
delicate use of drapery & perspective through a realistic landscape inspired by Flemish paintings
set by a window to show the informality/casualty of the scene (motherly with Christ-child)
072
Identify ARTIST, MATERIALS, PERIOD, & PURPOSE
TITLE: Birth of Venus
ARTIST: Sandro Botticelli
MATERIALS: tempera on canvas
PERIOD: 1484-1486 CE (ITALIAN RENAISSANCE)
PURPOSE: commissioned by the Medici family to paint scenes from Ovid’s Metamorphoses (an important work in Latin literature)
did not seek perfection in perspective or proportion as seen in the length of Venus’s neck & left arm
Neoplatonism: tried to connect Greek & Roman cultural history with Christianity
West wind (Zephyrus) blows Venus ashore onto her sacred island of Cyprus after she was spontaneously generated by the sea
Chloris (wife of Zephyrus) showers Venus with violets (symbol of love)
nymph Pomona rushes to cover the goddess
073
Identify ARTIST, MATERIALS, PERIOD, & PURPOSE
TITLE: The Last Supper
ARTIST: Leonardo da Vinci
MATERIALS: oil on tempera
PERIOD: 1494-1498 CE (ITALIAN RENAISSANCE)
PURPOSE: commissioned by the Duke of Milan for the monastery of a church, meant to be symbolic of how disciples gather for one last dinner
not a fresco, used a unique method for mural painting (instead of tempera paint on stone), causing the artwork to slowly decay
used LINEAR PERSPECTIVE to create an extension of the refectory & provide illusionistic depth
chose to capture the moment in which Jesus announces to his apostles that he knows one of them betrayed him
ignored the tradition of arranging disciples around a circular or square table
portraits of disciples are those of actual people found by Leonardo in Milan
surrounded by disciples with objects of everyday use: tablecloth, forks, knives, glassware, & china
space between Christ: sacred action he is ready to accomplish; offering himself as sacrifice in the form of bread & wine
074
Identify ARTIST, MATERIALS, PERIOD, & PURPOSE
TITLE: Adam and Eve
ARTIST: Albrecht Durer
MATERIALS: engraving
creates a sense of unity & causes figures to be rigid in the foreground
lights & darks are created with fine dotting & a variety of lines to create texture
PERIOD: 1505 CE (NORTHERN RENAISSANCE)
PURPOSE: introduces the German public to the Italian Renaissance advances
aka the Fall of Man, influenced by Durer’s study of the human body & its proportions
an ibex (mountain goat) is at the edge of the cliff to symbolize a perfect tie between Adam & Eve
figures are frontal to demonstrate idealized nude proportions to a Northern audience unfamiliar with classic forms of beauty
tree of knowledge: represented by the fig tree at the center of the piece
parrot: symbolizes wisdom, understanding, & virgin birth of Christ
evil serpent places forbidden fruit in Eve’s hand
elk, bull, rabbit, & cat: represent four humors/temperaments that divide the human soul (sanguine, choleric, melancholic, & phlegmatic)
075
Identify ARTIST, MATERIALS, PERIOD, & PURPOSE
TITLE: Sistine Chapel Ceiling and Altar Wall Frescoes
ARTIST: Michelangelo
MATERIALS: ceiling & altar frescoes
PERIOD: 1536-1541 CE (ITALIAN RENAISSANCE)
PURPOSE: serves as a gathering place for cardinals of the Catholic Church to elect a new pope
painted figures of great strength & beauty
Noah and the Flood
part of the Genesis panels
central ceiling panel on several scenes from the Old Testament
begins with Creation & progresses towards the entrance of the chapel
figures become larger & more expressive towards the farther end
Delphic Sibyl
sibyls & prophets: figures between triangles in the ceiling
sibyls: foretold the coming of a savior, arrival of Jesus Christ on Earth
076
Identify ARTIST, MATERIALS, PERIOD, & PURPOSE
TITLE: School of Athens
ARTIST: Raphael
MATERIALS: fresco
PERIOD: 1509-1511 CE (ITALIAN RENAISSANCE)
PURPOSE: commissioned by Pope Julius II for the Apostolic Palace in Vatican City
painted in a collection as a summary of Western learning during the Renaissance (part of the philosophy wall)
depicts a gathering of Greek philosophers engaged in various activities (dedicated to the drive to understand knowledge)
all figures are MEN
central figures: PLATO & ARISTOTLE
Plato: shown as the older, wise, & gray-haired (holding a copy of Timaeus & giving an upward gesture with his right hand to symbolize higher spiritual matters)
Aristotle/student: carries a copy of Nicomachean in his left hand & an outward gesture in his right hand (symbolic of his interest in the world & ethical issues)
077
Identify ARTIST, MATERIALS, PERIOD, & PURPOSE
TITLE: Isenheim Altarpiece
ARTIST: Matthias Grunewald
MATERIALS: oil on wood
PERIOD: 1512-1516 CE (NORTHERN RENAISSANCE)
PURPOSE: painted for the church of a hospital; the art of Christ’s suffering would help patients with ergotism (a painful skin disease caused by a fungus on rye)
rejects the rule of the Renaissance through a hierarchical perspective
sacrificed the beauty of the painting for the sake of a spiritual lesson
Center Panel (Closed)
depicts the crucifixion of Jesus as his dying body is distorted & tortured
dark red blood creates a visual tension against the sickly green-colored skin
Mary: dressed like a widow in white & falls into the arms of St. John the Evangelist
St. Mary Magdalene: smaller figure whose hands are in sorrow
St. John the Baptist: points the viewer to Christ
lamb carrying the cross: about to pour blood into the chalice of the Holy Communion at John Baptist’s feet
Predella Panel (lowest altarpiece)
considered a lamentation scene
green flesh of Christ would have spoken to the patients at St. Anothy’s fire due to their skin having a similar effect
when opened: the limbs of Christ are amputated from his body (symbolic to patients who have to undergo amputations in their treatments)
078
Identify ARTIST, MATERIALS, PERIOD, & PURPOSE
TITLE: The Entombment of Christ
ARTIST: Jacopo da Pontormo
MATERIALS: oil on wood
PERIOD: 1525-1528 CE (NORTHERN RENAISSANCE)
PURPOSE: used a new art style (Mannerism) to reflect on the economic & religious downfall of Italy during the Protestant Reformation
Mannerism: lack of balance, proportion, or harmony characterized by elongated limbs, small heads, & stylized facial features
depicts grief-stricken people at the death of Jesus
bright pink & blue contrast a lifeless Christ
Jesus sustains weight in his body, symbolic of the sin & grief of his believers
no cross is visible (natural world has vanished)
lonely cloud & shadowed patch give space for mourners (the sky has lost all color, but the mourners are still vibrant)
crouching man in the foreground: the most empathetic figure, illustrates great emotion
COMPLETE REJECTION OF THE RENAISSANCE
figural composition: upside-down pyramid
079
Identify ARTIST, MATERIALS, PERIOD, & PURPOSE
TITLE: Allegory of Law and Grace
ARTIST: Lucas Cranach the Elder
MATERIALS: woodcut & letterpress
PERIOD: 1530 CE (NORTHERN RENAISSANCE)
PURPOSE: reveals the duality of God’s relationship to the people + reflects Protestant sympathies similar to Catholicism law, death, & damnations
Left Side of the Tree
depicts the fate of the believer under the Catholic interpretation of scriptures in the Bible & religious law
demon & skeleton force a naked believer into the gates of hell as Moses
surrounded by Old Testament prophets
background: Christ sits in judgment of Adam & Eve as Eve commits the first sin at the Tree of Knowledge
Right Side of the Tree
Protestant interpretation of religion that God is merciful
naked man’s attention is directed to crucifixion & Christ by John the Baptist
resurrection & God’s mercy will save his soul on judgment day
Protestant view: hope, grace, & ultimate salvation
080
Identify ARTIST, MATERIALS, PERIOD, & PURPOSE
TITLE: Venus of Urbino
ARTIST: Titan
MATERIALS: oil on canvas
PERIOD: 1538 CE (NORTHERN RENAISSANCE)
PURPOSE: meant to portray the beauty of the female body & the subject was likely a concubine or mistress of the Duke of Urbino
warm, golden hue with naturalistic curves modeled in the light
contrasted by illusionistic depth: caused by the inclusion of two maids & the “Venetian sky” in the background
use of chiaroscuro (blending, created from 10-15 layers of thin oil paint)
creates the TRADITION of the reclining nude model for Western art
disproportionate, but appealing to the human eye (her torso is too long & her feet are tiny)
small dog: represents fidelity as a PENDANT (or balancing figure)
081
Identify ARTIST, MATERIALS, PERIOD, & PURPOSE
TITLE: Frontispiece of the Codex Mendoza
ARTIST: Viceroyalty of New Spain
MATERIALS: ink & color on paper
PERIOD: 1541-1542 CE (NORTHERN RENAISSANCE)
PURPOSE: told the history of the Aztec Empire Cortes conquered & reviewed the customs of the indigenous people
commissioned native scribes & painters to produce an illuminated manuscript
produced on European paper from Spain
incorporates labels in Aztec hieroglyphs & Spanish to explain the founding of the capital city (Tenochtitlan)
legend: eagle on a prickly bear cactus in Lake Texcoco, marking the spot where nomadic warriors were told to settle by the chief Aztec deity
center of the city: reference to the main temple
right side: skull rack shows sacrificial victims the Aztecs threw down pyramid steps after removing their hearts
082
Identify ARTIST, MATERIALS, PERIOD, & PURPOSE
TITLE: Il Gesu
ARTIST: Giacomo da Vignola (architect), Giacomo della Porta (architect), Giovanni Battista Gaulli (artist)
MATERIALS: brick, marble, fresco, & stucco
PERIOD: 1568-1679 CE (BAROQUE)
PURPOSE: considered the “mother church” of the Jesuit order became allies with the Catholic Church (against the Protestant Reformation) + Jesuits needed a building to reflect this new reputation
characteristics: scroll buttress on the upper story, sharp & sudden verticality, projection of the central section of the lower story
designed to show the IMPORTANCE of ritual (has a single great hall for large processions)
Triumph of the Name of Jesus (ceiling fresco)
gilded stucco decoration supported by white stucco angels
kneeling figures rise to heaven while God banishes sinners to hell
left: Magi offers gifts in the name of Christ
right: darkness & sinner tumble towards the viewer (& ultimately their fate)
Di sotto in su: “from below upwards,” incorporated into ceiling frescoes by Baroque artists
goes AGAINST typical Renaissance order & expresses the separation between the earthly & heavenly
083
Identify ARTIST, MATERIALS, PERIOD, & PURPOSE
TITLE: Hunters in the Snow
ARTIST: Pieter Bruegel the Elder
MATERIALS: oil on wood
PERIOD: 1565 (NORTHERN RENAISSANCE)
PURPOSE: commissioned by a wealthy merchant in Antwerp
came out of one of Bruegel’s most famous projects: Book of Hours (depicted seasons & peasants)
represented JANUARY & FEBRUARY (produced during a harsh winter)
depicts exhausted hunters & their dogs as they return to a snow-covered village with only one rabbit
contrasted by women building fire & skaters enjoying the frozen pond
uses two DOMINANT cool colors: white of the snow & pale green of the sky
the black color of the people, trees, & dogs contrasts with the color of the setting
sense of MELANCHOLY: dogs’ heads are down, only one catch (a rabbit)
084
Identify ARTIST, MATERIALS, PERIOD, & PURPOSE
TITLE: Mosque of Selim II
ARTIST: Sinan (architect)
MATERIALS: brick & stone
PERIOD: 1568-1575 CE (OTTOMAN)
PURPOSE: built as a monument for the Sultan that expressed Islam’s triumph over an area dominated by Christianity (wanted to surpass Christian churches)
has pencil-like minarets that reach toward the heavens
madrasa: type of educational institution, secular or religion
schools for learning about the Quran were added later alongside the shops (arasta)
has a nearly squared prayer hall above an ethereal dome
the dome contains 8 muqarnas-corbelled squinches (architectural support) that are supported by 8 large piers
muqarnas: decorative forms that alternately protrude to bridge a point of transition (allows for more space below)
exterior buttresses hold up the majority of the weight within the dome & are hidden among porticos & galleries
the exterior of the building is not considered an afterthought (compared to early Byzantine & Ottoman mosques such as the Hagia Sophia)
085
Identify ARTIST, MATERIALS, PERIOD, & PURPOSE
TITLE: The Calling of Saint Matthew
ARTIST: Caravaggio
MATERIALS: oil on canvas
PERIOD: 1597-1601 CE (BAROQUE)
PURPOSE: part of a set Caravaggio painted for the Saint Matthew Cycle for the inspiration, CALLING, & martyrdom
setting: commonplace/tavern with unadorned walls (mostly empty)
Christ is cloaked in the shadows & is recognizable only through a light halo
tax-gatherer Levi: Saint Matthew’s name before becoming an apostle
depicts Saint Matthew counting the day’s proceeds with his 4 attendants
Christ points with a powerful gesture to draw attention to the picture plane & Levi draws back with a gesture as if to say “Who, me?”
two figures on the left put $$$ before Christ (speaks to short-sightedness of money & greed)
two younger boys on the right respond to the presence of Christ
contrast from costumes: Christ being barefoot & in a timeless cloak represents the spiritual world VS. Levi who has a contemporary style of dress
086
Identify ARTIST, MATERIALS, PERIOD, & PURPOSE
TITLE: Henry IV Receives the Portrait of Marie de’ Medici
ARTIST: Peter Paul Rubens
MATERIALS: oil on canvas
PERIOD: 1621-1625 CE (BAROQUE)
PURPOSE: commissioned by the widow of Henry IV (Marie de’ Medici) who wanted to glorify herself & her late husband in art form
consider the 6th painting out of a series of 24
characteristics: revolutionary use of allegories, female power, & presence of Marie de’ Medici herself
illustrates Greek gods presenting Marie’s portrait to her future husband & king (Henry IV)
presentation is done by HYMENAIOS (god of marriage) while Jupiter & Juno watch from above
suggests Marie is almost godlike herself & that their marriage was a match made in heaven
female power: Marie is the only figure staring DIRECTLY AT THE VIEWER (usually male figures hold the attention of the viewer)
087
Identify ARTIST, MATERIALS, PERIOD, & PURPOSE
TITLE: Self-Portrait with Saskia
ARTIST: Rembrandt van Rijn
MATERIALS: etching
PERIOD: 1636 CE (BAROQUE)
PURPOSE: Rembrandt often makes other likenesses of himself in imagined historical costumes (ex: as a soldier, beggar, Renaissance courtier, etc.)
in a plumed beret & a fur-trimmed overcoat while his wife wears an old-fashioned veil
Rembrandt dominates the picture with an intense expression, while his wife appears smaller behind him
1st time Rembrandt presents himself as an ARTIST (ironic)
holds a PORTE-CRAYON (a two-ended chalk crayon) as he draws on the paper in front of him
varies the intensity of his etching such as his dark persona verses the light etching of his wife
088
Identify ARTIST, MATERIALS, PERIOD, & PURPOSE
TITLE: San Carlo allo Quatto Fontane
ARTIST: Francesco Borromini
considered a great rival to Bernini (089)
MATERIALS: stone & stucco
PERIOD: 1638-1646 CE (BAROQUE)
PURPOSE: took architecture to new heights with an amplified sense of drama & dynamism with sculptural qualities in architectural form
lower portion: undulates with concave & convex features (creates a 3D effect with deep recessions)
upper portion: concave elements
the interior is also “in motion” as it resembles the typical central-plan structure, but with more fluidity & have a pulsating feel
building plan: a hybrid between a Greek cross & an oval, with a long axis between the entrance & the apse (innovates current Baroque technique through spatial geometry)
089
Identify ARTIST, MATERIALS, PERIOD, & PURPOSE
TITLE: Ecstasy of St. Theresa
ARTIST: Gian Lorenzo Bernini
MATERIALS: marble, stucco, & gilt bronze
PERIOD: 1647-1652 CE (BAROQUE)
PURPOSE: build as a church to work towards the Counter-Reformation & to help people develop a personal relationship with God
sides of the chapel: Bernini carved images of the Cornaro family (witnesses to the divine event)
Ecstasy of St. Theresa (inside)
represents an episode of the saint’s life in which an angel carries a fire-tipped arrow of divine love that he uses to pierce her heart repeatedly (sends her into a spiritual rapture)
shows the transported saint swooning into the void covered by drapery
revealed through a clerestory light through hidden yellow glass windows that demonstrates the divinity of the scene (despite Theresa’s dematerializing body)
technical prowess: different textures in the clouds, cloth of the nun, & feathered wings
090
Identify ARTIST, MATERIALS, PERIOD, & PURPOSE
TITLE: Angel with Arquebus, Asiel Timor Dei
ARTIST: Master of Calamarca (La Paz School)
MATERIALS: oil on canvas
PERIOD: 17th century (BAROQUE)
PURPOSE: created after the 1st missionary orders aimed to terminate the practice of Hispanic religion & enforce Catholicism
could represent the power over indigenous people OR the protection offered to faithful Christians
indigenous people likely saw guns as supernatural manifestations (firearms did not exist in the Americas before Spanish conquests)
arquebus: firearm with a long barrel created by the Spanish in the mid-15th c.
the painting was originally found alone but is a part of a larger collection of angels performing activities such as drumming & holding lances
Catholic-Counter Reformation: held a militaristic idea that the church was an army & the angels were its soldiers
Asiel Timor Dei: dressed in combined contemporary European fashion & dress of indigenous noblemen
091
Identify ARTIST, MATERIALS, PERIOD, & PURPOSE
TITLE: Las Meninas
ARTIST: Diego Velazquez
MATERIALS: oil on canvas
PERIOD: 1656 CE (BAROQUE)
PURPOSE: used to elevate Velazquez’s position by painting for King Felipe IV & Queen Marina (shown by him wearing the Red Cross of the Order of Santiago & showing himself in their royal residence)
translates to The Maids of Honor
Infanta Margarita: wearing white & is surrounded by her ladies-in-waiting
includes the court buffoons Maria Barbola & Nicolasito Pertusato
portrayed the reality of images on canvases
illustrates an optical illusion of two painted images (a picture within a picture)
092
Identify ARTIST, MATERIALS, PERIOD, & PURPOSE
TITLE: Woman Holding a Balance
ARTIST: Johannes Vermeer
MATERIALS: oil on canvas
PERIOD: 1664 CE (BAROQUE)
PURPOSE: meant to portray a scene of everyday life as a Dutch woman weighs her valuables (similar to other Vermeer works), but can also be interpreted as a representation of divine truth or justice
evident due to the Last Judgement painting behind her
the woman is likely part of the upper merchant class in Holland
wearing a fine linen hat that women wore at home along with a fur-trimmed jacket to keep herself warm
indications of material wealth: box of pearls & coins on the table (could be weighing the valuables in front of her)
painting behind her: Christ puts the souls of the damned on his left & the blessed souls on his right
her head DIRECTLY splits the souls of the damned & blessed in the painting
vanishing point is exactly where the woman’s pinky finger is
demonstrates the changes in the 17th century: art was not painted for churches (& religious contexts) but rather but patrons of higher classes
balancing weight & spirituality (valuable possessions vs. Christ)
vanitas = vanity, a painting symbolizing the transient nature of earthly life & pleasure
093
Identify ARTIST, MATERIALS, PERIOD, & PURPOSE
TITLE: The Palace at Versailles
ARTIST: Louis le Vau & Jules Hardouin-Mansart (architects)
MATERIALS: masonry, stone, wood, iron, gold leaf, marble, & bronze
PERIOD: 1669 CE (BAROQUE)
PURPOSE: King Louis XIV decided to build a palace & move his court out of Paris + stands as a prime of the over-the-top excesses of the French nobility that led to the FRENCH REVOLUTION
total of 700 rooms, 2,153 windows, & 67,00 sq meters
Louis XIV: called himself the “Sun King” & claimed that everything revolved around him saying “L’état, c’est moi”
built away from Paris so the sun could rise & set in alignment with his home
room after room of marble & gold + statues of Greek gods
paintings resembled France’s military might & benefits of living calmly under a tranquil ruling government
Hall of Mirrors: 357 mirrors would catch the sun’s rays & remind the servant of Louis’s power
the palace exterior is simpler with repetitive & symmetrical elements similar to Ancient Greek temples (classical societies were seen as the root of intellectual superiority)
094
Identify ARTIST, MATERIALS, PERIOD, & PURPOSE
TITLE: Screen with the Siege of Belgrade and Hunting Scene
ARTIST: the Gonzalez (Juan & Miguel Gonzalez)
MATERIALS: tempera & resin on wood, shell inlay
PERIOD: 1697-1701 CE (BAROQUE)
PURPOSE: divided an intimate sitting room from a ceremonial stateroom in the Viceregal palace + created a new form of luxury art
commissioned by the viceroy of Spain
the influence of folding screens came from Japan through to the Philippines (a Spanish colony)
Siege of Belgrade (FRONT)
scene from the Great Turkish War
functioned as a display of propaganda for receiving international visitors
Hunting Scene (BACK)
suited for an intimate setting such as the sitting room side of the divider
rich floral border & garlands tied in red ribbons on top of hunting scenes are similar to European tapestries
095
Identify ARTIST, MATERIALS, PERIOD, & PURPOSE
TITLE: The Virgin of Guadalupe
ARTIST: Juan Gonzalez
MATERIALS: oil on canvas on wood, inlaid with pearls
PERIOD: 1698 CE (BAROQUE)
PURPOSE: served as an act of veneration (the act of admiring or respecting someone)
1531: Catholic accounts recall a maiden appearing to a Native American peasant named Juan Diego
summary: the maiden identifies herself as the Virgin Mary & asks him to build a church in her honor on the site where she revealed herself; she comes a total of 3 times before leaving the Castilian roses she asked for (out-of-season flowers) & arranged them to an image of the Virgin Mary on his tilma (cloak)
artwork: The Virgin Mary is surrounded by 4 roundels (each supported by an angelic figure) depicting her 3 apparitions to Juan Diego in 1531
inspired by Japanese floral patterns & is a fusion of Eastern & Western artistic traditions
096
Identify ARTIST, MATERIALS, PERIOD, & PURPOSE
TITLE: Fruit and Insects
ARTIST: Rachel Ruysch
MATERIALS: oil on wood
PERIOD: 1711 CE (ROCOCO)
PURPOSE: conveyed the symbolic meaning of the idea that everything must pass away at some point (as evidenced by the spoiled fruit, damaged leaves, & crumbling architecture)
painted for a widening merchant class in Holland
portrays autumn through the subject of the harvest: fruits & vegetables harvested in this season such as corn, squash, chestnuts, grapes, & wheat
still lives: portray items usually on a table & have a symbolic meaning
WHEAT & GRAPES: symbolic of the blood & body of Christ, specifically the Eucharist
considered a MICROCOSM: a small object considered representative of a larger system (ties into the invention of microscopes)
her father specialized in botany & the study of human anatomy (also had a collection of natural wonders that could have inspired Ruysch to make this painting)
mostly uses reds & greens (complimentary colors)
097
Identify ARTIST, MATERIALS, PERIOD, & PURPOSE
TITLE: Spaniard and Indian Produce a Mestizo
ARTIST: Juan Rodriguez Juarez
MATERIALS: oil on canvas
PERIOD: 1715 CE (ROCOCO)
PURPOSE: 1st painting out of a series of 16 vignettes called Casta paintings to demonstrate the hierarchical scale in Spanish society + often commissioned by viceroys (stand-ins for the Spanish king)
contrasts the ideas of the ENLIGHTENMENT, in which people were not supposed to be categorized by appearance & genetic makeup
the first painting is ALWAYS a Spanish man (Caucasian) & an indigenous woman accompanied by Mestizo offspring
rule: the more European one is, the closer to the top of the pyramid you are
depicts a well-dressed man in French-style European garb (ex: powdered wig) & a woman in a HUIPIL, a traditional women’s garment worn in Central Mexico
as Casta progressed: clothing became tattered & torn as the families appear in discord
098
Identify ARTIST, MATERIALS, PERIOD, & PURPOSE
TITLE: The Tête à Tête, from Marriage à la Mode
ARTIST: William Hogarth
MATERIALS: oil on canvas
PERIOD: 1743 CE (ROCOCO)
PURPOSE: the collection was based on poking fun at the aristocracy & alluded to marriages sometimes being arranged for economic benefit rather than love
2nd paintings series of 6 paintings under Marriage à la Mode (translates to Modern Marriage or Marriage of the Day)
industrial revolution —> causes a widening middle class who wants to buy art
Art is not just distinctly enjoyed by the upper classes & depicts subjects that would appeal to the middle class
paintings were going to be used as a model for the prints he was going to make
tells the story of an aristocratic family named the SQUANDERFIELDS (who squandered their aristocratic fortune)
Lord Squanderfield wants his son to marry the daughter of a wealthy merchant so he can maintain his worldly possessions
Tête à Tête (face to face)
the husband has come home from a night of gambling & drinking (the dog is sniffing at a bonnet in his hand & he seems to have gotten no sleep)
the wife had some fun of her own while her husband was away (seen through her undone bodice & flirtatious expression)
a chair is overturned & an instrument & music are on the floor
the wife might have had pleasure while her husband was away (symbolic through the music that alludes to pleasure)
the room adjacent has portraits of saints —> the artist comments on the immorality of the couple
a third figure (an accountant) has bills & receipts in left hand while his other hand is thrown up (alludes to the couple not being able to take care of their finances seriously)
knick-knacks on the mantlepiece seem gaudy & inexpensive (a statue also has its nose broken, probably after some party)