ap art history

Patronage

Who paid for the artwork and why (e.g., kings, popes, city-states)

Cultural Syncretism

Blending of different traditions/cultures in one artwork

Sociopolitical Climate

The social and political environment of the time

Ritual Significance

The role of the object in ceremonies or beliefs

Iconography

The use of symbols in a culture or religion

Chronological placement

Placing artwork in a time-related sequence (helps show development)

Political propaganda

Art created to persuade or influence opinion

Religious authority

Connection to spiritual/religious power (common in Medieval and Islamic art)

Composite view

Combining multiple perspectives in one image (e.g., twisted perspective)

Stylization

Artistic distortion to meet cultural or religious standards

Hierarchical scale

Using size to show importance

Axis Mundi

A cosmic or symbolic center (often used in Mesoamerican art)

Symmetry / Asymmetry

Formal balance or deliberate imbalance

Relief carving

Sculpture carved into a surface (high/low relief)

Contrapposto

Naturalistic stance in classical sculpture (weight shift)

Pictorial depth

Use of illusion to create space

Repetition / Rhythm

Repeated forms to lead the eye or create symbolism

Didactic

Meant to teach a lesson (especially moral or religious)

Commemorative

Created to honor a person, event, or deity

Votive

Offering to a deity (common in Mesopotamia, early Christian, Islamic)

Funerary

Related to burial or the afterlife

Devotional

Encouraging prayer or meditation

Political legitimization

Used to prove a ruler's divine right or authority

Architectural symbolism

How structure/form reflects beliefs or status

Juxtapose

To compare contrasting elements within an artwork

Evoke

To suggest emotion or a deeper meaning

Impose

To force an idea or value through art

Allude to

To indirectly reference a concept or historical idea

Embodies

To perfectly express an idea (e.g., "This sculpture embodies divine authority.")

Conveys

Use instead of "shows"

Reinforces

Use when talking about how form supports function