JMU Fall Semester - Art History 205 Midterm - Charles Maddox 2023

iconography

the study of a group of representative pictures or symbols

iconology

the study of visual imagery and its symbolism and interpretation, especially in social or political terms.

parietal art

wall paintings

therianthrope

part human, part animal

modeling

process of creating the illusion of 3Don a 2D surface

post-and-lintel

a structure consisting of vertical beams (posts) supporting a horizontal beam (lintel)

corbel, corbelling, corbelled arch and vault

An early roofing and arching technique in which each course of stone projects slightly beyond the previous layer until the uppermost corbels meet. The vault is made by projecting stones. Arch- an arch or vault formed by courses of stones, each of which projects beyond the lower course until the space is closed

megalith

large stone

menhir

large, upright standing stone

henge

an arrangement of megalithic stones in a circle

alignment

an arrangement of menhirs

ziggurat

a tall stepped tower built by the ancient Sumerians as a temple to a god.

registers

self-contained bands or relief or decoration

hieratic scale

the use of different size for significant or holy figures and those of the everyday world to indicate importance; the larger the figure, the greater the importance

composite view

a way of representing a figure so that part of it is seen in profile and part of it is seen frontally

votive figure

an image created as a devotional offering to a deity

hypostyle hall

a large interior room characterized by many closely spaced columns that support its roof

ba

that aspect of the Egyptian individual that marks him or her as an individual. It refers to those non-physical properties that make a person unique.

ka

almost indefinable. Usually referred to as the creative life-force of each individual, human or divine. It marks the difference between the living and the dead, and comes into being at birth. It must be united with the ba in order for the akh to come into being.

akh

the enduring and unchanging form of the deceased in the afterlife created by the reunion of the ba and the ka.

ankh

egyptian good luck symbol; symbol for eternal life

necropolis

cemetery

sed festival

an ancient Egyptian festival that reestablishes the power of the king

relief sculpture

sculpture that projects from a flat background

high relief

deep carving in which the design projects quite far from its background

sunken relief

when the image is carved below the original surface of the background, which is not cut away

chthonic

of or pertaining to the deities, spirits, and other beings dwelling under the earth

buon fresco

painting on wet plaster (permanent)

fresco secco

painting on dry plaster (will flake off)

rhyton

a vessel in the shape of a figure or an animal, used for drinking or pouring liquids on special occasions.

repoussé

(of metalwork) hammered into relief from the reverse side.

repoussé

(of metalwork) hammered into relief from the reverse side.

humanism

the idea that human beings are the primary measure of all things

rationalism

the belief that human reasoning is the source for understanding the world

idealism

a belief inand the puruit of perfect forms. these forms may be political, social, economic, religious, or artistic

doric order

simple, heavy columns without a base and topped by a broad, plain capital

ionic order

middle size of greek classical columns, with capitals decorated with scrolls

corinthian order

the most decorative of the classical Greek architectural styles, featuring a fluted column shaft, capitals with flowers and leaves below a small scroll, and a large base; used more by the Romans

kore

an archaic Greek statue of a young woman, standing and clothed in long loose robes.

kouros

an archaic Greek statue of a young man, standing and often naked.

black-figure vase

the silhouetting of dark figures against a light background of natural, reddish clay, with linear details incised through the silhouettes.

red-figure vase

the silhouetting of red figures against a black background, with painted linear details; the reverse of black-figure painting.

contrapposto

an asymmetrical arrangement of the human figure in which the line of the arms and shoulders contrasts with while balancing those of the hips and legs.

syncretism

a blending of beliefs and practices from different religions into one faith

what cognitive capability and critical abilities sets us apart from our predecessors andfrom all of our contemporary animal relatives?

the cognative capability to recognize symbols and imagery

sophisticated stone tools appearing by 1.6 million years ago such as the Acheuleanhand axe are indicative of certain changes in our ancestors' physical and cognitive abilities and should be understood in certain terms. Explain in terms of performance and process.

these stone tools are indicative of changes in our ancestors physical and cognitive abilities because the tools production involes a complex multistep process.

- the tools also have a social function, since they announced an individual's skill, status, and standing with the community.

therianthrops and male figures are relatively rare. What are the subjects of most Upper Paleolithic mobile sculptures?

most human figures from the upper paleolithic period are female

as exemplified by the famous Woman from Willendorf (the "w" is pronounced as a"v"), there are certain characteristics shared by most female figurines. What are these characteristics and what, according to your text, may they represent?

Large hips, breasts and curves, and a deep navel. These characteristics represent fertility and health ensuring that children are produced healthy.

it is important to know for the purposes of this course the information presented in the lecture about the Mesolithic Period. Study the following example of this art onMDID: People and Animals. Learn from the lecture what is distinctive about this art, what differentiates it from Upper Paleolithic art. Note that Lepinsky Vir (p. 14) is Mesolithic as opposed to Neolithic. Why?

The sculpture is showing that our ancestors were beginning to be able to portray the human form and expression through art. It's becoming more and more accurate to the reality of the human form.

the size of megalithic structures indicates what about the social structure of thepeoples who built them?

The sculpture is showing that our ancestors were beginning to be able to portray the human form and expression through art. It's becoming more and more accurate to the reality of the human form.

the rituals associated with large, elaborate structures, such as Newgrange in Ireland, most likely fostered what social response? The answer: They fostered individual and group identity and cohesion.

they fostered individual and group identity and cohesion

bronze production and use had what effect upon European peoples?

Since bronze was the metal of choice, both tin and copper were necessary. Tin was not widely available in all parts of Europe and this lead to trade and intergroup contacts across the continent and into the Near East. Bronze objects circulated the continent as prized goods.

The people of the ancient Near East were polytheists (learn the term). But, each city had a special relationship with one deity. What is the special relationship that was believed to exist between the city and its primary deity?

Polytheist: Person(s) who worship multiple gods; cities had own protective deities, the fate of the city was seen as dependent on the power of that deity, they built centers of worship and government based on them

What are ziggurats and what was their function? Compare this function to the purpose served by the Egyptian pyramids

Ziggurats are the center of life of the city. They are rectangular buildings with a temple on top, and a shrine on top of that. They signify stability and power among rulers, and act as a bridge between Earth and heaven. Egyptian pyramids were built for Pharaohs, religion, and the belief in an afterlife and preserving the body

The famous Uruk vase is a representation of what event and what is the purpose of this event? (This vase is a good example of hieratic scale.)

The ritual marriage between the goddess and Dumuzi, her consort -- a role taken by the priest-king -- that took place during the New Year's festival to ensure the fertility of crops, animals, and people, and thus the continued survival of Uruk

What was the purpose of votive statues such as the well-known collection from the Square Temple, Eshnunna?

Votive figures are human figures with hands clasped and eyes looking up (perhaps towards a God). They are either asking for help or thanks

Study the Disk of Enheduanna. What is the "first" with which her name is associated and what is represented on the disk?

She is the first author to sign her name, men bring her offerings and her female followers welcome them

What new, precedent setting status (claim) did Naram-Sin assume? (p. 27, 36)

It's the first work of art created to celebrate a specific achievement of an individual ruler; the concept of imperial authority, specifically commemorates his victory over the Lullubi people of the Zagros Mountains

By what symbolic means did the grandson of Sargon represent his own status in the Stele of Naram-sin? Who was this grandson? (p. 27, 36)

The grandson of Sargon, Naram-sin, he was watched over by the sun gods symbolized by the rayed suns at the top of the stele, horned helmet-crown worn only by gods, and his height compared to fallen soldiers and foe

In the reconstruction drawing of the great city of Babylon and in the Ishtar Gate and Throne Room Hall one can see in its architecture dragons and bulls that associate the power of the city with what three deities? (Rf. to the captions)

dragons with the head and body of a snake, forelegs of a lion and thind legs of a bird of prey (Marduk), bull (adad the storm god), and lions (Ishtar)

One does not find major temple structures among the ancient Persians. Explain the reason for this. (From the lectures)

they believed that the gods were everywhere and immanent and no building could or should contain them

The sculpture associated with the Apadana of Darius and Xerxes emphasize what three aspects of the power and control of the Persian rulers?

It displays the reliefs of animal combat, tired ranks of royal guards and delegations of tribute bearers.

What was the world's first large scale "archaeological" expedition and what effect did it have on European culture?

Armies of Napoleon in 1798. It affected Eurpoean culture by making Europeans desire ⥆for things that were Egyptian that has never been seen again

What protections were the Egyptian rulers to provide for their subjects?

Protection from outside aggression & natural catastrophes

In the text box "Egyptian Symbols" are presented nine symbols (including the scepter) frequently encountered in Egyptian art. You may be shown one or more of these on an exam or quiz and asked to describe the object and concepts with which it is equated or associated.

White crown of Upper Egypt (the South)

Red crown of lower Egypt (the North)

Double crown of unified Egypt

Wedjat (eye of Horus)

Falcon (the god Horus)

Ankh- symbol of everlasting life Scarab- associated with creation, resurrection, and the rising sun Horus

Nemes headdress - reprsents the goddess of wadjet of lower Egypt

"Egyptian religious beliefs reflect an ordered cosmos." Explain this feature of Egyptian culture as described in Stokstad. Consider the idea of an ordered cosmos with respect to the concept of ma'atas presented in the lectures

In Egyptians worldview, the movements of heavenly bodies, the working of gods, and the humblest of human activities were all believed to be part of a balanced and harmonious grand design.

The political control of dynastic rulers was strengthened by their having become considered as and revered as what?

gods in human form

What was the convention for the representation of the human body in ancient Egypt, and were sculptors capable of representing the human body in other ways?

conventions based on conceptual principles rather tan on the observation of the natural world with an eye to rendering it in lifelike fashion ( sculptures - reprsented the human figure as a conceptualized composite of multiple viewpoints) eventually a system of mathematical formulas was developed to determine design and proportions (Egyptian pictorial relief, cannon of proportions)

A considerable proportion of extant ancient Egyptian art and architecture is the result of the belief in the existence of the ka. What is the ka, what are it's needs and how are these needs fulfilled? See the related questions 23 and 26 below.

the ka is a human life-force. the ka needs a body to live in (mummified body or sculpture likeliness in the form of a stature), the ka of a departed king needed a comfortable home, Egyptians preserved the bodies of the royal dead with care and place them in burial chambers filled with sculpted body substitutes and all supplies/furnishings the ka might reqiure throughout eternity. The ka must be united with the ba in order for the akh to come into being.

Why was it important to provide for the kings the means (pyramids, grave goods, etc.) for a comfortable afterlife?

It was important to provide a comfortable home for the "ka" of a departed king, so that even in the afterlife he would continue to ensure the well-being of Egypt. Their burial chambers were filled with sculpted body substitutes and all the supplies and furnishings the "ka" of the king might require throughout eternity.

Who is the first architect in history whose name is known? His fame rests in his design for what structure? What is new about the design?

The first known architect in history is named Imhotep. He was the architect who designed Djoser's tomb as a stepped pyramid made out of six mastaba-like elements of decreasing size stacked on top of each other. This is a new design because it was originally just a single mastaba that kings were buried in.

Why was the site of the pyramids of Menkaura, Khafra and Khufu east-west oriented?

The site was carefully planned to follow the sun's east-west path.

Is the Seated Scribe aka statue? Make your deduction based on its location and attend to the lectures.

Yes, because it was found near the tomb of Kai, and the eyes give illusion of being in motion as if they were seeking contact.

The tomb statuettes of servants, reliefs, paintings and models served what function?

Made for the Old Kingdom so that the deceased could be provided for in the next world

Scenes of royal hunts, such as seen in Ti Watching a Hippopotamus Hunt, reflect what royal power (responsibility)? Why is a hippo hunt not simply sport? It represented the courage of the deceased and was a metaphor for the triumph over what?

Scenes of royal hunts reflect the royal responsibility of containing ma'at to maintain balance in the cosmos. The hippo hunt is simply not a sport because hippos were destructive, powerful animals which would wander into fields and damage crops. It was a metaphor for the triumph of good over evil, or at least of order over destruction.

Who were permitted to enter the sanctuary of Amun?

Priests were allowed in the sanctuary to wash the king's statue.

Describe the daily "life" of the statue of the god Amun at the Karnak temple dedicated to him. Note that this treatment of sacred sculptures occurred elsewhere in Egypt. Similar treatment of statues is also found in ancient Greece and is a practice found in Hinduism to this day, such as at the temple of Minakshi-Sundareshvara in Tamil Nadu, India.

Priests washed the god's statue every morning and clothed it in a new garment. His statue was provided with two meals every day, which priests then removed and ate themselves.

To what extent and with what type of sculpture were the interiors of temple halls decorated?

Nearly every inch of the halls column, walls, and cross-beams were covered and painted with pictorial reliefs and inscriptions - large free-standing sculpture including obelisks, tall, pointed pillars, associated with the sun in Egyptian iconography.

What is particularly unusual about the status of Hatshepsut?

Hatshepsut declared herself "king" by the priests of Amun. She was represented as a male king

Describe the new religion Akhenaten founded and his role in that religion such as his relationship to Aten. What does his name mean?

The religion honored a supreme god, the life-giving sun deity Aten (represented by the sun disk). Name from Amenhotep IV to Akhenaten ("One Who is Effective on Behalf of the Aten")

How is the wall painting of the Girl Gathering Saffron Crocus Flowers related to the function of the room within which it is located?

Saffron had medicinal properties and was used to alleviate menstrual cramps, and the fresco was part of the painted decoration of a room that some scholars believe housed the coming-of-age ceremonies of young women at the onset of menses

As exemplified by the case of the Girl Gathering Saffron Crocus Flowers, what might one consider in the search for meaning?

When searching for the meaning one might consider where they are found and how they are grouped with one another as the image of the girl gathering saffron Crocus flowers illustrates the ritual uses of a room or building

Who killed the Minotaur, and what practice did he thereby bring to an end?

Theseus, he ended the practice of sending 7 boys and 7 girls into the labyrinth every year.

Characterize the technique and style of Minoan wall painting.

Wall paintings were done as fresco murals that would take up the entire side of one wall. The colors were often vibrant and depicted the subjects in either profile view or face on

Explain the way in which Minoan wall painting is similar to and yet differs from Egyptian painting. (from the text and lectures)

Minoan wall paintings are a celebration of the natural world using stylized patterning of the natural forms and decorative use of bright colors. Minoan wall paintings are focused on this life, the here and the now. It's very lively and active (full of movement). Egyptian wall painting is very cool and stable. Egyptian wall painting is focused on the afterlife and making sure the person depicted does well in their life after death. It's very rigid and stiff.

Learn the function of rhytons as presented in the lectures and study and learn the formal characteristics of the scene in the Harvester Vase that distinguish it from Egyptian and Near Eastern art and learn what is new in the scene. Observe that there is a new sense of time, of the contingent, of immediacy that distinguish the scene from the eternal timelessness of Egyptian and Near Eastern art. (from the text and lectures)

Rythons are vessels used for pouring liquid. There holes in the ends to to allow passing through of liquid, broken, and put in graves. The harvester vase distinguishes from egyptian and near eastern art by having figures that overlap and jostle one another in contrast to eastern or egyptian art where figures would be marching in patterned single file. The men's faces show exuberance. They march and chant to sistrum.

The Mycenaean megaron came to be associated with what social and political rank by archaeologists? To what purpose did the Greeks adapt the megaron?

It came to be associated with royalty. The greeks adapted the form when building temples.

The vault of the Treasury of Atreus is of what type of construction?

corbelled

In the broadest terms, describe how Greek art can be differentiated from Egyptian artand culture. This information is presented in several places in the section "The Emergence of Greek Civilization" and "The Geometric Period." See also "The Temple of Aphaia on Aegina."

-The flesh looks more real- later on in classical greece

-Free standing people -- arms carved out to look more realIn archaic greek statues the faces were actually less realistic and more exaggerated, versus egyptian statues which looked like real flesh over bone

Abstract patterns and designs differed highly from the depictions represented in eygptian art. While egyptian art and the geometric period were both very orderly and strict, Egyptians depicted more animal figures or symbols

Greeks used geometric shapes -- Used series of lines

Discuss the differences and similarities to be observed in the way the Greeks and the Egyptians visualized their gods and in their relationship to them. Read the Art and Its Context textbox "Greek and Roman Deities."

The Greeks saw their gods as very human, with flaws and mistakes. they applied the concept of humanism to their gods. Greeks would question their gods, while Egyptians would take their gods word or sign without question. to Egyptians, their gods were absolute and untouchable

Describe the ways that distinguish Greek sanctuaries from the religious complexes of the Egyptians.

Both Egyptians and Greeks built specific temples for one god in particular. Egyptian builders dramatized the power of gods or god ruler by organizing their temples along straight, processional ways. The Greeks in contrast, selected specific natural landscape features, like a mountain or a plain or valley, to integrate their temples with the land, which would be significant to the god or goddess the temple was erected for.

Ancient Egyptian and Greek funerary art and beliefs concerning the afterlife differconsiderably. Explain.

- Egyptian funerary art reflected the strong belief that the dead, in the afterworld, could continue to engage in activities they enjoyed while alive. For the Greeks, the deceased entered a place of mystery and obscurity that living humans could not define precisely and their funerary art focused on the emotional reactions of the survivors.

-the Greeks focus on the living and what is left behind; essentially, we die and never come back.

The Treasury of the Siphnians at Delphi is the first known example of a new trend inthe representation of space. What is this trend and how is it achieved? (rf. in part to thelectures)

-the sculptors overlapped the figures and varied the depth of the relief to convey 3D placements.

-also would've been painted to create more depth

What are the three Classical Greek architectural orders? They are constructed on whatsystem and on what basis are the proportions determined?

Doric, ionic, and Corinthian. Ionic is plain or three panel, shaped like scrolls or spirals, support tall structures and set off by carved moldings. Doric order and ionic both are elevation designs and have an architrave, but doric is circular and uniform on the top. Corinthian order has ornate designs and decorations. Ionic and corinthian have a base. They are all constructed around temples.

In the same text box, study the basic features that distinguish each of the three orders.

Doric: shaft sits directly without a base, fluted with sharp edges, the roofline may have decorative waterspouts and other elements.Ionic: more elongated proportions than doric, flutes are deeper and separated by flat surfaces. The capital has a distinctive, spiral- scrolled volute, decorative frieze Corinthian- variant of the iconic order -- elaborate details

Read very carefully the introduction to the Early Classical period. Note theinterrelationship of the concepts of humanism, rationalism and idealism. These conceptsand their relevance for the understanding of Greek art will be very important forthe exam and will be covered in the lectures. Take very good class notes.

-Humanism: humans are the measure of all things- the sole judge of truth

-Rationalism: human understanding is the source for understanding the world

-Idealism: perfection of rational spaces in the general form and human body

-these elements combined explain the rationale behind the inspiration and creation of their art and how they perceive the world

-Using their rationalism of how they understand their world and interpret it then translate those perceptions into narratives in their art and their idealistic

Note that the representation of the human figure is based on close observation and asystem of ideal, perfect, mathematical proportions. The ideal system of perfectmathematical proportions is derived (in part) from close observation of the body and thebelief in the existence of a universal ideal. This information is of importance to 31 above.

The Erechtheion stands on the site of what mythological event?

The contest between Poseidon and Athena for patronage over Athens

Describe the characteristics that differentiate fourth century sculptures from thepreceding fifth century, and who are the three most significant artists of the fourthcentury BCE in Greece?

In what ways does Hermes and the Infant Dionysos by Praxiteles exemplify the character of fourth century sculpture and distinguish it from fifth century sculpture?Information presented in the lectures is required for a complete answer to this question