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What is art history?

Art history is the academic discipline dedicated to understanding the social

What are the two main methods of art historical analysis?

Formal analysis (focus on visual qualities) and contextual analysis (focus on cultural

What is formal analysis?

Examining the visual aspects of an artwork—composition

What is contextual analysis?

Studying the context of a work of art

What disciplines is art history closely related to?

Anthropology

How has the definition of 'art' changed over time?

Previously limited to fine arts; now includes textiles

What factors influence the interpretation of art?

Social status

What is hierarchical scale in Egyptian art?

A technique where more important figures are depicted larger than less important ones.

What is fractional representation in Egyptian art?

A technique where different parts of the body are shown from different viewpoints (e.g.

What is the Venus of Willendorf?

A small limestone figurine from c. 28

What is Stonehenge?

A Neolithic megalithic structure in England

What are ziggurats?

Stepped temple towers of Mesopotamia

Who was Hammurabi?

King of Babylon

What is the Ishtar Gate?

A Neo-Babylonian ceremonial gate decorated with animal figures

What is Persian art known for?

Architectural achievements; most famous is the palace at Persepolis

What is the Great Sphinx?

A colossal limestone statue of a reclining sphinx in Egypt

Who was Queen Nefertiti?

Egyptian queen c. 1345 BCE; famous for her idealized limestone bust.

What is the Mona Lisa?

Painting by Leonardo da Vinci

What is sfumato?

Painting technique using soft transitions between colors and blurred outlines.

Who was Michelangelo?

Renaissance artist (1475–1564); sculptor

What is contrapposto?

Sculptural pose where the figure stands with weight shifted to one leg for naturalistic appearance.

What is the Parthenon?

A temple in Athens

What is a flying buttress?

Gothic architectural feature; external support for walls

What are illuminated manuscripts?

Hand-copied and illustrated books

Who was Giotto?

Florentine painter (1267–1336/37); transitional figure from Gothic to Renaissance; used perspective and emotion.

Who was Lorenzo Ghiberti?

Renaissance sculptor; designed the Gates of Paradise for Florence Baptistery.

Who was Filippo Brunelleschi?

Renaissance architect; engineered the dome of Florence Cathedral; developed linear perspective.

Who was Donatello?

Renaissance sculptor; founder of modern sculpture; bronze David

Who was Botticelli?

Renaissance painter; The Birth of Venus; idealized female beauty.

Who was Leonardo da Vinci?

Renaissance polymath; painter

What is the Last Supper?

Leonardo da Vinci painting

What is the High Renaissance?

Period of Renaissance art with masters like Leonardo

What is the significance of the Dome of Florence Cathedral?

Engineered by Brunelleschi; double-shelled dome; key architectural achievement of the Renaissance.

What is the difference between the Old

Middle

Who were the Sumerians?

Early Mesopotamian civilization

Who were the Akkadians?

Mesopotamian civilization

What is the Code of Hammurabi?

Babylonian law code

Who were the Assyrians?

Mesopotamian civilization

Who were the Neo-Babylonians?

Mesopotamian civilization

Who were the Cycladic people?

Aegean island culture

Who were the Minoans?

Crete civilization

Who were the Mycenaeans?

Greek mainland civilization

What is Archaic Greek art?

660–475 BCE; marble/limestone sculpture; rigid

What is Classical Greek art?

480–323 BCE; naturalistic sculptures; contrapposto; temples like Parthenon; focus on ideal beauty.

What is Hellenistic Greek art?

323–31 BCE; blend of Greek and Eastern styles; dynamic and expressive sculptures; Venus de Milo

Who were the Etruscans?

Italy

What is Roman art known for?

Architecture (concrete

What are Roman architectural achievements?

Colosseum

What is Byzantine art?

Eastern Roman Empire art; mosaics

What is Romanesque architecture?

c. 1000–1150 CE; heavy stone walls

What is Gothic architecture?

12th–16th century; pointed arches

Who were the Vikings?

Medieval seafaring people; carved wood

What is the Book of Kells?

Illuminated manuscript

What is the Coronation Gospels?

c. 800–810 CE; illuminated manuscript; early medieval book art; lavishly decorated.

What are the main elements of art?

Line

What is perspective in art?

Techniques to represent three-dimensional space on a two-dimensional surface; linear and aerial perspective.

Who was Michelangelo and what were his major works?

Renaissance artist; sculptor of David

Who was Leonardo da Vinci and what were his major contributions?

Renaissance polymath; Mona Lisa

Who was Giotto and why is he important?

Early Renaissance painter; introduced perspective

Who was Ghiberti and why is he important?

Renaissance sculptor; created Gates of Paradise for Florence Baptistery; classical style influence.

Who was Brunelleschi and why is he important?

Renaissance architect; engineered Florence Cathedral dome; developed linear perspective.

Who was Donatello and why is he important?

Renaissance sculptor; revived freestanding nude sculpture; emphasized naturalism and expression; bronze David.

Who was Botticelli and why is he important?

Renaissance painter; The Birth of Venus; established long-lasting ideals of female beauty.

What is the significance of the Renaissance?

Revival of classical art and learning; rise of individual genius; major advances in painting

What is the difference between fine art and craft in art history?

Fine art: traditionally painting

What is the significance of social and cultural context in art history?

Understanding the environment

What is sfumato?

A painting technique using soft

Who were the Nubians?

Ancient African civilization south of Egypt; ruled Egypt during certain periods; art includes tombs and sculptures.

What is the significance of Tutankhamun's tomb?

Discovered almost intact in 1922; provided insight into Egyptian burial practices; famous burial mask made of gold and semiprecious stones.

What is the importance of preservation conditions for ancient art?

Environmental conditions affect survival; dry climates

Who was Pliny the Elder?

Ancient Roman historian; wrote Natural History; early commentary on art and artists.

Who was Giorgio Vasari?

Italian Renaissance artist and writer; wrote The Lives of the Artists; emphasized biographies and concept of artistic genius.

Who was Johann Joachim Winckelmann?

18th-century German scholar; studied stylistic development in historical context; foundational figure in modern art history.