Unit 2 Vocab - AP Art History

sophrosyne

is an Ancient Greek concept of an ideal of excellence of character and soundness of mind, which when combined in one well balanced individual leads to other qualities such as temperance, moderation, prudence, purity, and self-control.

Hubris

refers to the ancient Greek concept of excessive pride, arrogance, or overconfidence that leads a mortal to believe they are equal to the gods, resulting in a downfall or severe consequence. It is also a disregard of the natural order often disregarding the Gods’ power and human limitations.

Canon

refers to a body of influential artworks and artists, often considered the greatest or most significant, that forms the central curriculum for the course. The term also originates from the Greek concept of a rule or standard, particularly a system of Polykleitos used to regulate the size and scale of the human body in sculpture.

contrapposta

an Italian term meaning ‘set against’ used to describe the twisted pose resulting from parts of the body set in opposition to each other around a central axis

symmetria

refers to the Ancient Greek concept of proportion, specifically the parts of a form that should relate to each other and to overall structure in a balanced, harmonious way. It is closely linked to the classical ideal of beauty, which sought perfect balance and order in art.

ephebos

is a term to describe an adolescent male in Ancient Greece, especially one who was in military training to become a citizen. The term applied to a sculptural type of a nude male youth that evolved from the more rigid archaic kouros figures to the more naturalistic works of the Early Classical period.

Archaic period

ranging from 600-480 BCE and saw the creation of life-sized, nude, standing male youth figures called kouroi.

kouroi

stiff, frontal pose/forward stride/idealized anatomy/archaic smile.

these figures often served as commemorative grave markers for aristocratic families or as votive offerings in sanctuaries (objects dedicated to a deity).