AP Art History: Midterm Review Unit 2

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White Temple and Ziggurat (Iraq) (sumerian)

White Temple and Ziggurat (Iraq) (sumerian)

MUD BRICK/PLASTER

• A Sumerian temple complex built in ancient Mesopotamia

• characterized by its elevated platform and distinctive whitewashed walls.

• It served as a religious center dedicated to the sky god Anu.

Votive Statues (sumerian)

GYPSUM/LAPIS

• Sumerian small sculptures placed in temples as offerings to deities

• depicting worshippers. Hand gestures of prayer show humility and readiness to serve.

• Open eyes eternal wakefulness.

Standard of Ur* (ancient sumerian)

WOOD INLAID WITH SHELLS/ LAPIS/ RED LIMESTONE

• A Sumerian artifact that consists of a rectangular box decorated with intricate inlays

• depicting scenes of war and peace, often interpreted as a representation of social hierarchy and the duality of life in ancient Mesopotamia.

Anthropomorphic Stele (saudi arabia)

SANDSTONE

• A monument featuring a human-like figure, often associated with burial practices

• serving as a grave marker.

• It reflects the early artistic expression and beliefs of the Arabian Peninsula.

COMPARE/CONTRAST Stele of Hammurabi (ancient babylonian) and Book of the Dead (old kingdom egyptian)

Similarities:

• composit pose

• both include visuals and writing to convey message

• God’s hold emblem of authority

• crook and flail

Differences (Hammurabi)

• cunciform

• phallus shaped

• high relief

• lists penalties for wrongdoings & obligations

• publicly displayed

• monochromatic

• vertical

Differences (Book of Dead)

• low relief

• depicts magic spells & formulas

• to help journey to the afterlife

• displayed in a tomb

• vibrant colors

• continuos narration

• horizontal

Lamassu from the Citadel of Sargon II (assyrian)

ALABASTER

-Assyrian. Body & legs if a bull with a human head

• Stylized with the three horned crown of divinity

• High relief

• Appears to confront visitors upon entrance. Served to ward off Kings enemies.

• Inspire & Induce fear.

Audience Hall of Darius & Xerxes (persian)

LIMESTONE

• demonstrates power and wealth of the Persian empire

• used to gather for social events

• celebrate Persian New Year

• ideas of unity and togetherness = strength

• hypostyle & traditional columns

Palette of King Narmer (old kingdom egyptian)

GREYWACKE

• bull (HATHOR) depicted on the top is seen as the sky goddess & connects heaven and the horizon

• Narmers crown shows his domination over both upper (lotus) & lower (papyrus) egypt

• Narmer is barefoot = he is performing a sacred act

• enemies are depicted w head in between their legs = embarrassment

• for makeup

• NARMER IS DEPICTED AS A BULL DESTROYING WALLED CITY & HORUS FALCON GOD = divine power

• Narmer hierarchical proportion

Seated Scribe (old kingdom egyptian)

PAINTED LIMESTONE

• realistic/ non-idealized fat body (biggie)

• embody human spirit

• face = lively intelligence

• eyes = reflective/ in motion

• more realistic less important

• obese = comfortable

Menkaure and Queen (old kingdom egyptian)

GREYWACKE

• both stepping together = stepping into a timeless eternity

• youthful king/ fit/ clenched fist = strength

• nemes (headdress) & beard = pharaoh/ royalty

• arms wrapped around each other = affection/ protection

• same size (no hierarchical proportion) = break from norms, woman is in a position of power

Seated Statue of Khafre (Gizeh) (old kingdom egyptian)

DIORITE

• muscular & toned = idealized body

• rigid pose/ calm face/ beard/ seated = royal

• horus falcon god = divine right

• papyrus & lotus intertwined = unity

• barefoot = sacred right

• home of a Ka = dead human soul

Great Pyramids (Gizeh) (old kingdom egyptian)

CUT LIMESTONE

• big = khufu, tall = khafre, small = menkaure

• East = LIVING TEMPLES

• West = DEAD TOMBS (these are also path of sun)

• material reflects the sun (create sun-rays)

• sun god Re has a Ben-Ben that he leaves by boat at night to fight sea monster & return next day

• great sphinx faces sunrise, guardian lion showing strength & the sun (LEO ZODIAC!!!)

• size of tomb represents hierarchal importance

• mastaba = pyramid texts

• tombs were looted often, they were impractical

Mourtuary Temple of Hatshepsut (deir el-bahri) (new kingdom egyptian)

SANDSTONE, CUT INTO ROCK CLIFF

• axial plan = aligned with the Temple of Amun-Re (karnak)

• nephew buried her temple but it ended up keeping it preserved LOLLL

• deir el-bahri = sacred to Hathor (one of the only female gods) so she built it here to legitimize herself

• lush gardens surrounding temple = reign of prosperity, wealth, and stability

• crook = peace, flail = authority

• brought back ebony, ivory, gold, exotic animals & plants = wealth

• beard, maat (feather of truth), ka (soul), ra (sun god) = pharaoh & justice

Temple of Amun- Re (karnak) (new kingdom egyptian)

SANDSTONE & MUD BRICK

• commemorate Amun Re

• pylons = (like two mountains) sun rises to start life each day

• coronations of pharaohs = relationship between priests & pharaohs

• every morning statue of Amun Re would be washed, dressed, & brought food

• hypostyle hall

• clerestory = provide light

• reliefs are battle scenes = smiting & defeating enemies

Akhenaton, Nefertiti, & Three Daughters (new kingdom egyptian)

LIMESTONE

• first time seeing intimacy & emotion

• elongated proportion w bellies = healthy

• narrative = royal & religion

• believed that Aton was only god

• sun-rays shining on them = divine connection

Tuts Tomb (new kingdom egyptian)

SOLID GOLD W STONES

• crook = peace, flail = authority —> divine right

• said to be Akhentons’s son

• tomb = created to help deceased in the afterlife & preservation

Last Judgement of Hu-Nefer (new kingdom egyptian)

PAINTED PAPYRUS SCROLL

• continuous narrative w figures shown in twisted perspective

• 1st scene = honoring gods

• 2nd scene = anubis (representing life) holds the heart of Hu-Nefer to pass it on to judgement

• 3rd scene= hu - nefers heart is being weighed against ammit (death) with the mayat feather of truth

• 4th scene = thoth (scribe taking record), horus (falcon god) is presenting hu- never to king osiris telling him how to make it to afterlife

Anavysos Kouros (archaic period)

MARBLE / PAINT

• nude: idealist

• freestanding w ARCHAIC SMILE

• stiff humanistic = reality of being a human

• grave mariner for a fallen soldier

• celebration of male youth

Doryphoros (classical greek)

OLD: BRONZE NOW: MARBLE

• ”standard greek statue”

• idealized nude

• relaxed in a natural position (contraposto)

• comfortable = “know thyself” “nothing in excess”

• Ephebe —> trained young boys

• Sophrosyne = humble

• Hubris = pride

Seated Boxer (hellenistic greek)

BRONZE

• copper bleeding on face = was used to entertain the masses

• sitting pose/ solemn/ pondering = he is working at an old age & is tired of fighting

• emphasis on pathos = shift to looser/ villain stories because of emotional depth

• probably looking up at the victor boxer

Peplos Kore (archaic greek)

MARBLE WITH PAINTED DETAILS

• found on the athenian acropolis

• used like a votive offering

• wears a peplos = traces of paint suggest vibrant colors

• ARCHAIC SMILE w rigid posture and detailed braids

• marks shift toward naturalism in greek art

Nike Fastening Sandal (classical greek)

MARBLE

• from the Athenian acropolis

• naturalistic pose w a sense of balance

• wet drapery style = greek core

• elegant yet informal moment

• idealized form

• blends divine grace and human realism

Grave Stele of Hegeso (classical greek)

MARBLE WITH PAINT

• used as a gravestone marker

• originally private art, not for the public eye

• wet drapery style = greek core

• calm, reflective mood emphasizing dignity and grace

• hierarchial scale

• commemorates Hegeso, highlighting her wealth and class

• greek focus on domestic life and women’s roles

Parthenon (classical greek)

MARBLE

• athenian acropolis

• dedicated to Athena, patron goddess of Athens

• doric temple with ionic elements = reflects tough exterior / militaristic

• emphasizes proportion and precision

• symbol of athenian power, democracy, and cultural achievement

• ICONIC classical greek architecture

centaur —> persian, emotion

lapiths —> athenian, logic

Niobid Krater (classical greek)

CLAY, RED-FIGURE TECHNIQUE

• calyx-krater = used to mix wine and water

• stacked perspective = so figures are closer / farther / higher / lower

• artist is experimenting with different poses = attempting to show all bodies etc. the greeks are special and different

• side 1: apollo & artemis killing niobes children as a punishment for her hubris

• side 2: herkales surrounded by heroes, referencing the need for protection

Winged Victory (Nike) (hellenistic greek)

MARBLE

• originally meant to be a prow of a ship

• enormous wings & dynamic pose = movement and wind

• determine outcome of drama

• wet drapery technique

• emphasizing energy, power, and triumph

Great Altar of Zeus and Athena at Pergamon (hellenistic greek)

MARBLE

• celebrated the city & superiority over Gauls

• Athenas destruction of Alkyoneus, son of the Titan earth goddess Gaia

• Pre greek titans & olympians = political threats to greek supremacy

• full of melodrama, frenzy, & pathos

• built to PROCLAIM victory

• Nike crowns athena the victor

• ABSOLUTE VICTORY

Laocoon and His Sons (hellenistic greek)

MARBLE

• highly dynamic composition w twisting bodies & intense expressions

• emotional realism = agony and struggle

• hellenistic focus on drama, movement, and human emotion

• reflects themes of divine punishment and the human condition

• inspired by the renaissance

Alexander Mosaic (hellenistic greek)

MOSAIC

• battle between alexander the great and persian king darius III

• alexander the great fights on recklessly without a helmet or armor = he is intending to attack the persian king himself

• persian king stretching out arm = symbol of defeat and apprehension

• highlights alexanders military genius

• intense action and use of shading to create realism

• intricate facial features = worry from the persians and confidence on alexanders side