Art History Semester 1

What is Art

• Definition: The expression of human creative skill and imagination.

Why Study Art

• Benefits:

  • Enriches personal development.

  • Enhances cognitive abilities.

  • Promotes emotional health.

  • Fosters cultural understanding.

Why Create Art

• Purpose: Allows artists to express themselves and convey societal ideals of the time.

Basic Design Elements

• Space: The area around, between, and within objects.

• Line: A one-dimensional mark along a surface.

• Form: A three-dimensional structure encompassing volume.

• Texture: The feel or appearance of a surface.

• Color: The attribute of objects based on the light they reflect.

• Shape: The outline or external form of an object.

• Value: The lightness or darkness of a color.

• Tone: The quality of brightness, deepness, or hue of a color.

Art Composition

• Definition: The arrangement of elements and principles of design.

Key Concepts in Art

• Value: Likeness or darkness of a color.

• Form: Three-dimensional art elements.

• Texture: Surface feel, appearance, or consistency.

• Defining Objects in Space: Shape and form define an object's place in space.

• Relationship of Parts:

  • Proportions: Relates to dimensions/size of objects.

  • Harmony: Parts work together cohesively.

  • Unity: Different parts function together for overall meaning.

  • Movement: The illusion of motion within artwork.

  • Geometric Forms: Includes shapes like rectangles, squares, triangles, etc.

  • Symmetrical Balance: Even distribution of weight in composition.

Art Critique

• Process: Evaluation in four steps:

  1. Describing

  2. Analyzing

  3. Interpreting

  4. Evaluating

Prehistoric Art

• Definition: Art from prehistoric times, understood mostly through existing pieces.

• Paleolithic Art: Estimated to be up to 40,000 years old, created by early human ancestors.

• Prehistoric Art Tools: Made from natural materials like feathers, sticks, and bones.

• Paleolithic Sculptures: About 150 sculptures have been discovered.

• Reliefs: Outlined images on materials, with the background carved away.

• Neolithic Pottery: Created water-tight vessels through high-temperature firing.

• Neolithic Painting: Frequently depicted hunters, weapons, and animals.

• Neolithic Sculptures: Used human forms to communicate religious beliefs.

• Neolithic Monuments: Larger structures like Stone Henge made of megaliths as societies settled.

Ancient Art

• Definition: Art produced by ancient societies with some form of writing.

• Ancient Mesopotamia: Region near Tigris-Euphrates, home to early civilizations like Sumer, Assyria, and Babylonia.

• Palette of Narmer: A significant artifact marking the unification of Egypt (3150-3125 BCE).

• Ramesses the Great: Noted for building cities and monuments (1279-1213 BCE).

• Sunk Relief: An artistic technique used in Egyptian art where images are carved into a flat surface.

• Egyptian Art & Culture: Predominantly focused on beliefs regarding life after death, commonly found in tombs.

• Corinthian Order: The most ornate of classical Greek architectural styles.

Greek Architecture Styles

• Ionic Order: Features ornate bases with slender, fluted shafts.

• Doric Order: The earliest style characterized by a rounded echinus above the column.

Greek Art and Sculpture

• Greek Pottery: Showcased geometric shapes along with lines and circles.

• Archaic Period: Early attempts at stone carving by Greeks.

• Roman Influence: Heavily influenced by Greek art, affecting Christian art later on.

• Roman Architecture: Notable for features like arches, domes, and barrel vaults.

• Comparison with Greek Art: Greek works focused on idealism, while Roman art presented realism.

Early Christian Art

• Definition: Art produced during the first five centuries CE.

• Migration Period Art: Art produced by Germanic tribes from 300 to 900 CE.

• Byzantine Art: Artistic style from Eastern Roman Empire (330-1453 CE), rich in figures and symbolism.

• Medieval Art: Characterized by religious subjects with flat, stiff figures.

• Romanesque Art: 1000 CE to 1300 CE, notable for heavy architectural elements.

• Gothic Art: Mid-12th to 16th century, known for stained glass and sculptures.

• Gothic Paintings: Usually on wood panels, with notable works by Duccio of Siena.

Renaissance Period

• Definition: Marked as the 'rebirth' of art, spanning 1400-1525.

• Characteristics: Influenced various sectors including science, religion, politics, and philosophy.

• Netherlandish Art: Bridged Gothic and Renaissance styles towards realism.

• Notable Artists:

  • Jan Van Eyck: Recognized as the father of oil painting.

  • Donatello: Renowned sculptor of the early Renaissance.

  • Filippo Brunelleschi: Major influence on Renaissance architecture.

  • Sandro Botticelli: Commissioned by Medici, best known for "The Birth of Venus."

  • Leonardo Da Vinci: A quintessential Renaissance man known for various arts and inventions.

  • High Renaissance: Characterized by humanism and realism in art (1490s-1527).

  • The Last Supper: A significant work by Da Vinci, using tempura.

  • Michelangelo: Famous for sculptures like David and Pieta, and the Sistine Chapel paintings.

  • Raphael: Known for works such as "The School of Athens."

Mannerism

• Definition: An artistic movement counter to Renaissance ideals.

• Characteristics: Elongated proportions, twisted poses, and a compression of space.