AP Art History Multiple Choice
The form of the Augustus of Prima Porta is intended to recall (A) the majesty of Egyptian pharaohs as seen in works like Menkaura and His Queen (B) the idealization of the human form as seen in Greek classical sculptures such as the Doryphoros (C) the formal quality of Greek archaic sculptures like the Anavysos Kouros (D) the Roman Republican verist sculptures, such as the head of a Roman patrician
Answer - B Augustus of Prima Porta is a Roman work whose idealization, contrapposto and human form express a parallel with the works of the Greek classical period, particularly the Doryphoros
The Reliquary of Sainte-Foy and the Reliquary Figure (Nlo Bieri) are similar in that they (A) are both meant to ward off evil (B) are both male figures in the shape of females (C) both held skulls of important deceased people (D) are both part of an extensive pilgrimage site for many to come to
Answer - C Both reliquary figures hold skulls. The Sainte-Foy holds one within the head of the saint; the Reliquary Figure holds one in a container he is resting on
The function of the Anavysos Kouros is to (A) mark the grave of a dead athlete (B) worship a Greek god (C) celebrate a military victory (D) honor athletes from the Olympics
Answer - A An inscription at the base indicates, this sculpture was meant to honor a dead athlete
Etruscan tombs have fresco paintings that show (A) funerary banquets (B) mythological scenes (C) historical panoramas (D) last judgement scenes
Answer - A Etruscan tombs, like those of the Triclinium in Tarquinia, Italy, depict people celebrating the life of the deceased with a funerary banquet
Stylized animal forms appear in all of the following EXCEPT (A) terra cotta fragment, Lapita, Solomon Islands (B) Apollo 11 Stones (C) the album stone (D) camelid sacrum in the shape of a canine
Answer - A Explanation - The Terra Cotta Fragment does not have animals, it has curved stayed patterns
The "beaker with ibex motifs" was found at a site in the city of Susa, indicating that it was used (A) as part of a burial tradition (B) in business transactions (C) in a domestic setting (D) for governmental correspondence
Answer - A Explanation - The beaker was found at a burial site and was used for mortuary purposes
The White Temple and its ziggurat symbolize all of the following EXCEPT (A) the gods required their buildings to be of mud-brick to represent the impermanence of life (B) the gods live in a place high above the mortals (C) the gods live in relative seclusion at the top of the ziggurat, approachable by a select few (D) the gods have a central role in daily life
Answer - A It was built of mud-brick because that was the only building material available to the Sumerians, not to represent the passing of life
The kufic script used in islamic calligraphy is read in the same way as which of the following works? (A) The Golden Haggadah (B) The Book of Lindisfarne (C) The Vienna Genesis (D) The Bayeux Tapestry
Answer - A Kufic script is read right to left, the way Hebrew is. The Golden Haggadah is written in Hebrew
Pilgrims entering Romanesque churches such as Sainte-Foy were expected to (A) walk to the chapels in the rear where the relics were housed (B) worship around a centrally planned altar where services would be held (C) travel to the top of the bell towers to ceremonially ring the bells (D) place offerings at the foot of a statue of Jesus
Answer - A Pilgrims treasured seeing relics of the saints, which were placed in chapels in the ambulatory around the altar of the church
The architectural achievement that, in part, makes Gothic buildings so tall and yet so stable is the use of (A) rib vaults (B) stained glass windows (C) a dome on pendentives (D) ashlar masonry
Answer - A Rib vaults stabilize the stone roofs and help pass pressure down to the walls below. Gothic buildings do not have domes, and ashlar masonry is rarely used. Stained glass windows do not have a supporting function in a building
The division of painted spaces in the Good Shepard fresco in the Catacombs of Priscilla is influenced by (A) Roman wall paintings as seen in the House of the Vettii (B) Greek vase painting as seen in the Niobides Krater (C) Greek friezes as seen in the Great Altar of Zeus and Athena at pergamon (D) Etruscan wall paintings as seen in the Tomb of the Triclinium
Answer - A Roman paintings, such as the ones in the House of the Vettii, are separated by lines that define the wall spaces
Construction of buildings like Santa Sabina relies on construction principles learned in the (A) Basilica Ulpia (B) Pantheon (C) Colosseum (D) Hagia Sophia
Answer - A The Basilica Ulpia and other Roman basilicas formed a general inspiration for Christian churches
The Good Shepard is an image in Early Christian catacombs that has its origins in the Bible, but pictorially the images are inspired by (A) Greek images of shepherding (B) Roman belief in agrarian virtues (C) Moslem cultivation of extensively planned gardens (D) prehistoric cave paintings of people and their animals
Answer - A The Good Shepard image is inspired by a story from the bible, but it has it's pictorial roots in the shepherding image dating back to the Greeks
The importance of the item is alluded to in the (A) rich material used to create it (B) depiction of royal family members and their entourage (C) use of lions and peacocks as royal symbols (D) purple color which symbolized royalty
Answer - A The basin is made of brass, inlaid with gold and silver -- rich items indicating court patronage
Gospel books (A) are biographies of Jesus (B) foretell the coming of Jesus (C) discuss apocalyptic visions of the Last Judgement (D) are letter written by saints after the death of Jesus
Answer - A The four gospels books are, among other things, biographies of the life of Jesus
The great portal of the west facade of Chartres is similar to the Lamas of ancient Assyria in that they (A) are both guardians protecting what is inside (B) are attached both to the walls behind the figure (C) both have the faces of the religious leaders of their day, forming divine connection with the earthly (D) both show a military presence to frighten the viewer
Answer - B Both the Lamassu and the great portals at Chartres are attached to the walls behind them and therefore, are not entirely free-standing
Etruscans placed their tombs in tumuli, which were located in a necropolis. This was also done in which other ancient civilization (A) Egyptian (B) Korean (C) Persian (D) Aztec
Answer - B Etruscan art is found in tumuli, like the gold and silver crown from the Silla Kingdom in korea
Helios, Horses and Dionysos is a sculptural group placed on the pediment of the Parthenon because these figures (A) helped Athena defeat Neptune (B) were witnesses to Athena's birth (C) are associated with the Athenian king Erechtheus (D) were part of the Panathenaic procession
Answer - B Helios, Horses and Dionysos were all witnesses to Athena's birth and therefore they belong on the pediment of the temple dedicated to her
The tradition of depicting figures in isocpehalism applied to all of the following works EXCEPT (A) Tomb of the Triclinium (B) Niobides Krater (C) Plaque of the Ergastines (D) Last Judgement of Hu-Nefer
Answer - B Isocephalism is the tradition of depicting heads of figures on the same level, does not occur in the Niobides Krater
After the catacombs in Rome were closed, legends grew around them that they were (A) haunted spaces (B) used to hide from Roman prosecution (C) exclusively for the Roman elite (D) not really there, only the subject of legends
Answer - B Legends grew up about the catacombs that Christians, who were persecuted under the Romans, used them for hideaways. Everyone in the ancient world knew where they were, so no one would have escaped by hiding there
Egyptian sculptors sometimes used sunken relief rather than bas-relief because of all of the following EXCEPT (A) sunken reliefs preserve the contours of the surface being carved so that columns still look round (B) sunken reliefs are easier to carve, a necessity because Egyptians used soft bronze-age tools to carve into hard stones like greywacke (C) sunken reliefs hide the function of columns as supporting elements, emphasizing instead their images and messages (D)sunken reliefs cast deep shadows so that the images can be read more clearly in the Egyptian sun
Answer - B Sunken relief sculpture is no easier or more difficult to carve than any other sculpture no matter what tools or materials are being used
The Column of Trajan had many functions, including all of the following EXCEPT (A) it was the centerpiece of buildings surrounding the Forum of Trajan (B) it was used as a large sundial to indicate the time of day (C) it acted as the Emperor Trajan's tomb (D) it recounts the military victory of Emperor Trajan against the Dacians
Answer - B The Column of Trajan had many functions, including acting as a tomb for the emperor and as a glorification for his military victories. it also was the centerpiece in a vast complex of buildings that was built in central Rome. It did not tell time by a ting as the point in a sundial
The ground plan of the Hagia Sophia suggests that (A) columns are used as decorative patterning rather than as internal supports (B) it is a combination of a central and a basilican plan (C) the mihrab faces Mecca (D) the Roman basilican type has been altered to create side aisles
Answer - B The Hagia Sophia was constructed as a combination of the central plan (dome sitting on pendentives) and a basilican plan (long nave terminating at an apse)
Which of the following statements is true of both the Ludovisi Battle Sarcophagus and Athena Battling Alkyoneos from the Great Altar of Zeus and Athena at Pergamon? (A) They celebrate the victory of the gods over the giants (B) They illustrate the conquest of barbarians (C) They depict everyday events (D) They show the defeat of Christian armies
Answer - B The Ludovisi Battle Sarcophagus illustrates a Roman victory over barbarians. And the sculpture of Athena Battling Alkyoneas shows the victory of the gods over the giants. By implication, the Greeks were meant to see themselves as heroes over the barbarians who tried to conquer their land
The painting called The Last Judgement of Hu-Nefer shows the (A) eternal punishment proclaimed upon a damned soul (B) deceased being asked to account for the deeds in his life (C) might of the pharaoh in deciding life and death (D) rules of conduct imposed on the lowly and the mighty alike
Answer - B The deceased's soul is weighed against a feather to see if he is pure enough to face the gods, it is a judgement scene
The scene over the doorway of the Church of Sainte-Foy of the Last Judgement shows the damned condemned to hell on the right and the saved rising to heaven on the left because (A) in the middle are those who were noncommittal about religion and salvation (B) one enters the church as a sinner on the right but emerges saved on the left (C) in the Christian tradition, the damned are unwelcome in church (D) a parallel is drawn between sinners who must use the right door and saints who must use the left door
Answer - B One enters the church a sinner and leaves absolved of sins
How has the Great Mosque at Córdoba been altered by Christians after the reconquest of Spain? (A) the interior arches were taken down to make a vast unified space (B) the mihrab was destroyed and an altar was placed in its stead (C) the interior was reproofed using European vaulting technique (D) the building was turned into a church and then back into a mosque again
Answer - C After Spain was reconquered from the Moors in 1492, this building has its original wooden ceiling removed, and European-style vaulting was installed
The decoration on the basin called the Baptisère de St. Louis is noted for its use of (A) calligraphy (B) contrapposto (C) horror vacui (D) tessellaton
Answer - C All of the surfaces on the basin are covered with decoration. The definition of horror vacuum suggests that artists intentionally filled the whole surface with patterns, as is the case with this basin
The Book of Lindisfarne shows classical influence in its (A) animals depicted in margins (B) figures shown in contrapposto (C) calligraphy written in Latin (D) interlace patterning with interweaving forms
Answer - C Animals depicted in margins and interlaced patterning with interweaving forms are Celtic inspirations in The Book of Lindisfarne. The figures shown in contrapposto would be correct except that there is not trace of contrapposto in the drawing of this book. The book is written in Latin, a classical Latin
The painters of the catacombs preferred the fresco technique because (A) oil paint does not blend well on wall surfaces (B) mosaics were unavailable during this period (C) fresco forms a permanent bond with the wall (D) Christians have used fresco since Egyptian times
Answer - C Christians did not exist in the Egyptian period. Oil painting was invested much later in the Renaissance. Mosaics were available. but were very expensive. Fresco forms a permanent bond with the wall surfaces and was comparatively easy to use.
Artists working on prehistoric caves used all of the following tools to create their images EXCEPT (A) scaffolds to reach high areas in a cave (B) paints made from ochre and natural materials (C) brushes made from human hair (D) flat stones used as palettes
Answer - C Explanation - Human hair was not used, rather Bull tails were often used as brushes in the case of the Great Hall of Bulls
The White Temple is constructed on a large platform base that raises it above the ground and gives the structure considerable height. This technique was highly influential for hundred of years and can be seen in (A) The Great Stupa from Sanchi, India (B) The Great Pyramids of Gizeh, Egypt (C) The Palace of Darius, at Persepolis, Iran (D) Stonehenge in Wiltshire, England
Answer - C Explanation - The Palace of Darius was on a raised platform to give it a more formidable presence
The cathedral at Chartres is typical of Gothic churches in that it (A) contains references of classical architecture (B) has an oculus to admit light (C) uses flying buttresses to stabilize tall naves (D) provides a separate space for coronations
Answer - C Flying buttresses were first introduced at Notre Dame in Paris and were used to stabilize naves that were getting increasingly tall
An atrium, such as the one seen in the House of Vettii, supplies light and air into the private spaces of a Roman home. Atriums can also function as (A) spaces conductive to family religious ceremonies (B) courtyards to conduct business in a more comfortable private setting (C) places to gather rainwater for household use (D) outdoor bedrooms in a protected space
Answer - C Interior atria often had impulsive, or basin, that were used to capture rainwater for household use
A fibula can be seen worn in which of the following images? (A) Sarcophagus of the Spouses (B) Augustus of Prima Porta (C) Justinian from San Vitale (D) Head of a Roman Patrician
Answer - C Justinian wears a fibula in the Byzantine mosaics in San Vitale
Romanesque architecture can be characterized as (A) small, intimate and warm (B) soaring, vertical and uplifting (C) thick, heavy and massive (D) irregular, unbalanced and asymmetrical
Answer - C Romanesque architecture is thick, heavy and massive, and often very dark
The Apollo from Veii was probably originally placed (A) in a city square as a commemoration (B) in a cemetery as a grave marker (C) on a temple roof as part of a reenactment of a mythological story (D) in a government building as a guiding spirit
Answer - C Sculptures like these were placed on the roofs of buildings, indicating important moments in mythological stories
Etruscan art is unique in its (A) use of painted terra cotta (B) ability to show contrapposto in large-scale sculpture (C) tradition of depicting men and women together in a funerary monument (D) painting of stone sculpture to give a work its lifelike quality
Answer - C The Sarcophagus of the Spouses is an Etruscan innovation depicting a relative party between the sexes
To emphasize realism seen in The Seated Boxer, the artist used (A) gold to symbolize the boxer's victory over his opponents (B) ivory to highlight the tousled nature of his hair during combat (C) copper to indicate wounds on the hands (D) blood to give a sense of the physical combat of boxing
Answer - C There are copper highlights on the work, mainly on the wounds on the hands of the boxer
The ground plan of this building indicates that (A) vast spaces are vaulted for large interiors (B) there are four entrances, one for each cardinal point of the compass (C) the interior rooms are dominated by closely spaced, thick columns (D) the outside walls are low and shallow to allow the Nile to ceremonially flood the interior
Answer - C There are thick round circles in linear order on the ground plan which represent columns placed very closely together
The mosaics of Justinian and Theodora have been placed in San Vitale (A) to commemorate a state visit by the Emperor and Empress (B) as a thank you for helping to construct the building (C) as stand-ins to symbolize their semi divine status as participants in the Mass (D) because they were declared saints after they died
Answer - C There is no evidence that either Justinian or Theodora ever visited or financially supported San Vitale. Even though, they were halos, they were never declared saints after their death. Their presence and their halos suggest a semi divine presence at service
Zoomorphic designs, as seen in the Lindisfarne Gospels, are similar to those found on (A) Caemlid sacrem in the shape of a canine (B) Anthropomorphic Stele (C) Jade cong from Liangzhu, China (D) Tlatilco female figure
Answer - C Zoomorphic designs, those having elements of animal shapes, are seen in the jade cont from Liangzhu, China
The Anavysos Kouros has in common with Egyptian sculpture its (A) nudity (B) facial expression (C) contrapposto (D) stance
Answer - D Both the Anavysos Kouros and Egyptian sculptures such as Menkaura and His Queen have the same stance, with one foot placed before the other, even as the torso remains rigid
The subject matter in the Bayeux Tapestry is similar to (A) scenes form the Vienna Genesis (B) the Temple of Zeus and Athena at Pergamon (C) the Niobides Krater (D) the Column of Trajan
Answer - D Both the Bayeux Tapestry and the Column of Trajan have narrative retellings of real historical events
Interior mosaic decoration is different in Late Antique and Byzantine buildings than in prior periods in that in the ancient world (A) mosaicists used large blocks of stone rather than miniature pieces called tesserae (B) tiles were made from glass, whereas Byzantine tiles were made of metal (C) tiles depicted animals and vegetable forms; Byzantine mosaics depict people (D) tiles are colored in flat pastel shades; Byzantine tiles glow with a use of gold and sparking colors
Answer - D Byzantine mosaics are characterized by their glowing golden colors; Roman and Greek mosaicists use pastel colors
The sculpture of Apollo from Veii is inspired by ancient Greek words like kouroi figures EXCEPT that the (A) Etruscan works have a smile that adds a lifelike quality to the sculpture (B) Greek works are life-size (C) Greek works have a more firmly articulated body (D) Etruscan works move in space more dramatically
Answer - D Etruscan works stride forward rather than stand at attention like kouroi from Archaic Greece
Prehistoric images of people wearing masks, such as the "Running Horned Woman," indicate an ancient interest in (A) coronation of Royalty and a sophisticated power structure (B) a formal hierarchy of religious leaders, including women (C) ceremonial centers and designated performers (D) ritual presentations in which the participants paint their bodies and dance
Answer - D Explanation - Rituals were important aspects of prehistoric culture and often depicted, in this work the woman is shown dancing with a painted body
Many prehistoric works were layered by successive generations of artists over the course of centuries. This is true of all of the following works EXCEPT (A) Stonehenge (B) Lascaux (C) Running Horned Woman (D) Camelid sacrum in the shape of a canine
Answer - D Explanation - The camelid sacrum is a lone object as compared to the others
The Standard of Ur, an ancient Sumerian work, shows that an early date there was extensive trading between peoples. All of the following elements on this work were imported through trade EXCEPT (A) lapis lazuli from Afghanistan (B) shells from the Persian Gulf Coast (C) red limestone from India (D) marble from Greece
Answer - D Explanation - There is no marble within the Standard of Ur
The purpose of the sculpture The Seated Scribe is to (A) illustrate the large retinue the pharaoh had (B) show how the pharaoh was literate and intelligent (C) indicate how the pharaoh used scribes to write down his deeds (D) attend to the pharaoh's needs in the afterlife
Answer - D Images of scribes were placed in tombs to attend to the pharaoh;s needs in the afterlife. The seated scribe had the specific purpose of being placed in a tomb so that the ka could be accommodated
Christian worshippers at Chartres had their attention drawn at (A) the relics displayed in the crypt (B) the mihrab pointing the way to Mecca (C) the royal tombs that line the side aisles (D) the apse, which was elevated from the nave
Answer - D In order for the altar to be seen more effectively in a darkened church, it was generally elevated above the floor of the nave
The Merovingian looped fibula shows the horror vacuum and cloisonné and chasing techniques common in which of the following traditions? (A) Roman (B) Byzantine (C) Greek (D) Celtic
Answer - D Merovingian looped fibulae show a decline in the classical tradition in Western Europe. Byzantine, Greek and Roman art are aspects of the classical tradition. Celtic art from Northern Europe developed separately and is from a different tradition.
The original function of the basin called the Baptisère de St. Louis was for (A) the baptism of infants in the royal household (B) coronation rituals of royalty (C) retelling mythological stories of the ancient past (D) washing hands during official ceremonies
Answer - D Originally this basin functioned as a bowl for washing hands during ceremonies. It was later brought into the French royal court and used for baptisms
Perpendicular Gothic is a style of architecture unique to (A) Spain (B) France (C) Germany (D) England
Answer - D Perpendicular, a form of late Gothic architecture, is unique to England. Westminster Hall is Perpendicular Gothic
Which of the following works is a Roman copy of a Greek original? (A) The Seated Boxer (B) The Winged Victory of Samothrace (C) The Peplos Kore (D) The Alexander Mosiac
Answer - D The Alexander Mosaic is a Roman copy of a Greek original, probably a fresco, that was found on the floor of a Roman villa at Pompeii
The laws expressed on the Code of Hammurabi can be summarized as (A) forgiveness is the highest form of justice (B) the only way to deter crime is to use the death penalty (C) justice depends on your ability to pay (D) the punishment reflects the crime
Answer - D The laws on the Hammurabi code can be summarized as the punishment fits the crime, what you have done will be done unto you
The White Temple and its ziggurat has all of the following design elements EXCEPT (A) it has tapered sides for the purpose of washing off rain water (B) it was originally painted to relieve the oppressiveness of the color of mud (C) the entire structure was meant to physically and symbolically represent a mountain (D) it has a small interior chamber that held the tomb of the king
Answer - D There is no indication that there were any burials associated with the White Temple or its ziggurat
Which historical event is represented on the Palette of King Narmer? (A) the founding of the first Egyptian dynasty (B) the conquering of the Assyrians (C) the abandonment of the polytheistic Egyptian religion in favor of one god, Aton (D) the unification of Upper and Lower Egypt
Answer - D This Palette represents a combination of all the episodes leading to the unification of Upper and Lower Egypt
The Hagia Sophia was added to after its initial construction, including the (A) enlargement of windows (B) development of rib vaults (C) installation of underground catacombs (D) addition of minarets
Answer - D the minarets were added by the Moslems when the building was turned into a mosque
After the fall of the Byzantine empire in 1453, its artistic tradition was carried in on (A) Turkey (B) Russia (C) Austria (D) Spain
Answer - Russia After the fall of the Byzantine empire in 1453, its artistic tradition was carried on in Russia