Art History Exam 2
Sarcophagus
- a funerary monument. It was a stone coffin and typically was decorated with a sculpture or inscription. They were present in Egypt, Rome, and Greece.
Ravenna
- an ancient Roman city, perhaps founded by the Etruscans, south of Venice. Honorius, Emperor of the West, moved his capital here from Milan when the Visigoths threatened to overrun Italy from the northwest. Ravenna fell to the first Germanic king of Italy, Odoacer, in 476. He was, in turn, overthrown by Theodoric, who established his capital at Ravenna in 493. Ravenna later fell to the Byzantine emperor Justinian.
Dome on a drum
- consists of a dome supported by vertical walls. An example of the usage of a dome on a drum is the Pantheon.
Atmospheric Perspective
- used to indicate depth by the increasingly blurred appearance of objects in the distance. An example of atmospheric perspective is a picture-window mural from the villa of Augustus's wife, Livia, at Primaporta. The artist utilized atmospheric perspective by precisely painting the fence, trees, and birds in the foreground, wheras the details of the dense foliage in the background are indistinct.
Nave/side aisle/colonnade/clerestory/apse-
1. Nave- the central area of an ancient Roman basilica or of a church, demarcated from aisles by piers or columns. 2. Side aisle- the portion of a basilica flanking the nave and separated from it by a row of columns or piers. 3. Colonnade- a series or row of columns, usually spanned by lintels. 4. Clerestory- the fenestrated part of a building that rises above the roofs of the other parts. The oldest known clerestories are Egyptian. In Roman basilicas and midieval churches, clerestories are the windows that form the nave's uppermost level below the timber ceiling or the vaults. 5. Apse- a recess, usually semicircular, in the wall of a building, commonly found at the east end of a church.
Lysippos
A Great Late Classical sculptor whom Alexander the Great selected to create his official portrait. He introduced a new canon of proportions in which the bodies were slenderer than those of Polykleitos and the heads roughly one-eighth the height of the body rather than one-seventh, as in the previous century. One of his most famous works was a bronze statue of an apoxymenos (an athlete scraping oil from his body after exercising).
Ara Pacis
Also known as the Altar of Peace, 13-9 BC. It was built by Augustus on the site where he had sacrificed an animal in 13 BC as an offering to continue peace. It holds an altar surrounded by 4 walls, and has an ornamental motif below. The motif shows foliage and represents peace and prosperity. At the top, the imperial procession is shown. It shows depth and overlapping figures, and the figures show individuality and specificity. It also includes a panel of Tellus, Mother Earth, symbolizing harmony among all (Earth, sky, and sea) under Augustus's reign.
Kore
An Archaic Greek statue of a young woman. Statuette of a goddess or maiden
Myron
An early classical artist who created the Diskobolos, a vigorous action statue. However, Myron posed the body in an almost Archaic manner, with profile limbs and a nearly frontal chest, suggesting the tension of a coiled spring. Like the arm of a pendulum clock, the right arm has reached the apex of its arc but has not yet begun to swing down again. Myron froze the action and arranged the body and limbs to form two intersecting arcs (one from the discus to the left hand, one from the head to the right knee), creating the impression of a tightly stretch bow a moment before the archer releases the strong. However, the tension is not mirrored in the athlete's face, which remains expressionless. The head is turned away from the spectator, and the figure does not perform for the spectator but concentrates on the task at hand instead. This contrasts with Archaic athlete statues.
Pericles
Believed to have been the most prominent Greek statesman, orator and general of Athens. Ruled during the Golden Age, between the Persian and Peloponnesian wars. He was very important for the history of art and architecture. He sponsored buildings, arts, and education in Athens and it was during his time of influence that the city developed its reputation of being the intellectual center of the ancient world. Under his rule, Athens developed its Acropolis. Additions to the Acropolis included some of the most important works of art and architecture in European history. These buildings introduced new artistic and architectural styles and challenged the limits of ancient engineers. They also set the standards of artistic perfection, which are still alive and applauded today. The most distinguished of these buildings was the Parthenon.
Icon
Especially in Byzantine churches, a panel with a painting of sacred personages that are objects of great respect. This can be a painting, a piece of sculpture, or even a building. In icons, the relationship between the image and the person represented is blurred. In other words, the person represented is almost present and can be communicated with. Therefore, the relationship between the image and the viewer is interactive. Icons focus more on the beauty of the image than on realism. They are believed to have healing powers and to create miracles if prayed to.
Basilica
In Roman architecture, a public building for legal and other civic proceedings, rectangular in plan with an entrance usually on a long side. In Christian architecture, a church somewhat resembling the Roman basilica, usually entered from one end and with an apse at the other.
Pediment
In classical architecture, the triangular space (gable) at the end of a building, formed by the ends of the sloping roof above the colonnade.
Kouros
One of the earliest Greek examples of life-size statuary. Figure is frontal with the left foot advanced slightly. The arms are held besides the body, and the fists are clenched with the thumbs forward. Sometimes used by the Greeks as votive offerings in sanctuaries. Because of its generic quality, the kouros type could be employed in several different contexts. They differ from the Egyptian prototypes of such figures in two ways: 1. Greek sculptors liberated the figures from the stone block a. Greeks represented motion in their sculpted figures rather than permanence, as the Egyptians had. 2. The Kouroi are nude a. In the absence of identifying attributes, they are formally indistinguishable from Greek images of deities with their perfect bodies exposed for all to see.
Catacomb
Subterranean networks of rock-cut galleries and chambers designed as cemeteries for the burial of Christians and, to a lesser extent, Jews and others. Most early Christian art in Rome dates to the third and fourth centuries and is found in the catacombs. The catacombs had niches where bodies could be placed.
Theotokos, 431 AD
The Virgin Mary, the mother of Jesus. "Theotokos" is Greek for "she who bore God." In 432 AD, the Council of Ephesus officially designated Mary as the Mother of God. Upon debating whether Mary had given birth to the man Jesus or to God as man, the council came to the conclusion that the divine and human coexisted in Christ and that Mary was indeed the Mother of God.
Contrapposto
The disposition of the human figure in which one part is turned in opposition ot another part (usually hips and legs one way, shoulders and chest another), creating a counterpositioning of the body about its central axis. Weight of the body tends to be thrown to one foot, creating tension on one side and relaxation on the other.
Iconoclasm
The period from 726 to 843 in Byzantium when there was an imperial ban on icons. The destroyers of such images were known as iconoclasts. Those who opposed such a ban were known as iconophiles. In 726, Leo the Third banned the use of icons. The icons were destroyed throughout the Byzantine empire. In 843, the Empress Theodora lifted the ban on icons.
Stylobate
The uppermost course of the platform of a classical Greek temple, which supports the columns.
Villa of the Mysteries
a chamber in Pompeii believed to have been used to celebrate, in private, the rites of the Greek God Dionysos. He was the focus of an unofficial mystery religion popular among women in Italy at the time. The nature of the rites is unknown, but the illustration of mostly female mortals interacting with mythological figures probably provides some evidence for the cult's initiation rites. During these rites, young women, emulating Ariadne, daughter of King Minos, united in marriage with Dionysos. Nothing comparable to this room existed in Hellenistic Greece. Despite the presence of Greek mythological figures, this is a Roman design.
San Vitale
a church built by Justinian in 547. It was centrally planned, with a dome over the center. It vaguely takes on the form of Hagia Sophia, but not in terms of the ground plan. The walls are covered with patterned marble and mosaics. It was an example of Justinian trying to get away from the Pagen style of architecture and make it more Christian.
Dome on pendentives
a dome on pendentives directs the weight down to piers at four corners. The walls do not have a supporting function, which allows the walls to be opened up and let light shine in. A pendentive, which supports the dome, is a concave, triangular section of a hemisphere, four of which provide the transition from a square area to the circular base of a covering dome. Althought pendentives appear to be hanging from the dome, they support it.
Polykleitos
a sculptor of Argos who created his ideal human figure based on the belief that such a statue would be created according to an all-encompassing mathematical formula. He was inspired by one of the most influential philosophers of the ancient world, Pythagoras of Samos. Pythagoras believed that underlying harmonic proportions could be found in all of nature, determining the form of the cosmos as well as of things on earth, and that beautiy resided in harmonious numerical ratios.
Ionic Order
a system invented in Ancient Greece for articulating the three units of the elevation of a classical building—the platform, the colonnade, and the superstructure (entablature). More elegant than Doric Order. It is frequently used to represent female figures. The columns are thinner and taller, and are more spaced apart. As opposed to Doric Order, Ionic does not have triglyphs or metopes. It has a frieze all the way across the top. Characterized by, among other features, volutes, capitals, columns with bases, and an uninterrupted frieze.
Doric Order
a system ivented in Ancient Greece for articulating the three units of the elevation of a classical building-- the platform, the colonnade, and the superstructure (entablature). More heavy, rugged, and masculine than the Ionic Order. Characterized by, among other features, capitals with funnel-shaped echinuses, columns without bases, and a frieze of triglyphs and metopes.
Triglyph/Metope
a triglyph is a triple projecting, grooved member of a Doric frieze that alternates with metopes. A metope is the square panel between the triglyphs in a Doric frieze, often sculpted in relief.
Linear Perspective
a type of perspective in which all the receding lines in a composition converge on a single point along the painting's central axis to show depth and distance. It is believed to have first been used by Greek painters of the fifth century BCE for the design of Athenian stage sets. It was a favored tool of the Second Style painters seeking to transform the usually windowless walls of Roman houses into "picture-window" vistas that expanded the apparent space of the rooms.
Venus de Milo
a. 150-125 BCE b. Larger-than-life-size marble statue of Aphrodite c. More modestly draped than the Aphrodite of Knidos i. More overtly sexual ii. Left hand holds the apple Paris awarded her when he judged her the most beautiful goddess iii. Right hand may have lightly grasped the edge of her drapery in a half-hearted attempt to keep it on her body iv. Sculptor intended to tease the viewer, instilling a sexuality absent from the entirely nude Aphrodite of Knidos
Altar of Zeus at Pergamon
a. 175 BCE b. Altar on an elevated platform c. Framed by an Ionic colonnade d. Projecting wings on either side of a broad central staircase e. All around the altar platform, a sculpted frieze almost 400 feet long i. Decorated with about 100 larger-than-life-size figures ii. Battle of Zeus and the Gods against the giants, Gods victorious, threw Giants off Mt. Olympus iii. Greeks symbolized by Gods, Barbarians attacking Greece at the time symbolized by giants 1. Battle rages everywhere, even up and down the steps that lead to Zeus's altar 2. Frieze a. Violent movement b. Swirling draperies c. Vivid depictions of death and suffering d. Wounded figures in pain, faces showing anguish e. Deep carving creates dark shadows f. Figures project from the background like bursts of light iv. Figures kneeling on same step you would walk up to reach altar 1. No distinction between their space and ours 2. We are part of their world, they are part of ours
Nike of Samothrace
a. 190 BCE b. Has just alighted on the prow of a Greek warship i. Descending from Heavens c. Raises her right arm (missing) to crown the naval victor d. Not a calm depiction, almost settled but not quite i. Wings still beat ii. Wind sweeps her drapery iii. Her garment bunches in thick folds around her right leg iv. Chiton is pulled tightly across her abdomen and left leg e. Rejects the Polykleitan concept of a statue as an ideally proportioned, self-containted entity on a bare pedestal i. Interacts with environment and appears as a living, breathing, and intensely emotive presence
Colossal head of Constantine from the Basilica Nova, Rome
a. 315-330 CE b. After Constantine's victory over Maxentius, his official portraits broke from the tetrarchic tradition and the style of the soldier emperors i. Brought back the Augustan image of an eternally youthful head of state c. 8 ½ feet tall d. One of several fragments of a colossal enthroned statue of the emperor e. Marble f. Seminude seated portrait i. Modeled by artist on Roman images of Jupiter g. Held an orb in his extended left hand i. Possibly surmounted by the cross of Christ ii. Orb symbolizes global power h. Frontal mask with enormous eyes set into the broad and simple planes of his head i. Nervous glance of third century portraits is absent i. Emperor's personality is lost j. Immense image of eternal authority k. Overwhelming power appropriate to his position as absolute ruler i. Colossal size ii. Likening of the emperor to Jupiter iii. Eyes directed at no person or thing of this world
Apoxymenos (Scraper)
a. 330 BC b. Ahtlete scraping oil from his body after exercising c. Lysippos i. Introduced a new canon of proportions 1. Bodies were more slender than those of Polykleitos 2. Heads roughly one-eighth the height of the body rather than one-seventh, as in the previous century d. Nervous energy not present in Doryphoros i. About to reach the end of the right arm, and at any moment will switch it to the other hand so he can scrape his left arm 1. At the same time, he will shift his weight and reverse the position of his legs e. Lysippos began to break down the dominance of frontal view in statuary and encourage his viewers to see the statue from multiple angles f. Breaks out of the shallow rectangular box that defined the boundaries of earlier statues i. Right arm boldly thrust forward ii. Observer must move to the side in order to comprehend the action
Aphrodite of Knidos
a. 350 BC b. Marble c. Represents goddess of love completely nude i. Had never been done before ii. Caused sensation around the sculpture in its time iii. Female nudity rare in early Greek art iv. No one had ever placed inside a temple a statue of a goddess wearing no clothes d. Not a cold and remote image i. Goddess engages in a trivial act out of everyday life 1. Had just removed her garment, draped it over a water pitcher, and is about to step into a bath e. Not openly erotic i. Goddess shields her pelvis with her hand 1. Still quite sensuous
Hermes and the Infant Dionysos
a. 350 BCE b. Shows tender and very human interaction between adult and child i. One frequently encounters in real life but this had been absent from Greek statuary previously ii. Gods of Praxiteles are stepping off their pedestals and entering the world of human experience 1. However, they still posses a beauty that humans can aspire to, but not achieve c. Shadows follow the planes as they flow into one another d. Marble facial features are delicate i. Sharp contrast to precision of Doryphoros
Parthenon
a. 440 BCE b. Doric temple design c. Most famous temple of Greece d. Architect aimed to create perfect proportions, like Polykleitos had with the Doryphoros i. Well-spaced columns 1. Slender shafts ii. Capitals 1. Straight-sided conical echinuses iii. Irregular in shape 1. Deviations from the strictly horizontal and vertical lines assumed to be the basis of all Greek post-and-lintel structures a. Stylobate curves upward at the center i. Forms a shallow dome b. Peristyle columns lean inward slightly i. Columns at the corners are thicker than the rest 2. Perhaps done to compensate for optical illusions a. Example: if a stylobate is laid out on a level surface, it will appear to sag at the center b. Corner columns of a building should be thicker because they are surrounded by light and would otherwise appear thinner than the others 3. Although it is Doric, it has Ionic elements a. Exterior frieze is Doric, inner frieze is Ionic Possibly architects' way of suggesting that Athens was the leader of all Greeks
Doryphoros (Spear Bearer or Achilles)
a. 450-440 BC b. Originally bronze c. Known through Roman copies in marble d. Embodiment of Polykleitos's vision for the ideal statue of a nude male athlete or warrior e. Contrapposto f. Polykleitos used a system of cross balance to create a "perfect" image i. Seems to be a natural pose but is actually the result of a complex and subtle organization of the figure's parts ii. Straight-hanging arm echoes the rigid supporting leg 1. Gives the right side the stability to be the foundation for the left side's dynamically flexed limbs iii. Seems to take a step forward yet does not move 1. Creates motion while at rest 2. Harmony of opposites 3. Essence of Polykleitos's style
Tomb of the Leopards, Etruscan burial chamber
a. 450-480 BC b. 2 leopards painted on top wall c. Couples sitting, talking, listening to music i. Creating a sense of liveliness, interaction, movement 1. Similar to married couple sarcophagus d. Musicians painted i. Heavy black outlines ii. Linear art 1. Adds color inside lines e. Curved lines of figures (curvelinear style) i. More organic as opposed to rectilinear or geometric 1. Opposite of Egyptians
Sarcophagus with reclining couple
a. 520 BCE b. Husband and wife reclining on a banqueting couch c. Image of a husband and wife sharing a banqueting couch is strictly Etruscan i. Etruscan women had much more freedom in society than in Ancient Greece ii. In Greece, only men, boys, slave girls, and prostitutes attended such events d. Hand gestures more expressive than faces e. Snapshot i. Caught in the middle of discussion ii. Sense of life and motion f. Jars with ashes of the couple would go inside i. Possibly other family members' ashes as well g. From the waist down, anatomy not as accurate i. Legs seem to flop onto sofa h. From waist up, more careful attention to detail anatomically
Achilles and Ajax playing a dice game
a. 525-520 BCE b. Placed figures of monumental stature in a single large framed panel c. Left is Achilles i. Mightiest Greek soldier in the war against Troy ii. Shown fully armed iii. Plays a dice game with his comrade Ajax during a lull in the Trojan conflict iv. Ajax has taken off his helmet 1. Both men hold their spears 2. Their shelds are nearby 3. Ready for action at a moment's notice 4. Shows "calm before the storm" a. Opposite of the Archaic preference for dramatic action v. Intricate engraving of patterns on their cloaks 1. Highlighted with decliate touches of white vi. Arch formed by the backs of the warriors follows the shape of the rounded shoulders of the amphora 1. Shape of vessel is also echoed in the space between the heads and spears of the warriors vii. Spears also used to lead the viewer's eyes toward the thrown dice, where the heroes' eyes are fixed 1. Eyes do not actually look down at the table, stare out from the profile heads in the old manner d. Black-figure style i. The silhouetting of dark figures against a light background of natural, reddish clay 1. Linear details incised through the silhouettes
Hagia Sophia
a. 537 b. Constantinople c. Rebuilt by Justinian d. Huge dome over center e. Large nave in center f. Side aisles with 3 rooms g. Similar plan to Visillica of Constantine i. Nave in middle ii. Apse on one end iii. Side aisles iv. Done on purpose 1. Justinian wants to associate himself with Constantine, first Christian Roman emperor h. Moving up, does not look like Visillica of Constantine i. Looks like Pantheon 1. Reminds of Pagen temple ii. Purpose is that Christianity is superior to Pagenism 1. Dome seems to hang magically 2. Dome on pendentives a. Directs weight down to piers at 4 corners b. Walls do not have supporting function so you can open up the walls and let light shine in 3. Unclear how dome is hanging a. Result is almost magical 4. More beautiful, breathtaking version of Pantheon 5. Use of gold paint/gold leaf 6. Light comes in from many angles 7. Massive stage set to proclaim Justinian's power
Temple of Portunus
a. 75 BCE b. Roman i. Republican era c. Mixing of Greek and Etruscan forms d. Portunus was the Roman god of harbors e. Plan follows the Etruscan pattern i. High podium ii. Flight of steps only at the front f. Six freestanding columns are all in the deep porch g. Stone i. Overlaid originally with stucco in imitation of Greek marble h. Ionic i. Frieze ii. Columns i. Design combines Etruscan and Greek elements but the resultant mix is uniquely Roman
Model of a typical Archaic Etruscan temple of the sixth century BCE
a. Based on Vitruvius's account b. Resembles contemporaneous Greek stone gable-roofed temples, but had wood columns, a tile-covered wood roof, and walls of sun-dried mud brick c. Entrance possible only through a narrow staircase at the center of the front of the temple i. Sat on a high podium 1. Only part of the building made of stone d. Proportions different from Greek temples i. Greek temples were about twice as long as wide 1. Vitruvius reported the typical ratio for Etruscan temples was 6:5 ii. Columns in Etruscan temples were usually all at the front of the building, creating a deep porch occupying roughly half the podium and setting off one side of the structure as the main side 1. Front and rear of Greek temples were indistinguishable, and builders placed steps and columns on all sides iii. Etruscan temple not meant to be seen as a sculptural mass from all directions 1. Greek temples were e. Because of the lightness of the superstructure, fewer, more widely spaced columns were used in Etruscan temples f. Unlike Greek, Etruscan temples frequently had three cellas, one for each of their chief gods g. Pedimental statuary was rare in Etruria h. Etruscans normally placed life-size narrative statuary (in terracotta instead of stone) on the roofs of their temples
Aule Metele
a. Early first century BCE b. Etruscan c. Magistrate Aule Metele addressing an assembly i. Raises arm d. During the time that Romans achieved total dominance over the Etruscans i. All of Italy's inhabitants became Roman citizens 1. Aule Metele wears the toga and boots of a Roman magistrate 2. Head resembles portraits produced in Rome at the same time a. Close-cropped hair b. Signs of aging in face 3. Etruscan in name only a. Only identifiable as Aule Metele because the sculptor inscribed the magistrate's Etruscan name and those of his father and mother on the hem of his garment 4. "Etruscan art became Roman art"
Portrait of Augustus as general
a. Early first century CE b. Roman i. Imperial c. Role playing i. Imperial sculptors 1. Combined portrait heads with many different statuary types a. The type chosen depended on the position the person held in Roman society or the various fictitious guises members of the imperial family assumed
The Good Shepherd, The Story of Jonah, and orants
a. Early fourth century b. Ceiling of cubiculum in the catacomb of Saints Peter and Marcellinus c. Rome d. Small square room i. Lavishly decorated e. Story of Jonah i. Gives hope for resurrection ii. Jonah was spit out of belly of a fish after 3 days, like Jesus's resurrection f. The Good Shepherd i. Just as he takes care of his sheep, God will take care of you ii. Contrapposto iii. Simplified Classical style iv. Roundness and depth from shading g. Orant figures i. Praying figure 1. Praying to Christian God h. Utilizes syncretism (taking old forms and investing them with new Christian meaning) i. More about forms than typology i. Typology- something in the Old Testament prefigures something in the New Testament
Athena battling Alkyoneos, detail of the gigantomachy frieze, Altar of Zeus, Pergamon
a. Gaia, earth goddess and mother of all the giants, emerges from the ground and looks on with horror as Athena grabs the hair of the giant Alkyoneos and Nike flies in to crown her
Apollo of Veii
a. Life-size image of Apulu b. Displays energy and excitement that characterize Archaic Etruscan art c. Came from the rooftop of a temple d. Bright paint and rippling folds of Apulu's garment e. Vigorous striding motion f. Gesticulating arms g. Fanlike calf muscles h. Rippling drapery i. Animated face j. All of these qualities are distinctly Etruscan
Kouros from Attica
a. Marble b. 600 BC c. Was a funerary statue that stood over a grave in the countryside of Attica d. Kouroi were also used as votive offerings in sanctuaries e. Differ from the Egyptian prototypes in two ways: i. Greek sculptors liberated the figures from the stone block 1. Greeks represented motion in their sculpted figures instead of permanence, as the Egyptians had ii. The Kouroi are nude 1. In the absence of identifying attributes, they are formally indistinguishable from Greek images of deities with their perfect bodies exposed for all to see f. Triangular shape of head and hair g. Flatness of the face h. Eyes, nose, and mouth all sit on the front of the head and the ears on the sides and the long hair forms a flat backdrop behind the head i. Result of the sculptor's having drawn these features on four independent sides of the marble block 1. Follows the same workshop procedure used in Egypt for millennia i. Has the same slim waist and shows the same love for pattern as earlier Greek statues i. The pointed arch of the rib cage echoes the V-shaped ridge of the hips, which suggests but does not accurately reproduce the rounded flesh and muscle of the human body
The Roman House
a. Not only a place to live i. Played an important rule in societal rituals b. Size of a patron's clientele was a measure of someone's standing in Roman society i. Being seen in public with a group of clients was a badge of honor ii. Regardless of rank, all clients were obligated to support their patron in political campaigns and to perform specific services on request, as well as to call on and salute the patron at the patron's home iii. Client calling on a patron would enter the house through a narrow foyer which led to a large central reception area (the atrium) iv. Rooms could open onto street, owner could rent them as shops v. Roof of the atrium was partially open to the sky 1. Admit light and channel rainwater into basin for household use vi. Small bedrooms opening onto atrium vii. Two recessed areas at back viii. Patron's home office ix. Dining room x. Kitchen xi. Sometimes a small garden c. Endless variations of the same basic plan i. Dictated by the owners' personal tastes and means, size and shape of the lot, etc. d. All Roman houses of this type were inward-looking in nature i. Shut off the street's noise and dust ii. All internal activity focused on the brightly illuminated atrium at the center e. During second century BCE, Roman house took on Greeks airs i. Builders added a peristyle garden behind the house 1. Provided a second internal source of illumination as well as a pleasant setting for meals served during summer f. On entering the house, the viewer could see through the atrium directly into the peristyle garden g. Houses of this type typical of Pompeii and other Italian towns i. Very rare in cities such as Rome 1. Masses lived instead in multistory apartment houses
Dipylon Krater
a. One of the earliest examples of Greek figure painting b. 740 BCE c. A huge krater that marked the grave of a man buried around 740 BCE d. Dipylon cemetery of Athens e. Over 3 feet tall f. Technical achievement and a testament to both the potter's skill and to the wealth and position of the deceased's family in the community g. Bottom of the great vessel is open i. Possibly to permit visitors to the grave to pour libations in honor of the dead ii. Perhaps simply to provide a drain for rainwater iii. Possibly both h. Much of the surface is covered with precisely painted abstract angular motifs in horizontal bands i. Key pattern around the rim of the krater j. Decoration of most early Greek vases consists exclusively of abstract motifs i. On this krater, geometric ornament does not dominate ii. Artist reserved the widest part of the vase for two bands of human figures and horsedrawn chariots rather than geometric ornament iii. The scenes depict the mourning for a man laid out on his bier and the grand chariot procession in his honor 1. Befits the vase's function iv. Painter filled every empty space around the figures with circles and M-shaped ornaments, negating any sense that the mourners or soldiers inhabit open space v. Human figures, animals, and furniture are as two-dimensional as the geometric shapes elsewhere on the vessel vi. In upper band, the shroud is raised to reveal the corpse 1. Shroud is an abstract checkerboard-like backdrop vii. Figures are silhouettes with triangular torsos and attached profile arms, legs, and heads with a single large frontal eye in the center 1. Follows the age-old convention viii. To distinguish male from female, painter added a penis growing out of one of the deceased's thighs ix. Mourning women 1. Tear their hair out in grief 2. Breasts emerging beneath their armpits 3. Artist's concern was specifying gender, not anatomical accuracy x. Below 1. Warriors look like walking shields 2. Two wheels of the chariots appear side by side a. Old conceptual manner 3. Horses a. Correct number of heads and legs but seem to share a common body, so that there is no sense of overlapping or depth
Christ as Good Shepherd, mosaic from the entrance wall of the Mausoleum of Galla Placidia
a. Ravenna b. 425 c. Main figure turned in space i. Sense of depth 1. Sheep a. Turned in space, moving away from you
West doors, Santa Sabina, Rome
a. Relates to original carved wooden doors of Old Saint Peter's
Inner Ionic Frieze of the Parthenon, elders and maidens
a. Represents the Panathenaic Festival procession i. Took place every 4 years in Athens ii. Shows the end of the procession, when it slows almost to a halt as it nears its goal at the shrine of Athena's ancient wooden idol
Column of Trajan
a. Roman b. 112 CE c. Covered the shaft of a colossal freestanding column with a continuous spiral narrative frieze i. First time this was done d. 128-foot-tall column e. Trajan's tomb f. Recount Trajan's two successful campaigns against the Dacians i. More than 150 episodes 1. Some 2,500 figures appear g. Band increases in width as it winds to the top of the column i. Makes the upper portions easier to see h. Trajan is shown addressing his troops, sacrificing to the gods, etc. i. Narrative not a reliable chronological account of the Dacian wars i. Sculptors accurately recorded the general character of the campaigns ii. Battle scenes take up only a quarter of the frieze 1. Romans spent more time constructing forts, transporting men and equipment, and preparing for battle than actually fighting 2. Focus is always on emperor a. Appears repeatedly in the frieze b. Enemy not belittled i. Romans won because of their superior organization and more powerful army, not because they were inherently superior beings
Imperial
figures are idealized, drapery falls
Pantheon
a. Roman b. 126 AD c. Front of temple d. Round at back i. Step into hemispherical dome, large space e. Dedicated to all Gods i. Inside, statues of many different gods ii. Roundness suggests everything, heavens, entire universe f. Concrete i. Reduces weight of vault 1. Does not weigh down as much on the structure below g. Arches held up by piers i. Hold up dome ii. Columns do not completely hold it up iii. Arches built into walls that you do not see 1. Hides structural supports h. Romans and Greeks share love of perfect geometry i. Pantheon adheres to principles of perfect geometry ii. Could obtain perfect sphere within the space i. Dome on a drum
Ara Pacis Augustae (Altar of Augustan Peace)
a. Roman b. 13-9 BCE c. Celebrates Augustus's most significant achievement, the establishment of peace d. Female personification panel i. Possibly Tellus (Mother Earth) ii. Earth in bloom all around her 1. Bountiful 2. Animals of different species live peacefully side by side 3. Personifications of refreshing breezes on either side of her a. Windblown drapery b. One rides a bird c. One rides a sea creature d. Earth, sky, and water are all elements in the picture i. Peace and fertility under Augustus
Equestrian statue of Marcus Aurelius
a. Roman b. 175 CE c. Larger-than-life-size d. Much larger than any human would be in relation to his horse e. Stretches out his right arm in a gesture that is both a greeting and an offer of mercy f. Beneath the horse's raised right foreleg, an enemy once cowered, begging the emperor for mercy g. Expresses the Roman emperor's majesty and authority i. Confidence ii. Face is aged 1. Beginning of showing the strain of constant warfare on the frontiers and the burden of ruling a worldwide emperor, on the faces of emperors a. Went past Republican verism i. Exposed the ruler's thoughts, character, and his soul for all to see ii. Major turning point in the history of ancient art
Ludovisi Battle Sarcophagus, Battle of Romans and barbarians
a. Roman b. 250-260 CE c. Burial of dead becoming more widespread d. Sarcophagi more popular now than ever e. Unusually large sarcophagus f. Decorated on front with a chaotic scene of battle between Romans and one of their northern foes, probably the Goths g. No illusion of space behind the figures i. Spread evenly thoughout the surface ii. Piling of figures is an extreme rejection of Classical style h. Central horseman stands out vividly i. Wears no helmet and thrusts out his right hand, opened, to show he holds no weapon 1. Boasts that he is a fearless commander assured of victory
South facade of the Arch of Constantine
a. Roman b. 312-315 CE c. Commemorates Constantine's defeat of Maxentius d. Sculptors refashioned second-century reliefs to honor him by recutting the heads of the earlier emperors with his features i. Associate him with the "good emperors" of the second century
Santa Sabina
a. Roman b. 422-432 c. Rounded apse in back i. Side aisles d. Light coming in onto the nave i. Clerestory of windows at top e. Nave in center f. The Corinthian columns of its nave arcade focus all attention on the chancel arch and the apse, which frame the altar g. Plain brick walls on outside
Santa Sabina ground plan
a. Roman b. 422-432 c. rounded apse in back i. side aisles d. light coming in i. clerestory of windows at top e. nave in center
Head of a Roman Patrician
a. Roman b. Republican c. First century BCE d. Wrinkled, sagging skin e. Meant to convey seriousness of mind and the virtue of a public career i. Demonstrates the way in which the subjectliterally wears the marks of his achievements and hard work ii. Characteristic of Roman Republican art
Basilica Nova
a. Rome b. 306-312 CE c. Giant portrait of Constantine sat in the western apse i. Dominated the interior of the basilica ii. Similar to the way enthroned statues of Greco-Roman divinities loomed over awestruck mortals in temples cellas d. 300 feet long, 215 feet wide e. Concrete walls 20 feet thick f. Groint vaults g. Nave i. 115 feet high h. Stone-and-timber basilica lighting system was used i. Architect applied to basilica design the lessons learned in the design and construction of buildings such as Trajan's great market hall
Moses crossing the red sea, Santa Maria Maggiore
a. Rome b. 432-440 c. Mosaic d. Sense of depth e. Reminds us of Trojan's column i. Series of military victories
Chi Rho
along with iota, these letters make up the monogram called the Christogram. They are the intial letters of Christ's name in Greek. These letters appear on the later of two coins with portraits of Constantine from 315 CE, which portrayed Constantine as both Roman emperor and soldier in the army of the Lord.
Trajan
an emperor who expanded the Roman empire more than any other emperor up to this point. He led the imperial army to victory in both the east and west, bringing vast new territories under Roman dominion. To celebrate his success, he erected a 128-foot-tall column in Rome. Although frequently imitated, this column, known as the Column of Trajan, was the first of its kind. He was perhaps Rome's greatest general. Constantine- the first Christian Roman emperor. He had a great effect on art and values in ancient Rome. Under Constantine, Christians were allowed to worship openly. During his rule, Christianity became the official religion of the Roman Empire.
Barrel Vault
an extension of a simple arch, creating a semicylindrical ceiling over parallel walls. These vaults can be unfavorable because if even a single block of a cut-stone vault comes loose, the whole vault may collapse. Also, they can be illuminated only by light coming in from either end of the tunnel. They require buttressing (lateral support) of the walls below the vaults to counteract their downward and outward thrust.
Classical
beautiful people, young and wealthy, vibrant, perfection, triumph/strength
Hellenistic
emotion, woman covering herself, drama, narrative, doesn't show just perfect people, old women, the poor
Justinian
emperor of the Byzantine empire who ruled from 527 to 565. His goal was to re-establish the Christian Roman empire. To do so, one of his goals was to rebuild churches, and he did this with the Hagia Sophia. The Hagia Sophia had a similar plan to the Visillica of Constantine. This was done on purpose because Justinian wanted to associate himself with Constantine, the first Christian Roman emperor, as it was his goal to restore the Christian Roman empire.
Groin Vault
formed by the intersection at right angles of two barrel vaults of equal size. They appear lighter than the barrel vault and require less buttressing. The groin vault's thrust is concentrated along the groins. These vaults are supported by piers. The area between the piers are left open, permitting light to enter.
Archaic
geometric shapes, black figure style
Late Classical
gods are more human like, emotion, tenderness, gods have entered the world of mortals
Procession of the imperial family, south frieze of Ara Pacis Augustae
i. Imperial family and other important dignitaries ii. Inspiration was likely the Panathenaic procession frieze of the Parthenon 1. Augustus sought to present his new order as a Golden Age equaling that of Athens under Pericles 2. Roman procession very different from the Greek model a. Parthenon i. Anonymous figures act out event that occurred every 4 years ii. Frieze stands for all Panathenaic festival processions b. Ara Pacis Augustae i. Depicts a specific event ii. Probably the inaugural ceremony of 13 BCE when work on the altar began iii. Recognizable historical figures iv. Children restlessly tug on their elders' garments and talk to one another when they should be quiet on a solemn occasion 1. Children who act like children and not like miniature adults, as they frequently do in the history of art a. Lends a great deal of charm to the procession i. Not why the sculptors included them ii. Had never been present on any other Roman or Greek state monument iii. Augustus was concerned about the decline of birth rate among the nobility iv. Enacted a series of laws designed to promote marriage, marital fidelity, and raising children v. Men shown with their families served as a moral example vi. Augustus used relief sculpture and portraiture to further his political and social agendas
Typology
in Christian theology, the recognition of concordances between events, especially between episodes in the Old and New Testaments. This occurs when something in the Old Testament prefigures something in the New Testament.
Transfiguration
included in the public-ministry cycle which comprises the teachings of Jesus and the miracles he performed. In the transfiguration, Jesus scales a high mountain and, in the presence of Peter and two other disciples, James and John the Evangelist, transforms into radiant light. God, speaking from a cloud, discloses Jesus is his son.
Edict of Milan, 313 AD
issued by Constantine and Licinius, his coemperor in the East. It established Christianity as a legal religion with equal or superior standing to the traditional Roman cults. Constantine issued this because he believed the Christian God was the source of his power rather than a threat to it. This ended the persecution of Christians.
Byzantine
many mosaics
Early Christian Art
naturalistic, contraposto, subject matter is religious, sense of depth, not standing on ground line, simple
Praxiteles-
one of the Great artists of the fourth century BCE. Although he did not reject the favored sculptural themes of the High Classical period and his Olympian gods and goddesses retained their superhuman beauty, those deities lost some of their solemn grandeur and took on a worldly sensuousness in his work. His work was a prime example of the new approach to art taken by Greeks in the fourth century BCE, during which Greek thought and Greek art began to move away from the serene idealism of the previous century and focus more on the individual and on the real world of appearances.
Pompeii
one of the cities buried by the eruption of Mount Vesuvius in 79 CE. Pompeii, among other towns, were buried in a single day. When researchers first explored it and the other cities in the 18th century, the ruins had stayed undisturbed for nearly 1,700 years which allowed for a reconstruction of the art and life of Roman towns of the Late Republic and Early Empire to a degree impossible anywhere else. Pompeii fought with other Italian cities on the losing side against Rome in the so-called Social War that ended in 89 BCE. In 80 BCE, Sulla founded a new Roman colony on the site, with Latin as its official language. In 62 CE, an earthquake shook the city and caused severe damage. When Mount Vesuvius erupted, repairs were still in progress.
Mosaic
patterns or pictures made by embedding small pieces of stone or glass in cement on surfaces such as walls and floors. Mosaic decoration played an important role in the interiors of Early Christian buildings of all types. In churches, they not only provided a beautiful setting for the Christian liturgy, but also were vehicles for instructing the congregation about biblical stories and Christian dogma.
Hagia Sofia
rebuilt by emperor Justinian in 537. It was built in Constantinople. It had a similar plan to the Visillica of Constantine, which was done by Justinian on purpose because he wanted to be associated with Constantine, the first Christian Roman emperor, because Justinian wanted to re-establish the Christian Roman empire. Moving upward, the Hagia Sophia looks somewhat like the Pantheon. This was done on purpose as well because it reminds us of the Pagen temple, but a more overwhelming and beautiful version, which sends the message that Christianity is greater than the Pagen religion. The Hagia Sophia had a huge dome over the center that seemed to magically hang over the structure. The dome of the Pantheon was supported by vertical walls (it was a dome on a drum), while the dome of the Hagia Sophia was a dome on pendentives, so it directed weight down to piers at four corners. The walls did not have a supporting function, so the walls are able to be opened up in order to allow light to shine in. All of this, along with other artistic factors such as the usage of gold paint and gold leaf, creates a beautiful sight that is breathtaking and is a massive stage set to proclaim Justinian's power.
Syncretism
taking old forms and investing them with new Christian meaning.
Santa Maria Maggiore
the first major church in the West. It was dedicated to the Virgin Mary. It is a basilican church with Old Testament themes as the focus of the extensive fifth-century mosaic cycle in the nave. Construction of the church began in 432, the year after the Council of Ephesus officially designated Mary as the Mother of God.
Old St. Peter's
the greatest of Constantine's churches in Rome. It was most likely begun as early as 319. It stood over the ancient cemetery in which Peter, the founder of the Christian community in Rome, was believed to have been buried. The immense church enshrined Peter's tomb, one of the most holy sites in Christendom. The plan and elevation of the church resemble those of Roman basilicas and audience halls, rather than the design of any Greco-Roman temple.
Constantinople
translates to "City of Constantine." Here, in modern day Istanbul, Turkey, Constantine founded a "New Rome" after defeating and executing Licinius near here and becoming ruler of the entire Roman empire.
Augustus
was the adopted son of Julius Ceasar. He became the first Roman emperor in 27 BC. He put an end to the Republic and promoted the idea of a peaceful empire. He initiated a new artistic style that glorified his reign. The new artistic style promotes his support of a peaceful empire, which he celebrates in the Altar of Peace.
