ART HISTORY TEST III
When and where did the Islam religion begin and who was its founder? Were his ideas readily accepted by his home town? (Why or why not?)
Islam began in the 7th Cent AD with founder Prophet Muhammad (570-632 AD)
Chapter 9
Islamic Art
Groin Vault
is produced by the intersection at right angles of two barrel vaults. The word "groin" (or "arris") refers to the edge between the intersecting vaults.
Nave
the central part of a church building, intended to accommodate most of the congregation. In traditional Western churches it is rectangular, separated from the chancel by a step or rail, and from adjacent aisles by pillars.
Although the term "syncretism" could be used to describe Roman and Islamic art, in what way was Islamic art different in terms of "borrowing ideas from other cultures"?
used "spoila" from Greco-Romans, Sassanians, and Byzantine Christians
Bishop Bernward made the allusions to Rome explicit when he commissioned (created) the bronze "_________________________" for St. Michael's, since it reminds us of a similar monument entitled, "_________________________" from the Early Roman Empire. However, the bronze spiraling reliefs depict events in the life of _______________, rather than __________________ military battle against the Dacians .
victory column reminds us of column of Trajan life of Jesus & Genesis rather than Trajan victory over Dacians
What is the purpose of a "Qibla wall" in an Islamic mosque?
wall in mosque that faces Mecca, to face when praying
A period between 1150-1250 is known as, "The Age of:_________________________________".
"Age of Great Cathedrals"
The artistic tradition of German tribes are referred to as "______________style". Identify some characteristics of this style.
"Animal - Style": stylized, ornamental, abstract, organic, formal
Another way of describing Gothic Art was: "opus francigenum". What does this phrase mean?
"French work", geographical range was small, Ile de France
Which Latin quote was used during Romanesque times to defend the idea of pictorial representations of Christian themes in churches? (Know the translation into English).
"Painting conveys the Word of God to the unlettered"
Since Germanic tribes purchased and traveled with art forms from one region to another, art works needed to be _______________. Identify some examples of this type of artwork.
"Portable", examples were weaving, metal work, jewelry, wood carving
How does the vault of the Durham Cathedral mark a fundamental advance in church construction?
"a great breakthrough in structural engineering", earliest use of a ribbed groin vault over a three story nave
What distinguishes the Abbey Church of St. Denis with previous Romanesque Churches?
"dual lightness", in two senses of the word. 1. Lightness in terms of being weightless: architectural forms are graceful, almost weightless, compared to massive solidity of Romanesque architecture
Define the term "rayonnant", and identify a few characteristics of the French Gothic "Rayonnant" Style of architecture.
"rayonnant": term used to describe a period in the development of French Gothic architecture (1240-1350) developed out of the High Gothic Style "Rayonnant" Style characterized by: -repetition of elaborate "Lace-like" designs -extreme concern with levels of illumination and appearance of structural lightness
When reading the panels Bishop Bernward's bronze doors horizontally from one door to the other, what is unique about the content? (Give an example as to how the panels relate to each other by contrasting two "side by side" scenes.)
"tree from the garden and the cross": compositional similarities with typological relationship 1. Left Door: OT 2. Right Door: NT 3. Left Door: Panels read chronologically from top to bottom 4. Right Door: Panels read from the bottom up 5. When panels read horizontally, OT stories prefigure NT ones ex: Temptation and fall opposite scene of crucifixion
Describe a couple of significant social phenomena affecting different types of art work created during the 11th and 12th centuries in Europe.
1. "ability to travel" for trade and visiting religious sites "pilgrimages": travels for religious purposes 2. Crusades: travel for military/religious purposes (Pope Urban II speech)
Name several characteristic features of Romanesque architecture.
1. Barrel vaulted nave 2. Transverse arches: width of nave dividing into bays 3. compound piers 4. limited light, robust stone (unity & harmony) 5. Robust stone walls: sense of security
Identify several factors that welded Romanesque art into a coherent style?
1. Christianity 2. Religious enthusiasm about the millennium 3. Reopening of the Mediterranean Trade Groups 4. Invention of Improved Tools
Identify the four evangelists illustrated in the "Book of Durrow", and describe how and why they were represented as those specific symbols.
1. Matthew: Christ represented as a man 2. Luke: Christ as sacrificial animal 3. Mark: rose like a lion from the grave 4. John: ascended to heaven like an eagle
Why is the "Dome of the Rock" such an important site for the Muslims, Jews, and Christians? What is inside the "Dome of the Rock" that makes it "the most contested piece of real estate in all the earth"?
1. Muslim: center for Muslim faith 2. Jews: site of Solomon's first temple, hiding place of ark of the covenant 3. Christians: burial place of Christ, Holy sepulcher the "foundation stone" is housed inside the building
Name three unifying themes in Islamic art. Be able to observe these themes being practiced in Islamic art.
1. Reverence for the Qur'an 2. Independent of "free form" human figure (mistrust of figural images in Islamic traditions) 3. Equality of Artistic Genre
Who was responsible for instigating the Gothic Style (and with which work of art)?
Abbot Suger influenced by writings of Greek theologian Dionysius, philosophy for "divine light" gothic style work of art: St. Denis
________(?)________ was one of the most important members of Charlemagne, (aka Charles the Great), the Great's court, that helped the king learn how to read and write. This individual also developed a graceful standardized legible script, known as "__________________________ Script", which was used throughout the Charlemagne's empire, and significant in that it gave us the "skeleton of the western lowercase alphabet".
Alcuin of York Carolingian minuscule
Who was the "most ambitious patron of architecture in the Ottonian age" of the Medieval Period, and what was his "chief monument"?
Bishop Bernward chief monument: bronze doors for monestary of St Michael, Hildeshem Cathedral, Barnward's victory column
Some reliquary boxes during this time period used a technique called, "___________________", which involved gouging metal surfaces out to create compartments that contain colored enamel. How did this technique differ from the "cloisone'" technique?
Champlove: troughs or cells carved, etched cast into surface and filled
Identify the first masterpiece of the mature High Gothic Style of architecture. What is unique about its design?
Chartres Cathedral
Which Gothic "masterpiece" had the "largest stained glass windows up until its time"?
Chartres Chapel
Explain the main purpose of an apsidiole?
Definition of apsidiole. : a small apse specifically : one of the smaller or secondary apses in a church having several apses. provided multiple opportunities to display relics that pilgrims had come to venerate
Name the earliest surviving Islamic building to have survived into our time.
Dome of the Rock in Jerusalem
Chapter 10
Early Medieval Art
Chapter 12
Gothic Art
Contrast the way Christ is portrayed in the two tympanums depicting the "Second Coming of Christ" in the doorway entries of the Romanesque Cathedral of Saint Lazare', and the Gothic Chartres Cathedral.
In the Chartres Cathedral: The three tympana together present a unified theme: 1. Christ's entry into human history (the right side) 2. Christ's departure (ascension or resurrection) into heaven (the left side) 3. Christ's second coming (the end of time) (center panel) the three panels are unified thematically by elevating Christ in the center of each tympanum
Why did Abbot Suger place an emphasis on light when reconstructing St. Denis? (Explain who and what he was influenced by in the design and construction of the Abbey Church of St. Denis).
Influenced by writings of Greek theologian Dionysius
Why was the Qur'an written with Kufic Script?
Kufic Script: oldest type of calligraphy in Arabic developed to adequately honor the written text of the Qur'an
The Cathedral of St. Lazare' was originally built as a pilgrimage site to venerate the relics of _______________, and many visitors came seeking healing from ___________________.
Lazarus, pilgrimage site for those with leprosy (North Portal), depicts Christ after his second coming as he separates the eternally saved from the eternally condemned
What is significant about the church plan of Santiago de Compostela (St. James)? (Explain how the architects designed the cathedral around the principle of "form follows function").
Legend of St. James' relics, landed off the coast of Spain, visitors would "circumambulate" (go around) the church while services were being held
Which Irish manuscript was discovered with "breathtaking" complexity, including compass points, and a network of grid lines and points that apply to exactness of design? (What was the artist challenged to do within each of the animal compartments?)
Lindisfarne Gospels "cross page": every line has to turn out to be part of an animal's body, fear of empty space, drawn into a spiritual realm monster's subdued by the power of the cross and converted to Christian purposes
What are some possible reasons as to why the Gothic Style began in the Il-de-France area?
Not clear, but some possible reasons are: 1. The region had not developed a strong local style during the Romanesque period 2. Kings of France wanted to aggrandize themselves 3. Ile de France was strategically placed near the center of France (close to major sculptural workshops and near places where structural innovations were prominent)
Which monastery included 76 creative capitals depicting Old and New Testament scenes created to inspire Christians on their journeys to famous Pilgrimage sites?
Priory of St. Pierre at Moissac
Chapter 11
Romanesque Art
What is the significance of the "Sutton Hoo Treasury", and where was it found?
Royal Treasure of Anglo Saxon King, ship burial, provision for 40 oarsmen, concern for the afterlife, as with Egyptians. Found in Suffolk
Transverse Arches
Supporting arch which runs across the vault from side to side, dividing the bays. it usually projects down from the surface of the vault
Bay
The spaces between posts, columns, or buttresses in the length of a building, the division in the widths being called aisles.
In what ways did pilgrimages influence the development of Romanesque art/architecture?
These routes provided increased funding via the pilgrims to the monasteries and churches that held the venerated relics of saints. This increased funding also sparked an enormous investment in ecclesiastical buildings and furnishings in order to reflect "glory of God". It also reflected the competition among the monasteries to provide the most magnificent settings for the displays of the relics.
Explain what the main theme of the "West Portal of the Cathedral of St. Lazare' is about. Describe some of the images to the left and the right of the central axis line as they relate to the theme. Who was the famous sculptor of the tympanum?
West Portal with the Last Judgement: weighing of souls on the right side, (damned on left, elect on right), on the lintel: dead in Christ rise from graves in fear, saved souls cling to angels, "Large Hands" = God's hands raising Christ from the dead in the grave sculptor: Gislebertus of Autumn
What is the purpose of a "spiritual labyrinth" (such as the one in the Chartres Notre Dame Cathedral?
When Christians could not make visits to the Holy Land during the Crusades, labyrinths came to be used as a substitute "pilgrimage" to the Hoy City "The Way of the Cross" devotion developed as a sort of substitute pilgrimage to the Holy City
Chasse
a shape commonly used in medieval metalwork for reliquaries and other containers. relinquinary box/ relic box of Champagnat
Repousse
a technique of hammering metal from the back
Barrel Vault
a vault forming a half cylinder
Describe a few of Abbot Suger's goals when reconstructing the Abbey Church of St. Denis?
a. he stresses luminosity as the highest value achieved in the new structure
Explain the impetus for the construction of Sainte-Chapelle.
acquisition of some of Christ's relics, such as - Part of the True Cross - Iron Lance - Sponge - Nail from the cross - Crown of Thorns
Halo
circular shape behind Christ's head that represents his divinity
Islamic art under the Iranian/Turkish Seljuks changed drastically in subject matter. How was it different, and explain how artists were able to circumvent strict Islamic dogma?
decorative ceramics using figural images, the Royal Hunter Bahram Gur, Seljuks believed figural images not to be identified with idolatry
A typical way of describing Gothic Art when it first appeared in Europe around 1140, was: "opus modernum". What does the phrase mean?
describing Gothic art, "modern work"
Champleve
enamelwork in which hollows made in a metal surface are filled with colored enamel
Why were Early Medieval Illuminated manuscripts and churches filled with "richness of materials and intricacy of design"?
fear of empty space, drawn into a spiritual realm monster's subdued by the power of the cross and converted to Christian purposes
What is the significance of the bronze doors at the Hildesheim Cathedral commissioned by Bishop Bernward?
first monumental sculptures created by the lost wax technique since antiquity
Cloisonne
individual metal straps attached to the edge of baseplate that enclose inlays of glass/gems
Identify a couple of ways as to how Islamic mosques were designed to apply the "principle of form follows function".
interior: accommodate many worshippers, many doors, carpets for kneeling in the chapels
How does the term "amalgam" apply to Early Medieval art?
mix or blend of different elements
Mandorla
radiant almond shape behind Christ, symbolizes the radiant light of his holiness
According to some historians, whose relics were possibly stored in the Chasse of Champagnat? Interpret some of the symbols created on the reliquary box.
relics of St. Martial symbols: four evangelists: Matt (angel), Mark (lion), Luke (ox), John (eagle)
Compound Piers
the architectural term given to a clustered column or pier which consists of a centre mass or newel, to which engaged or semi-detached shafts have been attached, in order to perform (or to suggest the performance of) certain definite structural objects, such as to carry arches of additional orders, or to support the transverse or diagonal ribs of a vault, or the tie-beam of an important roof.
Relic
the body parts, clothing, or objects associated with a holy figure, such as the Buddha or Christ or a Christian saint
