Essay 2

Essay Titles/Questions

Choose ONE of the questions below and answer it in an essay that is between 2 and 3 pages long. Use specific examples of works of art and architecture which we have looked at in class and that are relevant to your argument. (Typed, 12 pt font, double spaced, Times New Roman/Arial, 1 inch margins)

1. The Influence of Classical Greece on Imperial Rome: Classical Greece (particularly Athens) had a strong influence on later generations. How is its influence felt in the art and architecture of the Roman Empire? Use 3-5 specific examples to support your argument. Consider which aspects of the examples you have chosen reflect Greek prototypes and which aspects make them distinctly Roman.

2. Etruscan and Early Christian Burial Practices: The Etruscans and the Early Christians both buried their dead in underground necropoleis. Compare and contrast the two cultures with regards to their burial practices. Consider tomb decorations and sarcophagi when choosing your (4-6) examples.

(40 points)

Due: Thursday 5 February*

* If submitting electronically, essay must be received by midnight. Send to lauren.vaughan@rccd.edu

Weekly Group Assignment (2/4)

Compare and Contrast

Identify artist, title, and culture/style of each image and analyse their similarities and differences in style, symbolic meaning, function, and how they are representative of their respective cultures.

Group 1:

A. 

B. 

Group 2:

A.

B.

Group 3:

A. 

B.

Group 4:

A. 

B.

Group 5:

A. 

B.

Group 6:

A.

B.

Chapter 9 Study Guide

Byzantine Art

Byzantine

●      Barberini Ivory (Justinian as World Conqueror), mid-sixth century

●      Anthemius of Tralles and Isidorus of Miletus, Hagia Sophia, Constantinople, 532-537

●      Justinian, Bishop Maximianus, and Attendants, San Vitale, Ravenna, c. 547

●      Saint Apollinaris amid sheep, Sant’Apollinare in Classe, Ravenna, c. 533-549

●      Christ as Pantokrator (‘Ruler of All’), Church of the Dormition, Daphni, c. 1090-1100

●      Vladamir Virgin (Virgin of Compassion icon), late 11th or early 12th century

1. What city functioned as the capital of the Byzantine Empire? What is its modern day name?

2. How does the dome of Hagia Sophia differ from the dome of the Roman Pantheon in construction and material?

3. What aspects of the relief panel of Saint Michael the Archangel reflect classical influences (list 2)? What characteristics make it distinctly Byzantine (list 2)?

4. Define iconoclasm.

5. What is the subject of the Lamentation? Name at least 3 of the 5 biblical characters (excluding Jesus) most commonly depicted in Lamentation scenes.

Chapter 8 Study Guide

Late Antiquity

Early Christian

●      Sarcophagus of Junius Bassus, c. 359

●      Mausoleum of Galla Placidia, c. 425

●      Christ as Good Shepherd (mosaic), Mausoleum of Galla Placidia, c. 425

●      The Parting of Abraham and Lot, Santa Maria Maggiore, 432-440

●      Miracle of the Loaves and Fishes, Sant’Apollinare Nuovo, c. 504

●      Suicide of Judas and the Crucifixion, c. 420

1. How was Christ most often represented prior to Constantine, particularly during periods of persecution under emperors such as Trajan Decius and Diocletian?

2. Why were most early major churches built on the outskirts of the city of Rome?

3. List three attributes that representations of Christ acquired after Christianity became the official religion of the Roman Empire

4. Why was large-scale sculpture rare in early Christian places of worship?

5. Define the following terms:

            a. codex

            b. parchment

            c. illuminated manuscript

Weekly Group Assignment (1/28)

Propaganda is media (including art and architecture) which serves to promote a certain point of view, oftentimes by manipulating the viewer. Discuss your work with regards to its function as propaganda (whether promoting an individual, a culture, an idea, or any combination of the three).

Group 1:

Group 2:

Group 3:

Group 4:

(Discuss both architecture and exterior sculpture program)

Group 5:

Group 6:

Chapter 7 Study Guide

The Roman Empire

Early Empire

●      Augustus Caesar as General (Primaporta Augustus), early 1st century CE

●      Ara Pacis Augustae (Altar of Augustan Peace), c.13-9 BCE

●      Pont-du-Gard, Nimes, c. 16 BCE

●      Colosseum (Flavian Amphitheatre), c. 70-80 CE

High Empire

●      Column of Trajan, dedicated 112 CE           

●      Pantheon, 118-125 CE

●      Equestrian Statue of Marcus Aurelius, c. 175 CE

Late Empire

●      Bust of Caracalla, c. 211-117 BCE

●      The Four Tetrarchs, c. 305 CE

●      Arch of Constantine, 312-315 CE

●      Colossal Head of Constantine, c. 315-330 CE

1. Who were the two legendary founders of Rome?

2. Which two cultures most strongly influenced the art of the Roman Empire?

3. What technological advancement allowed the Romans to build in a more innovative manner and on a grander scale (without the necessity for internal support) than other ancient civilizations?

4. What is verism?

5. Augustus ‘found Rome a city of __________ and transformed it into a city of __________.’

6. The Treasury of Atreus was the largest dome in the ancient world for over a thousand years. Which dome of Roman construction finally surpassed it?

7. Portraits of the Tetrarchs were very different from portraits of leaders from the Early and High Empire. Describe the differences and explain why this change occurred.

9. Which Roman emperor gave Christianity official status as a state recognized religion?

The Vesuvian Sites

Pompeii and Herculaneum

●      Atrium, House of the Vetii, 2nd century BCE

●      Dionysiac Mystery Frieze, Villa of the Mysteries, c. 60-50 BCE

1. What catastrophic event allowed the preservation of the sites near the Bay of Naples, such as Pompeii and Herculaneum?

2. Describe each of the Four Styles of Roman painting (1-3 sentences for each style).

3. What is a still-life painting?

Chapter 6 Study Guide

Etruscan

Etruscan

●      Apulu (Apollo of Veii), c. 510-500 BCE

●      Sarcophagus with Reclining Couple, Banditaccia Necropolis, c. 520 BCE

●      Capitoline Wolf, c. 500-480 BCE

●      Chimera of Arezzo, first half of fourth century BCE

1. Pedimental sculpture was rare in Etruscan art. Where on the temple did they tend to place their statuary instead?

2. Our knowledge of early Etruscan houses is primarily derived from _________.

3. What is the major difference between the necropoleis of Cerveteri and Tarquinia with regards to tomb decoration?

Weekly Group Assignment (1/21)

Compare and Contrast

Identify artist, title, and culture/style of each image and analyse their similarities and differences in style, symbolic meaning, function, and how they are representative of their respective cultures.

Group 1:

A. 

B.

Group 2:

A.

B.

Group 3:

A.

B.

Group 4:

A. 

B.

Group 5:

A. 

B. 

Group 6:

A. 

B.

Chapter 5 Study Guide

Ancient Greece

Geometric

●      Dipylon Krater, c. 740 BCE

Orientalizing

●      Lady of Auxerre, c. 650-625 BCE

Archaic Period

●      New York Kouros, c. 600 BCE

●      Anavysos Kouros, c. 530 BCE

●      Peplos Kore, c. 530 BCE

●      Exekias, Achilles and Ajax, c. 540-530 BCE

●      Euphronios, Herakles Wrestling Antaios, c. 510 BCE

Classical Period

●      Kritios Boy, c. 480 BCE

●      Polykleitos, Doryphoros (Spear Bearer), c. 450-440 BCE

●      Iktinos and Kallikrates, Parthenon, 447-438 BCE

●      Praxiteles, Aphrodite of Knidos, c. 350-340 BCE

●      Lysippos, Apoxyomenos (Scraper), c. 330 BCE

Hellenistic Period

●      Nike of Samothrace, c. 190 BCE

●      Alexander of Antioch-on-the-Meander, Venus de Milo, c. 150-125 BCE

1. Why is it often difficult to determine whether early Greek figural sculptures represent humans or gods? (ex: Mantiklos Apollo, Lady of Auxerre)

2. Define the following:

            A. Kouros

            B. Kore

            C. Contrapposto

            D. Caryatid

            E. Pediment

3. What is the ‘Archaic Smile’ and what is a likely explanation for its consistent use?

4. Draw a diagram of a standard Greek temple. Include and label the following elements:

            A. Cella/Naos

            B. Stylobate

            C. Peristyle

            D. Pronaos

            E. Opisthodomos

5. In the pediment sculpture of the Temple of Artemis at Corfu, how did the sculptor represent Medusa running?

6. What were the Gigantomachy and the Centauromachy? What did they represent symbolically?

7. What advantages did the red-figure painting technique have over the older black-figure technique?

8. What is remarkable about the representation of the figures in Euthymides’s Three Revelers Amphora?

9. What sculpture embodies the Classical ideal of human beauty and perfection, and who sculpted it?

10. Why was the rebuilding of the Athenian Acropolis necessary? How was it financed and under whose political leadership did the rebuilding take place?

11. What aspect of the Aphrodite of Knidos by Praxiteles was unprecedented and shocking at the time? Why?

12. Who was Alexander the Great and why is he so important in the study of Greek art?

13. What is a possible explanation for the humanistic depiction of the ‘barbarian’ Gauls at the Altar of Zeus at Pergamon 

Essay 1

Essay Titles/Questions

Choose ONE of the questions below and answer it in an essay that is between 3 and 4 pages long. Use specific examples of works of art and architecture which we have looked at in class and that are relevant to your argument. (Typed, MLA Format)

1. Ancient Official Portraiture: Choose three rulers (from Mesopotamia and/or Egypt) and compare and contrast their official portraits. What do their portraits convey about the images they each wished to project of themselves and how are these images alike and different? (Consider form and function)

2. The Evolution of Egyptian Funerary Practices: Describe the evolution of funerary practices in Ancient Egypt with regards to art and architecture. Use between 3 and 6 examples to illustrate change over time and analyze what they reflect about the culture in which they were made.

3. Art and Magic: Art has its origins in magic. Give 3 - 5 examples of how art serves a magical purpose in Prehistoric, Mesopotamian, and/or Egyptian art. Consider how the form of a piece of art reflects its function and what the art tells us about the beliefs and culture of the people who created and commissioned them. (Think in terms of religious and funerary art)

(40 points)

Due: Thursday 15 January

* If submitting electronically, essay must be received by midnight. Send to lauren.vaughan@rccd.edu