Introduction to Western Art Exam Preparation Guide
Course Introduction
Introduction to Western Art provides students with a broad overview of major artistic movements, key artists, and significant works that have shaped Western visual culture from antiquity to the modern era. The course explores the historical, cultural, and social contexts in which art was produced, examining styles and themes from Ancient Greece and Rome, through the Medieval, Renaissance, Baroque, Neoclassical, Romantic, and Modern periods. Emphasis is placed on the development of visual literacy, critical analysis of artworks, and understanding the enduring influence of Western art traditions on contemporary aesthetics and society.
Recommended Textbook
Gardner s Art through the Ages The Western Perspective Volume I 13th Edition by Fred S. Kleiner
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Chapter 1: The Birth of Art: Africa Europe and the Near East
in the Stone Age
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Q1) One of the suggested purposes for the cave paintings at Altamira is thought to have been:
A) decoration for the cave
B) insurance for the survival of the herd
C) the creation myth of the tribal chief
D) a record of the previous season's kills
Answer: B
Q2) Explain the significance of the Lisbon Congress of Archaeology of 1880.
Answer: The professional archaeologists dismissed the cave paintings of Altamira as forgeries.However,later in the century,these skeptics were persuaded that these works were indeed older than they had originally thought.
Q3) Why is the ivory statuette found at the Hohlenstein-Stadel cave in Germany significant?
Answer: It represented something important because the process of manufacturing an ivory figure was a complicated task.
Q4) Why is Ain Ghazal important to art history?
Answer: A recently discovered cache of plaster statuettes mark the beginning of monumental sculpture in the Ancient Near East.
Page 3
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Chapter 2: The Rise of Civilization
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Q1) Describe an architectural feature used at Persepolis that seems to have been uniquely Persian.
Answer: capitals with the foreparts of lions or bulls
Q2) The new concept of godlike sovereignty can be described by the representations of _________,the king who appeared as a god in Mesopotamian Akkadian art.
A) Urnanshe
B) Naram-Sin
C) Eannatum
D) Gilgamesh
Answer: B
Q3) Alexander the Great razed Persepolis in 330 BCE.What prior event suggests that this was an act of revenge?
A) destruction of Assyrian city of Nimrud
B) birth of the Sasanian dynasty
C) Persian sack of the Athenian Acropolis
D) Persian sack of Sparta
Answer: C
Q4) What is a lamassu and where was it placed?
Answer: A winged man-headed bull as a guardian at the gate of the palace.
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Chapter 3: Pharoahs and the Afterlife
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Q1) Which of the following provided the principal information regarding the reconstruction of ancient Egyptian civilization?
A) detailed hieroglyphic records found in the Library of Alexandria
B) written accounts from ancient Greek visitors
C) tomb interiors
D) temples
Answer: C
Q2) Why is the Egyptian invention of a clerestory significant?
Answer: This structural element raised the roof level and allowed for interior light.This device allowed for light to penetrate the interiors and was subsequently used in Roman basilicas and medieval church design as well.
Q3) A tomb that resembles a truncated pyramid is called a __________?
A) tholos
B) dromos
C) mastaba
D) serdab
Answer: C
Q4) What is a mastaba?
Answer: An ancient Egyptian tomb in the shape of a bench or truncated pyramid.
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Chapter 4: Minos and the Heroes of Homer
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Q1) Who or what was the Minotaur?
A) the king of Crete
B) half bull, half man
C) a bull with eagle's wings
D) Achilles' pet
Q2) What was the subject matter seen on the largest dagger found in the tomb from Grave Circle A--an image that was borrowed from the ancient Near East?
A) king riding in a chariot
B) king killing enemies
C) hunters attacking lions
D) king making a libation
Q3) It has been suggested that Cycladic figurines were funerary offerings.Based on their schematized representation and size,how might they have been placed in the graves?
A) standing by the sarcophagus
B) standing in the grave
C) placed on their backs
D) suspended from the sarcophagus
Q4) What is the Iliad,and how did it impact the art history of the Aegean?
Q5) Describe the megaron and its importance in Aegean architecture.
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Chapter 5: Gods,Heros,and Athletes
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Q1) Discuss the evolution of relief sculpture.How did it reflect the political motivations of the period? What does relief sculpture tell us about the society of Greece in the ancient world? Use specific examples to support your essay.
Q2) The chryselephantine statue of Athena Parthenos stands fully armed.No one doubts this figure is a triumphant expression and refers to the Athenian victory over the Persians in 479 BC.What other warfare symbol accompanies the Athena Parthenos?
A) the shield with head of Xerxes
B) small Persian soldier at her feet
C) the helmet with the headless Persian
D) Nike on her hand
Q3) What event is chronicled on the frieze of the Temple of Athena Nike detailing victory over the Persians?
A) battle at Marathon
B) battle of Thermopylae
C) battle of Sparta
D) battle at Persepolis
Q4) How does the Corinthian capital eliminate the "corner" problem of the ionic capital?
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Chapter 6: Italy Before the Romans
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Q1) Unlike Greek temples,Etruscan temples were not meant to be seen as sculptural masses.Which of the following architectural elements would this?
A) Columns completely encircled the structure
B) The entrance was centered at the front of the structure
C) The front and rear of the structure were indistinguishable
D) Narrowed staircases were found on all four sides of the structure
Q2) Pedimental sculpture is extremely rare in Etruscan temple architecture.Normally the Etruscans placed their narrative statuary on which of the following elements?
A) the peaks of the temple roof
B) the double niches on the porches
C) only in interior niches in the cella
D) only in niches next to the entrance
Q3) Describe Etruscan tomb murals.How do they describe the Etruscan psyche? Use examples to support your essay.
Q4) How did the status of the Etruscan woman differ from her Greek counterpart? How did this difference affect the art? Use examples to support your essay.
Q5) How do Etruscan sarcophagi reflect the attitude of Etruscan society?
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Chapter 7: The Roman Empire
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Q1) Who or what is Mithras?
Q2) Roman temple design during the Republican period reflected the colossal design of the Greek Hellenistic style.This can be seen in which of the following temples?
A) Temple of "Fortuna Virilis" (Portunus), Rome
B) Temple of Vesta, Tivoli
C) Pantheon, Rome
D) Sanctuary of Fortuna Primigenia, Palestrina
Q3) Compare and contrast the Arch of Titus with the Arch of Constantine.What are the similarities and differences? How does each monument represent the emperor and his century?
Q4) Explain the contributions of Diocletian and how he impacted the Late Empire period.Use examples to support your essay.
Q5) Discuss the type of vaulting used in this building: How was it constructed and what effect did it have on the size of the building and the amount of interior light available?
Q6) How did the Sanctuary of Fortuna Primigenia at Palestrina reflect Roman architectural design and expression?
Q7) How do the portraits of Livia reflect Classical Greek sculpture?
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Chapter 8: Late Antiquity
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Q1) How does the statue of Christ seated reflect both Imperial and Christian iconography?
Q2) Describe the features of these mosaics that make them examples of the Early Christian style.
Q3) Compare the mosaics of Santa Costanza with the mosaics of the Mausoleum of Galla Placidia.How are they similar,how are they different,and how do they reflect their respective periods?
Q4) How does Sta.Costanza mirror Imperial Roman architecture?
Q5) Compare and contrast the representation of Septimius Severus in his Chariot from his arch and Christ Enthroned (small statue),how do the figures compare as representations of an ideal? What are the differences?
Q6) What is the significance of Dura Europos?
Q7) In the Dura painting,Samuel Anointing David,David is depicted with an Imperial attribute indicating his royalty.Which of the following is that attribute?
A) purple toga
B) laurel-leaf crown
C) cuirass of Augustus
D) armor of Hadrian
Page 10
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Chapter 9: Byzantium
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Q1) It is said the Ascension from the Rabbula Gospels is not an illustration of the Gospels but rather an illumination.Which of the following validates this assertion?
A) the presence of Mary Magdalene
B) the presence of the Virgin
C) the absence of St. John the Apostle
D) the portrait of the monk Rabbula
Q2) Who was the founder of the "New Rome" of the East?
A) Diocletian
B) Constantine
C) Julian
D) Theodosius I
Q3) Compare the mosaics of St.Catherine,Sinai and San Vitale,Ravenna.What changes have been incorporated into San Vitale and why?
Q4) The monastic movement began in __________ in the third century.
A) Egypt
B) Syria
C) Rome
D) Constantinople
Q5) How did the Byzantine emperors refer to themselves and why is this significant?
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Chapter 10: The Islamic World
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Q1) Why were monumental tombs virtually unknown in the early Islamic period and how did this change?
Q2) It is said Muslims worship Allah directly without a hierarchy of clergy acting as intermediaries.However during communal gatherings,the imam would stand on a stepped pulpit or ___________.
A) maqsura
B) mihrab
C) qibla
D) minbar
Q3) Briefly describe the Abbasid contributions to Islamic culture.
Q4) Compare and contrast the Umayyad desert palace in Mshatta with the Nasrid palace in Granada.What are the differences? How do you account for them? Include in your essay the political overtones.Use examples to support your essay.
Q5) The Great Mosque at Córdoba has a hypostyle prayer hall with horseshoe shaped arches adapted from which of the following?
A) Byzantine Egypt
B) Visigoths
C) Carolingians
D) Rome
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Chapter 11: Early Medieval Europe
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Q1) Explain the plan for the monastery at St.Gall
Q2) Why is the date,Christmas Day,800 significant?
Q3) The Book of Durrow has pages devoted to pure embellishment with neither text nor illustration.Why is this significant?
Q4) Two silver spoons,"Saulos" and "Paulos," Paul's names before and after baptism,were discovered as part of the Sutton Hoo burial.What might be alluded from these spoons?
A) They were part of the ritual burial ceremony.
B) The owner 's conversion to Christianity.
C) The owner's need for utilitarian objects.
D) They were left as gifts.
Q5) Irish or Celtic stone crosses are identifiable by which of the following?
A) four arms of equal length
B) a circle intersecting the cross arms
C) extra top slanting bar
D) combination swastika symbolizing the four directions
Q6) Early medieval civilization in Western Europe represents a fusion of which cultures?
Q7) Interpret the portrait of Otto III from the Gospel Book of Otto III.
Q8) What is the significance of the term "holy" when applied to Roman Emperor?
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Chapter 12: The Age of Pilgrimages
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Q1) The Romanesque church that had a wooden ceiling like those found in Early Christian basilicas was which of the following?
A) San Miniato, Florence
B) St.-Pierre, Moissac
C) Durham Cathedral
D) Sant'Ambrogio, Milan
Q2) Describe the role the Crusades played in the development of Romanesque art and architecture.Use examples to develop your essay.
Q3) Briefly describe the impact pilgrimage routes had on Romanesque Europe.
Q4) The intersection of two barrel vaults creates which of the following?
A) groin vault
B) pendentive
C) buttress
D) rib vault
Q5) Describe the evolution of mural painting in the Romanesque period.What were the influences? How did these influences shape the evolution of mural painting? Use examples to support your essay.
Q6) What role did the tribune play in church architecture?
Q7) Briefly evaluate the Cluniac Order and its contribution to architecture.
Page 14
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Chapter 13: The Age of Great Cathedrals
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Q1) The fourteenth-century German sculptures of Ekkehard and Uta at Naumburg are particularly significant because these sculptures used which of the following?
A) the S-shaped curve
B) the damp-fold style of drapery
C) specific individuals
D) the Virtues
Q2) Indicate which of the following is not a characterization of the changing social conditions in the Gothic period.
A) new importance of women
B) rise of the middle class
C) interest in Scholasticism
D) barbarian migrations
Q3) Jeanne d'Evreux,wife to Charles IV,donated a statue of the Virgin and Child to the Abbey of St.-Denis.What is the common name of this statue?
A) Queen of Heaven
B) Virgin of Sorrows
C) Throne of Wisdom
D) Theotokos
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Chapter 14: Italy,1200 to 1400
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Q1) The most devastating natural disaster in Europe during the late 1300s was which of the following?
A) mad cow disease
B) the collapse of the linen market
C) the failure of the Medici banks
D) the Black Death
Q2) Why was Sta.Maria Novella commissioned?
Q3) The Triumph of Death is a powerful depiction of death and the folly of pleasure and the inevitability of death.The Dominicans,an order committed to a life of poverty,participated in the design of this work.Based on this which of the following groups would be portrayed in a negative light?
A) the hermits
B) the young aristocrats
C) St. Macarius
D) the coffin-encased corpses
Q4) Contrast the rivalry between Siena and Florence.How did the political climate affect the visual arts of both cities? Use examples to support your essay.
Q5) How do these two images reflect contemporary Italian society?
Q6) In what way does this work reflect liturgical theater?
Page 16
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