Art History Sketchbook Reviews
Art History
Sketchbook Reviews
Pre-Historic ArtEurope in 30,000 BC – 2,500 BC
Gravettian Culture – AustriaVenus of Willendorf24,000 – 22,000 BC
Oolitic limestone – yellowish, traces of ochre
One of three figurines recovered from Paleolithic archeological sites at Willendorf in Austria
One of many similarly shaped, female carvings - known as "Venus Figurines” - found across Europe and made during this time period
Discovered in 1908 by Austrian archeologist Josef Szombathy
11 cm high and a max. of 4 cm wide Thought to represent fertility, OR a higher
social status – obesity leading to abundance of food, etc.
Pre-Historic ArtEurope in 30,000 BC – 2,500 BC
Nearly 2,000 figures, grouped into three categories - animals, human figures and abstract signs
Mostly horses (364 total, 90 are stags); also cattle, bison, felines, a bird, a bear, a rhinoceros, and a human
One of the bulls is 17 feet long Crossed hind legs show the
ability to use perspective No vegetation or environment is
portrayed around the animals Discovered in 1940 2000 – fungus appeared; 2006 –
black mold; 2008 – cave closed except for 20 minutes once a week to monitor conditions
Southwestern FranceCaves of Lascaux
15,000 BCpainted onto walls using mineral pigments as well as incised into the stone
Pre-Historic ArtEurope in 30,000 BC – 2,500 BC
1st phase – a bank & ditch arrangement called a henge, built 5,000 years ago
Temple for worship of ancient deities?
Astronomical observatory? Prehistoric calendar? Sacred site for burial of high-
ranking citizens? 100 feet diameter, 24 feet tall 89 stones weighing up to 4 tons
each Years later stones weighing 40-
45 tons were moved in Blue stones are made of spotted
dolerite (volcanic rock) so rare it’s only found in one known location which is 20 miles west of Stonehenge
England, County WiltshireStonehenge
3,000 – 2.000 BCLarge standing
bluestones and sarsen stones set within
earthworks
Non-European Art30,000 BC – 1,600 CE
Benin, NigeriaThe Ivory Mask (African)
16th CenturyIvory, Iron, Copper
Among most celebrated pieces of African art
Keep evil away from the Edo peoples Portrait of Idia, mother and close
advisor to one of the tribes most powerful leaders
Hollowed back suggests that it was both a pendant and a receptacle possibly containing medicines to
protect the king during ceremonial occasions
9 3/8 in. tall Top decorated with heads,
symbolizing Portuguese – alliance with and control over Europeans
Non-European Art30,000 BC – 1,600 CE
Yucatan state in MexicoThe Temple at Chichen Itza
750 – 900 CEStone
Large Pre-Columbian city built by the Maya Civilization
Famous for it’s “traveling serpent”
Step pyramid demonstrates the accuracy and importance of Maya astronomy
365 steps – one for each day of the year… each of the temple’s four sides has 91 steps, and the top platform makes the 365th
named one of the New Seven Wonders of the World
On Spring & Fall equinox the serpent descends from the heavens along the temple walls
As sun sets, shadowy snake descends steps to join a stone serpent head at the base of the staircase
Non-European Art30,000 BC – 1,600 CE
ChinaTomb of Emperor Qin aka The Terracotta
Army246-209 BC
Terracotta Sculptures
Discovered in 1974 by farmers digging a water well Form of funerary art buried with Qin To protect Qin in afterlife, and to make sure that he had people
to rule over Figures vary in height according to roles, with the tallest being
the generals Three pits containing the Terracotta Army Over 8,000 soldiers, 130 chariots with 520 horses and 150
cavalry horses, the majority of which are still buried
Non-European Art30,000 BC – 1,600 CE
Manufactured in workshops by 700,000 local craftsmen
Head, arms, legs and torsos were created separately and then assembled
Eight face molds most likely used, and then clay was added to provide individual facial features
Vary in height, uniform and hairstyle in accordance with rank – all life-size
Most originally held real weapons such as spears, swords, or crossbows
Were painted vibrant colors
Egyptian3100 BC – 30 BC
Sculptor: ThutmoseNefertiti Bust
1345 BCLimestone, Gypsum, Crystal, Wax,
Stucco Nefertiti: literally "the beautiful one has come”
The bust is 19 in tall, weighs about 44 lbs
Face is completely symmetrical and almost intact, but the left eye lacks the inlay present in the right
Pupil of the right eye is of inserted quartz with black paint and is fixed with beeswax
Exact function of the bust is unknown, though it is theorized that the bust may be a sculptor's model
Egyptian3100 BC – 30 BC
German archaeological team led by Ludwig Borchardt discovered the bust in 1912 in Thutmose's workshop in Amarna, Egypt.
Kept in several locations in Germany
Was CT scanned in 1992 and 2006
Wrinkles found on neck and bags under her eyes, suggesting the sculptor had tried to depict signs of aging
Inner face has creases around her mouth and cheeks and a swelling on the nose
Become "one of the most admired, and most copied, images from ancient Egypt”
Egyptian3100 BC – 30 BC
West Bank of the Nile in GizaGreat Sphinx of Giza, with
the Pyramid of Khufu2558 - 2532 BC
Carved Limestone Bedrock
Oldest known monumental sculpture
Statue of a reclining sphinx (a mythical creature with a lion's body and a human head)
66 feet high and 240 feet long from front paws to tail-end
Built by ancient Egyptians during the reign of the Pharaoh Khafra
Possibly covered with plaster like bust of Nefertiti
Pharaoh Khafre is believed to be the man responsible for building the Sphinx
Theory is that the erosion was caused by wind sandblasting the figure, however it was concluded that the erosion was caused by rainfall
Egyptian3100 BC – 30 BC
THEORIES: Sphinx was originally a statue
of the Jackal-Dog Anubis, the God of the Dead
Face was recarved in the likeness of a Middle Kingdom pharaoh, Amenemhet II
Traces of paint seen around one of the Sphinx's ears - believe that it was once colorfully painted
Egyptian3100 BC – 30 BC
The Book of the DeadUsed from 1550 – 50 BC
written on papyrus and tomb walls
It is not a book – modern name of an ancient Egyptian funerary text
Consists of magic spells intended to assist a dead person's journey through the underworld into the afterlife
most commonly written in hieroglyphic or hieratic script on a papyrus scroll
190 – 200 spells are known Once prepared, the collection
of spells was packed carefully away with their other grave goods, to be placed in their tomb
Egyptian3100 BC – 30 BC
They imagined the afterlife as a kind of journey you had to make to get to paradise – but it was quite a hazardous journey so you’d need magical help along the way
Papyrus of Ani is one of the finest and most complete examples of this type of Egyptian funerary text to survive. The Papyrus of Ani now resides in The British Museum, London.
Greek850 BC – 31 BC
Greek Pottery1050 – 600
BCClay, Slip
Most of what we know about Greek art comes from the pictures they painted on pottery – about daily life, and they were used in daily life
Pots came in all sorts of shapes and sizes depending on their purpose
Painted scene reflected what the pot was used for
Greek painted pottery changed over time
Tells us about how life was in Athens and other ancient Greek cities
Greeks believed that goddess Athena invented earthenware pots, and was the patroness of Greek potters
Pots are the most valuable tools archeologists use for the study of ancient Greek history
Thought of the pots as if they were people - used human terms to describe parts of the pots… mouth, lip, neck, shoulder, and body.
Greek850 BC – 31 BC
Periods of Greek Pottery: Protogeometric Geometric Orientalizing Black figure Red figure White ground technique Hellenistic Period
Forms of Greek Pottery Amphora – olive oil as prize
for winning athlete Krater – for mixing wine with
water Kantharos – drinking cup Alabastron – perfumes & oils Hydria – collecting water
Greek850 BC – 31 BC
Alexandros of Antioch
Venus de Milo130 – 100 BC
Marble Currently at the Louvre Museum in Paris One of most famous works of ancient
Greek Sculpture Believed to depict Aphrodite, the Greek
goddess of love and beauty She is 6 feet 8 inches high Discovered on April 8, 1820 by a peasant
named Yorgos Kentrotas, inside a buried niche within the ancient city ruins of Milos
Comprised of several parts which were sculpted separately (bust, legs, left arm and foot) then fixed with vertical pegs, a technique which was fairly common in the Greek world
Greek850 BC – 31 BC
She may have held an apple, a crown, a shield, or a mirror in which she admired her reflection.
Right side is worked more carefully and finished in greater detail than the left side or back, indicating that the statue was intended to be viewed in profile from its right.
Would have been painted, as was the Greek custom for statuary
Originally wore metal jewelry – bracelet, earrings, and headband – only the fixation holes remain
Greek850 BC – 31 BC
Iktinos, Kallikrates, KarpionThe Parthenon447 – 432 BC
Limestone, Pentelic Marble
Dedicated to the goddess Athena Pallas or Parthenos
Main function was to shelter the monumental statue of Athena that was made by Pheidias out of gold and ivory
Temple of the Doric order: 8 columns at the façade and 17 columns at the flanks, conforming to the established ratio of 9:4. *Ratio governed the vertical and horizontal proportions of the temple as well as many other relationships of the building like the spacing between the columns and their height
Greek850 BC – 31 BC
All Greek temples designed to be seen only from outside - viewers never entered a temple and could only glimpse the interior statues through the open doors
Epitomizes all the ideals of Greek thought during the Classical era through artistic means.
Concepts in Athens that set them apart from barbarians: idealism of Greek way of living, attention to detail, understanding of a mathematically explained harmony in the natural world
Represented in perfect proportions of building, intricate architectural elements, and anthropomorphic statues that adorned it
Roman500 BC – 476 AC
The Colosseum70–80 AD
Built by Emperor Vespasian,
finished by Emperor TitusConcrete and stone
Original name: Flavian Amphiteater
Seats between 50,000 and 80,000 people (that’s about as many as Giants Stadium in New Jersey)
4 levels: 3 lower for seating and top level for standing room only
80 entrances, 76 are numbered with corresponding tunnels to assigned seating areas
Retractable roof: 160 ft. high (14 stories)
7,500 tons of Travertine stone – was hauled 20 miles from nearby mine
1349 there was an earthquake that damaged the outer wall and builders and thieves stole the broken stone and iron
Roman Art
Roman500 BC – 476 AC
Opening of the structure: 100 day celebration in which over 5,000 animals killed and an unknown number of men were killed
Hosted gladiatorial battles and hunts with staged elaborate sets and movable trees and buildings
Ancient writers recorded that the building was used for simulated sea battles
Hundreds of underground tunnels, elevators, and cells were below the amphitheater floor
Roman500 BC – 476 AC
May have been a formal dining room, and is decorated with very fine frescoes
Actual subject of the frescoes is hotly debated, most common interpretation is scenes of the initiation of a woman into a special cult of Dionysus – cult that required specific rites and rituals to become a member
Other theories: part of a ritual ceremony aimed at preparing privileged, protected girls for the psychological transition to life as married women
Each panel depicted a different scene from the ritual, from reading the rites of passage, to the music being played, the gods being present, to the sharing of wine
Villa of Mysteries in Pompeii79 AD
Pompeii, ItalyFresco Paintings inside
done by unknown artist(s)
Roman500 BC – 476 AC
Fresco: technique of mural painting executed upon freshly laid plaster
Water is used as the vehicle for the pigment and, with the setting of the plaster, the painting becomes an integral part of the wall.
The word fresco is derived from the Italian adjective fresco meaning "fresh”
Covered in ash and volcanic material from eruption of Vesuvius in 79 AD – frescoes survived largely undamaged.
Roman500 BC – 476 AC
Based on the Doryphorus, which portrays ideal human proportions of Athenian athlete
Portrays him as a victorious General making a speech, posed in the traditional controposto manner
Personal features of Augustus: a broad cranium, deep-set eyes, sharp ridges in his brow, a well-formed mouth and a small chin
Face depicted in the manner of Apollo was meant to associate Augustus’ abilities with those of the powerful god
Augustus wanted to portray himself as a perfect leader with flawless features, showing the power and authority of the man who had the capacity to stabilize an empire
Commissioned by Tiberius
Augustus of Prima Porta
15 A.D. White marble
Roman500 BC – 476 AC
Believed that this marble statue may be a copy of a bronze statue that Tiberius’ mother may have had
Tiberius made a significant addition to his marble copy on the chest plate he added scenes depicting the Roman victory over the Parthians
These scenes were used by Tiberius as a form of propaganda so that the viewer would recall the important role his father played in securing the Roman empire
Barefoot Augustus as well as Cupid on the dolphin hint at the ancestry to the goddess Venus
Medieval500 – 1400
Illuminated Letter & ManuscriptsItaly
400 – 600Papyrus, Vellum, Parchment,
Gold, Silver, Ink & Quill
Decorated with gold or silver – costly process reserved for special texts
Written and decorated by hand Most common item to survive the Middle Ages; generally
religious in nature Early versions were Gospel Books, but later versions included
complete Bibles and personal devotion books Monasteries produced manuscripts for their own libraries,
wealthy individuals commissioned works as a sign of status within the community
Medieval500 – 1400
Parchment is high quality writing support made from the specially prepared skins of calves, sheep, or goats
Pigments used in illumination were ground up or soaked out vegetable, mineral, and animal extracts
Production was divided among four distinct craftsmen: the parchment maker, the scribe, the illuminator, and the bookbinder
Parchment maker prepared the animal skins used to make the leaves of a manuscript
Scribe wrote the manuscript's text by hand
Illuminator provided the manuscript's painted decoration
Bookbinder provided a binding to protect the manuscript, which held the leaves together and kept them from curling
Medieval500 – 1400
Stained Glass10th – 16th Centuries
Glass, sand, ash, paint
Pictorial art form using colored and painted glass Used mostly in churches, but also wealthy settings and public
buildings Purpose was to enhance the beauty of the setting and to inform
viewers via symbolism and narratives French clergyman Abbot Suger wanted to build a cathedral that
would uplift the spirit by bathing worshippers in brilliant colored light. The stained glass windows were like luminous paintings, depict stories from the Bible and drawing the gaze upward toward heaven.
Medieval500 – 1400
Medieval500 – 1400
Giotto di BondoneOgnissanti Madonna,
aka Madonna Enthroned
1310Tempera on Panel
Traditional Christian subject matter – Virgin Mary with Christ Child on her lap, they are surrounded by saints and angels
Originally painted for the Ognissanti Franciscan church in Florence
Giotto took influence from many art forms, styles and artists of his time, but he was the first to depict 3-Dimensional figures in Western European art
Fabric folds are realistic – instead of lines he used light, shadow, and color to create the appearance of fabric; contours of the body underneath the fabric folds are also visible
Uses chiaroscuro (the use of contrasts of light) to achieve a sense of volume in figures, giving them the slight smokiness that is usually characteristic of later Renaissance artists
Medieval500 – 1400
Renaissance1400 – 1500
Baroque1600 – 1750
Impressionism1865 – 1885
Post-Impressionism1885 – 1910
Expressionism1900 – 1935
Cubism1905 – 1920
Surrealism1917 – 1950
Abstract Expressionism1940s – 1950s
Pop Art1960s
Assemblage1970 +
Recycled1970 +