Art History 101 Flashcards

Art History Concepts

• Hierarchy of Scale: Artistic convention where size indicates importance; larger figures represent greater significance, exemplified by the Victory Stele of Naram-Sin from Sippar, Iran.

• Register: Horizontal bands depicting narratives; for instance, the Standard of Ur, found in the Royal Cemetery at Ur, Iraq, showcases this Ancient Near East technique.

• Relief Carvings: Panels carved into or away from a surface; an example is the Women Holding a Bison Horn, a Paleolithic relief from Laussel, France.

• Amarna Period/Style: Characterized by naturalistic imagery diverging from traditional ruler portraits; represented by Pharaoh Akhenaton from Amarta, Egypt.

• Classical Art: Focused on idealized human forms and naturalism, showcasing athleticism and triumph; features variety in poses, moving away from rigid frontal views.

• Contrapposto: A Greek sculpture style where figures stand with weight on one leg, creating an "S" curve in the body; the Doryphoros exemplifies this technique.

• Cult Statue: Represents deities in ancient temples; notably, the Aphrodite of Knidos from Classical Greek culture in Greece.

• Frieze: A wide horizontal band featuring sculptural or painted decoration, situated above columns.

• Hellenistic Art: Focused on emotion and anatomical realism; artists explored themes of suffering and vulnerability, moving toward expressive sculptural representations.

• Repoussé Technique: Involves hammering metal from a single sheet to create three-dimensional shapes; seen in the Funerary Mask of Agamemnon from Ancient Greece.

• Necropolis: A large cemetery associated with an ancient city; the Interior of the Tomb of the Reliefs in Cerveteri, Italy serves as an example.

• Tumulus: Earth and stone mounds over graves, also known as barrows; the Tumulus in Banditaccia Necropolis illustrates this Etruscan burial practice.

• Arch: A curved structure spanning spaces, essential in architecture, exemplified by the Pont du Gard in France.

• Coffer: Recessed ceiling designs to alleviate weight, such as those in the Pantheon in Rome.

• Continuous Narrative: A storytelling method representing multiple scenes in one image without dividers; characters recur to define the sequence.

• Horror Vacui: The fear of empty spaces prompts dense detailing throughout artworks, seen in the Ara Pacis.

• Oculus: An "eye" cut-out atop a dome, allowing light into structures; notable in the Pantheon.

• Vault: An arch-form roof common in large buildings; exemplified by the Flavian Amphitheater.

• Additive and Subtractive Techniques:

  • Additive: Involves mold creation and pouring materials.
  • Subtractive: Material removal process, as seen in the Figurine of a Woman from Greece.

• Culture: The collective beliefs, customs, and traditions of a group; fundamental in understanding art and its context.

• In the Round: Sculpture meant for 360-degree viewing, like the Venus of Willendorf from Austria, designed to be approached from all angles.

• Medium: The materials employed in art creation play a crucial role in determining artwork characteristics.

• Style: Refers to the distinct characteristics from a period, culture, or individual artist influencing art creation.

Test your knowledge of fundamental concepts in art history with these flashcards from Art History 101. Explore terms like 'Hierarchy of Scale' and 'Register' with definitions and examples from various cultures. Enhance your understanding of artistic conventions and narrative depictions.