Questions and Answers
Which of the following cultures employed principles of idealized human proportion to communicate connection with the spiritual world?
Why do the Swedish-born artist Claes Oldenburg and his wife Coosje van Bruggen make their sculptures of everyday objects so vast?
What is the name by which the proportional system based around the ratio of 1:1.618 is most commonly known?
The Golden Section
Match the adjectives with the description of the proportions of vases.
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Which body part was used to establish the proportions of these artworks?
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The Flemish artist Jan van Eyck used __________ scale to communicate __________ importance in his painting Madonna in a Church.
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An artist would probably use distorted scale if he or she wanted to create a lifelike scene that the viewer could relate to.
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When an artist uses scale to indicate the relative importance of elements in a composition, he or she is employing what kind of scale?
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Which of these figures, if any, are depicted using idealized human proportions?
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What kind of scale is used to represent objects so that they appear larger than they are in real life?
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In the traditional art of the Yoruba people of West Africa, human figures are represented in accordance with the ideal proportions identified by the ancient Egyptians.
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Which of these rectangles conforms to the proportions of the Golden Section?
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Which of the figures in this ancient Egyptian relief sculpture represents the pharaoh?
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Robert Lostutter's The Hummingbirds presents figural portraits on a very small scale in order to convey a sense of what?
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Which of these artworks have been composed according to the proportions of the Golden Section?
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In ancient Egypt, the cubit was a standard unit of measurement. A cubit was made up of a smaller unit: the width of the palm of a hand. How many palm widths make 1 cubit?
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Which proportional systems did Raphael most likely use to organize the composition of The School of Athens?
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Identify the type(s) of scale that have been employed in these sculptures.
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It does not matter if a sculptor is creating a human statue on a monumental scale or a figure much smaller than lifesize, if the sculptor applies the ratio of the Golden Section, the sculpture will have naturalistic proportions.
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What do the relationships between the sizes of different parts of a work make up?
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What might an artist's use of a small scale for a portrait of a lover imply?
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The Surrealists sometimes used distorted scale to create dreamlike images that subvert our conscious experiences.
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Study Notes
Idealized Proportions and Cultural Context
- Classical Greece employed idealized human proportions to express a connection with the spiritual realm.
- The Flemish artist Jan van Eyck used hierarchical scale to signify importance in Madonna in a Church.
Scale in Art and Sculpture
- Claes Oldenburg and Coosje van Bruggen create oversized sculptures of everyday objects to challenge conventional monumental scale and evoke admiration.
- Monumental scale makes objects appear larger than life, serving to intensify their presence.
- Distorted scale can convey dreamlike experiences, notably in Surrealism.
Proportional Systems and Measurements
- The golden section, based on the ratio of 1:1.618, is a key proportional system in art.
- Ancient Egyptian art used the cubit as a standard unit of measurement, equating to six palm widths.
- Raphael utilized the rule of thirds and the canon of Polykleitos in The School of Athens.
Proportions and Representation
- Various adjectives describe vase proportions: fat & short = heavy, tall & skinny = elegant, other = balanced.
- Statues typically establish proportions based on the head, while pharaoh representations rely on the hand.
- Idealized human proportions are present in most figures except the woman with a baby.
Interpretations of Scale
- Artists use scale to indicate the relative importance of elements, categorized as hierarchical scale.
- Intimacy is expressed through small-scale portraits, such as Robert Lostutter's The Hummingbirds.
- Relationships between different parts of a work define proportion, crucial for naturalistic representations.
Artwork Analysis
- Sculptures and artworks featuring golden section proportions include multiple examples, such as figures with arms raised and various thematic constructs.
- In traditional Yoruba art, figures do not adhere to ancient Egyptian ideal proportions.
Artistic Intent and Viewer Connection
- Distorted scale is ineffective for creating relatable lifelike scenes, while monumental scale evokes grandeur.
- The presence of small sculptures heightens intimacy, inviting personal engagement with the artwork.
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Description
Test your knowledge on the concepts of scale and proportion in art. This quiz covers various cultures, including classical Greece, and contemporary artists like Claes Oldenburg and Coosje van Bruggen. Challenge your understanding of how scale impacts artistic expression.
