Art Scale and Proportion Quiz

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Questions and Answers

Which of the following cultures employed principles of idealized human proportion to communicate connection with the spiritual world?

  • Baroque France
  • Renaissance Italy
  • Classical Greece (correct)
  • Ancient Egypt

Why do the Swedish-born artist Claes Oldenburg and his wife Coosje van Bruggen make their sculptures of everyday objects so vast?

  • To poke fun at the conventional use of monumental scale
  • To express admiration for them
  • To give them a sense of grandeur
  • All of the above (correct)

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.

<p>Fat &amp; short = Heavy Tall and skinny = Elegant Other = Balanced</p> Signup and view all the answers

Which body part was used to establish the proportions of these artworks?

<p>Statues = Head Pharaoh = Hand</p> Signup and view all the answers

The Flemish artist Jan van Eyck used __________ scale to communicate __________ importance in his painting Madonna in a Church.

<p>hierarchical, spiritual</p> Signup and view all the answers

An artist would probably use distorted scale if he or she wanted to create a lifelike scene that the viewer could relate to.

<p>False (B)</p> Signup and view all the answers

When an artist uses scale to indicate the relative importance of elements in a composition, he or she is employing what kind of scale?

<p>Hierarchical</p> Signup and view all the answers

Which of these figures, if any, are depicted using idealized human proportions?

<p>All but the woman with the baby (C)</p> Signup and view all the answers

What kind of scale is used to represent objects so that they appear larger than they are in real life?

<p>Monumental</p> Signup and view all the answers

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.

<p>False (B)</p> Signup and view all the answers

Which of these rectangles conforms to the proportions of the Golden Section?

<p>The second tallest and fattest (D)</p> Signup and view all the answers

Which of the figures in this ancient Egyptian relief sculpture represents the pharaoh?

<p>Biggest man</p> Signup and view all the answers

Robert Lostutter's The Hummingbirds presents figural portraits on a very small scale in order to convey a sense of what?

<p>Intimacy</p> Signup and view all the answers

Which of these artworks have been composed according to the proportions of the Golden Section?

<p>All of the above (D)</p> Signup and view all the answers

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?

<p>6 palms</p> Signup and view all the answers

Which proportional systems did Raphael most likely use to organize the composition of The School of Athens?

<p>Both A and B (C)</p> Signup and view all the answers

Identify the type(s) of scale that have been employed in these sculptures.

<p>Spider = monumental; distorted, Warriors = hierarchical; small, Metal man = human</p> Signup and view all the answers

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.

<p>True (A)</p> Signup and view all the answers

What do the relationships between the sizes of different parts of a work make up?

<p>Proportion</p> Signup and view all the answers

What might an artist's use of a small scale for a portrait of a lover imply?

<p>Intimacy</p> Signup and view all the answers

The Surrealists sometimes used distorted scale to create dreamlike images that subvert our conscious experiences.

<p>True (A)</p> Signup and view all the answers

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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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