AP Art History Class Guide

August 26

AP Art History

2009
Introduction to Art History.

1st marking period study guide and syllabus for AP Art History. The Big Basis: Week one through 9 will encompass what art history is, how it is done, and what art historians do. The marking period will end with a written review and practice test on the art of pre-historic people to the Roman and Etruscan cultures.

Introduction: What is Art History? (Gardner’s Pg. 1- 13)

Art Appreciation

Art History

Viewer

Context

• museums • viewer makes own interpretation • galleries • art made for sale • artist doesn't know the buyer

• art made for specific patrons and settings • art made to fulfill a specific purpose

Art historians ask certain questions.

Art History

unique circumstances

Gave rise to the construction of a certain building or a specific work commissioned by particular patrons.

persisting events

Have a certain look and have reasons why they happened.

context

The Central aim of Art History of Classification of visible and tangible objects human humans build. Architecture Sculpture Pictorial Arts  Painting  Drawing  Printmaking  Photography Craft Art  Ceramics  Metal work  Textiles  Jewelry  Furniture make and the structures

Architecture

Sculpture

Art
Pictorial Art

Craft

Artists of every age have blurred the boundaries but when multimedia works abound.

it is especially true today,

Art historians may consider something art now that wasn’t considered art in its day.

The Questions Art Historians Ask: Keys to determining context. How Old Is It?  Chronology  Physical evidence  Documentary evidence  Internal evidence  Stylistic evidence What Is Its Style?  Period Style  Regional Style  Personal Style What Is Its Subject?  Religious  Historical  Genre (everyday life)  Portraiture  Landscape (a depiction of a place)  Still life (an arrangement of inanimate objects) Iconography Symbols Attributes Personifications Who Made It? Signing and dating Making attribution Connoisseurship School Who Paid for it? Patrons Commission The Words Art Historians Use Formal analysis  Form and composition  Material and Technique Medium  Line Plane Contour line  Color

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Additive light Spectrum Subtractive light Value Tonality Intensity Saturation Primary Secondary Complementary Texture Space, Mass, and Volume Illusionistic space Mass Volume Perspective and Foreshortening Perspective Foreshortening Proportion and Scale Proportion Module Canons Hierarchy of scale Carving and Casting Subtractive Additive Armature Casting Relief Sculpture Statues Freestanding Sculpture in the round High relief Low relief/bas relief Architectural Drawing Plan Section Lateral sections Longitudinal sections Choir Piers Aisles Vaults Ribs Flying buttresses Elevation cutaway

Different Ways of Seeing

Era Style Context and Culture
Patrons Subject Artist's Works

Artist

Characteristics of Style

Material and Technique

Stylistic Change

Images , themes and meanings

Structure of material s and processes used

art market

Patrons

art market

Chapter 1 Art Before History 1. Lecture Strategies and Key Ideas. Prehistoric art’s meaning is illusive. The first sculpture and painting predate the invention of writing. There is disagreement about why cave dwellers painted their walls or why large stone monuments were created. Earlier theories that images were painted in order to improve the hunting prospects of the cave dwellers have recently been disputed. The conclusions and interpretations any of us draw from prehistoric art are only theoretical and make it the most speculative area of art history. You will be showing students some of the most impressive art of any age, and students should come to appreciate the value of prehistoric art for its own sake. It is a good time to discourage students from making value judgments of the art, or to discredit it because it does not conform to the look and proportion of classical art. You might show a Lascaux image (FIG. 1-11) and compare it to the 20thc art of Picasso (Guernica, FIG 33-74) or Marc Chagall (I and the Village, FIG. 33-52) and ask students to define what similarities they find in color and composition and emotional effect. This is a good time to emphasize to the class that “Art changes, but it doesn’t get better.” Recall that the AP* exam in Art History now includes questions on Gender and this is a good time to introduce the topic with the Woman of Willendorf (FIG. 1-4) to show that the female form was a topic of art even in Paleolithic times. A Paleolithic example for students to examine is FIG. 1-13, where man (as opposed to woman) makes one of his earliest appearances. Students might be asked to might cite the Woman of Willendorf in their discussion of “The Human Body,” noting which features of the female form are exaggerated (the breasts) and which are not (there are no facial features) and theorize about why the unknown artist created his subject in such a manner. Is this a fertility idol? Are there other possible explanations? AP* Exam Tip. Narrative art is anything that tells a story. For narrative composition, Gardner's glossary tells us it is "elements in a work of art arranged in such a manner as to tell a story.” You can have students practice discussing an image’s “narrative” by citing the Paleolithic painting Rhinoceros, man, bison (FIG. 1-13) or the Neolithic Dear Hunt detail (FIG. 1-17.) Ask them “What is the story being told and how does the artist use art and imagination to tell his story?” The small Willendorf figure offers students the opportunity to discuss the human body. Still another theme to discuss is the Paleolithic cave paintings of natural subjects. Almost all show the power of natural beings. Heads Up Note. The AP Art History Exam will no longer use art from prehistory for student essay questions, although multiple-choice questions may still be taken from these periods. Students may cite images from these art historic periods in the free-response 30-minute essays if an image is appropriate for the questions being asked. 2. Key Vocabulary. Gender in Art Prehistory wall paintings modeling post and lintel Stonehenge

Narrative in Art Paleolithic art Neolithic art incising ground line high relief corbelling menhirs cromlechs megalithic monuments

3. Key Images from Gardner’s Art Through the Ages. Artist Gardner FIG. Number 1-5 1-6 1-9 1-11 1-13 1-16 1-17 1-20 Subject Key Idea

Paleolithic Paleolithic Paleolithic Lascaux Paleolithic Neolithic Neolithic Neolithic 4. Study Materials

Woman of Willendorf Woman in art Woman Holding Bison Horn Woman in art Altamira Bison No ground line Hall of the Bulls Enigmatic art Rhinoceros, man, bison Narrative art Çatal Hüyük Urbanization Dear hunt detail Narrative art Stonehenge Post-and-lintel

Be sure to reference the general art resources available for this Gardner book at http://art/wadsworth.com/garder12/ From here there are online quizzes, a complete study guide, Internet activities, vocabulary flashcards, and more. Website(s). Good sources of online websites that contains images for all Art History are found at http://www.art-design.umich.edu/mother/ and at http://witcombe.sbc.edu/ARTHLinks.html Ice Age Art: Exploring the deeper history of Art To explore the Caves of Lascaux, go to http://www.culture.fr/culture/arcnat/lascaux/en/ For more information on Stonehenge go to http://www.britarch.ac.uk/stonehenge/ For a website designed for those interested in visiting the ongoing excavations at Çatal höyük Turkey, see http://www.catalhoyuk.org/; see also http://catal.arch.cam.ac.uk/catal/catal.html especially for current dialogue regarding the role of women in the Çatal höyük community. 5. Questions: Each chapter of Gardner’s Art Through the Ages textbook has a corresponding quiz and test in the “Instructor’s Manual.” The CD-ROM allows teachers to choose which questions to use and to create and print quizzes and tests. Essay Questions. 1. Woman of Willendorf. (FIG. 1-5) Question: Describe how the Woman of Willendorf is presented and discuss why the artist may have portrayed her in this manner. (5 minutes.) Here is a way to introduce the “human body” as an art subject. For years the Woman of Willendorf, one of about a dozen of such images found, was considered a “fertility figure,” but that theory has recently been questioned. The anatomical exaggerations are obvious and students may wish to speculate on the image’s purpose, but its meaning, as that of all ancient art, remains elusive. 2. La Magdalene Woman ( FIG. 1-6)

Question: Describe how this rock-cut woman might have furthered the identity or health of the community that created it. (5 minutes.) Students should discuss the idea that art can unite people within their community by providing a unifying symbol (Woman figure as a fertility figure) in much the same way as a “flag” gives citizens a common symbol. Religion itself can also be a tool to further a community’s identity, health and welfare. 3. Deer hunt detail (FIG. 1-17) Question: “What is the story being told and how does the artist use art and imagination to tell his story?” Students should be able to discuss what story the artist suggests is taking place. Note that the narrative is non-verbal; i.e., that the artists used the medium of paint to narrate the story.

Chapter 1
THE BIRTH OF ART Africa, Europe, and the Near East in the Stone Age
Summary: Paleolithic Art introduces the student to the “image-making” capability of humankind. Representational images appeared in Asia, Africa and Europe. The cave dwellers of Southern France and Northern Spain created a fixed environment which identified their time and space. In Africa, evidence in the shape of plaques has indicated these earliest of “artist-hunters” rendered the forms of animals carefully, although the species remain uncertain. They, perhaps, invented symbols to ritualize their domain and give birth to the beginnings of understanding the world around them. They created the “hunt” on cave walls and began the art of representation. Mesolithic Art further developed the representational skills which theses early peoples used to describe and define their domain. Human figural representation is regularized into narratives, which identify human activities and concerns. Neolithic people settled into communities, which were fixed in place, and where animals and foods stuffs were domesticated. In this period, art becomes an integral component for community living, describing the community and the aesthetic vision of its people. While not as complete a vision as seen in later history, Neolithic art visually expressed communities’ thinking, philosophy, and religion.

I. PALEOLITHIC ART: Lecture Model A “formal” approach may be effective in describing the work of the cave artists. A morphological, rather than an historical structure, could also be recommended for introducing Stone Age art. 1) Several questions should be posed when exploring the impact Paleolithic art and artists had. For example, considering how painted cave interiors appear, with animals and images seemingly arranged without structure (1.9, 1.11, 1.12) can open discussion of representation (e.g., the interior of Chauvet Cave located in southeastern France). Discussing the plaques found in Africa (1.3), a key question is why these Paleolithic artists represented animal figures so distinctly? The rendering of shape and shading allowed the cave’s structure to augment the forms of the animals, but also increased the “liveliness” of the scene, for example. 2) An additional point for discussion would be prehistoric humans’ need to “make a mark.” Using the negative handprints found in the cave at Pech-Merle (1.10) and handprints found in Chauvet, an argument could be made that these early artist-hunters were making a “mark” to establish their presence. While speculative, the interpretation of such marks calls attention to fundamental questions about the function of “art” and “artists” in human activity. 3) To underline a morphological approach to understanding Paleolithic art, it is important to emphasize both the random arrangement of the animal friezes, as well as the continuing use of the caves over generations. Evidence shows that the animal friezes have been overlaid and developed over a many stages in successive descent. Yet the superimposed animals might be interpreted as increasing the “magic” of a successful hunt. Perhaps the later hunter-artists were attempting to gain “good magic” by using the same caves and the same walls for visual and ritualistic expression. It is also important to note that some of the animals are depicted in “twisted perspective” with frontal horns and profile heads ( p. 23). Was this treatment of forms intended to propel the painted animal to take on the identity of the real animal sought in the hunt? 4) Another key issue to explore is why the depiction of human figures is so rare in prehistoric caves. The definitive answer is still elusive. The ability of the early hunter-artist to create recognizable figures is not in question. A morphological approach can foster speculation here. The female figure previously titled the Venus of Willendorf (1.5), points to the disparity in animal representation and human representation. This small female figure, approximately 4 1/4” in height, has been stripped of identity and has become a “symbol,” perhaps of fertility. Could this version of a female figure be an intuitive gesture on the part of these prehistoric peoples to ensure the continuing existence of the community? To support this speculation, compare the figure to another representation of the human female body. The Woman holding a bison horn figure (1.6) also has exaggerated female traits, but a lack of facial features. Examination

of other figures shows that obscuring facial identity was not limited to depicting females of the community; the scene of the rhinoceros, wounded man and disemboweled bison (1.13) indicates that the males, too, were not clearly depicted. Looking more closely at the latter scene, what did this event represent? Was this a notable tragedy or accident? The image offers clarity and ambiguity: we can see the animals and identify them and the male figure as well, but what is happening? This paradoxical work suggests a narrative, a story sequence, but the meaning of the scene eludes the viewer. II. NEOLITHIC ART: Lecture Model In addition to the methodological approaches described above, iconographic and social frameworks can be used to examine the great strides made during the Neolithic period. The development of societal rules and procedures are factors that can be addressed, both in describing the society itself and its philosophical and religious tenets. 5) Melding the Mesolithic and Neolithic eras together can bring greater emphasis to the Neolithic period and its contribution to “civilized society.” A distinction can be made about the importance of food production and its impact on the societies which engaged in this activity. The cities of Jericho and Çatal Höyük (1.14 and 1.16) offer the best description for this impact of production upon civilization through the townships’ fortifications, constructed to ward off avaricious and jealous neighbors. It can be argued that the consequences of organized food production (planting and harvesting) led to formalized government and religion. The culture’s emphasis on divinities, particularly by seeking solicitude and aid for the community, can be described as formal religion (also a rationale for disasters when “the gods and goddesses are angry”). Another point to explore for this period is the increased ability of the artist to render the human figure, as in Deer Hunt (1.17). It is important to contrast this level of rendering of human physiognomy to the Paleolithic imaging of humans. Resources: Videotapes
Digging Up the Past 23 min. BVL5571 $89.95 Homo Sapiens: A Look into a Distant Mirror 53 min. BVL11404 $149.95 The Caves of Altamira 26 min. BVL2147 $89.95 The Pre-History of Spain 23 min. BVL 2305 $89.95 Who Built Stonehenge? 51 min. BVL7451 $129.95
Films for the Humanities 1-800-257-5126 http://www.films.com

Lascaux Revisited 35 min. CP-1801W $29.95
Crystal Productions

http://www.crystalproductions.com Books Bahn, Paul G. and Desmond Morris. Cambridge Illustrated History of Prehistoric Art. Cambridge, UK: Cambridge University Press, 1998. Cauvin, Jacques and Trevor Watkins. The Birth of the Gods and the Origins of Agriculture. New York: Cambridge University Press, 2000. Gimbutas, Marija. Goddess Civilization Neolithic Europe before the Patriarchy. Beacon Press, 1990. Kuijt, Ian ed. Life in Neolithic Farming communities: Social Organization, Identity, and Differentiation. New York: Kluwer Academic/Plenum Press, 2000. Leakey, Richard E. and Roger Lewin. Origins Reconsidered. New York: Doubleday, 1992. Palmer, Douglas. Atlas of the Prehistoric World. Bethesda, MD: Discovery Communications, 1999. Price, Douglas T. and Anne Brigitte Gebauer eds. Last Hunters, First Farmers. Santa Fe, NM: School of American Research Press, 1996. Scarre, Christopher. Exploring Prehistoric Europe. New York: Oxford University Press, 1998. Whittle, Alasdair. Neolithic Europe. New York: University of Cambridge Press, 1985

Web Resources http://www.amherst.edu/~ermace/sth/sth.html http://www.culture.fr/culture/arcnat/fr/index.html