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HOA 105 Exam 1
flashcards for units on prehistory, ancient egypt, mesopotamia, minoan, mycenean, hellenic greece, hellenistic era, rome and china
93
Art History
Undergraduate 1
09/24/2012

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Term
matriarchal religion
Definition
system of social organization in which descent and inheritance are traced through the female line
Term
paleolithic
Definition
old stone age
Term
neolitic
Definition
new stone age
Term
votive figure
Definition
figure or image to be offered or dedicated in accordance with a vow, embodies actual magical properties
Term
medium
Definition
material in which an artist works
Term
naturalism
Definition
a descriptive approach to a visual world that seeks to imitate natural appearance
Term
polychrome
Definition
having many or various colors
Term
post and lintel
Definition
simplest form of architectural construction, consisting or vertical members and supporting horizontals
Term
dolmen
Definition
stone tomb formed by two posts capped by a lintel; deceased and objects that were prized are placed in a room
Term
megalith
Definition
large, roughly shaped stone, often used in architectural construction
Term
obelisk
Definition
tall, four sided pillar that tapers to a pyramidal apex (where hieroglyphics were written
Term
matrilineage
Definition
religion and nobility were matriarchal
Term
egyptian canon
Definition
a set of rules or standards used to establish proportion; ideal image of an Egyptian; all looked the same
Term
relief sculpture
Definition
figures or forms are carved either to project from the background surface (raised relief) or cut away below the background level (sunken relief)
Term
hypostyle hall
Definition
a hall with a roof supported by columns; bigger than necessary
Term
Aten
Definition
sun god imposed upon Egypt as the one and only god by the monotheist Akhenaten
Term
The Epic of Gilgamesh
Definition
epic Mesopotamian poem in which Gilgamesh, king of Uruk, quests for the secret to eternal life
Term
The Rule of Hammurabi
Definition
Babylonian code of laws dating to the late 11th century BCE; created law and social order; an eye for an eye
Term
stele
Definition
carved stone slab on only one side used to mark graves or commemorate historical events
Term
Ziggurat at Ur
Definition
used for government (civic) and religion
Term
intarsia
Definition
decorative inlaid of gold pattern in a surface, especially a mosaic worked in wood
Term
Ishtar
Definition
babylonian mother goddess, whose murder and resurrection of her lover is a symbol of death and regeneration; each year when Ishtar descends into the underworld to retrieve him, the fertility of Earth is suspended, but with the return of the goddess and her lover, is restored
Term
Iron Age
Definition
period of human culture characterized by the melting of iron and its use in industry beginning somewhat before 1000 BCE
Term
labyrinth
Definition
palace constructed of or full of intricate passageways and blind alleys; like a maze
Term
relieving triangle
Definition
in Mycenaean architecture; the triangular opening above the lintel that serves to lighten the weight to be carried by the lintel itself
Term
idealism
Definition
theory that holds that things in the material world are manifestations of an independent realm of unchanging, immaterial ideas of forms
Term
The Olympian Gods and Goddesses
Definition
all have human names and take human forms; immortal and perfect; Gods were like humans and the humans were like Gods
Term
4 Artistic Styles of Hellenic Greece
Definition
1. Archaic
2. Early Classical (Severe)
3. Classical
4. Late Classical (4th century)
Term
Kouros
Definition
a youthful male figure, usually depicted nude in ancient Greek sculpture; archaic style
Term
Kore
Definition
female counterpart to the Kouros; females always dressed; archaic style
Term
contrapposto
Definition
a position assumed by the human body in which one part is turned in opposition to another part (more weight on one side of the body than the other); way to make figure look more NATURAL
Term
lost wax casting process
Definition
a bronze-casting method in which a figure is modeled in wax and covered with clay; the whole is fired, melting away the wax and hardening the clay, which then becomes a mold for the metal
Term
Greek canon
Definition
did not use a grid to map out the human body; made use of symmetry to determine proportion; classical style
Term
amphora
Definition
vase that contained wine
Term
hydria
Definition
vase that contained water
Term
krater
Definition
vase used for mixing wine and water
Term
oinochoe
Definition
pitcher for dipping mixture of wine and water
Term
kylix
Definition
drinking cup decorated inside and outside; passed around the table
Term
lekythos
Definition
contained expensive ceremonial oils and perfumes
Term
doric
Definition
characterized by capitals, columns without bases, and a frieze of triglyphs and metopes; symmetrical and simple in its lines
Term
ionic
Definition
more decorated and complicated; had a scroll at the top of the columns and a base at the bottom of the column
Term
corinthian
Definition
architectural order characterized by a bell-shaped capital having carved ornaments based on acanthus leaves; even more decorative than ionic
Term
capital
Definition
uppermost part of a column
Term
column
Definition
consisted of a base, shaft and capital; vertical member
Term
cornice
Definition
any crowning projection; part of the entablature
Term
entablature
Definition
part of a building above the columns and below the roof
Term
frieze
Definition
a sculptured or ornamented band
Term
metope
Definition
square panel between the triglyphs in a doric frieze, often sculpted in relief
Term
pediment
Definition
triangular space forming the gable of a two=pitched roof in classical architecture
Term
stylobate
Definition
uppermost course of the platform of a Greek temple
Term
triglyphe
Definition
triple projecting, grooved member of a doric frieze that alternates with the metopes
Term
volutea
Definition
spiral, scroll-like form characteristic of the ancient Greek ionic
Term
Parthenon
Definition
dedicated to Athena; made by Iktinos and Kallikrates; both doric and ionic order
Term
East Pediment of Parthenon
Definition
depicts the birth of Athena; Zeus ate a pregnant woman and then gave birth to Athena from his head
Term
West Pediment of Parthenon
Definition
depicts a competition between Athena and Poseidon for honor of being official deity of Athens; Athena won
Term
wet drapery style
Definition
way of showing nudity without showing the naked body
Term
caryatids
Definition
a female figure that functions as a supporting column
Term
proscenium
Definition
the stage of an ancient Greek or Roman theatre; where the curtain is
Term
skene
Definition
structure facing the audience and forming the background before which performances were given
Term
7 themes of Hellenistic Era Art
Definition
1. individualism
2. naturalism
3. movement
4. eroticism
5. emotion
6. exoticism
7. humor
Term
hedonism
Definition
pursuit of pleasure is the ultimate goal of life
Term
stoicism
Definition
goal of life is to rise above pain and pleasure; endure pain for the greater good
Term
epicureanism
Definition
best life is a simple life, free from pain, requiring restraint and escape from struggle; accept pleasure in a balanced way
Term
pathos
Definition
quality that evokes pity or sadness; makes the audience think and feel
Term
temenos
Definition
a piece of ground surrounding or adjacent to a temple; a sacred enclosure or precinct; shape of an altar with an opening in the top for the burnt smoke of animal sacrifices to be released
Term
mosaic
Definition
patterns or pictures made by embedding small pieces of stone or glass in cement on surfaces such as walls or floors
Term
tesserae
Definition
tiny stones or pieces of glass cut to the desired shape and size to form a mosaic
Term
illusionism
Definition
representation of exact reality; making things look as realistic as possible
Term
foreshortening
Definition
use of perspective to represent in art the apparent visual contraction of an object that extends back in space at an angle to the perpendicular plane of sight; shows depth
Term
chiaroscuro
Definition
gradations of light and dark within a picture, especially one in which the forms are largely determined, not by sharp outlines, but by meeting of darker and lighter areas; 3D looking object; shows depth
Term
utilitarianism
Definition
everything has a function
Term
grid plan
Definition
city layout based on a grid system
Term
insulae
Definition
a city block used in grid plan
Term
the arch
Definition
a curved structural member that spans an opening and is generally composed of wedge-shaped blocks that transmit the downward pressure laterally
Term
voussoirs
Definition
weddge-shaped block used in construction of a true arch
Term
keystone
Definition
central voussoir that sets the arch
Term
tunnel vault
Definition
a deep, uninterrupted series of arches, one behind the other, in an oblong space
Term
groin (cross) vault
Definition
formed at the point at which two tunnel vaults intersect at right angles
Term
concrete
Definition
developed by the Romans; they put marble on top of it
Term
aqueduct
Definition
an artificial channel carrying a waterway over a valley or other gap
Term
thermae
Definition
hot baths used for public bathing
Term
caldarium
Definition
hot bath or steam room
Term
tepidarium
Definition
tepid pool bath (room temperature water)
Term
frigidarium
Definition
cold water bath
Term
amphitheater
Definition
a Roman building type resembling two Greek theatres put together. The Roman amphitheater featured a continuous elliptical cavea around a central arena; Colleseum
Term
Forum (Forum of Trajan)
Definition
public square of an ancient Roman city; shopping, libraries, temple, basilica (law court), restaurants
Term
oculus
Definition
round central opening of a dome (in Pantheon)
Term
coffers
Definition
a sunken panel in a vault or a ceiling
Term
equestrain portrait
Definition
depiction of a person on horseback
Term
paterfamilias
Definition
male head of a family or household
Term
atrium
Definition
court of a Roman house that is partially open to the sky
Term
peristyle court
Definition
a row of columns surrounding a court or internal garden
Term
illusionism
Definition
tries to convince the viewer that the image is real and not painted
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