Art 110 STUDY QUESTIONS SECTION #1 The questions should be used to prepare for in class discussions and your essay. Chapter 1: Prehistoric Art 1. When did human beings first intentionally manufacture a work of art? 2. What were some of the media used by early artists? 3. What reasons were given for the purpose of the Lion-Human figure? 4. What was the purpose of nude figures ("Venus") in Paleolithic culture? 5. What meaning is associated with the Nude Women ( Woman from Willendorf) sculptures? 6. Why is Nude Woman sometimes called Venus of Willendorf? 7. What role to some historians believe women played in Paleolithic culture? 8. What types of images are you most likely to see on Paleolithic cave walls? 9. What "people" are believed to have painted the cave walls? 10. What are the 12/13 notches inscribed on the bison horn in The Woman Holding Bison Horn believed to represent? 11. What symbol is believed to represent the male in Paleolithic art? 12. How is a sense of awareness on the part of the artist demonstrated in Paleolithic art? 13. Who discovered the Altamira (Spain) cave and how was it discovered? 14. What media was used to paint and sculpt the cave walls, and how was the material applied? 15. Where specifically in the caves were you most likely to find the cave paintings? 16. How did painting bison and cattle on convex surface add to the naturalism of the paintings? 17. What is meant by a conceptual rather than optical approach to art? 18. How have miscellaneous marks (dots, hands, checks, squares) found on cave walls been interpreted by historians? 19. What theories have been presented as to the purpose of the paintings and sculpture produced during the Paleolithic period? 20. Describe the process used to date the paintings on cave walls? 21. What kinds of animals were portrayed on the cave walls?
22. What cave was discovered in 1994 and where does it get its name? 23. What is believed to be represented in Bird-Headed Man with Bison and why has it baffled so many art historians and archeologists? 24. What two sites are believed to be the first (currently discovered) examples of towns? 25. How was the town of Catal Huyuk constructed? 26. How did the citizens of Catal Huyuk enter their homes and why were they designed this way? 27. Describe the changes in design and content when comparing the Paleolithic period images/sculpture to those found at Catal Huyuk (see Man taunting Deer) 28. How did the design of shrines differ from houses at Catal Huyuk? 29. Briefly describe the 4 stages in the building of Stonehenge. 30. What theories have been presented as to purpose of Stonehenge? 31. What two stones have been noted as identifying June 21/24 each year? 32. Based on the types of stones, their size, and their original location what can be learned about Stonehenge? 33. Who were/are the architects of Stonehenge (trick question)? 34. What is the name of the largest Henge every built in prehistoric Europe? 35. Describe the process to make a clay pot. 36. Briefly describe the cultural developments divide the Paleolithic from the Mesolithic from the Neolithic periods? Chapter 2: Ancient Near East 37. What does the term "Mesopotamia" mean and where is it located? 38. Why is Sumer called the first civilization? 39. Describe the writing system developed by the Sumerians. 40. What was the focal point of a Sumerian city? 41. Describe the design of a Ziggurat. 42. Name some of the Sumerian Gods and their role. 43. Who was Gilgamesh?
44. What was portrayed on the Inanna (Warka) Vase? 45. Who do the statuettes from Eshnunna represent? 46. Why are the eyes of the statuettes distorted? 47. Why do the statuettes from Eshnunna take on a "cylinder" like shape, and what are they doing? 48. Describe the formal elements (design) of the Standard of Ur and how they emphasize its content. 49. What is a Heraldic Composition? 50. What is portrayed on the Bull-Headed Lyre soundbox and what message does it communicate? 51. How were cylinder seals used? 52. Who were the Akkadians and how did their political system differ from that of Sumer? 53. What are Kings Lists? 54. What event is portrayed on the "Victory stele of Naram-Sin"? 55. In relation to question 19, in terms of style what techniques does the sculptor use to portray the event? 56. What was the major achievement for Hammurabi during his reign? 57. What figures are portrayed on the upper part of the Code of Hammurabi? 58. Why is the imagery on top of the Code of Hammurabi important to the enforcement of the content of the code? 59. What is the purpose of a "Lion Gate"? 60. What differentiates the Assyrians from other cultures of the Ancient Near East? 61. How does the image of the Assyrian Dying Lioness reinforce the beliefs of the Assyrians? 62. What was the purpose of the Lamassu and Genii figures (Guardian figures at the Citadel gate of Sargon II) 63. Why did Babylon return as the dominant force in Mesopotamia? 64. What ruler is associated with the Ishtar Gate and what wonders is he believed to have constructed? 65. Identify and define the images portrayed on the Ishtar Gate. 66. Describe the process used to create the bricks used on the Ishtar Gate. 67. What was the purpose of the Persian Royal Audience Hall (Apadana Hall)? 68. What was portrayed on the entryway of the Royal Audience Hall and what purpose did it serve?
69. What types of columns were found in the Royal Audience Hall? CHAPTER 3: Art of Ancient Egypt 70. Why was the Nile important to the Egyptians (what did it represent)? 71. What term is used to chronologically divide the "rule of Pharaohs" in Egypt? 72. Who was Ma'at and why was Ma'at important? 73. What is the Rosetta Stone? Who is responsible for the "discovery" of the stone, and why is it so important to the study of Egyptian history? 74. What are hieroglyphics? 75. What/who is portrayed on the Palette of King Narmer and how does this imagery relate to Ma at? 76. What was the primary utilitarian function of the Palette of King Narmer? 77. Briefly describe the Egyptian burial process. 78. Describe the 5 Egyptian human elements (see powerpoint) and why were they important to the Egyptians in relation to immortality? 79. Who were Osiris, Horus, and Hathor and what was their function? 80. What is a Mastaba? 81. Who was Imhotep and why he is an important figure in the history of art? 82. Why was the stepped pyramid of King Zoser innovative and important? (very detailed answer) 83. What surrounded the stepped pyramid of Zoser? 84. What is a serdab? 85. What types of columns did the Egyptians construct? 86. The "Great Pyramids of Gizeh" were built for which Pharaohs? 87. Why was it important for the Pharaohs to associate themselves with Re/Ra. 88. Who built the pyramids? 89. What materials were used to build the pyramids and how did they originally look during the Fourth Dynasty versus how they look today? 90. Describe the place of the pyramids on the Gizeh plateau and why their arrangement was important.
91. What purpose did the Great Sphinx serve and what ideas did it embody? 92. What purpose did the statues placed inside the tombs or funerary temples serve? 93. What material was used to sculpt the statues of Khafre (in text) and Menkaure and Khamerernebty (in text) and why was the use of this material important? 94. What was the Egyptian "canon" and how was it used to create the human figure? 95. Khamerernebty's arm is wrapped around the waist of Menkaure, what does this signify and what important role does she play in the succession of pharaohs? 96. What is a scribe, what role did scribes play in the royal court? 97. Compare the image of Menkaure and Khamerernebty with the Seated Scribe. What reasons can be given as to why they look different? (Compare materials, expressions, body posture, and coloring, all the formal elements of the work). 98. What term describes the time periods that separate the Old, Middle and New Kingdoms and what usually brought about a change? NEW KINGDOM 99. Why where the temples and tombs of the New Kingdom built in the "Valley of the Kings"? 100. Who was Queen Hatshepsut and why was she a distinct person in the history of Egyptian Pharaohs? 101. Why did Queen Hatshepsut have herself portrayed both as male and female? 102. Describe the design of Queen Hatshepsut s tomb/temple. 103. Who was Ramses II and what are the distinct characteristics of his temple façade (front) and the pillars in the interior corridor. 104. What term is used to describe the type of sculpture on columns in Egypt? 105. What does the fowling scene portray and what purpose did it serve? 106. Why is the subject matter in the Fowling Scene portrayed differently? (subjective answer). AMARNA PERIOD ( IDENTIFY WORKS OF ART AS AMARNA ON EXAM) 107. Who was the leader of the Amarna period and what changes did he implement during his reign? 108. What changes occurred in portraying human figures figure during the Amarna period? 109. What reasons have been given as to the appearance of Akenaton s body (fir. 3-32) 110. Compare the image of Akenahton with Menkaure and Khamerernebty and note the differences, also why this changes occurred. (think about changes in religious beliefs and also different materials)
111. What role did Nefertiti play in the Amarna period? POST-AMARNA PERIOD 112. Who discovered King Tutankhamen's tomb and why was this discovery such a significant find in Egypt? 113. What materials were used to create King Tut's coffins and why were these materials important? 114. What was contained inside King Tut s tomb? 115. What images are portrayed on King Tut's innermost coffin and his death mask and what do they symbolize? 116. Briefly explain the Egyptian burial process. 117. What is a Book of the Dead and what was written inside? 118. Explain the events taking place in The Last Judgement of Hu Nefer. 119. What figures are portrayed on the Last Jugement scene and what role do they play? 120. What lead to the fall of Ancient Egyptian culture? NUBIA (Some of these questions will be answered in the powerpoint) 121. What was the relationship between the Egyptians and the Nubians? 122. What Egyptian elements are seen in the Taharqa Sphinx and what sets it apart? 123. What is a bekhenet? 124. How did the Nubian pyramids differ from the Egyptian pyramids? 125. What did cowrie shells symbolize to the Egyptians and Nubians? 126. What are reserve heads? 127. How did Egypt change after the invasion of outside groups? 128. Why was animal worship important for the Egyptians and Nubians?