Art Flashcards
Contemporary Palaces are constructed in many different ways using modern materials and often representing what type of style (This can apply to high reliefs, chiascurro etc.)
Contemporary Palaces usually represent western style
Traditional palaces were built as...
A grouping of raffia pole buildings
True or False: The Traditional form of raffia pole buildings grouped together are still *extant... (*extant means existing)
False: Raffia pole building no longer exist
True or False: Historical data from the early colonial era are pictures and documents
TRUE: In fact the pictures and detailed documents help people understand the traditional palace architecture
The palace served as as living quarters for the:
The FonHis many wives His children The male servants
How far could a tourist usually go in the palace?
Tourists were usually restricted to the public main hall space
Male servants would usually assist the
Royal household
The interior of the palace would contain what?
A royal grave shine
The royal grave shrine is dedicated to whom?
The King's ancestral line
The Queen Mother is...
The Fon's first or favorite wife
What is the queen mother charged with?
Day to day running of the palace
True or False: The building of the interior palace is square in shape and very large
True: The kings subjects would gather for markets and religious gatherings.
Fill in the blanks: The King's subjects would gather in the large open square and they would gather for ________________ and ____________ gatherings
markets; religious gatherings
What is the focal point of the kingdom?
The Palace
The palace is to serve for the wealth of the king through:
Scale, decoration, and furnishings
The palace holds the...
Royal treasury
The most elaborate buildings would have
Carved pillars (these support the roofing system)High decorated door jams Lintels Window sill framing
An example of famous visual evidence was from a photographic image of King Njoya taken in 1910 has him...
Standing in the inner courtyard of the palace of Foumban
What was the main causes of traditional palaces falling into repair?
Flammable material, palaces often caught fire and burned to the ground.
If a palace were to burn down what would the architects do?
They would usually rebuild over the same site
True or False: The Fon believes the royal grave shrine is his most valuable treasure?
False: The Fon believes the palace to be his most valuable treasure because he decorates it. For example: the architecture of the palace demonstrates his wealth and status.
Contemporary palaces are now to be made of _________
Mud, brick, and metal room constructions
If you were to ask a architect what he thought of on the materials of the Contemporary palace (on what it was made of) he would tell you...
The architect would tell you that the mud, brick, and metal room constructions were aesthetically inferior to the flammable materials but they were more pragmatic (sensible)
The Royal Palace of Foumban is located in the country of...
Republic of Cameroon
The Royal Palace of Foumban - age wise- is considered
One of the oldest palace sites in Africa
Today the Palace of Foumban is the home of the:
Nineteenth Century ruler of the Bamun Dynasty
The King has a lineage that goes back to what century?
The 14th century
Adolf Diehl
Photographed the Bamun Palace extensively between 1909 - 12
A person that wanted to draw the Original Bamun Palace would thank this person for taking a picture of it...
Adolf Diehl
The original building ground plan measured LENGTHWISE:
300 by 400 feet
The original building ground measured WIDTHWISE:
250 by 180 feet
The original ground plan of the building was:
An irregular trapezoid
How many people can the palace and the adjoining building house?
3,000 people. This includes 1,200 wives and 350 children
If one were to look at the building to day they would say that the building looked like:
A medieval chateau
What part of the palace is clearly marked?
The Main Entrance
How is the main entrance marked?
It is marked by:A three-story rounded tower that has a conical roof.A series of windows piercing each level
The fence is made of...
Brick
The material of the fence is...
Lattice
a.) At the base of the central tower is a large ________ framed by tall ________________ structures b.) The veranda is ______________ with a ______________ roof
a.) door; pillar b.) wooden; pitched
What is flanking the entrance of the palace and how many of these structures are there?
There are wings flanking the palace and there are two of them
How high are the wings of the building?
They are three stories tall
What does the arcade have?
3 simple rounded arch forms
Which story is the most elaborate?
The second; it has a scalloped arch design
The third level wings are __________________ in appearance
rectangular; there are set slightly back and have three arched windows
Although the palace has changed over time both in configuration and in materials (non-flammables), what ABOUT the palace suggest the kings (Fon's) power?
large scale and the symmetrical orientation*In other words its big and it's pretty much made up of similar parts without looking too out of place Historical object including: Regalia. weaponry sculptures, masks, and beaded thrones
The Nok Sculpture has what type of form?
Cylindrical. It also has has a series of reliefs on it.
The Nok Sculpture in the Analysis measures approximately
Twenty One by Nineteen and a Half by Nineteen and a Half inches. Or: 21 in x 19 1/2 in x 19 1/2 in
The sculpture can be described as
Enigmatic
The Nok Sculpture is said to depict
Narrative Scenes
What are five things the Nok Sculpture shows in its narrative scenes?
- Images of Mothers with their children- Activities of everyday life - The processing of grain- People carrying water - People Cooking food
What Museum owns the Nok Sculpture?
Musee du Quai Branly
Where is the museum of Musee de Quai Branly located? (Hint: Say it in a french accent)
Paris, France
True or False: The scenes displayed on the Nok Sculpture are a continuous narrative scene (To get this one right: Think of what all TV shows have in common)
False: They are episodic because of the ground work they are arranged on.
True or False: The figures on the Nok are in a straight line
False: They are arranged on different varying levels of ground level
True or False: The larger characters on the Nok Sculpture are all male
False: Three are male, and three are female
What do snakes represent in African culture?
Fertility and the Ancestors.
True or False: The snakes is undamaged
False: The snakes is damaged around the head.
The Larger figures on the Nok Sculpture represent...
These represent typical physical features of Nok Characters.
Name five characteristics that the large figures on the Nok sculpture represent:
Stylized eyes Stylized eyebrows Exaggerated lips Flared nostrilsBroad foreheads Beaded Necklaces
Although the function of the Nok Sculpture is unknown people speculate that the function is to...
It may have been inteded to be mounted in some way
True or False: Nok Culture is widely known
FALSE: Unknown
This region is located in Eastern Nigeria and it's name is said to translate to "Great Igbo"
Igbo Ukwu
Igbo Ukwu is approximately ____ many miles away and __________ ____________ of River Niger at Onitsha
25 miles; southeast
Archaeological evidence on the Igbo Ukwu's home in the 9th and 10 CE suggests...
It was a major center It was abruptly left perhaps to some disaster Its function was probably for the King or his Priest Class It was the heart of Igbo Culture
If you were to give a bowl of the Igbo Ukwu to an Antique Specialist they would tell you
The Bronze work is unlike Benin or Ife works. It is unique and it's works have never been repeated.
The Igbo Ukwu bowls that were found are
Crescent shaped and bronze
Who was the man that found the Igbo Ukwu items
Isaiah ANozie
How did the man who found the bronze items discover them?
He found them when he was digging a hole in order to install a water tank on his property
Stone Age Petroglyphs, Namibia
c. 4,000 BCE-c. 1 CE
The Nok culture flourishes
900 BCE-200 CE
Nok Sculpture, Nok Culture, Nigeria
1st century BCE1st century CE
Lydenburg Head, South Africa
c. 500
Great Zimbabwe, Shona, Masvingo Province, Ziimbabwe
11th-15th centuries
Brass Head, Yoruba, Ife Nigeria
9th-10th centuries
The first ivory objects from West Africa, including the so-called "Afro-Portuguese" ivories, are brought to Africa.
Late 15th century
The transatlantic slave trade.
16th-19th centuries
Plaque, Edo Peoples, Nigeria
Mid 16th-17th centuries
Lyre (Kissar), Nubia, Sudan
Late 19th century
Mask: Female (Pwo), Chokwe Peoples, Angola
19th- early 20th century
Nail Figure, Kongo Culture
1875/1900
250 men, under the leadership of Acting Consul General James Philips, are attacked by Benin forces. Only two men survive.
January 4th, 1897
The British sack Benin City in the British Benin Punitive Expedition.
February 9th, 1897
Western fascination with African art peaks, as avant-garde artists are inspired by its visual forms.
Early 20th century
Kente Cloth, Ashanti People, Ghana
20th Century
With the establishment of the Belgian Congo, Belgium takes official control of the Congo region.
1908
The era of decolonization in Africa begins.
After World War II
Where does the name of the sculpture come from?
It comes from the Fang ancestor cult (or Bieri)
How would this sculpture have been used?
The base would be filled with relics and used in ancestor worship rituals
What did Robert Goldwater observe?
The Great Bieri was truly special. It embodied Fang sculpture, making it a classic of african art.
What were the measurements of the Fang sculpture?
18 5/16 x 9 3/4 x 6 5/8 in. The largest Fang head of the time.
What material was used to make the sculpture?
It is made of wood and is polished with liberal amounts of palm oil. (the oil did not preserve it. It gave it a dark, rich, burnished look)
True or False: The wood to make this sculpture was light-brown
False:A worn away patch in the back exposes the red-brown wood underneath.
What are Reliquary objects?
containers that hold relics of the dead
Why are remains of the dead collected?
Relics of important relatives were believed to be imbued with the powers that the people had during their live. These powers could be drawn to help the living
What forms do reliquary vessels take?
baskets, boxes, and bundles
What do reliquaries hold?
bones and other powerful substances
What is sculpted on the top of the container?
a head (typically carved in wood but also possibly fashioned in metal)
True or False:The heads were intended to be portraits of the deceased
FalseThe heads served as protectors of the relic materials inside
How were the reliquaries stylized?
To the conventions of the specific culture for which they were created
What were the primary uses of reliquaries?
-used as methods of consultation with the dead prior to undertaking any significant event- initiation rituals
Where do the Fang people of Gabon live?
primarily in the rainforests of Southern Cameroon and Northern Gabon
What ethnic group are the Fang a part of?
Bet-Pahuin
What does contemporary African art deal with?
Cultural, religious, social, and political past of Africa and modern concerns
What is 20th and 21st century African art characterized by?
Concerns with issues of postcolonialism
What refers to the worldwide community of peoples of African descent who live today in regions outside the continent?
African Diaspora
What feelings are accompanied with the experience of diaspora?
Displacement, Nostalgia, and Loss
What themes are expressed by African contemporary art?
Past, Present, Future, Identity, Culture, and History
William Kentridge
- Born in South Africa in 1955- Grew up with progressive attitude towards race and sense of guilt
Felix in Exile (1993-94)
- Written by William Kentridge from South Africa- Obscure in meaning - Visualizes social and individual traumas experienced by those living under apartheid
What did early photographs of Africa capture?
Continent's peoples, animals, and landscapes
What medium is commonly used by African and diasporic artists to tell the story of Africa?
Photography
When did Feminism become a visible social force in Africa?
Recent decades
Aida Muluneh
- Ethiopian-born photographer - Work assists in changing perceptions about people of color
Spirit of Sisterhood (2000)
- Taken by Aida Muluneh in Ethiopia - References world of African women today and their long history and resilience over time
What do traditional Ghanian funerary practices focus on?
Creation of terracota figures used to represent the ruler and members of his court
Ata Owoo
- Carpenter that inspired fantasy coffin when he was commissioned to create a palanquin in the shape of a cocoa pod for a local chief
What are common forms of fantasy coffins?
Consumer products, animals, fruits, and vegetables
How would the fantasy coffin in the Art Reproductions booklet be described?
- Mercedes Benz sedan - Important status symbol - Still functional with interior cavity lined with white silk - Created in 2000
What is assemblage?
Type of collage in three dimensions where artists use everyday objects rather than traditional art materials to create their work
El Anatsui
- One of the best known contemporary African artists - 32 year career as artist and teacher- Recently broadly recognized - Primary material is recycled aluminum bottle caps wired together to create large wall hangings
Between Earth and Heaven (2006)
- Assembled by El Anatsui from Ghana- Suggests traditional kente cloth in patterning and coloration
What does art serve as?
A window onto culture
Which works in the Art Reproduction booklet help develop the idea of the concept of kingship across Africa and how it has been understood and manifested over time?
The Great Zimbabwe, Royal Palace at Foumban, Finial of Royal Scepter, Brass Head with beaded crown, and Benin plaque
Who works in the Art Reproduction booklet help illustrate how the rich history of Africa continues to permeate the work of contemporary African artists?
Spirit of Sisterhood and Between Earth and Heaven
What originally decorated the King's palace in Benin City?
Solid Cast Bronze Plaque
What were works like these hung on?
Pilars through the palace with nails punched directly through them.
What were their functions?
Serve as courtly decoration, showing the king's wealth, power, and character.
What is this work made of and how large is it?
It is made of copper alloy, and measures 1715/16 x 133â4 x 31â2 inches.
What does the Plaque depict?
Two musicians and a page holding a ceremonial sword as they flank a high-ranking warrior.
Who is the largest figure on this Plaque?
A man wearing an elaborate costume and holding various implements of war and royal status.
How did the king obtain materials for these works?
Through trade with Portugal. (Some Portuguese figures are referenced in the works)
What are the artistic styles of the characters of this piece?
The central figure is very high relief, and the lesser characters are more shadowy.
What did works like these employ to society of the time?
The rule of the King and his power, as well as the Hierarchal rule of the court in a propagandistic style.
What was Apartheid?
the enforcement of racial segregation in South Africa
Which president of South Africa officially abolished Apartheid?
Frederik Willem de Klerk
Who was the first president after Apartheid was abolished?
Nelson Mandela
What was William Kentridge's analogy for Apartheid?
A rock crushing the nation
How could William Kentridge relate to Apartheid?
He was a Jew growing up in a Christian society
Is Felix in Exile a stand alone piece or a part of a larger set? If so what is the sets name?
Yes, Drawings for Projection
Traditional Ghanaian funerary practice largely centered on what?
Terra-cotta heads or figurative statutes
What religions are practiced by many contemporary Ghanaians today?
Islam and Christianity
What does William Kentridge's art resemble?
Kazimir Malevich's 1916 exhibition, The Last Futurist Exhibition of Paintings.
What is the medium used for Felix in Exile?
Pastel and Charcoal
What is the emotion behind Felix in Exile?
A feeling of longing and disconnect is present and is used to visualize the trauma caused by apartheid
What does the term "African Diaspora" generally refer to?
the worldwide community of peoples of African descent who live today in regions outside the continent itself
Early travel photographers in Africa
Charles Livingstone and John Kirk
The most famous photographic documentation of Africa was undertaken by __________.
the National Geographic Society
Scenes from Every Land
A book written by the National Geographic Society (published in 1909)
Official African photography agencies, such as AMAP in Mali and A Foto in Angola, were founded in order to__________.
communicate governmental propaganda to the people
Press photography began to emerge via organizations such as the ___________ in South Africa.
Progressive Photographic Society
Who was the first president of Côte d'Ivoire?
Félix Houphouët-Boigny
Félix Houphouët-Boigny is quoted as saying:
"guardians and vehicles of African identity," who were expected to "have their 'feet in tradition and their mind in modernity.'"
N'Gone Fall (a feminist and an art critic during the 70s) is quoted as saying:
"from Cairo to Cape Town, Dakar to Djibouti, women lived in a male-dominated society and learned how to deal with it."
"...by the mid-'90s some [female African artists] were gaining recognition, particularly artists from South Africa and northern African nations, such as __________."
Marlene Dumas, Ghada Amer, and Sue Williamson
A quote by Kenneth Montague:
"moved by distorted media images of the Ethiopian famine, Muluneh took up the camera to present another side of the story."
Aida Muluneh won the ___________ for her with black and white documentary photographs depicting everyday life in Ethiopia.
European Union Prize
D.E.S.T.A. FOR AFRICA
Developing and Educating Society Through Art (for Africa). Is a nonprofit organization founded in 2008.
20th & 21st century African art is characterized by what?
Its concerns with issues of postcolonialism
"African Diaspora"
refers to worldwide community of peoples of African descent who live today in regions outside the continent itself.
Born in South Africa in 1955 during apartheid
William Kentridge
Kentridge's Felix in Exile is a visualization of what?
social and individual traumas experienced by those living under apartheid.
Spirit of Sisterhood references what?
Modern African woman as well as their long history and resilience.
"Assemblage"
a type of collage in three dimensions, where artists use everyday objects rather than traditional art materials to create their work.
What is Anatsui's primarily used material?
recycled bottle caps
Who was the first carpenter to create a palanquin in the shape of a cocoa pod for a local chief?
Ata Owoo (1950s)
Early photographs of Africa reinforced what Western views?
superiority and a feeling that Africa was "dark" and "primitive" in nature.
"Apartheid"
systematic enforcement of racial segregation and oppression in South African from 1948-1994
Contemporary African art and diaspora deals with cultural, religious, social, and political past of Africa, but also what?
The globalized world
Traditional Ghanaian funerary practice largely centered on the creation of what?
terracotta heads or figurative statues
Where is Paa Joe's Mercedes coffin currently housed?
British Museum
Who was the curator of 1961 exhibition at the MoMA in New York entitled "The Art of Assemblage"?
William Seitz
Assemblage is discussed in historical context with which of Pablo Picasso's works?
"Still Life with a Chair Caning"
Where was Anatsui a professor?
University of Nigeria
Where did Anatsui get his BA and Postgraduate degree?
University of Science and Technology in Kumasi, Ghana
Though Anatsui is known for his use of bottle caps, what started his metal phase?
metal cassava graters and milk tins
Define cassava
potato-like tuber
Where was Anatsui's work first seen in the U.S. in 1990?
Studio Museum in Harlem "Exhibition Contemporary African Artists: Changing Tradition"
Where was Anatsui's first major single-person show out of Africa located in 1995?
October Gallery London
The measurements 86 and 3/4 inches high and 128 inches wide are for what piece of artwork done by Anatsui?
"Between Earth and Heaven"
A visual connection is meant to be made between Anatsui's "Between Earth and Heaven" and what?
kente Cloth
Who currently owns "Between Earth and Heaven"?
Metropolitan Museum in New York
Who first analyzed the Brass Head?
Frank Willett
Who was Frank Willett?
Officer of the Nigerian Department of Antiquities
How were the bronze heads found?
A crew was digging foundation trenches for a construction project in Ife
When were the Terracotta heads discovered?
Before 1910
Who discovered the Terracotta heads?
Leo Frobenius
The bronze work of Benin were predated by what?
The heads of Ife
How was the Brass Head created?
Lost wax casting technique
What does the Brass Head depict?
The Oni in his regalia
How big is the Brass Head?
Slightly under life sized
How is the king's face presented in the Brass head?
In a realistic though idealized way
What colors are present in the Brass Head?
Red, black, and white
What can be seen through the parted lips?
The hollow center
What is one of the most notable features of the face of the Brass Head?
Various linear effects and punched holes
What may have been the purpose of the holes?
To anchor a beard or veil to it
What may have been the heads' purpose?
Rituals such as a funerary rite
How are African works or art characterized?
Variation rather than similarity
How is Western African art distinct?
Visually, Physically, and Conceptually due to different political, religious, and social structures
Which countries are considered Western Africa?
Senegal, Guinea, Côte D'Ivoire, Ghana, Togo, Benin, Nigeria, and Cameroon
The people of Western Africa art are
not predominantly Bantu-speaking
What has Western Africa continued to experience in the Modern era?
Civil war and political instability often found in post colonial contexts
When did groups become actively engaged in providing slaves to support the Atlantic slave trade machine?
16th-19th centuries
Along with economic relations with European forces, what also increased due to the slave trade?
Slave raiding by Africans against other Africans
What effect did slave raiding have?
Huge numbers of people being captured and sold as goods- most enslaved peoples were of African ancestry
Why would most Western African communities fall?
Fought to maintain independence in the face of European incursions
After World War II, how did Nationalist efforts affect Western Africa?
Eventually bring independence back to the nations of Western Africa
why is our understanding of Nok culture speculation?
there was no written or oral history
when did the Nok flourish?
900 bce- 200 ce
why did people migrate to the Nok territory?
increasing droughts and expansion of inhospitable areas of desert in the north
what event coincided with the discovery of Nok sites?
the advent of major tin mining operations in the lowlands south of the Jos plateau
why were British expeditions sent into northern Nigeria?
to discover the source of tin ingots
British employees of what company purchased tin ingots in the Benue valley?
Royal Niger Company
This English mining engineer led expeditions into northern Nigeria?
Henry William Laws
mining excavations on the Shere hills of the Jos plateau produced what?
stone tools, and terracotta fragments
who discovered the first intact terracotta sculpture in 1928?
Colonel J. Dent Young
what position did Bernard Fagg hold when he came to Nok region?
cadet administrator of mining operations
when and where did Bernard Fagg discover the Jemaa head?
1942, a mine in Jemaa (25 miles NE of Nok)
why did Bernard Fagg work with the local population?
to "gain their cooperation in reporting and preserving any artifact"
in 1952 what did Bernard Fagg establish?
a national museum in Jos focused on Nok material
when was Nok terracotta figurative statuary created?
1000 bce- 1000 ce
what is the height range of Nok sculpture?
a few inches to almost life size
what are the terracotta works made of?
local clays mixed with rock, and gravel to add grit, so they don't break when exposed to high temperatures
what aspects of Nok works are made separately then conjoined?
heads, limbs, and torsos
what are some details that can appear on Nok sculptures?
tresses, beads, necklaces, and bracelets
how are large Nok terracotta figures constructed?
they were built up around a wooden structure that supported the clay during construction
why is the surface of Nok terracotta works smooth?
a slip of ochre, or a solution of decomposed mica shist was applied before firing
in the final stage of production what would be used to burnish the surface of Nok Terracotta works?
a smooth pebble
what do Nok figures represent?
social and economic lives of the societies that produced them
what do Nok figures depict?
rulers, priests, and other high ranking officials
what parts of the Nok works indicate that they were rulers, high ranking officials, or priests?
elaborate hairstyles, costuming, and beaded ornaments
in what places have Nok works been discovered?
shrines, sacred houses, and temple complexes
how are eyes of Nok figures represented?
segmented circles or triangular forms with strong arched eyebrows
what parts of the Nok figures are pierced?
ears, pupils, nostrils, and lips
how is the hair detailed?
buns, tresses, and locks
how are beads shown on Nok works?
body adornments in strands around necks, torsos and waists
what positions can Nok works be seen in?
sitting, kneeling, and crouching
What is kente cloth also often referred to?
Nwentoma (woven cloth)
Origin legend of kente cloth
Two hunters from the village of Bonwire discovered a spider spinning a web deep in the forest, watched the spider closely, and then produced a weaving of their own
Kente cloth was originally produced by who?
Asante and Ewe
Kente cloth was originally produced in what colors?
Solely black and white
Color was first introduced through the use of
Natural dyes
Geometric patterns in kente cloth
squares, rectangles, diamonds, and zig-zag patterns
How is kente cloth traditionally produced?
In four-inch narrow strips, with geometric shapes woven along their entire length. These thin strips are then sewn together to create larger textile pieces.
Silk
Highly precious import material and served as an appropriate symbol of the king's status.
Kente cloth, today is made in?
A variety of natural and synthetic materials (cotton and rayon)
Harmony, peace
Blue
What are patterns associated with?
Particular proverbs and concepts such as kingship, creativity, and generosity
In America, kente cloth serves as a symbol for
Black pride
The piece of kente cloth shown in the resource guide is held by the
Newark Museum in New Jersey
Measurements of the kente cloth shown in the resource guide
112 (1/2) inches by 72 (1/2) inches
Western Africa includes
Senegal, Guinea, Cote D'Ivoire, Ghana, Togo, Benin, Cameroon and much of Nigeria
People of West Africa are predominantly not
Bantu-speaking
The Nok Culture left no
written or oral histories
Major tin mining began in
the lowlands south of the Jos plateau
Leading expert on Nok Art
Bernard Fagg
Nok Culture started the tradition of
figurative sculpture in Sub-Saharan Africa
Nok sculpture is speculated to be related to
ritual practices connected to fertility
Igbo Ukwu
major center for Igbo culture
First Igno Ukwu bronze items were discovered in
1938, by a local man, Isiah Anozie
Yoruba Mythology describes Ife as the
center of the creation of the world and humanity
Ife
spiritual center of Yoruba culture
Oduduwa
creator of Ife and humankind
What is an example of a typical highly realistic bronze sculpture?
Brass head with a bearded crown and plume
Kingdom of Benin
one of the major West African powers until 19th century
What happened to the Benin Bronzes?
They were looted and removed to the British Museum during British Benin Punitive Expedition of 1897
What is Kente Cloth an important symbol of?
African kingship
Kente Cloth
one of the most highly recognizable cultural products of Africa
Asante
Highly successful militaristic culture, warded off European colonization for a time
Benin Bronzes
group of more than 1,000 commemorative plaques and sculptures that decorated royal palace of Benin
Oni
King in Yoruba culture
Lost-wax Casting
accomplished through both direct and indirect processes
The first bronze sculptures were created in
the island of Crete during the first half of the second millennium bce.
resulting sculpture are
hollow and yet very strong and materially stable.
indirect method
allows for the production ot multiples.
the bowl is covered with
geometric decorations.
the crescent-shaped bowl created using
created using the lost wax casting technique and ismade of leaded bronze.
the crescent-shaped bowl measures approximately
23â4 inches high, 53â4 inches wide, and 3 inches deep.
According to the British Museum, the bowl wasdonated by
F. W. Carpenter. Carpenter, who served as District Commissioner for the Awak region in Nigeria,
F. W. Carpenter. Carpenter visited
visited the site of Igbo Ukwu in 1939.
The Ife settlement is
a city of the Yoruba people, located in southwestern Nigeria.88
The city was most active between
the twelfth and fifteenth centuries,
How did Igbo Ukwu inhabitants learn about lost wax casting?
Ninth century Arab traders in the North
Early bronze works were generally
small scale and cast as simple forms
A simple mold consisted of
clay, liquefied with bronze
Lost wax casting allowed for
larger structures
Lost wax casting can be accomplished through
direct and indirect forms
How does the direct method of lost wax casting begin?
basic form developed in clay, over some sort of structural armature
A thin layer of beeswax is applied over
the dried core
System of wax rods
gates
What is stuck into the surface of a direct lost wax casting?
vents, metal pins and a funnel
Investment mold
clay outer casting
How is the object fired?
in a pit or kiln
What is poured down the funnel?
molten bronze, fills negative space
The resulting sculpture of a direct lost wax casting is
hollow, but very strong and stable
The indirect method allows for
production of multiples
A master mold is taken by
covering the sculpture in clay, allowing it to dry, then carefully cutting off into pieces
Mold is lined with
beeswax
What is poured into the master mold?
core of liquid clay
With the direct method
the original wax form is lost
The king serves a variety of roles:
Political leader and supreme spiritual figure, understood to be divine.
William Fagg said that these symbols emulated the values of kingship:
Leopards, Elephants, and The Hand
What is kingship in Africa marked by?
The use of specific material objects, including royal regalia.
Who was particularly interested by Ivory?
European Colonizers
Ivory was harvested from what?
The teeth and tusks of animals.
Which European power extensively traded ivory?
The Portuguese
Where are the Yombe found?
In The Democratic Republic of the Congo and the Republic of the Congo.
What does the Finial of a Royal Scepter depict?
A seated figure holding a horn or short scepter and raising an object to his mouth.
How is the king's face depicted in the Finial?
Wide, staring eyes, prominent nose, wide-open mouth, large lips and teeth.
What purpose did the Finial of a Royal Scepter serve in Yombe culture?
It was a key aspect in Yombe spiritual practice, establishing the king as a spiritual authority.
What are the measurements of the Finial of a Royal Scepter?
8 3/4 in x 1 1/2 in x 1 3/4 in
What is below the king in the Finial of a Royal Scepter?
A slave or enemy, with its head turned to the left.
What are the measurements of the Nok Sculpture?
21 x 19 1/2 x 19 1/2 inches
What does the Nok Sculpture depict?
A series of narratives.
How are the Nok Sculpture narrative scenes arranged?
Arrayed as high relief forms around lower surface of the object.
What do the narratives of the Nok Sculpture depict?
Images of mothers with children, as well as activities of everyday life, such as processing grain, carrying water, and cooking food.
What were two of the most powerful kingdoms located in the Central Africa region?
The Lunda Empire and the Kingdom of Kongo
What is Central Africa also referred to as?
"Middle Africa"
Name the countries referred to as Central Africa.
- southern Cameroon- Gabon- Congo Republic- Equatorial Guinea- Democratic Republic of Congo- northern Angola
What environmental factors define Central Africa?
- Hot and wet climate- Wide variety of landscapes- Drained by the Congo River- Bisected by the equator
Cultural groups included in the region are......
- Kongo- Fang - Chokwe- Yombe- Cameroon Grasslands peoples
On the agricultural production of what crops did the peoples of the Central Africa region mostly rely on?
The cultivation of root crops, bananas, and plantains.
Spiritual practices largely consist on rituals associated with what?
Initiation rites, veneration of the dead, and healing ceremonies.
When were the histories of Europe and Africa first intertwined?
During the Age of Discovery.
In what languages was "A Geographical History of Africa" published in and in what years?
Italian (1550) and English (1600)
What was the most sought after African export good in the 15th-19th centuries?
Human beings (slaves)
How were most trade relations between Africa and Europe developed?
Through the buying and selling of slaves.
What caused the end of the slave trade era?
Abolitionist movements in both Europe and the United States.
What led to the exploration of Africa's interior?
The end of the slave trade.
Why was Africa so alluring to both European explorers and missionaries?
It was composed of an expansive, exotic landscape and had a massive non-Christian population.
Define the purpose of the Berlin Conference of 1884-85.
Divide Africa into regions allocated for European control ("Scramble for Africa").
What animal was hunted almost down to extinction by Westerners?
African elephants
List some of the aftereffects Africa had to deal post-colonialism?
- Vast environmental degradation - Suppression- Destruction of economic, political, and social systems- Corruption- Economic hardship
What aspects of Western culture still live in the culture of Africans today?
Languages and political and educational systems.
What is seen about the smaller relief figures of the Nok Sculpture?
Three men and three women, whose heads are presented fully in the round. Their arms are raised,and they hold what is described as a massive snake.
What are the typical physical characteristics of Nok characters?
Stylized eyes and eyebrows, exaggerated lips and flared nostrils, broad foreheads, and beaded necklaces.
What is the function of the Nok Sculpture?
It is unknown.
Where can the snake on the Nok Sculpture be seen?
From the back in the upper left corner.
Where is the Igbo Ukwu region located?
Eastern Nigeria, approximately twenty-five miles southeast of the River Niger at Onitsha.
What does Igbo Ukwu translate to?
"Great Igbo"
What has archeological evidence of the Igbo Ukwu region suggested it functioned as?
Major center for the Igbo people at one time.
The evidence of wealth in the Igbo Ukwu region indicates what?
Residence of high-status individuals, possibly the priest class or the king.
What has never been repeated by other cultures besides the Igbo?
A particular style of bronze work.
What is the Royal authority & reverence for ancestors in the Cameroon Grasslands culture represented with?
Architectural forms
What kind of leader does the Cameroon Grasslands King serve as?
Political, Moral, & Spiritual leader
What did traditional palaces in Cameroon consist of?
Groupings of raffia pole buildings
How are palaces of Cameroon constructed today?
Constructed with modern materials and decorated in a westernized style
What is the name of one of the oldest palace sites in Africa?
The Royal Palace of Foumban
The Royal Palace of Foumban is not only served as the home of the king, but also as...
A tourist attraction and display of historical royal objects
What is ivory used as in african culture?
A luxury material that is used to produce items for the royal class
What does the Finial of a Royal Scepter, ornamental flourish depict?
A figure, likely the king chewing on a hallucinogenic root in ritual
What does the king serve as in most african cultures?
Political and supreme spiritual leader / figure
What is the kingship in Africa marked by?
Crowns, jewelry, staffs, & swords
What is the most extensive and complex aspect of african art / culture?
Masks (Masquerades)
What is the main reason that masquerade is performed?
To connect with the spirit world
What does Pwo & Cihongo bring to the community when they perform together?
Fecundity & prosperity
What does the Pwo mask indicate?
Ideals of the female beauty in Chokwe culture
What was The Great Bieri originally a part of ?
A portable ancestral shrine
What where the Fang people of Gabon?
Nomadic people
Who is the most politically powerful clan in Gabon?
The Fang People
What does reliquary objects in african culture hold?
Relics of the dead
What does the Minkisi serve as?
Receptacles to house spirits
What is Nkondi?
An aggressive form of a Minkisi
What does the Nkondi figure depict?
Chief, doctor, priest, & judge
What is the Nail Figure stubbed with?
Nails, screws, & metal blades
What does the Nail Figure represent?
The swearing of a vow and / or pact, or an attempt to eliminate an evil
What does the Nail Figure's swelled belly serve as?
The receptacle for the Nkondi's medicine
Colonization led to the destruction of...
Precolonial religious, economic, political, & social systems
What is the central area defined as?
The broad area drained by the Congo river system
Central Africa was the center of what two powerful kingdoms?
Lunda Empire & the Kingdom of the Kongo
Kongo
Bantu people who speak the common language of Kikongo
Kongo societies
Kakongo, Ngoyo, Loango, and Vungu
Dominant Kongolese group in the region
Kingdom of Kongo
Kongo was a largely Christian kingdom highly active in the trade of:
Slaves, ivory, and textiles
France
This country took control of the Republic of Congo
Portugal
This country ruled Angola
Belgium
This country ruled present day Democratic Republic of Congo
King Leopold II
Initiated Belgian rule in the form of the Congo Free State
Nkondi
typically used in rituals to discover and punish criminals. Used to avenge a wrong
Kavuna Simon
Kongo ethnographer that described the functions of nkondi
Minkisi
call upon spirits to cause or remove sickness in a man
Banganga
spiritual leaders in Kongo culture who serve as healers and mediums
Bilongo
medicine
These might be inserted into a nkondi in order to complete the ritual
Metal nail or scrap
The nkondi depicts the roles of:
chief, doctor priest, and judge
The nkondi has a _____________ embedded in its belly
cowrie shell
E. Visser
Missionary that collected the nkondi in 1903
True or False:
...
How would the head be described as?
Highly simplified and stylized
What was the most striking detail of the sculpture?
the broad forehead
What characteristics did the face show?
The face had a teardrop shape. The skull tapered down to a narrow chin.
How were the ears positioned?
simple knobs positioned high on the head
What characteristics did the hair have?
The hairstyle is similar to ekuma. A band of hair goes from the crown of the head to vertically on either side of the face. A third lock of hair goes down the back of the head.
What is a ekuma?
A wig-like headless worn by Fang warriors in the 19th century.
How did the eyes appear and what were they made of?
They appeared wide with a penetrating gaze. They were made of circular metal disks.
How did the nose look?
broad and elongated curves from the forehead. Was squared off at the bottom
How are the eyebrows described?
strongly arching with delicate incised lines.
How is the mouth described?
Horizontal line with slight swelling. (suggests wide mouth)
What does the head sit on?
a long cylindrical neck
What would the head originally be connected to?
a bark box containing skulls of at least 9 generations of family lineage
Why did they keep the skulls in the bark box?
These "nsek-bieri" allowed for protected transportation during Fang migrant period.
What characteristics let us know that the sculpture has been used?
The abrasions on mouth and chin, crack from crown of head to base of chin
What does the highly polish surface imply?
the application of oils and other materials overtime during ritual usage
Who first owned the sculpture?
Chilean poet Vincente Huidobro
Who did Vincente Huidobro sell it to?
French art dealer Paul Guillaume
Who did Paul Guillaume sell it to?
British sculptor Jacob Epstein
What happened to the sculpture after Epstein's death?
Robert Goldwater the sculpture for the Museum of Primitive Art in New York.
Where did the sculpture transfer to?
The Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York. It is one of the great masterpieces in the encyclopedic collection.
What two ways were african art looted?
Some were taken by military contexts, others were "collected" by missionaries to remove african "idols" from communities.
How would one describe the overall journey of the sculpture
highly fraught
What are reliquary objects?
Containers that hold relics of the dead
Why are reliquary objects collected?
The bones and other relics of important relatives were believed to be imbued with the powers that those extraordinary people had during their lives
What kind of important relatives were bones and other relics kept?
Leaders, courageous warriors, village founders, artists or superior crafts workers, and fertile women
How are reliquaries related to the nkondi?
They are connected to the spirit world of the ancestors, to help and support the living
What forms do Reliquary vessels take?
Baskets, boxes, and Bundles
What do these reliquary vessels hold?
Bones and power substances
What is a sculpted head form typically carved out of?
Wood, but possibly metal
What are the head forms intended to be?
Protectors of the relic materials inside
Why do heads show a wide variety of decorative forms?
Depending on the conventions of the specific culture for which they were created
How are reliquary heads decorated in ritual activity?
With Feathers and decorative collars
What is the primary function of reliquaries?
Primarily used as methods of consultation with the dead
What were reliquary rituals intended for?
Elicit such communication for guidance and advice
How was a major function of reliquaries expressed?
Through Initiation rituals
Which African cultural group were reliquaries vital to?
The Fang of Gabon
Where did the Fang people of Gabon primarily live?
In the Rainforests of southern Cameroon and northern Gabon
What were the Fang people, prior to their migration from the north in the 19th century?
Nomadic people
When did the Fang people migrate from the North?
19th century
What culture is the Fang people?
Bantu-speaking culture who were overwhelmingly Christianized
When were the Fang christianized?
20th century
In terms of artistic production, what are the Fang particularly known for?
Their reliquary statuary
What is the most famous example of reliquary statuary?
The Great Bieri
Where is the Great Bieri held?
Metropolitan Museum in New York City
Where does the name "The Great Bieri" come from?
The Fang ancestor cult: Bieri
How did The Great Bieri originally function?
Attached to a base form filled with relic objects
Who observed The Great Bieri?
Robert Goldwater
What did Robert Goldwater observe of the Great Bieri?
It is the embodiment of Fang sculpture and one of the great classics of African art
What is the largest known Fang head of its kind?
The Great Bieri
What was The Great Bieri polished with?
Liberally with Palm oil
How has palm oil affected The Great Bieri?
Preserved the sculpture and given it the rich, black, burnished surface
Where has the patina worn away on The Great Bieri?
Back of the sculpture
What is exposed by the worn out patina?
Raw redbrown wood underneath
What is the a striking detail of The Great Bieri?
Extremely broad forehead
What form is The Great Bieri in the shape of?
An inverted teardrop
Where are the ears of The Great Bieri placed?
Simple nobs placed high on the head
What does the elaborate hairstyle on The Great Bieri echo?
Ekuma- a wig-like headdress worn by Fang warriors in the 19th century
The king serves not only as the political figure but also as the
supreme spiritual figure
The MAIN symbol of chieftainship
leopard
the leopard embodies
courage, strength, and cunning
The elephant head implies a reference to
extraordinary powers
In a ritual, the hand signifies
a man's power to achieve success in material and practical things
In a ritual the head signifies
a symbol of good fortune
In regard to kingship, there is an emphasis on
material culture
Ivory are appreciated for the
preciousness of the material, quality of workmanship, and exotic nature of their origin
The Yombe people live in
Democratic Republic of Congo and Republic of Congo
The Yombe are organized into
Nine major clans
In the Yombe, _____________ wield primary religious power and act as highest judges within the community
Clan chiefs
The finial of a royal scepter is
carved from elephant ivory
In order to connect with the spirit world, the king would
chew on a hallucinogenic root
the kneeling figure on the finial is like a
slave or enemy
The Bamilike, Bamum, and Bamenda Tikar ,make up the peoples of the
Cameroon Grasslands
Members of the Cameroon Grasslands ethnic group arrived from the north during
the Bantu Migration
The Fon was usually
selected by his predecessor and one of the heads of the dominant families
Central illustration of the Fon's status
palace architecture
After WWII the Cameroon Grasslands became a
United Nations Trust Territory
In 1984 the Cameroon Grasslands was renamed
the Republic of Cameroon
"Pre" historical means what?
"Before" history; Prior to the period of written records
What is considered a cultural bias?
The privileging of written records
Where are the earliest examples of prehistoric rock art?
Southern and Eastern Africa
Who stated work "is the product of many different social and ethnic groups over long periods of time and is much more varied, very different from and lacking the fundamental cognitive unity of its southern African counterpart"?
Art Historian Peter Garlake
Rock art is most prevalent in the southern and eastern sites of what countries?
Zimbabwe, Namibia, Botswana, Lesotho, Swaziland, and Mozambique
How old is the oldest rock shelter?
26,000 years old
What is the geography of the area in which the rock shelter paintings are found?
Mountains at the edge of South African plateau
What are some of the names of Western caves?
Lascaux, Pech-Merle, and Altamira
When compared to European rock shelters, African rock shelters are...
Relative shallow, open, smaller, and suggest narrative scenes
How are engraved images created?
Chipping or incising
Where are engraved images usually found?
Semi-arid plains of the interior
What are the petroglyphs categories?
Fine, hairline engravings carved into the rock surface; animal representations made using a "pecking" technique (stone is hammered into the surface of the rock to produce pockmarks; geometric forms
When do the geometric forms date?
1300 BCE
How old is the more interesting animal imagery?
6,000 years old
Where does the rock engraving in the packet come from?
Twyfelfontein Valley in Namibia, near the Brandberg Mountain
What is the most prevalent imagery in the Twyfelfontein Valley?
Elephants, rhinos, zebras, antelopes, and giraffes
What other animal images are present in the Valley?
Gemsbok, kudu, zebras, giraffes, springbok, lions, and other cats
Which areas supported the largest, varied populations of animals?
Savanna, Woodland, and Semi-Desert
What geometric forms are present in the valley?
Circles, Lines, and Arches
What is the largest figure in the Stone Age Petroglyph depicted in the reproduction booklet?
Giraffe
All the animals in the Stone Age Petroglyph depicted in the reproduction booklet are oriented...
To the right and in straight profile
Most of the figures in the Stone Age Petroglyph depicted in the reproduction booklet are visible in...
Flat silhouette form
The animals in the Stone Age Petroglyph depicted in the reproduction booklet appear in a...
Fairly naturalistic, simplified form
How would the lion be described in the Stone Age Petroglyph depicted in the reproduction booklet?
Profile silhouette, distorted (5 digits instead of 4) prints are in profile, elongated tail which ends with print and angles at 90 degree angle
What was NOT the artist's goal in the Stone Age Petroglyph depicted in the reproduction booklet?
Strict presentation of reality
When did the term "shona" come about?
19th century
Who are the Shona?
The peoples who settled the plateau south of the Zambezi River (Southern Africa)
How was the landscape of the plateau south of the Zambezi River (settled by Shona peoples)?
Savanna Woodland
When did the Shona abandon nomadic hunter-gatherer practices and settle into particular areas?
The Iron Age
When did various Shona kingdoms come to prominence?
11th century onwards
When the Great Zimbabwe empire flourish?
11h-15th centuries
What is the largest ancient structure in Sub-Saharan Africa?
The Great Zimbabwe
What is a "zimbabwe"? (or "zimbahwe")
In Shona culture, a judicial center or royal palace; Corresponds with the modern concept of a court;Over 300 such ruins (Great Zimbabwe is the largest)
What are the three main sections of the Great Zimbabwe?
the Hill Ruin, the Great Enclosure, the Valley Ruins
How large of an area does the Great Enclosure wall encircle?
An area â292 feet in diameter
What was used as a symbol for Shona kings?
The bird (particularly the eagle/other raptors)
What is the Conical Tower?
A large tower form within the Great Enclosure wall; 30ft in height; Shaped like a grain bin - in Shona culture, rulers receive tribute in grain, which they then give out to their visitors and the poor; a symbol of the ruler's authority and generosity
What does the Great Zimbabwe's architecture ultimately represent?
The ruler's power over, as well as his responsibility to (the Shona believe the land belongs to the ancestors, and that the ruler only holds it in trust during his lifetime), the people.
How much of the Earth's landmass is Africa?
A quarter.
What is the most common approach used to sort and arrange the material?
A geographic approach-carving up the continents into regions
What are the major regions of Africa?
Central, Southern, Eastern, and Western Africa.
Why is Northern Africa not included in the regions of Africa?
Because the art of Northern Africa, and Egypt in particular, has generally been told within the context of Western culture.
Egypt is typically seen as a forerunner of what art?
Greek and Roman.
The first Sub-Saharan objects appeared in the West during what time, and where could they be found?
1400s, and in royal cabinets of curiosities.
Western tradition emphasizes evolution, while African art generally focused more on what?
Continuity.
Objects made of what materials have often not survived the African climates?
Objects made of plant or animal materials, such as textiles, basketry, clothing, and wood
Central aspects of African art that we will see repeatedly are what?
Centrality of the human figure, visual abstraction, emphasis on continuity, a lack of concern about individual authorship, and the stress of functionality.
"Southern" Africa includes present-day...
Namibia, Botswana, Zimbabwe, Mozambique, South Africa, Swaziland, and Lesotho
"Southern" Africa includes many cultural groups, such as..
the San, Zulu, Swazi, Sotho, and Shona peoples
"Eastern" Africa includes present-day...
Sudan and South Sudan, Ethiopia, Eritrea, Somalia, Uganda, Kenya, Tanzania, Zambia, Malawi, and Madagascar.
Eastern Africa is home to the two tallest mountains in Africa named...
Mount Kilimanjaro and Mount Kenya.
What goods were imported and exported of South Africa?
Iron goods and glass were imported, while gum, spices, and horn were exported across the Mediterranean Sea and to the Near East.
Where did the Bantu Migration begin?
Chad & Camaroon
Where were the Lydenburg Heads studied?
Cape Town University
Five of the Lydenburg Heads had what measurements?
4 and 1/4 to 4 1/2 inches high
What is the title of the comprehensive report regarding the Lydenburg Heads?
"Unique Art Objects in the Iron Age of the Transvall, South Africa"
The two small knot forms and ridges on the Lydenburg Heads are typically understood to be what?
Scarification
What major gathering is music used in?
feast, banquets, religious performances
How can music be preformed?
With the body, singing, clapping, stomping.
Musical instruments are usually what?
Highly decorated
How does decorations affect the instument?
By influencing the sound the object makes, thus connecting the instruments ornamentation to the instruments's functionality.
What is modern day Nubia
Egypt, Sudan, Ethopia
How was Nubia divided?
Upper, Lower
How was ancient Nubia similar to Egypt?
Centered on the Nile River, and was split into two parts.
What does upper refer to?
Highlands in the southern most region
What does lower
the low lands in the Northern region
What is the border between Upper and Lower Nubia?
Modern day border between Egypt and Sudan.
What did Nubian culture rely on to bring rich soil to river banks?
Annual flooding, allowing agricultural production
Ancient Nubia was know as...
The gateway to Africa
What was significant about Nubia's Nile Valley?
It was the only dependable route across the Saharan desert to the Mediterranean Sea
Who did the Nubians trade with?
Greeks, Egyptians, Romans
What did the Egyptian art convey about the Nubians?
That Nubians ruled in the North.
How were Nubian figures depicted?
Jewelry, short hair, curly harisyles
How did Egyptians depict themselves
red-brown skins (males) yellow skin (females)
What skin colors did Egyptians depict the Nubians
Very dark brown/black
How was Nubian culture distinguished from Egyptian culture?
distinctive architectural forms, funerary rituals and pantheon of gods
Why were many Nubians relocated
The construction of the Aswan High Dam (1960-71) along the nile
How does Nubian people express their culture today?
Storytelling, music, literature
Where is the Lyre of Kissar from?
Nubia in Northern Sudan
Who holds the Lyre of Kissar?
the British Museum
Who is theorized to have held the Lyre of Kissar
A singer and spiritual healer
The lyre would have been what?
The lead instrument in the ensemble
What ceremonies would have the Lyre of Kissar been prefomed
weddings, harvest festibal, and ceremonies associated with the Zar cult
Who were the Zar ceremonies primary audiance
Women, as healing rituals
What are the dimensions of the Lyre of Kissar?
16 inches high, 45.5 wide and 47.75 deep
What is the main body of the Lyre of Kissar?
hemispherical wooden form with skin sound board stretched across the surface
What hangs from the crossbar?
Strings made of twisted gut, they are stretched tight down across a wooden bridge and tied to an iron ring.
The lyre of Kissar is understood what type of object?
anthropomorphic object (human characteristics)(two eyes, a nose and arms)
...
When played it has a 'voice', which was perceived to have a spirt of their own, and are jealously guarded property of their owners.
The most influential post Impressionist painter.
Paul Cezanne (1839-1906)
Brilliant color was a unifying feature for what artistic style?
Post-Impressionists
This painter placed an emphasis on scientific rules of color.
Georges Seurat (1859-91)
applying small dots of complementary colors that blend together in the eye is called...
optical mixing
This Dutch painter captured the bright light of southern France
Vincent van Gogh (1853-90)
The intense and jarring yellows, greens, and reds in the poolroom are illustrated in Van Gogh's work entitled
Night Cafe (1888)
A stockbroker who left his wife and children in his forties to pursue his art career.
Paul Gauguin (1848-1903)
The camera along with this invention were important inventions that affected Impressionism
chemically based paints
Japanese prints and African masks influenced this impressionist
Edgar Degas (1834-1917)
This art form is a protest to the industrial revolution and a return to pre-Renaissance art.
Pre-Raphaelites
Post-Impressionist who extended the boundaries of color that violated critics and the public alike.
Henri Matisse (1869-1954)
The highly charged attempt to make the inner workings of the mind visible in art is known as what artistic movement?
Expressionism
This artists are considered pioneers of total abstraction
Russian Kazimir Malevich and Dutch Piet Mondrian
Marcel Duchanp and Picasso, along with this artists was part of the Armory Show
Brancusi's "The Kiss"
This American movement that lasted only decade inspired artists including Jacob Lawrence and Romare Bearden.
Harlem Renaissance
Art aimed to protest against everything in society and to lampoon and ridicule accepted values and norms.
Dada movement
This category of artwork created by Duchamp takes ordinary objects and gives them a new context.
ready-mades
Picasso's ready-made of bicycle handlebars is known as
"Bull's Head" (1943)
This Bauhaus faculty member fled to the US from Germany after the Nazi's closed the school
Josef Albers
The 1950s New York art scene was dominated by two critics, Harold Rosenburg and ____________________.
Clement Greenberg
Jackson Pollock, Kooning, Krasner, and Kline were all artists that followed Kandinsky's dictum that art could be free from pictorial subject matter known as this art form
Abstract Expression
1960s Pop Art was popularized by Andy Warhol and this artist.
Roy Lichtenstein
This artist used stencils that had been originally used to produce commercial signs and was also part of Pop Art.
Robert Indiana
This artistic movement employed what is known as "hard-edge painting" or very precise outines.
minimalism
Famous Earthwork artists outside of Christo and Jeanne-Claude are Michael Heizer and who?
Robert Smithson
This is often considered the most famous work of ancient Chinese art.
The Great Wall of China
Emperor Qin's (210 BCE) tomb is home to what famous Chinese art
terracotta army
The artist most often mentioned in connection with the transition from Gothic to Renaissance is
Giotto di Bondone (1267-1336/37)
As the role of artists changed during the Renaissance they came to be recognized as what?
Intellectual figures
Who won a competition in the city of Florence (1401) for the design of the doors, that depicts the sacrifice of Isaac, for the city's new baptistry?
Lorenzo Ghiberti (1381?-1455)
What did Michelangelo call the second pair of doors Lorenzo Ghiberti designed?
"Gates of Paradise"
Who won the competition to complete the dome of the cathedral in Florence?
Filippo Brunelleschi (1377-1446)
Filippo Brunelleschi is credited with developing what?
Linear (single vanishing point) perspective
What sculpture did Donatello create that was said to be the first known freestanding nude statue to have been cats since antiquity?
Bronze statue of David (c. 1420s-60s)
What is Botticelli's best-known painting and what does it depict? (one of the first paintings of a full-length nude female)
The Birth of Venus (c. 1482); A long-necked Venus with a languid pose and flowing hair
What two artists were models for the term "Renaissance Man"?
Leonardo da Vinci and Michelangelo
Who created the paintings The Last Supper and the Mona Lisa?
Leonardo da Vinci
Who created the statue, David, made out of marble?
Michelangelo
Michelangelo created these statues for Pope Julius II
Moses, The Dying Slave, The Bound Slave
What was Michelangelo asked to do by Pope Julius II that took him 4 years to complete?
Decorate the ceiling of the Sistine Chapel
Raphael Sanzio covered Pope Julius II's chambers with several large frescoes, including
the School of Athens
What innovations is Giorgione credited with making?
Making landscapes the subject of paintings
Well known for both his use of colors and portraits
Titian Vecelli
Dramatic contrasts of light and dark
Chiaroscuro
Protestants criticized the opulence and corruption of the Catholic Church and called for its purification; caused art to move away from richly decorated churches and religious imagery of the Renaissance
Protestant Reformation
Emphasized, even more than before, lavish church decoration and art of a highly dramatic and emotional nature
Counter Reformation
Artist most closely associated with the Counter Reformation
Dominikos Theotokopoulos (El Greco)
A work consisting of nine panels mounted on two sets of folding wings, is considered Mathis Gruenwald's greatest masterpiece
Isenheim Altarpiece (c. 1510-15)
What is the Baroque term generally used for?
Artwork that was produced from the late 16 century through the mid 18 century.
What was Caravaggio's (1571-1610) Renowned for?
His dramatic use of light and darks in the baroque art.
Who were the 3 artists that excelled at capturing the elegance and wit so valued by there aristocratic patrons and are considered the greatest masters of rococo?
Jean-Antoine Watteau [1684-1721], Francois Boucher [1703-1770], and Jean-Honore Fragonard [1732-1806]
What is the Art History dedicated to the reconstruction of?
Social, Cultural, and Economic Context of works.
What is the basic goal of understanding of a work of art?
Historical Meaning, Formal Qualities, Function in Original context, Goals and Intentions of the Artist / Patron, Social Position, and perspectives of the audience in the works original time and place.
Which disciplines are also closely related to Art History?
Anthropology, History, and Sociology
What does Art History often overlap with?
Aesthetics
What is the term Aesthetics associated with?
Philosophical Inquiry into the nature and expression of beauty.
What is Art Criticism associated with?
Explanation of current art events to the general public via press.
What do Art Historians today define as art?
Anything that involves the inquires of any kind of visual material created by people and invested with special meaning or valued Aesthetic appeal.
In the past what did Art Historians limit their focus towards?
"Fine Art", which included paintings, prints, drawings, sculpture, and architecture.
What do Art Historians newly accept as art?
"craft" - textiles, pottery and body art (Tattoos). and mass produced posters or advertisements and even designs of ordinary household items.
Why do Art historians acknowledge the meaning of changing meanings of art?
A artwork may change depending on the perspective of viewer.
What is Formal Analysis?
Focus on the visual qualities of the work itself.
What is Contextual Analysis?
Focus on the outside meaning of the art to determine its meaning.
Who wrote the book Natural History?
Pliny the Elder
Who wrote the text The Lives of the Artists, which gathered he biographies of great Italian artists, past and present?
Giorgio Vasari
Which scholar shifted away from Vasari's ideals to a more emphasis to study of stylistic development related to historical context?
Johann Joachim Winckelmann
Who has recently revised art history?
Feminist historians
What has had an impact on the preservation of Ancient African arts?
Environmental conditions (Humid) and use of perishable materials such as wood and fibers
What are the cave paintings of Chauvet Cave depicting?
Animals like horses, rhinos, lions, buffalos, and mammoths.
What does the Venus of Willendorf depict?
A small statue that depicted the fertility of women.
Due to the climate change of the Middle Stone Age, what did cave dwellers do?
They moved out of their caves and began moving into rock shelters.
What art forms are often linked to the New Stone Age?
Rings or rows of rough-hewn stones located in Western Europe
What did the Mesopotamian civilization lack because it was formed in a valley?
Natural barriers of deserts and mountains
Mesopotamian art is not abundant because
Perishable materials were used
What did Sumerians build at the center of their cities?
Massive temples
What are Ziggurats?
Stepped Pyramids
Who took over Mesopotamia in 2334 BCE?
Sargon of Akkad
Even thought the Akkadians spoke a different language from the Sumerians,
they assimilated Sumerian culture
Akkadian art emphasized
loyalty to the king/monarchy
Who took over after the Akkadians?
The Guti in 2150 BCE
What did the Sumerians do when they regained control?
Established a Neo-Sumerian ruler, the King of Ur
Ziggurats functioned as
temples and economic centers
Hammurabi
king of city-state of Babylonia
Code of Hammurabi
oldest legal code known in it's entirety
What was the Code of Hammurabi carved into?
A stone stele
Who dominated Northern Mesopotamia?
Assyrians
What are notable Assyrian artworks?
Relief carvings
When were the hanging gardens of Babylon constructed?
Neo-Babylonian Period
Ishtar Gate
Gateway to the great zigguart of the temple of Bel
Persians are known for
Palace at Persepolis
Notable Egyptian artworks include:
the Sphinx, great pyramids of Giza, statues of the pharaohs, portrait head of Queen Nefertiti
Egyptian Art emphasizes
Hierarchical scale
Palette of King Narmer
relic from the Old Kingdom, shows the King larger than other figures
Fractional Representation
Figures represented so that each part of the body is shown as clearly as possible
Most famous boy king
Tutankhamun
The Kingdom of Nubia was located to the
South of Egypt
Cyclades
Group of islands in the Aegean
Cycladic art was known for
Simplified, geometric nude female figures
Cycladic culture was supplemented by the
Minoan culture
Minoan culture was centered on the
Greek island of Crete
Minoans were known for their
frescoes and pottery designs
Collapse of the Minoan culture lead way for the
Mycenaean culture
Mycenaean culture was centered around
city of Mycenae on Greek mainland
What did Mycenaeans primarily build?
Elaborate tombs and relief sculptures
Mycenaeans were known for their
mastery in goldsmithing
Temples built during the Ancient Greek used
Doric and Ionic decorative column styles
Corinthian Style
Set against a floral, ornamented background
Athenian Style Vases
used black figures, more linear and larger in scale
The best known ancient Greek art is from
City-state of Athens
Contrapposto
counter positioning, invented to show the body at it's best advantage
The Parthenon was originally destroyed by
Persians in 480 BCE
Parthenon was one of the
most admired works of all ages
Architecture declined in the Late Classical declined as Athens was defeated in the
Peloponnesian War
The Venus de Milo and the Laocoon presented
ideals of beauty
Etruscan Art was known for
arts of tomb decoration
Roman discovery of concrete was a
major contribution to architecture
What was the curved arch used to build?
Bridges and aqueducts
Mosaic work
small ceramic tiles, pieces of stone, or glass set into a ground material to make large murals
Hagia Sophia
built in Constantinople, considered one of the greatest architectural achievements
Books of Kells and Coronation Gospels were examples of
preserved books, very valuable
What were the major art forms of the Hiberno-Saxons?
small-scale metal ornaments, carved wooden ship masts, and illuminated manuscripts
Romanesque Style
Roman arch used as basis of the design
Church at Saint Sermin, Toulouse, France
famous example of Romanesque style, used barrel vaults
Vault
arch-shaped structure that is used as a ceiling or as a support to a roof
Gothic Style was known for the use of
pointed arches which gave an upward, soaring sense to churches
Ribbed Vaults
framework of thin stone ribs or arches built under the intersection of the vaulted sections of the ceiling
Flying Buttresses
additional bracing material and arches placed on exterior of building
Arches consist of
voissoirs, a keystone, intrados, extrados, and an impost
Classic example of a Gothic Cathedral
Chartres Cathedral in France
What is an important feature of Chinese art?
Contemplation art
What are the formal qualities of Art?
Line, shape, form, space, color, and texture
What is a Line?
A line is the path of a point through space.
Some characteristics of lines are:
solidity, width, and boldness
Vertical lines are used for what?
They were used by churches because they cause the eye to move upward toward heaven
Straight horizontal lines cause what?
A sense of peace and tranquility
Curved or Jagged Horizontal lines cause what?
a sense of activity and movement
What is shape?
is what defines a 2-D object
What is Form?
are object with length width and height that are 3 dimensional
What are the two different types of shape/form?
Geometric (mathematically defined) Organic (freeform)
What is space?
the organization of shapes and the areas around them.
What is positive space?
the space that the object occupy
What is negative space?
the space that is surrounding the objects
What are the two types of sculpture?
freestanding and relief
What is relief sculpture?
the sculpture projects from a surface or background
What are the two types of Relief sculpture?
high reliefbas (low) relief
What is perspective?
the illusion of depth in a 2-d space
What are the 7 ways to show perspective?
light on objects closer, placing objects lower when they are closer, larger objects for closer, overlap, more detail closer, fuzzy coloring further away, and vanishing points.
What is hue?
the name of a color
What is a color wheel?
the organization of hues into a chart.
Who developed the color wheel?
Isaac Newton
What is value?
it is the lightness or darkness of a hue
What is an example of a neutral?
black, grey, white
What is intensity?
the brightness or purity of a color
What is local color?
the true color of an object viewed in daylight
What is optical color?
the color of an object viewed under specific lighting
What is arbitrary color?
the use of colors for emotional impact rather then realism
What is texture?
how things feel or how we think things would feel if we touched them.
What is composition in art?
an artist's organization of the elements of art
What is rhythm in art?
the principle that we associate with movement or pattern
What is motif/pattern?
the two aspects of repetition. motif is a single element in a pattern.
What is balance in art?
the equal distribution of visual weight in a work of art.
What are the 3 types of balance?
Symmetry, approximate symmetry, and asymmetry
What is a focal point?
An element that contrasts with the rest of the composition that causes the eye to stay there.
What is Proportion?
the size relationships in a composition
What is scale?
the relative size of elements in an artwork
What is the ideal human figure according to the Greeks?
7 1/2 head high
What is drawing primarily based on?
the use of a line
What is the difference between hard and soft pencils?
Hard=thin dark linesSoft= thick lines that vary in value
What can an artist do to make their pencil drawings darker?
Apply pressure
What causes an illusion of 3-d?
hatching and crosshatching or stippling
What is printmaking?
a mechanically aided process that permit the production of multiple artworks
What are screen prints?
use some sort of printing plateon which an image is created. Ink is applied to the plate, and the image is transferred to paper or another material.
What is relief printmaking?
when the artist cuts away partsfrom the surface of the plate. Wherever part of the plate is removed, the original color of the paper being printed uponremains.
What is intaglio printmaking?
a person carves into wood or soft metal which is then dipped in acid. after word the ink is put in the low lying portion of the print
What is Lithography?
a process in which the image isdrawn with a waxy pencil or crayon directly on a plate The inkadheres only to the greasy image since oil resistswater.
Who was the most important Baroque artist?
Gianlorenzo Bernini (1598-1680),
What are the different materials paint is composed of?
Pigments, binders, and solvents
What are pigments?
Finely ground materials that may be natural or synthetic
What do Natural pigments include?
Clays, gemstones, and minerals, as well as plant and insect materials that make color when powdered
What allows the paint to adhere to a surface?
Powdered pigments mixed with a binder that holds the grains of pigment together
What can be used as binders?
Egg yolks, linseed oil, and wax
What can be added to change the consistency of the paint or alter drying time?
A solvent such as water or oil
What kind of surfaces can painters apply media to?
boards, paper, canvas, and plaster walls
What type of tools can paint be applied with?
Paintbrushes, fingers, sticks, palette knives, and anything else
On what is the fresco usually used to paint on
walls or ceilings
How is a fresco created?
The artist mixes pure powdered pigments with water and applies them to a wet plaster ground
What is another term for buon fresco?
"true" fresco
Why must an artist plan carefully when dealing with a "true" fresco?
The paint is permanently bound in the plaster, so the artist will not be able to make changes after the fact
What is fresco secco?
The artist will apply paints to dry plaster
Where have frescoes been found?
In the ruins of Pompeii and in many medieval and Renaissance churches
Who is the most famous Mexican muralist?
Diego Rivera
Until the 1400's, what was the most commonly used paint?
Tempera paint
Tempera
Water-based paint
What are the limitations of Tempera paint?
Requires great skill, dry quickly, and so they cannot be blended once they are applied to a surface, and narrow tonal range
What is a narrow tonal range?
Colors are either light or dark
What is a positive quality of tempera paint?
Retain their clear and brilliant colors
How are Oil paints more versatile than tempera paints?
Can be easily mixed, and they may be thinned to build up layers of delicate glazes
What are glazes?
Thin transparent or semi-transparent layers that are applied over another color to alter it slightly
How can an impasto surface be created?
Oils can be applied thickly or in heavy lumps
What is an advantage of oil drying slowly?
It is possible for an artist to work on an oil painting over a long period of timeâdays or even weeks
What is an encaustic?
Grave markers were painted with wax-based paints
Where are some encaustic painting found?
Ancient Egypt
How are encaustic paintings created?
Colored molten wax is fused with the surface via the application of hot irons
What do the Egyptian markers indicated of the encaustic medium?
Durability of the encaustic medium
What is Gouache?
Water-based opaque paint that is similar to school-quality tempera, but of higher quality
How is Gouache different from watercolors?
More body and dries more slowly
What makes Gouache a good medium?
Creation of bright colors and meticulous details and is oten used for design and fine artwork
What is the most common water-based paint?
Watercolors
What is a major factor to artists in watercolor?
The white of the paper upon which the artist paints
How do artists make tints in watercolors?
Add more water to the paint
Which watercolor colors are applied first?
The lightest colors
How are watercolors applied?
The lightest colors are applied first, and then the darker colors, working from background to foreground, from broad areas to areas of detail.
Is watercolor forgiving?
Watercolor is not forgiving of mistakes, so watercolor artists must plan carefully and practice diligently
What is acrylic paint made of?
Synthetic materials, plastics, and polymers
When was acrylic paint developed?
After World War II
How are acrylics versatile?
Do NOT require the slow, careful building up of successive layers with long drying periods in between
What are acrylics unable to achieve?
Dome of the subtleties of which oil paints are capable
For which artists do acrylics offer a valuable alternative?
Those who have developed allergies to oil paint and turpentine
When was Photography developed?
During the mid-19th century
How is photography popularily used?
To document likenesses of people and scenes
Why did painters feel pressured with the competition of cameras?
The higher degree of realism by cameras
Ultimately, what did artists feel as a result of cameras?
Less of a need to confine themselves to naturalistic styles of painting
How has photography gradually assumed a legitimacy within the art world?
The medium of photography is in constant flux as new technology becomes available
In addition to still photography, what is also considered art forms?
Film and video Art
When did Realism & Impressionism emerge?
2nd half of the 19th century
What did Realism & Impressionism focus on?
Everyday Life
What did Romanticism seek to appeal?
Emotions & Senses
What is arbitrary color?
Color meant to evoke the emotional or aesthetic appeal/impact.
What is most Islamic Art?
Non-Figurative
What does the art of the three major Asian cultures : Japan, India, and China relate to?
Political Power & Religious Practice