What you have to know for the
AP Art History test.
By
Sylvia
AP Art History
Teacher ME
GET STARTED RIGHT AWAY
The BET: Beyond European Tradition.
You need to have an in-depth knowledge of 2 cultures that are not European. These include Egypt Islam. China, Japan, Africa, and the
Pacific.
Know one piece of painting, one major architectural form and architect, possibly one other form as in sculpture or weaving.
WORKS OF ART YOU MUST KNOW IN CONTEXT
 The Sarcophagus from Cerveteri.
 Peaceful City and Peaceful Country A Lorenzetti
 Isenheim Altarpiece by Grunewald
 The Burial of Count Orgaz El Greco
 Guernica by Picasso
 One Rembrandt
 One Michelangelo
 One Dali
 One Greco Roman. ( You know which one I like)
Dali
Picasso
Cerveteri
VOCABULARY
Include:
Methods of Sculpture
Painting Techniques
Architectural types and staples: Gothic, Renaissance, Roman, Romanesque, etc. Arches…
DBQ
The quote and piece of art question. This is a two parter. You must answer the question!!! It will contain a quote and a piece of art and
ask you how one supports the other. Kind of like FCAT Cand C questions. We will work on an example today!!!
1
Identify at least one piece of art for each of the major themes. I want a DRAWING or sketch of some sort as well as labeling.
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Women
Hostility or violence
Nature (Monet)
Narratives (biblical paintings)
Humans (any sculpture)
Abstract (Dali)
Sacred Spaces (we did these)
Architecture ( one cathedral, one mosque, one Greco roman)
Human or deity figures of power
Religious object ( Bible covers count)
VOCABULARY YOU BETTER KNOW!!
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Abstract expressionism-the first major American avant garde movement. Started in NYC in 1940’s. Abstract paintings that
expressed their state of mind and they hoped the art would strike an emotional chord in the viewers.
Additive light-natural light or sunlight sometimes used to explain stained glass. Opposite of subtractive light.
Adobe- clay
Agora- an open square used for public displays Greco roman
Ahu- stone platform on which Easter Island stands.
Aisle-part of the basilica flanking the naves and separated by a row of columns
Altar frontal-decorative piece in the front of the altar in a church
Ambo- pulpit
Amphitheatre-Greek for double theatre. Roman building resembling two Greek theaters.
Amulet- an object used to ward off evil
Analytic cubism- the first phase of cubism developed jointly by Picasso and Braque.
Apse-recess usually semicircular in the wall of a building.
Arcadian- depiction of an idyllic place of rural peace and simplicity. Began in the early Renaissance.
Arch-curved structure
Archaic- artistic style of the 600-480 bce in Greece.
Archaic smile- typical of early greek statues
Archivolt- Romanesque and gothic style of architecture molding that surrounded the arches
Arcuated- arched
Art deco- descended from Art Nouveau. 1920’s-1930’s industrial design to fine arty leading to SOBE
Art Nouveau- French for New Art late 19th-20th century.
Assemblage- constructed from already constructed pieces of art. Think Sponge Bob rippy bits.
Atlantid- male figure column. Opposite of caryatid.
Avatar-manifestation of a deity performing sacred rituals on earth. Hinduism
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Baldacchino- stems from Italian word for SILK. A canopy of colums built over an altar.
Baptism- Christian religion for rebirth
Baptistery- place where baptism occurs. Next to a church must hold water
Baroque- European art form 1600 – 1750. Art that features lots of drama and elaborate. In contrast to Renaissance
Bas relief
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Batik- Indian dyed garment
Bauhaus- school of architecture in Germany 1920’s
Bay- space between two columns the nave of the church
Beaux arts- architectural style 19-20th century France. Symmetry in design and extensive decoration.
Belvedere- a room with a view or landscape seascape.
Ben-ben- pyramid stone
Bestiary- a collection of illustration of real or imaginary animals.
Bi- jade discs from china used as burial objects
Bichrome- two colors
Bilateral symmetry- same on both sides
Bilingual vases- Greek vases black and red
Black figure painting- greek again. Dark figure light background
Block statue- Egyptian simplified statues
Buon fresco
Breakfast piece- a still life that includes bread and fruit
Buttress- an exterior structure that opposes an arch. (holds it up) a pier is solid mass. Flying is an inclined member on an arch.
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 Canon- rule of proportion. Example the ideal of beauty in Greek and roman
art or sculpture.
 Canopic jar- jar in which organs were placed for later burial with the death in
ancient Egypt
 Capital- the uppermost portion of a column
 Capitolium- temple dedicated to Juno, Minerva or Jupiter. Ancient Rome
 Carolingian- pertaining to Charlemagne and his successors
 Caryatid- female figure used as a column
 Cassone- a carved chest, popular in Renaissance Italy
 Casting-pouring of material into a mold.
 Catacombs- underground burial chambers
 Celadon- ancient Chinese pottery glazing technique: gray green or blue color
result
 Celt- in Olmec Mexico, ox shaped form made of polished jade.
 Chakra- Buddhist wheel
 Chancel arch-the arch separating the apse or choir from the nave
 Chasing-the engraving of metal
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 Chimera- greek monster with head and body of a lion, tail of a serpent and a
second head of a goat out of the side
 Christogram- the three original letters in the name of Christ in Greek letters.
 Chromatic abstraction- the art of Newman and Rothko. Uses the emotional
resonance of color
 Classical- period of art in Greece between 480-323 bce. Lowercase classical
refers to all Greco roman
 Cloison- strips of metal used to hold enamel. French technique
 Codex- predecessor of the modern book. Parchment bound on one side.
 Cuerda seca-polychrome tilework used in Islamic buildings.
 Cycladic- the prehistoric art of the Aegean isles
 Cupola- dome
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 Dada- 20th century art movement started by WWI. Characterized by the
irrational and humorous to show a revulsion caused by the war.
 Daedalic- the Greek orientalizating of sculpture 7th century bce
 Deconstruction- late 20th century movement in which no interpretation is
considered wrong. Person, time and place.
 Deconstructivism- architectural movement using deconstruction. Disrupts the
conventional architecture.
 Dharma- moral law based on the teachings of Buddha
 Diaphragm arch- a transverse wall bearing arch that divides a ceiling or vault.
 Diptych- a two paneled painting or altar piece
 Documentary evidence- in art history written works examined to date a piece
of art.
 Dome- hemispherical vault.
 Domus- roman home
 Doric- one of the two systems invented in ancient Greece for articulating the
three units of the elevation of a classical building. PLATFORM or BASE
 Dotaku- ancient bronze Japanese bell
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 Dressed masonry- stone blocks perfectly shaped and smoothed to fit a specific
place.
 Dromos- passage leading to a tholos tomb.
 Duomo- Italian Cathedral. Specifically the Duomo. Meaning Domed.
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Earthenware- pottery made of caly
Eaves- lower part of the ceiling that hangs closet to the wall
Edition- multiple prints made from one mold.
Effigy mounds- ceremonial mounds built in the shapes of animals in North
America/ native Americans
Emblem/ emblema- central figure in a mosaic
Enamel- decorative coating.
Encaustic- pigment with wax applied to a surface while still hot and
imprinted.
Engaged column-a half round column attached to a wall on one side.
Enlightenment-18th century western philosophy based on critical thinking
about the world, humanity and conventional thinking.
Entablature- part of the building above the column and below the roof.
Entasis- the profile of a column
Environmental art- 1960’s using the land as material for art work.
Transforming some areas of the environment. Example is the pink cloth
floating on Biscayne bay.
Etching- engraving in which the wax is slowly eaten away to leave an
impression
Exedra- recessed area usually semicircular.
Who made me? What do I mean and how do you know??
1.
Pick one small section and recreate it and explain it’s significance to the work in detail.
Example DBQ:
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2.
Who made me? What do I mean and how do you know?? Recreate and label me!!! I’m
important..
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