Study Guide- Chapter 7 – Jewish, Early Christian, and Byzantine
Art
1) Please compare and contrast the beliefs of Judaism, Christianity,
and Islam, which are introduced in your text.
2) What is Dora-Europos? What early religious artwork is found at this
site? How do the works discussed from this site speak to the religious
complexities of this town in the 3rd century?
3) Describe the complex history of the First and Second Temples of
Jerusalem. Explain the importance of the land of Canaan to the Jewish
people. Where is the land of Canaan?
4) What are some of the first examples of Christian art? What are
syncretic images? Why is this important to understanding early
Christian art?
6) What is a basilica? How did these early Christian architectural
buildings borrow from the architecture of ancient Rome?
7) Describe some examples of Early Christian mosaics. What are the
functions of these? Please describe how the mosaic decoration in the
Church of San Vitale exemplifies the byzantine sense of pictorial space
in art.
8) What defines Byzantine art? How does Byzantine art’s visual style
differ so greatly from that of Classical Greece and Ancient Rome? What
function did this serve for Christians?
Study Guide- Chapter 8- Islamic Art
1) Describe the founding of Islam. What is the importance of the
Kaaba to Muslims? What are the five pillars of Islam?
2) Why is Islamic religious art devoid of figurative imagery? How did
Islamic art convey spirituality without figurative imagery?
3) Please compare and contrast the art of Christianity and Islam. How
do these similarities/differences of the art of Christianity and Islam
reflect the beliefs of each religion and culture?
4) Please describe the complex history of the Dome of the Rock.
5) What is a mihrab? Why is the positioning of the mihrab so
important in mosque design?
6) Please describe the importance of calligraphy in Islamic culture and
the arts. What was usually written in calligraphy on Islamic religious
art and architecture?
Study Guide- Chapter 14 - Early Medieval Art in Europe
1) What and when are the middles ages? Who coined the term Middle
Ages? What are the “dark ages”?
2) What three time periods do art historians commonly use to divide
the Medieval period? What are the dates of these periods?
3) Who are the “barbarians”? What are some characteristics of this
art? How does it compare with the art made from the Roman Empire?
How is this art style incorporated into early Medieval Christian art?
4) Describe the role of the Monasteries in art making in Medieval
times. What are some examples of monastic art and architecture?
5) Describe the importance of book arts to the Medieval world.
Describe the influences and characteristics of book illumination.
Study Guide – Chapter 15 - Romanesque Art
1) When was the Romanesque period? What does the term
Romanesque mean? What are some influences on Romanesque art and
architecture?
2) Describe pilgrimages and crusades as two phenomena of
Romanesque society. How did both of these affect the art of the
period?
3) Describe some major characteristics of Romanesque architecture.
4) Describe the role of relics and reliquaries in the Romanesque
period.
5) Describe some examples of architectural sculpture made during the
Romanesque. What are some major themes of this sculpture? Describe
the style of this sculpture. How does it so drastically differ from
Classical representations of the figure?
Study Guide – Chapter 16 – Gothic Art of the 12th and 13th
Centuries
1) When was the gothic period of art?
2) Why is the Gothic period called the “Age of Cathedrals”?
3) What distinguishes Gothic from Romanesque architecture?
4) Describe the importance of light in gothic architecture.