NCEA Level 3 Art History (90490) 2010 — page 1 of 14
Assessment Schedule – 2010
Art History: Analyse style in art (90490)
Evidence Statement (applies to each area of study)
Achievement
Achievement
with Merit
Achievement
with Excellence
A range of stylistic
characteristics in selected art
works is identified and the styles
of selected art works are
distinguished.
The reasons for differences in
stylistic characteristics in
selected art works are explained.
Stylistic characteristics are
comprehensively related to their
context.
 Addresses the requirements of the
two selected question
As for Achievement, plus:
As for Achievement with Merit,
plus:
 Correctly identifies the required
stylistic characteristics
 Distinguishes between the stylistic
characteristics of the given plates
in each of the two selected
question.
 Demonstrates adequate
understanding of relevant art
historical terminology in relation to
the stylistic characteristics of the
selected art works.
 Uses evidence from the given
plates in each question to answer
questions.
 Moves beyond simple descriptions
of stylistic characteristics to
explain reasons for the differences
between the given art works.
 Clearly explains relevant reasons
for the differences in the stylistic
characteristics in the two given
plates in each of the selected
questions.
 Addresses selected questions
directly.
 Discusses stylistic characteristics
of the given plates and relates
them to relevant aspects of the
specified context.
 Contextualises the given art
works, accurately focussing on the
specific requirements o both
questions.
 Uses relevant contextual evidence
to support discussion points.
 Supports explanations and
discussion points with relevant
evidence in the form of pertinent
references to other art works,
artists and / or texts.
 Demonstrates informed and
comprehensive understanding of
the set art works, artists
movements and relevant contexts.
 Demonstrates an understanding of
the relationships between art
works, artists and contexts within
which they worked.
 Demonstrates comprehensive
knowledge sustained across the
two selected questions.
NCEA Level 3 Art History (90490) 2010 — page 2 of 14
Question One: Fourteenth-Century Italian Painting
Achievement
The candidate has compared the
stylistic characteristics of the
figure in:
The Maesta
 Sits frontally with weight evenly
balanced on throne, convincing
volume and pose
 Weighty and volumetric Face
looks calm and serene
 Shading and tonality used to
create three-dimensional figure,
see fall of drapery across knees
 Decorative pattern making on robe
 Relaxed curve in pose
 Intimate touching of child
 Head tilted to one side, eyes look
out at viewer
 An iconic depiction of the Virgin,
not a narrative painting
The Annunciation
 Virgin in a sideways pose / oblique
 Face looks sullen, frightened
 Dark and simple gown
 Virgin recoils away from Angel pose has a curving movement,
head tilted to one side, more
dynamic pose than earlier work
 The movement of the Virgin and
her interaction with the Angel are
narrative devices.
 Gothic, serpentine pose
 Blue robe, ovoid head derived
from Duccio's Madonnas
 Linear approach to figures,
apparent ethereal weightlessness
Achievement with Merit
As for Achievement, plus:
The differences in the two figures
can be related to their different
contexts The Maesta is in a nonreligious building and the greater
naturalism in this depiction of the
Virgin reflects this position. The
Annunciation is an altarpanel,
painted for the Cathedral of Siena
and the Italo-Byzantine treatment of
the Virgin reflects this religious
context.
Achievement with Excellence
As for Achievement with Merit,
plus the candidate has referred to
influences on fourteenth-century
Sienese painting e.g.:
The naturalism of the figure in the
Maesta reflects Franciscan
influences. Martini is known to have
been working on the Chapel of St
Martin in Assisi around the same
time as he worked on the Maesta
and both works show his increasing
interest in figurative naturalism. The
new, naturalistic style of Martini's
Maesta can also be linked to the
Franciscan influences in the new
Sienese constitution of 1309-10
which had led to the Commune's
use of the Council Chamber in the
Palazzo Pubblico. This constitution
may also explain the differences
between Martini's Maesta and
Duccio's earlier version of 1305-8
NCEA Level 3 Art History (90490) 2010 — page 3 of 14
Question Two: Fifteenth-Century Italian Painting
Achievement
The candidate has compared and
contrasted the setting and use of
light in:
Enthroned Madonna
 Architectural setting defines and
contains the pictorial space, limits
recession
 Interior setting, creates illusion of
an alcove or chapel in a church
 Classical architectural setting meticulous, geometrically accurate
depiction of a classical alcove with
a coffered ceiling
 Semi-circle of figures surround the
Madonna
 Clear light illuminates scene,
Shadows are in light, silver tones
 Light used to define setting and
emphasise architectural features
 Strong interest in light and its
effects on different surfaces - the
coldness of marble, the shiny
metal of Federigo's armour, the
softness of the fabric
 Strong formality of carefully
proportioned space, given
substance by light and shade
typical of Piero
Madonna of the Rocks
 Exterior setting in rocky cave or
grotto - rocks frame the figures
and suggest a chapel,
 Golden light emerges from
shadows - the landforms are
suggested not clearly defined, as
in Piero's painting. Sfumato and
Leonardo's typical glazing
techniques soften the forms and
blur the edges in contrast to the
sharp-edged, brightly lit forms of
Piero's painting.
 Leonardo uses light and dark
tones to dramatize the narrative in
the painting - eg the golden
highlights on the foreshortened left
hand of the Virgin
 Typical Leonardo chiaroscuro,
lends figures intot he shadows
and surrounding landscape and
vegetation
 Shadows and golden light creat
spiritual mystery (sfumato).
Achievement with Merit
As for Achievement, plus e.g.:
 Although the two paintings are
separated by only 10-15 years,
the major differences between
them reflect the changing
Renaissance styles of painting in
the fifteenth century Piero's earlier
painting is a good example of the
detailed naturalism, clear light and
static poses of the early
Renaissance while Leonardo's
later painting uses the chiaroscuro
and entwined poses which
become familiar in the High
Renaissance.
Achievement with Excellence
As for Achievement with Merit,
plus the candidate has referred to
the personal style of each artist
e.g.:
 Piero's form is carefully
constructed; his proportions and
careful use of tonal shading reflect
his personal interest in
mathematics and the strong
influence ofAlberti in his work.
Similar mathematical precision
can be seen in the figures and
architecture of his earlier
Flagellation. On the other hand,
Leonardo built up his forms with
light and dark tones, using colour
to pull figures out of the shadows
and using golden highlights are
used to emphasise key figures
and actions. These techniques are
clearly revealed in his unfinished
Adoration as well as in this
painting.
 Levey writes of the strong
influence ofAlberti in Piero della
Francesca's works and says that
"no other painter was to create
such fitting actors for [Alberti's]
world". Leonardo was one of the
artists who moved away from the
mathematical precision of the
Albertian style in favour of
paintings which were 'poetic' in
their use of human proportion,
perspective and light. This
development can also be seen in
the forms and expressions of
Raphaels' Madonnas and was part
of the High Renaissance artists'
desire to emphasise the spirituality
of divine figures
NCEA Level 3 Art History (90490) 2010 — page 4 of 14
Question Three: Italian Renaissance Sculpture
Achievement
The candidate has discussed the
different proportions and poses
of:
Donatello, David
 Slim, youthful figure
 Slight, elegance, almost feminine.
 Delicacy of limbs does not
emphasize physical strength
 Classical contrapposto pose
 Classic modular proportions
 Relaxed, soft form and pose
 Slightly smaller than life-size
 Smooth surface emphasizes the
naturalism of the figure but
aspects, such as the rounded hip
are less convincing
 David's eyes are lowered, looking
downwards and creating a sense
of a barrier between statue and
viewer
Michelangelo, David
 Similar pose but hands, head and
leg have slightly different positions
which render this sculpture less
elegant, more masculine
 Intense expression and taut pose
convey strength
 Lacks attributes, apart from the
sling over the shoulder
 Enlarged hands are large in
proportion to rest of statue
 Classical contrapposto but more
upright, alert and tense than
Donatello's
 Monumental scale - larger than
lifesize
 Emphasis on strong, bulging
muscles gives this work a strongly
physical presence
 David looks over viewer's head
and into distance, leaves body
open to viewer but does not
engage with viewer
Achievement with Merit
As for Achievement, plus e.g.:
The differences in the poses of the
two statues may be explained by the
different incidents depicted by the
sculptors. Donatello's David is
shown after the battle, with one foot
resting on the head of Goliath, while
Michelangelo s David is shown
before the battle, looking into the
distance with his sling resting on his
shoulder. The soft, relaxed pose of
Donatello's David embodies his
relaxed, tired feelings after the battle
while Michelangelo's David’s taut
muscles and upright stance is in
keeping with the idea that he is
gathering his strength to take on the
enemy.
Achievement with Excellence
As for Achievement with Merit,
plus the candidate has referred to
the heroic tradition in
Renaissance sculpture e.g.:
Donatello's David is the first freestanding male nude sculpture of the
Italian Renaissance however, the
youthful almost effeminate form of
Donatello's figure differs from the
idealized athleticism of Classical
gods and may be linked to a statue
of Antinous which was known in the
fifteenth century.
The Laurel crown and wreath allude
to the Medici family.
Michelangelo's David also embodies
the classical nude form; however
this extremely large statue has more
in common with the colossal statues
of Emperors, such as that of
Constantine, or super heroes such
as Hercules, than the more
frequently found nude and seminude commemorative statues of
gods like Poseidon.
The scale of Michelangelo’s David
reflects its status as a symbol of
Florence / civic pride.
NCEA Level 3 Art History (90490) 2010 — page 5 of 14
Question Four: High Renaissance and the Development of Mannerism
Achievement
The candidate has discussed the
differences in composition and
treatment of space in:
Joseph in Egypt
 Unbalanced composition with
empty space in centre between
two buildings
 Main narrative scene takes place
in left foreground in shadowed
area
 Space is difficult to read - right
hand stairway seems to finish in
mid-air
 Ambiguous pictorial space
 Inconsistencies in scale of figures
and architecture
 Vertical columns and other
elements punctuate space and
contrast with diagonal movement
of figures
 Horizontal composition, divided
diagonally into two main areas
The Transfiguration
 Vertical composition divided into
two areas by changes in colour
and tone
 Circular composition in upper half
of painting, framed by white
clouds
 Two distinct and
compartmentalized scenes
 Bottom half of painting is filled by
crowded mass of figures who
emerge from darkness.
 Bottom half of painting lacks
spatial recession whereas upper
level has an unlimited/infinite view
into the distance with aerial
perspective on the right
Achievement with Merit
As for Achievement, plus e.g.:
 Despite the feet that these two
plates were painted within a few
years of each other their stylistic
differences arise due to the focus
of each artist. Raphael remained
faithful to the traditions of the
Perugino school of the High
Renaissance which stresses a
clear organisation of space and
composition and the avoidance of
excessive detail. Pontormo's
painting represents a stylistic shift
from the calm perspectival
regularity that characterized the
art of the Florentine Renaissance.
Achievement with Excellence
As for Achievement with Merit,
plus the candidate has referred to
stylistic developments in Italian
painting in the early sixteenth
century e.g.:
 In Raphael's painting the aims and
ideals of the High Renaissance
are completely realized. The
painting is not simply a portrayal
of an event but an interpretation of
that event through composition
and form with the structure of the
painting reinforcing its miraculous
content. The entire painting was
seen as an harmonious balance
with each figure or compositional
decision working towards the
message of the whole. It does
however contain some Mannerist
tendencies in dramatic poses /
expressions and lighting.
 In the work of Pontormo the
uncertainty of the times has been
translated into an uncertain
environment. Figures float
unhampered by the forces of
gravity and four aspects of a
single narrative swirl bearing no
relationship to each other.
Mannerist painting was to be
beautiful and sumptuous,
evocative and interesting in its
emotive design. Many of the
clothes, expressions and features
of the painting are borrowed from
the Northern Renaissance while
its narrative complexity was
designed to appeal to
sophisticated and intellectual
viewers.
NCEA Level 3 Art History (90490) 2010 — page 6 of 14
Question Five: Venetian Painting
Achievement
The candidate has compared and
contrasted the atmosphere and
the depiction of landscape in:
St Francis in the Desert
 Clear atmosphere with carefully
delineated landforms
 Calm light of dawn falls evenly
across landscape from left,
creating a serene, calm
atmosphere
 Landscape broken into three
zones - a foreground sheltered by
rocks on the right, a mid ground
with donkey and a distant hill with
wall and castle
 Vegetation etc carefully detailed,
derived from observing local
landscape
 Atmosphere seems friendly golden, ideal light seems to warm
St Francis
 Golden, heavenly light bathes
landscape in warmth
 Landscape easily read but largely
functions as a background for the
figure
The Tempest
 Ominous atmosphere with stormy
sky pierced by lightning
 Uncertain atmosphere produced
by dark shading and gap between
figures
 Landscape dominates scene,
threatens to engulf figure in
shadows and plants
 Dramatic, emotive landscape
 Tall trees on either side of painting
frame a distant view with a bridge
in the midground and townscape
in background
Achievement with Merit
As for Achievement, plus e.g.:
The differences between the two
paintings reflect changing influences
in Venetian art and the growing
popularity of poesie. The strong
linear qualities of Bellini's earlier
painting reflect his use of finely
applied oil paint, techniques which
were popular in the fifteenth century
and which reflected the influences of
Northern painters. Giorgione's
personal approach is apparent in the
emotive atmosphere produced by
the soft colours and tactile qualities
of The Tempest.
Achievement with Excellence
As for Achievement with Merit,
plus the candidate has referred to
the treatment of religious and
non- religious subjects in
Venetian art e.g.:
During the fifteenth century Italian
art, including Venetian, was
dominated by religious subjects
however by, the beginning of the
sixteenth century non-religious
subjects had become important in
Venetian art. Non-religious subjects
were generally drawn from classical
mythology and, as in Titian's
Meeting of Bacchus and Ariadne of
1522-23, frequently included
pastoral landscapes. Bellini's earlier
painting is similar in setting and
composition to his Agony in the
Garden which depicts Jesus on the
night before his crucifixion, with a
religious subject in the foreground of
the painting and a detailed
landscapes with clear atmosphere
bathed in golden light stretching
behind. The contrasts between the
two paintings do seem to be
associated with the subjects of each
painting - the clear light which
shines upon St Francis symbolises
the clarity of his message and the
symbolism of the clearly defined
landforms and plants is easily read.
The eerie lighting, dense vegetation
and murky atmosphere of
Giorgione's painting appeals to the
viewer's emotions rather than the
intellect. This is characteristic of the
non- religious genre, poesie, which
became popular in Venice after
1500.
NCEA Level 3 Art History (90490) 2010 — page 7 of 14
Question Six: Northern Renaissance Art
Achievement
The candidate has discussed the
differences in the composition
and treatment of figures in:
Christ Crowned with Thorns
 A balanced, harmonious
composition with the
individualized faces in four
comers providing balnce.
 Faces in four corners of painting
frame pale figure of Christ
 Four comer faces are in profile or
three-quarter profile while Christ
is frontally positioned, with head
tilted to his right
 Cropped, compressed
composition, plain grey
background prevents recession
 Static composition - hands of
witnesses extend into painting,
holding attributes but Christ's
hands are hardly visible
 White gown of Christ stands out
and dominates composition
 Figures seem stacked on top of
one another close to picture plane
The Mocking of Christ
 Complex composition with a
variety of figurative poses
 Strong diagonal set up with left
hand figure with fist raised ad the
hand of bottom figure drawn back
into foreground corner
 Highly individualized characters,
greater range of figures
 Centralized composition, with
diagonal movements
 Black background restricts
recession but entwined mass of
active figures creates a sense of
space
 Action of figures lead eye into
painting
 Christ sits at one side of painting,
right hand figure shown from rear,
used to link top and bottom with a
diagonal movement
Achievement with Merit
As for Achievement, plus e.g.:
 These two paintings were
designed to be viewed in different
ways. Bosch's painting was
designed to be a calm, reflective
and meditative work while
Grunewald wanted the viewer to
have an emotive reaction. Bosch's
Christ provides a moment of
stillness within a hostile world
while Grunewald focuses on the
hostile energy of Christ's
tormentors with movement and
poses which demonstrate his
knowledge of Italian High
Renaissance painting.
Achievement with Excellence
As for Achievement with Merit,
plus the candidate has referred to
the depiction of religious events
in Northern Renaissance art e.g.:
 Bosch's painting is a development
on the traditional scenes of the
passion of Christ. The faces that
surround Christ reference the
different classes of medieval
society so all could identify with
the passion. Grunewald's work is
influenced by the irrational and
mystical spiritual traditions of
medieval northern European Art
Grunewald emphasized the
mystery of Christianity in works
like The Eisenheim Altarpanel by
distorting figures and emotive
expressions to produce very
personal expressions of Christian
Truth.
NCEA Level 3 Art History (90490) 2010 — page 8 of 14
Question Seven: Cubism and Abstraction
Achievement
Achievement with Merit
The candidate has discussed the
use of form and colour in:
As for Achievement, plus e.g.:
Fruit Dish, Ace of Clubs
 Braque's work contains echoes of
his Analytical cubist style with its
ambiguous fragmentation however
the large flat areas of
woodgraining and flat black and
white represent the new
development of synthetic cubism
and its use of abstracted elements
like woodgrain paper to signify
objects. On the other hand, Gris
came to Cubism later and his work
is a synthesis of many different
Cubist ideas and his own interest
in pattern-making.
 forms flattened into flattened
planes, layered on top of one
another, tilted up towards the
surface of painting
 woodgrain, faux bois,wallpaper
emphasize 2D nature of surface,
create form
 colour limited to ochre/grey/black/
white, almost monochromatic
 white area in middle centralizes
composition
 some representational form cards, grapes, letters
 dark areas - black and wood
graining give structure to painting
and suggest form
Teacups
 drawn silhouette and transparent
forms of teacups typical of Gris
 multiple viewpoints create
transparency and ambiguous
space
 collaged newspaper creates
flattened layering stacked up
towards surface of painting
 black and white patterns make
illusionist reference to tablecloth
and space
 almost monochromatic, apart from
yellow-brown woodgraining
 almost symmetrical pattern
created by use of colour which
divides painting into 2 halves,
diagonally
 white/black creates light/dark
contrasts
Achievement with Excellence
As for Achievement with Merit,
plus The candidate has referred
to the individual styles of Cubist
painters e.g.:
 The austerity of Braque's work at
this time and his relentless formal
interest in a narrow range of
recurrent subject-matter, together
with his interest in the actual
means of picture-making rather
than in extra-pictorial associations,
established his reputation as the
most rigorous exponent of
Cubism. This work can be placed
in a cler and logical progression
from earlier explorations of early
and analytical cubism such as
Houses at L'Estaque and Le
Portugais. Gris' approach to
Cubism was both decorative and
witty. The more decorative
elements in his work led to him
being known as the Baroque
Cubist. His work built up layers of
pictorial ambiguity with snatches
of objects and word fragments
creating double meanings and
fanciful associations.
NCEA Level 3 Art History (90490) 2010 — page 9 of 14
Question Eight: Fauvism and Expressionism
Achievement
The candidate has compared and
contrasted the use of colour and
application of paint in:
Portrait of Henri Matisse
Portrait of Andre Derain
 Both works use coarsely- applied
high key colours which leaves
some parts of the canvas bare
 Both works use arbitrary, nonlocal colours
 Both works have heavily textured
impasto finish
 Both works use contrasting and
complementary colours to create
strong visual effects
 Derain's painting is in col blue and
green colours,
 Blue shadows on side of face
used to create 3D form,
 Purple on shoulder is enhances
complementary blue of shirt
 Skin is in oranges and red which
are opposed to the more dominant
blue of shirt and green
background
 Stubby brushstrokes used to
suggest texture of beard,
 Face built up with layered ochre
paint
 Vlaminck has used bright
reddish/orange on the left side of
Derain's face - has a harsh effect
on viewer
 The face in Vlaminck's work is
flattened by the use of bright
orange which covers most of face.
Yellow used on right of face to
define form but not used to create
3D form
 Hair of Derain is suggested by
black paint strokes which do not
cover top of head and do not
create texture
 Shirt is roughly painted in white
with some blue strokes; a few
strokes of brown suggest a tie but
form is only loosely defined
Achievement with Merit
As for Achievement, plus e.g.:
 In the portrait of Matisse. Derain's
colour and texture have been
used to separate a three
dimensional figure from the plain
background in a composition
which can be linked to traditional
portraits. On the other hand, the
looser brushwork and barely
covered surfaces of Vlaminck's
portrait break away from
traditional portrait conventions to
produce a challenging immediacy.
Achievement with Excellence
As for Achievement with Merit,
plus the candidate has referred to
the ideas and interests of Fauve
painters e.g.:
 Both of these paintings were
completed in the early years of
Fauvism when Matisse's influence
over the group was very strong. In
1905 Matisse and Derain spent
the summer in a small coastal
town, Collioure, where they
developed the new style of
Fauvism which stunned Paris
when they were exhibited in 1905
Matisse's Les Toits de Collioure
depicts both the bright summer
sensations of Collioure and the
new concepts of rapid brushwork,
impasto and contrasting colours
which he and Derain explored in
this period. The younger Derain
encouraged Matisse to move from
his neo-impressionist phase into
this new style which used bright
colour to construct strong and
arresting forms such as Derain's
Portrait of Matisse and Matisse's
Portrait of His Wife. Vlaminck was
a member of Matisse's circle in
these early years, however this
Belgian artist was less impressed
by the influences of earlier French
painters such as Cezanne or
Gauguin. The intense stare on
Derain's face in this painting looks
ahead to the moody atmosphere
of his later works such as The
Mortagne Road.
NCEA Level 3 Art History (90490) 2010 — page 10 of 14
Question Nine: Dad and Surrealism
Achievement
The candidate has discussed the
different approaches to traditional
art-making processes in:
Bicycle Wheel
 One of Duchamps' ready-mades
which combines found materials
into an art object
 Two everyday objects, a bicycle
wheel and a painted stool, have
been assembled into a
freestanding three-dimensional
work
 The wheel has been mounted so it
spins - a moving work of art
The Uncertainty of the Poet
 Painted in a traditional medium
and using traditional perspectival
techniques, this work challenges
traditional approaches by creating
an unsettling and puzzling
composition containing disparate
objects
 A distorted, headless classical
torso in the foreground appears to
be the focus of the composition
however the receding lines of the
building on the right takes your
eye into the distance
 Bright clear light and hard- edged
form suggest a closely observed
actual scene but any illusion of
reality is contradicted by the
mysterious subject
Achievement with Merit
As for Achievement, plus e.g.:
 In this period Duchamp turned
away from painting and adopted
ready-mades as his means of
challenging western art making
traditions. Although this work is
made of two everyday objects, its
standing form links to the western
tradition of sculpture and
questions the seriousness of that
type of art. De Chirico's painting
does not use medium and form to
challenge tradition because it uses
the traditional media of oil on
canvas Instead, de Chirico has
used confusing imagery to raise
questions about the subjects and
themes of western art
Achievement with Excellence
As for Achievement with Merit,
plus the candidate has referred to
early twentieth century ideas
about western art-making
traditions e.g.:
Both of these works were intended
for display in art galleries as part of
exhibitions of avant-garde art
objects which were intended to raise
questions about western artistic
traditions and future directions for
artists and art- makers. Duchamps'
work was one of a series of 23
ready-mades; including Fountain,
constructed between 1915 and 1923
which raised and explored questions
such as "Can one make works of art
which are not 'of art?". To a large
extent these works relied on their
gallery setting for meaning and
definition as art works. De Chirico's
painting also represents the
challenging of western art traditions
which characterised the early
twentieth century and eventually
emerged in the Dada and Surrealist
movements. The traditional medium
is contradicted by the flat colour and
space which are early expressions
of the twentieth century modernist
approach to surface, form and
colour. De Chirico's painting
obviously refers to Cubist
experiments with subject and
process and seems to reject the
cubist emphasis on facet and form
in favour of a return to clearly
defined, but confusing, forms and
objects.
NCEA Level 3 Art History (90490) 2010 — page 11 of 14
Question Ten: Architecture: Modernism to Post-modernism
Achievement
The candidate has compared and
contrasted the stylistic
characteristics of:
AEG Turbine Factory
 Bold, simple, monumental form
 Side walls have large areas of
glass supported and separated by
iron beams/girders which look like
columns
 End walls have large central area
of glass supported by solid pillarlike concrete walls
 Gables at each end are curved
like classical pediments, have
company name and logo on them
Louvre Entrance Pyramid
 Bold, simple, monumental form
however monumentality is
contradicted by transparency of
glazed sides
 Angular structure, based on the
Egyptian pyramid
 Structure is transparent – you can
see the old museum through it
 The steel structure is apparent,
the inside of the building is open
to gaze
Achievement with Merit
As for Achievement, plus e.g.:
 Although these structures both
rely on iron and steel frameworks,
their different forms reflect their
different functions. Behrens'
building was a factory and he
used iron girders to create a large
workshop which was brightly lit by
daylight coming through the huge
windows on the sides. Pei was
designing a new entrance for the
very old Louvre museum and he
chose glass as his main material
so that the original building was
still visible across the courtyard.
Achievement with Excellence
As for Achievement with Merit,
plus the candidate has referred to
the impact of new materials and
technologies on architectural
design in the twentieth century
e.g.:
Both architects have used the latest
materials and technologies to create
historicising designs which refer to
ancient classical examples Behrens has used the classical
Roman basilica as the basis of his
form while Pei took his inspiration
from the Egyptian pyramid. Behrens
building demonstrated that modern
materials like iron and glass could
be used to create buildings which
were both functional and
aesthetically pleasing
Behrens Turbine Factory set a high
standard for modern industrial
architecture when he used the latest
materials and techniques to create
an iron structure which created a
high column-free light- filled interior
which provided workers with the
healthy working conditions twentieth
century employers were expected to
provide.
Pei used modern construction
methods to solve a major
architectural problem - how to
expand parking and entrance
facilities for the Louvre without
disturbing its heritage environment.
He did this by placing most of the
building under the old courtyard and
using glass pyramids to provide
lighting and a sense of space in the
underground entrance etc.
NCEA Level 3 Art History (90490) 2010 — page 12 of 14
Question Eleven: Modern American Art
Achievement
The candidate has compared and
contrasted the treatment of light
and form in:
Wheel of Fortune
 Artificial light with inconsistent light
source
 Forms not anchored by shadow,
appear to float
 Clearly defined, precise forms
have photographic-like detail and
reflect spotlights
 Objects have uneasy relationships
to one another - multiple
viewpoints confound gravity
 Bright colours and light heighten
forms
Telephone Booths
 Consistent light source and tonal
range relates to objects depicted,
time and place - real light
 Colours are natural, not
heightened
 Light and shade convincing,
anchored in reality
 Colours and textures connect to
real world, glass and chrome
surfaces
 Reflected light and forms create
movement across surface of
painting
Achievement with Merit
As for Achievement, plus e.g.:
 Flack was concerned with the
surface quality of forms, how the
surface could become an illusion
through painting and then how
that illusion would become a
surface. Estes on the other hand
worked directly from a photograph
of reality, which trapped the
transitory nature of reflections. His
paintings generally consist of
reflective clean and inanimate city
and geometric landscapes. His
aim was paint a whole image
whereas Flacks works are made
up of many intensely studied
parts.
Achievement with Excellence
As for Achievement with Merit,
plus the candidate has referred to
the aims and ideas of superrealist
artists e.g.:
Flack creates a hyper reality, a
painting that becomes a material
expression of one's sensory
capacity to absorb the glittering
array of visual stimuli. Her photo
realistic paintings were interested in
the materiality of paint as the
substance of the surface. Carefully
depicted objects such as the skull
link Flack's paintings to the
European still-life tradition. She uses
this to draw attention to the
transitory nature of the modem,
material world Her Marilyn is
probably the most famous of these
carefully contrived works. Estes
wanted to create works which held
the modem, urban world up for
contemplation. His depictions of
urban prosperity such as those in
his 8 Urban Landscapes Series,
present a coldly realized study of the
depersonalization of urban life.
NCEA Level 3 Art History (90490) 2010 — page 13 of 14
Question Twelve: New Zealand Art
Achievement
The candidate has compared and
contrasted the use of text and
setting in:
Victory Over Death 2
 Part of the setting of this work is
that it is a painting, designed to
hang on a gallery wall
 Most of the painting is covered in
matte black paint which is not
recessive, and confrontational
 Much of the text is in uneven white
paint, in various texts which create
spatial levels in the painting
 Some of the text has been written
in black on black and can only be
seen if the viewer looks closely.
 Strong black upper case letters on
right half emphasise flatness of
surface
 Handwritten scripts tend to melt in
and out of surface.
 Black ground and uneven white
paint creates blackboard like
setting.
The Indefinite Article
 These freestanding large white
letters have been made without a
defined setting.
 The setting of this work depends
on its placement and
surroundings. This means the
setting will change, depending on
where the work is exhibited. Here
the white wall, comer and brown
wooden floor provide a modernist
setting.
 The text is made up of solid,
white, uppercase letters which are
arranged upright on the floor to
form a text.
 The arrangement of the letters
produces horizontal and vertical
lines which relate to the
surroundings to produce spatial
relationships and setting.
Achievement with Merit
As for Achievement, plus e.g.:
The differences between the works
can be explained by the different
forms of the art works - McCahon's
work is a painting with a black
painted ground on which the letters
have been placed. In this way the
text emphasises the two
dimensional nature of the painting.
Parekowhai's sculptural process
frees the letters from a fixed setting
and allows each letter to be seen
separately as well as collectively.
Parekowhai has not defined any
particular setting and the setting of
this work will change depending on
its environment
Achievement with Excellence
As for Achievement with Merit,
plus the candidate has referred to
the ideas of each artist e.g.:
McCahon's , Victory Over Death 2
uses contrasting texts to explore
issues of identity - on the one hand
the tentatively written and doubtfilled 'AM I', in black on black on the
left, is contrasted with the bold and
assertive white 'I AM' on the right.
The black on black text is only
visible if the viewer looks closely
and therefore demands the viewer's
full attention and invites
contemplation about one s own
identity
Parekowhai's sculptural piece ‘The
Indefinite Article’ is much more in
your face and provides an amusing,
yet pointed critique of Colin
McCahon's works which include the
words I Am. In Victory Over Death 2,
the large bold I AM on the right is
deliberately confrontational and
forces the viewer to contemplate his
own existence. Parekowhai has
deliberately taken McCahon's words
and incorporated then into a phrase,
I AM HE, to raise questions about
individual and Maori identity in the
post-modem world. This is typical of
Parekowhai's work which frequently
explores post-colonial issues in art
and New Zealand culture.
The Indefinite Article plays with
several possible meanings. In the
Māori language, the word 'HE' is the
indefinite article 'a' or 'an. By using
this word Parekowhai has taken
McCahon's original statement
further, linking it to questions about
Māori and Pākehā senses of
identity. ‘HE’ is also used to end
many Māori haka and its use in this
art work adds impact to the
sculpture. The letters ‘I AM HE’ only
lack 'C' and 'L' In Parekowhai's own
first name, Michael, and as 'C' and
'L' are not found in the Māori
alphabet, this raises post-colonial
questions of identity. Parekowhai's
dialogue with McCahon has been
continued by other New Zealand
artists such as Peter Robinson with
his AM I Scared Boy (EH).
NCEA Level 3 Art History (90490) 2010 — page 14 of 14
Judgement Statement
Achievement
Achievement with Merit
Achievement with Excellence
2A
2M
1E + 1E
or
or
or
1M + 1A
1E + 1A
1E + 1M
or
1E + 1N
or
1E (if only one answer is given)