AP Art History- 250

APOLLO 11 STONES
Namibia, Africa
Mesolithic period
c. 25,400 BCE
*charcoal on stone, ocher, and white

-Huns Mountains of South-western Namibia -earliest art in Africa -found in two pieces -stylization -spiritual purpose, shamanism -engraved w/ geometric line designs -representation of an animal -twisted perspective (Tassil n' Ajjer rock art)

LASCAUX CAVE: GREAT HALL of the BULLS
Lascaux, France
Paleolithic Europe
14,000 BCE
*rock painting, natural pigment on stone

-earliest surviving example of art of early people -cows, bulls, horses, bison, deer are important -caves symbolizes the birth canal, w/ life emanating from it -paint animals that were important -natural rock contours -twisted perspective (The Cave Art)

CAMELID SACRUM
Tequixquiac, central Mexico
10,500 BCE
*pelvic bone

-Mesoamerica -related to reproduction, fertility, and reincarnation -animism -cosmological traditions -sacred bone -portal to translocation of shamans, spirits, and deities (Apollo 11 Stones)

RUNNING HORNED WOMAN
Tassili n' Ajjer, Algeria
5,000 BCE
*pigment on rock

-running woman -horns: ceremony attire -body paint: ritual -raffia skirt -horned goddess -made to record history -have a ritual context -face is featureless -twisted perspective (Nok Head)

BEAKER with IBEX MOTIFS
Susa, Iran
3,850 BCE
*painted terra cotta, hand carved

-Mesopotamian -relate to civilization's concept of death, dying, and afterlife -fertility or water -birds, animals -decoration and symbolism -geometric shapes -stylized (Terracotta fragments)

ANTHROPOMORPHIC STELE
Arabian peninsula
4th millennium BCE
*sandstone

-religious or burial practices -grave markers -unique to its religion -sandstone color -standing upright -shape of a warrior (Singing Man)

JADE CONG
Liangzhu, China
Neolithic period, Bronze Age
2,750 BCE
*carved jade

-Liangzhu culture -refers to spirits and deities -symbolic from energy -represents demons -square cross-section -circular hole (Jade disc)

STONEHENGE
Wiltshire, UK
Neolithic Europe
c. 2,050 BCE
*sandstone, post & lintel

-Salisbury Plain -built in a sacred place -ritual activities -arranged to face midsummer sunrise and midwinter sunset -looks like they are in formation (Easter Island)

AMBUM STONE
Ambum Valley, Enga Province, Paupa New Guinea
c. 1,500 BCE
*greywacke

-in various location in New Guinea -supernatural origins -mortars, pestles, and freestanding figures -geometric motifs -humans, birds (Bird Head)

TLATILCO FEMALE FIGURE
Central Mexico, site of Tlatilco
1,050 BCE
*ceramic w/ traces of pigment

-Las Bocas -famous "pretty ladies" -found in burials -fertility figurines -distinctive figurines -stylized motifs -slit eyes -downturned mouths (Early Preclassic Tlatilco female figurines)

TERRA COTTA FRAGMENT
Lapita, Solomon Islands, Reef Islands
1,000 BCE
*terra cotta (incised)

-wasn't suppose to be in fragments -cooking, serving, or storing food -geometric patterns -anthropomorphic faces and figures (Tlatilco Female Figurines)

The WHITE TEMPLE and ZIGGURAT
Uruk, Iraq
3,400 BCE
*mud bricks

-dedicated to the sky god Anu -built raised platform with four sloping sides -visual focal point of the city -visual connection to the god or goddess honored there -White temple was rectangular -long rectangular central hall with rooms on either side -three entrances, none of which faced the ziggurat ramp directly (Cylinder seals)

THE PALETTE of NARMER
Hierakonpolis, Egypt
Early Dynastic period
c. 2,950 BCE
*green schist, siltstone

-vitally important, but difficult to interpret -decorated on both faces with detailed low relief -shows King Narmer -used for grinding and mixing minerals for cosmetics -focus on human actions -used in temple ceremonies -unification of Upper and Lower Egypt (The Seated Scribe)

STATUETTES of TWO WORSHIPERS
Sumerian
2,750 BCE
*alabaster figures, limestone, stone, gypsum

-Square Temple in Eshnunna -Sumerian votive figures/offerings to God -religious -represents men and women who left prayers at temple -stylized face and body -worshiper stands: hands folded, arms across chest -men have similar beards -different sizes -huge eyes (Standard of Ur)

SEATED SCRIBE
near Tomb of Kai
5th Dynasty
*painted limestone

-round head -alert expression -cap of close-cropped hair -irregular contours of face -informal -cross-legged -naturalistic -flabby -meant to be seen in the front -funerary sculpture -meant for the afterlife -holding papyrus scroll -he's a scribe -high class (Hatshepsut)

STANDARD of UR (WAR and PEACE)
Ur, Mesopotamia
2,500 BCE
*shell, limestone, lapis lazuli, bitumen

-Royal Cemetery -people performing different roles -elaborate burial rituals -sound box for musical instrument -divided into three registers -wealthiest people are at the top -common laborers at the bottom (Victory Stele of Naram-Sin)

GIZA PLATEAU PLAN
El Giza, Egypt
2,560 BC
*limestone, mud bricks

-pyramids -square w/ four triangles -tombs for kings/royalty -stones -carried artifacts -for afterlife -one level (Plan of Karnak)

KING MENKAURE and his QUEEN
Giza, Egypt
Old Kingdom, Dynasty 4
2,480 BCE
*greywacke

-side by side -shows rebirth and afterlife -power is shown by left foot forward -wears royal beard -eternity and mortality (Sarcophagus of the Spouses)

CODE of HAMMURABI
Babylonian
1,771 BCE
*diorite

-basalt stele -well-preserved Babylonian law code of ancient Mesopotamia -erected by the king of Babylon -cuneiform script -Akkadian language -divided into three parts (Rosetta Stone)

KARNAK
Upper Egypt
New Kingdom
1,550 BCE
*sandstone

-temples, chapels, pylons, and other buildings -worship many gods -sacred -temple -worship rooms -long hallways -complex is a vast open-air museum (Valley of the Kings)

HATSHEPSUT TEMPLE
Thebes, Egypt
New Kingdom
1,465 BCE
*limestone

-mortuary temple -carved from mountain -subtractive -used to worship Queen Hatshepsut -one temple worship room -statues -walkways (Giza Plateau)

HATSHEPSUT
Egypt
18th Dynasty
New Kingdom
1,460 BCE
*granite

-head cloth: symbol of king -broad shoulders -sculpture of pharaoh -offering vessels, etc to god, Amun -female pharaoh -represented as male king -symbolic -mean to be seen in the front -kneeling (Seated Scribe)

AKHENATEN and his FAMILY
Middle Egypt
New Kingdom
Amarna period, 18th dynasty
c. 1,350 BCE
*limestone

-Pharaoh Akhenaten, his queen Nefertiti, and their three children -shows King Akhenaten and his family as a "Holy Family" -painted relief -sunken relief -kept in a private chapel of an Amarna house (The Palette Narmer)

TUTANKHAMUN'S TOMB
Valley of the Kings, Egypt
18th Dynasty
*lapis lazuli, turquoise, gold

-King Tutankhamun -innermost coffin and death mask -found on November 26, 1922 -royal burial ground located on the west bank of the ancient city of Thebes -strange animals, statues, and gold -held three coffins -semiprecious stones -wears royal beard holds the crook and flail, symbols of the king's right to rule -goddesses Nekhbet (vulture) and Wadjet (cobra) stretch their wings across his torso -Isis and Nephthys are underneath -eternity, mortality, power in afterlife (Nefertiti)

LAST JUDGEMENT of HUNEFER
Thebes, Egypt
c. 1,300 BCE
*papyrus

-Book of the Dead -shows the soul of the deceased (Hunefer) being led to judgment by Anubis -court of gods sits above -Hunefer's heart is weighed on the scales on the left, against the feather of truth on the right -gave instructions for afterlife -symbols of eternal life -narratives -human + god interaction (Head of Tutankhamun)

LAMASSU (human headed winged lion)
Palace of Sargon
Neo-Assyrian period
871 BCE
*alabaster (gypsum), carved out of stone

-sculpture -inscriptions -crown -ears of a bull -beard -horizontal bands -wings form a pattern -ringlets (Ashurbanipal hunting lions)

ATHENIAN AGORA
Athens, Greece
Classical period
6th century BC
*marble

-democracy -Goddess Athena: protector of the city -best-known example of an ancient Greek agora -Forum of Athens -has a peristyle court, tholos, agora stone, Temple of Hephaestus, Stoa of Zeus, Stoa of Hermes, etc. (Acropolis of Athens)

ANAVYSOS KOUROS
Anavyssos, Athens
Archaic period
c. 530 BCE
*parian marble w/ remains of paint

-found in a cemetery as a grave marker -free standing -naked youth -left leg forward and out -traditional hair -archaic smile (Peplos Kore)

PEPLOS KORE
Acropolis, Athens, Greece
Archaic period
530 BCE
*marble

-symmetric hair (braided and down) -goddess -originally painted -clothed (thick drapery) -stiff (no movement) -staring at you, hand clenched at side, archaic smile -meant to be viewed from the front (Anavysos Kouros)

SARCOPHAGUS of the SPOUSES
Banditaccia necropolis, Cerveteri, Italy
Etruscan
c. 520 BCE
*painted terracotta

-sarcophagus of married couple -ashes placed inside -both held objects in their hands: egg to symbolize life after death -concentration on upper body -broad shoulders: little anatomical modeling -made in 4 separate pieces joined together -ancient tradition of reclining while eating (King Menkaure and his Queen)

APADANA
Persepolis, Iran
5th century BC
*limestone

-Audience Hall of Darius and Xerxes -large hypostyle hall -massive columned hall used for receptions by the Kings -contained 72 columns and two monumental stairways -walls of the spaces and stairs were carved with hundreds of figures, several of which illustrated subject peoples of various ethnicities, bringing tribute to the Persian king (Gate of All Nations)

APADANA STAIRCASE
Persepolis, Iran
5th century BC
*limestone

-walls of the spaces and stairs were carved with hundreds of figures, several of which illustrated subject peoples of various ethnicities, bringing tribute to the Persian king (Gate of All Nations)

APOLLO of VEII
Portonaccio Temple, Veii, Italy
Etruscan
c. 510 BCE
*painted terra-cotta

-1 of 4 large figures that stood on roof -dedicated to Minerva -figure has spirit -archaic smile -meant to be seen from below (Peplos Kore)

TOMB of the TRICLINIUM
Tarquinia, Italy
c. 470 BCE
*tufa, painted frescoe

-Etruscan chamber tomb -a banquet, music and dancing -dancers and diners -painted frieze -women and men -stylized trees and birds (Sarcophagus of the Spouses)

NIOBIDES KRATER
ancient Athenian
c. 455 BCE
*clay, red-figure painting (white highlights)

-attic red-figure calyx-krater -to mix wine and water -mortal woman: Niobe -14 children: 7 daughters, 7 sons -Niobe bragged about her children to goddess Leto -Apollo and Artemis: children of Leto -Apollo and Artemis kills all 14 children -severe style: stiffness -violence in the back -Herackles is in the middle -sense of depth -asking Herackles for protection -contrast on both sides (Beaker with Ibex Motifs)

DORYPHOROS
Greece
Early Classical period
c. 445 BCE
*Roman marble copy after a Greek bronze original

-spear bearer -by Polykleitos -well-muscled standing athlete -a canon -uses math -contrappasto -sense of counterbalance (Anavysos Kouros)

PARTHENON
Acropolis, Athens
Classical period
440 BCE
*pentelic marble

-made for goddess Athena as a way to get closer to the goddess -doric with ionic elements -architecturally a temple -small shrine has been excavated within the building (Old Temple of Athena Nike)

EAST PEDIMENT SCULPTURES of the PARTHENON
Acropolis, Athens
Classical period
440 BCE
*marble

-Birth of Athena -setting is Olympus -includes Helios, Horses and Dionysus -maybe Heracles? -High Classical -parts of limbs of most figures are missing, most surfaces chipped and abraded (Plaque of the Ergastines)

PLAQUE of the ERGASTINES
Acroplolis, Athens
440 BCE
*Pentelic marble (Attica)

-fragment from the frieze on the east side of the Parthenon -would have been painted -people who wove peplos for for sculpture of Athena -animals brought for sacrifice -things needed for ancient ceremony -2 male figures (East Pediment Sculptures of the Parthenon)

VICTORY ADJUSTING her SANDAL
Temple of Athena Nike, Acropolis, Athens, Greece
410 BCE
*marble

-relief from the parapet around the temple -Nike -on the side of the temple -she has two wings -removing shoes to walk on sacred grounds -wearing wet drapery style clothing that allows her feminine form to show through her nearly transparent garment and its deep folds (Winged Victory of Samothrace)

GRAVE STELE of HEGESO
Dipylon Cemetary, Kerameikos, Athens, Greece
c. 410 BCE
*marble and paint

-funerary sculpture -Hegeso is a woman seated -opening box of jewelry, a necklace -domestic setting -plasters on both side of it -inscriptions above "Hegeso, daughter of Proxenos" -quiet reverence -foot resting on foot rest -wearing a sandal -solemn mood of grave stele (Victory Adjusting her Sandal)

WINGED VICTORY of SAMOTHRACE
Temple of Athena Nike, Acropolis, Athens, Greece
Hellenistic period
c. 190 BCE
*Lartos marble (ship) and Parian marble (figure)

-shows movement -9 feet high -portraying artful flowing drapery, as though the goddess was descending to alight upon the prow of a ship -Nike's right arm is believed to have been raised (Victory Adjusting her Sandal)

GREAT ALTAR of ZEUS and ATHENA at PERGAMON
Pergamon, Greece
Hellenistic period
175 BCE
*marble

-Athena is in control -base is decorated with a frieze in high relief -Olympians fighting Giants -goddess Hecate fights the giant Klytios -Artemis, armed with a bow and arrow against Otos -her hunting dog savages another Giant on the neck -Apollo just shot Ephialtes with an arrow (East Pediment Sculptures of the Parthenon)

HOUSE of VETTII
Pompeii, Italy
Imperial Roman
c. 2nd century BCE
*cut stone and fresco

-atrium -peristyle of fluted Doric columns surrounded on all sides by a richly fresco portico -has a triclinium (dining hall) -house have 30 rooms -stairways throughout the structure indicate that there was an upper level -decor is unified by the black backgrounds of its large fresco panels (Pantheon)

ALEXANDER MOSAIC from the HOUSE of the FAUN
House of the Faun, Pompeii
Hellenistic period
c. 100 B.E
*Roman copy (Pompeii) of a lost Greek painting

-mosaic (floor) -Persian soldier holding shield/reflection -vs. Persians -based on Greek paintings -found in a elaborately decorated mansion in Pompeii -was buried under ash before Mt. Versuvius erupted (Tomb of the Triclinium)

SEATED BOXER
Quirinal Hill of Rome, near the ancient Baths of Constantine
Hellenistic period
c. 100 BCE
*bronze

-hallow -sitting nude boxer at rest, still wearing his caestus, a type of leather hand-wrap -athletic, but not beautiful -boxer is physically hurt - top-heavy over-muscled torso -scarred and bruised face -cauliflower ears -broken nose, and a mouth suggesting broken teeth (Rottgen Pieta)

HEAD of a ROMAN PATRICIAN
Otricoli, Republican, Roman
c. 75 BCE
*marble

-Patrician class were the wealthy upper class -hooked nose -strong cheekbones -gravitas (seriousness of mind and virtue) -a sign of status and wealth -veristic portrait -idealized -exclusively made for men (Seated Boxer)

AUGUSTUS of PRIMAPORTA
Villa of Livia at Primaporta
Early Empire, Imperial rome
1st century CE
*marble

-Augustus is from divine lineage being a descendant of Julius Caesar -statue served as a vehicle for political propaganda -contrapposto -Cupid on dolphin shows that he is the son of Venus -youthful and athletic -successful military leader (Doryphoros)

COLOSSEUM
Rome, Italy
c. 75 CE
*concrete, sand

-Flavian Amphitheater -oval amphitheater in the center of the city -used for gladiatorial contests and public spectacles such as mock sea battles, animal hunts, executions, re-enactments of famous battles, and dramas based on Classical mythology -had numbers -seated according to status -double theater -arches framed by columns -Tuscan, Ionic, Corinthian (Pantheon)

FORUM of TRAJAN
Rome, Italy
ancient Rome
112 CE
*stone

-by Apollodorus of Damascus -Column of Trajan -Trajan markets -sculpture of Trajan in the middle -libraries built of bricks -Temple of Trajan -composed of a main square that was flanked by porticoes, as well as by exedrae on the eastern and western sides (Basilica Ulpia)

PANTHEON
Rome, Italy
c. 125 CE
*stone

-completed by the emperor Hadrian -temple for the gods (church) -massive bronze doors -oculus, perfect sphere -all viewers could see the building -bowl-shaped dome -portico of large granite Corinthian columns under a pediment (Forum of Trajan)

LUDOVISI BATTLE SARCOPHAGUS
Rome, Italy
c. 255 CE
*marble

-Romans vs. Barbarians (Goths) -made Romans look like good guys -piled on top of one another -man in the middle is the hero -figures on the bottom are smaller (Great Altar of Zeus and Athena at Pergamon)

CATACOMB of PRISCILLA
Via Salaria, Rome, Italy
late 2nd century-4th century CE
*dirt-lined walls

-quarry was used for Christian burials -some of the walls and ceilings display fine decorations illustrating Biblical scenes -square chamber with an arch which contains 3rd century frescoes interpreted to be Old and New Testament scenes, including the Fractio Panis -also has a depiction of the Annunciation (Santa Sabina)

SANTA SABINA
Aventine Hill, Rome, Italy
Late Antique
c. 432 CE
*brick, stone, and wooden roof

-church -large windows made of selenite -wooden doors is generally agreed to be the original door -walls originally were decorated with mosaics -light was a symbol for Christ (Catacomb of Priscilla)

VIENNA GENESIS
Syria
early Byzantine
early 6th century
*tempera, gold, and silver on purple vellum

-Jacob Wrestling the Angel -Rebecca and Eliezer at the Well -oldest well-preserved, surviving, illustrated biblical codex -illustrations are done in a naturalistic style -each illustration is painted at the bottom of a single page (Lindisfarne Gospels)

SAN VITALE
San Vitale, Ravenna
526 CE
*mosaic

-Emperor Justinian and his attendants -Justinian and Theodora panels -important surviving examples of Byzantine architecture and mosaic work -he is haloed and wears a crown and a purple imperial robe (Virgin (Theotokos) and Child between Saints Theodore and George)

HAGIA SOPHIA
Istanbul
early Byzantine Art
535 CE
*brick, ceramic elements with stone and mosaic veneer

-Christian basilica, later an Mosque, and now a museum in Istanbul, Turkey -centrally planned and axially planned church, nave, dome supported by pendentives -longitudinal plan, central plan -Hypostyle Hall (Great Mosque)

MEROVINGIAN LOOPED FIBULAE
Jouy-le-Comte, France
mid 6th century
*silver gilt filigree, garnet, additional stones

-brooches that were made popular by Roman military campaigns -consist of a body, a pin, and a catch -pendants could have been hung from the small loops on the bottom on each fibulae -example of barbarian metalwork and cloisonné (Sutton Hoo purse lid)

VIRGIN (THEOTOKOS) and CHILD between SAINTS THEODORE and GEORGE
Monastery of St. Catherine, Mount Sinai, Egypt
early Byzantine Europe
6th or early 7th century
*encaustic on wood

-icon placed in a medieval monastery -Virgin Mary and her son sit centrally placed in the image -Saint George and Saint Theodore stand stiffly engaging the viewer with their eyes -Angels look towards Heaven towards the hand of God -different styles lead scholars to believe that the image was created by multiple artists -religious icon -large eyes -syncretic (San Vitale)

LINDISFARNE GOSPELS
Lindisfarne, Britain
Hiberno-Saxon Medieval
c. 700 CE
* ink, pigment, gold, vellum

-illuminated manuscript gospel book -very ornate due to the rarity of books of the time and their importance. -"Incipit" meaning the opening words of Luke's gospel -numerous Celtic spiral ornaments -set patterns appear in the large O (Vienna Genesis)

GREAT MOSQUE
Córdoba, Spain
c. 785 BCE
*stone

-514 columns -wooden roof originality -Moorish Portal (large decorative doors): 965 -Arabesque above portal -South side of Mesquita -Illusion of lace, overlapping -Maqusura: screened in Quibla area for ruler -squinch and criss-crossed arch (Great Mosque of Damascus)

PYXIS of AL-MUGHIRA
Muslim, Spain
Islamic period
968 CE
*carved ivory with traces of jade

-container for expensive aromatics -Calligraphic inscriptions in Arabic identify owner -asks for Allah's blessings, and tells us the function -gift for the caliph's younger son -eight medallion scenes showing pleasure activities of the royal court; hunting, falconry, sports, musicians, horror vacui, vegetal and geometric motifs (Narmer Palette)

CHURCH of SAINTE-FOY and RELIQUARY
Sainte Foy, Conques, France
Romanesque
late 10th to early 11th century
*gold, silver gilt, jewels, and cameos over a wooden core

-reliquary of a young girl martyred in the early fourth century -Sainte Foy refused to sacrifice to the Roman gods in pagan ritual -relics of her body stolen from a nearby town and enthroned in Conques in 866. (Relic (tibia) of St. Mary Magdalene)

BAYEUX TAPESTRY, FIRST MEAL
Bayeux, France
Romanesque
c. 1,070
*embroidery on linen (Bayeux)

-tells part of the narrative of William's conquest of England at the Battle of Hastings -section in particular tells of servants preparing a feast, then the food being blessed by Bishop Odo -narrative -flat figures -neutral background -several registers (Ludovisi Battle Sarcophagus)

CHARTRES CATHEDRAL
Chartres, France
c.1,145
*stone

-medieval Catholic cathedral -following the destruction of a fire, the left side of the cathedral was rebuilt in High Gothic style -known for flying buttresses that helped it be built so high and let in so much light -lots of stained glass on the sides and the rose window (Notre Dame Cathedral)

DEDICATION PAGE with BLANCHE of CASTILE and KING LOUIS IX of FRANCE
Paris, France
c. 1,230
*folded page

-moralized bible -quire (folded page) of a three-volume bible -in the upper register, an enthroned king and queen wear the traditional medieval open crown topped with fleur-de-lys—a stylized iris or lily symbolizing a French monarch's religious, political, and dynastic right to rule -Louis IX, wearing an open crown atop his head, returns his mother's glance (The Golden Haggadah)

ROTTGEN PIETA
Rhineland, Germany
c. 1,320
*painted wood

-pieta - crucified christ lying on grieving mary -drained of blood tissue and muscle -increased the tragic tone with religious art, for private devotion called vespors (evening prayers) -she is youthful and draped in heavy robes like many of the other Marys, but her facial expression is different -shows pain and loss (Berlinghieri, St. Francis altarpiece)

ARENA (SCROVEGNI) CHAPEL
Florence, Italy
late medieval
1,305
*bricks

-became famous for its interior paintings -chancel (thin little passage way) -top left-window with flap over it now-window would've been connected to palace (Golden Haggadah)

GOLDEN HAGGADAH
northern Spain, Barcelona
c. 1,320
*medieval illuminated manuscript

-preparation for the Passover festival -Miriam (Moses' sister) holding a timbrel decorated with an Islamic motif -is joined by maidens dancing and playing contemporary musical instruments -master of the house, sitting under a canopy, orders the distribution of matzoh (unleavened bread) and haroset (a sweet made from nuts and fruit) to the children - house is prepared for Passover (Saint Louis Bible)

ALHAMBRA
Granada, Spain
beginning 14th century
*carved stucco, paint

-originally constructed as a small fortress in 889 -renovated and rebuilt in the mid-13th century by the Nasrid Dynasty - the last Muslims to rule in Spain -a residence for the ruler and close family, the citadel, Alcazaba - barracks for the guards who were responsible for the safety of the complex, and an area called medina (or city), where court officials lived and worked -3 royal palaces: Comares Palace, Palace of the Lions, and Partal Palace (Mosque of Córdoba)

ANNUNCIATION TRIPTYCH (MERODE ALTARPIECE)
Tournai, South Netherlands
1,425-1,428
*tempera and oil on panel

-portraits of the donors are in the left panel -figure of the female donor, and the servant behind her, appear to have been added to the painting after completion by a different artist, maybe after the donor married -central panel shows an Annunciation to Mary -tiny figure of Christ, holding a cross, flies down towards Mary, representing her impregnation by God (Ghent Altarpiece)

PAZZI CHAPEL
Santa Croce, Florence, Italy
1,420-1,460
*bearing masonry

-built as a perfect space with harmonious proportions -chapel, used as the chapter house by Santa Croce friars, is proceeded by an atrium, a sort of entrance hall, supported by six Corinthian columns placed next to the central arch -rectangular layout has a square room, covered by an umbrella-shaped dome, and two sides of the remaining space, covered by a barrel vault w/ round windows (Basilica of Santa Croce)

The ARNOLFINI PORTRAIT
Bruges, Belgium
Northern/Early Renaissance
1,434
*tempera and oil on wood

-Portrait of Giovanni Arnolfini and his Wife -subject: marriage -glowing colors help to highlight the realism -shows material wealth and opulence of Arnolfini -they are richly dressed -large expensive brass chandelier -convex mirror (Mérode Altarpiece)

DAVID
Florence, Italy
Italian/Early Renaissance
c. 1,440
*bronze

-by Donatello -posed with his foot on Goliath's severed head just after defeating the giant -youth is completely naked, apart from a hat and boots, bearing the sword of Goliath -David has confidence and pride -relaxed contrapposto -shows homoeroticism (David (Michelangelo))

PALAZZO RUCELLAI
Florence, Italy
c. 1,446-1,451
*stone

-humanist architecture for a private home -facade is divided into three tiers -divided with the horizontal entablatures that run across the facade -cross-hatched, or rusticated stone runs across the bottom of the building, as well as large stone blocks, square windows, and portals of post and lintel construction in place of arches (Palazzo Medici Riccardi)

MADONNA and CHILD with TWO ANGELS
Florence, Italy
Italian Renaissance
c. 1,460-1,465
*tempera on panel

-Madonna sits on a chair, at the window of a house located on a hilltop -her eyes are pointed down, her hands are folded in prayers before child Jesus -Jesus is held up by two angels -Madonna resembles other Madonnas from the same artist (Primavera)

BIRTH of VENUS
Florence, Itlay
Early Renaissance
1,483-1,485
*tempera on panel

-Venus rises from the sea -looks like a classical statue and floating on a seashell -on Venus' right is Zephyrus, God of Winds, he carries with him the gentle breeze Aura and together they blow the Goddess of Love ashore -Horae, Goddess of the Seasons, waits to receive Venus and spreads out a flower covered robe in readiness for the Love Goddess' arrival (Primavera)

LAST SUPPER
Milan, Italy
1,495-1,498
*oil, tempera, fresco

-final meal that Jesus shared with his Apostles in Jerusalem before his crucifixion -Andrew, Judas, Peter, John, Christ, Thomas -dense with symbolic references -attributes identify each apostle -balanced composition is anchored by an equilateral triangle formed by Christ's body (The Baptism of Christ)

ADAM and EVE
Nuremberg, Germany
1,504
*engraving

-Adam and Eve stand together in a dense, dark forest -foreign and unexpected motifs intrude into this German wood -bodies are frontal, they stand in a classical contrapposto, where the weight of the body is shifted onto one foot -their heads are turned to the side as they gaze at one another -Eve is plucking an apple from a tree with fig leaves (The Creation of Adam depicted in the Sistine Chapel)

SISTINE CHAPEL ceiling and altar wall frescos
Vatican City, Rome
1,508-1,512
*fresco

-Ceiling of the Sistine Chapel (including the Creation of Adam) -Last Judgment (altar wall, Sistine Chapel) -Creation of the Heavens and Earth, Creation of Adam and Eve, Expulsion from the Garden of Eden, Noah and the Great Flood (The Last Judgement)

SCHOOL of ATHENS
Vatican City, Rome
High Renaissance
1,509-1,511
*fresco

-represents all greatest mathematicians, philosophers, scientists from classical antiquity gathered together to share ideas and learn from each other -Aristotle (on the right) and Plato (on the left, pointing up) -Plato points up because in his philosophy the world that we see around us is just a shadow of a higher, truer reality that is eternal and unchanging -Plato holds his book called the Timaeus -Aristotle holds his hand down, because in his philosophy, the only reality is the one that we can see and experience by sight and touch (The Last Judgement)

ISENHEIM ALTARPIECE
Isenheim, Germany
c. 1,510-1,515
*oil on wood

-created to serve as the central object of devotion in an Isenheim hospital -a bearded and enthroned St. Anthony flanked by standing figures of St. Jerome and St. Augustine -carved Christ stands at the center of seated apostles, six to each side, grouped in separate groups of three (St. Wolfgang Altarpiece)

ENTOMBMENT of CHRIST
Florence, Italy
Baroque, Renaissance
Christian art
1,525-1,528
*oil on panel

-was dedicated to the Pietà -is aided by Saint John, who is holding Christ's hand, and by Nicodemus, with his back to us -enveloping the body in a white shroud before it is taken to the tomb -Virgin Mary is present, supported by Mary Magdalene in her grief -entire composition of the painting is defined by the horizontal line of Christ's body (The Calling of St Matthew)

ALLEGORY of LAW and GRACE
Gotha, Germany
1529
*oil on wood

-the Old and the New Testament -a tree at centre, dividing the sheet into two halves -Death and a devil drive a naked man into hell -Fall is depicted and in the sky the Last Judgement -in the foreground stands St John with a man, pointing to Christ on the cross at upper right (The Allegory of Salvation and Sin)

VENUS of URBINO
Florence, Italy
1538
*oil on canvas

-depicts a nude young woman, the goddess Venus, reclining on a couch or bed in the sumptuous surroundings of a Renaissance palace -figure's pose is based on Giorgione's Sleeping Venus -domesticated Venus by moving her to an indoor setting, engaging her with the viewer, making her sensuality explicit -Venus stares straight at the viewer, unconcerned with her nudity -in her right hand she holds a posy of roses whilst she holds her other hand over her genitals -in the background is a dog, a symbol of fidelity (Sacred and Profane Love)

FRONTISPIECE of the CODEX MENDOZA
Viceroyalty of New Spain
c. 1,541-1,542
*pigment on paper

-Aztec codex -contains a history of the Aztec rulers and their conquests, a list of the tribute paid by the conquered, and a description of daily Aztec life -in traditional Aztec pictograms with Spanish explanations and commentary (Florentine Codex)

Il GESU, including TRIUMPH of the NAME of JESUS CEILING FRESCO
Church of Il Gesu, Rome
consecrated 1584
*ceiling fresco

-an allegory of the work of the Jesuits that envelops worshippers (or observers) below into the whirlwind of devotion -swirling figures in the dark distal (entry) border of the composition frame base the open sky, ever rising upward toward a celestial vision of infinite depth -light from Jesus' name and symbol of the Jesuit order is gathered by patrons and saints above the clouds (Saint Ignatius Chapel, Il Gesù)

HUNTERS in the SNOW, PIETER BRUEGEL the ELDER
Netherlands
Northern Renaissance
1,565
*oil on wood

-wintry scene in which three hunters are returning from an expedition accompanied by their dogs -hunters appear to trudge wearily -dogs appear downtrodden and miserable -one man carries the "meagre corpse of a fox" illustrating the paucity of the hunt -colors are muted whites and grays -trees are bare of leaves, and wood smoke hangs in the air (Calling of Saint Matthew and Inspiration of St. Matthew)

MOSQUE of SELIM II
Edirne, Turkey
1,568-1,575
*cut stone, marble

-surrounded by four tall minarets -in front of the mosque sits a rectangular court with an area equal to that of the mosque -mihrab is pushed back into an apse-like alcove with a space with enough depth to allow for window illumination from three sides -formed by eight massive dome supports, the octagon is pierced by four half dome covered corners of the square (Great Mosque at Cordoba)

CALLING of SAINT MATTHEW
San Luigi dei Francesi, Rome
Baroque
Christian art
c. 1,599-1,600
*oil on canvas

-depicts the story from the Gospel of Matthew -depicts Matthew the tax collector sitting at a table with four other men -Jesus Christ and Saint Peter have entered the room, and Jesus is pointing at Matthew -a beam of light illuminates the faces of the men at the table who are looking at Jesus Christ (Hunters in the Snow)

The PRESENTATION of the PORTRAIT of MARIE DE' MEDICI
Luxembourg Palace, Paris
c. 1,622-1,625
*oil on canvas

-Hymenaios, the god of marriage, displays the princess Marie on canvas to her future king and husband -Jupiter and Juno are sitting atop clouds looking down on Henry as they provide the viewer a key example of marital harmony and thus show approval for the marriage -the marriage between Marie de' Medici and Henry IV (San Carlo alle Quattro Fontane)

SELF-PORTRAIT with SASKIA
Rijksmuseum, Amsterdam
1,636
*etching

-Rembrandt's wife, Saskia van Uylenburgh -produced only two years after their marriage, depicts the thirty-year-old Rembrandt and his new bride -Saskia is seated by his side (The Presentation of the Portrait of Marie de' Medici)

SAN CARLO ALLE QUATTRO FONTANE
Rome, Italy
Baroque
1,646
*stone and stucco

-tall corinthian columns stand on plinths and bear the main entablatures -between the columns, smaller columns with their entablatures weave behind the main columns and in turn they frame niches, windows, a variety of sculptures as well as the main door -central oval aedicule of the upper order and the oval framed medallion borne aloft by angels (Triumph of the Name of Jesus ceiling fresco)

ECSTASY of SAINT TERESA
Cornaro Chapel, Santa Maria della Vittoria, Rome
Baroque
1,647-1,652
*white marble

-life-size -Teresa is shown lying on a cloud indicating that this is intended to be a divine apparition we are witnessing -group is illuminated by natural light which filters through a hidden window in the dome of the surrounding aedicule, and underscored by gilded stucco rays -Teresa's experience of religious ecstasy in her encounter with the angel (Las Meninas)

ANGEL with ARQUEBUS, ASIEL TIMOR DEI
Peru
Southern Baroque
before 1728
*oil on canvas and gilding

-elements: guns, angels and fashion -depict an archangel -angels wear the typical clothing of the Spanish aristocracy as this time with a gun (arquebus) -angel is shown wearing Spanish dress -conveys how the Spaniards influenced culture in South America (Las Meninas)

LAS MENINAS
Spain
Spanish Baroque
c. 1,656
*oil on canvas

-painting of a portrait of the royal couple -presents several figures, most identifiable from the Spanish court -young Infanta Margaret Theresa is surrounded by her entourage of maids of honour, chaperone, bodyguard, two dwarfs and a dog -behind them, Velázquez portrays himself working at a large canvas (Woman Holding a Balance)

WOMAN HOLDING a BALANCE
Baroque
1,664
*oil on canvas

-light flows from a window, accentuating a hand, a sleeve, a face -a painting of the Last Judgment -in the center hangs a balance, empty but for the light itself -an open jewelry box, the pearls and gold within spilling over -representation of divine truth or justice (The Milkmaid)

The PALACE at VERSAILLES
Versailles, France
French Baroque
1,664-1,710
*limestone, bricks

-Versailles was meant to emphasize Louis's importance -lots of gold -room after room of marble and gold and paintings -ceilings painted to place Louis in the company of the Greek gods, busts of him in a huge formal curly wig staring at you -700 rooms inside the palace -Hall of Mirrors (Hall of Mirrors)

SCREEN with SIEGE of BELGRADE and HUNTING SCENE
Mexico
c. 1,697-1,701
*oil on wood, inlaid with mother-of-pearl

-scene from the Great Turkish War -on its front side was an ideal propagandistic backdrop of Habsburg power for the reception of the viceroy's official international visitors -decorative hunting scene on the reverse (Marriage A-la-Mode)

The VIRGIN of GUADALUPE (VIRGEN DE GUADALUPE)
Basilica of Guadalupe, Mexico City
late 17th century
*oil paint, gilding

-mother of pearl on panel -she is often celebrated in art as a mother, wife, and queen -Guadalupe averts her gaze and clasps her hands together in piety -stands on a crescent moon, and is partially supported by a seraph (holy winged-being) below -she wears Mary's traditional colors, including a brilliant blue cloak over her dress -embroidered roses decorate her rose-colored dress -golden stars adorn her cloak and a mandorla of light surrounds her (Basilica of Our Lady of Guadalupe)

FRUIT and INSECTS
Florence, Italy
1,711
*oil on wood

-still life of fruits, animals and insects on a moss floor -the landing butterfly is about to have a close encounter with the lizard -nest symbolizes new life to come (Flower Still Life)

SPANIARD and INDIAN PRODUCE a MESTIZO, attributed to JUAN RODRIGUEZ JUAREZ
Mexico
second half of the 18th century
*oil on canvas

-painting displays a Spanish father and Indigenous mother with their son -attempts to capture reality, yet they are largely fictions -casta paintings display a mother, father, and a child -possibly modeled on depictions of the Holy family showing the Virgin Mary, saint Joseph, and Christ as a child (Virgin of Guadalupe)

The TETE A TETE, from MARRIAGE A LA MODE
France
Rococo
c. 1,743
*oil on canvas

-marriage of the Viscount and the merchant's daughter is quickly proving a disaster -the party from night before hasn't been cleaned up -the servants are just waking up -the husband looks bored, dishevelled and distracted, and has returned exhausted from what was likely a trip to a brothel -the dog sniffs a lady's cap in his pocket (Marriage à-la-mode)

PORTRAIT of SOR JUANA INES DE LA CRUZ
Mexico
c. 1,750
*oil on canvas

-famous depiction of the esteemed Mexican nun and writer -corresponded with scientists, theologians, and other literary intellectuals in Mexico and abroad -she wrote poetry and plays that became internationally famous, and even engaged in theological debates -portrait insists on her status as an intellectual (Portrait of the Reverend Mother María Antonia de Rivera)

A PHILOSOPHER GIVING a LECTURE on the ORRERY
Europe
c. 1,763-1,765
*oil on canvas

-in which a lamp is put in place of the sun -two young boys, gazing over the edge of the contraption in playful wonder -a teenage girl, her arms resting on the machine, in quiet contemplation -a young man shielding his eyes from the brilliance of the light emanating from the center -a standing man taking copious notes on the proceedings (The Alchemist Discovering Phosphorus)

The SWING
France
Rococo
c. 1,767
*oil on canvas

-painting depicts a young man hidden in the bushes, watching a woman on a swing, being pushed by an elderly man, almost hidden in the shadows, and unaware of the lover -as the lady goes high on the swing, she lets the young man take a furtive peep under her dress, all while flicking her own shoe off in the direction of a statue of the Greek god of discretion and turning her back to two angelic cherubim on the side of the older man (A Young Girl Reading)

MONTICELLO
Charlottesville, Virginia
Neoclassical architecture
1,770-1,806
*bricks, structural wooden timbers

-was the primary plantation of Thomas Jefferson, the third President of the United States -a talented architect of neoclassical buildings, he designed Monticello -dome, porticos supported by Doric columns, and cornices and friezes derived from classical Roman buildings (Ash Lawn-Highland)

The OATH of the HORATII
France
Neoclassicism
1,784
*oil on canvas

-depicts a scene from a Roman legend about a dispute between two warring cities, Rome and Alba Longa, and stresses the importance of patriotism and masculine self-sacrifice for one's country -depicts three men, brothers, saluting toward three swords held up by their father as the women behind him grieve (The Death of Socrates)

GEORGE WASHINGTON
Richmond, Virginia
1,788-1,792
*marble

-depicts a standing life-sized Washington -in his right hand is a cane, his left arm rests on a fasces on which is slung his cape and sword, and at the back is a plow -he is shown wearing his military uniform, as Washington wished to be depicted in contemporary attire (George Washington)

SELF-PORTRAIT
Paris, France
1,790
*oil on canvas

-Vigee Le Brun started the self portrait while in Florence but finished it in Rome -she is sunny, smiling, happy, and youthful -subject of the painting within the painting is Marie Antoinette (St. Luca Self Portrait)

Y NO HAI REMEDIO (And THERE'S NOTHING to BE DONE), from LOS DESASTRES DE LA GUERRA (The DISASTERS of WAR), PLATE 15
Europe
1,810
*etching, drypoint, burin and burnisher

-a man, blind-folded, head downcast, stands bound to a wooden pole -his white clothes, despite tears and rips, seem to emit light; although the man's off-kilter posture signifies defeat, he is yet heroic -on the ground in front of him is a corpse, contorted, the spine twisted, arms and legs sprawled in opposite directions (Third of May)

LA GRANDE ODALISQUE
Paris, France
Neoclassicism
1,814
*oil on canvas

-the peacock fan, the turban, the enormous pearls, the hookah -reclining nude figure, though the actual pose of a reclining figure looking back over her shoulder -portrays a concubine in languid pose as seen from behind with distorted proportions -small head, elongated limbs, and cool color scheme all reveal influences from Mannerists (The Valpinçon Bather)

LIBERTY LEADING the PEOPLE
Paris, France
Romanticism
1,830
*oil on canvas

-commemorating the July Revolution of 1830, which toppled King Charles X of France -a woman personifying the concept and the goddess of Liberty leads the people forward over the bodies of the fallen, holding the flag of the French Revolution - the tricolour flag, which remains France's national flag - in one hand and brandishing a bayonetted musket with the other -figure of Liberty is also viewed as a symbol of France and the French Republic known as Marianne (Death of Sardanapalus)

VIEW from MOUNT HOLYOKE, NORTHAMPTON, MASSACHUSETTS, AFTER a THUNDERSTORM—The OXBOW
Northampton, Massachusetts
1,836
*oil on canvas

-painting depicts a Romantic panorama of the Connecticut River Valley just after a thunderstorm -it has been interpreted as a confrontation between wilderness and civilization -painting moves from a dark wilderness with shattered tree trunks on rugged cliffs in the foreground covered with violent rain clouds on the left to a light-filled and peaceful, cultivated landscape on the right, which borders the tranquility of the bending Connecticut River (The Course of Empire)

STILL LIFE in STUDIO
France
1,837
*photography

-still life with plaster casts -part of the blurry quality is due to changing conditions during the long exposure time, causing the resolution, or clarity of the image, to be grainy and hard to read -many of Niépce's early images simply turned black over time due to continued exposure to light (Boulevard du Temple)

SLAVE SHIP (SLAVERS THROWING OVERBOARD the DEAD and DYING, TYPHOON COMING ON)
Boston, Massachusetts
Romanticism
1,840
*oil on canvas

-in 1781, the captain of the slave ship Zong had ordered 133 slaves to be thrown overboard so that insurance payments could be collected -an enormous deep-red sunset over a stormy sea, an indication of an approaching typhoon -a ship sailing off into the distance -masts of the ship are red, matching the blood-red colour of the sky and the sickly copper colour of the water, which serves to blur the lines between various objects in the painting -ship's sails are also not unfurled, revealing that the ship is preparing for the typhoon (Rain, Steam and Speed - The Great Western Railway)

PALACE of WESTMINSTER (HOUSES of PARLIAMENT)
London, England
1,840-1,870
*sand-coloured limestone, anston stone

-transformed from royal residence to the home of a modern democracy -Gothic architecture -mixture of both ancient and modern buildings -houses an iconic collection of furnishings, archives and works of art -meeting place of the House of Commons and the House of Lords, the two houses of the Parliament of the United Kingdom (Portcullis House)

The STONEBREAKERS
France
Realism
1,849
*oil on canvas

-depicting two peasants, a young man and an old man, breaking rocks -it was destroyed during World War II -workers, as he had seen them, in monumental form (The Gleaners)

NADAR ELEVATING PHOTOGRAPHY to ART
Le Boulevard, France
May 25, 1863
*lithograph

-Nadar capturing the first aerial photographs from the basket of a hot air balloon -a mad scientist or absent-minded professor figure -Nadar is unwittingly about to lose his top hat -below him, inscribed on every building in Paris, is the word "Photographie" -collodion method was introduced in 1851 -this process involved fixing a substance known as gun cotton onto a glass plate, allowing for an even shorter exposure time (3-5 minutes), as well as a clearer image (The Open Door)

OLYMPIA
Paris, France
1,863
*oil on canvas

-shows a nude woman "Olympia" lying on a bed being brought flowers by a black servant -her confrontational gaze caused shock and astonishment when the painting was first exhibited because a number of details in the picture identified her as a prostitute -the orchid in her hair, bracelet, pearl earrings and the oriental shawl on which she lies, symbols of wealth and sensuality -the black ribbon around her neck, in stark contrast with her pale flesh, and her cast-off slipper underline the voluptuous atmosphere (La Grande Odalisque)

The SAINT-LAZARE STATION
Paris, France
1,877
*oil painting

-is one of the six large terminus railway stations of Paris -this train station is an astonishing composition in which the hard-edged discs of the railroad signals hover above a rapidly scribbled swirl of blue and rose clouds of steam, with scrolled white edges, while the sketchy, angular drawing of the tracks and buildings provides contrast -flat, opaque circle of the largest signal, placed dead center and thickly painted, is so insistent that it turns the picture into a near-abstraction (Le Pont de l'Europe)

The HORSE in MOTION
Palo Alto track, California
19th June 1878
*sequence of photographs

-study of the horse at a gallop -he placed numerous large glass-plate cameras in a line along the edge of the track -the shutter of each was triggered by a thread as the horse passed -new photographic methods that were capable of nearly instantaneous exposure (Boys playing Leapfrog)

The VALLEY of MEXICO from the HILLSIDE of SANTA ISABEL
Santa Isabel Mountain Range, Mexico
1,875
*oil on canvas

-Valley of Mexico from the Hillside of Santa Isabel represents an important period in the development of Mexico's national identity and an important chapter in the history of Mexican art -glorifies Mexican countryside -primarily an academic landscape painter -dramatic perspective (The Valley of Mexico from the Hill in Tenayo)

The BURGHERS of CALAIS
Paris, France
1,884-1,895
*bronze

-six men covered only in simple layers of tattered sackcloth -their bodies appearing thin and malnourished with bones and joints clearly visible -each has their own stance and identifiable features -some figures have their heads bowed or their faces obscured by raised hands -others try to stand tall with their eyes gazing into the distance (The Gates of Hell)

The STARRY NIGHT
Saint-Rémy-de-Provence, France
Dutch
1,889
*oil on canvas

-depicts the view from the east-facing window of his asylum room at Saint-Rémy-de-Provence, just before sunrise, with the addition of an idealized village -curving, swirling lines of hills, mountains, and sky, the brilliantly contrasting blues and yellows, the large, flame-like cypress trees, and the thickly layered brushstrokes -rich mixture of invention, remembrance, and observation -uses simplified forms, thick impasto, and boldly contrasting colors (Green Field)

The COIFFURE
Paris, France
1,890-1,891
*drypoint and aquatint on laid paper

-depicts a young woman in a private moment, as she pins up her hair for the day -straight lines of the mirror and wall and the chair's vertical stripes contrast with the graceful curves of the woman's body -rose and peach color scheme enhances her sinuous beauty by highlighting her delicate skin tone -emphasizes the nape of the woman's neck, perhaps in reference to a traditional Japanese sign of beauty (Takashima Ohisa Using Two Mirrors to Observe Her Coiffure)

The SCREAM
Oslo, Norway
1,893 C.E.
*tempera on board

-androgynous, skull-shaped head, elongated hands, wide eyes, flaring nostrils and ovoid mouth -swirling blue landscape and especially the fiery orange and yellow sky -portrayed pure, raw emotion -two faceless upright figures in the background belong to the geometric precision of the bridge (Anxiety)

WHERE DO WE COME FROM? WHAT ARE WE? WHERE ARE WE GOING?
Paris, France
1,897-1,898
*oil on canvas

-huge, brilliantly colored but enigmatic work painted on rough, heavy sackcloth -contains numerous human, animal, and symbolic figures arranged across an island landscape -sea and Tahiti's volcanic mountains are visible in the background (Two Tahitian Women)

CARSON, PIRIE, SCOTT and COMPANY BUILDING
Chicago
1,899-1,903 C.E.
*iron, steel, glass, and terra cotta

-example of early Chicago skyscraper architecture -remarkably successful display for the department store's products -elaborate decorative program and attention paid to the functional requirements of retail architecture -a base level with a ground floor for businesses that require easy public access, light, and open space -a second story also publicly accessible by stairways (Wainwright Building)

MONT SAINTE-VICTOIRE
France, Europe
1,902-1,904 C.E.
*oil on canvas

-a mountain in southern France, overlooking Aix-en-Provence -often sketched the railway bridge on the Aix-Marseille line at the Arc River Valley in the center on the right side of the picture -uses different colours to represent the depth of objects -displays less precise brushstrokes allowing the shape of the mountain to emerge from the canvas like an apparition (Mont Sainte-Victoire and Château Noir)

LES DEMOISELLES d'AVIGNON
Spain
Cubism
1,907
*oil on canvas

-portrays five nude female prostitutes from a brothel on Carrer d'Avinyó (Avinyó Street) in Barcelona -each figure is depicted in a disconcerting confrontational manner and none are conventionally feminine -women appear as slightly menacing and rendered with angular and disjointed body shapes (Le bonheur de vivre)

The STEERAGE
Plymouth, England
1,907
*photogravure

-captures in a single image both a formative document of its time and one of the first works of artistic modernism -depicts a variety of men and women traveling in the lower-class section of a steamer going from New York to Bremen, Germany (The City of Ambition)

The KISS
Austria
1,907-1,908
*oil and gold leaf on canvas

-a perfect square -intense ornament on the embracing couple's gilded clothing, so thoroughly intertwined that the two bodies seem to be one -elaborate robes decorated in a style influenced by both linear constructs of the contemporary Art Nouveau style and the organic forms of the earlier Arts and Crafts movement (The Kiss)

The KISS
France, Europe
1,916
*limestone

-reflecting the influence of Cubism in its sharply defined corners -its composition, texture, and material highlight Brancusi's fascination with both the forms and spirituality of African, Assyrian, and Egyptian art -sculptures signify his shift toward simplified forms (The Kiss)

The PORTUGUESE
France, Europe
Cubism
1,911
*oil on canvas

-in this canvas, everything was fractured -guitar player and the dock was just so many pieces of broken form, almost broken glass -by breaking these objects into smaller elements, Braque was able to overcome the unified singularity of an object and instead transform it into an object of vision (The Reservoir, Horta de Ebro)

The GOLDFISH
France
1,912
*oil on canvas

-goldfish became a recurring subject in the work of Matisse -bright orange strongly contrasts with the more subtle pinks and greens that surround the fish bowl and the blue-green background -Blue and orange, as well as green and red, are complementary colors and, when placed next to one another, appear even brighter (Goldfish and Sculpture)

IMPROVISATION 28 (second version)
France
1,912
*oil on canvas

-painting's sweeping curves and forms, which dissolve significantly but remain vaguely recognizable, seem to reveal cataclysmic events on the left and symbols of hope and the paradise of spiritual salvation on the right -style had become more abstract and nearly schematic in its spontaneity (Improvisation 26)

SELF-PORTRAIT as a SOLDIER
Germany
1,915
*oil on canvas

-a masterpiece of psychological drama -painting shows Kirchner dressed in a uniform but instead of standing on a battlefield, he is standing in his studio with an amputated, bloody arm and a nude model behind him -documents the artist's fear that the war would destroy his creative powers and in a broader sense symbolizes the reactions of the artists of his generation who suffered the kind of physical and mental damage Kirchner envisaged in this painting (Self-Portrait with a Model)

MEMORIAL SHEET of KARL LIEBKNECHT
Germany
1,919-1,920
*woodcut heightened with white and black ink

-created in 1920 in response to the assassination of Communist leader Karl Liebknecht during an uprising of 1919 -it memorializes the man, it does so without advocating for his ideology -in the style of a lamentation, a traditional motif in Christian art depicting the followers of Christ mourning over his dead body, casting Liebknecht as the Christ figure ("The Martyrdom," plate 4 from Hell)

VILLA SAVOYE
Poissy, France
1,929
*steel and reinforced concrete

-"The house is a box in the air,..." —Le Corbusier -offered an escape from the crowded city for its wealthy patrons -delicate floating box that he designed is both functional house and modernist sculpture, elegantly melding form and function -support of ground-level pilotis, elevating the building from the earth and allowed an extended continuity of the garden beneath -functional roof, serving as a garden and terrace, reclaiming for nature the land occupied by the building -free floor plan, relieved of load-bearing walls, allowing walls to be placed freely and only where aesthetically needed -long horizontal windows, providing illumination and ventilation (Notre Dame du Haut)

COMPOSITION with RED, BLUE and YELLOW
Manhattan, New York
1,930
*oil on canvas

-it seems to be a flat work, but there are differences in the texture of different elements -while the black stripes are the flattest of the paintings, in the areas with color are clear the brushstrokes, all in the same direction -white spaces are, on the contrary, painted in layers, using brushstrokes that are put in different directions (Broadway Boogie-Woogie)

ILLUSTRATION from The RESULTS of the FIRST FIVE-YEAR PLAN
Moscow
1,932
*photomontage

-a sharp contrast between the black and white photographs and the red elements, such as the electric tower, the number 5, and the triangle in the foreground -our eyes are attracted to these oppositions and by the contrast between the indistinct masses and the individual portrait of Lenin, as an implicit reference to the Soviet political system -below, a large crowd of people indicate the mass popularity of Stalin's political program and their desire to celebrate it (USSR in Construction, issue 4)

OBJECT (LE DEJEUNER en FOURRURE)
Paris, France
1,936
*fur-covered cup, saucer, spoon

-transform items typically associated with feminine decorum into sensuous tableware -provoked the viewer into imagining what it would be like to drink out of a fur-lined cup -Picasso remarked that one could cover anything with fur (Bee-covered bicycle seat)

FALLINGWATER
southwest Pennsylvania
1,936-1,939
*reinforced concrete, sandstone, steel, and glass

-a house that doesn't even appear to stand on solid ground, but instead stretches out over a 30' waterfall -interpenetrating exterior and interior spaces and the strong emphasis placed on harmony between man and nature -organically designed private residence was intended to be a nature retreat for its owners (Kentuck Knob)

The TWO FRIDAS
Mexico City
1,939
*oil on canvas

-typically painted self-portraits using vibrant colours in a style that was influenced by cultures of Mexico as well as influences from European Surrealism -self-portraits were often an expression of her life and her pain -two seated figures holding hands and sharing a bench in front of a stormy sky -Fridas are identical twins except in their attire -she was divorced from Diego Rivera -European dress and (Self-portrait (Time Flies))

The MIGRATION of the NEGRO, PANEL NO. 49
New York
1,940-1,941
*casein tempera on hardboard

-60 panels -broad in scope and dramatic in exposition -depiction of African-Americans moving North to find jobs, better housing, and freedom from oppression was a subject he associated with his parents, who had themselves migrated from South Carolina to Virginia, and finally, to New York -divided in two by a bold yellow rope—white diners on the left, black ones on the right—this restaurant offers a stark image of segregation (The Migration Series)

The JUNGLE
France
1,943
*gouache on paper mounted on canvas

-work, "intended to communicate a psychic state" -depicts a group of figures with crescent-shaped faces that recall African or Pacific Islander masks, against a background of vertical, striated poles suggesting Cuban sugarcane fields -these elements obliquely address the history of slavery in colonial Cuba (The Oracle and the Green Bird)

DREAM of a SUNDAY AFTERNOON in ALAMEDA CENTRAL PARK
Hotel del Prado, Mexico City
1,947
*fresco

-hundreds of characters from 400 years of Mexican history gather for a stroll through Mexico City's largest park -colorful balloons, impeccably dressed visitors, and vendors with diverse wares cannot conceal the darker side of this dream: a confrontation between an indigenous family and a police officer; a man shooting into the face of someone being trampled by a horse in the midst of a skirmish; a sinister skeleton smiling at the viewer (La Calavera Catrina)

FOUNTAIN
New York
1,917/1,964
*porcelain urinal, glazed ceramic with black paint

-signed "R.Mutt" -submitted for the exhibition of the Society of Independent Artists in 1917 -Fountain was rejected by the committee -the original, which is lost, consisted of a standard urinal, usually presented on its back for exhibition purposes rather than upright (L.H.O.O.Q.)

WOMAN I
New York
1,950-1,952
*oil on canvas

-amalgam of female archetypes -her threatening stare and ferocious grin are heightened by de Kooning's aggressive brushwork and frantic paint application -reflects the age-old cultural ambivalence between reverence for and fear of the power of the feminine -paint: ranging from thick to thin, rough to smooth, and opaque to translucent -broad-shouldered and ample-bosomed, she faces forward, with wide-open eyes taking up almost a third of her face and a virtually lipless mouth bearing long teeth (Woman III)

SEAGRAM BUILDING
375 Park Avenue, New York City
1,958
*steel frame

-one of the finest examples of the functionalist aesthetic and a masterpiece of corporate modernism -non-structural glass walls were hung -concrete hid the steel structure of the building -non-structural bronze-toned I-beams are visible from the outside of the building, and run vertically, like mullions, surrounding the large glass windows (Lever House)

MARILYN DIPTYCH
New York
1,962
*acrylic on canvas

-two silver canvases on which the artist silkscreened a photograph of Marilyn Monroe fifty times -influenced not only by pop culture, but also by art history -the actress looks at us seductively from under heavy-lidded eyes and with parted lips; but her expression is also a bit inscrutable, and the repetition remakes her face into an eerie, inanimate mask -silkscreen technique further "flattens" the star's face (Campbell's Soup Cans)

NARCISSUS GARDEN
New York, New York
1,966
*mirror balls

-tightly arranged 1,500 shimmering balls constructed an infinite reflective field in which the images of the artist, the visitors, architecture, and landscape were repeated, distorted, and projected by the convex mirror -size of each sphere was similar to that of a fortune-teller's crystal ball -viewer only saw his/her own reflection staring back, forcing a confrontation with one's own vanity and ego (Ascension of Polka Dots)

THE BAY
New York
1,963
*acrylic on canvas

-colors ranging from violet to indigo run into one another with navy near the top of the canvas -paint poured onto the canvas when it was wet -often characterized as color field painting -emphasizes an abstraction of a landscape -pools of color soaked into the raw canvas appear almost like watercolor (Adirondacks)

LIPSTICK (ASCENDING) on CATERPILLAR TRACKS
New Haven, Connecticut
1,969-1,974
*cor-ten steel, aluminum, cast resin, polyurethane enamel

-monumental tube of lipstick sprouting from a military vehicle -on the campus of Yale University when the 1969 student protests against the Vietnam War -combined the highly "feminine" product with the "masculine" machinery of war -large lipstick tube is phallic and bullet-like, making the benign beauty product seem masculine or even violent (Clothespin)

SPIRAL JETTY
Great Salt Lake, Utah
1,970
*mud, precipitated salt crystals, rocks, water

-sculpture is sometimes visible and sometimes submerged, depending upon the water level of the Great Salt Lake -is an earthwork sculpture -originally black basalt rock against ruddy water, it is now largely white against pink due to salt encrustation -forms a 1,500-foot-long (460 m), 15-foot-wide (4.6 m) counterclockwise coil jutting from the shore of the lake (Running Fence)

HOUSE in NEW CASTLE COUNTY
New Castle County, Delaware
1,978-1,983
*wood

-house for a family of three -offers a modest but instructive example of the Post-Modern style -large gable, recessed porch, and noticeably off-center chimney -the painted siding is white and the intersecting gables are clad with unstained wood shingles -walls of these barns are field stone with areas of wood frame and siding in the upper sections (Villa Savoye)

CHAVIN DE HUANTAR
Peru
900-200 B.C.E.
*white granite

-is an archaeological and cultural site in the Andean highlands -U-shaped Old Temple and the New Temple -god for whom the temple was constructed was represented in the Lanzón, a notched wedge-shaped stone -Lanzón depicts a standing figure with large round eyes looking upward -Its mouth is also large, with bared teeth and protruding fangs (Sition Arqueológico Chavín de Huántar)

MESA VERDE CLIFF DWELLINGS
Mesa Verde National Park, Colorado
450-1,300 C.E.
*sandstone

-the Ancestral Puebloans accessed these dwellings with retractable ladders -Cliff Palace has about 150 rooms and more than 20 circular rooms -buildings originally ranged from one to four stories, and some hit the natural stone ceiling -these stone and mortar buildings, along with the decorative elements and objects found inside them, provide important insights into the lives of the Ancestral Puebloan people (Arches National Park

YAXCHILAN LINTEL 25, STRUCTURE 23
Maya
late Classic period
after 709 C.E.
*limestone

-originally set above the central doorway at Yaxchilan -building is dedicated to Shield Jaguar II's wife, Lady K'ab'al Xook shown on the bottom right of the panel -Lady Xook is in the hallucinatory stage of the bloodletting ritual -she conjures before her a vision of a Teotihuacan serpent -identity of the figure coming out of the serpent's jaws is ambiguous (Yaxchilán lintel 16)

GREAT SERPENT MOUND
Adams County, Ohio
c. 1,070
*land

-largest serpent effigy in the world -mounds were made by the ancient Native American cultures that flourished along the fertile valleys of the Mississippi, Ohio, Illinois, and Missouri Rivers a thousand years ago -is both architectural and sculptural and was erected by settled peoples who cultivated maize, beans and squash and who maintained a stratified society with an organized labor force, but left no written records (Newark Earthworks)

TEMPOLO MAYOR, MAIN AZTEC TEMPLE
Tenochtitlan
1,375-1,520
*stucco

-was expanded, enlarged, and reconstructed during seven main building phases, with different rulers, or tlatoani ("speaker"), taking office -was positioned at the center of the Mexica capital and thus the entire empire -design reflects the Mexica cosmos, which was believed to be composed of four parts structured around the navel of the universe, or the axis mundi -two grand staircases accessed twin temples were dedicated to the deities Tlaloc and Huitzilopochti -Olmec‐style mask (Historic center of Mexico City)

RULER'S FEATHER HEADDRESS (probably of MOCTEZUMA II)
Mexico, Aztec
early 16th century
*quetzal, cotinga, roseate spoonbill, piaya feathers; wood, fibers, amate paper, cotton, gold, gilded brass

-the feathers of the piece have deteriorated over the centuries -has the form of concentric layers of different colored feathers arranged in a semicircle -smallest is made from blue feathers of the Cotinga amabilis w/ small plates of gold in the shapes of half moons, inlaid with precious stones -behind is a layer of pink flamingo feathers, small quetzal feathers, a layer of white-tipped red-brown feathers of the squirrel cuckoo, Piaya cayana, w/ three bands of small gold plates, and two of 400 closely spaced quetzal tail feathers (Sacrificial Knife with Mosaic Handle and Chalcedony Blade)

CITY of CUSCO
Peru
c. 1,440-1,540
*stone

-the center of existence—and a reflection of Inka power -city was divided into two sections, hanan (upper or high) and hurin (lower), which paralleled the social organization of Inka society into upper and lower social divisions -was further divided into quarters that reflected the four divisions of the empire, and people from those sections inhabited their respective quarters of the city -each individual stone was pecked with tools and fitted to the one next to it, with the result that blocks will have a varied number of sides -Qorikancha (Golden House), the most sacred shrine of the Inka, dedicated to the worship of the sun (Sacsayhuamán)

MAIZE COBS
Inka
c. 1,440-1,533
*ssheet metal/repoussé, metal alloys

-gold-silver alloy corncob sculpture -mimics the appearance of a ripe ear of corn breaking through its husk, still on the stalk but ready to be harvested -individual kernels of corn protrude from the cob that is nestled in jagged metallic leaves -metalsmiths expertly combined silver and copper to mimic the internal and external components of actual corn -hollow and delicate, the ears of corn on the stalk are life-sized (Miniature gold llama figurine)

CITY of MACHU PICCHU
Peru
c. 1,450-1,540
*land

-built as a royal estate for the first Inka emperor, Pachacuti Inka Yupanqui -was intended as a place where the Inka emperor and his family could host feasts, perform religious ceremonies, and administer the affairs of empire -site contains housing for elites, retainers, and maintenance staff, religious shrines, fountains, and terraces, as well as carved rock outcrops, a signature element of Inka art -features architecture, from houses to terraces, built by carefully fitting individual stones against each other -they increased the arable land surface and reduced erosion by creating walled steps down the sides of steep mountains -each step could then be planted with crops (Sacred Valley)

ALL-T'OQAPU TUNIC
Inka
1,450-1,540
*camelid fiber and cotton

-a woven rectangle folded to be a square, with a slit woven into the middle for the neck, decorated with small red woven squares -a T'oqapu is a square design that represents your ethnicity, occupation, clan, or area -weft threads are made of finest and softest alpaca hair, dyed with most expensive dye from cochineal -the presence of all of the T'oqapus show that the king, who wore this tunic, identified with his people but was also in charge, laid claim to all of them (Machu Picchu)

BANDOLIER BAG
Delaware tribe, Oklahoma
1880s
*hide, cotton cloth, silk ribbon, glass beads, wool yarn, metal cones

-based on bags carried by European soldiers armed with rifles, who used the bags to store ammunition cartridges -are often large in size and decorated with a wide array of colorful beads and ribbons -worn as a cross-body bag, with a thick strap crossing a person's chest to allow it to rest on the hip -while men most commonly wore these bags, women created them -initially, Bandolier Bags did not have a pocket, but were intended to complement men's ceremonial outfits -men even wore more than one bag on occasion, dressing themselves in a rainbow of colors and patterns (Bandolier Bag)

TRANSFORMATION MASK
Alert Bay, Vancouver Island, British Columbia, Canada
late 19th c.
*cedar wood, feathers, sinew, cord, bird skin, hide, plant fibers, cotton, iron, pigments

-usually an animal changing into a mythical being or one animal becoming another -are worn by dancers during ceremonies, they pull strings to open and move the mask—in effect, animating it -the wooden frame and netting held the mask on the dancer's head -when the cords are pulled, the eagle's face and beak split down the center, and the bottom of the beak opens downwards, giving the impression of a bird spreading its wings -transformed, the mask reveals the face of an ancestor (Tlingit Raven Screen)

PAINTED ELK HIDE, attributed to COTSIOGO (CADZI CODY)
Eastern Shoshone (Wind River Reservation, WY)
c. 1,890-1,900
*painted elk hide

-artists decorated the hides with geometric or figural motifs -began depicting subject matter that "affirmed native identity" and appealed to tourists -imagery placed on the hide was likely done with a combination of free-hand painting and stenciling -men and women both painted on hides, but men usually produced the scenes on tipis, clothing, and shields -many of these scenes celebrated battles and other biographical details (Buffalo Robe)

BLACK-ON-BLACK CERAMIC VESSEL
Tewa, Puebloan, San Ildefonso Pueblo, New Mexico
c. 1,939
*blackware ceramic

-olla pictured above features two design bands, one across the widest part of the pot and the other around the neck -elements inside are abstract but suggest a bird in flight with rain clouds above, perhaps a prayer for rain that could be flown up to the sky -designs are exaggerated due to the low rounded shapes of the pot, which are bulbous around the shoulder then narrow at the top (matte-on-glossy blackware wedding vase)

CONICAL TOWER and CIRCULAR WALL of GREAT ZIMBABWE
Southeastern Zimbabwe
c. 1,000-1,400 C.E.
*coursed granite blocks

-leaving little to no negative space in between the rocks -texture of the walls are more rugged towards the bottom of the buildings to represent the boulders that can be found in the surrounding landscapes -decorated around the top with dentelle-patterned frieze -walls were built for the people of the Kingdom of Mutapa -used the circular wall and great enclosement as a political center where they governed their Kingdom (The Hill Complex)

GREAT MOSQUE of DJENNE
Mali
1,907
*mud

-the largest mud-built structure in the world -neighborhoods of low-rise adobe houses that comprise the city -flourished as a great center of commerce, learning, and Islam -became a political symbol for local residents and for colonial powers -became the epicenter of the religious, cultural life of Mali, and the community of Djenné -site of a unique annual festival called the Crepissage de la Grand Mosquée (Plastering of the Great Mosque) -rectilinear in plan and is partly enclosed by an exterior wall -earthen roof covers the building, which is supported by monumental pillars -façade includes three minarets and a series of engaged columns that together create a rhythmic effect (Seated Figure)

WALL PLAQUE, from OBA'S PALACE
Benin Kingdom
1,550-1,680
*brass

-depicts an Oba (or king) and his attendants from the Benin Empire -king's coral beaded regalia -attendants hold shields above his head, either to protect him from attack or possibly from the hot sun -hieratic scale -Oba rides sidesaddle on horseback -rosette shapes in background of the plaque were possibly derived from Christian crosses brought by these European traders (Manilla (money))

SIKA DWA KOFI (GOLDEN STOOL)
Ghana
c. 1,700
*Asante gold weights

-royal and divine throne of the Ashanti people -Okomfo Anokye, High Priest and one of the two chief founders of the Asante Confederacy, caused the stool to descend from the sky and land on the lap of the first Asante king, Osei Tutu -were traditionally symbolic of a chieftain's leadership -house the spirit of the Asante nation—living, dead and yet to be born -hung with bells to warn the king of impending danger -shows succession and power -many designs and symbolic meanings mean that every stool is unique; each has a different meaning for the person whose soul it seats (Danish Crown Regalia)

NDOP (PORTRAIT FIGURE) of KING MISHE MISHYAANG MAMBUL
Democratic Republic of Congo
c. 1,760-1,780
*wood and camwood powder

-idealized portraits of individual Kuba rulers -ndop sculptural record helps remember a moment in time -have rounded contours creating forms that define the head, shoulders and stomach, and also feature a defined collarbone -expression on the face, position of the body, and regalia were meant to faithfully represent the ideal of a king—but not an individual King -head of the statue was sculpted to be one third the size of the total statue -emphasized the head because it was considered to be the seat of intelligence (Nkisi Nkondi)

NKISI N'KONDI
Democratic Republic of the Congo
c. late 19th century
*wood and metal

-can act as an oath taking image which is used to resolve verbal disputes or lawsuits as well as an avenger or guardian if sorcery or any form of evil has been committed -are wooden figures representing a human or animal such as a dog -carved under divine authority and in consultation with a spiritual specialist who activates these figures though chants, prayers and the preparation of sacred substances which are aimed at 'curing' physical, social or spiritual ailments -pegs, blades, nails or other sharp objects inserted into its surface -belly is shielded by a piece of glass, mirror or other reflective surface. Glass represents the 'other world' inhabited by the spirits of the dead (Ndop Portrait of King Mishe miShyaang maMbul)

FEMALE (PWO) MASK
Democratic Republic of Congo
early 20th century
*wood, plant fiber, pigment, copper alloy

-a classic Chokwe mask genre that honors founding female ancestors -inscribed motifs on the forehead and cheeks are classic graphic designs that aesthetically enhanced a woman's beauty in past generations and were signs of ethnic identity -central cruciform on the forehead has been interpreted as a cosmogram while the markings on either cheek are described as a solar disc joined by tears -the fiber coiffure are a braided headband and a heavy fringe at the rear (Portrait mask (Mblo))

PORTRAIT MASK (MBLO)
Africa
late 19th-early 20th century
*wood, pigment

-part of a secular masquerade in the village of Kami -physical presence of a mask can allow the invisible world to interact with and influence the visible world of humans -allowed residents to socialize, mourn, celebrate, feast, and even, court -meant to honor a respected member of Baule society -oval face with an elongated nose, small, open mouth, downcast slit eyes with projecting pieces that extend beyond the crest to suggest animal horns - also have scarification patterns at the temple and a high gloss patina (Face Mask (Gu))

BUNDU MASK
Moyamba district, Sierra Leone
late 19th-early 20th century
*wood and pigment

-worn by senior members of the all-female Sande Society during rite-of-passage ceremonies that signify a girl's transition to adulthood -carved expressions of local ideals of feminine beauty, health and serenity that vary widely in their detail -blackened surface, small facial features, prominent forehead and elaborate hairstyle it has an extraordinary feature in the form of a Western-style top hat (Female (Pwo) Mask)

IKENGA (SHRINE FIGURE)
Nigeria
early 20th century
*wood

-personal shrine reflects the great value the Igbo place on individual achievement -to honor the power and skills of a person's right hand, as the right hand holds the hoe, the sword, and the tools of craftsmanship -a human figure with horns symbolizing power, sometimes reduced to only a head with horns on a base -at the bottom is the stool-like element composed for four angular flexed legs (Igbo Male Shrine Figure)

LUKASA (MEMORY BOARD)
Democratic Republic of Congo
c. 19th to 20th century
*wood, beads and metal

-used by experts in the oral retelling of history in Luba culture -the master who has the skill and knowledge to read the lukasa will utilize it as a mnemonic device, touching and feeling the beads, shells, and pegs to recount history and solve current problems -use the lukasa to recount history in the context of spiritual rituals -diviners can also read the lukasa -the board is "read" by touching its surface with the right forefinger -each lukasa is different but small enough to hold in the left hand (Beadwork Headdress Mbudye Official)

AKA ELEPHANT MASK
Grassfields region of Cameroon
20th century
*cloth, beads, raffia, fiber

-worn only at funerals, celebrations, or important events -only high ranking members of society had wore and owned these -geometric patterns -power symbol -beadwork=power -ceremonial item -its colors and patterns expressed the society's cosmic and political functions -lavish use of colored beads and cowrie shells displayed the wealth of the members (Helmet Mask)

RELIQUARY FIGURE (BYERI)
Gabon
mid 18th to mid 19th century
*wood and iron

-depicting the body precisely as observed in life -mask celebrates the female form -the proportions are relatively balanced -reduced to a series of basic shapes—cylinders and circles -legs and hips are conceived as the intersection of two perpendicular cylinders, echoing the cylindrical reliquary box on which the figure sat -outsized hands suggest different emotional states for these two protective figures—tense anxiety, perhaps, in one and a lumbering aggression in the other (Ndop Portrait of King Mishe miShyaang maMbul)

VERANDA POST of ENTHRONED KING and SENIOR WIFE (OPO OGOGA)
Nigeria
before 1,938
*wood, pigment

-embodies the unique style, including the interrelationship of figures, their exaggerated proportions, and the open space between them -while the king is the focal point, his portrayal suggests a ruler's dependence on others -stately female figure behind the king represents his senior wife -her large scale and pose, with hands on the king's throne, underscore her importance -she had the critical role of placing the power-invested crown on the king's head during his coronation -small figures at the king's feet represent a junior wife, the flute-playing trickster-god Esu, and a fan bearer, now missing (Benin plaques)

PETRA: TREASURY and GREAT TEMPLE
Petra, Jordan
2nd century C.E.
*sandstone rock

-well-developed metropolis with all of the trappings of a Hellenistic city -siq, a narrow, curving canyon, that traders, explorers and travelers have been walking down -stone carvings, camel caravans and betyls (famous god blocks) set in niches, appear -many of the tombs contain niches or small chambers for burials, cut into the stone walls -features a broken pediment and central tholos on the upper level -ornate Corinthian columns are used throughout -above the broken pediments, the bases of two obelisks appear and stretch upwards into the rock (Al-Khazneh)

BAMIYAN BUDDHAS
Bamiyan, Afghanistan
c. 6th-7th c C.E.
*stone, stucco, paint

-were carved into niches of the cliff side in high relief -area near the heads of both Buddha figures and the area around the larger Buddha's feet were carved in the round, allowing worshippers to circumambulate -circumambulation: the act of walking around an object such as a stupa or an image of the Buddha -reflects the international environment of the Bamiyan Valley and were influenced by the art and cultures of India, Central Asia and even ancient Greek culture (Leshan Giant Buddha)

The KAABA
Mecca, Saudi Arabia
631-632 C.E.
*granite masonry, covered with silk curtain and calligraphy in gold and silver-wrapped thread

-it is the holiest shrine in Islam -Muslims pray five times a day and these prayers were directed towards Mecca and the Kaaba -all Muslims aspire to undertake the hajj, or the annual pilgrimage, to the Kaaba once in their lives if they are able -area around the Kaaba was expanded in order to accommodate the growing number of pilgrims -door of the Kaaba is now made of solid gold (Masjid al-Haram)

JOWO RINPOCHE, ENSHRINED in the JOKHANG TEMPLE
Lhasa, Tibet
641 C.E.
*gilt metals with semiprecious stones, pearls, and paint

-believed to be the celestial artist, Vishvakarman -cast and filled with sacred relics -was a dowry of Queen Wengcheng for her marriage to King Songtsen Gampo in Tibet brought from China -believed to be personally blessed by the Buddha to have the ability to grant your deepest wishes and quicken your path to enlightenment (Buddhas of Bamiyan)

DOME of the ROCK
Jerusalem, Palestine
691-692 C.E.
*stone masonry, wooden roof, decorated with glazed ceramic tile, mosaics, and gilt aluminum and bronze dome

-marks the coming of new religion to the city, sacred to both Jews and Christian -first dome shrine built, during crusade became Christian shrine before returning to Islamic hands -Persian tiles on the exterior and marble slabs interior, octagonal plan -at the center of the Dome of the Rock sits a large rock, which is believed to be the location where Abraham was prepared to sacrifice his son Ismail (The Great Mosque (or Masjid-e Jameh) of Isfahan)

GREAT MOSQUE (or MASJID-E JAMEH) of ISFAHAN
Isfahan, Iran
c. 700 C.E.
*stone, brick, wood, plaster, and glazed ceramic tile

-mosque shares walls with other buildings abutting its perimeter -due to its immense size and numerous entrances, it formed a pedestrian hub, connecting the arterial network of paths crisscrossing the city -mosque facilitated public mobility and commercial activity thus transcending its principal function as a place for prayer alone -linking the four iwans at the center is a large courtyard open to the air -brick piers and columns support the roofing system and allow prayer halls to extend away from this central courtyard on each side (Dome of the Rock)

FOLIO from a QUR'AN
Iraq
before 911
*vellum

-Qur'an: sacred text of Islam, consisting of the divine revelation to the Prophet Muhammad in Arabic -main text of the mushaf as manuscripts of the Qur'an, is written in brown ink -Arabic is read from right to left -consonants share the same basic letterform, and are usually distinguished from each other by lines or dots placed above or below the letter -text of each sura is further divided into verses by triangles made up of 5 gold circles located at the end of each verse -title of each sura is written in gold ink, and surrounded by a rectangle (Blue Qur'an)

BASIN (BAPTISTERE DE SAINT LOUIS)
Egypt or Syria
c. 1,320-1,340
*brass inlaid with silver and gold

-exterior depicts scenes from the Mamlūk court, the sultan's courtiers wearing clothing characteristic of their status and bearing symbols of their rank -used as the baptismal font for several royal children, including Louis XIII -has sides that curve in somewhat and a slightly sloping rim -decorative panels, interspersed with roundels, form four scenes arranged in an X-symmetry (Alhambra)

BAHRAM GUR FIGHTS the KARG, FOLIO from the GREAT Il-KHANID SHAHNAMA
Middle East, Iran, Tabriz
c. 1,330-1,340
*opaque watercolor, gold and silver on paper

-help illustrate the story of the Shahama (Book od Kings), a famous epic poem, and to show the power of the Iranian king Bahram Gur -Bahram Gur is depicted slaying a horned wolf -painting shows the vibrant cosmopolitan nature of Ilkanid society because it not only shows the king wearing material from Europe, it is painted using Chinese styles (The Court of Gayumars, folio from Shah Tahmasp's Shahnama)

The COURT of GAYUMARS, FOLIO from SHAH TAHMASP'S SHAHNAMA
Safavid, Persia
c. 1,522-1,525 C.E.
*ink, opaque watercolor, and gold on paper

-help illustrate the story of the great king Gayumars and to display his fabled glory for a copy of the Shahama, a famous epic poem -folio was a part of the Shahama of Shah Tahmasp, a collection of works from various artists to illustrate the epic poem by Firdawsi -manuscript was later disassembled when it fell into the hands of the west and the pages were auctioned off separately -colorful, light, airy, peaceful (Bahram Gur Fights the Karg, folio from the Great Il-Khanid Shahnama)

The ARDABIL CARPET
Tabriz, Kashan, Isfahan or Kirman, Iran
1,539-1,540 C.E.
*silk warps and wefts with wool pile

-was a matching pair made for shrine of Safi al-Din Ardabil -the more knots per square centimeter, the more detailed and elaborate the patterns -dyes used to color the carpet are natural and include pomegrante rind and indigo -rich geometric patterns, vegetative scrolls, floral flourishes -a central golden medallion dominates the carpet; it is surrounded by a ring of multi-colored, detailed ovals, lamps appear to hang at either end -carpet's border is made up of a frame with a series of cartouches (rectangular-shaped spaces for calligraphy), filled with decoration -central medallion design is also echoed by the four corner-pieces (Carpet (Ottoman) with cintamani motif)

GREAT STUPA at SANCHI
Sanchi, India
1st c.
*stone masonry, sandstone on dome

-was built on a hill to indicate that it is a sacred space and a higher space that serves going up the hill as a transition so we can get our head in the right place -the dome is the dome of heaven -a place of burial or a receptacle for religious objects -base of the stupa represents his crossed legs as he sat in a meditative pose -middle portion is the Buddha's body and the top of the mound, where a pole rises from the apex surrounded by a small fence, represents his head (Udaigiri Caves)

TERRACOTTA WARRIORS from MAUSOLEUM of the FIRST QIN EMPEROR of CHINA
Lintong County, Shaanxi Province, China
Qin Dynasty
c. 221-206 B.C.E.
*painted terracotta

-Qin the first unifier of China, is buried, surrounded by the famous terracotta warriors -small figures are all different; with their horses, chariots and weapons, they are masterpieces of realism and also of great historical interest -built himself a tomb—a vast underground city guarded by a life-size terracotta army including warriors, infantrymen, and attendant armor and weaponry -gardens and stables, bronze ritual vessels, jade jewelry, and a wealth of gold and silver ornaments (Mausoleum of the First Qin Emperor)

FUNERAL BANNER of LADY DAI (XIN ZHUI)
Han Dynasty, China
2nd century B.C.E.
*silk

-T-shaped banner was on top of the innermost of four nesting coffins -used to identify the dead during the mourning ceremonies, or they may have been burial shrouds intended to aid the soul in its passage to the afterlife -an early example of pictorial (representing naturalistic scenes not just abstract shapes) art in China -banner features the earliest known portrait in Chinese painting -in the lower central register, we see Lady Dai in an embroidered silk robe leaning on a staff (Vase with cover)

LONGMEN CAVES
Luoyang, China
508-523 C.E.
*limestone

-worship and power struggles, enlightenment and suicide -110,000 Buddhist stone statues, 60 stupas and 2,800 inscriptions carved on steles -central Buddha, seated on a lion throne, is generally identified as Shakyamuni -he is assisted by two bodhisattvas and two disciples—Ananda and Kasyapa -Buddha's monastic robe is rendered to appear as though tucked under him -ripples of folds cascade over the front of his throne -these linear and abstract motifs are typical of the mature Northern Wei style -bodhisattvas wear draping scarves, jewelry and crowns with floral designs (Longmen Grottoes)

GOLD and JADE CROWN
Silla Kingdom, Gyeongju, South Korea
second half of 5th century
*gold and jade

-were made for burial -used in ceremonial rites of the Silla royalty during the Three Kingdoms Period -prior to the adoption of Buddhism, Koreans practiced shamanism -the gold crowns emphasized the power of the wearer through their precious materials and natural imagery -worn around the forehead, tree-shaped crown (daegwan) -three tree-shaped vertical elements evoke the sacred tree that once stood in the ritual precinct of Gyeongju (Silver Crown from the South Mound of Hwangnamdaechong Tomb)

TODAI-JI
Nara, Japan
c. 1,700
*bronze, gold

-reflects the complex intermingling of Buddhism and politics in early Japan -two nine-story pagodas, a lecture hall and quarters for the monks were added to the complex -was supported by 84 massive cypress pillars -held a huge bronze Buddha figure (the Daibutsu) -The Great Buddha Hall (Daibutsuden) has been rebuilt twice after fire (Daibutsu)

BOROBUDUR
Borobudur, Indonesia
750 AD
*volcanic-stone masonry

-reliefs on hidden foot depicting scenes from hell -1st Gallery has reliefs recounting the Jatakas (past lives of Shakyamuni) 120 panels and another set that tell his life story the Lalitavistara (a Mahayana text) 120 panels -2nd to 4th galleries illustrate the Gandavyuha or Sudhana's pilgrimage 488 panels -5th level probably shows us Samantabhadra bodhisattva -6th -8th galleries are circular and support 72 perforated stupas with Buddha images (Vairocana Buddha) -top stupa probably had an unfinished Buddha image (Prambanan)

ANGKOR WAT
Siem Reap, Cambodia
1,116-1,150
*stone masonry, sandstone

-palace complex of Cambodian Phmer kingdom under King Suryavarman II -built on water -corbelled beehive towers representative of sacred mountains like Mt. Meta -wide corridors with sculpted friezes sometimes gilded in gold -dedicated to Vishnu (Lakshmana Temple)

LAKSHMANA TEMPLE
Khajuraho, India
930 C.E.
*sandstone

-temple devoted to Vishnu -horizontal bands, ashlar masonry and sculptural friezes of erotic intertwined couples images of regeneration and fertility -beehive corbels towers, long porch and stair with inner temple -ceremonial architecture (Angkor Wat)

TRAVELERS AMONG MOUNTAINS and STREAMS
China
c. 1,000
*ink on silk hanging scroll

-scroll Painting -texture and atmosphere created through varying brushstrokes and ink wash -landscape dwarfs human activity in the painting -perhaps an early scene of the Sublime in art -expressed a cosmic vision of man's harmonious existence in a vast but orderly universe -immense boulders occupy the foreground and are presented to the viewer at eye level -two men driving a group of donkeys loaded with firewood and a temple partially hidden in the forest (Funeral banner of Lady Dai)

SHIVA as LORD of DANCE (NATARAJA)
India
c. 11th century
*copper alloy

-figure of Shiva located in temple but removed on special occasions as part of the worship procession -imagery emphasizes Shiva role as in the cycle of destruction and rebirth -arms were to be long like stalks of bamboo, faces round like the moon, and eyes shaped like almonds or the leaves of a lotus -embodies those perfect physical qualities as he is frozen in the moment of his dance within the cosmic circle of fire that is the simultaneous and continuous creation and destruction of the universe -ring of fire that surrounds the figure is cosmos of mass, time, and space, whose endless cycle of annihilation and regeneration moves in tune to the beat of Shiva's drum and the rhythm of his steps (Reliquary of St. Foy)

NIGHT ATTACK on the SANJO PALACE
Japan
second half of the 13th century
*handscroll

-continuous narrative scroll depicting the attempted coup against Emperor Go-Shirakawa in 12th century -elevated view of military siege and burning of the palace -narrative reads right to left -from the royal mansion's walled gateways, unpainted wooden buildings linked by corridors, bark roofs, large shutters and bamboo blinds that open to verandas, to the scores of foot soldiers, cavalry, courtiers, priests, imperial police, and even the occasional lady—each individualized by gesture and facial expression from horror to morbid humor, robes, armor, and weaponry easily identifiable according to rank, design, and type (Bayeux Tapestry)

The DAVID VASES
Jingdezhen, Jiangxi province, China
c. 1,351
*porcelain, cobalt and clear glaze

-ceramics created for Daoist altar -blue cobalt from Iran -images of elephants (handles) and five clawed bearded Chinese dragons -band of scrolling peonies, overlapping plantain leaves and long inscription on upper part of neck -phoenixes (one flying downwards) in clouds on lower part (Black on black ceramic ware)

PORTRAIT of SIN SUKJU
Korea
second half of the 15th century
*hanging scroll, ink and color on silk

-shows Sin Sukju dressed in his official robes with a black silk hat on his head -formal portrait of Korean official showing the figure as a great scholar -repainted over 25+ years -an example of art used to celebrate merit and loyalty part of Confucian philosophy -seated in a full-length view, often with their heads turned slightly and only one ear showing -crisp, angular lines and subtle gradations of color characterize the folds of his gown -leather shoes adorn his feet, which rest on an intricately carved wooden footstool -his hands are folded neatly and concealed within his sleeves (Oath of Horatii)

FORBIDDEN CITY
Beijing, China
16th century C.E.
*stone masonry, marble, brick, wood, and ceramic tile

-massive palace complex created by Ming Dynasty -isolated royalty and royal court from Chinese people -Hall of Supreme Harmony is the seat of power and center of the complex -because access was restricted to the imperial family and to those who had business with them, it came to be known as the Forbidden City (Palace at Versailles)

RYOAN-JI
Kyoto, Japan
1,480 C.E.
*rock garden, water

-Japanese Zen Buddhist building -simple open plan with landscaped rock garden and water features emphasizing harmony and communion with the natural world -great Zen center for the cultural activities of the elite -when visitors pass through main gate, they encounter the Mirror Pond (Kyōyōchi) on the left with a scenic view of surrounding mountains -walking along the pilgrim's path and entering the second gate, visitors arrive at the main building of the monastery, the hōjo (abbot's residence) -rock garden is located in the front of the hojo and is viewed either from the wooden veranda embracing the building or from inside the room (Taj Mahal grounds)

JAHANGIR PREFERRING a SUFI SHAIKH to KINGS
Mughal Empire
1,615-1,618
*opaque watercolor, gold and ink on paper

-illustration from folio in Persian miniature style showing Jahangir, the Mughal Emperor, favoring religious leader over other secular leaders like James I of England -imagery is a combination of Renaissance -flames of gold radiate from the Emperor's head against a background of a larger, darker gold disc -a slim crescent moon hugs most of the disc's border, creating a harmonious fusion between the sun and the moon (thus, day and night), and symbolizing the ruler's emperorship and divine truth -Jahangir is shown seated on an elevated, stone-studded platform whose circular form mimics the disc above (Court of Gayumars)

TAJ MAHAL
Agra, India
1,632-1,653
*stone masonry and marble with inlay of precious and semiprecious stones

-tomb complex for Mumtaz Muhal; wife of Shah Jahan -based on other Muslim tombs -white marble with arabesque, and calligraphy -onion domes and symmetrical facades -aligned along a long water channel through this gate is the Taj—set majestically on a raised platform on the north end -marble structure is topped by a bulbous dome and surrounded by four minarets of equal height (Mosque of Selim II)

WHITE and RED PLUM BLOSSOMS
Rinpa School, Kyoto, Japan
18th century
*pair of two-fold screens, color and gold leaf on paper

-Yamato-e style of screen painting -flatten delicate and linear compsitions either landscape of narrative -imagery is geometric or figurative evoking the essence of the subject -uses a technique called Tarahikomi similar to Van Eyck's wet on wet -emphasized compositional asymmetry, which is visible in the jarring, uneven positions of the red and white plum trees -employs no consistent perspective, instead portraying the landscape from at least two different perspectives -trees share a common ground, while the stream is viewed from a raised perspective (The Great Wave)

UNDER the WAVE off KANAGAWA (The GREAT WAVE)
Ukiyo-E School, Edo (Tokyo), Japan
c. 1,830-1,832
*polychrome woodblock print; ink and color on paper

-multiple printed layers based on color scheme -landscape influenced by Northern Baroque landscape painting -shows elements of the sublime in images of men in boat vs wave -part of a series of woodcut prints Thirty Six Views of Mt. -used the flat and powerful graphic forms of Japanese art to depict the threatening wave in the foreground -low horizon line of Western painting (Fine Wind, Clear Weather)

CHAIRMAN MAO en ROUTE to ANYUAN
East Asia
1,967
*oil on canvas

-heroic image of Chairman Mao based on Soviet Socialist images of Joseph Stalin -uses European composition techniques -mass produced for placement all in homes during Cultural Revolution -emphasizes the triumph of the people over their oppressors -work is an example of historical revisionism because Mao was not present at this event (Chairman Mao Inspects the Guangdong Countryside)

NAN MADOL
Pohnpei Island, Micronesia
500 to 1500 A.D.
*artificial islets

-a ruined city adjacent to the eastern shore of the island of Pohnpei -the city, constructed in a lagoon, consists of a series of small artificial islands linked by a network of canals -it contains nearly 100 artificial islets—stone and coral fill platforms—bordered by tidal canals -the elite centre was a special place of residence for the nobility and of mortuary activities presided over by priests -there is no fresh water or food; water must be collected and food grown inland (Leluh Ruins)

MOAI on PLATFORM (AHU)
Easter Island
c. 1,200 C.E.
*basalt

-represent ancestral chiefs who were believed to be descended directly from the gods and whose supernatural powers could be harnessed for the benefit of humanity -were generally erected on temple platforms (ahu) along the coast -characterized by long sloping noses, strong brows, deeply inset eyes, and prominent chins -the clavicle is emphasized, and the nipples protrude -arms are thin and lie tightly against the body; the hands are hardly indicated -surface of the rock is rough and pitted, and pinpricks of light sparkle as tiny crystals in the rock glint (Easter Island)

AHU 'ULA (FEATHER CAPE)
Hawaii
probably before 1,850 C.E.
*olona fibre, feather

-Hawaiian male nobility wore feather cloaks and capes for ceremonies and battle -the color red was associated with both gods and chiefs -yellow feathers became equally valuable, due to their scarcity -tiny bundles of feathers were attached to the netting in overlapping rows starting at the lower edge -small cape has a shaped neckline which would closely fit the wearer (Royal Hawaiian Featherwork: Nā Hulu Ali'i)

STAFF GOD
Rarotonga, Cook Islands
late 18th-early 19th century
*wood, paper mulberry bark, feather

-upper part of the staff consists of a carved head above smaller carved figures -lower end is a carved phallus -shaft is in the form of an elongated body, with a head and small figures at one end -some staff god has a potent combination of male and female elements -also have an explicit sexual aspect, thus embodying male and female productive and reproductive qualities (Wooden sculptures from Nukuoro)

FEMALE DEITY from NUKUORO
Caroline Islands, Micronesia
18th-19th century
*wood

-an ovoid head tapering slightly at the chin and a columnar neck -the eyes and nose are either discretely shown as slits or not at all -the shoulders slope downwards and the chest is indicated by a simple line -some female figures have rudimentary breasts -some of the sculptures, be they male, female or of indeterminate sex, have a sketchy indication of hands and feet -the buttocks are always flattened and set on a flexed pair of legs -each of the figurines bore the name of a specific male or female deity which was associated with a particular extended family group, a priest and a specific temple (Wooden mask)

BUK MASK
Torres Strait, Mabuiag Island
mid to late 19th century
*turtle shell, wood, cassowary feathers, fiber, resin, shell, paint

-work displays the composite human and animal imagery typical of western Torres Strait masks -were used during funerary ceremonies and increase rites (rituals designed to ensure bountiful harvests and an abundance of fish and game) -worn over the head like a helmet, this work depicts a human face, possibly portraying one such culture-hero -is surmounted by a frigate bird, perhaps representing his personal totemic species (Mask (Le op))

HIAPO (TAPA)
Niue
c. 1,850-1,900
*Tapa or bark cloth, freehand painting

-to make bark cloth, the inner bark is pounded flat, with a wooden beater or ike, on an anvil -bark cloth was created with a felting technique and designs were pounded into the cloth with a carved beater -designs were sometimes stained or rubbed on with wooden or fiber design tablets -patterns could be applied with stamps made out of bamboo, whereas stencils of banana leaves or other suitable materials were used in Fiji -design illustrations involved geometric motifs in an overall ordered and abstract patterns (Wedding Tapa)

TAMATI WAKA NENE, GOTTFRIED LINDAUER
New Zealand
1,890
*oil on canvas

-was a Rangatira or chief of the Ngāti Hao people, and an important war leader -Nene wears a kahu kiwi, a fine cloak covered in kiwi feathers, and an earring of greenstone or pounamu -is holding a hand weapon known as a tewhatewha, which has feathers adorning its blade and a finely carved hand grip with an abalone or paua eye -all of these mark him as man of mana or personal efficacy and status -the most striking feature for an international audience is his intricate facial tattoo, called moko (Hongi Hika)

NAVIGATION CHART
Marshall Islands
probably 19th century C.E.
*wood, shell

-the horizontal and vertical sticks act as supports, while diagonal and curved ones represent wave swells -cowrie or other small shells represent the position of the islands -information was memorized and the charts would not be carried on voyages -navigation charts continue to be made, often simpler in form, to be sold as souvenirs (Navigation chart (mattang))

MALAGAN DISPLAY and MASK
New Ireland, Papua New Guinea
1,884 C.E.
*wood, pigment, vegetable fiber, operculum

-are commonly used at funeral rites, which both bid farewell to the dead and celebrate the vibrancy of the living -masks can represent the dead ancestors, ges (the spiritual double of an individual), or the various bush spirits associated with the area -when a piece is bought, the seller surrenders the right to use that particular Malanggan style, the form in which it is made, and even the accompanying rites -Malanggan ceremonies became extremely expensive affairs, taking into account the costs of the accompanying feasting (Malangan figure)

PRESENTATION of FIJIAN MATS and TAPAS CLOTHS to QUEEN ELIZABETH II
Fiji
1,953-1,954
*royal tour, silver gelatin print

-procession of Fijian women making their way through a group of seated Fijian men and women -several of the processing women are wearing skirts made of barkcloth painted with geometric patterns -the cloth is often presented as gifts in important ceremonies such as weddings and funerals, or to commemorate significant events, such as a visit by the Queen of England -the more simple the design, the more meaningful its function (Bure kalou)

THE GATES
Central Park, New York City
1,979-2,005
*nylon, vinyl, fabric, steel

-gates with their free-hanging saffron colored fabric panels seemed like a golden river appearing and disappearing through the bare branches of the trees -rectilinear three-sided rigid vinyl frame resting on two steel footings, supported saffron-colored fabric panels that hung loosely from the top -a complex testament to two controversial topics in contemporary art: how to create meaningful public art and how art responds to and impacts our relationship with the built environment (Running Fence)

VIETNAM VETERANS MEMORIAL
National Mall, Washington, D.C.
1,982
*granite

-honors U.S. service members of the U.S. armed forces who fought in the Vietnam War, service members who died in service in Vietnam/South East Asia, and those service members who were MIA during the War -memorial consists of three separate parts: the Three Servicemen Memorial, the Vietnam Women's Memorial, and the Vietnam Veterans Memorial Wall -long gabbro walls, etched with the names of the servicemen being honored in panels of horizontal rows with regular typeface and spacing -walls are sunk into the ground, with the earth behind them -when a visitor looks upon the wall, their reflection can be seen simultaneously with the engraved names, which is meant to symbolically bring the past and present together (Lincoln Memorial)

HORN PLAYERS
France
1,983
*acrylic and oilstick on three canvas panels mounted on wood supports

-an homage to the great horn players Charlie Parker and Dizzy Gillespie -on the left is Parker with his alto saxophone and on the right is Gillespie with his trumpet -Parker's legendary jazz standard "Ornithology," is referenced in the middle section of the painting -the words "DOH SHOO DE OBEE" that float to the left of the figure's head call to mind the scat singing Gillespie often performed onstage -on each panel there are large swaths of white paint, which seem to highlight the black background and obscure the drawings and/or words beneath (Three Musicians)

SUMMER TREES
Korea
1,979
*ink on paper

-vertical parallel brush strokes of ink blend and bleed from one to the other in a stark palette of velvety blacks and diluted grays -feathery edges of some reveal them to be pale washes applied to very wet paper, while the darkest appear as streaks that show both ink and paper were nearly dry -forms overlap and stop just short of the bottom edge of the paper, suggesting a sense of shallow space—though one that would be difficult to enter (Tree)

ANDROGYNE III
Poland
1,985
*burlap, resin, wood, nails, and string

-Androgyne torsos are seated on low stretchers of wooden logs, perhaps filling in for lost legs -figures are mostly androgynous, with their sexual characteristics de-emphasized -artist wants the viewer to focus on the humanity of the figures rather than their gender -wrinkled skin and the implication of backbones, musculature and veins -bodies, or body parts are intended to be seen in the round as the hollow interior is as much a part of the piece as the molded exterior -body is a husk without arms, legs or a head. It is an expression of suffering, both mournful and disturbing -alludes to the brutality of war and the totalitarian state (Great Ursa)

A BOOK from the SKY
Beijing, China
c. 1,987-1,991
*hand-printed books and ceiling and wall scrolls printed from wood letterpress type; ink on paper, each book

-filled entirely with meaningless glyphs designed to resemble traditional Chinese characters -book, which consists of four volumes totaling 604 pages, was printed in a single print run of 126 copies -characters were carved into individual pieces of movable type made from pear wood (Ghosts Pounding the Wall)

PINK PANTHER
New York
1,988
*glazed porcelain

-depicts a smiling, bare-breasted, blond woman scantily clad in a mint-green dress, head tilted back and to the left as if addressing a crowd of onlookers -figure is based on the 1960s B-list Hollywood star Jayne Mansfield—here she clutches a limp pink panther in her left hand, while her right hand covers an exposed breast -pink panther has its head thrown over her shoulder and wears an expression of hapless weariness (Michael Jackson and Bubbles)

UNTITLED (#228), from the HISTORY PORTRAITS SERIES
America
1,990
*chromogenic color print

-Judith looks boldly out at her audience and presents the head of Holofernes in her right hand, displaying the dagger she used to decapitate him in her left -is garbed in billowing red, blue, and green drapery and stands in front of a curtain made of pieces of brocaded and patterned fabric -her head is tilted slightly to her left, much like the heroines in paintings by Botticelli -stands on a carpet of green grass speckled with flowers (Untitled Film Still #21,1978)

DANCING at the LOUVRE, from the SERIES, The FRENCH COLLECTION, PART 1; #1
France
1,991
*acrylic on canvas, tie-dyed, pieced fabric border

-Marcia and her three little girls took Willa Marie Simone dancing at the Louvre -all about breaking the rules, and having lots of fun while doing it -combines representational painting and African-American quilting techniques -tells the fictional story of Willa Marie Simone, a young black woman who moves to Paris in the early 20th century -Willa Marie's adventures lead her to meet celebrities such as Pablo Picasso and Henri Matisse, Josephine Baker, Zora Neale Hurston, Sojourner Truth, and Rosa Parks on the road to becoming an artist and businesswoman (Who's Afraid of Aunt Jemima?)

TRADE (GIFTS for TRADING LAND with WHITE PEOPLE)
Norfolk, Virginia
1,992
*oil paint and mixed media, collage, objects, canvas

-references the role of trade goods in allegorical stories like the acquisition of the island of Manhattan by Dutch colonists in 1626 from unnamed Native Americans in exchange for goods worth 60 guilders or $24.00 -Native Americans had been lured off their lands by inexpensive trade goods -divided into three large panels, the triptych -covered the canvas in collage, with newspaper articles about Native life, photos, comics, tobacco and gum wrappers, fruit carton labels, ads, and pages from comic books, all of which feature stereotypical images of Native Americans -mixed the collaged text with photos of deer, buffalo, and Native men in historic dress holding pipes with feathers in their hair -canoe suggests the possibility of trade and cultural connections (Canyon)

EARTH'S CREATION
Utopia, north east of Alice Springs
1,994
*synthetic polymer paint on linen mounted on canvas

-patches of bold yellows, greens, reds and blues seem to bloom like lush vegetation over the large canvas -comprised of gestural, viscous marks, each swath of color traces the movement of the artist's hands and body over the canvas, which would have been laid horizontally as she painted, seated on or beside and intimately connected to her art -dump dot technique - using the brush to pound the paint onto the canvas and create layers of color and movement (Emu Woman)

REBELLIOUS SILENCE, from the WOMEN of ALLAH SERIES
Iran
1,994
*print & ink, photo

-central figure's portrait is bisected along a vertical seam created by the long barrel of a rifle -woman's eyes stare intensely towards the viewer from both sides of this divide -gun rises perpendicular to the lower edge of the photo and grazes her face at the lips, nose, and forehead -examines the complexities of women's identities in the midst of a changing cultural landscape in the Middle East—both through the lens of Western representations of Muslim women, and through the subject of personal and religious conviction -defined by the hard edge of her black chador against the bright white background (Faceless)

EN LA BARBERIA NO SE LLORA (NO CRYING ALLOWED in the BARBERSHOP)
Hartford, Connecticut
1,994
*mixed media installation with barbers' chairs, photographs, objects and videos

-mixed-media installation located in the Puerto Rican community of Park Street in Hartford -created in collaboration with local residents -engaged the public through conversation, workshops, and artistic collaborations -visually lavish -it's not so much about beauty but the contradictions of beauty (The Scene of the Crime (Whose Crime?))

PISUPO LUA AFE (CORNED BEEF 2000)
New Zealand
1,994
*flattened cans of corned beef

-corned beef a favorite food source in the Islands, it has also become a ubiquitous part of the ceremonial gift economy -canned corned beef is a processed food high in saturated fat, salt and cholesterol -critiques serious issues of ecological health and food sovereignty -"tinned bull"—solid, hard-edged and weighty -convey the capacity of beef and dairy cattle to destroy fragile island eco-systems (Asiasi II)

ELECTRONIC SUPERHIGHWAY
United States
1,995
*fifty-one channel video installation (including one closed-circuit television feed), custom electronics, neon lighting, steel and wood; color, sound

-neon outlines the monitors, recalling the multicolored maps and glowing enticements of motels and restaurants that beckoned Americans to the open road -different colors remind us that individual states still have distinct identities and cultures, even in today's information age -neon lights suggest that what unifies us now is electronic communication (Magnet TV)

The CROSSING
New York
1,996
*video/sound

-room-sized video installation that comprises a large two-sided screen onto which a pair of video sequences is simultaneously projected -a male figure walks slowly towards the camera, his body dramatically lit from above so that it appears to glow against the video's stark-black background -after several minutes he pauses near the foreground and stands still -he faces forward, staring directly into the lens, motionless -two scenes diverge; in one, a small fire alights below the figure's feet -spreads over his legs and torso and eventually engulfs his whole body in flames; yet, he stands calm and completely still as his body is immolated, only moving to raise his arms slightly before his body disappears in an inferno of roaring flames (Shiva as Lord of Dance)

GUGGENHEIM MUSEUM BILBAO
Bilbao, Bizkaia, Spain
1,993-1,997
*titanium, limestone, glass, steel

-spiraling concrete ramps -to showcase great fine art exhibitions and further the redevelopment of the city Bilbao -was visited by numerous artists, architects, journalists, politicians, filmmakers, and historians during the four years of its construction which anticipated the success of the museum -a museum to challenge assumptions about art museum collecting and programming with its inventive design -twisting glass-and-steel volume combines irregularly-shaped limestone and plaster walls, glazed elevator shafts, and vertigo-inducing catwalks -central atrium serves as a circulation hub and orientation gallery, providing access to approximately 20 galleries on three levels (Snake)

PURE LAND
Tokyo, Japan
1,996-1,998
*glass with photo interlayer

-meditative environment that provides the audience with a sense of tranquility and transcendence -set within a golden landscape, a female figure serenely floats above a lotus blossom while six alien musicians whirl by on bubbly clouds -her pink robes mirror the predominantly pale orange, yellow and pink of the water, land and sky—firmly embedding her within the tranquil scene -counterpart of Mori's 3D video installation, Nirvana (Enlightenment Capsule)

LYING with the WOLF
New York
2,001
*ink and pencil on paper

-depicts a female nude reclining intimately alongside a wolf -featuring an act of bonding between human and animal, the piece speaks not only to Smith's fascination with and reverence for the natural world, but also her noted interests in religious narratives and mythology, the history of figuration in western art, and contemporary notions of feminine domesticity, spiritual yearning, and sexual identity -illustrates women's relationships with animals, drawing from representations found in visual, literary, and oral histories (Rapture)

DARKYTOWN REBELLION
Luxembourg
2,001
*cut paper and projection on wall

-brilliant pattern of colors washes over a wall full of silhouettes enacting a dramatic rebellion, giving the viewer the unforgettable experience of stepping into a work of art -made up of over a dozen characters, plays out a nightmarish scene on a single plane: one figure stands upright over his severed limb, despite his bleeding leg stump, with bones protruding from his hips; another figure, also exhibiting a severed limb, rolls on his back; a woman with a bonnet and voluminous hoop skirt may be attacking a smaller figure on its back, perhaps a crying baby, with a long, plunger-like instrument -silhouettes conceals (Slavery! Slavery!)

The SWING (AFTER FRAGONARD)
Sheffield
2,001
*mixed-media installation

-with her fingers delicately grasping the thickly coiled rope of a swing suspended mid-flight, a life-sized female mannequin flirtatiously kicks up her left foot, projecting her slipper into the air where it hovers above a tangle of branches. Our gaze is directed from the arch of her foot towards the vibrant trim of her petticoat, gown and coat -three-dimensional recreation of the Rococo painting after which it was titled -she is headless (The Swing)

OLD MAN'S CLOTH
Southern Nigeria
2,003
*aluminum and copper wire

-hangs like a large tapestry -arranged within a shifting grid of stripes and blocks of color, the components form their own internal maps across the surface, melding into vertical gold bands, interlocking black and silver rows, or a deviant red piece floating in a field of black -has been constructed from flattened liquor bottle labels that the artist collects near his home in Southern Nigeria -luminescent gold colors also recall the colonial past of Anatsui's home country -fluid movements of the work's surface remind us of the waters of the Atlantic Ocean (Hovor II)

STADIA II
New York
2,004
*ink and acrylic on canvas

-represent our visualization of the sports arena -small circles, dots, and hash marks float through the open space at the center of the composition, resembling the eruption of confetti that announces a winning team's victory -larger circles, triangles, blocks and parallelograms that float across the upper register -pictorial elements could comprise the designs of nearly any country's national flag -cluster of red and blue stripes, for instance, located along the top-right edge of the canvas, resemble the American flag -use of abstraction in service of revolution and utopian politics throughout the history of Modernist art (Proun)

PREYING MANTRA
New York
2,006
*mixed media on mylar

-centers on female subjectivity, exoticism and the notion of hybridity—both in concept and imagery -work was shaped by this complex history and by issues such as the rights of women that came to the fore at the end of the century -female creature appears to recline on a geometrically patterned blanket that is sprawled between trees or perhaps on a tree branch -blanket resembles a Kuba cloth -legs tightly crossed in front of her, the figure stares suggestively at the viewer with her right hand positioned behind her head, which is surmounted by a cone-like crown -her relaxed posture is camouflaged by her skin, which appears dappled by sunlight and which mirrors the colors of the tree's leaves -in her left hand, the figure holds a green serpent that rests on the blanket which fills much of the scene (The Calabash)

SHIBBOLETH
Turbine Hall, London
2,007-2,008
*installation

-a deep meandering crack in the floor -elaborates a complex socio-political topic in a work with a tremendous formal presence -viewer's perception into the crevice alters, as he or she walks and shifts to better glimpse inside the cracks and appreciate the interior space, notably the wire mesh embedded along the sides -change in perspective is one of Salcedo's goals -friends and enemies are separated by fine, linguistic lines (Noviembre 6 y 7)

MAXXI NATIONAL MUSEUM of XXI CENTURY ARTS
Rome, Italy
1,998-2,009
*glass, steel, and cement

-MAXXI art and MAXXI architecture -designed as a true multi-disciplinary and multi-purpose campus of the arts and culture -purpose of the building as a center for the exhibition of visual arts -the walls that cross the space, and their intersections, defines interior and exterior spaces of the MAXXI -located around a large full height space which gives access to the galleries dedicated to permanent collections and temporary exhibitions, the auditorium, reception services, cafeteria and bookshop (Bridge Pavilion)

KUI HUA ZI (SUNFLOWER SEEDS)
Tate Modern's Turbine Hall
2,010
*sculpted and painted porcelain

-consists of more than 100 million tiny, handmade porcelain sunflower seeds, originally weighing in at 150 tons -filled the enormous Turbine Hall at Tate Modern, an industrial building-turned-contemporary art space -sunflower seeds evokes a warm personal memory for the artist, who recalls that while he was growing up, even the poorest in China would share sunflower seeds as a treat among friends -use of sunflower seeds as the basis of his installation was also designed to subvert popular imagery rooted in the artist's childhood -Ai Weiwei reasserts the sunflower seed as a symbol of camaraderie during difficult times (@Large, Trace)

AP Art History- 250 - Subjecto.com

AP Art History- 250

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APOLLO 11 STONES
Namibia, Africa
Mesolithic period
c. 25,400 BCE
*charcoal on stone, ocher, and white

-Huns Mountains of South-western Namibia -earliest art in Africa -found in two pieces -stylization -spiritual purpose, shamanism -engraved w/ geometric line designs -representation of an animal -twisted perspective (Tassil n’ Ajjer rock art)

LASCAUX CAVE: GREAT HALL of the BULLS
Lascaux, France
Paleolithic Europe
14,000 BCE
*rock painting, natural pigment on stone

-earliest surviving example of art of early people -cows, bulls, horses, bison, deer are important -caves symbolizes the birth canal, w/ life emanating from it -paint animals that were important -natural rock contours -twisted perspective (The Cave Art)

CAMELID SACRUM
Tequixquiac, central Mexico
10,500 BCE
*pelvic bone

-Mesoamerica -related to reproduction, fertility, and reincarnation -animism -cosmological traditions -sacred bone -portal to translocation of shamans, spirits, and deities (Apollo 11 Stones)

RUNNING HORNED WOMAN
Tassili n’ Ajjer, Algeria
5,000 BCE
*pigment on rock

-running woman -horns: ceremony attire -body paint: ritual -raffia skirt -horned goddess -made to record history -have a ritual context -face is featureless -twisted perspective (Nok Head)

BEAKER with IBEX MOTIFS
Susa, Iran
3,850 BCE
*painted terra cotta, hand carved

-Mesopotamian -relate to civilization’s concept of death, dying, and afterlife -fertility or water -birds, animals -decoration and symbolism -geometric shapes -stylized (Terracotta fragments)

ANTHROPOMORPHIC STELE
Arabian peninsula
4th millennium BCE
*sandstone

-religious or burial practices -grave markers -unique to its religion -sandstone color -standing upright -shape of a warrior (Singing Man)

JADE CONG
Liangzhu, China
Neolithic period, Bronze Age
2,750 BCE
*carved jade

-Liangzhu culture -refers to spirits and deities -symbolic from energy -represents demons -square cross-section -circular hole (Jade disc)

STONEHENGE
Wiltshire, UK
Neolithic Europe
c. 2,050 BCE
*sandstone, post & lintel

-Salisbury Plain -built in a sacred place -ritual activities -arranged to face midsummer sunrise and midwinter sunset -looks like they are in formation (Easter Island)

AMBUM STONE
Ambum Valley, Enga Province, Paupa New Guinea
c. 1,500 BCE
*greywacke

-in various location in New Guinea -supernatural origins -mortars, pestles, and freestanding figures -geometric motifs -humans, birds (Bird Head)

TLATILCO FEMALE FIGURE
Central Mexico, site of Tlatilco
1,050 BCE
*ceramic w/ traces of pigment

-Las Bocas -famous "pretty ladies" -found in burials -fertility figurines -distinctive figurines -stylized motifs -slit eyes -downturned mouths (Early Preclassic Tlatilco female figurines)

TERRA COTTA FRAGMENT
Lapita, Solomon Islands, Reef Islands
1,000 BCE
*terra cotta (incised)

-wasn’t suppose to be in fragments -cooking, serving, or storing food -geometric patterns -anthropomorphic faces and figures (Tlatilco Female Figurines)

The WHITE TEMPLE and ZIGGURAT
Uruk, Iraq
3,400 BCE
*mud bricks

-dedicated to the sky god Anu -built raised platform with four sloping sides -visual focal point of the city -visual connection to the god or goddess honored there -White temple was rectangular -long rectangular central hall with rooms on either side -three entrances, none of which faced the ziggurat ramp directly (Cylinder seals)

THE PALETTE of NARMER
Hierakonpolis, Egypt
Early Dynastic period
c. 2,950 BCE
*green schist, siltstone

-vitally important, but difficult to interpret -decorated on both faces with detailed low relief -shows King Narmer -used for grinding and mixing minerals for cosmetics -focus on human actions -used in temple ceremonies -unification of Upper and Lower Egypt (The Seated Scribe)

STATUETTES of TWO WORSHIPERS
Sumerian
2,750 BCE
*alabaster figures, limestone, stone, gypsum

-Square Temple in Eshnunna -Sumerian votive figures/offerings to God -religious -represents men and women who left prayers at temple -stylized face and body -worshiper stands: hands folded, arms across chest -men have similar beards -different sizes -huge eyes (Standard of Ur)

SEATED SCRIBE
near Tomb of Kai
5th Dynasty
*painted limestone

-round head -alert expression -cap of close-cropped hair -irregular contours of face -informal -cross-legged -naturalistic -flabby -meant to be seen in the front -funerary sculpture -meant for the afterlife -holding papyrus scroll -he’s a scribe -high class (Hatshepsut)

STANDARD of UR (WAR and PEACE)
Ur, Mesopotamia
2,500 BCE
*shell, limestone, lapis lazuli, bitumen

-Royal Cemetery -people performing different roles -elaborate burial rituals -sound box for musical instrument -divided into three registers -wealthiest people are at the top -common laborers at the bottom (Victory Stele of Naram-Sin)

GIZA PLATEAU PLAN
El Giza, Egypt
2,560 BC
*limestone, mud bricks

-pyramids -square w/ four triangles -tombs for kings/royalty -stones -carried artifacts -for afterlife -one level (Plan of Karnak)

KING MENKAURE and his QUEEN
Giza, Egypt
Old Kingdom, Dynasty 4
2,480 BCE
*greywacke

-side by side -shows rebirth and afterlife -power is shown by left foot forward -wears royal beard -eternity and mortality (Sarcophagus of the Spouses)

CODE of HAMMURABI
Babylonian
1,771 BCE
*diorite

-basalt stele -well-preserved Babylonian law code of ancient Mesopotamia -erected by the king of Babylon -cuneiform script -Akkadian language -divided into three parts (Rosetta Stone)

KARNAK
Upper Egypt
New Kingdom
1,550 BCE
*sandstone

-temples, chapels, pylons, and other buildings -worship many gods -sacred -temple -worship rooms -long hallways -complex is a vast open-air museum (Valley of the Kings)

HATSHEPSUT TEMPLE
Thebes, Egypt
New Kingdom
1,465 BCE
*limestone

-mortuary temple -carved from mountain -subtractive -used to worship Queen Hatshepsut -one temple worship room -statues -walkways (Giza Plateau)

HATSHEPSUT
Egypt
18th Dynasty
New Kingdom
1,460 BCE
*granite

-head cloth: symbol of king -broad shoulders -sculpture of pharaoh -offering vessels, etc to god, Amun -female pharaoh -represented as male king -symbolic -mean to be seen in the front -kneeling (Seated Scribe)

AKHENATEN and his FAMILY
Middle Egypt
New Kingdom
Amarna period, 18th dynasty
c. 1,350 BCE
*limestone

-Pharaoh Akhenaten, his queen Nefertiti, and their three children -shows King Akhenaten and his family as a "Holy Family" -painted relief -sunken relief -kept in a private chapel of an Amarna house (The Palette Narmer)

TUTANKHAMUN’S TOMB
Valley of the Kings, Egypt
18th Dynasty
*lapis lazuli, turquoise, gold

-King Tutankhamun -innermost coffin and death mask -found on November 26, 1922 -royal burial ground located on the west bank of the ancient city of Thebes -strange animals, statues, and gold -held three coffins -semiprecious stones -wears royal beard holds the crook and flail, symbols of the king’s right to rule -goddesses Nekhbet (vulture) and Wadjet (cobra) stretch their wings across his torso -Isis and Nephthys are underneath -eternity, mortality, power in afterlife (Nefertiti)

LAST JUDGEMENT of HUNEFER
Thebes, Egypt
c. 1,300 BCE
*papyrus

-Book of the Dead -shows the soul of the deceased (Hunefer) being led to judgment by Anubis -court of gods sits above -Hunefer’s heart is weighed on the scales on the left, against the feather of truth on the right -gave instructions for afterlife -symbols of eternal life -narratives -human + god interaction (Head of Tutankhamun)

LAMASSU (human headed winged lion)
Palace of Sargon
Neo-Assyrian period
871 BCE
*alabaster (gypsum), carved out of stone

-sculpture -inscriptions -crown -ears of a bull -beard -horizontal bands -wings form a pattern -ringlets (Ashurbanipal hunting lions)

ATHENIAN AGORA
Athens, Greece
Classical period
6th century BC
*marble

-democracy -Goddess Athena: protector of the city -best-known example of an ancient Greek agora -Forum of Athens -has a peristyle court, tholos, agora stone, Temple of Hephaestus, Stoa of Zeus, Stoa of Hermes, etc. (Acropolis of Athens)

ANAVYSOS KOUROS
Anavyssos, Athens
Archaic period
c. 530 BCE
*parian marble w/ remains of paint

-found in a cemetery as a grave marker -free standing -naked youth -left leg forward and out -traditional hair -archaic smile (Peplos Kore)

PEPLOS KORE
Acropolis, Athens, Greece
Archaic period
530 BCE
*marble

-symmetric hair (braided and down) -goddess -originally painted -clothed (thick drapery) -stiff (no movement) -staring at you, hand clenched at side, archaic smile -meant to be viewed from the front (Anavysos Kouros)

SARCOPHAGUS of the SPOUSES
Banditaccia necropolis, Cerveteri, Italy
Etruscan
c. 520 BCE
*painted terracotta

-sarcophagus of married couple -ashes placed inside -both held objects in their hands: egg to symbolize life after death -concentration on upper body -broad shoulders: little anatomical modeling -made in 4 separate pieces joined together -ancient tradition of reclining while eating (King Menkaure and his Queen)

APADANA
Persepolis, Iran
5th century BC
*limestone

-Audience Hall of Darius and Xerxes -large hypostyle hall -massive columned hall used for receptions by the Kings -contained 72 columns and two monumental stairways -walls of the spaces and stairs were carved with hundreds of figures, several of which illustrated subject peoples of various ethnicities, bringing tribute to the Persian king (Gate of All Nations)

APADANA STAIRCASE
Persepolis, Iran
5th century BC
*limestone

-walls of the spaces and stairs were carved with hundreds of figures, several of which illustrated subject peoples of various ethnicities, bringing tribute to the Persian king (Gate of All Nations)

APOLLO of VEII
Portonaccio Temple, Veii, Italy
Etruscan
c. 510 BCE
*painted terra-cotta

-1 of 4 large figures that stood on roof -dedicated to Minerva -figure has spirit -archaic smile -meant to be seen from below (Peplos Kore)

TOMB of the TRICLINIUM
Tarquinia, Italy
c. 470 BCE
*tufa, painted frescoe

-Etruscan chamber tomb -a banquet, music and dancing -dancers and diners -painted frieze -women and men -stylized trees and birds (Sarcophagus of the Spouses)

NIOBIDES KRATER
ancient Athenian
c. 455 BCE
*clay, red-figure painting (white highlights)

-attic red-figure calyx-krater -to mix wine and water -mortal woman: Niobe -14 children: 7 daughters, 7 sons -Niobe bragged about her children to goddess Leto -Apollo and Artemis: children of Leto -Apollo and Artemis kills all 14 children -severe style: stiffness -violence in the back -Herackles is in the middle -sense of depth -asking Herackles for protection -contrast on both sides (Beaker with Ibex Motifs)

DORYPHOROS
Greece
Early Classical period
c. 445 BCE
*Roman marble copy after a Greek bronze original

-spear bearer -by Polykleitos -well-muscled standing athlete -a canon -uses math -contrappasto -sense of counterbalance (Anavysos Kouros)

PARTHENON
Acropolis, Athens
Classical period
440 BCE
*pentelic marble

-made for goddess Athena as a way to get closer to the goddess -doric with ionic elements -architecturally a temple -small shrine has been excavated within the building (Old Temple of Athena Nike)

EAST PEDIMENT SCULPTURES of the PARTHENON
Acropolis, Athens
Classical period
440 BCE
*marble

-Birth of Athena -setting is Olympus -includes Helios, Horses and Dionysus -maybe Heracles? -High Classical -parts of limbs of most figures are missing, most surfaces chipped and abraded (Plaque of the Ergastines)

PLAQUE of the ERGASTINES
Acroplolis, Athens
440 BCE
*Pentelic marble (Attica)

-fragment from the frieze on the east side of the Parthenon -would have been painted -people who wove peplos for for sculpture of Athena -animals brought for sacrifice -things needed for ancient ceremony -2 male figures (East Pediment Sculptures of the Parthenon)

VICTORY ADJUSTING her SANDAL
Temple of Athena Nike, Acropolis, Athens, Greece
410 BCE
*marble

-relief from the parapet around the temple -Nike -on the side of the temple -she has two wings -removing shoes to walk on sacred grounds -wearing wet drapery style clothing that allows her feminine form to show through her nearly transparent garment and its deep folds (Winged Victory of Samothrace)

GRAVE STELE of HEGESO
Dipylon Cemetary, Kerameikos, Athens, Greece
c. 410 BCE
*marble and paint

-funerary sculpture -Hegeso is a woman seated -opening box of jewelry, a necklace -domestic setting -plasters on both side of it -inscriptions above "Hegeso, daughter of Proxenos" -quiet reverence -foot resting on foot rest -wearing a sandal -solemn mood of grave stele (Victory Adjusting her Sandal)

WINGED VICTORY of SAMOTHRACE
Temple of Athena Nike, Acropolis, Athens, Greece
Hellenistic period
c. 190 BCE
*Lartos marble (ship) and Parian marble (figure)

-shows movement -9 feet high -portraying artful flowing drapery, as though the goddess was descending to alight upon the prow of a ship -Nike’s right arm is believed to have been raised (Victory Adjusting her Sandal)

GREAT ALTAR of ZEUS and ATHENA at PERGAMON
Pergamon, Greece
Hellenistic period
175 BCE
*marble

-Athena is in control -base is decorated with a frieze in high relief -Olympians fighting Giants -goddess Hecate fights the giant Klytios -Artemis, armed with a bow and arrow against Otos -her hunting dog savages another Giant on the neck -Apollo just shot Ephialtes with an arrow (East Pediment Sculptures of the Parthenon)

HOUSE of VETTII
Pompeii, Italy
Imperial Roman
c. 2nd century BCE
*cut stone and fresco

-atrium -peristyle of fluted Doric columns surrounded on all sides by a richly fresco portico -has a triclinium (dining hall) -house have 30 rooms -stairways throughout the structure indicate that there was an upper level -decor is unified by the black backgrounds of its large fresco panels (Pantheon)

ALEXANDER MOSAIC from the HOUSE of the FAUN
House of the Faun, Pompeii
Hellenistic period
c. 100 B.E
*Roman copy (Pompeii) of a lost Greek painting

-mosaic (floor) -Persian soldier holding shield/reflection -vs. Persians -based on Greek paintings -found in a elaborately decorated mansion in Pompeii -was buried under ash before Mt. Versuvius erupted (Tomb of the Triclinium)

SEATED BOXER
Quirinal Hill of Rome, near the ancient Baths of Constantine
Hellenistic period
c. 100 BCE
*bronze

-hallow -sitting nude boxer at rest, still wearing his caestus, a type of leather hand-wrap -athletic, but not beautiful -boxer is physically hurt – top-heavy over-muscled torso -scarred and bruised face -cauliflower ears -broken nose, and a mouth suggesting broken teeth (Rottgen Pieta)

HEAD of a ROMAN PATRICIAN
Otricoli, Republican, Roman
c. 75 BCE
*marble

-Patrician class were the wealthy upper class -hooked nose -strong cheekbones -gravitas (seriousness of mind and virtue) -a sign of status and wealth -veristic portrait -idealized -exclusively made for men (Seated Boxer)

AUGUSTUS of PRIMAPORTA
Villa of Livia at Primaporta
Early Empire, Imperial rome
1st century CE
*marble

-Augustus is from divine lineage being a descendant of Julius Caesar -statue served as a vehicle for political propaganda -contrapposto -Cupid on dolphin shows that he is the son of Venus -youthful and athletic -successful military leader (Doryphoros)

COLOSSEUM
Rome, Italy
c. 75 CE
*concrete, sand

-Flavian Amphitheater -oval amphitheater in the center of the city -used for gladiatorial contests and public spectacles such as mock sea battles, animal hunts, executions, re-enactments of famous battles, and dramas based on Classical mythology -had numbers -seated according to status -double theater -arches framed by columns -Tuscan, Ionic, Corinthian (Pantheon)

FORUM of TRAJAN
Rome, Italy
ancient Rome
112 CE
*stone

-by Apollodorus of Damascus -Column of Trajan -Trajan markets -sculpture of Trajan in the middle -libraries built of bricks -Temple of Trajan -composed of a main square that was flanked by porticoes, as well as by exedrae on the eastern and western sides (Basilica Ulpia)

PANTHEON
Rome, Italy
c. 125 CE
*stone

-completed by the emperor Hadrian -temple for the gods (church) -massive bronze doors -oculus, perfect sphere -all viewers could see the building -bowl-shaped dome -portico of large granite Corinthian columns under a pediment (Forum of Trajan)

LUDOVISI BATTLE SARCOPHAGUS
Rome, Italy
c. 255 CE
*marble

-Romans vs. Barbarians (Goths) -made Romans look like good guys -piled on top of one another -man in the middle is the hero -figures on the bottom are smaller (Great Altar of Zeus and Athena at Pergamon)

CATACOMB of PRISCILLA
Via Salaria, Rome, Italy
late 2nd century-4th century CE
*dirt-lined walls

-quarry was used for Christian burials -some of the walls and ceilings display fine decorations illustrating Biblical scenes -square chamber with an arch which contains 3rd century frescoes interpreted to be Old and New Testament scenes, including the Fractio Panis -also has a depiction of the Annunciation (Santa Sabina)

SANTA SABINA
Aventine Hill, Rome, Italy
Late Antique
c. 432 CE
*brick, stone, and wooden roof

-church -large windows made of selenite -wooden doors is generally agreed to be the original door -walls originally were decorated with mosaics -light was a symbol for Christ (Catacomb of Priscilla)

VIENNA GENESIS
Syria
early Byzantine
early 6th century
*tempera, gold, and silver on purple vellum

-Jacob Wrestling the Angel -Rebecca and Eliezer at the Well -oldest well-preserved, surviving, illustrated biblical codex -illustrations are done in a naturalistic style -each illustration is painted at the bottom of a single page (Lindisfarne Gospels)

SAN VITALE
San Vitale, Ravenna
526 CE
*mosaic

-Emperor Justinian and his attendants -Justinian and Theodora panels -important surviving examples of Byzantine architecture and mosaic work -he is haloed and wears a crown and a purple imperial robe (Virgin (Theotokos) and Child between Saints Theodore and George)

HAGIA SOPHIA
Istanbul
early Byzantine Art
535 CE
*brick, ceramic elements with stone and mosaic veneer

-Christian basilica, later an Mosque, and now a museum in Istanbul, Turkey -centrally planned and axially planned church, nave, dome supported by pendentives -longitudinal plan, central plan -Hypostyle Hall (Great Mosque)

MEROVINGIAN LOOPED FIBULAE
Jouy-le-Comte, France
mid 6th century
*silver gilt filigree, garnet, additional stones

-brooches that were made popular by Roman military campaigns -consist of a body, a pin, and a catch -pendants could have been hung from the small loops on the bottom on each fibulae -example of barbarian metalwork and cloisonné (Sutton Hoo purse lid)

VIRGIN (THEOTOKOS) and CHILD between SAINTS THEODORE and GEORGE
Monastery of St. Catherine, Mount Sinai, Egypt
early Byzantine Europe
6th or early 7th century
*encaustic on wood

-icon placed in a medieval monastery -Virgin Mary and her son sit centrally placed in the image -Saint George and Saint Theodore stand stiffly engaging the viewer with their eyes -Angels look towards Heaven towards the hand of God -different styles lead scholars to believe that the image was created by multiple artists -religious icon -large eyes -syncretic (San Vitale)

LINDISFARNE GOSPELS
Lindisfarne, Britain
Hiberno-Saxon Medieval
c. 700 CE
* ink, pigment, gold, vellum

-illuminated manuscript gospel book -very ornate due to the rarity of books of the time and their importance. -"Incipit" meaning the opening words of Luke’s gospel -numerous Celtic spiral ornaments -set patterns appear in the large O (Vienna Genesis)

GREAT MOSQUE
Córdoba, Spain
c. 785 BCE
*stone

-514 columns -wooden roof originality -Moorish Portal (large decorative doors): 965 -Arabesque above portal -South side of Mesquita -Illusion of lace, overlapping -Maqusura: screened in Quibla area for ruler -squinch and criss-crossed arch (Great Mosque of Damascus)

PYXIS of AL-MUGHIRA
Muslim, Spain
Islamic period
968 CE
*carved ivory with traces of jade

-container for expensive aromatics -Calligraphic inscriptions in Arabic identify owner -asks for Allah’s blessings, and tells us the function -gift for the caliph’s younger son -eight medallion scenes showing pleasure activities of the royal court; hunting, falconry, sports, musicians, horror vacui, vegetal and geometric motifs (Narmer Palette)

CHURCH of SAINTE-FOY and RELIQUARY
Sainte Foy, Conques, France
Romanesque
late 10th to early 11th century
*gold, silver gilt, jewels, and cameos over a wooden core

-reliquary of a young girl martyred in the early fourth century -Sainte Foy refused to sacrifice to the Roman gods in pagan ritual -relics of her body stolen from a nearby town and enthroned in Conques in 866. (Relic (tibia) of St. Mary Magdalene)

BAYEUX TAPESTRY, FIRST MEAL
Bayeux, France
Romanesque
c. 1,070
*embroidery on linen (Bayeux)

-tells part of the narrative of William’s conquest of England at the Battle of Hastings -section in particular tells of servants preparing a feast, then the food being blessed by Bishop Odo -narrative -flat figures -neutral background -several registers (Ludovisi Battle Sarcophagus)

CHARTRES CATHEDRAL
Chartres, France
c.1,145
*stone

-medieval Catholic cathedral -following the destruction of a fire, the left side of the cathedral was rebuilt in High Gothic style -known for flying buttresses that helped it be built so high and let in so much light -lots of stained glass on the sides and the rose window (Notre Dame Cathedral)

DEDICATION PAGE with BLANCHE of CASTILE and KING LOUIS IX of FRANCE
Paris, France
c. 1,230
*folded page

-moralized bible -quire (folded page) of a three-volume bible -in the upper register, an enthroned king and queen wear the traditional medieval open crown topped with fleur-de-lys—a stylized iris or lily symbolizing a French monarch’s religious, political, and dynastic right to rule -Louis IX, wearing an open crown atop his head, returns his mother’s glance (The Golden Haggadah)

ROTTGEN PIETA
Rhineland, Germany
c. 1,320
*painted wood

-pieta – crucified christ lying on grieving mary -drained of blood tissue and muscle -increased the tragic tone with religious art, for private devotion called vespors (evening prayers) -she is youthful and draped in heavy robes like many of the other Marys, but her facial expression is different -shows pain and loss (Berlinghieri, St. Francis altarpiece)

ARENA (SCROVEGNI) CHAPEL
Florence, Italy
late medieval
1,305
*bricks

-became famous for its interior paintings -chancel (thin little passage way) -top left-window with flap over it now-window would’ve been connected to palace (Golden Haggadah)

GOLDEN HAGGADAH
northern Spain, Barcelona
c. 1,320
*medieval illuminated manuscript

-preparation for the Passover festival -Miriam (Moses’ sister) holding a timbrel decorated with an Islamic motif -is joined by maidens dancing and playing contemporary musical instruments -master of the house, sitting under a canopy, orders the distribution of matzoh (unleavened bread) and haroset (a sweet made from nuts and fruit) to the children – house is prepared for Passover (Saint Louis Bible)

ALHAMBRA
Granada, Spain
beginning 14th century
*carved stucco, paint

-originally constructed as a small fortress in 889 -renovated and rebuilt in the mid-13th century by the Nasrid Dynasty – the last Muslims to rule in Spain -a residence for the ruler and close family, the citadel, Alcazaba – barracks for the guards who were responsible for the safety of the complex, and an area called medina (or city), where court officials lived and worked -3 royal palaces: Comares Palace, Palace of the Lions, and Partal Palace (Mosque of Córdoba)

ANNUNCIATION TRIPTYCH (MERODE ALTARPIECE)
Tournai, South Netherlands
1,425-1,428
*tempera and oil on panel

-portraits of the donors are in the left panel -figure of the female donor, and the servant behind her, appear to have been added to the painting after completion by a different artist, maybe after the donor married -central panel shows an Annunciation to Mary -tiny figure of Christ, holding a cross, flies down towards Mary, representing her impregnation by God (Ghent Altarpiece)

PAZZI CHAPEL
Santa Croce, Florence, Italy
1,420-1,460
*bearing masonry

-built as a perfect space with harmonious proportions -chapel, used as the chapter house by Santa Croce friars, is proceeded by an atrium, a sort of entrance hall, supported by six Corinthian columns placed next to the central arch -rectangular layout has a square room, covered by an umbrella-shaped dome, and two sides of the remaining space, covered by a barrel vault w/ round windows (Basilica of Santa Croce)

The ARNOLFINI PORTRAIT
Bruges, Belgium
Northern/Early Renaissance
1,434
*tempera and oil on wood

-Portrait of Giovanni Arnolfini and his Wife -subject: marriage -glowing colors help to highlight the realism -shows material wealth and opulence of Arnolfini -they are richly dressed -large expensive brass chandelier -convex mirror (Mérode Altarpiece)

DAVID
Florence, Italy
Italian/Early Renaissance
c. 1,440
*bronze

-by Donatello -posed with his foot on Goliath’s severed head just after defeating the giant -youth is completely naked, apart from a hat and boots, bearing the sword of Goliath -David has confidence and pride -relaxed contrapposto -shows homoeroticism (David (Michelangelo))

PALAZZO RUCELLAI
Florence, Italy
c. 1,446-1,451
*stone

-humanist architecture for a private home -facade is divided into three tiers -divided with the horizontal entablatures that run across the facade -cross-hatched, or rusticated stone runs across the bottom of the building, as well as large stone blocks, square windows, and portals of post and lintel construction in place of arches (Palazzo Medici Riccardi)

MADONNA and CHILD with TWO ANGELS
Florence, Italy
Italian Renaissance
c. 1,460-1,465
*tempera on panel

-Madonna sits on a chair, at the window of a house located on a hilltop -her eyes are pointed down, her hands are folded in prayers before child Jesus -Jesus is held up by two angels -Madonna resembles other Madonnas from the same artist (Primavera)

BIRTH of VENUS
Florence, Itlay
Early Renaissance
1,483-1,485
*tempera on panel

-Venus rises from the sea -looks like a classical statue and floating on a seashell -on Venus’ right is Zephyrus, God of Winds, he carries with him the gentle breeze Aura and together they blow the Goddess of Love ashore -Horae, Goddess of the Seasons, waits to receive Venus and spreads out a flower covered robe in readiness for the Love Goddess’ arrival (Primavera)

LAST SUPPER
Milan, Italy
1,495-1,498
*oil, tempera, fresco

-final meal that Jesus shared with his Apostles in Jerusalem before his crucifixion -Andrew, Judas, Peter, John, Christ, Thomas -dense with symbolic references -attributes identify each apostle -balanced composition is anchored by an equilateral triangle formed by Christ’s body (The Baptism of Christ)

ADAM and EVE
Nuremberg, Germany
1,504
*engraving

-Adam and Eve stand together in a dense, dark forest -foreign and unexpected motifs intrude into this German wood -bodies are frontal, they stand in a classical contrapposto, where the weight of the body is shifted onto one foot -their heads are turned to the side as they gaze at one another -Eve is plucking an apple from a tree with fig leaves (The Creation of Adam depicted in the Sistine Chapel)

SISTINE CHAPEL ceiling and altar wall frescos
Vatican City, Rome
1,508-1,512
*fresco

-Ceiling of the Sistine Chapel (including the Creation of Adam) -Last Judgment (altar wall, Sistine Chapel) -Creation of the Heavens and Earth, Creation of Adam and Eve, Expulsion from the Garden of Eden, Noah and the Great Flood (The Last Judgement)

SCHOOL of ATHENS
Vatican City, Rome
High Renaissance
1,509-1,511
*fresco

-represents all greatest mathematicians, philosophers, scientists from classical antiquity gathered together to share ideas and learn from each other -Aristotle (on the right) and Plato (on the left, pointing up) -Plato points up because in his philosophy the world that we see around us is just a shadow of a higher, truer reality that is eternal and unchanging -Plato holds his book called the Timaeus -Aristotle holds his hand down, because in his philosophy, the only reality is the one that we can see and experience by sight and touch (The Last Judgement)

ISENHEIM ALTARPIECE
Isenheim, Germany
c. 1,510-1,515
*oil on wood

-created to serve as the central object of devotion in an Isenheim hospital -a bearded and enthroned St. Anthony flanked by standing figures of St. Jerome and St. Augustine -carved Christ stands at the center of seated apostles, six to each side, grouped in separate groups of three (St. Wolfgang Altarpiece)

ENTOMBMENT of CHRIST
Florence, Italy
Baroque, Renaissance
Christian art
1,525-1,528
*oil on panel

-was dedicated to the Pietà -is aided by Saint John, who is holding Christ’s hand, and by Nicodemus, with his back to us -enveloping the body in a white shroud before it is taken to the tomb -Virgin Mary is present, supported by Mary Magdalene in her grief -entire composition of the painting is defined by the horizontal line of Christ’s body (The Calling of St Matthew)

ALLEGORY of LAW and GRACE
Gotha, Germany
1529
*oil on wood

-the Old and the New Testament -a tree at centre, dividing the sheet into two halves -Death and a devil drive a naked man into hell -Fall is depicted and in the sky the Last Judgement -in the foreground stands St John with a man, pointing to Christ on the cross at upper right (The Allegory of Salvation and Sin)

VENUS of URBINO
Florence, Italy
1538
*oil on canvas

-depicts a nude young woman, the goddess Venus, reclining on a couch or bed in the sumptuous surroundings of a Renaissance palace -figure’s pose is based on Giorgione’s Sleeping Venus -domesticated Venus by moving her to an indoor setting, engaging her with the viewer, making her sensuality explicit -Venus stares straight at the viewer, unconcerned with her nudity -in her right hand she holds a posy of roses whilst she holds her other hand over her genitals -in the background is a dog, a symbol of fidelity (Sacred and Profane Love)

FRONTISPIECE of the CODEX MENDOZA
Viceroyalty of New Spain
c. 1,541-1,542
*pigment on paper

-Aztec codex -contains a history of the Aztec rulers and their conquests, a list of the tribute paid by the conquered, and a description of daily Aztec life -in traditional Aztec pictograms with Spanish explanations and commentary (Florentine Codex)

Il GESU, including TRIUMPH of the NAME of JESUS CEILING FRESCO
Church of Il Gesu, Rome
consecrated 1584
*ceiling fresco

-an allegory of the work of the Jesuits that envelops worshippers (or observers) below into the whirlwind of devotion -swirling figures in the dark distal (entry) border of the composition frame base the open sky, ever rising upward toward a celestial vision of infinite depth -light from Jesus’ name and symbol of the Jesuit order is gathered by patrons and saints above the clouds (Saint Ignatius Chapel, Il Gesù)

HUNTERS in the SNOW, PIETER BRUEGEL the ELDER
Netherlands
Northern Renaissance
1,565
*oil on wood

-wintry scene in which three hunters are returning from an expedition accompanied by their dogs -hunters appear to trudge wearily -dogs appear downtrodden and miserable -one man carries the "meagre corpse of a fox" illustrating the paucity of the hunt -colors are muted whites and grays -trees are bare of leaves, and wood smoke hangs in the air (Calling of Saint Matthew and Inspiration of St. Matthew)

MOSQUE of SELIM II
Edirne, Turkey
1,568-1,575
*cut stone, marble

-surrounded by four tall minarets -in front of the mosque sits a rectangular court with an area equal to that of the mosque -mihrab is pushed back into an apse-like alcove with a space with enough depth to allow for window illumination from three sides -formed by eight massive dome supports, the octagon is pierced by four half dome covered corners of the square (Great Mosque at Cordoba)

CALLING of SAINT MATTHEW
San Luigi dei Francesi, Rome
Baroque
Christian art
c. 1,599-1,600
*oil on canvas

-depicts the story from the Gospel of Matthew -depicts Matthew the tax collector sitting at a table with four other men -Jesus Christ and Saint Peter have entered the room, and Jesus is pointing at Matthew -a beam of light illuminates the faces of the men at the table who are looking at Jesus Christ (Hunters in the Snow)

The PRESENTATION of the PORTRAIT of MARIE DE’ MEDICI
Luxembourg Palace, Paris
c. 1,622-1,625
*oil on canvas

-Hymenaios, the god of marriage, displays the princess Marie on canvas to her future king and husband -Jupiter and Juno are sitting atop clouds looking down on Henry as they provide the viewer a key example of marital harmony and thus show approval for the marriage -the marriage between Marie de’ Medici and Henry IV (San Carlo alle Quattro Fontane)

SELF-PORTRAIT with SASKIA
Rijksmuseum, Amsterdam
1,636
*etching

-Rembrandt’s wife, Saskia van Uylenburgh -produced only two years after their marriage, depicts the thirty-year-old Rembrandt and his new bride -Saskia is seated by his side (The Presentation of the Portrait of Marie de’ Medici)

SAN CARLO ALLE QUATTRO FONTANE
Rome, Italy
Baroque
1,646
*stone and stucco

-tall corinthian columns stand on plinths and bear the main entablatures -between the columns, smaller columns with their entablatures weave behind the main columns and in turn they frame niches, windows, a variety of sculptures as well as the main door -central oval aedicule of the upper order and the oval framed medallion borne aloft by angels (Triumph of the Name of Jesus ceiling fresco)

ECSTASY of SAINT TERESA
Cornaro Chapel, Santa Maria della Vittoria, Rome
Baroque
1,647-1,652
*white marble

-life-size -Teresa is shown lying on a cloud indicating that this is intended to be a divine apparition we are witnessing -group is illuminated by natural light which filters through a hidden window in the dome of the surrounding aedicule, and underscored by gilded stucco rays -Teresa’s experience of religious ecstasy in her encounter with the angel (Las Meninas)

ANGEL with ARQUEBUS, ASIEL TIMOR DEI
Peru
Southern Baroque
before 1728
*oil on canvas and gilding

-elements: guns, angels and fashion -depict an archangel -angels wear the typical clothing of the Spanish aristocracy as this time with a gun (arquebus) -angel is shown wearing Spanish dress -conveys how the Spaniards influenced culture in South America (Las Meninas)

LAS MENINAS
Spain
Spanish Baroque
c. 1,656
*oil on canvas

-painting of a portrait of the royal couple -presents several figures, most identifiable from the Spanish court -young Infanta Margaret Theresa is surrounded by her entourage of maids of honour, chaperone, bodyguard, two dwarfs and a dog -behind them, Velázquez portrays himself working at a large canvas (Woman Holding a Balance)

WOMAN HOLDING a BALANCE
Baroque
1,664
*oil on canvas

-light flows from a window, accentuating a hand, a sleeve, a face -a painting of the Last Judgment -in the center hangs a balance, empty but for the light itself -an open jewelry box, the pearls and gold within spilling over -representation of divine truth or justice (The Milkmaid)

The PALACE at VERSAILLES
Versailles, France
French Baroque
1,664-1,710
*limestone, bricks

-Versailles was meant to emphasize Louis’s importance -lots of gold -room after room of marble and gold and paintings -ceilings painted to place Louis in the company of the Greek gods, busts of him in a huge formal curly wig staring at you -700 rooms inside the palace -Hall of Mirrors (Hall of Mirrors)

SCREEN with SIEGE of BELGRADE and HUNTING SCENE
Mexico
c. 1,697-1,701
*oil on wood, inlaid with mother-of-pearl

-scene from the Great Turkish War -on its front side was an ideal propagandistic backdrop of Habsburg power for the reception of the viceroy’s official international visitors -decorative hunting scene on the reverse (Marriage A-la-Mode)

The VIRGIN of GUADALUPE (VIRGEN DE GUADALUPE)
Basilica of Guadalupe, Mexico City
late 17th century
*oil paint, gilding

-mother of pearl on panel -she is often celebrated in art as a mother, wife, and queen -Guadalupe averts her gaze and clasps her hands together in piety -stands on a crescent moon, and is partially supported by a seraph (holy winged-being) below -she wears Mary’s traditional colors, including a brilliant blue cloak over her dress -embroidered roses decorate her rose-colored dress -golden stars adorn her cloak and a mandorla of light surrounds her (Basilica of Our Lady of Guadalupe)

FRUIT and INSECTS
Florence, Italy
1,711
*oil on wood

-still life of fruits, animals and insects on a moss floor -the landing butterfly is about to have a close encounter with the lizard -nest symbolizes new life to come (Flower Still Life)

SPANIARD and INDIAN PRODUCE a MESTIZO, attributed to JUAN RODRIGUEZ JUAREZ
Mexico
second half of the 18th century
*oil on canvas

-painting displays a Spanish father and Indigenous mother with their son -attempts to capture reality, yet they are largely fictions -casta paintings display a mother, father, and a child -possibly modeled on depictions of the Holy family showing the Virgin Mary, saint Joseph, and Christ as a child (Virgin of Guadalupe)

The TETE A TETE, from MARRIAGE A LA MODE
France
Rococo
c. 1,743
*oil on canvas

-marriage of the Viscount and the merchant’s daughter is quickly proving a disaster -the party from night before hasn’t been cleaned up -the servants are just waking up -the husband looks bored, dishevelled and distracted, and has returned exhausted from what was likely a trip to a brothel -the dog sniffs a lady’s cap in his pocket (Marriage à-la-mode)

PORTRAIT of SOR JUANA INES DE LA CRUZ
Mexico
c. 1,750
*oil on canvas

-famous depiction of the esteemed Mexican nun and writer -corresponded with scientists, theologians, and other literary intellectuals in Mexico and abroad -she wrote poetry and plays that became internationally famous, and even engaged in theological debates -portrait insists on her status as an intellectual (Portrait of the Reverend Mother María Antonia de Rivera)

A PHILOSOPHER GIVING a LECTURE on the ORRERY
Europe
c. 1,763-1,765
*oil on canvas

-in which a lamp is put in place of the sun -two young boys, gazing over the edge of the contraption in playful wonder -a teenage girl, her arms resting on the machine, in quiet contemplation -a young man shielding his eyes from the brilliance of the light emanating from the center -a standing man taking copious notes on the proceedings (The Alchemist Discovering Phosphorus)

The SWING
France
Rococo
c. 1,767
*oil on canvas

-painting depicts a young man hidden in the bushes, watching a woman on a swing, being pushed by an elderly man, almost hidden in the shadows, and unaware of the lover -as the lady goes high on the swing, she lets the young man take a furtive peep under her dress, all while flicking her own shoe off in the direction of a statue of the Greek god of discretion and turning her back to two angelic cherubim on the side of the older man (A Young Girl Reading)

MONTICELLO
Charlottesville, Virginia
Neoclassical architecture
1,770-1,806
*bricks, structural wooden timbers

-was the primary plantation of Thomas Jefferson, the third President of the United States -a talented architect of neoclassical buildings, he designed Monticello -dome, porticos supported by Doric columns, and cornices and friezes derived from classical Roman buildings (Ash Lawn-Highland)

The OATH of the HORATII
France
Neoclassicism
1,784
*oil on canvas

-depicts a scene from a Roman legend about a dispute between two warring cities, Rome and Alba Longa, and stresses the importance of patriotism and masculine self-sacrifice for one’s country -depicts three men, brothers, saluting toward three swords held up by their father as the women behind him grieve (The Death of Socrates)

GEORGE WASHINGTON
Richmond, Virginia
1,788-1,792
*marble

-depicts a standing life-sized Washington -in his right hand is a cane, his left arm rests on a fasces on which is slung his cape and sword, and at the back is a plow -he is shown wearing his military uniform, as Washington wished to be depicted in contemporary attire (George Washington)

SELF-PORTRAIT
Paris, France
1,790
*oil on canvas

-Vigee Le Brun started the self portrait while in Florence but finished it in Rome -she is sunny, smiling, happy, and youthful -subject of the painting within the painting is Marie Antoinette (St. Luca Self Portrait)

Y NO HAI REMEDIO (And THERE’S NOTHING to BE DONE), from LOS DESASTRES DE LA GUERRA (The DISASTERS of WAR), PLATE 15
Europe
1,810
*etching, drypoint, burin and burnisher

-a man, blind-folded, head downcast, stands bound to a wooden pole -his white clothes, despite tears and rips, seem to emit light; although the man’s off-kilter posture signifies defeat, he is yet heroic -on the ground in front of him is a corpse, contorted, the spine twisted, arms and legs sprawled in opposite directions (Third of May)

LA GRANDE ODALISQUE
Paris, France
Neoclassicism
1,814
*oil on canvas

-the peacock fan, the turban, the enormous pearls, the hookah -reclining nude figure, though the actual pose of a reclining figure looking back over her shoulder -portrays a concubine in languid pose as seen from behind with distorted proportions -small head, elongated limbs, and cool color scheme all reveal influences from Mannerists (The Valpinçon Bather)

LIBERTY LEADING the PEOPLE
Paris, France
Romanticism
1,830
*oil on canvas

-commemorating the July Revolution of 1830, which toppled King Charles X of France -a woman personifying the concept and the goddess of Liberty leads the people forward over the bodies of the fallen, holding the flag of the French Revolution – the tricolour flag, which remains France’s national flag – in one hand and brandishing a bayonetted musket with the other -figure of Liberty is also viewed as a symbol of France and the French Republic known as Marianne (Death of Sardanapalus)

VIEW from MOUNT HOLYOKE, NORTHAMPTON, MASSACHUSETTS, AFTER a THUNDERSTORM—The OXBOW
Northampton, Massachusetts
1,836
*oil on canvas

-painting depicts a Romantic panorama of the Connecticut River Valley just after a thunderstorm -it has been interpreted as a confrontation between wilderness and civilization -painting moves from a dark wilderness with shattered tree trunks on rugged cliffs in the foreground covered with violent rain clouds on the left to a light-filled and peaceful, cultivated landscape on the right, which borders the tranquility of the bending Connecticut River (The Course of Empire)

STILL LIFE in STUDIO
France
1,837
*photography

-still life with plaster casts -part of the blurry quality is due to changing conditions during the long exposure time, causing the resolution, or clarity of the image, to be grainy and hard to read -many of Niépce’s early images simply turned black over time due to continued exposure to light (Boulevard du Temple)

SLAVE SHIP (SLAVERS THROWING OVERBOARD the DEAD and DYING, TYPHOON COMING ON)
Boston, Massachusetts
Romanticism
1,840
*oil on canvas

-in 1781, the captain of the slave ship Zong had ordered 133 slaves to be thrown overboard so that insurance payments could be collected -an enormous deep-red sunset over a stormy sea, an indication of an approaching typhoon -a ship sailing off into the distance -masts of the ship are red, matching the blood-red colour of the sky and the sickly copper colour of the water, which serves to blur the lines between various objects in the painting -ship’s sails are also not unfurled, revealing that the ship is preparing for the typhoon (Rain, Steam and Speed – The Great Western Railway)

PALACE of WESTMINSTER (HOUSES of PARLIAMENT)
London, England
1,840-1,870
*sand-coloured limestone, anston stone

-transformed from royal residence to the home of a modern democracy -Gothic architecture -mixture of both ancient and modern buildings -houses an iconic collection of furnishings, archives and works of art -meeting place of the House of Commons and the House of Lords, the two houses of the Parliament of the United Kingdom (Portcullis House)

The STONEBREAKERS
France
Realism
1,849
*oil on canvas

-depicting two peasants, a young man and an old man, breaking rocks -it was destroyed during World War II -workers, as he had seen them, in monumental form (The Gleaners)

NADAR ELEVATING PHOTOGRAPHY to ART
Le Boulevard, France
May 25, 1863
*lithograph

-Nadar capturing the first aerial photographs from the basket of a hot air balloon -a mad scientist or absent-minded professor figure -Nadar is unwittingly about to lose his top hat -below him, inscribed on every building in Paris, is the word "Photographie" -collodion method was introduced in 1851 -this process involved fixing a substance known as gun cotton onto a glass plate, allowing for an even shorter exposure time (3-5 minutes), as well as a clearer image (The Open Door)

OLYMPIA
Paris, France
1,863
*oil on canvas

-shows a nude woman "Olympia" lying on a bed being brought flowers by a black servant -her confrontational gaze caused shock and astonishment when the painting was first exhibited because a number of details in the picture identified her as a prostitute -the orchid in her hair, bracelet, pearl earrings and the oriental shawl on which she lies, symbols of wealth and sensuality -the black ribbon around her neck, in stark contrast with her pale flesh, and her cast-off slipper underline the voluptuous atmosphere (La Grande Odalisque)

The SAINT-LAZARE STATION
Paris, France
1,877
*oil painting

-is one of the six large terminus railway stations of Paris -this train station is an astonishing composition in which the hard-edged discs of the railroad signals hover above a rapidly scribbled swirl of blue and rose clouds of steam, with scrolled white edges, while the sketchy, angular drawing of the tracks and buildings provides contrast -flat, opaque circle of the largest signal, placed dead center and thickly painted, is so insistent that it turns the picture into a near-abstraction (Le Pont de l’Europe)

The HORSE in MOTION
Palo Alto track, California
19th June 1878
*sequence of photographs

-study of the horse at a gallop -he placed numerous large glass-plate cameras in a line along the edge of the track -the shutter of each was triggered by a thread as the horse passed -new photographic methods that were capable of nearly instantaneous exposure (Boys playing Leapfrog)

The VALLEY of MEXICO from the HILLSIDE of SANTA ISABEL
Santa Isabel Mountain Range, Mexico
1,875
*oil on canvas

-Valley of Mexico from the Hillside of Santa Isabel represents an important period in the development of Mexico’s national identity and an important chapter in the history of Mexican art -glorifies Mexican countryside -primarily an academic landscape painter -dramatic perspective (The Valley of Mexico from the Hill in Tenayo)

The BURGHERS of CALAIS
Paris, France
1,884-1,895
*bronze

-six men covered only in simple layers of tattered sackcloth -their bodies appearing thin and malnourished with bones and joints clearly visible -each has their own stance and identifiable features -some figures have their heads bowed or their faces obscured by raised hands -others try to stand tall with their eyes gazing into the distance (The Gates of Hell)

The STARRY NIGHT
Saint-Rémy-de-Provence, France
Dutch
1,889
*oil on canvas

-depicts the view from the east-facing window of his asylum room at Saint-Rémy-de-Provence, just before sunrise, with the addition of an idealized village -curving, swirling lines of hills, mountains, and sky, the brilliantly contrasting blues and yellows, the large, flame-like cypress trees, and the thickly layered brushstrokes -rich mixture of invention, remembrance, and observation -uses simplified forms, thick impasto, and boldly contrasting colors (Green Field)

The COIFFURE
Paris, France
1,890-1,891
*drypoint and aquatint on laid paper

-depicts a young woman in a private moment, as she pins up her hair for the day -straight lines of the mirror and wall and the chair’s vertical stripes contrast with the graceful curves of the woman’s body -rose and peach color scheme enhances her sinuous beauty by highlighting her delicate skin tone -emphasizes the nape of the woman’s neck, perhaps in reference to a traditional Japanese sign of beauty (Takashima Ohisa Using Two Mirrors to Observe Her Coiffure)

The SCREAM
Oslo, Norway
1,893 C.E.
*tempera on board

-androgynous, skull-shaped head, elongated hands, wide eyes, flaring nostrils and ovoid mouth -swirling blue landscape and especially the fiery orange and yellow sky -portrayed pure, raw emotion -two faceless upright figures in the background belong to the geometric precision of the bridge (Anxiety)

WHERE DO WE COME FROM? WHAT ARE WE? WHERE ARE WE GOING?
Paris, France
1,897-1,898
*oil on canvas

-huge, brilliantly colored but enigmatic work painted on rough, heavy sackcloth -contains numerous human, animal, and symbolic figures arranged across an island landscape -sea and Tahiti’s volcanic mountains are visible in the background (Two Tahitian Women)

CARSON, PIRIE, SCOTT and COMPANY BUILDING
Chicago
1,899-1,903 C.E.
*iron, steel, glass, and terra cotta

-example of early Chicago skyscraper architecture -remarkably successful display for the department store’s products -elaborate decorative program and attention paid to the functional requirements of retail architecture -a base level with a ground floor for businesses that require easy public access, light, and open space -a second story also publicly accessible by stairways (Wainwright Building)

MONT SAINTE-VICTOIRE
France, Europe
1,902-1,904 C.E.
*oil on canvas

-a mountain in southern France, overlooking Aix-en-Provence -often sketched the railway bridge on the Aix-Marseille line at the Arc River Valley in the center on the right side of the picture -uses different colours to represent the depth of objects -displays less precise brushstrokes allowing the shape of the mountain to emerge from the canvas like an apparition (Mont Sainte-Victoire and Château Noir)

LES DEMOISELLES d’AVIGNON
Spain
Cubism
1,907
*oil on canvas

-portrays five nude female prostitutes from a brothel on Carrer d’Avinyó (Avinyó Street) in Barcelona -each figure is depicted in a disconcerting confrontational manner and none are conventionally feminine -women appear as slightly menacing and rendered with angular and disjointed body shapes (Le bonheur de vivre)

The STEERAGE
Plymouth, England
1,907
*photogravure

-captures in a single image both a formative document of its time and one of the first works of artistic modernism -depicts a variety of men and women traveling in the lower-class section of a steamer going from New York to Bremen, Germany (The City of Ambition)

The KISS
Austria
1,907-1,908
*oil and gold leaf on canvas

-a perfect square -intense ornament on the embracing couple’s gilded clothing, so thoroughly intertwined that the two bodies seem to be one -elaborate robes decorated in a style influenced by both linear constructs of the contemporary Art Nouveau style and the organic forms of the earlier Arts and Crafts movement (The Kiss)

The KISS
France, Europe
1,916
*limestone

-reflecting the influence of Cubism in its sharply defined corners -its composition, texture, and material highlight Brancusi’s fascination with both the forms and spirituality of African, Assyrian, and Egyptian art -sculptures signify his shift toward simplified forms (The Kiss)

The PORTUGUESE
France, Europe
Cubism
1,911
*oil on canvas

-in this canvas, everything was fractured -guitar player and the dock was just so many pieces of broken form, almost broken glass -by breaking these objects into smaller elements, Braque was able to overcome the unified singularity of an object and instead transform it into an object of vision (The Reservoir, Horta de Ebro)

The GOLDFISH
France
1,912
*oil on canvas

-goldfish became a recurring subject in the work of Matisse -bright orange strongly contrasts with the more subtle pinks and greens that surround the fish bowl and the blue-green background -Blue and orange, as well as green and red, are complementary colors and, when placed next to one another, appear even brighter (Goldfish and Sculpture)

IMPROVISATION 28 (second version)
France
1,912
*oil on canvas

-painting’s sweeping curves and forms, which dissolve significantly but remain vaguely recognizable, seem to reveal cataclysmic events on the left and symbols of hope and the paradise of spiritual salvation on the right -style had become more abstract and nearly schematic in its spontaneity (Improvisation 26)

SELF-PORTRAIT as a SOLDIER
Germany
1,915
*oil on canvas

-a masterpiece of psychological drama -painting shows Kirchner dressed in a uniform but instead of standing on a battlefield, he is standing in his studio with an amputated, bloody arm and a nude model behind him -documents the artist’s fear that the war would destroy his creative powers and in a broader sense symbolizes the reactions of the artists of his generation who suffered the kind of physical and mental damage Kirchner envisaged in this painting (Self-Portrait with a Model)

MEMORIAL SHEET of KARL LIEBKNECHT
Germany
1,919-1,920
*woodcut heightened with white and black ink

-created in 1920 in response to the assassination of Communist leader Karl Liebknecht during an uprising of 1919 -it memorializes the man, it does so without advocating for his ideology -in the style of a lamentation, a traditional motif in Christian art depicting the followers of Christ mourning over his dead body, casting Liebknecht as the Christ figure ("The Martyrdom," plate 4 from Hell)

VILLA SAVOYE
Poissy, France
1,929
*steel and reinforced concrete

-"The house is a box in the air,…" —Le Corbusier -offered an escape from the crowded city for its wealthy patrons -delicate floating box that he designed is both functional house and modernist sculpture, elegantly melding form and function -support of ground-level pilotis, elevating the building from the earth and allowed an extended continuity of the garden beneath -functional roof, serving as a garden and terrace, reclaiming for nature the land occupied by the building -free floor plan, relieved of load-bearing walls, allowing walls to be placed freely and only where aesthetically needed -long horizontal windows, providing illumination and ventilation (Notre Dame du Haut)

COMPOSITION with RED, BLUE and YELLOW
Manhattan, New York
1,930
*oil on canvas

-it seems to be a flat work, but there are differences in the texture of different elements -while the black stripes are the flattest of the paintings, in the areas with color are clear the brushstrokes, all in the same direction -white spaces are, on the contrary, painted in layers, using brushstrokes that are put in different directions (Broadway Boogie-Woogie)

ILLUSTRATION from The RESULTS of the FIRST FIVE-YEAR PLAN
Moscow
1,932
*photomontage

-a sharp contrast between the black and white photographs and the red elements, such as the electric tower, the number 5, and the triangle in the foreground -our eyes are attracted to these oppositions and by the contrast between the indistinct masses and the individual portrait of Lenin, as an implicit reference to the Soviet political system -below, a large crowd of people indicate the mass popularity of Stalin’s political program and their desire to celebrate it (USSR in Construction, issue 4)

OBJECT (LE DEJEUNER en FOURRURE)
Paris, France
1,936
*fur-covered cup, saucer, spoon

-transform items typically associated with feminine decorum into sensuous tableware -provoked the viewer into imagining what it would be like to drink out of a fur-lined cup -Picasso remarked that one could cover anything with fur (Bee-covered bicycle seat)

FALLINGWATER
southwest Pennsylvania
1,936-1,939
*reinforced concrete, sandstone, steel, and glass

-a house that doesn’t even appear to stand on solid ground, but instead stretches out over a 30′ waterfall -interpenetrating exterior and interior spaces and the strong emphasis placed on harmony between man and nature -organically designed private residence was intended to be a nature retreat for its owners (Kentuck Knob)

The TWO FRIDAS
Mexico City
1,939
*oil on canvas

-typically painted self-portraits using vibrant colours in a style that was influenced by cultures of Mexico as well as influences from European Surrealism -self-portraits were often an expression of her life and her pain -two seated figures holding hands and sharing a bench in front of a stormy sky -Fridas are identical twins except in their attire -she was divorced from Diego Rivera -European dress and (Self-portrait (Time Flies))

The MIGRATION of the NEGRO, PANEL NO. 49
New York
1,940-1,941
*casein tempera on hardboard

-60 panels -broad in scope and dramatic in exposition -depiction of African-Americans moving North to find jobs, better housing, and freedom from oppression was a subject he associated with his parents, who had themselves migrated from South Carolina to Virginia, and finally, to New York -divided in two by a bold yellow rope—white diners on the left, black ones on the right—this restaurant offers a stark image of segregation (The Migration Series)

The JUNGLE
France
1,943
*gouache on paper mounted on canvas

-work, "intended to communicate a psychic state" -depicts a group of figures with crescent-shaped faces that recall African or Pacific Islander masks, against a background of vertical, striated poles suggesting Cuban sugarcane fields -these elements obliquely address the history of slavery in colonial Cuba (The Oracle and the Green Bird)

DREAM of a SUNDAY AFTERNOON in ALAMEDA CENTRAL PARK
Hotel del Prado, Mexico City
1,947
*fresco

-hundreds of characters from 400 years of Mexican history gather for a stroll through Mexico City’s largest park -colorful balloons, impeccably dressed visitors, and vendors with diverse wares cannot conceal the darker side of this dream: a confrontation between an indigenous family and a police officer; a man shooting into the face of someone being trampled by a horse in the midst of a skirmish; a sinister skeleton smiling at the viewer (La Calavera Catrina)

FOUNTAIN
New York
1,917/1,964
*porcelain urinal, glazed ceramic with black paint

-signed "R.Mutt" -submitted for the exhibition of the Society of Independent Artists in 1917 -Fountain was rejected by the committee -the original, which is lost, consisted of a standard urinal, usually presented on its back for exhibition purposes rather than upright (L.H.O.O.Q.)

WOMAN I
New York
1,950-1,952
*oil on canvas

-amalgam of female archetypes -her threatening stare and ferocious grin are heightened by de Kooning’s aggressive brushwork and frantic paint application -reflects the age-old cultural ambivalence between reverence for and fear of the power of the feminine -paint: ranging from thick to thin, rough to smooth, and opaque to translucent -broad-shouldered and ample-bosomed, she faces forward, with wide-open eyes taking up almost a third of her face and a virtually lipless mouth bearing long teeth (Woman III)

SEAGRAM BUILDING
375 Park Avenue, New York City
1,958
*steel frame

-one of the finest examples of the functionalist aesthetic and a masterpiece of corporate modernism -non-structural glass walls were hung -concrete hid the steel structure of the building -non-structural bronze-toned I-beams are visible from the outside of the building, and run vertically, like mullions, surrounding the large glass windows (Lever House)

MARILYN DIPTYCH
New York
1,962
*acrylic on canvas

-two silver canvases on which the artist silkscreened a photograph of Marilyn Monroe fifty times -influenced not only by pop culture, but also by art history -the actress looks at us seductively from under heavy-lidded eyes and with parted lips; but her expression is also a bit inscrutable, and the repetition remakes her face into an eerie, inanimate mask -silkscreen technique further "flattens" the star’s face (Campbell’s Soup Cans)

NARCISSUS GARDEN
New York, New York
1,966
*mirror balls

-tightly arranged 1,500 shimmering balls constructed an infinite reflective field in which the images of the artist, the visitors, architecture, and landscape were repeated, distorted, and projected by the convex mirror -size of each sphere was similar to that of a fortune-teller’s crystal ball -viewer only saw his/her own reflection staring back, forcing a confrontation with one’s own vanity and ego (Ascension of Polka Dots)

THE BAY
New York
1,963
*acrylic on canvas

-colors ranging from violet to indigo run into one another with navy near the top of the canvas -paint poured onto the canvas when it was wet -often characterized as color field painting -emphasizes an abstraction of a landscape -pools of color soaked into the raw canvas appear almost like watercolor (Adirondacks)

LIPSTICK (ASCENDING) on CATERPILLAR TRACKS
New Haven, Connecticut
1,969-1,974
*cor-ten steel, aluminum, cast resin, polyurethane enamel

-monumental tube of lipstick sprouting from a military vehicle -on the campus of Yale University when the 1969 student protests against the Vietnam War -combined the highly "feminine" product with the "masculine" machinery of war -large lipstick tube is phallic and bullet-like, making the benign beauty product seem masculine or even violent (Clothespin)

SPIRAL JETTY
Great Salt Lake, Utah
1,970
*mud, precipitated salt crystals, rocks, water

-sculpture is sometimes visible and sometimes submerged, depending upon the water level of the Great Salt Lake -is an earthwork sculpture -originally black basalt rock against ruddy water, it is now largely white against pink due to salt encrustation -forms a 1,500-foot-long (460 m), 15-foot-wide (4.6 m) counterclockwise coil jutting from the shore of the lake (Running Fence)

HOUSE in NEW CASTLE COUNTY
New Castle County, Delaware
1,978-1,983
*wood

-house for a family of three -offers a modest but instructive example of the Post-Modern style -large gable, recessed porch, and noticeably off-center chimney -the painted siding is white and the intersecting gables are clad with unstained wood shingles -walls of these barns are field stone with areas of wood frame and siding in the upper sections (Villa Savoye)

CHAVIN DE HUANTAR
Peru
900-200 B.C.E.
*white granite

-is an archaeological and cultural site in the Andean highlands -U-shaped Old Temple and the New Temple -god for whom the temple was constructed was represented in the Lanzón, a notched wedge-shaped stone -Lanzón depicts a standing figure with large round eyes looking upward -Its mouth is also large, with bared teeth and protruding fangs (Sition Arqueológico Chavín de Huántar)

MESA VERDE CLIFF DWELLINGS
Mesa Verde National Park, Colorado
450-1,300 C.E.
*sandstone

-the Ancestral Puebloans accessed these dwellings with retractable ladders -Cliff Palace has about 150 rooms and more than 20 circular rooms -buildings originally ranged from one to four stories, and some hit the natural stone ceiling -these stone and mortar buildings, along with the decorative elements and objects found inside them, provide important insights into the lives of the Ancestral Puebloan people (Arches National Park

YAXCHILAN LINTEL 25, STRUCTURE 23
Maya
late Classic period
after 709 C.E.
*limestone

-originally set above the central doorway at Yaxchilan -building is dedicated to Shield Jaguar II’s wife, Lady K’ab’al Xook shown on the bottom right of the panel -Lady Xook is in the hallucinatory stage of the bloodletting ritual -she conjures before her a vision of a Teotihuacan serpent -identity of the figure coming out of the serpent’s jaws is ambiguous (Yaxchilán lintel 16)

GREAT SERPENT MOUND
Adams County, Ohio
c. 1,070
*land

-largest serpent effigy in the world -mounds were made by the ancient Native American cultures that flourished along the fertile valleys of the Mississippi, Ohio, Illinois, and Missouri Rivers a thousand years ago -is both architectural and sculptural and was erected by settled peoples who cultivated maize, beans and squash and who maintained a stratified society with an organized labor force, but left no written records (Newark Earthworks)

TEMPOLO MAYOR, MAIN AZTEC TEMPLE
Tenochtitlan
1,375-1,520
*stucco

-was expanded, enlarged, and reconstructed during seven main building phases, with different rulers, or tlatoani ("speaker"), taking office -was positioned at the center of the Mexica capital and thus the entire empire -design reflects the Mexica cosmos, which was believed to be composed of four parts structured around the navel of the universe, or the axis mundi -two grand staircases accessed twin temples were dedicated to the deities Tlaloc and Huitzilopochti -Olmec‐style mask (Historic center of Mexico City)

RULER’S FEATHER HEADDRESS (probably of MOCTEZUMA II)
Mexico, Aztec
early 16th century
*quetzal, cotinga, roseate spoonbill, piaya feathers; wood, fibers, amate paper, cotton, gold, gilded brass

-the feathers of the piece have deteriorated over the centuries -has the form of concentric layers of different colored feathers arranged in a semicircle -smallest is made from blue feathers of the Cotinga amabilis w/ small plates of gold in the shapes of half moons, inlaid with precious stones -behind is a layer of pink flamingo feathers, small quetzal feathers, a layer of white-tipped red-brown feathers of the squirrel cuckoo, Piaya cayana, w/ three bands of small gold plates, and two of 400 closely spaced quetzal tail feathers (Sacrificial Knife with Mosaic Handle and Chalcedony Blade)

CITY of CUSCO
Peru
c. 1,440-1,540
*stone

-the center of existence—and a reflection of Inka power -city was divided into two sections, hanan (upper or high) and hurin (lower), which paralleled the social organization of Inka society into upper and lower social divisions -was further divided into quarters that reflected the four divisions of the empire, and people from those sections inhabited their respective quarters of the city -each individual stone was pecked with tools and fitted to the one next to it, with the result that blocks will have a varied number of sides -Qorikancha (Golden House), the most sacred shrine of the Inka, dedicated to the worship of the sun (Sacsayhuamán)

MAIZE COBS
Inka
c. 1,440-1,533
*ssheet metal/repoussé, metal alloys

-gold-silver alloy corncob sculpture -mimics the appearance of a ripe ear of corn breaking through its husk, still on the stalk but ready to be harvested -individual kernels of corn protrude from the cob that is nestled in jagged metallic leaves -metalsmiths expertly combined silver and copper to mimic the internal and external components of actual corn -hollow and delicate, the ears of corn on the stalk are life-sized (Miniature gold llama figurine)

CITY of MACHU PICCHU
Peru
c. 1,450-1,540
*land

-built as a royal estate for the first Inka emperor, Pachacuti Inka Yupanqui -was intended as a place where the Inka emperor and his family could host feasts, perform religious ceremonies, and administer the affairs of empire -site contains housing for elites, retainers, and maintenance staff, religious shrines, fountains, and terraces, as well as carved rock outcrops, a signature element of Inka art -features architecture, from houses to terraces, built by carefully fitting individual stones against each other -they increased the arable land surface and reduced erosion by creating walled steps down the sides of steep mountains -each step could then be planted with crops (Sacred Valley)

ALL-T’OQAPU TUNIC
Inka
1,450-1,540
*camelid fiber and cotton

-a woven rectangle folded to be a square, with a slit woven into the middle for the neck, decorated with small red woven squares -a T’oqapu is a square design that represents your ethnicity, occupation, clan, or area -weft threads are made of finest and softest alpaca hair, dyed with most expensive dye from cochineal -the presence of all of the T’oqapus show that the king, who wore this tunic, identified with his people but was also in charge, laid claim to all of them (Machu Picchu)

BANDOLIER BAG
Delaware tribe, Oklahoma
1880s
*hide, cotton cloth, silk ribbon, glass beads, wool yarn, metal cones

-based on bags carried by European soldiers armed with rifles, who used the bags to store ammunition cartridges -are often large in size and decorated with a wide array of colorful beads and ribbons -worn as a cross-body bag, with a thick strap crossing a person’s chest to allow it to rest on the hip -while men most commonly wore these bags, women created them -initially, Bandolier Bags did not have a pocket, but were intended to complement men’s ceremonial outfits -men even wore more than one bag on occasion, dressing themselves in a rainbow of colors and patterns (Bandolier Bag)

TRANSFORMATION MASK
Alert Bay, Vancouver Island, British Columbia, Canada
late 19th c.
*cedar wood, feathers, sinew, cord, bird skin, hide, plant fibers, cotton, iron, pigments

-usually an animal changing into a mythical being or one animal becoming another -are worn by dancers during ceremonies, they pull strings to open and move the mask—in effect, animating it -the wooden frame and netting held the mask on the dancer’s head -when the cords are pulled, the eagle’s face and beak split down the center, and the bottom of the beak opens downwards, giving the impression of a bird spreading its wings -transformed, the mask reveals the face of an ancestor (Tlingit Raven Screen)

PAINTED ELK HIDE, attributed to COTSIOGO (CADZI CODY)
Eastern Shoshone (Wind River Reservation, WY)
c. 1,890-1,900
*painted elk hide

-artists decorated the hides with geometric or figural motifs -began depicting subject matter that "affirmed native identity" and appealed to tourists -imagery placed on the hide was likely done with a combination of free-hand painting and stenciling -men and women both painted on hides, but men usually produced the scenes on tipis, clothing, and shields -many of these scenes celebrated battles and other biographical details (Buffalo Robe)

BLACK-ON-BLACK CERAMIC VESSEL
Tewa, Puebloan, San Ildefonso Pueblo, New Mexico
c. 1,939
*blackware ceramic

-olla pictured above features two design bands, one across the widest part of the pot and the other around the neck -elements inside are abstract but suggest a bird in flight with rain clouds above, perhaps a prayer for rain that could be flown up to the sky -designs are exaggerated due to the low rounded shapes of the pot, which are bulbous around the shoulder then narrow at the top (matte-on-glossy blackware wedding vase)

CONICAL TOWER and CIRCULAR WALL of GREAT ZIMBABWE
Southeastern Zimbabwe
c. 1,000-1,400 C.E.
*coursed granite blocks

-leaving little to no negative space in between the rocks -texture of the walls are more rugged towards the bottom of the buildings to represent the boulders that can be found in the surrounding landscapes -decorated around the top with dentelle-patterned frieze -walls were built for the people of the Kingdom of Mutapa -used the circular wall and great enclosement as a political center where they governed their Kingdom (The Hill Complex)

GREAT MOSQUE of DJENNE
Mali
1,907
*mud

-the largest mud-built structure in the world -neighborhoods of low-rise adobe houses that comprise the city -flourished as a great center of commerce, learning, and Islam -became a political symbol for local residents and for colonial powers -became the epicenter of the religious, cultural life of Mali, and the community of Djenné -site of a unique annual festival called the Crepissage de la Grand Mosquée (Plastering of the Great Mosque) -rectilinear in plan and is partly enclosed by an exterior wall -earthen roof covers the building, which is supported by monumental pillars -façade includes three minarets and a series of engaged columns that together create a rhythmic effect (Seated Figure)

WALL PLAQUE, from OBA’S PALACE
Benin Kingdom
1,550-1,680
*brass

-depicts an Oba (or king) and his attendants from the Benin Empire -king’s coral beaded regalia -attendants hold shields above his head, either to protect him from attack or possibly from the hot sun -hieratic scale -Oba rides sidesaddle on horseback -rosette shapes in background of the plaque were possibly derived from Christian crosses brought by these European traders (Manilla (money))

SIKA DWA KOFI (GOLDEN STOOL)
Ghana
c. 1,700
*Asante gold weights

-royal and divine throne of the Ashanti people -Okomfo Anokye, High Priest and one of the two chief founders of the Asante Confederacy, caused the stool to descend from the sky and land on the lap of the first Asante king, Osei Tutu -were traditionally symbolic of a chieftain’s leadership -house the spirit of the Asante nation—living, dead and yet to be born -hung with bells to warn the king of impending danger -shows succession and power -many designs and symbolic meanings mean that every stool is unique; each has a different meaning for the person whose soul it seats (Danish Crown Regalia)

NDOP (PORTRAIT FIGURE) of KING MISHE MISHYAANG MAMBUL
Democratic Republic of Congo
c. 1,760-1,780
*wood and camwood powder

-idealized portraits of individual Kuba rulers -ndop sculptural record helps remember a moment in time -have rounded contours creating forms that define the head, shoulders and stomach, and also feature a defined collarbone -expression on the face, position of the body, and regalia were meant to faithfully represent the ideal of a king—but not an individual King -head of the statue was sculpted to be one third the size of the total statue -emphasized the head because it was considered to be the seat of intelligence (Nkisi Nkondi)

NKISI N’KONDI
Democratic Republic of the Congo
c. late 19th century
*wood and metal

-can act as an oath taking image which is used to resolve verbal disputes or lawsuits as well as an avenger or guardian if sorcery or any form of evil has been committed -are wooden figures representing a human or animal such as a dog -carved under divine authority and in consultation with a spiritual specialist who activates these figures though chants, prayers and the preparation of sacred substances which are aimed at ‘curing’ physical, social or spiritual ailments -pegs, blades, nails or other sharp objects inserted into its surface -belly is shielded by a piece of glass, mirror or other reflective surface. Glass represents the ‘other world’ inhabited by the spirits of the dead (Ndop Portrait of King Mishe miShyaang maMbul)

FEMALE (PWO) MASK
Democratic Republic of Congo
early 20th century
*wood, plant fiber, pigment, copper alloy

-a classic Chokwe mask genre that honors founding female ancestors -inscribed motifs on the forehead and cheeks are classic graphic designs that aesthetically enhanced a woman’s beauty in past generations and were signs of ethnic identity -central cruciform on the forehead has been interpreted as a cosmogram while the markings on either cheek are described as a solar disc joined by tears -the fiber coiffure are a braided headband and a heavy fringe at the rear (Portrait mask (Mblo))

PORTRAIT MASK (MBLO)
Africa
late 19th-early 20th century
*wood, pigment

-part of a secular masquerade in the village of Kami -physical presence of a mask can allow the invisible world to interact with and influence the visible world of humans -allowed residents to socialize, mourn, celebrate, feast, and even, court -meant to honor a respected member of Baule society -oval face with an elongated nose, small, open mouth, downcast slit eyes with projecting pieces that extend beyond the crest to suggest animal horns – also have scarification patterns at the temple and a high gloss patina (Face Mask (Gu))

BUNDU MASK
Moyamba district, Sierra Leone
late 19th-early 20th century
*wood and pigment

-worn by senior members of the all-female Sande Society during rite-of-passage ceremonies that signify a girl’s transition to adulthood -carved expressions of local ideals of feminine beauty, health and serenity that vary widely in their detail -blackened surface, small facial features, prominent forehead and elaborate hairstyle it has an extraordinary feature in the form of a Western-style top hat (Female (Pwo) Mask)

IKENGA (SHRINE FIGURE)
Nigeria
early 20th century
*wood

-personal shrine reflects the great value the Igbo place on individual achievement -to honor the power and skills of a person’s right hand, as the right hand holds the hoe, the sword, and the tools of craftsmanship -a human figure with horns symbolizing power, sometimes reduced to only a head with horns on a base -at the bottom is the stool-like element composed for four angular flexed legs (Igbo Male Shrine Figure)

LUKASA (MEMORY BOARD)
Democratic Republic of Congo
c. 19th to 20th century
*wood, beads and metal

-used by experts in the oral retelling of history in Luba culture -the master who has the skill and knowledge to read the lukasa will utilize it as a mnemonic device, touching and feeling the beads, shells, and pegs to recount history and solve current problems -use the lukasa to recount history in the context of spiritual rituals -diviners can also read the lukasa -the board is "read" by touching its surface with the right forefinger -each lukasa is different but small enough to hold in the left hand (Beadwork Headdress Mbudye Official)

AKA ELEPHANT MASK
Grassfields region of Cameroon
20th century
*cloth, beads, raffia, fiber

-worn only at funerals, celebrations, or important events -only high ranking members of society had wore and owned these -geometric patterns -power symbol -beadwork=power -ceremonial item -its colors and patterns expressed the society’s cosmic and political functions -lavish use of colored beads and cowrie shells displayed the wealth of the members (Helmet Mask)

RELIQUARY FIGURE (BYERI)
Gabon
mid 18th to mid 19th century
*wood and iron

-depicting the body precisely as observed in life -mask celebrates the female form -the proportions are relatively balanced -reduced to a series of basic shapes—cylinders and circles -legs and hips are conceived as the intersection of two perpendicular cylinders, echoing the cylindrical reliquary box on which the figure sat -outsized hands suggest different emotional states for these two protective figures—tense anxiety, perhaps, in one and a lumbering aggression in the other (Ndop Portrait of King Mishe miShyaang maMbul)

VERANDA POST of ENTHRONED KING and SENIOR WIFE (OPO OGOGA)
Nigeria
before 1,938
*wood, pigment

-embodies the unique style, including the interrelationship of figures, their exaggerated proportions, and the open space between them -while the king is the focal point, his portrayal suggests a ruler’s dependence on others -stately female figure behind the king represents his senior wife -her large scale and pose, with hands on the king’s throne, underscore her importance -she had the critical role of placing the power-invested crown on the king’s head during his coronation -small figures at the king’s feet represent a junior wife, the flute-playing trickster-god Esu, and a fan bearer, now missing (Benin plaques)

PETRA: TREASURY and GREAT TEMPLE
Petra, Jordan
2nd century C.E.
*sandstone rock

-well-developed metropolis with all of the trappings of a Hellenistic city -siq, a narrow, curving canyon, that traders, explorers and travelers have been walking down -stone carvings, camel caravans and betyls (famous god blocks) set in niches, appear -many of the tombs contain niches or small chambers for burials, cut into the stone walls -features a broken pediment and central tholos on the upper level -ornate Corinthian columns are used throughout -above the broken pediments, the bases of two obelisks appear and stretch upwards into the rock (Al-Khazneh)

BAMIYAN BUDDHAS
Bamiyan, Afghanistan
c. 6th-7th c C.E.
*stone, stucco, paint

-were carved into niches of the cliff side in high relief -area near the heads of both Buddha figures and the area around the larger Buddha’s feet were carved in the round, allowing worshippers to circumambulate -circumambulation: the act of walking around an object such as a stupa or an image of the Buddha -reflects the international environment of the Bamiyan Valley and were influenced by the art and cultures of India, Central Asia and even ancient Greek culture (Leshan Giant Buddha)

The KAABA
Mecca, Saudi Arabia
631-632 C.E.
*granite masonry, covered with silk curtain and calligraphy in gold and silver-wrapped thread

-it is the holiest shrine in Islam -Muslims pray five times a day and these prayers were directed towards Mecca and the Kaaba -all Muslims aspire to undertake the hajj, or the annual pilgrimage, to the Kaaba once in their lives if they are able -area around the Kaaba was expanded in order to accommodate the growing number of pilgrims -door of the Kaaba is now made of solid gold (Masjid al-Haram)

JOWO RINPOCHE, ENSHRINED in the JOKHANG TEMPLE
Lhasa, Tibet
641 C.E.
*gilt metals with semiprecious stones, pearls, and paint

-believed to be the celestial artist, Vishvakarman -cast and filled with sacred relics -was a dowry of Queen Wengcheng for her marriage to King Songtsen Gampo in Tibet brought from China -believed to be personally blessed by the Buddha to have the ability to grant your deepest wishes and quicken your path to enlightenment (Buddhas of Bamiyan)

DOME of the ROCK
Jerusalem, Palestine
691-692 C.E.
*stone masonry, wooden roof, decorated with glazed ceramic tile, mosaics, and gilt aluminum and bronze dome

-marks the coming of new religion to the city, sacred to both Jews and Christian -first dome shrine built, during crusade became Christian shrine before returning to Islamic hands -Persian tiles on the exterior and marble slabs interior, octagonal plan -at the center of the Dome of the Rock sits a large rock, which is believed to be the location where Abraham was prepared to sacrifice his son Ismail (The Great Mosque (or Masjid-e Jameh) of Isfahan)

GREAT MOSQUE (or MASJID-E JAMEH) of ISFAHAN
Isfahan, Iran
c. 700 C.E.
*stone, brick, wood, plaster, and glazed ceramic tile

-mosque shares walls with other buildings abutting its perimeter -due to its immense size and numerous entrances, it formed a pedestrian hub, connecting the arterial network of paths crisscrossing the city -mosque facilitated public mobility and commercial activity thus transcending its principal function as a place for prayer alone -linking the four iwans at the center is a large courtyard open to the air -brick piers and columns support the roofing system and allow prayer halls to extend away from this central courtyard on each side (Dome of the Rock)

FOLIO from a QUR’AN
Iraq
before 911
*vellum

-Qur’an: sacred text of Islam, consisting of the divine revelation to the Prophet Muhammad in Arabic -main text of the mushaf as manuscripts of the Qur’an, is written in brown ink -Arabic is read from right to left -consonants share the same basic letterform, and are usually distinguished from each other by lines or dots placed above or below the letter -text of each sura is further divided into verses by triangles made up of 5 gold circles located at the end of each verse -title of each sura is written in gold ink, and surrounded by a rectangle (Blue Qur’an)

BASIN (BAPTISTERE DE SAINT LOUIS)
Egypt or Syria
c. 1,320-1,340
*brass inlaid with silver and gold

-exterior depicts scenes from the Mamlūk court, the sultan’s courtiers wearing clothing characteristic of their status and bearing symbols of their rank -used as the baptismal font for several royal children, including Louis XIII -has sides that curve in somewhat and a slightly sloping rim -decorative panels, interspersed with roundels, form four scenes arranged in an X-symmetry (Alhambra)

BAHRAM GUR FIGHTS the KARG, FOLIO from the GREAT Il-KHANID SHAHNAMA
Middle East, Iran, Tabriz
c. 1,330-1,340
*opaque watercolor, gold and silver on paper

-help illustrate the story of the Shahama (Book od Kings), a famous epic poem, and to show the power of the Iranian king Bahram Gur -Bahram Gur is depicted slaying a horned wolf -painting shows the vibrant cosmopolitan nature of Ilkanid society because it not only shows the king wearing material from Europe, it is painted using Chinese styles (The Court of Gayumars, folio from Shah Tahmasp’s Shahnama)

The COURT of GAYUMARS, FOLIO from SHAH TAHMASP’S SHAHNAMA
Safavid, Persia
c. 1,522-1,525 C.E.
*ink, opaque watercolor, and gold on paper

-help illustrate the story of the great king Gayumars and to display his fabled glory for a copy of the Shahama, a famous epic poem -folio was a part of the Shahama of Shah Tahmasp, a collection of works from various artists to illustrate the epic poem by Firdawsi -manuscript was later disassembled when it fell into the hands of the west and the pages were auctioned off separately -colorful, light, airy, peaceful (Bahram Gur Fights the Karg, folio from the Great Il-Khanid Shahnama)

The ARDABIL CARPET
Tabriz, Kashan, Isfahan or Kirman, Iran
1,539-1,540 C.E.
*silk warps and wefts with wool pile

-was a matching pair made for shrine of Safi al-Din Ardabil -the more knots per square centimeter, the more detailed and elaborate the patterns -dyes used to color the carpet are natural and include pomegrante rind and indigo -rich geometric patterns, vegetative scrolls, floral flourishes -a central golden medallion dominates the carpet; it is surrounded by a ring of multi-colored, detailed ovals, lamps appear to hang at either end -carpet’s border is made up of a frame with a series of cartouches (rectangular-shaped spaces for calligraphy), filled with decoration -central medallion design is also echoed by the four corner-pieces (Carpet (Ottoman) with cintamani motif)

GREAT STUPA at SANCHI
Sanchi, India
1st c.
*stone masonry, sandstone on dome

-was built on a hill to indicate that it is a sacred space and a higher space that serves going up the hill as a transition so we can get our head in the right place -the dome is the dome of heaven -a place of burial or a receptacle for religious objects -base of the stupa represents his crossed legs as he sat in a meditative pose -middle portion is the Buddha’s body and the top of the mound, where a pole rises from the apex surrounded by a small fence, represents his head (Udaigiri Caves)

TERRACOTTA WARRIORS from MAUSOLEUM of the FIRST QIN EMPEROR of CHINA
Lintong County, Shaanxi Province, China
Qin Dynasty
c. 221-206 B.C.E.
*painted terracotta

-Qin the first unifier of China, is buried, surrounded by the famous terracotta warriors -small figures are all different; with their horses, chariots and weapons, they are masterpieces of realism and also of great historical interest -built himself a tomb—a vast underground city guarded by a life-size terracotta army including warriors, infantrymen, and attendant armor and weaponry -gardens and stables, bronze ritual vessels, jade jewelry, and a wealth of gold and silver ornaments (Mausoleum of the First Qin Emperor)

FUNERAL BANNER of LADY DAI (XIN ZHUI)
Han Dynasty, China
2nd century B.C.E.
*silk

-T-shaped banner was on top of the innermost of four nesting coffins -used to identify the dead during the mourning ceremonies, or they may have been burial shrouds intended to aid the soul in its passage to the afterlife -an early example of pictorial (representing naturalistic scenes not just abstract shapes) art in China -banner features the earliest known portrait in Chinese painting -in the lower central register, we see Lady Dai in an embroidered silk robe leaning on a staff (Vase with cover)

LONGMEN CAVES
Luoyang, China
508-523 C.E.
*limestone

-worship and power struggles, enlightenment and suicide -110,000 Buddhist stone statues, 60 stupas and 2,800 inscriptions carved on steles -central Buddha, seated on a lion throne, is generally identified as Shakyamuni -he is assisted by two bodhisattvas and two disciples—Ananda and Kasyapa -Buddha’s monastic robe is rendered to appear as though tucked under him -ripples of folds cascade over the front of his throne -these linear and abstract motifs are typical of the mature Northern Wei style -bodhisattvas wear draping scarves, jewelry and crowns with floral designs (Longmen Grottoes)

GOLD and JADE CROWN
Silla Kingdom, Gyeongju, South Korea
second half of 5th century
*gold and jade

-were made for burial -used in ceremonial rites of the Silla royalty during the Three Kingdoms Period -prior to the adoption of Buddhism, Koreans practiced shamanism -the gold crowns emphasized the power of the wearer through their precious materials and natural imagery -worn around the forehead, tree-shaped crown (daegwan) -three tree-shaped vertical elements evoke the sacred tree that once stood in the ritual precinct of Gyeongju (Silver Crown from the South Mound of Hwangnamdaechong Tomb)

TODAI-JI
Nara, Japan
c. 1,700
*bronze, gold

-reflects the complex intermingling of Buddhism and politics in early Japan -two nine-story pagodas, a lecture hall and quarters for the monks were added to the complex -was supported by 84 massive cypress pillars -held a huge bronze Buddha figure (the Daibutsu) -The Great Buddha Hall (Daibutsuden) has been rebuilt twice after fire (Daibutsu)

BOROBUDUR
Borobudur, Indonesia
750 AD
*volcanic-stone masonry

-reliefs on hidden foot depicting scenes from hell -1st Gallery has reliefs recounting the Jatakas (past lives of Shakyamuni) 120 panels and another set that tell his life story the Lalitavistara (a Mahayana text) 120 panels -2nd to 4th galleries illustrate the Gandavyuha or Sudhana’s pilgrimage 488 panels -5th level probably shows us Samantabhadra bodhisattva -6th -8th galleries are circular and support 72 perforated stupas with Buddha images (Vairocana Buddha) -top stupa probably had an unfinished Buddha image (Prambanan)

ANGKOR WAT
Siem Reap, Cambodia
1,116-1,150
*stone masonry, sandstone

-palace complex of Cambodian Phmer kingdom under King Suryavarman II -built on water -corbelled beehive towers representative of sacred mountains like Mt. Meta -wide corridors with sculpted friezes sometimes gilded in gold -dedicated to Vishnu (Lakshmana Temple)

LAKSHMANA TEMPLE
Khajuraho, India
930 C.E.
*sandstone

-temple devoted to Vishnu -horizontal bands, ashlar masonry and sculptural friezes of erotic intertwined couples images of regeneration and fertility -beehive corbels towers, long porch and stair with inner temple -ceremonial architecture (Angkor Wat)

TRAVELERS AMONG MOUNTAINS and STREAMS
China
c. 1,000
*ink on silk hanging scroll

-scroll Painting -texture and atmosphere created through varying brushstrokes and ink wash -landscape dwarfs human activity in the painting -perhaps an early scene of the Sublime in art -expressed a cosmic vision of man’s harmonious existence in a vast but orderly universe -immense boulders occupy the foreground and are presented to the viewer at eye level -two men driving a group of donkeys loaded with firewood and a temple partially hidden in the forest (Funeral banner of Lady Dai)

SHIVA as LORD of DANCE (NATARAJA)
India
c. 11th century
*copper alloy

-figure of Shiva located in temple but removed on special occasions as part of the worship procession -imagery emphasizes Shiva role as in the cycle of destruction and rebirth -arms were to be long like stalks of bamboo, faces round like the moon, and eyes shaped like almonds or the leaves of a lotus -embodies those perfect physical qualities as he is frozen in the moment of his dance within the cosmic circle of fire that is the simultaneous and continuous creation and destruction of the universe -ring of fire that surrounds the figure is cosmos of mass, time, and space, whose endless cycle of annihilation and regeneration moves in tune to the beat of Shiva’s drum and the rhythm of his steps (Reliquary of St. Foy)

NIGHT ATTACK on the SANJO PALACE
Japan
second half of the 13th century
*handscroll

-continuous narrative scroll depicting the attempted coup against Emperor Go-Shirakawa in 12th century -elevated view of military siege and burning of the palace -narrative reads right to left -from the royal mansion’s walled gateways, unpainted wooden buildings linked by corridors, bark roofs, large shutters and bamboo blinds that open to verandas, to the scores of foot soldiers, cavalry, courtiers, priests, imperial police, and even the occasional lady—each individualized by gesture and facial expression from horror to morbid humor, robes, armor, and weaponry easily identifiable according to rank, design, and type (Bayeux Tapestry)

The DAVID VASES
Jingdezhen, Jiangxi province, China
c. 1,351
*porcelain, cobalt and clear glaze

-ceramics created for Daoist altar -blue cobalt from Iran -images of elephants (handles) and five clawed bearded Chinese dragons -band of scrolling peonies, overlapping plantain leaves and long inscription on upper part of neck -phoenixes (one flying downwards) in clouds on lower part (Black on black ceramic ware)

PORTRAIT of SIN SUKJU
Korea
second half of the 15th century
*hanging scroll, ink and color on silk

-shows Sin Sukju dressed in his official robes with a black silk hat on his head -formal portrait of Korean official showing the figure as a great scholar -repainted over 25+ years -an example of art used to celebrate merit and loyalty part of Confucian philosophy -seated in a full-length view, often with their heads turned slightly and only one ear showing -crisp, angular lines and subtle gradations of color characterize the folds of his gown -leather shoes adorn his feet, which rest on an intricately carved wooden footstool -his hands are folded neatly and concealed within his sleeves (Oath of Horatii)

FORBIDDEN CITY
Beijing, China
16th century C.E.
*stone masonry, marble, brick, wood, and ceramic tile

-massive palace complex created by Ming Dynasty -isolated royalty and royal court from Chinese people -Hall of Supreme Harmony is the seat of power and center of the complex -because access was restricted to the imperial family and to those who had business with them, it came to be known as the Forbidden City (Palace at Versailles)

RYOAN-JI
Kyoto, Japan
1,480 C.E.
*rock garden, water

-Japanese Zen Buddhist building -simple open plan with landscaped rock garden and water features emphasizing harmony and communion with the natural world -great Zen center for the cultural activities of the elite -when visitors pass through main gate, they encounter the Mirror Pond (Kyōyōchi) on the left with a scenic view of surrounding mountains -walking along the pilgrim’s path and entering the second gate, visitors arrive at the main building of the monastery, the hōjo (abbot’s residence) -rock garden is located in the front of the hojo and is viewed either from the wooden veranda embracing the building or from inside the room (Taj Mahal grounds)

JAHANGIR PREFERRING a SUFI SHAIKH to KINGS
Mughal Empire
1,615-1,618
*opaque watercolor, gold and ink on paper

-illustration from folio in Persian miniature style showing Jahangir, the Mughal Emperor, favoring religious leader over other secular leaders like James I of England -imagery is a combination of Renaissance -flames of gold radiate from the Emperor’s head against a background of a larger, darker gold disc -a slim crescent moon hugs most of the disc’s border, creating a harmonious fusion between the sun and the moon (thus, day and night), and symbolizing the ruler’s emperorship and divine truth -Jahangir is shown seated on an elevated, stone-studded platform whose circular form mimics the disc above (Court of Gayumars)

TAJ MAHAL
Agra, India
1,632-1,653
*stone masonry and marble with inlay of precious and semiprecious stones

-tomb complex for Mumtaz Muhal; wife of Shah Jahan -based on other Muslim tombs -white marble with arabesque, and calligraphy -onion domes and symmetrical facades -aligned along a long water channel through this gate is the Taj—set majestically on a raised platform on the north end -marble structure is topped by a bulbous dome and surrounded by four minarets of equal height (Mosque of Selim II)

WHITE and RED PLUM BLOSSOMS
Rinpa School, Kyoto, Japan
18th century
*pair of two-fold screens, color and gold leaf on paper

-Yamato-e style of screen painting -flatten delicate and linear compsitions either landscape of narrative -imagery is geometric or figurative evoking the essence of the subject -uses a technique called Tarahikomi similar to Van Eyck’s wet on wet -emphasized compositional asymmetry, which is visible in the jarring, uneven positions of the red and white plum trees -employs no consistent perspective, instead portraying the landscape from at least two different perspectives -trees share a common ground, while the stream is viewed from a raised perspective (The Great Wave)

UNDER the WAVE off KANAGAWA (The GREAT WAVE)
Ukiyo-E School, Edo (Tokyo), Japan
c. 1,830-1,832
*polychrome woodblock print; ink and color on paper

-multiple printed layers based on color scheme -landscape influenced by Northern Baroque landscape painting -shows elements of the sublime in images of men in boat vs wave -part of a series of woodcut prints Thirty Six Views of Mt. -used the flat and powerful graphic forms of Japanese art to depict the threatening wave in the foreground -low horizon line of Western painting (Fine Wind, Clear Weather)

CHAIRMAN MAO en ROUTE to ANYUAN
East Asia
1,967
*oil on canvas

-heroic image of Chairman Mao based on Soviet Socialist images of Joseph Stalin -uses European composition techniques -mass produced for placement all in homes during Cultural Revolution -emphasizes the triumph of the people over their oppressors -work is an example of historical revisionism because Mao was not present at this event (Chairman Mao Inspects the Guangdong Countryside)

NAN MADOL
Pohnpei Island, Micronesia
500 to 1500 A.D.
*artificial islets

-a ruined city adjacent to the eastern shore of the island of Pohnpei -the city, constructed in a lagoon, consists of a series of small artificial islands linked by a network of canals -it contains nearly 100 artificial islets—stone and coral fill platforms—bordered by tidal canals -the elite centre was a special place of residence for the nobility and of mortuary activities presided over by priests -there is no fresh water or food; water must be collected and food grown inland (Leluh Ruins)

MOAI on PLATFORM (AHU)
Easter Island
c. 1,200 C.E.
*basalt

-represent ancestral chiefs who were believed to be descended directly from the gods and whose supernatural powers could be harnessed for the benefit of humanity -were generally erected on temple platforms (ahu) along the coast -characterized by long sloping noses, strong brows, deeply inset eyes, and prominent chins -the clavicle is emphasized, and the nipples protrude -arms are thin and lie tightly against the body; the hands are hardly indicated -surface of the rock is rough and pitted, and pinpricks of light sparkle as tiny crystals in the rock glint (Easter Island)

AHU ‘ULA (FEATHER CAPE)
Hawaii
probably before 1,850 C.E.
*olona fibre, feather

-Hawaiian male nobility wore feather cloaks and capes for ceremonies and battle -the color red was associated with both gods and chiefs -yellow feathers became equally valuable, due to their scarcity -tiny bundles of feathers were attached to the netting in overlapping rows starting at the lower edge -small cape has a shaped neckline which would closely fit the wearer (Royal Hawaiian Featherwork: Nā Hulu Ali’i)

STAFF GOD
Rarotonga, Cook Islands
late 18th-early 19th century
*wood, paper mulberry bark, feather

-upper part of the staff consists of a carved head above smaller carved figures -lower end is a carved phallus -shaft is in the form of an elongated body, with a head and small figures at one end -some staff god has a potent combination of male and female elements -also have an explicit sexual aspect, thus embodying male and female productive and reproductive qualities (Wooden sculptures from Nukuoro)

FEMALE DEITY from NUKUORO
Caroline Islands, Micronesia
18th-19th century
*wood

-an ovoid head tapering slightly at the chin and a columnar neck -the eyes and nose are either discretely shown as slits or not at all -the shoulders slope downwards and the chest is indicated by a simple line -some female figures have rudimentary breasts -some of the sculptures, be they male, female or of indeterminate sex, have a sketchy indication of hands and feet -the buttocks are always flattened and set on a flexed pair of legs -each of the figurines bore the name of a specific male or female deity which was associated with a particular extended family group, a priest and a specific temple (Wooden mask)

BUK MASK
Torres Strait, Mabuiag Island
mid to late 19th century
*turtle shell, wood, cassowary feathers, fiber, resin, shell, paint

-work displays the composite human and animal imagery typical of western Torres Strait masks -were used during funerary ceremonies and increase rites (rituals designed to ensure bountiful harvests and an abundance of fish and game) -worn over the head like a helmet, this work depicts a human face, possibly portraying one such culture-hero -is surmounted by a frigate bird, perhaps representing his personal totemic species (Mask (Le op))

HIAPO (TAPA)
Niue
c. 1,850-1,900
*Tapa or bark cloth, freehand painting

-to make bark cloth, the inner bark is pounded flat, with a wooden beater or ike, on an anvil -bark cloth was created with a felting technique and designs were pounded into the cloth with a carved beater -designs were sometimes stained or rubbed on with wooden or fiber design tablets -patterns could be applied with stamps made out of bamboo, whereas stencils of banana leaves or other suitable materials were used in Fiji -design illustrations involved geometric motifs in an overall ordered and abstract patterns (Wedding Tapa)

TAMATI WAKA NENE, GOTTFRIED LINDAUER
New Zealand
1,890
*oil on canvas

-was a Rangatira or chief of the Ngāti Hao people, and an important war leader -Nene wears a kahu kiwi, a fine cloak covered in kiwi feathers, and an earring of greenstone or pounamu -is holding a hand weapon known as a tewhatewha, which has feathers adorning its blade and a finely carved hand grip with an abalone or paua eye -all of these mark him as man of mana or personal efficacy and status -the most striking feature for an international audience is his intricate facial tattoo, called moko (Hongi Hika)

NAVIGATION CHART
Marshall Islands
probably 19th century C.E.
*wood, shell

-the horizontal and vertical sticks act as supports, while diagonal and curved ones represent wave swells -cowrie or other small shells represent the position of the islands -information was memorized and the charts would not be carried on voyages -navigation charts continue to be made, often simpler in form, to be sold as souvenirs (Navigation chart (mattang))

MALAGAN DISPLAY and MASK
New Ireland, Papua New Guinea
1,884 C.E.
*wood, pigment, vegetable fiber, operculum

-are commonly used at funeral rites, which both bid farewell to the dead and celebrate the vibrancy of the living -masks can represent the dead ancestors, ges (the spiritual double of an individual), or the various bush spirits associated with the area -when a piece is bought, the seller surrenders the right to use that particular Malanggan style, the form in which it is made, and even the accompanying rites -Malanggan ceremonies became extremely expensive affairs, taking into account the costs of the accompanying feasting (Malangan figure)

PRESENTATION of FIJIAN MATS and TAPAS CLOTHS to QUEEN ELIZABETH II
Fiji
1,953-1,954
*royal tour, silver gelatin print

-procession of Fijian women making their way through a group of seated Fijian men and women -several of the processing women are wearing skirts made of barkcloth painted with geometric patterns -the cloth is often presented as gifts in important ceremonies such as weddings and funerals, or to commemorate significant events, such as a visit by the Queen of England -the more simple the design, the more meaningful its function (Bure kalou)

THE GATES
Central Park, New York City
1,979-2,005
*nylon, vinyl, fabric, steel

-gates with their free-hanging saffron colored fabric panels seemed like a golden river appearing and disappearing through the bare branches of the trees -rectilinear three-sided rigid vinyl frame resting on two steel footings, supported saffron-colored fabric panels that hung loosely from the top -a complex testament to two controversial topics in contemporary art: how to create meaningful public art and how art responds to and impacts our relationship with the built environment (Running Fence)

VIETNAM VETERANS MEMORIAL
National Mall, Washington, D.C.
1,982
*granite

-honors U.S. service members of the U.S. armed forces who fought in the Vietnam War, service members who died in service in Vietnam/South East Asia, and those service members who were MIA during the War -memorial consists of three separate parts: the Three Servicemen Memorial, the Vietnam Women’s Memorial, and the Vietnam Veterans Memorial Wall -long gabbro walls, etched with the names of the servicemen being honored in panels of horizontal rows with regular typeface and spacing -walls are sunk into the ground, with the earth behind them -when a visitor looks upon the wall, their reflection can be seen simultaneously with the engraved names, which is meant to symbolically bring the past and present together (Lincoln Memorial)

HORN PLAYERS
France
1,983
*acrylic and oilstick on three canvas panels mounted on wood supports

-an homage to the great horn players Charlie Parker and Dizzy Gillespie -on the left is Parker with his alto saxophone and on the right is Gillespie with his trumpet -Parker’s legendary jazz standard "Ornithology," is referenced in the middle section of the painting -the words "DOH SHOO DE OBEE" that float to the left of the figure’s head call to mind the scat singing Gillespie often performed onstage -on each panel there are large swaths of white paint, which seem to highlight the black background and obscure the drawings and/or words beneath (Three Musicians)

SUMMER TREES
Korea
1,979
*ink on paper

-vertical parallel brush strokes of ink blend and bleed from one to the other in a stark palette of velvety blacks and diluted grays -feathery edges of some reveal them to be pale washes applied to very wet paper, while the darkest appear as streaks that show both ink and paper were nearly dry -forms overlap and stop just short of the bottom edge of the paper, suggesting a sense of shallow space—though one that would be difficult to enter (Tree)

ANDROGYNE III
Poland
1,985
*burlap, resin, wood, nails, and string

-Androgyne torsos are seated on low stretchers of wooden logs, perhaps filling in for lost legs -figures are mostly androgynous, with their sexual characteristics de-emphasized -artist wants the viewer to focus on the humanity of the figures rather than their gender -wrinkled skin and the implication of backbones, musculature and veins -bodies, or body parts are intended to be seen in the round as the hollow interior is as much a part of the piece as the molded exterior -body is a husk without arms, legs or a head. It is an expression of suffering, both mournful and disturbing -alludes to the brutality of war and the totalitarian state (Great Ursa)

A BOOK from the SKY
Beijing, China
c. 1,987-1,991
*hand-printed books and ceiling and wall scrolls printed from wood letterpress type; ink on paper, each book

-filled entirely with meaningless glyphs designed to resemble traditional Chinese characters -book, which consists of four volumes totaling 604 pages, was printed in a single print run of 126 copies -characters were carved into individual pieces of movable type made from pear wood (Ghosts Pounding the Wall)

PINK PANTHER
New York
1,988
*glazed porcelain

-depicts a smiling, bare-breasted, blond woman scantily clad in a mint-green dress, head tilted back and to the left as if addressing a crowd of onlookers -figure is based on the 1960s B-list Hollywood star Jayne Mansfield—here she clutches a limp pink panther in her left hand, while her right hand covers an exposed breast -pink panther has its head thrown over her shoulder and wears an expression of hapless weariness (Michael Jackson and Bubbles)

UNTITLED (#228), from the HISTORY PORTRAITS SERIES
America
1,990
*chromogenic color print

-Judith looks boldly out at her audience and presents the head of Holofernes in her right hand, displaying the dagger she used to decapitate him in her left -is garbed in billowing red, blue, and green drapery and stands in front of a curtain made of pieces of brocaded and patterned fabric -her head is tilted slightly to her left, much like the heroines in paintings by Botticelli -stands on a carpet of green grass speckled with flowers (Untitled Film Still #21,1978)

DANCING at the LOUVRE, from the SERIES, The FRENCH COLLECTION, PART 1; #1
France
1,991
*acrylic on canvas, tie-dyed, pieced fabric border

-Marcia and her three little girls took Willa Marie Simone dancing at the Louvre -all about breaking the rules, and having lots of fun while doing it -combines representational painting and African-American quilting techniques -tells the fictional story of Willa Marie Simone, a young black woman who moves to Paris in the early 20th century -Willa Marie’s adventures lead her to meet celebrities such as Pablo Picasso and Henri Matisse, Josephine Baker, Zora Neale Hurston, Sojourner Truth, and Rosa Parks on the road to becoming an artist and businesswoman (Who’s Afraid of Aunt Jemima?)

TRADE (GIFTS for TRADING LAND with WHITE PEOPLE)
Norfolk, Virginia
1,992
*oil paint and mixed media, collage, objects, canvas

-references the role of trade goods in allegorical stories like the acquisition of the island of Manhattan by Dutch colonists in 1626 from unnamed Native Americans in exchange for goods worth 60 guilders or $24.00 -Native Americans had been lured off their lands by inexpensive trade goods -divided into three large panels, the triptych -covered the canvas in collage, with newspaper articles about Native life, photos, comics, tobacco and gum wrappers, fruit carton labels, ads, and pages from comic books, all of which feature stereotypical images of Native Americans -mixed the collaged text with photos of deer, buffalo, and Native men in historic dress holding pipes with feathers in their hair -canoe suggests the possibility of trade and cultural connections (Canyon)

EARTH’S CREATION
Utopia, north east of Alice Springs
1,994
*synthetic polymer paint on linen mounted on canvas

-patches of bold yellows, greens, reds and blues seem to bloom like lush vegetation over the large canvas -comprised of gestural, viscous marks, each swath of color traces the movement of the artist’s hands and body over the canvas, which would have been laid horizontally as she painted, seated on or beside and intimately connected to her art -dump dot technique – using the brush to pound the paint onto the canvas and create layers of color and movement (Emu Woman)

REBELLIOUS SILENCE, from the WOMEN of ALLAH SERIES
Iran
1,994
*print & ink, photo

-central figure’s portrait is bisected along a vertical seam created by the long barrel of a rifle -woman’s eyes stare intensely towards the viewer from both sides of this divide -gun rises perpendicular to the lower edge of the photo and grazes her face at the lips, nose, and forehead -examines the complexities of women’s identities in the midst of a changing cultural landscape in the Middle East—both through the lens of Western representations of Muslim women, and through the subject of personal and religious conviction -defined by the hard edge of her black chador against the bright white background (Faceless)

EN LA BARBERIA NO SE LLORA (NO CRYING ALLOWED in the BARBERSHOP)
Hartford, Connecticut
1,994
*mixed media installation with barbers’ chairs, photographs, objects and videos

-mixed-media installation located in the Puerto Rican community of Park Street in Hartford -created in collaboration with local residents -engaged the public through conversation, workshops, and artistic collaborations -visually lavish -it’s not so much about beauty but the contradictions of beauty (The Scene of the Crime (Whose Crime?))

PISUPO LUA AFE (CORNED BEEF 2000)
New Zealand
1,994
*flattened cans of corned beef

-corned beef a favorite food source in the Islands, it has also become a ubiquitous part of the ceremonial gift economy -canned corned beef is a processed food high in saturated fat, salt and cholesterol -critiques serious issues of ecological health and food sovereignty -"tinned bull"—solid, hard-edged and weighty -convey the capacity of beef and dairy cattle to destroy fragile island eco-systems (Asiasi [Yellowfin] II)

ELECTRONIC SUPERHIGHWAY
United States
1,995
*fifty-one channel video installation (including one closed-circuit television feed), custom electronics, neon lighting, steel and wood; color, sound

-neon outlines the monitors, recalling the multicolored maps and glowing enticements of motels and restaurants that beckoned Americans to the open road -different colors remind us that individual states still have distinct identities and cultures, even in today’s information age -neon lights suggest that what unifies us now is electronic communication (Magnet TV)

The CROSSING
New York
1,996
*video/sound

-room-sized video installation that comprises a large two-sided screen onto which a pair of video sequences is simultaneously projected -a male figure walks slowly towards the camera, his body dramatically lit from above so that it appears to glow against the video’s stark-black background -after several minutes he pauses near the foreground and stands still -he faces forward, staring directly into the lens, motionless -two scenes diverge; in one, a small fire alights below the figure’s feet -spreads over his legs and torso and eventually engulfs his whole body in flames; yet, he stands calm and completely still as his body is immolated, only moving to raise his arms slightly before his body disappears in an inferno of roaring flames (Shiva as Lord of Dance)

GUGGENHEIM MUSEUM BILBAO
Bilbao, Bizkaia, Spain
1,993-1,997
*titanium, limestone, glass, steel

-spiraling concrete ramps -to showcase great fine art exhibitions and further the redevelopment of the city Bilbao -was visited by numerous artists, architects, journalists, politicians, filmmakers, and historians during the four years of its construction which anticipated the success of the museum -a museum to challenge assumptions about art museum collecting and programming with its inventive design -twisting glass-and-steel volume combines irregularly-shaped limestone and plaster walls, glazed elevator shafts, and vertigo-inducing catwalks -central atrium serves as a circulation hub and orientation gallery, providing access to approximately 20 galleries on three levels (Snake)

PURE LAND
Tokyo, Japan
1,996-1,998
*glass with photo interlayer

-meditative environment that provides the audience with a sense of tranquility and transcendence -set within a golden landscape, a female figure serenely floats above a lotus blossom while six alien musicians whirl by on bubbly clouds -her pink robes mirror the predominantly pale orange, yellow and pink of the water, land and sky—firmly embedding her within the tranquil scene -counterpart of Mori’s 3D video installation, Nirvana (Enlightenment Capsule)

LYING with the WOLF
New York
2,001
*ink and pencil on paper

-depicts a female nude reclining intimately alongside a wolf -featuring an act of bonding between human and animal, the piece speaks not only to Smith’s fascination with and reverence for the natural world, but also her noted interests in religious narratives and mythology, the history of figuration in western art, and contemporary notions of feminine domesticity, spiritual yearning, and sexual identity -illustrates women’s relationships with animals, drawing from representations found in visual, literary, and oral histories (Rapture)

DARKYTOWN REBELLION
Luxembourg
2,001
*cut paper and projection on wall

-brilliant pattern of colors washes over a wall full of silhouettes enacting a dramatic rebellion, giving the viewer the unforgettable experience of stepping into a work of art -made up of over a dozen characters, plays out a nightmarish scene on a single plane: one figure stands upright over his severed limb, despite his bleeding leg stump, with bones protruding from his hips; another figure, also exhibiting a severed limb, rolls on his back; a woman with a bonnet and voluminous hoop skirt may be attacking a smaller figure on its back, perhaps a crying baby, with a long, plunger-like instrument -silhouettes conceals (Slavery! Slavery!)

The SWING (AFTER FRAGONARD)
Sheffield
2,001
*mixed-media installation

-with her fingers delicately grasping the thickly coiled rope of a swing suspended mid-flight, a life-sized female mannequin flirtatiously kicks up her left foot, projecting her slipper into the air where it hovers above a tangle of branches. Our gaze is directed from the arch of her foot towards the vibrant trim of her petticoat, gown and coat -three-dimensional recreation of the Rococo painting after which it was titled -she is headless (The Swing)

OLD MAN’S CLOTH
Southern Nigeria
2,003
*aluminum and copper wire

-hangs like a large tapestry -arranged within a shifting grid of stripes and blocks of color, the components form their own internal maps across the surface, melding into vertical gold bands, interlocking black and silver rows, or a deviant red piece floating in a field of black -has been constructed from flattened liquor bottle labels that the artist collects near his home in Southern Nigeria -luminescent gold colors also recall the colonial past of Anatsui’s home country -fluid movements of the work’s surface remind us of the waters of the Atlantic Ocean (Hovor II)

STADIA II
New York
2,004
*ink and acrylic on canvas

-represent our visualization of the sports arena -small circles, dots, and hash marks float through the open space at the center of the composition, resembling the eruption of confetti that announces a winning team’s victory -larger circles, triangles, blocks and parallelograms that float across the upper register -pictorial elements could comprise the designs of nearly any country’s national flag -cluster of red and blue stripes, for instance, located along the top-right edge of the canvas, resemble the American flag -use of abstraction in service of revolution and utopian politics throughout the history of Modernist art (Proun)

PREYING MANTRA
New York
2,006
*mixed media on mylar

-centers on female subjectivity, exoticism and the notion of hybridity—both in concept and imagery -work was shaped by this complex history and by issues such as the rights of women that came to the fore at the end of the century -female creature appears to recline on a geometrically patterned blanket that is sprawled between trees or perhaps on a tree branch -blanket resembles a Kuba cloth -legs tightly crossed in front of her, the figure stares suggestively at the viewer with her right hand positioned behind her head, which is surmounted by a cone-like crown -her relaxed posture is camouflaged by her skin, which appears dappled by sunlight and which mirrors the colors of the tree’s leaves -in her left hand, the figure holds a green serpent that rests on the blanket which fills much of the scene (The Calabash)

SHIBBOLETH
Turbine Hall, London
2,007-2,008
*installation

-a deep meandering crack in the floor -elaborates a complex socio-political topic in a work with a tremendous formal presence -viewer’s perception into the crevice alters, as he or she walks and shifts to better glimpse inside the cracks and appreciate the interior space, notably the wire mesh embedded along the sides -change in perspective is one of Salcedo’s goals -friends and enemies are separated by fine, linguistic lines (Noviembre 6 y 7)

MAXXI NATIONAL MUSEUM of XXI CENTURY ARTS
Rome, Italy
1,998-2,009
*glass, steel, and cement

-MAXXI art and MAXXI architecture -designed as a true multi-disciplinary and multi-purpose campus of the arts and culture -purpose of the building as a center for the exhibition of visual arts -the walls that cross the space, and their intersections, defines interior and exterior spaces of the MAXXI -located around a large full height space which gives access to the galleries dedicated to permanent collections and temporary exhibitions, the auditorium, reception services, cafeteria and bookshop (Bridge Pavilion)

KUI HUA ZI (SUNFLOWER SEEDS)
Tate Modern’s Turbine Hall
2,010
*sculpted and painted porcelain

-consists of more than 100 million tiny, handmade porcelain sunflower seeds, originally weighing in at 150 tons -filled the enormous Turbine Hall at Tate Modern, an industrial building-turned-contemporary art space -sunflower seeds evokes a warm personal memory for the artist, who recalls that while he was growing up, even the poorest in China would share sunflower seeds as a treat among friends -use of sunflower seeds as the basis of his installation was also designed to subvert popular imagery rooted in the artist’s childhood -Ai Weiwei reasserts the sunflower seed as a symbol of camaraderie during difficult times (@Large, Trace)

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