Art 151, Past Tests

Tests consist of ten questions only (or ten parts of questions), and concern the material before the test date only. There are no identifications. I want you to learn period and style names, terms and definitions, and various analytical processes with their interpretations. Spelling matters!

The two big concepts for this course are Classicism and Sensualism. We join Classicism at its height, and see the impact it has had on art, and then we will trace the gradual turning towards Sensualism and all the changes in aesthetic and social values that it brought with it. By the end of the course, I want you to:

• be able to explain how Classicism works and why it was so disastrous if anyone proved anything wrong
  • be able to define and recognise Classical Beauty, and explain its purpose and how it worked
  • be able to define and recognise a Classical Idealization, and explain its meaning in Classical and Christian contexts.
  • be able to explain the importance of greatness and progress

• be able to explain how Sensualism differs from Classicism, and why variety of aproach and opinion was now acceptable
  • be able to define and recognise Sensual Beauty
  • be able to define and recognise a Sensual Tease (or Romanticisation), and explain its meaning and how it works
  • be able to explain the new importance of the artist's style and process, and the audience's emotions and good taste

• be able to recognise typical instinctive ways we recognise "good" art in the west
  (recognising these, and their limitations, will open your mind to other ways of evaluating art)

I have put these past tests here to remind you of the questions we have already had. They might be repeated - particularly if you got them wrong!

Test #1, 21st September 1999

1. How did Classical thinkers recognise validity or truth? (ancientness of tradition, prestige of authority)
2. Give three properties of Classical Beauty (geometric shapes/proportions, clarity of form/smooth surface/perfect condition; bright colour or light)
3. Give English or Greek name of Madonna icon where she gestures towards child seated on her other arm. (Hodegetriah, "showing the way")
4. Name one of the typical features of Byzantine painting (comb highlights, sunburst highlights, geometricised faces, zigzagging hemlines)
5. Word for Early Renaissance (Quattrocento)
6. Spell contrapposto
7. Describe the contrapposto stance (weight on straight leg, other bent; hips and shoulders swing in opposite directions)
8. Why did Cimabue use the Byzantine style and an old icon-type for his altarpiece? (to give sense of tradition to new art form).