AP Art History : Renaissance to Contemporary 2D Art

Study concepts, example questions & explanations for AP Art History

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Example Questions

Example Question #31 : Fourteenth Through Sixteenth Century 2 D Art

John-patmos

The most likely original placement of this painting would have been in __________.

Possible Answers:

the altar of a church

the public space in a town center

the outer spaces of a church

the private rooms of a palace

Correct answer:

the altar of a church

Explanation:

The Early Netherlandish painters with whom Hieronymus Bosch was associated painted a number of altarpieces and devotional works to be placed in churches. This portrait of John on Patmos shows the purported author of the Book of Revelation in a reverential stance. Additionally, his positioning indicates this was the far right end of a triptych, a three-fold piece of art that had multiple paintings on one, usually religious, theme. Triptychs were common in church altars in the Late Medieval/Early Modern period.

Image: St. John the Evangelist on Patmos by Hieronymus Bosch (1489)

Example Question #32 : Fourteenth Through Sixteenth Century 2 D Art

Which of the following is NOT true of The Last Supper by Leonardo DaVinci?


1024px u ltima cena   da vinci 5

Possible Answers:

Jesus points to the bread and wine, symbolizing the sacrament of the Eucharist

Da Vinci simplifies the Last Supper scene in comparison to previous depictions of this scene in early works of art

Peter is depicted holding a knife, to foreshadow that he will cut off a soldier's ear to protect Jesus from arrest later

All of the disciples are depicted reacting in a different way, to reflect their each individual personality

There have been no efforts to restore The Last Supper, and it is in pretty good condition

Correct answer:

There have been no efforts to restore The Last Supper, and it is in pretty good condition

Explanation:

The Last Supper is actually in terrible condition, and attempts to restore it started as early as 1726. Deterioration was noticeable as early as 18 years after it was first painted.

Image is in the public domain, accessed through Wikipedia Media Commons: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Last_Supper_(Leonardo_da_Vinci)#/media/File:%C3%9Altima_Cena_-_Da_Vinci_5.jpg

Example Question #103 : Ap Art History

Which of the following elements present in Venus of Urbino was most directly influential in works of art that followed?

Tiziano   venere di urbino   google art project

Possible Answers:

The image of the reclining nude, often looking right at the viewer

The incorporation of animals into everyday scenes

The use of perspective to show multiple scenes at the same time

The use of chiaroscuro

The richness of the colors

Correct answer:

The image of the reclining nude, often looking right at the viewer

Explanation:

The image of the reclining nude, often looking right at the viewer, was an element present in Venus of Urbino that most directly influenced many works of art that came later.  While the other elements listed were present in Venus of Urbino, the bold sensuality and straightforwardness of this image was imitated in many works of art that followed.  Manet's Olympia (shown below) is one particularly noteworthy example.

800px edouard manet   olympia   google art project

Images are in the public domain, accessed through Wikipedia Media Commons: https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/b/bb/Tiziano_-_Venere_di_Urbino_-_Google_Art_Project.jpg and https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/c/ca/Edouard_Manet_-_Olympia_-_Google_Art_Project.jpg

Example Question #104 : Ap Art History

Which of the following is NOT true of Venus of Urbino?


Tiziano   venere di urbino   google art project

Possible Answers:

This image demonstrates contrapposto

This work was meant to be placed in a cassoni, or trunk intended for a wife's belongings after she got married

The image was considered to be unapologetically erotic, and the model was likely based on a real-life courtesan

The spatial environment is complex and shows three distinct fields within the image

This work is now displayed in the Uffizi in Florence

Correct answer:

This image demonstrates contrapposto

Explanation:

Venus of Urbino does not feature contrapposto. Contrapposto is a specific arrangement of the body often seen in ancient sculpture where the body is twisted off-axis to give off a more naturalistic standing position.  

The others, however, are all true. This was meant to be put in a cassoni (and in fact, the servant in the background is standing next to one). The spatial environment contains 3 distinct planes (the nude in the foreground, the servants in the mid-ground and the view out the window in the background). The woman is likely based on a real-life courtesan from the time period and is shown to be "unapologetically erotic" by looking directly at the viewer.  Finally, it's currently on display in the Uffizi in Florence.

Image is in the public domain, accessed through Wikipedia Media Commons: https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/b/bb/Tiziano_-_Venere_di_Urbino_-_Google_Art_Project.jpg

Example Question #33 : Fourteenth Through Sixteenth Century 2 D Art

The Renaissance painting style of Mannerism was defined by all of the following EXCEPT __________.

Possible Answers:

artificial constructions and poses

highly intellectual approach to art

strict compositional forms

naturalism in movement

Correct answer:

naturalism in movement

Explanation:

Mannerism was essentially the second wave of Renaissance painting, being most prevalent in the second half of the sixteenth century. Mannerism took many of the Renaissance values of clarity and formal achievement and pushed them even further. In the works of artists such as Tintoretto, El Greco, and Giambologna created highly stylized, formal works that were paragons of mannerism.

Example Question #1 : Understanding Terminology That Describes Fourteenth Through Sixteenth Century 2 D Art

The term chiaroscuro indicates that a painting features __________.

Possible Answers:

a pose of unnatural dimensions

a strong contrast between dark and light shades

an attempt to make a painting look three-dimensional

a use of bright colors

Correct answer:

a strong contrast between dark and light shades

Explanation:

Chiaroscuro is a technique developed in the Italian Renaissance that created extremely strong contrasts between light and dark shades in a painting for dramatic purposes. While early Renaissance artists like Botticelli were notable for its use, it reached its apex in the seventeenth century in works by artists such as Caravaggio and Rembrandt van Rijn.

Example Question #3 : Understanding Terminology That Describes Fourteenth Through Sixteenth Century 2 D Art

In late-Medieval and early-Renaissance art, the image of an angel visiting the Virgin Mary before Jesus' Birth is known as __________.

Possible Answers:

the Annunciation

the Immaculate Conception

the Assumption

the Pietá

Correct answer:

the Annunciation

Explanation:

In the Christian Bible, in the Gospel of Luke, the angel Gabriel comes to Mary to inform her that she will give birth to the Messiah and name him Yeshua (or Jesus). Known as the Annunciation, it was one of the most popular subjects of late-medieval and early-Renaissance art, as it highlighted Mary's virginity while also reflecting her humanity in the circumstance.

Example Question #2 : Understanding Terminology That Describes Fourteenth Through Sixteenth Century 2 D Art

Medieval European art lacked which element that was developed in the Renaissance?

Possible Answers:

Religious subjects

Bright colors

Portraits

Vanishing-point Perspective

Patronage

Correct answer:

Vanishing-point Perspective

Explanation:

Using newly found mathematical principles in their artwork, Renaissance artists were able to create perspective in Western painting for the first time. Vanishing-point perspective, which creates lines of sight that reflect the depth seen in reality, allowed for portraiture, religious subjects, and other works to be seen in new ways. Coupled with new scientific knowledge and an increasing use of dark colors and shadows, Renaissance art created new perceptions of artwork.

Example Question #1 : Understanding Terminology That Describes Medieval 2 D Visual Art

In medieval religious art, a painting depicting the Madonna and Child feature which biblical figures?

Possible Answers:

John the Baptist and Jesus Christ

The Risen Christ and Mary Magdalene

The Virgin Mary and the Infant Jesus

Satan and the Whore of Babylon

Abraham and Sarah

Correct answer:

The Virgin Mary and the Infant Jesus

Explanation:

Among the most important and widely painted images in Medieval art were depictions of the Madonna and Child. These paintings, depicting the Virgin Mary and the infant Jesus, were meant to show the two holiest figures in Medieval Catholicism to the illiterate believers of the church in the middle ages.

Example Question #1 : Understanding Terminology That Describes Medieval 2 D Visual Art

A medieval painting composed of three separate pieces is known as a __________.

Possible Answers:

trilogy

portrait

landscape

diptych

triptych

Correct answer:

triptych

Explanation:

A triptych, from Greek words meaning "three fold," was often placed at the altar of medieval and early modern European churches. The paintings allowed for three separate scenes to be shown in one place, which allowed both the artist to depict three related topics and show the viewer a larger scene than one panel would allow. Triptychs were largely used for religious topics in the middle ages, but have remained a popular style up to the present day.

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