All AP Art History Resources
Example Questions
Example Question #1 : Understanding Terminology That Describes Ancient Grecian And Roman Sculpture
Which of the following characteristics best describe the Hellenistic period of Ancient Greek sculpture?
Small, realistic, and emotional
None of the other answers is correct.
Symmetrical, and representative of ideal beauty and perfection
Expressionless and stiff
Naturalistic, emotional, and dynamic
Naturalistic, emotional, and dynamic
Hellenistic Greek sculptures are often describes as naturalistic, emotional and dynamic. These pieces were a reflection of the diversity of cultures the Ancient Greeks and their culture interacted with after following the conquests of Alexander the Great. No longer did Ancient Greek sculpture represent ideal beauty and perfection the way it had during the Classical period. The Archaic period of Greek Sculpture was known for its stiff, expressionless subjects. Lastly, Hellenistic sculptures were also known for their increasingly large size.
Example Question #27 : Ancient Grecian And Roman Sculpture
Archaic Greek sculpture is known to have predominately consisted of three types of figures. These types of figures are known as the seated woman, the standing draped girl, and __________.
the praying youth
the kneeling draped youth
the running naked youth
the mother and child
the standing naked youth
the standing naked youth
The three types of figures are known as the seated woman, the standing draped girl, and the standing naked youth. The standing naked youth is often portrayed standing with one foot forward with a frontal stance.
Example Question #2 : Understanding Terminology That Describes Ancient Grecian And Roman Sculpture
This dominant style of ancient Roman sculpture developed from the ancient Roman concept of the importance of family and ancestors. Busts created in this style were often displayed in the atria of the houses of powerful Roman families. These busts often captured the physical flaws of their subjects, as it was considered a sign of good character to recognize and display them with pride.
To which style of ancient Roman sculpture is the above excerpt referring?
Reliefs
Portraiture
None of the other answers
Religious art
Funerary art
Portraiture
Portraiture was a dominant, important part of Ancient Roman culture. It involved creating a bust (shoulders-up, or simply the head and neck) of the subject, who was more often than not the patriarch of the family.
Example Question #1 : Understanding Terminology That Describes Ancient Grecian And Roman Sculpture
Ancient Roman sarcophagi were often decorated with what type of ancient Roman funerary art?
None of these answers
Elaborate paintings
Intricate reliefs
Cult statues depicting deities
Portraiture
Intricate reliefs
Although Portraiture and divine statues were indeed part of Ancient Roman art, they were not used to decorate sarcophagi, due to their size. While many statues and busts were painted, elaborate paintings were not a big part of ancient Roman art. Intricate reliefs were very commonly seen on sarcophagi. They often depicted day-to-day life as a Roman.
Example Question #23 : Sculpture
The work of art shown here was sculpted in _______________.
bronze
marble
terra cotta
gold
terra cotta
Etruscan funerary monuments, such as this Sarcophagus of the Spouses, often featured couples and even whole families that represented the subjects in the afterlife. In order to last eternally and powerfully represent those whose remains were stored inside, these sarcophagi would be created from the earthenware material known as terra cotta. Terra cotta was not only immensely strong, but could also be easily painted to represent the subject of the work of art.
Image accessed through Wikipedia Media Commons: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Louvre-Lens_-_Les_Étrusques_et_la_Méditerranée_-_191_-_Paris,_musée_du_Louvre,_DAGER,_Cp_5194_(Sarcophage_des_Époux)_(A).JPG
Example Question #2 : Understanding Terminology That Describes Ancient Grecian And Roman Sculpture
Etruscan art has a strong relationship to Greek and Mediterranean cultures. The majority of Etruscan art was created out of _________________.
sheet rock
marble
terra cotta
dried river mud
terra cotta
The Etruscans preferred terra cotta over other forms because of the importance to tombs and funeral markers which were made from terra cotta (baked clay). This art form emphasized ornament and display, which was important in their culture along with signifying the importance of the dead.
Example Question #31 : 3 D Art
In sculpture, the term ______________ describes a human figure who stands with its weight on one leg, creating a distinctive S-curve shift in the hips and shoulders.
cantilever
calcagnolo
contrapposto
chiaroscuro
contrapposto
"Contrapposto," Italian for "counterpose," refers to the shift in weight in the figure's pose.
Example Question #621 : Ap Art History
A ____________ statue takes the form of a pillar with a head on top.
mythological
Herm
portrait
bust
Herm
The name "Herm" comes from this type of sculpture's original subject, the god Hermes. These sculptures were first made to protect places like crossroads and doorways, but by the Hellenistic and Roman periods, their subject matter expanded to include a wide range of portraits, including famous people and the god Dionysos.
Example Question #622 : Ap Art History
The nude male figures produced during the Archaic period of Greek art are known as _________________.
kouros/kouroi
kore/korai
Archaistic/Archaizing
anthemion/anthemia
kouros/kouroi
Male sculptures produced during the Archaic period are known as kouroi (sing. kouros). Female figures in this style are known as korai (sing. kore). Archaistic or Archaizing statues are objects produced after the end of the Archaic period (c. 480 BCE) in an Archaic style. Anthemia (sing. anthemion) refers to the decoration carved on the top of a stela, usually in the form of a palmette.
Example Question #33 : Ancient Grecian And Roman Sculpture
The term _______________ refers to sculptures carved in the Archaic style after the end of the Archaic period, c. 480 BCE.
Roman
Hellenistic
Classical
Archaistic
Archaistic
Sculptures that intentionally emulate the older Archaic style are known as Archaistic.