AP Art History : Ancient Through Medieval Architecture
Study concepts, example questions & explanations for AP Art History
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Example Questions
Example Question #791 : Ap Art History
Early temples in Greece were much more basic than the later ones such as the Parthenon in Athens. These newer temples innovated on the earlier design by ________________.
not using mortar
changing the mathematical proportions of the design
adding elaborate carvings to the outside of the temple
using marble instead of brick for the columns
adding a screen of columns around the traditional temple structure
adding a screen of columns around the traditional temple structure
Early Greek temples were similar to those of nearby cultures. That is to say they were simple 4 walled structures that housed the statue of a deity. As time progressed the Greeks innovated on this basic design by adding rows of columns on all sides, that screened, but did not entirely hide the inner structure.
Example Question #11 : Architecture
The Parthenon is the most famous example of what order?
Corinthian
Tuscan
Composite
Doric
Ionic
Doric
The Parthenon is a beautiful example of a rather severe style: the Doric order. The Doric order was one of the earliest Greek orders, but continued to be used on the Greek mainland even after other orders had been created. It was much less common in cultures that imitated Greek art, such as the Romans and Renaissance Europe.
Example Question #12 : Architecture
Why do classical Greek temples not contain arches?
The arch wasn’t invented until Roman times
While the Greeks did use arches it was mainly in below ground construction, not temples
Arches were considered profane because of their practicality, so they were not used to build places of worship
Arches have to be made out of brick, not marble, so they could not be used in temple construction
Early arches were poorly made and, while the Greeks used them, none have survived until today
While the Greeks did use arches it was mainly in below ground construction, not temples
There is a long-standing myth that the Romans invented the arch. This is simply not true, arches can in fact be found among ancient Greek ruins. They were mostly used underground. While the Romans didn’t invent the arch, they were the first to put it to wide use.
Example Question #13 : Architecture
Which of the following best describes Ancient Greek architecture?
The Greeks used size to determine the importance of a building
The all the great Greek architectural projects were for tombs and places of worship
The Greeks used the same style for all their temples
Greek architecture was developed entirely independent of Egyptian architecture
The Greeks sought beauty based on mathematical proportions
The Greeks sought beauty based on mathematical proportions
While many early civilizations sought to show the importance of a building by its size, the Greeks aimed, not so much for immense structures, but properly proportioned ones. We are still using their standards of proportion on art and architecture today. This doesn’t mean that there were no large Greek temples, but this was not a common characteristic.
Example Question #14 : Architecture
Why are Greek temples smaller than temples found in Egypt?
Egyptian temples were carved into rock, so size was less of an issue
Proportion mattered more than size to the Greeks; the temples needed to be proportioned to those who used them
The stone used by the Greeks wasn’t strong enough for larger structures
The Greek economy couldn’t support large building projects
The prevalence of earthquakes in Greece forced the Greeks to focus on smaller, more achievable projects
Proportion mattered more than size to the Greeks; the temples needed to be proportioned to those who used them
Some Greek temples are in fact massive, but for the Greeks religion and art were centered on man. The people who used the temples were in some ways the focal point, not the afterlife, or strange and exotic deities. Because of this the temples were supposed to be more in proportion to the people who used them.
Example Question #15 : Architecture
As time progressed Greek temple architecture changed. Columns _________________.
grew taller and had more slender
were simplified; most of the ornamentation was moved to the architrave
grew shorter and more refined
were removed from the sides of the temple, and only used on the front and rear
were no longer designed according to the 3 standard categories or orders
grew taller and had more slender
Ionic and Corinthian architecture was marked by taller, slenderer columns. Even the Doric temples, still built on the Greek mainland were less squat that their predecessors. The Greeks felt that this gave the buildings a lighter and more delicate feel.
Example Question #16 : Architecture
What specific story does the Column of Trajan tell about Trajan's life?
A mythical story of how Trajan obtained super strength from the god Jupiter
Trajan's birth and coming of age
Trajan's coronation as Emperor
Trajan's leadership in the defeat of the Dacians
Trajan's negotiation for more territory in Rome from the Gauls
Trajan's leadership in the defeat of the Dacians
The Column of Trajan tells the story of Trajan's victory against the Dacians. Over 128 feet high, the narrative wraps around the entirety of the column and tells the story over 625 feet of marble. As a result, the compositions are crowded and the entire story is difficult to view in its entirety.
Image accessed through Wikipedia Media Commons: https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/e/e2/RomaColonnaTraiana%26BasilicaUlpia.jpg
Example Question #17 : Architecture
Who is depicted at the base of the column, and how are they depicted?
The defeated Dacians, and they are depicted as weak and scrawny
The Roman gods, and they are depicted as looking on proudly
The defeated Dacians, and they are depicted as worthy opponents
Trajan's family, and they are depicted as strong and fearsome
The Greeks, and they are depicted as being in fearful awe of Trajan
The defeated Dacians, and they are depicted as worthy opponents
The defeated Dacians are depicted on the base of the column. They are shown as being worthy opponents to further highlight how significant the victory was for Trajan -- they appear strong, which shows how strong Trajan's army needed to be to defeat them. Above the defeated Dacians is a victory laurel to again highlight the significance of winning the battle against them.
Image accessed through Wikipedia Media Commons: https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/e/e2/RomaColonnaTraiana%26BasilicaUlpia.jpg
Example Question #18 : Architecture
What was originally on either side of the Column of Trajan in Trajan's Forum?
Tombstones for Trajan's wife and eldest son
Monuments to Julius Caesar and Octavian
Inscribed steles with laws for the city of Rome
Lamassu guardians to protect the column from evil spirits
Two libraries, both featuring manuscripts of the life of Trajan (one in Roman and one in Greek)
Two libraries, both featuring manuscripts of the life of Trajan (one in Roman and one in Greek)
Originally, two libraries stood next to the column. Each had manuscripts detailing the Roman-Dacian war. One had the manuscripts in Roman, and the other in Greek. (Lamassu guardians are associated with Assyrian architecture and art, and steles, such as the Stele of Hammurabi, are associated with the Babylonians.)
Image accessed through Wikipedia Media Commons: https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/e/e2/RomaColonnaTraiana%26BasilicaUlpia.jpg
Example Question #1 : Understanding Terminology That Describes Ancient Greek And Roman Architecture
The Roman building the Pantheon features columns in the style called __________.
Ionic
Composite
Corinthian
Doric
Corinthian
Ancient Greek and Roman architecture can be broken down into three main chronological groupings, from oldest to youngest: the Doric, the Ionic, and the Corinthian. As a building of the Roman Empire, the Pantheon, built between 27 BCE and 126 CE, is emblematic of the Corinthian order, especially its ornate columns lining its portico.
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