ART B35: Survey of Western Art History I: Prompts and Examples

Essay Topics:

1.  The art of Paleolithic Europe was created by cultures that left no written records, making interpreting this art difficult for modern archaeologists and art historians. Using lecture notes, the text, and required outside sources, state and explain the theories suggested to explain the meaning of EITHER the Woman of Willendorf, other Paleolithic sculptures, OR cave paintings. For each explanation you discuss, give evidence for and against it. You can express your opinion on the meaning of these ancient works of art, but if you do so, you must back it up with facts, reasons, and logical arguments.
2. Some ancient Mesopotamian art served as political propaganda to support the power of kings, in some cases by showing the king as backed or endorsed by the gods. Compare the Stela of Naram-Sin with Hammurabi's Law Stela as propaganda. Describe the style features, size, and content of these works that make them a means of "selling" the power of individual kings and supporting the political system of kingship in general. In particular, how do these two works use religious symbols and themes to stress the king's power? How do they differ in the way they do this?
3. In the 18th Dynasty in Egypt, the art of both Queen/King Hatshepsut and Akhenaten represented them with features not corresponding to their biological sex or social gender. Compare and contrast the gender-fluid portrayals of these pharaohs. How do they combine male and female in their images? Why, in each case, did the rulers and their artists do this? What are some theories on why Akhenaten, in particular, made these changes? What are the problems with some of these theories?
4. Greek architects, sculptors, and musicians uniquely appreciated harmony through precise proportions and mathematical ratios. Using the structures on the Acropolis, explain some of the details and mixtures of architectural orders used. How and why was the use of mathematical proportion and balance so important? Be sure you use documentation to back your reasoning.
5. According to the Roman poet Horace, the Romans conquered the Greeks but were, in turn, conquered by Greek art. In your essay, use specific examples to discuss and explain Roman borrowings from Greek art in EITHER architecture/city planning or sculptures. How do they change what they borrow in form and purpose? What innovations do they add to make the final result distinctively Roman?
6. Although Byzantine art and architecture continued the Greek and Roman traditions in many ways, unlike these classical traditions, it was not interested in reproducing things as they are in the natural world but in trying to express a spiritual reality beyond ordinary perception. Use at least one example of Early Byzantine art or architecture and discuss how it tries to give the viewer a taste or experience of the divine world. Explain how it does this in terms of style features, materials used, and construction techniques.
7. During the Early Medieval period, monasteries were the main centers of culture, and much of the art of these periods was either made by monks or created to decorate monastic architecture. Using at least two examples of works of art and architecture from these periods related to monasteries, explain the role of the monks in their production, use, and patronage. How do these works fit into the beliefs and work of the monastic communities? (You can use both Byzantine and European examples.)