Image List

Mesoamerica
Olmec Head
Temple at Tikal
Bonampak Fresco

Africa
Dogon Primordial Couples
Benin Bronze Head
brass plaque from Benin
Yoruba ere ibeji (twin figures)

Egypt
Palette of Narmer
Menkaure and his Wife
Great Pyramids at Giza
Seated Scribe
Ti Watching a Hippo Hunt
Temple of Hatshepsut
Akhenaten and His Family
King Tut
Judgement before Osiris

Ancient Near East
Nanna Ziggurat
Warka Vase
Votive Statues
Bull Lyre
Stela of Naramsin
Gudea
Stela of Hammurabi
Guardian Lamassu from Sargon II
Ishtar Gate
Audience Hall of Darius and Xerxes

Aegean
Cycladic Idols
Palace Complex of Knossos
Octopus Flask
Bull Jumping

Ancient Greece
Dipylon Vase
Siphnian Treasury
Temple of Artemis
Dying Warrior
Kore and Kouros
Black and Red Figure Vase painting
Kritios Boy
Riace Warrior
The Acropolis
East pediment of the Parthenon
Caryatid
Spear Bearer
The Scraper
Nike of Samothrace
Laocoon
Venus de Milo
Etruscan
Etruscan Temple
Apollo from Veii
Sarcophagus from Cerveteri

Ancient Rome
Sanctuary of Fortuna
Pont du Gard
Maison Caree
Aulus Metellus
Augustus of Primporta
1st, 2nd, 3rd, 4th style paintings at Pompeii
Colosseum
Column of Trajan
Pantheon
Basilica of Maxentius and Constantine
Arch of Constantine

Early Christian
Christian Catacomb paintings
Old St Peters
Santa Costanza
Good Shepherd from Galla Placidia

Byzantine
Hagia Sophia
San Vitale
Empress Theodora and Emperor Justinian
Sant’Apollinare in Classe
Transfiguration of Christ with St Apollinaris
Cathedral of San Marco
Christ Pantokrator
Cathedral of St Basil

Islamic
Dome of the Rock
Great Mosque at Cordoba
Great Mosque at Samarra
Mosaic Mihrab
Mosque of Selim

Early Medieval
Purse Cover from Sutton Hoo
Chi Rho Iota Page
Palace Chapel of Charlemagne
Lindau Gospel Cover
Doors of Bishop Bernward
Gero Crucifix

Romanesque
Abbey Church of St Foy
Abbey Church of Notre Dame, Fontenay
Romanesque Church Portal
Saint Pierre Moissac; Christ in Majesty
Gislebertus Last Judgement Tympanum
Virgin and Child
Batllo Crucifix
Durham Cathedral
Saint Etienne
Page with Hellmouth
Bayeux Tapestry
Speyer Cathedral
San Clemente, Rome


Key Concepts:

EC and Byz.
Basilica-plan
The evolution of basilica-plan and central-plan churches from earlier architectural models is a major theme in this chapter and is a stage in the eventual development of the cathedral in the Middle Ages. Students should be familiar with the ways in which architects solved the problems of converting the public basilica into a place of worship. Methods for placing a dome over a square base should also be studied in depth. The text provides a good discussion of pendentives and squinches on p. 310. Questions about the nave, apse, and transepts often appear on the AP* exam in some form. Students should begin to keep notes on the different styles of churches so that they will be able to compare and contrast them as they review their coursework.
Iconography of the life of Jesus
The table "Iconography of the Life of Jesus" on pp. 306–307 is a useful compendium of the "cycles" of the life of Jesus, the basis of much of Christian art. Students should return to this table often during the course to verify their identification of the literal and symbolic meanings of artworks. It is a highly useful reference on Christian symbolism.

Islam
Iconoclasm
Islamic art is aniconic—that is, there is little or no figurative imagery present. Surface decoration is the hallmark of Islamic art, a mixture of geometric patterns and scrolling organic forms.
Spread of Islam
Muslims spread their religion and their culture rapidly during the Middle Ages, moving throughout the Arabian Peninsula and into Egypt, Asia, and Europe, especially Spain. Wherever they went, local artistic traditions influenced Islamic art. In analyzing Islamic art, students should pay close attention to the region from which a given example comes for clues to the origins of its stylistic elements.

Early Medieval
Development of books
The transition from the scroll to the bound book in this period was critical in the preservation and transmission of learning in Europe. Illuminated manuscripts are among the most important art objects created during the Early Middle Ages. Students should understand the process of bookmaking, copying, and illustrating that was developed during this period.
Charlemagne's project
Charlemagne's attempt to revive the arts and create a culture along the lines of ancient Rome is the historical background for the most important period of art in the Early Middle Ages. His accomplishments and their influence, especially Carolingian miniscule and monastery design, are key concepts that students should take from this chapter.
Interlace
Ribbon interlace and animal interlace were used as decoration on a variety of art objects from Sweden, Norway, and the British Isles. Students should be able to connect the themes of animal interlace to the presumed religious beliefs of the people that developed it.

Romanesque
Elements of Romanesque architecture
The Romanesque style and how it differs from Classical architecture and Gothic architecture, which students will learn about in the next chapter, is the single most important concept that students should remember from this period. The text provides excellent and concise explanations on pp. 511–513 and p. 517. Students should be adding to their notes on the characteristics of different styles of architecture.
Deciphering Christian symbolism
New images of Christian iconography appear in Romanesque art. Gislebertus's Last Judgement, from Autun (p. 520) is a good example of the evolving body of Christian symbolism.
Regional differences
The stylistic differences between cathedrals in France and in Italy need to be understood and recognized by students. This regionalization will become even more pronounced during the Gothic period, as students will see in the next chapter. Students should add the characteristics of different cathedral styles to their notes on architectural innovations.