Chartres Cathedral, The Cathedral of Notre-Dame, France, 1140-1220

spiritual center of the cult of the Virgin; housed the Virgin's Tunic worn at Christ's birth-it and the stained glass  windows survived a fire; the reconstruction is one of the most magnificent of all Gothic cathedrals 

Ambulatory choir, Abbey Church of Saint Denis, France, 1140-44

Abbot Suger added small chapels with stained glass windows around the apse in order to fill the entire choir with light 

Moses Window, Church of Saint Denis, France, 1140-44

the best preserved of the original stained-glass windows at Saint Denis, Moses was a prominent theme at the royal abbey because his leadership of the israelites was the model for the French king's leadership of his people

West Facade of Chartres Cathedral, France, 1134-1220

the different designs of the two towers reflect the Gothic dismissal of Romanesque absolute balance and symmetry; the left tower was much more elaborately decorated and technically advanced

Our Lady of the Beautiful Window, Chartres Cathedral, 12th century

the central panel survived the fire of 1194, displays shift in style away from Romanesque to Gothic, the Virgin and child are Byzantine in their stiffness, but the angels (added in the 13th century) are more animated and anatomically correct

The Tree of Jesse Window, Chartres Cathedral, 1150-70

representing the geneology of Christ as a descendant of the royal lineage, the tree sprouts from Jesse (father of King David) and sprouts to the kings of Judea, to the Virgin and then to Christ

Nave and Vaults above the choir of Amiens Cathedral, France, 1220-1288

supreme statement of physical and spiritual verticality, the narrowly proportioned space creates a sense of exaggerated height

Nave and Choir, Santa Croce, Florence, Italy, 1294

Gothic pointed arches together with vertial moldings designed to pull the eye upward decorate the nave arcade, open wooden-trussed ceiling in order to emphasize the simplicity of their practice

West Facade, Amiens Cathedral, France, 1220-1236

facade is elaborately decorated with sculpture, has a sense of unity and coherence, covered in finials

West facade, Wells Cathedral, England, 1230-50

one of the finest Gothic cathedrals in England of the century, exemplifies the preference for pattern and decoration in English Gothic architecture, the portal is unimportant and the rhythmic structure of the wide facade takes precedence

Jamb Statues, West Portal, Chartres Cathedral, 1145-70

show a distint advance in the sculptural realization of the human body, fully rounded figures that occupy space

Jamb Statues, south transept portal, Chartres Cathedral, 1215-20

flat-footed and animated faces, whats remarkable is that Saint Theodore (left) is standing in contrapposto ignoring the strict verticality of the past

Annunciation and Visititation, Reims Cathedral, 1245-55

freed of backdrop, the most naturalistic sculptures since roman times, the angel and Mary (left) have good-humored smiles and simple clothing, while the right figures show wise concern and where more Roman dress

Interior upper chapel, Saint-Chapelle, Paris, 1243-48

built by Louis IX, this Gothic palantine chapel is the epitomy of radiant style with its stained glass, it was designed to transport external cares into a realm of heavenly beauty 

The Temptation of Christ, Limbourg Brothers, 1415

commissioned by the Duke of Berry, it celebrates the Duke's riches even as it warns against putting too much faith in them, he was famous for the menagerie of animals he kept, shows Christ resisting the riches of the world

Siena Cathedral, Giovanni Pisano, Italy, 1284-99

features French Gothic style with triple portal, soaring finials, rose window and elaborate freestanding sculptures of prophets and saints

Santa Croce, Italy, 1294

Franciscan church, plain, unembellished, gothic arches in the nave and wood tossed ceiling emphasizing simplicity of their own practice, east Florence

Santa Maria Novella, Florence, Italy, 1246

Dominican church that underscores the rivalry between them and the Franciscan order; marble striping on the facade

Interior of the Upper Church, Basilica of San Francesco, Assisi, Umbria, Italy, 1228-1253

built in honor of Saint Francis; one of the most beautiful Italian Gothic churches; primarily decorated with paintings of Old and New Testament scenes as well as scenes depicting Francis's life

Saint Francis Creates the First Christmas Creche, San Francesco, Assis, Italy, 1295-1305

employs realistic appearance of shadows, attempt to create an illusionistic space using one-point-perspective: architectural forms recede into deep space, but not uniformly throughout the composition

Virgin and Child, Abbey Church of Saint Denis, France, 1339

inscribed with the name of Queen Jeanne d'Evreux; embodies the cult of the virgin and naturalistic representation; exaggerated contrapposto pose suggests her grace and elegance; the softness of her face gives her humanity

Palazzo Vecchio, Florence, 1299-1310

heavy-looking, its massive stonework reflecting the solidity of the merchant class that erected it

Allegory of Good Government, Palazzo Publico, Siena, 1338-39

depiction of the city as it actually was: richly dressed merchants, people in the streets & children in school, lush countryside, Securitas floating above the city reminding all citizens that peace depends upon justice; dark sky in the background shows that Siena was a uniquely enlightened place

Andrea della Robbia, coat of arms of the Wool Guild of Florence, 1487

the lamb of God (Angus Dei) with a banner inscribed with a red cross

Maesta, Duccio di Buoninsegna, Siena Cathedral, 1308-11

Gothic tendency to naturalism: Christ is a baby and Madonna's clothes and body are realistic, saints are individuals rather than types; ecclesiastical and civic commission 

Maestá, Simone Martini, Palazzo Publico

blending of sacred and secular; the virgin represents secular love and devotion, including that to the government; it is a propogandic message message to city fathers that the virgin is as interested in wordly affairs as she is the divine ones; she is as human as she is divine

Madonna Enthroned with Angels and Saints, Giotto di Bondone, Florence, 1310

remarkable shift towards naturalism--there is still Byzantine hierarchy of figures--there is realistic space and shadows that create accurate three-dimensionality; humanizes the Virgin and Christ

The Lamentation, Giotto, The Arena Chapel, Padua, 1305-06

depicts the human suffering and real pain felt by Jesus' followers upon his death, rather than the promise of salvation that it symbolized

Adoration of the Magi, Giotto, Arena Chapel, Padua, 1305-06

attempt to render woodshed in perspective, expression of emotion in faces, everyone drawn to the same scale, 

The Arena Chapel, Padua, The Life of Christ and the Virgin frescoes, Giotto, 1305-06

paintings possess a psychological intensity and emotional immediacy that involve the viewer directly in the scene

Dante and His Poem, Domenico di Michelino, 1465

to Dante's right is the inferno, behind him the seven stepped hill of Purgatory and to the left is Paradise which is imaged as the Florence Cathedral

The Three Living and The Three Dead, Jean Le Noir, 1349

Left: 3 men observe the decaying people on the right, one covers his nose from the stench of rotting human; Right: realistic depiction of decaying bodies, the artist is determined to bring us face to face with the truth of death 

Francesco Petrarca, Andrea del Castagno, 1450

portrait of Francesco Petrarca, known as Petrarch

The Duomo, Florence, 1334-59

octogonal baptistery which held the Gates of Paradise 

Sacrifice of Isaac, Competition relief commissioned for doors of baptistery, Filippo Brunelleschi, 1401-2

Isaac is in the center and the angel grabs Abraham's arm as he is about to stab him; it is dramatic and realistic

Sacrifice of Isaac, competition relief commissioned for the doors of the baptistery, Lorenzon Ghiberti, 1401-2

(winning relief)

The sacrifice is set on the right, Isaac and Abraham's bodies are unified in a curve, the foreshortened angel emerges from deep space; strong diagonal landscape creates a vivid sense of space

The Gates of Paradise, Lorenzo Ghiberti, 1445-48

opens onto the paradiso, depicts scenes from the Hebrew Bible in ten square panels

The Story of Adam and Eve, Ghiberti, Gates of Paradise, 1425-37

depicts multiple events from the same story: Creation of Adam, Creation of Eve, Temptation & Expulsion; the figures are reminiscent of classical Greek and Roman sculpture

Meeting of Solomon and Sheba, Ghiberti, Gates of Paradise, 1425-37

symmetry represented the hope for the reunification of the Eastern Orthodox (Sheba) and Western Catholic church (Solomon); the focus on a single event reflects the unity sought by the church

Nave of San Lorenzo, Brunelleschi, 1421-69

balance, symmetry and proportion; the space is much more open than classic basilicas--this clarity and order is the basis of scientific perspective, all the churches lines converge at the far end of the nave

Trinity with the Virgin, Massaccio, Santa Maria Novella, 1425

painted according to the laws of perspective, contrast between faith (God and Christ) and naturalism (realistically rendered people and the rational scientific perspective)

The Tribute Money, Masaccio, Santa Maria, 1420s

the vanishing point is above Christ's head where the orthogonals of the architecture converge (its function is to lead the viewer to christ); atmospheric perspective gives it naturalism; naturalism from the dynamic gestures and poses, individuality and emotional engagement of the figures

Saint Mark, Donatello, 1411

inspired by Roman sculpture, contrapposto pose, folds of the clothes reveal the shape of his body, natural beard and hair, a fully realized human form

David, Donatello, 1440s

exaggerated contrapposto, young adolescent look contrasts with bearded Goliath at his feet, celebrates youthful vitality

Adoration of the Magi, Sandro Botticelli, 1470s

Cosimo kneels before the Christ child; the painting was supposed to affirm that the Medici embodied the wisdom and kingship of the Magi, it affirmed their political power

Palazzo Rucellai, Leon Battista Alberti, Florence, 1446-51

direct imitation of the Roman Colosseum (uses 3 classical orders), decorative columns, reflects the imperial ruling of the hereditary monarchy of the Medici 

Primavera, Boticelli, 1480s

captures the spirit of the Medici: love is celebrated in a spiritual humanist endeavour, a more direct physical way; Goddess of love (middle) represents the highest moral qualities, God of wind (right, blue) tries to capture the nymph of spring as the Goddess of flowers ignores him, Three Graces (left) dance and the Messenger of the Gods (left) brushes the clouds away

Battista Sforza and Federigo da Montefeltro, by Piero Della Francesca, 1472

symbolism: expansive and open landscape behind Federigo while behind Battista it is enclosed and fortified-represents her limits in power; portrait is a symbol of his devotion to her; profiles follow traditional coin types

Camera Picta, Andrea Mantegna, Palazzo Ducale, Mantua, 1465-74

these paintings attracted people to Ludovico's court and brought it to prominence; the very model of sprezzatura; the walls are paintings of the Gonzaga family doing various activities 

Illusionistic Oculus, Andrea Mantegna, Palazzo Ducale, 1465-74

view of the "sky", foreshortening of angels, women peer over the edge; mastery of depicting objects seen from below

Embryo in the Womb, Leonardo da Vinci, 1510

anatomical study from one of his notebooks; for him it is an image of both attraction and repulsion; the miracle of a fetus in the womb

The Last Supper, Da Vinci, Santa Maria della Grazie, Milan, 1495-98

on the wall of the refectory to illusionistically extend its walls; the moment when Jesus reveals that someone is going to betray him; we see a sense of agitated doubt and confusion among the apostles, they are revealed in all their humanity while christ remains contained and compassionate; christs arms are composed to create a triangle symbolizing the trinity

The refectory, Santa Maria della Grazie, Milan

the idea was that at every meal the monks would contemplate Christ's last meal; the walls are illusionistically extended from the present architectural space into the past of the painting's space

Mona Lisa, Da Vinci, 1503-15

subject is fused with the background using sfumato and glazing; half-smile suggests she's in a particular mood, hazy lighting contributes to the mysterious personality; nobody knows who she is or the purpose of the artwork

David, Michelangelo, 1501-04

17 feet tall, represents David before his triumph, contrapposto stance and nudity celebrates Greek sculpture, humanist spirit, embodies the grandeur and ambition of the High Renaissance

Moses, Micheangelo, 1513-15

"possesses a terrifying and awesome force"; depicts the moment when he comes down from Sinai and sees the Hebrews worshipping the calf; captures Moses' ability to control his rage, an emotion that typifies art of the High Renaissance

Purse cover, from Sutton Hoo burial ship, ca.625

example of artistic style of non-Christian Germanic culture; work of cloisonné; we see animal interlace, a common Scandanavian motif; animal style

Farmers using a moulboard plow and harnessed oxens, Luttrell Psalter, 1325-1340

from an illuminated manuscript, depicts serfs cultivating soil and plowing clay

Carpet page from Lindisfarne Gospels, England, ca.698

animal style and animal interlace, geometric grids elaborated in the central circle, Celtic Cross

Chi Rho Iota page, Book of Matthew & Kells, 18-19th cent.

Greek letters chi, rho and iota are an abbreviation of Christi and dominates the page, the face is Christ; the book of kells was referred to as "the chief relic of the Western world"

Equestrian statue of Charlemagne, 9th cent.

bronze, 6 ft tall statue of Pepin the Short's son, "Charles the Great"

Fascimile of page with Hildegard's Vision, Liber Schavias, ca.1150-1200

shares w/ other writing of the period an impulse to make the unknowable vividly present in the mind's eye of her audience; she has a vision of the devil as a monstrous worm

Gero Crucifix, Cologne Cathedral, Germany, ca.970

Ottonian, large scale crucifix carved in wood; intensely emotional focusing on Christs suffering not his triumph, large scale makes it more real, designed to inspire pity and awe in the viewer, powerful expressiveness

Abbey Church of Saint-Foy, Auvergne, France, ca.1050-1120

the oldest of the major pilgrimage churches, Romanesque

Reliquary effigy of Sainte-Foy, Abbey Church of Sainte-Foy, France, 983-1013

housed the remains of Saint Foy who was killed for refusing the worship pagan gods; elaborately jeweled (gifts from pilgrims) gold and silver container; stood in the choir to be viewed from the ambulatory

Last Judgement, tympanum and detail of west portal, Sainte-Foy

uses composition to distinguish the saved from the damned: to Christs left the action is chaotic, while on the right everyone stands upright under orderly arrangements of arches; designed to move the pilgrim to the right hand of Christ; divided into 2 parts, heaven on the left, and hell on the right

The Third Tone of Sacred Psalmody, Abbey Church, France, 1088-1130

surrounding the high altar, this depicts one of the eight tones of the sacred psalmody, indicated the importance of liturgy ad music to the Cluniac order; the lyre was thought to represent the cross

Krak des Chevaliers, Syria, 1109

modeled off of the Norman castle-fortresses, these stone castles began replacing wooden fortifications, the motte was eliminated; now it serves as a main residence for a lord, includes a well for fresh water in case of seige

Casket with scenes of courtly love, Limoges, ca.1180

jeweled casket depicts scenes of courtly love; troubadours and knights express love for women in poetry

Page with Lancelot Crossing the Sword Bridge and Guinevere in the Tower, from Romance of Lancelot, from Romance of Lancelot, ca.1300

Islamic notions of physical love as a metaphor for the love of God; Lancelot faces many temptations, but crosses the Sword Bridge by virtue of his love for Guinevere

The Good Shepherd, 300CE

It is unclear whether it represents Christ or symbolizes a more general concept of God caring for his flock, perhaps even catching sheep for a sacrifice. The naturalism of the sculpture echoes classical and Hellenistic traditions; marble, the legs have been restored, free standing sculptures such as this one are rare in the early Christian period, wall paintings are more common

Sarcophagus of Junius Bassus, 359CE

ten individual scenes on two tiers, each separated by a column, frames are decorated with cherubs (cupids) harvesting grapes which represent the blood of christ, two central panels depicts Christ’s entry into Jerusalem on Palm Sunday and his presentation of the Christian law to St. Peter and Paul, collapses the present of Junius Bassus’s death into the historical time, 4 scenes from old testament prophesy the story of Christ    

Arch of Constantine (South Side), Rome, 312-315CE

one of Constantine’s first projects after his victory at the Milvian Bridge in Rome was to Construct an impressive triple arch in celebration, for which he raided the artworks of other Roman monuments. Comparing the reliefs made for Constantine’s arch, particularly the horizontal panel that shows Constantine Speaking to the People, with the circular roundels above it, provides insight into the changes in the art and culture of this period that the Christian faith inspired.

Hadrian Sacrificing to Apollo, roundel imported from a monument to Hadrian, 130-138CE

The roundels came from a monument to Hadrian made almost 200 years earlier. In the roundel on the right, Hadrian and two companions stand before the statue of Apollo. The space is illusionistic, rendered realistically so that the figures seem to stand well in front of the sculpture. The horse on the right emerges from behind its master on a diagonal that emphasizes a local progression from background to foreground. The draperies in the figures fall naturalistically. 

 Constantine Addressing the People, Arch of Constantine, 130-138CE

No real sense of illusionistic space, Constantine stands in the middle (his head has not survived), surrounded by a linear arrangement of mostly frontally posed attendants whose clothing is rendered merely by lines cut into the flat surface of the stone, the two-seated figures on either side of the podium are themselves sculptures of Hadrian and Marcus Aurelius that signal Constantine’s dedication to them, undistinguishable from the other figures indicating that by the fourth century CE, naturalism is no longer an important aim of art, the symbolic function of art has supplanted its illusionistic purposes; the spiritual has replaced the physical, more abstract standard of beauty

Ambulatory vault mosaic, Church of Santa Costanza, Rome 350CE

the figure at the top is probably Constantine’s daughter, Constantina, overall vine pattern interspersed with small scenes, such as aborers picking grapes and putting them into carts, transporting them to a press, and then crushing them underfoot; Christian reference to use the wine in the Eucharist, symbolizing the blood of Christ. The Dionysian implications of the scene, with its unruly swirls of undulating line—very opposite of the Roman (and Classical) sense of order and proportion—are unmistakable. Used to decorate a church, these lines imply the very nature of faith—that is, the abandonment by faith of reason and logic, the very principles of Classical balance and proportion.

Hagia Sophia, Istanbul, 532-37

When the new emperor Justinian assumed the Byzantine throne, he launched a massive campain to rebuild Constantinople, which included to construction of the new Hagia Sophia in place of the old one that had been burned by rioters. It was possibly constructed in order to divert attention from the domestic turmoil stirred up by warring gangs   

Interior of Hagia Sophia

So vast is the central dome of the church that it was likened to the dome of heaven, to look up at the dome from below was akin to experiencing the divine order of the cosmos; the two architects are mathematicians Isidorius of Miletus and Anthemius of Tralles, they studied parabolas and curved surfaces, they had a deep understanding of mathematics and physics which is seen in the Hagia Sophia

St. Catherine’s Monastery, Sinai, 548-65

The fortress around the monastery was built to protect pilgrims and monks from marauding “Saracens” (i.e. Arabs); Built in modern Egypt at the foot of Mt. Sinai in the desert near the tip of the Sinai Peninsula during Justinian’s reconstruction of Constantinople; The monastery was sited on the supposed spot of the burning bush, thus it had great symbolic significance. The church was decorated with marble and mosaics including the Transfiguration of Christ. 

Transfiguration of Christ, Church of the Virgin, St. Catherine’s Monastery, Sinai 548-65

Depicts the moment when a heavenly voice proclaims Christ to be God’s son, in center Jesus appears within a mandorla, at his sides are prophets Elijah and Moses and the disciples John, Peter, and James cower beneath his feet in amazement; Mount Tabor seems to be represented by the layered bands of greens and yellows at the bottom of the image; no real sense of space here, the entire scene is bathed in the light from Christ’s white tunic, heightened by the way light reflects off the irregular surface of the tesserae

Nave of Sant’Apollinare Nuovo, looking east, Ravenna, 500 and later Theodoric’s basilica; the floor has been raised 4 feet since the 6th century and thus a fourth tier of mosaics has been lost, cut out of the wall to accommodate the higher floor; It is not clear what was represented in this tier of mosaic, nor do we know what originally decorated the apse, which was also destroyed; Three tiers of mosaic decoration of both sides of the nave. 26 scenes depicting the life of Christ in the clerestory. Between the clerestory windows are 16 figures possibly representing the prohpets of the Hebrew Bible on one side and the apostles and evangelists of the New testament on the other. 

The Healing of the Blind, Saint’Apollinare Nuovo, Ravenna, 500 One of the 26 scenes depicting the life of Christ at the top of the mosaics above the clerestory windows; The series as a whole is the earliest surviving example of such a compete iconography. It has survived unaltered from Theodoric’s time. The crucifixion may have decorated at least part of the original apse, which has been destroyed. 

Exterior of San Vitale, Ravenna, dedicated 547

octoganal central-plan-church built by Justinian; 7/8 sides open into exedrae, the last side opening to the apse, conch dome is decorated with intricately interwoven vines and animals in green and gold

Emperor Justinian with Maximian, Clergy, Courtier and Soldiers, San Vitale, Ravenna, 547

uses reverse perspective; halo around the head of Justinian in the center, he carries the bread of the Eucharist; propoganda to remind the faithful of the emperor's divine authority

Empress Theodora with Courtiers and Ladies of Her Court, San Vitale, Ravenna, 547

uses reverse perspective; the empress holds a chalce of wine for the Eucharist; at the bottom of her robes are three magi bearing gifts to the virgin and child as she is doing; propoganda to remind the faithful of the emperor's divine authority

Theotokos and Child with Saint Theodore and Saint George, 6th century

iconoclastic image, vessel of prayer directed to the saint, offered the viewer protection; Mary's eyes avert from the viewers, Christ and Saints look straight ahead and angels look up to God's hand descending in blessing

Crucifixion, Church of the Dormition, Daphni, Greece, 11th century

Christ on the cross, reverse perspective, nudity of Christ and gracefulness of the Virgin and St.John is inspired by classical antecedents, the figures convey pure human emotion

Theotokos and Child with Justinian and Constantine, Hagia Sophia, Istanbul, 10th century

reverse perspective seen in throne; Theotokos Mary sits in center with the Christ child; emperor Justinian and Constantine on sides, their beardlessness distinguishes them from contemporary emperors; Constantine holds a model city implying the protection of Theotokos 

Soundbox panel front of the lyre, Cemetery at Ur, 2600BCE

the meaning of the images is unknown for sure; the bottom panel shows a goat holding to cups to a man with a scorpion's body, above a donkey plays a bullheaded lyre held by a bear while a jackal plays a percussive instrument, next up animals carry food and drink for a feast, & at the top a naked man holds 2 human headed bulls by the shoulders; these narrative scenes are related to the "Epic of Gilgamesh"; represents a funerary banquet in the realm of the dead

Royal Standard of Ur (War & Peace), Cemetery at Ur, 2600 BCE

the earliest examples we have of a historical narrative; 1st side illustrates military victory while the 2nd seems to be its subsequent celebration; each panel is composed of 3 registers; in War the king stands at the top middle, chariots trample the enemy at bottom, in the middle soldiers lead prisoners to the king; in Peace the king is the largest figure, music is played, servants bring the bounties of the land to the celebration

Stele of Naramsin, Susa, 2254-2218 BCE

an Akkadian sculpture celebrating the victory of Sargon's grandson over the Lullubin; King Naramsin is the largest, his divinity is represented by his horned helmet and physical perfection of his body, the enemy dies beneath his feet; no register system but a unified landscape which unifies the divine and human worlds; 3 stars at the top to protect Naramsin and his troops

Stele of Hammurabi, Susa, 1760 BCE

a record of decisions and decrees made by Hammurabi during his 40 year reign, 282 articles addressing selective issues; celebrates his sense of justice and wisdom of rule; the sun god (seated) blesses the king; the phallic structure of the stele asserts the kings masculine prowess

Ashumasirpal II Killing Lions, from his palace, 850 BCE

uses many conventions of Assyrian pictorial representation such as overlapping to create depth and a synoptic view where we can see several actions at once

Exile of the Israelites Assyria, late 8th cent. BCE

isrealite family with cart pulled by cattle carrying their household into exile after being defeated by Assyrians; depicts 3 generations- father in front, son behind cart, in the cart are wives of father and son and sons children 

Ishtar Gate, Babylon, 575BCE

names after Babylonian Goddess of fertility; made of glazed+unglazed bricks decorated with animals, lions symbolize Ishtar, other animals symbolize Adad and Marduk; an affirmation of King Nebuchadnezzar's close relation to the Gods

Palace of Darius and Xerxes, Iran, 518-460BCE

reflected Darius's multicultural ambitions and the diversity of his people; decorated with men carrying gifts; columns reflect Egyptian and Greek influence, the styles intermingle

Rhyton, Achaemenid, 5-3rd cent. BCE

a ritual cup used in Zoroastrian religion practiced by Persians; the creature is a simurgh which is related to many mythological creatures found in mesopotamian art

Nebamun Hunting Birds, Thebes, 1400 BCE

from Nebamun's tomb, conventional representation of Nebamun spearing fish and hunting; animals are realistic; wife and daughter watch; the painting refers directly to procreation b/c the throwing of the stick symbolizes ejaculation & the hieroglyphs translate to "the constant renewal of life"

The Great Sphinx, Giza, 2500 BCE

largest statue ever made in the ancient world; Egyptian depiction of the Gods (1/2 animal, 1/2 man) which suggests his connection to the Gods; dedicated to Khufu's son Khafre; probably to protect Khafre's funerary complex

Seated statue of Khafre, Giza, 2500BCE

lotus and papyrus blossoms signify his rule of upper and lower Egypt; the 1st out of 3 types, he is seated looking directly ahead, feet side-by-side, one hand flat on the knee and the other clenched in a fist; throne is formed of the bodies of two stylized lions; a hawk behind him extends its wings protectively; Khafre has a erfectly proportioned face and body b/c he is the king and a divinity

Menkaure with a Queen, Giza, 2460BCE

deep space created by the kings right side fully exposed; 2nd of 3 traditional poses, one foot is ahead of the other; his foot is much further forward underscoring his power, while her stride is much smaller; she embraces him in support

Seated Scribe, Saqquara, 2400BCE

Ka statue of scribe meant to accompanythe king into the afterlife, he would serve him through eternity; 3rd traditional sculpture: the royal scribe w/ a soft flabby body; cross-legged pose marks him as literate and a valuable official of the king; free of the stone so he occupies real space

Senwosret Led by Atum to Amun-Re, Thebes, 1920 BCE

figures are conceived according to a grid; depicts the rise of Amun who stands on a pedestal at the left w/ erect penis signifying fertility, the Gods (large figures) hold the hieroglyph meaning "life" and give it to the king

Senenmut, Funerary temple of Hatshepsut, Thebes, 1460BCE

partly freestanding and partly cut into rock cliffs; 1st level is a large plaza backed by columns supporting a roof, long ramp up to shrines, another ramp leads to colossal royal statues, chapels, and a shrine to Amun-Re

Pylon Gate of Ramses II, Thebes, 1279-1212BCE

the inscriptions celebrate Ramses' victory at the Battle of Qadesh; work of the 19th dynasty

Akhenaten and His Family, 1345 BCE

the king (left) is depicted as weak and casually slouched, it contrasts greatly with idealized depictions of pharoahs; the queen (right) appears to share her husbands position and authority according to her almost matching seating height; the sun shines down on them both symbolizing life

Nefertiti, from Akhenaten, 1348-1336 BCE

long neck may be a reflection of the king's neck so that his reality takes precedence over her own; done by royal artist Thutmose; depicts her beauty, it is a worldwide famous image; she was known as "fair of face" and "Great in Love"

Back of Tutankamun's "Golden Throne", from his tomb, Thebes, 1335 BCE

early in his life, Tut was portrayed in Armana style on this golden throne, w/ Aten (sun god) shining down on the king and queen

Last Judgment of Hunefer by Osiris, Book of Going Forth by Day in his tomb, Thebes, 1285 BCE

Hunefer has passed into eternity  and adorns a row of deities, the scroll reads from left to right in a pictorial narrative; Annubis (overseer of funerals and cemeteries) brings Hunefer to judgement where his heart is weighed against an ostrich feather, he passes the test and is taken to Osiris; the story is dedicated to ensuring Hunefer's Ka survives in the afterlife

Miniature Ship Fresco, Akrotiri on Thera, 1623 BCE

found in an excavated house; suggests a prosperous seafaring community engaged in celebration of the sea; port community where seafarers glide by

Bull Leaping (Toreador Fresco), palace at knossos, Crete, 1450-1375 BCE

Crete emphasis of the bull, 2 women + 1 man; Minoan's sacrificed bulls because they were symbolic of male virility and strength; men are darker than women

Grand Staircase, palace at Knossos, Crete, 1500 BCE

linked all five stories, served as a well

Vaphio Cup, Tomb at Vaphio, Sparta, 1650-1450 BCE

Minoan metalwork, made by repoussé; man in an olive grove capturing a bull

Lion Gate, Mycenae, Greece, 1300 BCE

entrance to the city of Mycenae, 9ft lions on top whose missing heads probably turned in the direction of approaching visitors; from the gate a street wound up the hill to the citadel

Tholos of the Treasury of Atreus, Mycenae, 1250 BCE

named for extraordinary size befitting of a legendary king; long open air passage towards it, relieving triangle over the door, previously adorned with red and green marble columns; the dome is an example of corbeted construction; beehive tomb

The Trojan Horse, storage jar from Chora, Mykonos, 650 BCE

earliest known depiction of the Trojan Horse- the "gift" from Greeks to King Priam with Greeks waiting inside to attack

The Blinding of Polyphemus, drinking cup, Sparta, 550 BCE

Odyseuss and companions blind Polythemus w/ a pointed pole and offer him alcohol, Poly. simultaneously eats their companion; packing multiple actions into one scene in order to refer to as many of Odyseuss's talents as possible

The Temple of Hera I (left) and II (right), Italy, 460 BCE

two of the best preserved Greek Temples

Dipylon Vase, Kerameikos cemetery, 760 BCE

placed above a grave as a memorial; elaborate geometric style dominates the surface (circles, rectangles and triangles in parallel bands all around); extremely elaborate and highly stylized approach to decoration; these designs hint at what the Greeks believed to be the structure of the cosmos as a whole

The Athenian Treasury, Delphi, 510 BCE

surrounding sculptures depict the adventures of Theseus and Herakles; two columns stand in antis, behind them are the proanos at the front w/ its doorway leading into the cella

Kouros, 600 BCE

a type of sculpture that celebrated the male body, uniquely Greek; earliest known life size standing sculpture in Greek art

Anavysos Kouros, Anavysos cemetery, Athens, 525 BCE

shows 75 years of Greek experimentation with the form, note the closed lip "archaic smile", a symbol of liveliness and vitality; more naturalistic and realistic than predecessors; very Egyptian resemblance

Peplos Kore and reconstruction, from the Acropolis, Athens, 530 BCE

Korai were dedicated to the Goddess Athena; became more naturalistic during the century, anatomical realism is suppressed by the straight lines of her garment (known as a Peplos)

Women at a Fountain House, 520-510 BCE

done in black figure; decorations of pottery became more detailed and naturalistic until there was one scene on each side of a vase; shows women chatting as they collect water; growing taste for realism and naturalism; women depicted with white skin

Death of Sarpedon, 515 BCE

a krater with a scene depicting Sarpedon being killed and winged figures are there ready to carry him to the underworld; done in red-figure; perfectly balanced composition

Doryphoros, 450-440 BCE

most naturalistic of itself, Kouros and Anavysos Kouros; more developed contrapposto; ideal human form was determined by the height of the head from the chin to the crown- thus reflecting a higher mathematical order embodying the ideal harmony between the natural world and the intellectual realm; the sculptor was reknowned for his ability to render the human body realistically; represents a heightened cultural sensitivity to the work of the individual

The Acropolis, Athens, rebuilt 5th cent.

greatest monumental space in the history of Western architecture; Xerxes destroyed Acropolis along with the rest of Athens

Kritios Boy, from Acropolis, Athens, 480 BCE

votive; nude young man in contrapposto, more naturalistic than kouros, demonstrates increasing naturalism of Greek sculpture during the first 20 years of the 5th century

Architectural program at Acropolis

the parthenon was the centerpiece dedicated to Athena; it's famous for perfection and sculptural decoration; the proportion and balance represent the epitome of classical architecture; 25 columns swell out creating an illusion of absolute verticality; the design is controlled by the formula x=2y+1, this mathematical regularity creates its harmony

Temple of Athena Nike, Acropolis, Athens, 425 BCE

its smaller structure contrasted with the huge entry way, built after the death of Pericles probably to celebrate their predicted victory in the Peloponnesian wars; nike is Greek for "victory"

Erechtheion, Acropolis, Athens, 430-405 BCE

asymmetrical and multileveled structure; Porch of maidens- female figures serving as columns implying that the stability of Polis depends upon the conduct of women, all in contrapposto, each on unique creating balance and harmony

A recumbant God (Dionysus or Heracles), Parthenon, 435 BCE

god in attendance of Athena's birth, reclined

Lapith overcoming a Centaur, Athens, Parthenon, 447-38 BCE

Lapiths are people who defeat drunken centaurs at the wedding of their king Pirtihous, the Greeks identified the centaurs with the Persians whom they considered the embodiment of chaos; executed in high relief ; represented the clash between the Greeks and their barbaric opponents; the male nude reflects physical and mental superiority

Lysippus, Apoxyomenos, 350-325 BCE

small head, slender body, shorter legs and torso, arms break free of frontal form; he is physically and mentally uncontained by the space

Praxiteles, Aphrodite of Knidos, 350 BCE

Aphrodite as the goddess of love; first fully nude depiction of a woman in Greek sculpture; appeals to the male gaze that regards women as a sexual object; not a very modest pose (the placement of her hand is not so innocent); conventional beauty of the time- wide hips, small breasts, oval face and centrally parted hair

Detail of the eat frieze of the altar of Zeus, from Pergamon, 1653 BCE

mythical battle of the Gods and the giants for control of the world; giants depicted with snakelike bodies that coil beneath the feet of the triumphant Gods; very dramatic and intended to elicit emotional response in the viewer; light and shadw on the relief adds to the drama; designed to celebrate Pergamon's role as the new center of Hellenism

Nike of Samothrace, Sanctuary of the Great Gods, Somathrace, 300-190 BCE

reflects a new direction in art, that of the exploration of emotional extremes of the human experience; dynamic forward movement is balanced by her extended wings and powerful directional lines of the gown against her body

Lacoon and His Sons, Hellenistic, 1st Cent. BCE

Hellenistic drama and expressionism, interweaving elements and diagonal movements reminiscent of Athena's struggle with giants on the frieza of Pergamon; inspired by Virgil's poem "Aeneid"

Sarcophagus, from Cerveti, Italy, 520 BCE

husband wife recline on a dining couch and are given equal status, animated with archaic smiles, engaged in lively dinner talk

Temple of Fortuna Virillis, Rome, 2nd Cent. BCE

mixture of Etruscan and Greek influences, double ancestry; Etruscan- elevated platform, frontal stairs, divided floorplan; Greek- ionic order, engaged columns around the cella 

Thorn Puller, 1st cent.

hellenistic model for the body, head from Greek influence; probably a slave or boy from the countryside; realistic portrayal of his self-absorbed and intense concentration combined with the beauty of his physique suggest the Roman attraction to the Hellenistic style

Head of a Man, 300 BCE

possibly Lucius Juneus Brutus, but more likely conveys a noble "type" an imaginary portrait of a Roman founding father; role is conveyed through the figure's strong character and strength of purpose

Augustus of Primaporta, 20 BCE

represented as the embodiment of the famous admonition given to Aeneas by his dead father; idealized, always portrayed as young and vigorous throughout his life; wearing military garb

Ara Pacis Augustae, Rome, 13-9 BCE

decorated with Augustus's family to serve as a model for the demise of family values in Rome; commemorates his triumph over the Gaul

Colosseum, Rome, 72-80 CE

built by Vesapian, vaults are made possible by the invention of concrete; each level is a different order- 1st Tuscan, 2nd Ionic, 3rd Corinthian; engaged columns

Pont du Gard, Nimes, France, 1st cent. CE

Romans had perfected the arch by using the round arch, barrel vault and groin vault; an aqueduct for the city

Arch of Titus, Rome, 81 CE

Memorial arch constructed to honor Titus's death and victory in destroying the 2nd temple of Jerusalem; symbol of Rome's power and might; triumphant armies marched through upon their return to the city

Spoils from the Temple of Jerusalem (interior Arch of Titus), 81 CE

Titus's soldiers marching with the treasures of the 2nd temple, deep carving with higher relief in closer figures, sense of real space

Column of Trajan, Rome, 106-113 CE

power and male virility, complete artistic statement of Rome's militaristic character; 150 scenes from Trajan's military campaign

The Pantheon, 118-125 CE

Temple to the Gods, impressive feat of architectural engineering, massice corinthian columns;

Interior of the Pantheon

cylindrical space topped by a dome, oculus at top, coffers around the ceiling, realizes a single whole uninterrupted interior space, mirrors the empire

Atrium, House of the Silver Wedding, Pompeii, 1st cent.

domus, house of the weathier class citizen, measure of a Roman's social standing, underscores the owner's reputation

The Basilica Nova, Rome, 306-313

started by Maxentius and finished by Constantine; the last of the great imperial buildings erected in Rome; served as a courthouse, council chamber and meeting hall; this basilica plan would influence many future churches