STUDY GUIDE FOR THE MIDTERM Read the chapters and review the quizzes and answer keys. There will probably be more questions about chapter 18 in comparison to the other chapters as we haven’t had a test on 18 yet. But you should review everything we’ve covered. Don’t forget to review the images – this test, unlike the quizzes, will probably include several images for straight identification in a multiple choice format. It is also likely that there will be several images you haven’t seen before and you will be asked to identify the period-style or the artist. The questions in black ink may generate short answer questions. The questions in red ink are possible essay questions. To prepare for the short answers, answer the questions as factually as possible. To prepare for the essay questions, concentrate on identifying the big ideas implied by a question and choosing art works which you can use as examples in your answer. What are some of the differences between Italian and northern European art in the 15th century with respect to materials used, the treatment of space, attention to details, subject matter and locations of art work? Palladio is often thought to be the architect who perfects Renaissance architecture. Certainly, he was the most influential architect of the Renaissance. What factors account for his widespread and longlasting influence? In addition to his churches, what building type did he design and for what type of patrons did he generally work? What is one of the key differences between Venetian painting and Roman/Florentian painting? One of the Venetian contributions to painting is the “poetic” or pastoral landscape. What makes this type of painting different from an “ordinary” landscape? Based on the examples of mannerism in the textbook and the artstor image group, what generalizations can you reach about this style, the subject matter, and the people who wanted it? What political and religious events shape the artistic context in northern Europe? As you read chapter 18, you should focus on the impact of these events on art and its role in society. The Grünewald (Isenheim) altarpiece was made for a specific client and location. How does this location influence its imagery? Some writers consider northern European art to be more emotional and even confrontational than Italian art of the same time period. Does the Grünewald altarpiece support this judgment?

What is a chiaroscuro woodcut? Be able to define sfumato, chiaroscuro, linear perspective, anamorphic perspective, sacra conversazione, disegno, idolatry, and iconoclasm. What are some of the differences between Catholic and Protestant beliefs with respect to the role of art in religion? Since any skull will remind viewers of death, why did Holbein make the skull in his painting of the French Ambassadors anamorphic? Your book says that some people have suggested that Bosch’s painting of the Garden of Earthly Delights is a marriage painting and can be compared to the Arnolfini double portrait. Apart from the fact that the Arnolfini double portrait is not a marriage painting, what characteristics of the Garden make it different from the van Eyck portrait? In what respects are they similar? Quentin Massys, van Eyck, and Aertsen do something which many other Dutch artists do at this time. Their compositions emphasize the act of seeing and the act of perceptual discovery in several ways. What are some of the strategies these artists use? Does Breugel use any of these strategies? What is the plateresque style of architecture? How do French and Spanish buildings of the Renaissance differ from Italian buildings of this period? Should El Greco be considered a mannerist? How does the portrait style for women change from the early 15th to the late 16th century? How do portraits of men change in that time period? You should be able to answer these questions for both Italian portraits and northern European portraits of this time period. Even within the space of two and a half centuries, we have seen a range of patron types. Patronage alone does not account for all the changes that take place in two and a half centuries but it is important. Discuss the influence of patronage on the work of art (its subject, its location, its style) using specific examples to make your points. -------------------------------------------------------------------The following question was a final exam question. Because it was on the final, the period of time covered by the question was longer than the period on your midterm. In other respects, it’s the type of question you might see. I’m including it along with some answers (not corrected for spelling or dates or facts) and the rubric that I used to grade the answers. Grade them yourself and then compare with my grades. Q. From the Renaissance through the late 19th century, some of the many changes which have occurred in art relate to the type and role of the patron, the relationship of the patron to the artist, and

ultimately, the role of the artist in determining subject matter, style, reasons for making the work. Discuss these changes, being as specific and detailed as possible. The focus of your answer should be the role of patronage, but a good answer will show how patronage leads to or excludes certain subject matter, certain audiences to art, and possibly certain styles. It will include the names of specific artists and art works to support your points. Be sure to deal with the entire period.

[Based on the question, a good answer should have the following; • a definition or explanation of patronage • an overview of changes which provides information about various periods (not just the Renaissance and the 19th century) and relates that information to patronage (best answer will emphasize the decreasing importance of the patron as well as the changing types of patrons from church and/or king to private, wealthy individual to market or salon and show how it influences subject matter) • discussion of the degree to which the patron or artist determined the subject matter • specific examples of works of art, by name, some indication of when it was made and for whom, and why it was made • should cover the entire period asked for in the question Rubric: 5-4: addresses all the areas indicated, with specific examples used correctly; the lower score includes all areas but one or two examples may be incorrect or incomplete 3: focuses on overview which is generally correct although not completely accurate and probably makes broad leaps from the beginning to the end; examples are weak; one of the categories has probably not been covered 2: only three of the five categories are addressed in answer; examples and overview are weak but there is still some indication of an understanding of patronage as a system 1: answer contains largely irrelevant information] Answer #1: At the beginning of the Renaissance, the only art being produced was religious in nature and for specific patrons: the incredibly wealthy and pious. There was no such thing as artist’s expression, merely an artist’s rendering of religious story. It wasn’t until the later part of the Renaissance that private patrons began commissioning work for their homes, such as Masacchhio’s the Tribute Money. Towards the beginning of the Baroque period, artists began painting and sculpting likenesses of themselves in addition to the work they contributed to the high demand for socially relevant art, Albrecht Durer’s selfportraits, for example. The Dutch Baroque gave us insight into professionalism (sch as Quentin Massys The Banker and His Wife) and also a glimpse at the market economy with Aertsen’s meat Stall. The patrons of the Baroque periods varied from the French and Spanish aristocracies to the hardworking middle class. This then led to an evolution of a moral genre of painting which in turn became a revival for classical ideas. (Greuze’s Broken Eggs, for ex.) From neo-classicism came the rococo period, which depicted the higher class being frivolous and thrilling. Obviously this entertaining style of painting was intended merely as entertainment for the upper classes; however, from that came the birth of realism, where artists were painting in series for their own private display. Francisco Goya, in particular, focused on the desperation of the human condition and psyche. Manet painted several portraits of the middle and low working classes, glorifying prostitution, alcoholism, and poverty. From the Renaissance’s

staggeringly religious patron, we see a new patron emerge at the end of the 19th century: the socially conscious and outraged artist and patron. Answer #2: Early in the Renaissance patrons were only people with lots of money and could afford the artwork. Nowadays a lot more people can afford pieces of artwork. Patrons back in early Renaissance were usually known to the artist and were wealthy and usually commissioned more than one piece from the same artist if they liked it. 19th century artists can be patroned by lots of different people who can afford it. Patrons often want pictures or the artwork how they want it, but some times they get it how the artist wants to render it. Some patrons made artists make paintings for only their eyes or special guests to see like the Venus nudes but others made them make paintings for all eyes to see like Goya’s Saturn Devouring his Son, which is beside where someone’s dining room is. Some pieces of art we don’t know who the patron was which is to be expected since it was so long ago. Some art works probably weren’t told to know the patron with them because didn’t want their good name ruined or something along those lines. Answer #3: Changes in society and the influence of outside ideas and styles contributed to the changes in patronage from Renaissance to the 19th century. Issues within the areas, economic changes, scientific discoveries are all events in society that have an impact on the content of art works and the patrons. In the beginning of the Renaissance, the church was biggest client/patron for the “art world.” A big reason for this was that is was the center of society and powerful over the region. However, when the Reformation occurred, the artwork for the church decreased and new clientele emerged. When art became the focus for making a living, the new subject matter was geared towards the market. Something else that impacted clientele were the new discoveries – scientists were now commissioning pieces that were in a consistent realm with what they either discovered or invented. Newton and “Children’s Games” are examples of that. Eventually artists are influenced by outside styles and movements. They begin to focus on finding an individual style and patronage seems to “go away.” It starts a time where they are creating for either themselves or exploration of finding their own styles. Changes taking place in society, along with the vast influences from other artists, styles and other artists have an impact on the content and therefore patronage that the artists chooses to work with. Answer #4: During the Renaissance patrons were a very important part of the artwork because they are the ones that purchased the paintings. In order to sell any work, the artist would have to create whatever the patron wanted. Most of the time during the Renaissance patrons wanted religious artwork, often times the patron would be part of a church so they could display the artwork there. Also patrons would often ask the artist to include them in the painting. The patron and artist would have a close relationship because the artist did whatever the patron would ask for. This all changed from the Renaissance to the 19th century. The church was not a patron anymore and there was less religion and more everyday life in works of art. History in paintings was also not a primary subject anymore and landscapes became more important. Especially in the realist movement the subject matter consisted of everyday people doing everyday things. Artwork was now more for entertainment rather than religious purposes. Not only did subject matter in artwork change perspective and the way the human body was portrayed also changed. During the Renaissance artists used precise one point perspective, during impressionism the artist focused more on capturing light and atmosphere which is shown in a lot of Monet’s work. During the Renaissance the body was ideal,

beautiful and perfect. During the 19th century the human body was less than perfect. They were indefinite figures lacking perfect proportion. A great example of this is Ingre’s Grande Odalisque, the woman’s body in the painting is contorted. During the 19th century patrons faded out. There weren’t anymore to tell the artist what they wanted and since the subject matter changed the church, who was usually the number one patron for artists, didn’t want any artwork. The choice of subject matter became whatever the artist wanted. It was the liberation of the artist.

Their grades: #1: high 4, not quite a 5 because of inaccuracies but everything has been included #2: 1, apart from mentioning the word “patron,” most of the answer is invented #3: 3, starts out well but focuses more on subject matter than patronage; only has one example and it isn’t correctly used #4: 2, if the question had asked about changes in subject matter, it would have been good but the answer doesn’t relate the subject to the patron, jumps from the Renaissance to the 19th century, and doesn’t include any examples of art works