Deck 1: Living With Art

Question 1

"All art is basically Paleolithic or Neolithic: either the urge to smear soot and grease on cave walls or pile stone on stone" was said by:

A) Constantin Brancusi.
B) Maya Lin.
C) Anthony Caro.
D) Ernst Haas.
E) Vincent van Gogh.

Answer 1

C

Question 2

According to the author, the impulse to create art comes from basic human interests in:6-4-2013

A) creating order and structure.
B) exploring aesthetic possibilities.
C) constructing images and forms that carry meaning.
D) all of these.
E) None of these answers are correct.

Answer 2

D

Question 3

The nature of perception suggests that the most important key to looking at art is:

A) to become aware of the process of looking itself.
B) to have a strong art-historical background.
C) to be able to draw well.
D) to be able to sculpt well.
E) None of these answers are correct.

Answer 3

A

Question 4

Theories regarding the purpose of Stonehenge include all listed EXCEPT:

A) it is a graveyard of a ruling dynasty.
B) it was a part of a larger constructed complex.
C) its function was primarily for religious funerary rituals.
D) the megalith configuration represented an astrological calendar.
E) it held great meaning for the Neolithic community that built it.

Question 5

Which are methods used by prehistoric painters?

A) Animal fats and pigments were mixed together.
B) Reed brushes were used.
C) Powdered pigments were blown through hollow reeds.
D) All of these.
E) None of these answers are correct.

Question 6

The sculptor Constantin Brancusi spent his life searching for forms that were:6-4-2013

A) simple.
B) pure.
C) timeless.
D) all of these: simple, pure, and timeless.
E) None of these answers are correct.

Question 7

We owe our access to Vincent van Gogh's thoughts and feelings about many of his paintings to:

A) the Van Gogh Research Society.
B) the research of Dorothy and Herbert Vogel.
C) the many letters he wrote to friends and relatives.
D) his autobiography.
E) None of these answers are correct.

Question 8

Although Vincent van Gogh suffered emotionally throughout his life, he was able to give his emotions tangible form in works such as:

A) Hound.
B) Calle de Sueños.
C) The Starry Night.
D) Venus.
E) Bird in Space.

Question 9

According to the author, the most important meaning of an artwork is:

A) what is established by the author.
B) what is written by the art historian.
C) what it means to the viewer.
D) All of these.
E) None of these answers are correct.

Question 10

Wheel of Fortune was created by:

A) Juan de Valdés Leal.
B) Audrey Flack.
C) Dorothy Vogel.
D) Herbert Vogel.
E) Jim Hodges.

Question 11

No society that we know of has lived without some form of art. The impulse to make and respond to art appears to be as deeply ingrained as the ability to:

A) learn language.
B) gather food.
C) seek shelter.
D) reproduce.
E) None of these answers are correct.

Question 12

The oldest drawings and paintings found in the Chavet cave:

A) were not meant to embellish their habitats.
B) used natural pigments and charcoal.
C) created a connection with the beasts depicted.
D) All of these answers are correct.

Question 13

The 10th-century bronze sculpture illustrated in this chapter is the work of an artist performing the role of "giving tangible form to the unknown." The unknown, in this case, is the physical form of the deity:

A) Shiva.
B) Buddha.
C) Xu Yang.
D) Venus.
E) None of these answers are correct.

Question 14

The famous Neolithic structure in England, made of megaliths that once formed several concentric circles, is called:

A) Megalopolis.
B) Stonehenge.
C) Cirque de Soleil.
D) Endless Column.
E) Chauvet.

Question 15

Vanitas paintings meditate on:

A) the vanity of the artist.
B) the vanity of the viewer.
C) the fleeting nature of the afterlife.
D) the importance of holding on to happiness.
E) the fleeting nature of earthly life and happiness.

Question 16

Theo van Gogh was Vincent van Gogh's:

A) art dealer.
B) brother.
C) financial supporter.
D) emotional supporter.
E) All of these answers are correct.

Question 17

The most famous of Maya Lin's works is:

A) Wave Field.
B) the Langston Hughes Library.
C) an earthwork at the University of Michigan.
D) the Vietnam Veterans Memorial.
E) None of these answers are correct.

Question 18

Which is NOT a task for artists, according to the text?

A) To create places for some human purpose
B) To create extraordinary versions of ordinary objects
C) To record and commemorate
D) To give tangible form to the unknown
E) To help us see the world in the same way that we see it

Question 19

Radiocarbon testing indicates that the earliest images made by humans date back to:

A) the Neolithic Era.
B) the Paleolithic Period.
C) the Jurassic Period.
D) the Pleistocene Era.
E) the Bronze Age.

Question 20

The list of traits that creative people seem to possess, given in this chapter, includes all of the following EXCEPT:

A) sensitivity.
B) efficiency.
C) playfulness.
D) analytical skill.
E) organizational skill.

Question 21

Describe three works of prehistoric art, being sure to indicate as closely as possible when and where the work was created and also discovered. Consider the possible purposes for which the works were created according to historians and archaeologists. Relate these purposes to the function(s) of art discussed in this chapter.

Question 22

Consider the 10th-century
C.E. bronze statue Shiva Nataraja. Discuss the importance of understanding the beliefs of the culture in which this work was created in order to develop an understanding of the meaning or message of the work. What cultural or religious function was the artist performing in creating this work?
Students should note in their responses that one of the functions of art is to give tangible form to the unknown, an important component in depicting religious or spiritual art forms.

Question 23

List and explain the six social functions of art-or the purposes for which humans create art. Give an example of a work that illustrates each of the functions and explain why you selected this work to exemplify this function.

Question 24

List at least five of the traits commonly associated with creative people. Then discuss one real person, living or dead, artist or nonartist, who demonstrated those traits you have listed.

Question 25

The function of artists to give tangible form to the unknown is evident in the 10th-century sculpture Shiva Nataraja through images that represent the following concepts EXCEPT:

A) the sculpture reports a story about a Hindu dancer.
B) the sculpture represents destruction and rebirth of the universe.
C) the sculpture is a representation of the complexity of the cosmic moment.
D) the sculpture is a summoning of creation.
E) the sculpture offers refuge and relates to a message of "fear not."

Question 26

Brancusi sought to simplify and purify his forms. Discuss how Brancusi used tangible objects and created sculpture that conveyed the pure idea of the subject. Cite examples to support your answer.

Question 27

Compare and contrast the two paintings by Juan de Valdes and Audrey Flack, discussing the context of vanitas paintings and how the two paintings reflect the society and culture of the time periods through symbolic messages.

Question 28

What is the primary symbolism of a vanitas painting? Discuss at least two artists from different centuries who have created such works and indicate the reasons for the recurrence of the vanitas theme in art of various eras.

Question 29

Consider both Stonehenge and the Neolithic stemmed vessel of the Longshan culture, included in this chapter of the text. Discuss the possible purposes for these works, along with their aesthetic qualities and technological requirements.

Question 30

Consider Vincent van Gogh's work The Starry Night, included in this chapter of the text. Explain which function of art this work best fulfilled for the artist and the function it best fulfills for you as a viewer.

Question 31

Explain the process of "selective perception," indicating how this subjective process can result in differing interpretations of works of visual art.