Early Christian Art (c.
3rd–5th centuries CE)
Key Features:
Focus on symbolic art, especially in catacombs and basilicas
Transition from Roman pagan motifs to Christian themes
Introduction of centrally planned and longitudinal churches
Notable Artworks:
Old St. Peter’s Basilica
Santa Costanza, Rome
Catacomb paintings like “The Good Shepherd”
1. Which of the following describes the layout of Santa Costanza?
A. Centrally Planned
B. Longitudinal Plan
C. Mosque
D. None of the above
2. A circular aisle around the altar is called a
A. Ambulatory
B. Cloisonne
C. Tympanum
Byzantine Art (c. 5th–15th centuries CE)
Key Features:
Iconography and gold backgrounds dominate
Use of mosaics for spiritual and decorative purposes
Focus on flat, frontal figures with large eyes
Notable Artworks:
Hagia Sophia, Istanbul
Mosaic of Justinian and Theodora in San Vitale
Christ Pantocrator icons
3. Byzantine art included which of the following?
A. Mosaics
B. Mihrabs
C. Mosques
D. Lux Nova
Insular / Early Medieval (c. 6th–9th centuries CE, British Isles)
Key Features:
Intricate designs, interlace, zoomorphic imagery
Illuminated manuscripts
Mixture of Celtic, Germanic, and Christian elements
Notable Artworks:
Book of Kells
Lindisfarne Gospels
Sutton Hoo ship burial
4. The Lindisfarne Gospels are examples of a
A. Illuminated manuscript
B. Reliquary
C. Tympanum
D. Cloisonné
5. Zoomorphic patterns were commonly found in a(n) ____________________.
A. Early Medieval Codex
B. Byzantine Mosaic
C. Islamic Church
D. Gothic Church
6. Sutton Hoo was a
A. Burial site
B. Centrally planned church
C. Pilgrimage route
D. Longitudinal church
Islamic Art (begins in 7th century CE)
Key Features:
Avoidance of human figures in religious art
Emphasis on geometric and vegetal patterns (arabesques)
Use of calligraphy and tessellations
Architecture includes mosques with minarets and mihrabs
Notable Artworks:
Dome of the Rock, Jerusalem
Great Mosque of Córdoba
Alhambra Palace
7. In Islamic art, polygonal decorations with little to no space between is called
A. Tessellations
B. Arabesques
C. Calligraphy
D. Vellum
Romanesque and Gothic Art (Romanesque: c. 1000–1150 CE | Gothic: c. 1140–1500 CE)
Romanesque Art – Key Features:
• Rounded arches, barrel and groin vaults
• Thick walls and small windows
• Emphasis on solid, heavy forms and horizontal lines
• Extensive use of stone sculpture and frescoes
Notable Romanesque Artworks:
• Church of Sainte-Foy, Conques
• Durham Cathedral
• Autun Cathedral (sculptures by Gislebertus)
Gothic Art – Key Features:
Pointed arches, ribbed vaults, flying buttresses
Stained glass windows (Lux Nova)
Increasing height and light in church design
Notable Gothic Artworks:
Chartres Cathedral
Sainte-Chapelle
Notre-Dame de Paris
8. The “Cult of the Virgin” refers to which era?
A. Gothic
B. Romanesque
C. Early Medieval
D. Islam
9. Buttressing on the outside of Gothic Churches made it difficult to have windows in the exterior walls.
A. True
B. False
10. What would you expect to find in a Gothic Church
A. All of the Above
B. Lux Nova
C. Pointed Arch
D. Rose Window
Early Renaissance – Key Features:
• Introduction of linear perspective to create depth
• Rediscovery of classical forms and humanist ideals
• Fresco and tempera painting with clear outlines and natural light
• Emphasis on proportion and realistic human anatomy
Notable Early Renaissance Artworks:
• The Tribute Money – Masaccio
• David – Donatello
• The Birth of the Virgin – Fra Filippo Lippi
Notable Early Renaissance Artists:
• Masaccio – fresco (The Holy Trinity)
• Donatello – sculpture (David)
• Fra Angelico – fresco (Annunciation)
High Renaissance – Key Features:
• Perfected use of perspective and balanced composition
• Idealised figures reflecting beauty and harmony
• Mastery of anatomy, chiaroscuro, and sfumato techniques
• Unified scenes with calm, rational space and movement
Notable High Renaissance Artworks:
• The Last Supper – Leonardo da Vinci
• The School of Athens – Raphael
• David and The Creation of Adam – Michelangelo
Notable High Renaissance Artists:
• Leonardo da Vinci – painting (Mona Lisa)
• Raphael – fresco (The School of Athens)
• Michelangelo – sculpture and fresco (David, Sistine Chapel Ceiling)
Late Renaissance (Mannerism) – Key Features:
• Elongated, elegant figures with unusual poses
• Bold colour choices and artificial composition
• Complex, sometimes unsettling spatial arrangements
• Emphasis on style, tension, and intellectual sophistication
Notable Late Renaissance Artworks:
• Madonna with the Long Neck – Parmigianino
• The Last Judgment – Michelangelo
• The Deposition – Pontormo
• The Deposition – Pontormo
Notable Late Renaissance Artists:
• Parmigianino – painting (Self-Portrait in a Convex Mirror)
• Pontormo – painting (The Deposition)
• Bronzino – painting (Portrait of Eleanor of Toledo)
Northern Renaissance – Key Features:
• Detailed realism with oil paints and fine brushwork
• Focus on middle-class life, interiors, and religious themes
• Use of symbolism in everyday objects
• Strong interest in texture, nature, and minute detail
Notable Northern Renaissance Artworks:
• The Arnolfini Portrait – Jan van Eyck
• The Garden of Earthly Delights – Hieronymus Bosch
• The Moneylender and His Wife – Quentin Massys
Notable Northern Renaissance Artists:
• Jan van Eyck – oil painting (The Ghent Altarpiece)
• Albrecht Dürer – engraving and painting (Melencolia I)
• Hieronymus Bosch – oil painting (The Garden of Earthly Delights)
Baroque – Key Features:
• Dramatic lighting (chiaroscuro) and strong contrasts
• Rich colours, deep shadows, emotional intensity
• Dynamic movement and theatrical compositions
• Used to express religious devotion and royal power
Notable Baroque Artworks:
• The Ecstasy of Saint Teresa – Gian Lorenzo Bernini
• The Calling of Saint Matthew – Caravaggio
• The Night Watch – Rembrandt van Rijn
• Las Meninas – Diego Velázquez
Notable Baroque Artists:
• Caravaggio – Italian painter, master of dramatic light and realism
• Bernini – Italian sculptor and architect known for emotional, lifelike sculptures
• Rembrandt – Dutch painter famous for portraits and use of light and shadow
• Peter Paul Rubens – Flemish painter known for energetic, sensual works
Rococo – Key Features:
• Light, pastel colours and delicate, graceful lines
• Ornamental, playful, and elegant designs
• Focus on love, leisure, and aristocratic life
• Asymmetry, curved forms, and decorative detail
Notable Rococo Artworks:
• The Swing – Jean-Honoré Fragonard
• Pilgrimage to Cythera – Antoine Watteau
• The Toilette of Venus – François Boucher
Notable Rococo Artists:
• Jean-Honoré Fragonard – French painter of romantic, playful scenes
• Antoine Watteau – known for dreamy, theatrical garden parties
• François Boucher – painter of mythological and sensual themes
• Élisabeth Vigée Le Brun – court painter to Marie Antoinette
Enlightenment – Key Features:
• Focus on reason, science, logic, and human progress
• Criticism of monarchy, religion, and social inequality
• Promotion of education, liberty, and individual rights
• Art often included moral messages, satire, and scenes of learning
Notable Enlightenment Artworks / Texts:
• A Philosopher Giving a Lecture on the Orrery – Joseph Wright of Derby
• The Village Bride – Jean-Baptiste Greuze
• Candide – Voltaire (literature)
Notable Enlightenment Artists / Thinkers:
• Joseph Wright of Derby – painted scientific scenes with dramatic light
• Jean-Baptiste Greuze – moral genre scenes with emotional realism
• Voltaire – French writer and critic of church and monarchy
• Denis Diderot – philosopher and editor of the Encyclopédie
Romanticism – Key Features:
• Emphasis on emotion, imagination, and the power of nature
• Interest in the sublime, the mysterious, and the heroic
• Reaction against industrialisation, logic, and Neoclassical order
• Explored themes of nationalism, ruin, freedom, and the individual
Notable Romantic Artworks:
• The Raft of the Medusa – Théodore Géricault
• Liberty Leading the People – Eugène Delacroix
• Wanderer Above the Sea of Fog – Caspar David Friedrich
• The Fighting Temeraire – J.M.W. Turner
Notable Romantic Artists:
• Eugène Delacroix – French painter known for vivid colour and dramatic subjects
• Caspar David Friedrich – German painter of spiritual, emotional landscapes
• Francisco Goya – Spanish artist exploring dark, dreamlike, and political themes
• Théodore Géricault – focused on human struggle and social injustice
• J.M.W. Turner – English painter of light, storms, and the raw power of nature
Realism – Key Features:
• Focus on everyday life and ordinary people
• Rejection of idealised or romanticised subjects
• Interest in social issues, labour, and rural scenes
• Accurate, honest depictions of the modern world
Notable Realist Artworks:
• The Gleaners – Jean-François Millet
• The Stone Breakers – Gustave Courbet
• Third-Class Carriage – Honoré Daumier
Notable Realist Artists:
• Gustave Courbet – leader of the Realist movement, painted labourers and rural life
• Jean-François Millet – known for humble scenes of peasant life
• Honoré Daumier – captured working-class life and political satire
• Rosa Bonheur – detailed animal paintings with realism and strength
Impressionism – Key Features:
• Captured the fleeting effects of light, colour, and atmosphere
• Painted modern life, landscapes, and leisure scenes
• Loose, visible brushwork and bright colours
• Often painted outdoors (en plein air) to catch changing light
Notable Impressionist Artworks:
• Impression, Sunrise – Claude Monet
• Ballet Rehearsal – Edgar Degas
• Luncheon of the Boating Party – Pierre-Auguste Renoir
Notable Impressionist Artists:
• Claude Monet – painted light and water, often in series
• Edgar Degas – known for ballet scenes and unusual perspectives
• Pierre-Auguste Renoir – focused on warmth, joy, and social gatherings
• Berthe Morisot – female painter who captured domestic and outdoor scenes
Post-Impressionism – Key Features:
• Moved beyond Impressionism with more structure and emotion
• Focus on symbolic content, bold colour, and personal expression
• Less interest in realism, more on inner feelings and abstraction
• Varied styles but shared a desire to innovate
Notable Post-Impressionist Artworks:
• Starry Night – Vincent van Gogh
• A Sunday Afternoon on the Island of La Grande Jatte – Georges Seurat
• The Vision After the Sermon – Paul Gauguin
• Mont Sainte-Victoire – Paul Cézanne
Notable Post-Impressionist Artists:
• Vincent van Gogh – expressive brushwork and emotional colour
• Paul Cézanne – built form with colour, shaped modern art foundations
• Paul Gauguin – used colour and symbolism, painted Tahitian life
• Georges Seurat – developed Pointillism with precise colour dots
Symbolism – Key Features:
• Emphasis on dreams, fantasy, and the inner world
• Use of mythological, religious, or erotic themes
• Anti-materialist and often anti-realist
• Rich colours, decorative style, and mysterious mood
Notable Symbolist Artworks (Painting):
• The Scream – Edvard Munch
• The Sleeping Gypsy – Henri Rousseau
• Jupiter and Semele – Gustave Moreau
Notable Symbolist Artists:
• Gustave Moreau – painting
• Odilon Redon – painting and pastels
• Edvard Munch – painting and printmaking
Expressionism – Key Features:
• Focus on emotion over realism
• Bold colours, distorted forms, and rough brushwork
• Often reflects anxiety, trauma, or inner turmoil
• Reaction against industrialisation and modern alienation
Notable Expressionist Works:
Painting:
• Street, Berlin – Ernst Ludwig Kirchner
• The Blue Rider – Wassily Kandinsky
• Portrait of Adele Bloch-Bauer II – Egon Schiele
Sculpture:
• Standing Woman – Wilhelm Lehmbruck
• Self-Portrait – Ernst Barlach
Architecture:
• Expressionist architecture began later, but examples include Einstein Tower – Erich Mendelsohn
Notable Expressionist Artists:
• Edvard Munch – precursor
• Ernst Ludwig Kirchner – painting
• Egon Schiele – painting and drawing
• Wassily Kandinsky – abstract expressionism
• Wilhelm Lehmbruck – sculpture
• Erich Mendelsohn – architecture
Cubism – Key Features:
• Breakdown of objects into geometric forms
• Multiple perspectives shown at once
• Limited colour palette (especially early Cubism)
• Strong influence from African and Iberian art
• Led to abstraction in modern art
Notable Cubist Works:
Painting:
• Les Demoiselles d’Avignon – Pablo Picasso
• Violin and Candlestick – Georges Braque
• Girl with a Mandolin – Pablo Picasso
Sculpture:
• Head of a Woman (Fernande) – Pablo Picasso
• The Guitar – Pablo Picasso
• Abstract Figure – Henri Laurens
Architecture:
• Cubism had limited influence on architecture but inspired Rondocubism in Czechoslovakia (e.g. Josef
Gočár’s work)
Notable Cubist Artists:
• Pablo Picasso – painting and sculpture
• Georges Braque – painting
• Juan Gris – painting
• Henri Laurens – sculpture
• Josef Gočár – architecture (Czech Cubism)
Dada – Key Features:
Anti-art stance challenging traditional aesthetics and cultural norms
Emphasis on absurdity, chance, and spontaneity
Use of readymades, photomontage, and performance
Reaction against the horrors of World War I
Notable Dada Artworks:
Fountain – Marcel Duchamp
Cut with the Kitchen Knife Dada through the Last Weimar Beer-Belly Cultural Epoch of Germany –
Hannah Höch
L.H.O.O.Q. – Marcel Duchamp
Notable Dada Artists:
Marcel Duchamp – readymades, conceptual art
Hannah Höch – photomontage
Jean (Hans) Arp – sculpture, collage
Francis Picabia – painting, mixed media
Surrealism – Key Features:
Exploration of the unconscious mind and dreams
Juxtaposition of unexpected elements
Influence from Freudian psychoanalysis
Use of symbolism and automatism
Notable Surrealist Artworks:
The Persistence of Memory – Salvador Dalí
The Treachery of Images – René Magritte
The Elephant Celebes – Max Ernst
The Two Fridas – Frida Kahlo
Notable Surrealist Artists:
Salvador Dalí – painting
René Magritte – painting
Max Ernst – painting, collage
Joan Miró – painting, sculpture
Frida Kahlo – painting
Abstraction – Key Features:
Art that does not attempt to represent external reality
Focus on shapes, colors, forms, and gestural marks
Includes both partial and complete abstraction
Exploration of the subconscious and spiritual
Notable Abstract Artworks:
Composition VII – Wassily Kandinsky
Broadway Boogie Woogie – Piet Mondrian
Black Square – Kazimir Malevich
Notable Abstract Artists:
Wassily Kandinsky – pioneer of abstract painting
Piet Mondrian – De Stijl movement
Kazimir Malevich – Suprematism
Jackson Pollock – Abstract Expressionism
Pop Art – Key Features:
Incorporation of imagery from popular culture and mass media
Bold colors, clear lines, and commercial techniques
Blurring of boundaries between "high" art and "low" culture
Irony and parody as common themes
Notable Pop Artworks:
Marilyn Diptych – Andy Warhol
Whaam! – Roy Lichtenstein
Just what is it that makes today's homes so different, so appealing? – Richard Hamilton
Notable Pop Artists:
Andy Warhol – silkscreen printing
Roy Lichtenstein – comic strip-style painting
Richard Hamilton – collage
Claes Oldenburg – sculpture
Contemporary Art – Key Features:
Art produced from the late 20th century to the present
Diverse range of styles, mediums, and themes
Engagement with social, political, and cultural issues
Emphasis on concept over traditional aesthetic values
Notable Contemporary Artworks:
Architecture:
The Shard – Renzo Piano
MAXXI Museum – Zaha Hadid
Painting:
Untitled Film Stills – Cindy Sherman
Infinity Mirror Rooms – Yayoi Kusama
Sculpture:
Balloon Dog – Jeff Koons
Maman – Louise Bourgeois
Notable Contemporary Artists:
Ai Weiwei – installation, activism
Damien Hirst – conceptual art
Tracey Emin – mixed media
Banksy – street art
