ETRUSCAN AND ROMAN ART
Study Guide
1. Vocabulary:
apse: ____________________________________________________________________________________________
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aqueduct: _________________________________________________________________________________________
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arch: _____________________________________________________________________________________________
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archaic smile: ______________________________________________________________________________________
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atmospheric perspective: _____________________________________________________________________________
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axial plan: _________________________________________________________________________________________
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barrel vault: _______________________________________________________________________________________
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broken pediment: ___________________________________________________________________________________
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catacomb: _________________________________________________________________________________________
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chimera: __________________________________________________________________________________________
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clerestory: ________________________________________________________________________________________
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coffer: ____________________________________________________________________________________________
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concrete: __________________________________________________________________________________________
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diptych: __________________________________________________________________________________________
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engaged column: ___________________________________________________________________________________
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equestrian statue: ___________________________________________________________________________________
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fibula: ___________________________________________________________________________________________
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meander: _________________________________________________________________________________________
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molding: __________________________________________________________________________________________
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nave: _____________________________________________________________________________________________
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necropolis: ________________________________________________________________________________________
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roundel: __________________________________________________________________________________________
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sarcophagus: ______________________________________________________________________________________
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still life: __________________________________________________________________________________________
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swag: ____________________________________________________________________________________________
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tondo: ____________________________________________________________________________________________
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tufa: _____________________________________________________________________________________________
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verism: ___________________________________________________________________________________________
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2. Most modern scholars believe that the Etruscans were the result of a fusion of peoples from______________________
who intermixed with the native populations during the______________century, B.C.
3. The development of Etruscan art was strongly influenced by the Greek colonization of ______________ and
__________________ around ______________ BC.
4. Name four important Etruscan settlements:
a. ____________________________________ b. ____________________________________
c. ____________________________________ d. ____________________________________
5. Describe the basic plan of the Etruscan city: ___________________________________________________________
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6. How do we know what the plan must have been?_______________________________________________________
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7. What is an atrium? ______________________________________________________________________________
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8. List five architectural characteristics of Etruscan temples that distinguish them from Greek temples.
Etruscan temple Greek temple
a. _________________________________________ a. ______________________________________
b. _________________________________________ b. ______________________________________
c. _________________________________________ c. ______________________________________
d. _________________________________________ d. ______________________________________
e. _________________________________________ e. ______________________________________
9. List three stylistic characteristics of the Apollo from Veii (fig 6-5) that distinguish it as Etruscan:
a._________________________________________
b. _________________________________________
c. _________________________________________
10. Where was it originally placed? ____________________________________________________________________
11. What were the favorite materials of Etruscan sculptors? _________________________________________________
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12. What do the sarcophagus in Fig. 6-8 and the wall painting shown in Fig. 6-9 tell us about the status of women in
ancient Etruria?_________________________________________________________________________________
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13. What would the burial grounds of the Etruscans be known as? ___________________________________________
14. What conventions of skin color did many Mediterranean cultures utilize to distinguish between men and women?
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15. What subjects were commonly depicted in Etruscan tomb paintings? ______________________________________
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16. List three adjectives that characterize their style:
a. _______________________________ b. ___________________________ c. ______________________________
17. What is significant about the Tomb of the Reliefs? ____________________________________________________
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18. What is the probable origin of such figures as the Sarcophagus from Cerveteri? ______________________________
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19. Why is the Etruscan Capitoline Wolf (fig. 6-1) so famous? ______________________________________________
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20. What is divination? _____________________________________________________________________________
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21. How is it portrayed as part of the Etruscan culture in art? ________________________________________________
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22. By what date had the Etruscans been absorbed by Rome? _______________________________________________
23. Define the following:
barrel vault: _______________________________________________________________________________________
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bucrania: _________________________________________________________________________________________
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centering: ________________________________________________________________________________________
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oculus: ___________________________________________________________________________________________
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pseudo-peripteral: __________________________________________________________________________________
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24. What are two of the legends of the origin of Rome? A.__________________________________________________
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B. _______________________________________________________________________________________________
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25. What terrain distinguishes Rome? _________________________________________________________________
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26. How was early Rome governed? ___________________________________________________________________
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27. What two classes distinguished Rome’s population? ___________________________________________________
28. What were the Punic Wars (264-146 BC)? ___________________________________________________________
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29. The two cultures whose art most strongly influenced that of Rome were _________________and _______________.
30. What type of building did the Roman government create to facilitate the development and administration of the
Roman Empire, as well as make city life comfortable and attractive to its citizens? ___________________________
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31. What gods and heroes did the Romans adopt? _________________________________________________________
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32. Emperor Hadrian wanted his villa at Tivoli to recreate specific places that he visited. What sites impressed him?
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33. “Hadrian’s Villa” complex was comprised of what kind of buildings? _____________________________________
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34. What is the Canopus? ___________________________________________________________________________
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35. Identify the great architectural sites of the provinces: ___________________________________________________
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36. What is the significance of the Forum? ______________________________________________________________
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37. As evidenced in the sculptural reliefs, what event does the Ara Pacis, the so-called “Altar of Peace” commemorate?
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Explain the meaning of the sculptural reliefs on the altar: ___________________________________________________
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38. The Augustus of Primaporta is a portrait of political propaganda. Describe the influences and characteristics of the
work: ____________________________________________________________________________________________
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39. What takes place in the Pompeii wall painting of the Villa of the Mysteries?_________________________________
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40. Why is the Flavian Amphitheater called the Colosseum (72-80 BC)? ______________________________________
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41. The succession of orders of the engaged columns at the Colosseum became a standard in Roman architecture. What
does this succession refer to? _________________________________________________________________________
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42. What does the Arch of Titus commemorate? __________________________________________________________
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43. To what does the word Pantheon refer? Who was the patron and when was it built? __________________________
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44. What are the most remarkable characteristics of the Pantheon? ___________________________________________
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45. What was displayed in the seven niches in the interior of the Pantheon? ____________________________________
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46. Where were portrait statues, such as the one of Aulus Metellus located? ____________________________________
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Where were the portrait busts displayed? ________________________________________________________________
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Where were Roman wall paintings located? ______________________________________________________________
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47. What was the probable purpose of the room in the “Villa of the Mysteries”? _________________________________
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48. What was the function of the Colosseum and how many spectators could partake in a spectacle? _________________
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49. How did the two types of vaulting at the Colosseum relate to the structure and its function? _____________________
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50. What were the function and characteristics of the Basilica Ulpia at Trajan’s forum? ___________________________
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51. What was so unique about the Column of Trajan? _____________________________________________________
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52. How is Emperor Trajan portrayed as characteristic of imperial propaganda? _________________________________
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53. Where were pictorial mosaics located and what was so remarkable about them? _____________________________
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54. Describe the four styles of Roman wall painting:
A. First Style (c. 200-80 BC)_________________________________________________________________________
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B. Second Style (c. 80-15 BC) ________________________________________________________________________
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C. Third Style (c.15 BC-45 AD) ______________________________________________________________________
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D. Fourth Style (beginning c. 45 AD) __________________________________________________________________
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55. What types of portraiture emerge during the Roman period and what characterizes them? ______________________
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56. What new building material did the Romans rely upon to construct their large round arched and barrel vaulted
buildings? What were the benefits of this material? ________________________________________________________
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57. What does veneer mean and why was it important? ____________________________________________________
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58. How have the sculptors created a sense of space in the relief sculpture on the Arch of Titus? ___________________
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59. Consider the height of the Column of Trajan (125 ft), what technique was used by the sculptor to keep the imagery
legible?_______________________________________________________________________________________
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60. What are the very small pieces of glass or stone called that are used to create a mosaic? ________________________