Deck 10: Early Christian and Byzantine Art

Question 1

What term is used to identify the semicircular wall surfaces just below the top of an arch?

A) rotulus
B) pendentives
C) lunettes
D) vellum

Answer 1

C

Question 2

The circular, barrel-vaulted passage of a centrally-planned church is known as

A) an ambulatory.
B) a narthex.
C) an apse.
D) a niche.

Answer 2

A

Question 3

The name Hagia Sophia translates into English as

A) Throne of Glory.
B) Blood of Christ.
C) Blessed Virgin.
D) Holy Wisdom.

Answer 3

D

Question 4

Typology refers primarily to the practice of

A) showing how events from an earlier period prefigured those of a later period.
B) illustrating biblical figures such as Christ and the evangelists as animals.
C) enhancing imperial power by making explicit connections between emperors and religious figures.
D) creating religious symbols out of letter combinations such as Constantine's Chi-Rho.

Question 5

The Vienna Genesis is one of the earliest examples of a

A) centrally-planned church.
B) Christian basilica.
C) Byzantine mosaic.
D) codex.

Question 6

Vellum, an important element of the codex, was made from

A) pulped trees.
B) the papyrus plant.
C) small pieces of rectangular glass or stone.
D) calfskin.

Question 7

Which architectural feature characterized centrally-planned churches but was absent from basilicas?

A) narthex
B) apse
C) nave
D) dome

Question 8

Because early Christians could practice their rituals in them in relative security, underground cemeteries known by what name provide a good source of early Christian art?

A) sarcophagi
B) catacombs
C) basilicas
D) nartexes

Question 9

Compared with Roman frescoes and mosaics, Byzantine mosaics are

A) more naturalistic.
B) more concerned with the illusion of space.
C) more stylized.
D) more concerned with perspective.

Question 10

The continuous, unbroken nature of the narrative format of the Vienna Genesis has been compared to

A) the Ara Pacis.
B) the Parthenon frieze.
C) Trajan's Column.
D) the Arch of Constantine.

Question 11

What new development, which Latin poet Martial called the "book with many folded skins," represented an important step toward the development of the modern book?

A) the papyrus scroll
B) the rotulus
C) the codex
D) the pendentive

Question 12

The word parchment is derived from

A) the material from which it was made.
B) the city where it was first used.
C) its similarity to papyrus.
D) the shape into which it was usually cut.

Question 13

The apse mosaic of San Vitale depicts Jesus with all of the following features EXCEPT

A) a beard.
B) a halo containing the image of a cross.
C) a regal, purple robe.
D) a globe as his seat.

Question 14

What relationship do the mosaics of San Vitale establish between Justinian and Theodora?

A) The two are placed on opposite sides of Jesus to demonstrate their equality.
B) Justinian is placed to the right of Jesus, and Theodora to the left, to demonstrate Theodora's slight preeminence.
C) Justinian is placed to the right of Jesus, and Theodora to the left, to demonstrate Justinian's slight preeminence.
D) Justinian is placed to the right of Jesus, and Theodora to the left, to demonstrate that she has no authority or value of her own.

Question 15

Among the purposes of centrally-planned churches was to serve as large architectural tombs known as

A) baptisteries.
B) mausolea.
C) martyria.
D) ambulatories.

Question 16

Partly because of the Iconoclastic Controversy, Byzantine culture never developed a strong tradition in

A) illustrated texts.
B) mosaics.
C) architecture.
D) sculpture.

Question 17

Which of the following colors is most representative of Byzantine art?

A) blue
B) red
C) black
D) gold

Question 18

Which of the following figures in the San Vitale mosaics is NOT shown wearing a purple robe?

A) Justinian
B) Jesus
C) Maximian
D) Theodora

Question 19

What Byzantine innovation made the large central dome of the Hagia Sophia possible?

A) screen walls
B) lunettes
C) pendentives
D) codices

Question 20

Byzantine mosaics were made from small squares and rectangles of stone or glass known as

A) rotulus.
B) tesserae.
C) spandrels.
D) pendentives.

Question 21

Which saint was Jesus' first apostle, the first bishop of Rome, and the first pope, along with lending his name to the basilica that became the prototypical papal church?

A) Peter
B) Paul
C) Matthew
D) John

Question 22

In Christian iconography, which animal symbolizes the Holy Spirit in depictions of Christ's baptism?

A) sparrow
B) fish
C) lamb
D) dove

Question 23

As suggested by the negative connotations of the word "sinister," early Christian art usually placed evil, dark, and pre-Christian elements on which side of an image?

A) top
B) center
C) right
D) left

Question 24

What architectural feature did early Christians add to the Roman basilica to give it a cruciform shape?

A) transept
B) apse
C) nave
D) narthex

Question 25

In early Christian basilicas, the altar was generally located at what end of the building?

A) north
B) south
C) east
D) west

Question 26

The Christian motif of the Good Shepherd was borrowed from Roman imagery.

Question 27

Which emperor extended toleration to all religions, including Christianity, via the Edict of Milan of 313?

A) Constantine
B) Tiberius
C) Eusebius
D) Justinian

Question 28

As evidenced by artwork on the fourth-century sarcophagus at the S. Maria Antiqua in Rome, early Christian artists rejected Roman imagery completely.

Question 29

Byzantine mosaics were made using the same techniques that had been used to make Hellenistic mosaics.

Question 30

In the San Vitale mosaics, Theodora is placed farther back in the picture space than Justinian.

Question 31

What became a central motif in Christian art because of their relationship to the Cross?

A) doves
B) trees
C) shepherds
D) swords

Question 32

An important distinction between Roman and Christian temples is that Christian temples were built to provide room for just a crucifix and a priest, whereas Roman churches were built to hold crowds of worshippers.

Question 33

Which animal became a symbol of Jesus via the Greek word ichthus, an acronym for "Jesus Christ, Son of God, Savior"?

A) lamb
B) lion
C) fish
D) dove

Question 34

Mosaic, museum, and music all share the same word stem.

Question 35

In Roman basilicas, which section was generally used both to house statues of the emperors and for legal proceedings?

A) transept
B) apse
C) nave
D) narthex

Question 36

Christianity differed from other eastern religions in its rejection of all but symbolic blood sacrifices.

Question 37

What term, meaning "secret" or "hidden," is used to identify religious writings whose authority is disputed by religious authorities?

A) gospels
B) apocrypha
C) epistles
D) apocalypse

Question 38

The Hagia Sophia was so large because it served the entire Christian community of Constantinople.

Question 39

The Justinian church of San Vitale is located in Rome, which served as the Italian center of Justinian's empire.

Question 40

St. Paul Outside the Walls retains the general architectural features of the Roman basilica.

Question 41

Compare and contrast the centrally-planned Early Christian churches with Roman basilicas. What features did they share and how did they differ?

Question 42

What was the significance of light in Christian and imperial iconography? How did Byzantine art convey light?

Question 43

Discuss the features of the Hagia Sophia. Was its primary purpose religious or imperial, or was its primary purpose to inextricably link the religious and the imperial?

Question 44

Discuss the Iconoclastic Controversy. What brought it about? What impact did it have on art?

Question 45

How was the architecture of early Christian basilicas used to symbolize theological concepts?

Question 46

How did the development of the codex impact the preservation and presentation of literary works?

Question 47

What elements of Classical Antiquity did early Christian art adopt and make its own?