AP Art History : Identifying artists, works, or schools of nineteenth-century sculpture

Study concepts, example questions & explanations for AP Art History

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Example Questions

Example Question #1 : Identifying Artists, Works, Or Schools Of Nineteenth Century Sculpture

The monumental postimpressionist sculpture The Thinker was created by __________.

Possible Answers:

Auguste Rodin

Jean-Antoine Injalbert

Pablo Picasso

Jean-Antoine Houdon

Correct answer:

Auguste Rodin

Explanation:

The Thinker, portraying a nude man hunched over with his head on his fist deep in thought, is one of the most widely recognized pieces of art in the world. Created by Auguste Rodin in 1880, it was first widely cast in bronze in 1904, and was immediately desired thanks to its rough hewn texture, vivid portrayal of a man, and the emotion it displays. Thanks to being a bronze cast, there are about twenty-eight versions of the sculpture in existence around the world.

Example Question #2 : Identifying Artists, Works, Or Schools Of Nineteenth Century Sculpture

Auguste Rodin primarily sculpted in __________.

Possible Answers:

silver

marble

ceramic

bronze

Correct answer:

bronze

Explanation:

Auguste Rodin largely reinvented modern sculpture in the late nineteenth century, largely through his ability to capture human forms honestly and present motion in a still sculpture. The success of Rodin was attributable to his use of bronze casting for his sculptures. This both allowed him to mold in clay his radical forms before setting a mold and then allowed that mold to be recast multiple times to produce many copies of his most famous works.

Example Question #3 : Identifying Artists, Works, Or Schools Of Nineteenth Century Sculpture

The sculptor Auguste Rodin's style was marked by all of the following EXCEPT __________.

Possible Answers:

a realistic depiction of the human body

making sculptures out of clay that could work as models for bronze casting

a dark psychological perspective

the use of classical and mythological themes

the capture of movement in a sculpture

Correct answer:

the use of classical and mythological themes

Explanation:

Auguste Rodin (1840-1917) was a revolutionary sculptor who helped develop modern art, but he actually saw himself as a traditional craftsman. Rodin would use clay to create bronze molds, and used models. In contrast to his predecessors, Rodin asked models to move so he could capture natural movement and a dark psychological perspective. Rodin also refused to use traditional classical and mythological themes in his work.

Example Question #4 : Identifying Artists, Works, Or Schools Of Nineteenth Century Sculpture

Dega bronze sculptures 01102010 natartgallery sofia 09

The artist of this work is __________________.

Possible Answers:

Preault

Balzac

Degas

Rodin

Correct answer:

Degas

Explanation:

Degas frequently used dancers as his subject, often in every day poses, such as this dancer examining her foot.

Work is in the public domain, accessed through Wikipedia Media Commons: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/Category:Sculptures_by_Edgar_Degas#/media/File:Dega_Bronze_Sculptures_01102010_NatArtGallery_Sofia_09.jpg

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