WHAT IS ART HISTORY?

CONTEXT

Arch of Constanine, South front312–315 CE, with spolia of the 2nd century, CE. Marble. Rome, Italy

HOW OLD IS IT?

CHRONOLOGY

HOW OLD IS IT?

PHYSICAL EVIDENCE

Etruscan Shield with decoration of braiding, flowers and animals, 7th century BCE. Bronze. Museo nazionale di Villa Giulia

HOW OLD IS IT?

DOCUMENTARY EVIDENCE

Prayer hall of the Great Mosque, Córdoba, Spain, eighth to tenth centuries.

HOW OLD IS IT?

INTERNAL EVIDENCE

Seated statue of Gudea holding temple plan, from Girsu (modern Telloh), Iraq, ca. 2100 BCE. Diorite, 2’ 5” high. Louvre, Paris.

HOW OLD IS IT?

STYLISTIC EVIDENCE

Old Testament kings and queens, jamb statues, central doorway of Royal Portal, Chartres Cathedral, Chartres, France, ca. 1145–1155.

WHAT IS STYLE?

PERIOD STYLE

WHAT IS ITS STYLE?

REGIONAL STYLE

Choir of Beauvais Cathedaral1284 CE.Beauvais, France

Nave of Santa Croce1294 CE.Florence, Italy

WHAT IS ITS STYLE?

THE VIEWER

Seated scribe, from Saqqara, Egypt, Fourth Dynasty, ca. 2500 BCE. Painted limestone, 1’ 9” high. Louvre, Paris.

Menkaure and Khamerernebty(?), from Gizeh, Egypt, Fourth Dynasty, ca. 2490–2472 BCE. Graywacke, 4’ 6 1/2” high. Museum of Fine Arts, Boston.

WHAT IS ITS SUBJECT?

ICONOGRAPHY

The Four Evangelists, ca. 810 CE.Ink and Tempera on vellumCathedral Treasury, Aachen.

WHO PAID FOR IT?

PATRONAGE

Augustus wearing the corona civicaca. 69 CE. Marble. Glyptothek München.