Chapter 7 – Fifteenth-Century Art
Multiple Choice Questions
1. Both della Francesca’s Resurrection and van der Weyden’s Deposition show a
characteristic not seen in painting since Roman times, which is:
a. abstract decoration.
b. naturalism.
c. miniaturization.
d. all of these.
e. none of these.
2. In his portraits of the rulers of Urbino, Piero della Francesca suggests:
a. the vast extent of ducal power.
b. their elevation above the everyday.
c. their almost omnipotent presence.
d. all of these.
e. none of these.
3. Donatello’s treatment of St. Mark is non-medieval because it emphasizes:
a. divine inspiration.
b. a pantocrater type.
c. human attributes.
d. all of these.
e. none of these.
4. In scientific perspective, the diagonal lines that converge at a “vanishing point” on
the horizon are called:
a. orthogonals.
b. capitals.
c. transversals.
d. all of these.
e. none of these.
5. What about Jan van Eyck’s Portrait of Giovanni Arnolfini and Giovanna Cenami suggests
that an oath is being taken?
a. hanging pillows
b. position of the couple’s hands
c. view outside the window
d. all of these
e. none of these
6. Originally, the Inka mountain retreat of Machu Picchu included:
a. ceremonial plazas.
b. housing for various classes.
c. sectors devoted to agriculture.
d. temples.
e. all of these.
7. In the Medici Palace courtyard, Michelozzo reveals the new attitudes of the
Renaissance by the:
a. classical-style arcade.
b. references to antiquity.
c. lucid regularity.
d. all of these.
e. none of these.
8. The purpose of the Renaissance portrait by Ghirlandaio, Portrait of a Man and a Boy,
was as:
a. a marriage token.
b. vainglorious self-flattery.
c. a remembrance after death.
d. all of these.
e. none of these.
9. In Sandro Botticelli’s Realm of Venus, the unpredictable nature of love is suggested by
the:
a. blindfolded Cupid.
b. rancid lemons.
c. stormy sky.
d. all of these.
e. none of these.
10. In Leonardo’s Last Supper, the calm figure of Christ exists:
a. at the focal point of the perspective.
b. to form a symbolic triangle.
c. on the axis of symmetry.
d. to give visual stability to the composition.
e. all of these.
Fill–in–the-Blank Questions
11. As seen in the Mandala of Jnanadakini from Tibet, a mandala is the Buddhist symbol
for the structure of the ____________.
12. In the February calendar page by the Limbourg Brothers, subtle details characterize
the comprehensive ____________ developing in Flemish painting at the beginning of the
fifteenth century.
13. In Brunelleschi’s Church of Santo Spirito, instead of towering Gothic verticality, we
perceive a measured ____________ and ____________.
14. In Mantegna’s Camera Picta for the Gonzaga Ducal palace at Mantua, most of the
vault is painted with gold decorative patterns and ____________.
15. Giorgio Vasari argued that the transition to the High Renaissance occurred with the
art of ____________.
True-False Questions
16. In the Chief’s Stool from the Taino culture, the figure carved on the front represents
a Taino deity.
17. In his Trinity, Masaccio has advanced Giotto’s artistic innovations by combining
them with superfluous abstract detail.
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18. In Flanders oil painting, most colors are modeled downward toward black.
19. In the Self-Portrait of Shen Zhou, the gesture of the hands suggests that the picture
was painted from life.
20. On his Pietà, Michelangelo carved his signature on the ribbon that crosses Mary’s
chest.
Short Answer Questions
21. Humanistic studies in Renaissance Italy involved what disciplines in its curriculum?
22. What about Robert Campin’s Annunciation triptych suggests that the patron’s wife
was added at the time of their marriage?
23. On the interior of The Altarpiece of the Lamb, what aspects are considered to unify the
24. Leonardo’s drawing of the Vitruvian Man is based on a passage from the Roman
writer Vitruvius, who suggested what regarding the human body and geometry?
25. What factors contributed to the sad state of Leonardo’s Last Supper before
restoration?
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Essay Questions
26. What common features would appear to characterize the art of the 15th century,
particularly in Flanders and Italy, but also in Japan, and what themes continue to be
employed by artists of this time? Please cite examples.
27. Discuss the idea of the Renaissance. What does it mean literally, historically,
culturally, and artistically?