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Basque PAU History Of Art study materials
Basque PAU History Of Art study resources

Basque PAU History Of Art practice questions

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Question 1Ancient and classical art

The 'Bust of Nefertiti' belongs to which period of Egyptian art?

  1. Amarna Period Correct answer.
  2. Old Kingdom
  3. Ptolemaic Period
  4. Early Dynastic Period

Explanation

The Bust of Nefertiti was created during the Amarna Period, known for its distinct stylized realism.

Question 2Medieval art

What does a 'tympanum' refer to in Romanesque architecture?

  1. The semi-circular decorative wall surface over an entrance Correct answer.
  2. A type of vault
  3. A support column
  4. The main altar

Explanation

The tympanum is the semi-circular decorative wall surface over an entrance, bounded by a lintel and arch.

Question 3Medieval art

In Romanesque art, what is a 'mandorla'?

  1. An almond-shaped aura of light surrounding a holy figure Correct answer.
  2. A type of arched window
  3. A decorative floor mosaic
  4. A structural column

Explanation

A mandorla is an almond-shaped aureole of light surrounding the entire body of a holy person.

Question 4Medieval art

The use of 'gold ground' is most characteristic of which style?

  1. Byzantine and early Renaissance painting Correct answer.
  2. Impressionism
  3. Baroque
  4. Neoclassicism

Explanation

Gold leaf backgrounds were common in Byzantine icons and early Renaissance panels to represent divine light.

Question 5Medieval art

What is the defining feature of a 'basilica' plan in early Christian architecture?

  1. A longitudinal nave ending in an apse Correct answer.
  2. A centralized, circular plan
  3. A cross shape with equal arms
  4. A lack of windows

Explanation

The basilica plan, adapted from Roman civic buildings, has a long nave, side aisles, and an apse at one end.

Question 6Medieval art

The 'Puerta del Sol' in Toledo is an example of which architectural style?

  1. Mudéjar Correct answer.
  2. Romanesque
  3. Renaissance
  4. Baroque

Explanation

The Puerta del Sol is a prime example of Mudéjar architecture, blending Moorish and Christian elements.

Question 7Medieval art

The 'Cathedral of Santiago de Compostela' is primarily in which architectural style?

  1. Romanesque Correct answer.
  2. Gothic
  3. Renaissance
  4. Neoclassical

Explanation

While it has a Baroque facade, the main structure of the cathedral is one of the masterpieces of Romanesque architecture.

Question 8Medieval art

What is the primary feature of a 'barrel vault'?

  1. A continuous arched shape resembling a half-cylinder Correct answer.
  2. Two intersecting arches
  3. A ribbed structure
  4. A flat ceiling supported by columns

Explanation

A barrel vault is essentially a deep arch or an uninterrupted series of arches forming a semi-cylindrical roof.

Question 9Medieval art

What does a 'rose window' typically feature in a Gothic cathedral?

  1. Stained glass set in circular tracery Correct answer.
  2. A depiction of roses carved in wood
  3. A plain round opening
  4. A square window above the door

Explanation

A rose window is a circular window filled with stained glass and tracery, common in Gothic churches.

Question 10Medieval art

What does a 'flying buttress' do?

  1. Transfers the weight of the roof away from the walls to an external pier Correct answer.
  2. Supports the floor of the cathedral
  3. Decorates the top of a spire
  4. Provides access to the bell tower

Explanation

Flying buttresses are external arches that transfer the thrust of the roof vaults outward to a solid pier.

Question 11Renaissance and Mannerism

What is a 'retablo' in Spanish art?

  1. An altarpiece or screen placed behind an altar Correct answer.
  2. A type of dome
  3. A decorative courtyard
  4. A freestanding sculpture

Explanation

A retablo is a complex, often highly decorated wooden structure containing paintings or sculptures placed behind the altar.

Question 12Renaissance and Mannerism

Which artist is considered the foremost figure of the Spanish Golden Age of painting before Velázquez?

  1. El Greco Correct answer.
  2. Bartolomé Esteban Murillo
  3. Francisco de Zurbarán
  4. José de Ribera

Explanation

El Greco, though born in Crete, settled in Spain and was the leading artist of the late 16th century there.

Question 13Renaissance and Mannerism

Which building represents the pinnacle of High Renaissance architecture in Rome?

  1. Tempietto by Bramante Correct answer.
  2. The Pantheon
  3. The Colosseum
  4. Florence Cathedral Dome

Explanation

Bramante's Tempietto at San Pietro in Montorio is considered a masterpiece of High Renaissance proportion.

Question 14Renaissance and Mannerism

Which artist is known for his detailed, nightmarish depictions of hell and human sin in the 15th century?

  1. Hieronymus Bosch Correct answer.
  2. Sandro Botticelli
  3. Leonardo da Vinci
  4. Titian

Explanation

Bosch is famous for his complex, surreal, and moralizing works like the Garden of Earthly Delights.

Question 15Baroque and Rococo

Which Spanish artist is known for his 'Bodegones' (still lifes and tavern scenes)?

  1. Diego Velázquez Correct answer.
  2. El Greco
  3. Francisco de Zurbarán
  4. Bartolomé Bermejo

Explanation

Velázquez painted many early bodegones, such as 'The Waterseller of Seville'. (Zurbarán is also known for still lifes, but Velázquez's bodegones are a specific famous genre).

Question 16Baroque and Rococo

What is 'tenebrism'?

  1. A style featuring extreme contrasts of light and dark, usually with darkness dominating Correct answer.
  2. A type of watercolor painting
  3. A technique of mixing oil with egg tempera
  4. A style of linear perspective

Explanation

Tenebrism (from Italian tenebroso, dark) is a dramatic illumination style, similar to chiaroscuro but more pronounced.

Question 17Baroque and Rococo

Caravaggio was a leading figure in which art movement?

  1. Baroque Correct answer.
  2. Renaissance
  3. Mannerism
  4. Rococo

Explanation

Caravaggio was a seminal figure in the Baroque period, known for his realism and dramatic lighting.

Question 18Nineteenth-century art

What is the primary subject of Francisco Goya's 'The Disasters of War'?

  1. The Peninsular War and its atrocities Correct answer.
  2. The French Revolution
  3. The discovery of America
  4. The Spanish Civil War

Explanation

This series of prints depicts the horrors of the Peninsular War between Spain and France.

Question 19Nineteenth-century art

Which artist is considered a precursor to modern art with his fragmented brushstrokes?

  1. Paul Cézanne Correct answer.
  2. Jean-Auguste-Dominique Ingres
  3. Jacques-Louis David
  4. John Constable

Explanation

Cézanne's analytical approach to form and color laid the foundations for Cubism and modern art.

Question 20Nineteenth-century art

What is the defining feature of Pointillism?

  1. Painting with distinct dots of color Correct answer.
  2. Using broad, sweeping brushstrokes
  3. Painting exclusively in black and white
  4. Applying paint with a palette knife

Explanation

Pointillism involves applying small, distinct dots of color in a pattern to form an image.

Question 21Nineteenth-century art

Which artist famously cut off part of his own ear?

  1. Vincent van Gogh Correct answer.
  2. Paul Gauguin
  3. Edvard Munch
  4. Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec

Explanation

Van Gogh famously severed part of his left ear during a mental breakdown in 1888.

Question 22Nineteenth-century art

Who painted 'Impression, Sunrise', the painting that gave Impressionism its name?

  1. Claude Monet Correct answer.
  2. Pierre-Auguste Renoir
  3. Edgar Degas
  4. Camille Pissarro

Explanation

Monet's painting 'Impression, soleil levant' inspired the critic Louis Leroy to coin the term 'Impressionism'.

Question 23Modern and contemporary art and architecture

Which museum houses the painting 'Guernica'?

  1. Museo Reina Sofía Correct answer.
  2. Museo del Prado
  3. Guggenheim Bilbao
  4. Louvre

Explanation

Picasso's Guernica is housed in the Museo Nacional Centro de Arte Reina Sofía in Madrid.

Question 24Modern and contemporary art and architecture

Which artist was a leading figure in the Pop Art movement?

  1. Andy Warhol Correct answer.
  2. Mark Rothko
  3. Willem de Kooning
  4. Jackson Pollock

Explanation

Andy Warhol is one of the most famous figures in Pop Art, known for his Campbell's Soup Cans.

Question 25Modern and contemporary art and architecture

Who is famous for his 'Mobiles' (kinetic sculptures)?

  1. Alexander Calder Correct answer.
  2. Henry Moore
  3. Barbara Hepworth
  4. Constantin Brancusi

Explanation

Calder invented the mobile, a type of kinetic sculpture that relies on careful weighting to achieve balance and movement.

Question 26Modern and contemporary art and architecture

Which Basque artist created the sanctuary at Arantzazu?

  1. Jorge Oteiza and Eduardo Chillida (among others) Correct answer.
  2. Antoni Gaudí
  3. Santiago Calatrava
  4. Miquel Barceló

Explanation

The Sanctuary of Arantzazu features contributions from several Basque artists, prominently Jorge Oteiza (apostles) and Eduardo Chillida (doors).

Question 27Modern and contemporary art and architecture

What is the primary material used in the construction of the Eiffel Tower?

  1. Puddled iron Correct answer.
  2. Steel
  3. Reinforced concrete
  4. Bronze

Explanation

The Eiffel Tower was constructed using puddled iron, a structural material of the 19th century.

Question 28Spanish and Islamic art in context

Which art style features complex, interwoven geometric patterns and avoids depicting sentient beings?

  1. Islamic Art Correct answer.
  2. Gothic Art
  3. Byzantine Art
  4. Romanesque Art

Explanation

Islamic art often uses aniconism (avoidance of figurative imagery) and features intricate geometric and vegetal patterns (arabesque).

Question 29Art analysis, materials and methods

The technique of chiaroscuro involves:

  1. Strong contrasts between light and dark Correct answer.
  2. Thick application of paint
  3. Painting outdoors
  4. Using only primary colors

Explanation

Chiaroscuro is the use of strong contrasts between light and dark to achieve a sense of volume.

Question 30Art analysis, materials and methods

What characterizes the 'sfumato' technique?

  1. Soft, blurred edges and transitions without lines Correct answer.
  2. Thick layers of paint
  3. Scratching into wet plaster
  4. Using contrasting primary colors

Explanation

Sfumato (smoky) is a painting technique for softening the transition between colours, mimicking an area out of focus.

Question 31Art analysis, materials and methods

What is a 'contrapposto' pose in sculpture?

  1. A relaxed stance where weight is shifted onto one leg Correct answer.
  2. A rigid, symmetrical pose
  3. A pose on horseback
  4. A seated position

Explanation

Contrapposto is an Italian term for an asymmetrical arrangement where weight rests on one leg, creating a curve in the body.

Question 32Art analysis, materials and methods

What is 'en plein air' painting?

  1. Painting outdoors directly from nature Correct answer.
  2. Painting entirely in black and white
  3. Using a palette knife instead of brushes
  4. Painting inside a dark studio

Explanation

En plein air is a French expression meaning 'in the open air', favored by the Impressionists.

Question 33Art analysis, materials and methods

What is 'linear perspective'?

  1. A system for creating the illusion of depth using a vanishing point on a horizon line Correct answer.
  2. Using color to show distance
  3. Painting objects flat against the picture plane
  4. Using thicker paint for closer objects

Explanation

Linear perspective uses lines converging at a vanishing point to create the illusion of 3D space on a 2D surface.

Question 34Art analysis, materials and methods

What is the 'Golden Ratio' often used in art and architecture?

  1. Approximately 1.618 Correct answer.
  2. Exactly 3.14
  3. Exactly 2.0
  4. Approximately 1.33

Explanation

The Golden Ratio is approximately 1.618, believed to be aesthetically pleasing and found in nature and classical art.

Question 35Ancient and classical art

Which material was the primary writing support for cuneiform tablets in ancient Mesopotamia?

  1. Wet clay Correct answer.
  2. Papyrus scrolls
  3. Carved limestone stelae
  4. Waxed wooden boards

Explanation

Mesopotamian scribes impressed wedge-shaped strokes into soft clay with a reed stylus, then dried or fired the tablets. Clay was locally abundant and durable, which is why hundreds of thousands of tablets survive. Papyrus and wax boards were used elsewhere or later and do not define cuneiform practice.

Question 36Ancient and classical art

The Stele of Hammurabi is best described as which kind of monument?

  1. A bronze portrait bust of a Hellenistic ruler
  2. A carved basalt slab bearing a law code beneath a relief of the king before Shamash Correct answer.
  3. A painted tomb chapel showing the deceased at a banquet
  4. A marble victory monument commemorating a naval battle

Explanation

The stele presents Hammurabi in relief receiving authority from the sun god Shamash, with the legal text inscribed below. It is a Babylonian monument in dark stone, combining royal ideology with legal content. The other descriptions belong to Egyptian, Greek, and Hellenistic works respectively.

Question 37Ancient and classical art

What is the principal architectural function of the Mesopotamian ziggurat?

  1. A royal burial chamber beneath a pyramid
  2. A covered market hall at the city center
  3. A raised temple platform linking the divine realm with the earth Correct answer.
  4. A defensive bastion on the outer city wall

Explanation

Ziggurats are stepped, solid mud-brick platforms topped by a shrine, expressing the idea of a meeting point between gods and humans. Their mass is structural and symbolic rather than defensive or commercial. Burial chambers and markets belong to other building types.

Question 38Ancient and classical art

In Egyptian art, the convention of showing the head in profile, the eye frontal, and the shoulders frontal is known as which principle?

  1. Chiaroscuro
  2. Frontality and composite view Correct answer.
  3. Foreshortening
  4. Contrapposto

Explanation

Egyptian canonical representation combines the most legible view of each body part within a single figure, producing a composite or aspective image. This convention served clarity and permanence rather than optical realism. The other terms describe Renaissance lighting, classical stance, and perspective devices.

Question 39Ancient and classical art

A mastaba in Egyptian funerary architecture is which structure?

  1. A flat-topped rectangular tomb with sloping sides and a subterranean burial chamber Correct answer.
  2. A stepped pyramid of six superimposed terraces
  3. A columned hypostyle hall within a temple precinct
  4. A rock-cut temple with a pylon facade

Explanation

Mastabas are the bench-like rectangular tombs of the Early Dynastic and Old Kingdom elite, with an offering chapel above and burial below. They precede and inform the development of the pyramid. The other options describe pyramid, temple, and hall types.

Question 40Ancient and classical art

Which order is distinguished by a capital carved with acanthus leaves and volutes on a base-supported column?

  1. Doric
  2. Corinthian Correct answer.
  3. Ionic
  4. Tuscan

Explanation

The Corinthian capital combines acanthus foliage with corner volutes and is the most ornate of the classical Greek orders. Doric capitals are plain and cushion-like, Ionic capitals carry paired volutes, and Tuscan is a simplified Etruscan-Roman variant.

Question 41Ancient and classical art

The Discobolus by Myron represents an athlete in which moment?

  1. The ritual anointing of the body with oil
  2. The instant of maximum tension before releasing the discus Correct answer.
  3. The relaxed interval after the throw
  4. The award ceremony with a victor's ribbon

Explanation

Myron's statue captures the poised, coiled instant before the throw, balancing exertion with a calm face. This tension between effort and composure is a hallmark of Classical Greek sculpture. The other options describe different athletic or ceremonial moments.

Question 42Ancient and classical art

The Pantheon in Rome is crowned by which type of dome?

  1. A groin-vaulted stone dome
  2. A coffered concrete dome with a central oculus Correct answer.
  3. A wooden barrel vault
  4. A ribbed dome on a drum with pendentives

Explanation

The Pantheon's hemispherical dome is cast in concrete and lightened by recessed coffers, opening at the apex through an oculus. The design achieves a vast uninterrupted interior span. Barrel vaults, groin vaults, and ribbed pendentive domes describe other structural systems.

Question 43Ancient and classical art

In the Standard of Ur, the two principal registers are conventionally interpreted as depicting which pair of subjects?

  1. A royal funeral and a coronation
  2. War and peace, with a banquet scene on one side Correct answer.
  3. The creation of the world and the flood
  4. Grain harvest and river transport

Explanation

One face of the Standard of Ur shows military victory with chariots and captives, while the other presents a banquet, often read as a scene of peace or celebration. The pairing expresses the king's dual role as warrior and provider. The other options do not match the surviving imagery.

Question 44Ancient and classical art

The Palette of Narmer is significant primarily because it presents which ideological theme?

  1. The unification of Upper and Lower Egypt under a single king Correct answer.
  2. The founding of a new capital at Amarna
  3. The defeat of the Sea Peoples by Ramesses III
  4. The construction of the great pyramid at Giza

Explanation

The palette shows Narmer wearing the crowns of both lands and subduing an enemy, framing political unification as cosmic order triumphing over chaos. Its ceremonial scale and iconography set the pattern for royal Egyptian imagery. The other events belong to different reigns and periods.

Question 45Ancient and classical art

The Egyptian technique of sunk relief is characterized by which feature?

  1. Figures painted on plaster with no carving
  2. Figures carved into the surface so their outlines lie below the surrounding plane Correct answer.
  3. Figures raised above the background by undercutting
  4. Figures modeled in wet clay applied to a wall

Explanation

In sunk relief the contours and modeling are cut inward, so the image sits below the stone surface. This technique catches strong sunlight and resists damage, making it common on exterior Egyptian walls. Raised relief, painting, and applied clay describe other methods.

Question 46Ancient and classical art

A Greek kouros figure is distinguished from a kore chiefly by which characteristic?

  1. The kouros is a bearded warrior, while the kore is a child attendant
  2. The kouros is a seated deity, while the kore is a standing worshipper
  3. The kouros is a winged victory, while the kore is a mourning woman
  4. The kouros is a nude male youth, while the kore is a clothed female maiden Correct answer.

Explanation

Archaic kouroi are standing nude youths, often votive or funerary, while korai are standing clothed maidens holding offerings. Both share the frontal stance and Archaic smile. The distinctions in the other options misstate pose, gender, or identity.

Question 47Ancient and classical art

The Parthenon's sculptural program includes which element on its frieze?

  1. A continuous Ionic frieze showing a Panathenaic procession Correct answer.
  2. Metopes depicting only the labors of Herakles
  3. Pedimental groups showing the birth of Athena alone
  4. A colossal cult statue carved from marble

Explanation

The Parthenon combines Doric exterior with an Ionic continuous frieze around the cella, depicting the Panathenaic procession. Its pediments show the birth of Athena and her contest with Poseidon, and its metopes cover several mythological cycles. The cult statue was chryselephantine, not marble.

Question 48Ancient and classical art

The Hellenistic sculpture Laocoön and His Sons is noted for which quality?

  1. Geometric abstraction reducing anatomy to simple blocks
  2. Cool restraint and idealized athletic calm
  3. Intense dramatic movement and emotional suffering rendered in twisted forms Correct answer.
  4. Severe frontal stillness following Archaic convention

Explanation

The Laocoön group exemplifies Hellenistic pathos, with serpentine struggle, exaggerated musculature, and agonized expression. It departs from Classical composure and from Archaic frontality. Abstraction and athletic calm describe other stylistic phases.

Question 49Ancient and classical art

Which structural system allowed Roman builders to span large interiors such as the Basilica of Maxentius without dense interior colonnades?

  1. Arches and vaults, including the groin vault, in concrete and stone Correct answer.
  2. Post-and-lintel trabeation with marble architraves
  3. Corbelled stone courses stepping inward
  4. Timber trusses resting on exterior buttresses

Explanation

Roman vaulting, especially the concrete groin vault, carried loads outward to massive piers, freeing the interior of a forest of columns. This system underlies buildings such as the Basilica of Maxentius and the Baths of Caracalla. Trabeation, corbelling, and timber trusses describe other approaches.

Question 50Ancient and classical art

The Roman portrait type known as veristic republican portraiture emphasizes which feature?

  1. Smooth youthful idealization of the emperor
  2. Unsparing detail of wrinkles, warts, and age as marks of gravitas Correct answer.
  3. Symbolic abstraction of facial features
  4. Mask-like frontality borrowed from Egyptian art

Explanation

Late Republican portraits often record age and physical flaws, associating realism with seriousness and public service. This veristic mode contrasts with the idealized imperial portraits that followed. Abstraction and frontality belong to other traditions.