level 3 art history (90495) 2011 assessment schedule. · web viewthe word renaissance means...

NCEA Level 3 Art History (90495) 2011 — page 1 of 15

Assessment Schedule – 2011Art History: Examine the context of an art movement (90495)Evidence Statement

Achievement Achievement with Merit Achievement with Excellence

The context of a specific art movement is described and evidence of the context in selected art works is described.

Relationships between the context of the movement and the selected art works are explained.

The significance of context for the art movement is evaluated.

Addresses the specific requirements of the questionUses appropriate art historical terminology to describe two appropriate aspects of the context specified in the selected questionSelects appropriate art works and describes evidence of the specified context in the selected art worksRefers to appropriate aspects of the selected artworks when demonstrating evidence of the selected context.

As for Achievement, plus: Goes beyond simple descriptions of the specified context to explain relevant relationships between the selected art works and that context Demonstrates knowledge and understanding of the specified context by making relevant connections between that context and the selected art works.

As for Achievement with Merit, plus: Addresses the requirements of the question with relevant responses supported by a range of contextual evidence. Demonstrates an informed and comprehensive understanding of the selected contextUses appropriate evidence drawn from other artists, art works and texts to support points made in an evaluative discussion Evaluates the significance of the specified context in relation to other relevant aspects of the specified artist, art works, art movementDemonstrates a comprehensive knowledge of the specified area of study by using relevant information to support a pertinent evaluative discussion


Question One: Fourteenth-Century Italian Painting


The candidate has described the circumstances surrounding the decoration of an appropriate family chapel, eg:The Arena Chapel was a family chapel that stood beside the Scrovegni Family palazzo. It was begun by Enrico Scrovegni in 1302 and it is thought that it was intended to atone for the way in which the family fortune had been made – Enrico’s father, Reginaldo, had been a usurer. The chapel was dedicated to the Virgin of Charity and Enrico asked Giotto to decorate it with scenes from the life of the Virgin Mary and Jesus to highlight the Christian belief in the redemption of humanity.ANDThe candidate has described evidence of that context in two named scenes, eg:In the Last Judgement scene, at the western end of the chapel, Enrico Scrovegni is depicted presenting a model of the chapel to the Virgin Mary. This is evidence of his role as the commissioner of the work.Usury is the subject of one scene in the chapel – the Payment of Judas. In this scene the black devil behind Judas shows how evil usury is.

As for Achievement, plus: The candidate has explained the relationships between the circumstances surrounding decoration of the chapel and the selected scenes, eg:Enrico Scrovegni inherited his wealth from his father. This wealth enabled him to build his palazzo and the Arena Chapel. By Enrico’s lifetime, the family’s business interests were legitimate and Enrico wanted to establish himself as a respectable member of society. The Last Judgement depicts the human fate after death, when Jesus will decide whether the dead person should go to heaven or hell. The image of Enrico holding a model of the chapel shows that he is hoping that by building the chapel he will have gained favour from the Virgin Mary.Similar meaning is conveyed in The Payment of Judas where usury is linked to the Devil.

As for Achievement with Merit, plus: The candidate has evaluated the extent to which the decoration of private chapels had a significant impact on the development of fourteenth-century Italian art, eg:The decoration of private chapels had a major impact on the development of fourteenth-century Italian art. During this century the Dominican and Franciscan monastic orders had become major church builders. Although their own funds and Commune donations paid for the construction of the churches, the costs of fresco decoration were major. This led to the practice of selling chapel space to private families who were encouraged to decorate them and use them for family purposes. As Paoletti and Radke state, “The size of such a chapel and its proximity to the altar indicated the prominence of the family who owned it and established in a clearly propagandist manner its position of honour within the religious, social, and economic fabric of the city”. This practice led to rivalry between families who competed for the famous artists of the period, such as Giotto, and encouraged them to produce works that were stylish and fashionable. Giotto’s interests in spatial naturalism and narrative painting are apparent in the Arena, Bardi and Peruzzi Chapels. The complex space seen in The Apparition of St Francis in the Bardi Chapel demonstrates the developments in Giotto’s work that took place after the Arena Chapel. The importance of private chapels continued after the time of Giotto and we can see evidence of this in the innovative lighting in Gaddi’s Annunciation to the Shepherds, one of the works he did in the Baroncelli Chapel in the 1330s. This dramatic and eye-catching scene clearly demonstrates what Paoletti and Radke describe as “a fairly consistent stylistic development over the course of some twenty years”, which was encouraged by the popularity for private chapels in this period.


Question Two: Fifteenth-century Italian Painting


The candidate has described the military events or circumstances related to two appropriate paintings.ANDThe candidate has described evidence of that context in two appropriate paintings related to military events or circumstances, eg:Uccello’s The Battle of San Romano, 1454, depicts an actual battle fought between Florence and Siena in 1432. This is captured dramatically by Uccello, as seen in the upright lances, rearing horses and the running figures in the background. Piero’s The Battle of Constantine and Maxentius, 1452–57 depicts a religious battle that is both a part of the Golden Legend used by Piero in the Arezzo Chapel and an actual event. In The Golden Legend, or Legend of the True Cross, the Emperor Constantine battles against his rival, the Emperor Maxentius.

As for Achievement, plus: The candidate has explained the relationships between the military events or circumstances and the selected paintings, eg:The Battle of San Romano is clearly set in the local region where the battle took place, with the San Romano hills rising up in the background. Both the subject and style would have suited Uccello’s sense of drama and his interest in Albertian perspective, with anomalies in perspective adding to the sense of disorder and combat in the painting. Piero has emphasised the contemporary relevance of the religious narrative of The Battle of Constantine and Maxentius by placing it in a familiar local landscape. The battle lines are divided by the Arno river, symbolic of the Tiber, with no physical combat taking place. Constantine holds the cross in a victorious pose on the left of the composition while the opposing soldiers run away on the right.

As for Achievement with Merit, plus: The candidate has evaluated the extent to which depictions of military events or circumstances reflected contemporary social and/or religious concerns, eg:Commissioned by Cosimo de Medici, The Battle of San Romano commemorates the victorious Florentines. This contemporary event clearly enhances the idea of civic pride and victory, seen in the central figure of Niccolo de Tolentino on the rearing white horse, who leads the charge, and the knight who lies wounded along an orthogonal line in the foreground.The Battle of Constantine and Maxentius is one of two battle scenes in The Legend of the True Cross, cycle of frescoes in San Francesco in Arezzo. The depiction of a religious battle was appropriate to the religious narrative of The Legend of the True Cross and the religious purpose in promoting the power of Christian faith. In The Dream of Constantine, another scene in the cycle, an angel appears to Constantine in a dream and declares “In this sign you shall conquer.” Piero clearly shows this power by placing Constantine in the middle of the battle holding a small cross, the source of victory. During the fifteenth century, artists moved away from a narrow focus on religious themes, to include secular subjects in their art. The growing popularity of secular subjects reflected the importance of the military in many of Italy’s city states. This is also reflected in the many portraits of city leaders in armour, such as Federigo da Montefeltro in the Brera Altarpiece, where the suit of armour clearly indicates Federigo’s role as the protective defender of his people. Military engineering and the making of armour were important Italian industries which provided employment for many artists like Leonardo da Vinci who designed fortifications for Milan and Donatello and Uccello who produced works for the Florentine armourer’s guild


which displayed their products in dramatic action sculptures and paintings of St George and the Dragon.


Question Three: Italian Renaissance Sculpture


The candidate has described the aspects of the contexts of two appropriate sculptures by MichelangeloANDThe candidate has described evidence of those contexts in two appropriate sculptures by Michelangelo, eg:David, 1501–04, is an early sculpture by Michelangelo based on the Biblical story of David defeating the Philistine giant. Intended for public display in the centre of Florence, the sculpture was intended to be a symbol of the strength of Florence. The Deposition (Pieta), 1546–55, is a late sculpture by Michelangelo depicting the moment when Jesus is lowered from the cross after his crucifixion. It was carved in Michelangelo’s old age and intended for his own tomb. The process could not have been easy and at one point he attacked the piece, claiming the piece was too hard and the stone wouldn’t obey him (Hartt).

As for Achievement, plus: A plausible explanation has been given for the relationships between each sculpture and its contexts, eg:This commission and placement of David coincided with Florence’s quest to become a strong republic. The large scale figure, at about 4 metres high, is muscular and noble – an image of civic pride and protection of the state. The Deposition is a more personal depiction of this Biblical event. In it Michelangelo’s own sense of spiritual struggle is expressed and can be seen in the way Michelangelo has included his own self-portrait in the figure of Joseph of Arimathea.

As for Achievement with Merit, plus: The candidate has evaluated the extent to which these contexts had a significant impact on the treatment of the figures in each in each sculpture, eg:David was originally commissioned by the Opera de Duomo and placed in the Palazzo della Signoria in Florence in full public view. As well as being a part of a Biblical narrative, there are associations with classical heroes of super-strength such as Hercules. This image is created through the influence of antiquity, seen in the contrapposto pose, idealised form of the figure, monumental scale, and noble qualities embodied.

The figure of Christ in The Deposition is still muscular but the form is elongated in the mannerist style and the pose is one of pity. The mannerist style is also seen in the anomalies of scale between the figures, with Mary Magdalene much smaller than the other figures. Vasari recognised and recorded that the figure supporting Christ was a self-portrait of Michelangelo, suggesting Michelangelo’s Counter-Reformation identification with the death of Christ. (Roberta Olson). This idea is reinforced in his poetry in such lines as: “Neither painting nor sculpture will be able to quiet the soul, turned to that divine love that opened its arms on the cross to enfold us.”


Question Four: High Renaissance and the Development of Mannerism


The candidate has described the circumstances in Rome that encouraged the development of the High Renaissance style, eg:At the end of the fifteenth century, the papacy came into the hands of a series of Popes who wanted to rebuild the city in a manner that suited the centre of the Catholic Church.Great architectural commissions like St Peter’s provided a background for great commissions in painting and sculpture. ANDThe candidate has described evidence of that context in two appropriate named High Renaissance art works, eg:Michelangelo was commissioned to design and execute a massive tomb for Pope Julius II, which was designed as a free standing, classicising monument. Although it was never completed, the use of art to glorify the power and prestige of the papacy is apparent in the noble, classicising treatment of surviving parts like the nude male statue now in the Louvre.The papal building programmes created great empty spaces, which provided scope for painters like Raphael to decorate. His great frescoes in the Stanza della Segnatura demonstrate the close relationship between architectural patronage and painting in High Renaissance Rome.

As for Achievement, plus: The candidate has explained the relationships between the circumstances that encouraged the development of the High Renaissance style and two appropriate art works, eg:During the thirteenth and fourteenth centuries the papacy had been unstable and the city of Rome had declined into a dirty, unimpressive city. By 1500 the papacy had stabilised, the Popes had returned to Rome permanently and Popes like Julius II and Leo X were determined to rebuild Rome and St Peter’s in order to beautify the city, glorify the Catholic Church and establish the Papacy as the dominant power. Julius wanted Michelangelo to design a tomb, which would both glorify him and ensure that his reputation lasted for ever. Its large, imposing size would have a major impact and would revive the traditions of ancient Rome.The decoration of the Stanza della Segnatura and other papal apartments were intended to provide a noble environment for Popes as they went about their business of running the Church and state. The themes of these frescoes were designed to enhance the Christian and Neoplatonist ideas of the Catholic Church as well as providing a grand decorative scheme.

As for Achievement with Merit, plus: The candidate has evaluated the extent to which circumstances in Rome had a significant impact on the development of the High Renaissance style of art, eg:It is generally accepted that the emergence of a dominant Rome and papacy led to the emergence of a particular artistic style, which is called the High Renaissance. The word Renaissance means re-birth and the term became popular in the nineteenth century to describe the revival of classical grandeur which can be observed in art of the High Renaissance period. Characteristics of this style include harmony, heroic composition and humanist content, all of which were encouraged by Popes Julius and Leo. It is said to be epitomised by the technical mastery of Leonardo da Vinci, Raphael and Michelangelo.Rome was also the site of significant archaeological research and exploration, and the discovery of antiques like the Laocoon in 1506 had a major impact on the development of the High Renaissance style and subsequent Mannerism.Although both Raphael and Michelangelo worked in Rome and their works in this city are upheld as outstanding examples of High Renaissance art, they also worked in Florence where they produced works like Michelangelo’s David which are also categorised as High Renaissance by authorities like George Holmes in his book, Renaissance. Leonardo da Vinci did not produce any Roman works yet he is included in the High Renaissance section of many textbooks, which would suggest that the circumstances in Rome were not the only significant factor in the emergence of a High Renaissance style.


Question Five: Venetian Painting


The candidate has described the unique nature of Venice that encouraged the development of a Venetian style of art, eg:Venice was an extremely wealthy city-state and by the end of the fifteenth century it was the richest city in the world. (George Holmes, Renaissance, p 118).It was a maritime city, built on a large number of islands, which were linked by sea inlets and canals. This location had enabled Venice to accumulate wealth based on sea trade between Europe and the near- east.ANDThe candidate has described evidence of that context in two appropriate named Venetian art works, eg:The busy, maritime city has been described in many paintings including Gentile Bellini’s Miracle of the Holy Cross on San Lorenzo Bridge, c. 1494–1505, which shows a busy canal flanked by tall buildings and paths crowded with well-dressed people.The wealth and exotic influences, which came to Venice through their maritime empire were expressed in extensive architectural development in the fifteenth and sixteenth centuries. These influences can also be seen in paintings like Giovanni Bellini’s San Giobbe Altarpiece. The architectural and decorative features in this work, like the gold mosaic semi-dome, reflect the influence of Byzantine architecture.

As for Achievement, plus: The candidate has explained the relationships between the unique nature of Venice that encouraged the development of a Venetian style of art and two appropriate art works, egGentile Bellini’s painting is an example of the seascape type of painting, which emerged in Venice in the fifteenth century. The wide rectangular format of the painting is designed to provide a panoramic view of the nature of Venice with its expensive buildings, bustling canals and streets full of wealthy people who enjoyed parading their wealth.Bellini’s San Giobbe Altarpiece is a monumental painting, typical of the large-scale art works commissioned by private individuals, church and state institutions in Venice at this period. The golden light, which suffuses this painting was a Venetian innovation, which was derived from the golden light of a Venetian sunset, reflected in the surrounding waters. This light combines with the gold detailing in this work to produce a rich, sensuous painting which expresses the wealth of Venice.

As for Achievement with Merit, plus: The candidate has evaluated the extent to which the unique nature of Venice had a significant impact on the development of the Venetian style of art, eg:By the sixteenth century, the unique nature of Venetian art and architecture was easily distinguished from other Italian states. Venice’s close relationships with Northern artists like Albrecht Dürer had encouraged artists like Giovanni Bellini to adopt oil paint. This medium allowed Bellini and subsequent artists like Giorgione, Titian and Veronese to produce light-filled canvases in which the sheen of gold, glass and jewels mingled with the textural effects of oil-painted furs, satins and silks in panoramic depictions of the Venetian nobility in works like Veronese’s Alexander and the Family of Darius. Another unique aspect of Venetian art can be seen in its revival of classical mythological subjects, which were produced for their sensual and aesthetically pleasing qualities rather than their Neoplatonist associations. The poesie produced by Giorgione, Titian et al demonstrate the love of luxury, which characterised the wealthy ruling class of Venice. These subjects also reflect Venice’s contacts with eastern cultures such as Greece and Turkey, which were not so governed by Catholic morality.Mythological paintings like Titian’s Sacred and Profane Love also reflect both “the new classical learning of the period and the new Venetian fascination with landscape” (Paoletti and Radke, Art in Renaissance Italy, p 468). This interest in landscape has been linked to Venice’s development of a land empire in this period and is another example of the significant impact of Venice’s unique environment on the development of the unique Venetian style of art.


Question Six: Northern Renaissance Art


The candidate has described the economic circumstances in Northern Europe that encouraged the development of Northern Renaissance art, eg:By the end of the 13th century, Brugges had become an important trading centre, hosting large fairs where merchants from all over Europe came to trade for fine Flemish textiles which were produced locally.This trade lead to the development of financial services such as banking and by the 14th century, Brugges was also an international financial and trading centre. ANDThe candidate has described evidence of these circumstances in two appropriate named Northern Renaissance art works, eg:This wealth can be seen in Northern Renaissance paintings in this period. For example, two paintings on the exterior of the Beaune Altarpiece show the donor, Nicolas Rollin, and his wife in front of expensive hangings of gold. Great attention has been paid to the details of their expensive clothing.This attention to fine detail in expensive fabrics and objects is a characteristic of Northern painting, as in the image of St Mary Magdalene in the Braque Triptych.

As for Achievement, plus: The candidate has explained the relationships between the economic circumstances that encouraged the development of the Northern Renaissance art and two appropriate art works, eg:Northern Renaissance paintings are full of gorgeously dressed figures, fine architecture and expensive objects, all of which reflect the wealthy economic context of this region. In Van der Weyden’s depiction of St Barbara, we see a very comfortable living room, with a blazing fire, finely crafted furniture and fine glass and pewter utensils. Interiors like this provide clear evidence of a prosperous society and comfortable way of life.Other paintings, such as Van Eyck’s Madonna and Chancellor Rolin, include views of a thriving town with merchant ships on the river, multi-storey buildings and cheerful citizens going about their daily activities.

As for Achievement with Merit, plus: The candidate has evaluated the extent to which the were a significant factor in the development of the rich detail characteristic of Northern Renaissance art, eg:These affluent circumstances definitely account for the development of rich detail in Northern Renaissance art.To a great extent, art patronage in Northern Europe was dominated by powerful rulers like the Counts of Flanders and Dukes of Burgundy, who enjoyed spending money on personal luxuries such as illuminated books, jewels and ornaments. The production of these luxuries led to the growth of specialist trades like goldsmiths and silversmiths who specialised in producing intricately decorated personal objects. The influence of these International Gothic items can be seen in the detailed reproduction of jewellery and precious objects in Flemish and German painting.Art patronage also became important among the merchant classes of Northern Europe and these patrons have been held responsible for the intense interest in textiles, which characterises Northern art in this period. The careful reproduction of fabrics such as St Barbara’s beautiful sleeve enabled viewers to identify the fabric and its source and it has been suggested that this detailed realism served a form of product placement. This function would certainly encourage the development of the detailed realism which characterised Northern Renaissance art.


Question Seven: Cubism and Abstraction


The candidate has described the interest in modern technological change of Robert and/or Sonia Delaunay, eg:Both Robert and Sonia Delaunay were interested in and excited by the modern technological developments of their age. They were both interested in electricity and the new electric light, which was illuminating homes and streets with bright and even coloured light.The invention of flight was another modern technological change that fascinated the Delaunays, especially Robert, and reference to it appears in many of his works.ANDThe candidate has described evidence of this context in two appropriate art works, eg:Sun, Tower, Aeroplane: Simultaneous, Robert Delaunay, 1913.In this work, cube like forms at the top of the composition resemble an aircraft, while disks and radiating forms resemble propellers in motion.Sonia Delaunay, Portuguese Market, 1913This work was painted in Portugal, where the couple stayed in a seaside town. Its subject is a vibrant market captured in abstract, swirling colour with one recognisable figure in the foreground.

As for Achievement, plus: The candidate has explained the relationships between the interest in technological change of Robert and/or Sonia Delaunay and two appropriate art works, eg:In Sun, Tower, Aeroplane: Simultaneous Robert Delaunay puts a variety of modern objects together simultaneously – the Eiffel Tower, the giant Ferris Wheel in the Champs des Mars, as well as abstracted circular forms that are textured and seem to shift and move. Delaunay was interested in both the objects of technological change and the resulting forms, movement and colour. The forms in Sonia Delaunay’s work are inspired by the movement and vibrancy of technological change, especially electrical movement and light. These are reflected in the swirling patterns and bright colours of her paintings, collages, and textiles. She also used these infuences and expressed her interests in the modernist designs she produced for avant garde theatre and ballet companies.

As for Achievement with Merit, plus: The candidate has evaluated the extent to which this interest in modern technological change contributed to the development of Orphism, eg:Orphism was one of the small, specialised movements that emerged from the cubist exploration of form which took place in French art in the first two decades of the twentieth century.Robert Delaunay was interested in new forms and ideas associated with technological change because it coincided with his artistic exploration of movement, the expressive properties of colour and modernity in order to create a “new reality”. Phillip Cooper suggests that for Delaunay, flight, like radio waves, could break down geographical barriers and so it was an important means of symbolising simultaneity – a visual and conceptual way of viewing multiple things. Apollinaire coined the term Orphism to describe this musical relationship in the work of Delaunay. In Sun, Tower, Aeroplane: Simultaneous the interaction light and dark colour creates harmony. This work explores the aims of Orphism with the optical effects of colour and the increasingly abstract exploration of form. Sonia Delaunay expressed similar interests in her exploration of modern colours and forms in new designs in the decorative arts where her use of contrasting “electric” colours and geometric patterns seem to anticipate the Op art modernism of the 1960s, when she was still working in Paris.


Question Eight: Fauvism and Expressionism


The candidate has described the early twentieth century circumstances that encouraged the development of Expressionism in Europe, eg:The late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries were times of major technological and cultural change, which affected art. Technological changes like photography and paint in tubes helped encourage expressionist painting.Another major aspect of early twentieth-century Europe was mechanical war, which challenged traditional European attitudes and encouraged artists to express their personal feelings in art.ANDThe candidate has described evidence of that context in one appropriate Fauve painting and one appropriate German Expressionist work, eg:Henri Matisse’s Luxe, calme et Volupte, 1904–5, is about pleasure and relaxing by the seaside which is what the Fauves liked to paint with their bright colours and spare time.Ernst Kirchner’s Self-portrait as a Soldier, 1915, shows an artist expressing his personal feelings about what was happening in the early twentieth century in a painting.

As for Achievement, plus: The candidate has explained the relationships between the early twentieth century circumstances that encouraged the development of Expressionism in Europe and two appropriate art works, eg:The two selected art works demonstrate different responses to the early twentieth-century circumstances in Europe. Matisse’s painting focuses on the increased leisure that technology brought to the middle classes and the colour and hedonistic subject seems to be celebrating new modern aspects of life, like freedom. Kirchner’s painting also uses thickly applied paint straight out of the tube but Kirchner has focused on negative aspects of early twentieth-century Europe because it shows the enormous damage and suffering that mechanised warfare brought.

As for Achievement with Merit, plus: The candidate has evaluated the extent to which these circumstances account for the differences between Fauvism and German Expressionism, eg:According to Robert Hughes, “The cradle of modernism (France) did not feel the uncertainties about the machine that we do” (Shock of the New, p 11). When we look at early twentieth century Fauvism we get a peek into a world of fun and pleasure in which traditional European morals and conventions are breaking down under the challenge of foreign and exotic ideas picked up from foreign cultures. Although some German Expressionists, such as Macke, shared the Fauve interest in colour and pleasure, the overwhelming mood of German Expressionism is one of uncertainty, fear and doubt. This mood is closely related to the context of newly unified and Prussian dominated Germany where the government moved to suppress regional culture beneath a German uniformity. It also reflects the psychological and philosophical context of early twentieth century Germany where the ideas of Nietzsche and Freud were becoming increasingly influential. Although existentialism became an important context for art in mid-twentieth century France, the ideas of Nietzsche and Freud had little impact in early twentieth-century Paris, where fauvism originated or in the south of France where Matisse settled. In their isolated, pleasant worlds of Collioure and the Riviera, the Fauve artists were free to focus on the pleasant aspects of the new world, unlike their German contemporaries who were surrounded by oppressive politics and depressive thought. The impact of these contrasting contexts is most apparent in the differences between French and German Expressionism.


Question Nine: Dada and Surrealism


The candidate has described the artistic context that encouraged the development of Dada art in the early twentieth century, eg:Although different dates are given for the emergence of the Dada movement, generally 1916 is accepted as the beginning of Dada, associated with the Café Voltaire in Zurich. The Café Voltaire was a group of artists and performers who wanted to create a centre for artistic entertainment involving many different artistic disciplines such as music, painting, poetry and journalism.Marinetti and Futurism were popular when the Dada movement began and this movement’s celebration of modernity and enthusiasm for the destruction of past institutions was an important context for the development of Dada.ANDThe candidate has described evidence of that context in two appropriate named art works, eg:Jean Arp’s Birds in an Aquarium demonstrates the spontaneity and lack of logic that was typical of early Dada art, and which challenged traditional western art.Kurt Schwitters’ early collages, like Merz 410 (1922), can be linked to the disconnected, random poetry of the Futurists as well as to the ready-mades by Picasso in his so-called Synthetic Cubist phase.

As for Achievement, plus: The candidate has explained the relationships between this artistic context and two appropriate art works, eg:Birds in an Aquarium is like a child’s toys, made up of wooden blocks in bright nursery colours. Pieced together in a meaningless, random composition, the work embodies the worlds of child and chance, which were already being explored by performers in the Cabaret Voltaire. Merz 410 is one of Schwitters’ art works composed out of found materials, including rubbish, in a random, spontaneous composition which echoes the apparently random, meaningless word-pictures made by Futurists like Marinetti himself and Balla. These works also draw upon the layered papier collees produced by Picasso, Braque and Gris, just before the beginning of World War I, when Parisian art seemed to be exploring the nature and traditions of art rather than any visual subject.

As for Achievement with Merit, plus: The candidate has evaluated the extent to which this artistic context was a significant factor in the development of Dada art, eg:It is easy to attribute the emergence of Dada to the dislocation and violence of World War 1, and to see the apparent nihilism of the movement as an expression of European disillusion after this event.Nevertheless, close examination makes it apparent that there is considerable evidence to support the idea that the Dada movement was a logical progression from various artistic contexts, which had existed in Europe before the war.For example, early modernists in Paris had already challenged the western art traditions, beginning with Picasso’s Les Demoiselles d’Avignon, and proceeding through works like Still-Life with Chair Caning and ending with his newspaper collage entitled Guitars of 1914. During and immediately after the war, Russian constructivists like El Lizzitsky were also exploring the possibilities of materials and forms without associations with previous cultures.The fact that so many Dada artists made obvious references to traditional art in works like Duchamps’ LHOOQ, supports the conclusion that artistic contexts were a most significant factor in the development of Dada art because, as Robert Hughes said, “the world was already full of ‘interesting’ objects that the artists need not add to them” (Hughes, Shock of the New, p 66).


Question Ten: Architecture: Modernism to Postmodernism


The candidate has described the circumstances that encouraged Post modernist architecture, eg:The popularity of the International Style had led to widespread uniformity in architecture, which some architects and town planners began to find boring.The bright colours, bold forms and references to the commercial world in Pop Art began to appear in interior decorating fabrics etc. These developments were picked up by young architects.ANDThe candidate has described the impact of those circumstances on two appropriate buildings, eg:Frank Gehry’s California Aerospace Museum (1984) is a large postmodern building made up of various volumes, joined together in contrasting angles. Further interest is given to the building by the jet plane, which is fixed to a column at the front of the building.Daniel Libeskind’s Jewish Museum in Berlin (1999) has a postmodern façade made up of shiny zinc walls that are pierced by jagged splits in random places, which is very different from the smooth white surfaces of earlier modernist buildings.

As for Achievement, plus: The candidate has explained the relationships between the circumstances that encouraged Post modernist architecture and two appropriate buildings, eg:The California Aerospace Museum has the discordant angular forms and applied decorative detail that characterises many of Gehry’s postmodern buildings. The jet plane is plonked on the front of the building and looks a bit like a Pop art sculpture. It gives the building a strong visual presence and makes it stand out from more traditional buildings.Libeskind’s building has also been designed to be different and to attract attention and stand out from its surroundings. Everything about the building reacts against architectural traditions – the building is built around a central void and the entrance is difficult to find because it has not been highlighted by a portico or entrance hall as in traditional architecture. These details are some of the postmodernist features used by this architect to distinguish his building from other buildings in the Berlin CBD.

As for Achievement with Merit, plus: The candidate has evaluated the extent to which these circumstances were a key factor in the development of Post modernist architecture, eg:Robert Venturi is often given credit for the development of postmodernism and his slogan “less is a bore” is frequently used to support the idea that post modernist architecture developed purely because white clad functionalist boxes and blocks all over the world had created a boring urban landscape. Jonathan Clancey says that post modernism “in some form or other was probably inevitable [because] the modern experiment had become tired and corrupted” (Jonathan Clancey, Twentieth Century Architecture, p 280); however he goes on to acknowledge the importance of other circumstances such as Pop culture, advertising, television and new movements in art such as collage.Pop art experiments, especially the use of architectural spaces such as Andy Warhol’s studio can be linked to Gehry’s experiments with factory-like materials and forms in his own house.The two selected buildings are both museums and represent an architectural market which has expanded recently as cities look for ways to tap into the lucrative tourist market. Many contemporary museums and galleries have been built in eye-catching postmodern designs, ranging from Gehry’s amazing Guggenheim in Spain to the Christchurch Art Gallery. The architecture of these buildings is designed to provide the visitor with a unique architectural experience, which underpins the exhibits in the museum. The postmodern design of so many of these buildings supports the conclusion that the desire to entertain and attract business were major factors in the development of postmodernism.


Question Eleven: Modern American Art


The candidate has described the social beliefs in America in the late twentieth century, eg:Many conflicting social beliefs were challenged in twentieth-century art.In the 1970s a large number of female artists began to describe themselves as feminists and used their art to draw attention to widely held stereotypes about female behaviour and social roles.Other artists addressed American foreign policy and militarism, particularly the Cold War and America’s involvement in foreign wars, like Vietnam. A new, young generation of intellectuals began to question America’s traditional capitalist beliefs and the traditional American belief in the stockpiling of arms as a form of defence. ANDThe candidate has described evidence of that context in two appropriate art works, eg:Cindy Sherman’s Untitled No 70 (1980) shows a young woman drinking from a glass in a dimly lit scene with city reflections in the background. This feminist art work draws attention to the role of women in American society and, also seems to be addressing another issue, the role of alcohol in contemporary life.Edward Kienholz’s Roxy (1961), is an installation based on an American living room in which familiar domestic objects are watched over by a saluting general in a painting on the wall, in a clear statement about Kienholz’s view of American society as one which was dominated by militarism.

As for Achievement, plus: The candidate has explained the relationships between these social beliefs and two appropriate art works, eg:Cindy Sherman’s self-portrait is typical of her work, which uses photographic self-portraits to draw attention to stereotypes and other social issues involving contemporary women’s lives. Many of her images, like this one focus on women alone in the city whose independence and assertiveness threatened the traditional order of American society. Kienholz explored many social themes in his sculpture and installations. Using non-traditional materials and modes, like the installation of Roxy he widened the boundaries of art and used his art to draw attention to the complacency of life in an American suburb and broader realities such as the influence of the military in American society.

As for Achievement with Merit, plus: The candidate has evaluated the extent to which the challenging of social beliefs was an important aspect of American art in the late twentieth century, eg:As Robert Hughes says, “in the late sixties and early seventies, when so much of the middle-class youth of Europe and America was surging with protest, first against war in Vietnam and then against racism, sexism and ecological ruin, it was hard for artists to keep politics out of their work” (Robert Hughes, The Shock of the New, p 376).Many artists, such as the feminists and political activists like Kienholz were quite open in their exploration of social issues. Others, like Robert Rauschenburg were more subtle, however his ready- made works and combines like Monogram were obviously produced within a context of materialism and its consequent rubbish, and can be seen as precursors of the volumes of art which has arisen from the context of ecological issues in the late twentieth century.


Question Twelve: Modern New Zealand Art


The candidate has described two aspects of the international artistic influences in New Zealand artANDThe candidate has described evidence of that context in two appropriate art works, eg:Colin McCahon, The Northland Panels, 1958The Northland Panels, were painted from memory after McCahon returned from a trip to America in 1958. There he saw a wide range of international art from the New York School to eastern artists. The scale could be attributed to the large scale work of the Abstract Expressionists such as Pollock.Gretchen Albrecht, Blue/Yellow:Leda, 1982Blue/Yellow:Leda, is part of a series of works painted in the 1980s, known as ‘Hemispheres’. They were inspired by a trip Albrecht made to Europe in the late 70s where she saw Renaissance art and architecture. Blue/Yellow:Leda uses the geometric forms, such as arches she saw in Renaissance churches and the symmetrical compositions she found in Renaissance frescoes.

As for Achievement, plus: The candidate has explained the relationships between the international artistic influences in New Zealand and two appropriate art works, eg:The scale and ‘all-over’ quality of works such as Pollock’s had an impact on McCahon and he wrote “I realised again the importance of pictures for people to walk past.” In this way the painting becomes a shared experience of the New Zealand landscape.The shape of the canvas in Blue/Yellow:Leda, is a semi-circle, divided symmetrically down the centre of the canvas by the contrasting colours of blue and yellow. Although abstract, a subject is suggested in the title. The title refers to the classical myth of Leda being seduced by a swan, actually Zeus in disguise. The composition and forms are reminiscent of the underlying geometry found in Renaissance painting.

As for Achievement with Merit, plus: The candidate has evaluated the extent to which these artistic influences contributed to the development of individual expression in New Zealand art, eg:International influences in Colin McCahon’s Northland Panels, particularly those of the American Abstract Expressionists, can be seen in such stylistic features as the gestural brushwork, the geometric abstraction, the large scale, and the all-over free hanging compositions. Some features of Northland Panels, however, are typically found in McCahon’s early work such as Six Days in Nelson and Canterbury (1950) and Takaka Night and Day (1948). For example the use of text, different scenes used to depict the effect of weather or time of day, and a spiritual response to the landscape. The New Zealand landscape, in this case Northland, remains central.Albrecht describes her strongly coloured abstract compositions as hemispheres, and more recently, ovals, and are an individual response to the inspiration she found in European art. The early Hemispheres measured the width of the artists arms and could be likened to the measurement found in Leonardo’s Vitruvian Man. She pays direct homage to another Renaissance artist, Piero Della Francesca in the triangular geometric composition entitled After Piero, (1980). Albrecht was interested in Piero’s use of mathematics and geometry to create sacred space, especially around the Virgin Mary.


Judgement Statement


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