SYLVIE SAN JUAN: Hi, welcome to the AP practice sessions.
My name is Sylvie San Juan, and I'm
a teacher at Belen Jesuit Preparatory
School in Miami, Florida.
If you want to work through the questions with me today,
please feel free to click the link and download the PDF,
and you can work through some of these questions with me today.
Let's get started.
Today we're going to be practicing multiple choice
questions.
Now, for these questions, you're going to see a wide variety.
Some are image-based and some are nonimage-based.
And the multiple choice questions,
just like the essays, assess different skills.
This includes visual analysis, contextual analysis,
comparison, artistic traditions, attributions,
and interpretations.
Something else to keep in mind that definitely comes up
in the multiple choice questions are the big ideas
for the course, like cultural contexts or materials,
processes, and techniques.
So these are big ideas that you've
been working through with the artworks all year.
Let's start with our first question in just a second.
But before we do that, I would like
to emphasize that today's questions are going
to be focusing on cultural contexts, interactions
between and within cultures, and purpose and audience.
These are some of the big ideas we'll focus on today.
So for our first question, let's take a look
at this artwork which hopefully looks familiar.
This is the Audience Hall at Persepolis.
It reveals the vastness of the Persian Empire by?
Let's take a look at our choices.
When we get a multiple choice question,
always read the choices carefully
after looking at the prompt, and we're
going to look for the best answer.
So A says, including mythical creatures
representing the four corners of the empire,
including artistic styles and materials
from the different cultures ruled by the Persians,
being situated on a raised platform with a different level
dedicated to each region of the empire,
or being situated on a hill and the temples
representing the patron deities.
So let's think about this.
Now, the question requires some visual and contextual
information about Persepolis.
So we can pretty much eliminate this one
because although there might be some creatures like Lamassu
at some of the gates at Persepolis,
similar to the Palace of Sargon II,
the mythical creatures are not revealing the vastness
of the Persian Empire.
That's the key.
That's what we're looking for here.
And while it is on a platform, each level
is not dedicated to a region in the empire.
So this is not the best choice.
And it is situated on a hill, but it doesn't
represent patron deities.
So that leaves one correct answer,
and that is the artistic styles and materials
from the different cultures ruled by the Persians.
And if you remember some contextual information
about this work, you'll recall that they really
were open to having different cultures,
and they accepted those different cultures.
Now, for our second question, it's also about Persepolis.
And we're going to take a look at the sculptural program.
And here, the sculptural program on the stairs
leading to the Apadana can reflect the function
of the Audience Hall as a seat of the Persian king
by depicting?
Let's take a look at our choices.
So choice A, as an important deity
handing the insignias of law and authority to the king
to demonstrate his legitimacy.
And although that one looks familiar,
it might not be the best choice here.
Then we have a mythological battle
between gods and monsters to underscore the role of the king
as a protector of civilization against barbarism.
Foreign representatives in various regional attire
carrying offerings.
Or portraits of the king combined with the bodies
of mythological creatures.
Let's take a look at some key information in each choice.
So choice A focuses on this concept of an important deity,
B is focusing on a mythological battle,
C is focusing on foreign representatives,
and D on portraits of the king.
So think about, again, what we know about the Persians
and how they were open to accepting people
from different cultures in their empire.
If we really think about this, we
can see that the best choice is choice C.
Foreign representatives in various regional attire
carrying offerings to represent the many subjugated peoples who
pay tribute to the empire.
So we can pretty much cross off the other ones.
As you can see what we're doing is
we're looking for the best choice.
And while the other ones might sound correct, only one of them
really fits into that contextual information about the Persians,
the cultural context big idea.
Remember, as a little bit of background,
the Persian Empire was divided into regions called satrapies,
and Persepolis contained relief sculptures
showing different ethnic groups within the empire.
So if you remember discussing this in class
earlier this year, you will see that definitely choice C
is the best one.
Now, question 3.
In the interest of reviving classical Greco-Roman style,
Renaissance architect, Filippo Brunelleschi's plan
for the Pazzi Chapel notably drew on features
from other existing buildings such as the?
Now, let's take a look at our choices.
As I mentioned, there are some questions that do not
have an associated image.
So for these, you want to try and draw from your experience
all year, and kind of pull up from that mental database
this image and think about, what does the Pazzi Chapel look
like?
Because that will really help you eliminate the wrong choices
and leave the best choice standing.
So A is symmetrical plan, horizontal entablatures,
and loggia of the Palazzo Rucellai.
OK.
Keep that one in mind, let's think about it.
Open-air plan, elliptical shape, and arcades of the Colosseum.
So if you think of the Pazzi Chapel,
you can almost pretty much eliminate choice B
because it doesn't have an open-air plan.
So this is probably not the best choice.
Central plan, large dome, and oculus of the Pantheon.
OK.
Let's keep this in mind.
Has possibilities.
Or D, rectilinear plan, longitudinal nave,
and clerestory of Santa Sabina.
Again, that one doesn't sound great
because it doesn't have a longitudinal nave.
It's mostly a central plan, the Pazzi Chapel.
So, again, look for the key elements of each choice.
OK.
Central plan, large dome and oculus, rectilinear plan,
longitudinal nave, and clerestory.
That leaves one best choice in that central plan, large dome,
and oculus of the Pantheon.
In fact, let's take a look at them
side by side for a second just to refresh our memories.
Both buildings have a central plan, a dome, and an oculus.
So this is really the best option here.
Really try to have that mental database
and review these artworks before the test, like we're doing now,
so that they're really fresh, and even
if it doesn't have an image, you'll
be able to pick out the right choice.
Now, let's take a look at our next question.
Both objects shown suggest a belief in an afterlife
because both?
And here, the key is both.
So whatever choice you pick has to be true for both our works
in the image, right?
The Jade Cong and the Silla crown.
So A, incorporate symbols that were
reserved for funeral rituals.
Combine imagery that represent both human birth and death.
Were made from precious materials
and deposited in graves.
Were found alongside texts guiding the soul
through the underworld.
OK.
Let's think about this.
It has to be true for both.
And one says it is incorporates symbols, A.
The other one combines imagery with human birth and death.
This other one says precious materials.
And another one says that it was found alongside texts.
Now, choice D, we can pretty much
eliminate because if you remember
the Jade Cong is from the Global Prehistory unit.
And prehistory means before recorded language,
so therefore found alongside texts
is definitely not correct.
So we can definitely take that one out.
OK.
The best choice is precious materials
and deposited in graves.
Both of these were in graves.
If you remember the Jade Cong, the abrasive technique
that was used was really difficult,
and it lets us know that whatever
the purpose of this object was, it
was very important because the artistic process was very time
consuming.
So this is definitely-- and the same was true
of the Silla crown made of a very valuable material
for the culture.
So, yes, both are funerary objects
made of precious materials in one case Jade,
and the other gold/silver.
And although they are from different content areas,
they have similar purposes.
And note, while this is a good crosscultural connection,
it's not an interaction between cultures.
That's a different big idea.
Interaction between cultures has to be purposeful.
So this is a good comparison, let's say.
OK?
Yeah.
So we could definitely eliminate those other choices.
They don't work here.
OK.
So here we're on to question 5.
The specific combination of motifs and style
used in each malagan object is partially determined by?
A, customary laws that transfer the ownership of each object's
design to its individual patron.
Rules enforced by Australian governors
which regulated the production of malagan objects.
Rules that prescribed the usage of certain colors and patterns
based on social status.
Or customs that restricted the artists
to the use of traditional designs.
So, again, let's look for those key phrases
inside these choices.
Transferred ownership.
Rules enforced.
Certain colors and patterns based on social status.
The restriction of the artist to the use of traditional designs.
And the best choice here is, A, customary laws that transferred
the ownership of each object's design
to its individual patron, OK?
Keep this in mind.
This is a really good one, and a good example
of a question about that big idea, cultural context.
Now, our next question here is about the Taj Mahal.
And this is another question of the type that does not
have an image included.
So this is where we pull from that mental database
to visualize the Taj Mahal so that we can best
answer this question.
So the minarets of the Taj Mahal are
used in a somewhat different manner
than was traditional for minarets
because their function was to?
So first, we want to think about how were minarets
used in a traditional manner, and there we
know they were used to call people to prayer, Muslims
to prayer.
So then we think about the function of the Taj Mahal.
And we know that this was a building made
as a mausoleum for the favorite wife of Shah Jahan,
her name was Mumtaz Mahal.
So this is the best context that we have for this work.
So let's take a look at the choices.
Ensure that the complex would be visible from all directions.
Provide a visual balance to the design of the main structure.
Communicate tails through relief carvings
that wind up each minaret.
Or allow visitors to see the layout of the entire complex
by climbing to the top.
Let's take a look, and let's think about this.
All right.
So we're focusing on the minarets here,
and we're looking at how they were
used in a different manner than traditional.
So we can eliminate some right away.
This is really going to require background knowledge
of this building, OK?
So communicate tales through relief carvings,
that's not true here.
This maybe true of different objects,
such as the Column of Trajan that
has tails winding up the column, but not at the Taj Mahal,
right?
Allows visitors to see the layout of the entire complex,
no.
Ensure that the complex would be visible from all directions,
that doesn't sound like the main purpose here.
But if you remember studying this building,
you'll remember that there were some optical refinements that
were made to make the building appear
perfect like other buildings and other units
that you may have studied.
And therefore, the perfect choice
would be provide a visual balance
to the design of the main structure.
So choice B is the best option here.
And although some works don't have images like this one,
it does help to visualize them, OK?
And that's the example here.
So here we have the Taj Mahal, and next to our question
that we just answered.
So although we didn't have the image when
we were answering the question, and there
will be some on the exam that you don't have an image for,
you do want to keep it in mind because if you think of this,
and you think about other things that provide balance
to the design, such as the symmetry or that reflecting
pool, all of this helps to bring visual balance.
So that question is just in line with what
we know about the Taj Mahal.
All right.
We have a few more questions here.
Question 7 is about Forbidden City and the Palace
of Versailles, and they express similar meaning in which
of the following ways?
Again, sometimes you may have a question
about two works and no image.
So you want to pull both of them from your mental database
in order to really answer the question properly.
So do both contain important religious structures
to convey the ruler spiritual orientation,
both include elaborate gardens to convey the ruler's
appreciation for the beauty of the natural world, both use
gates and doorways to convey differences
in the status of people who enter the complexes,
or both were planned and laid out
along symbolic axes that convey the ruler's absolute authority.
Remember, it has to be true for both of them.
So there are some that we can eliminate right away,
and the best choice is that they are both planned out
along symbolic axes that convey the ruler's absolute authority.
These other choices, we can pretty much eliminate,
or we can definitely eliminate the other ones
that are definitely not true--
would not be true, both of them.
So a tip.
While there might be accuracy in some of the choices,
when you have one that says both,
make sure it's 100% accurate for both.
And here it is D. And we can see that here
from these images, that long axis
that we see in Forbidden City and the same
is true here in Versailles.
So Forbidden City conveyed the power of Chinese emperors,
and Versailles conveyed the power of the French monarch,
particularly Louis XIV, who took it from a hunting lodge
to its current size.
OK.
So that's definitely the best choice.
All right.
And for the last question of our video,
we're going to have a question about White and Red Plum
Blossoms.
In this work, the artist Ogata Korin
used abstracted organic forms, monumental scale,
and lavish gold surfaces in order to?
And now let's think about it.
This is a purpose and audience type of question.
So let's think about his purpose.
Was it to appeal to the luxurious tastes
of aristocrats, demonstrate the depth
of his religious devotion, create a work influenced
by Byzantine icons, or facilitate
meditation for its purchaser?
Let's look at some of those key terms in there.
Was it luxurious tastes, religious devotion, work
influenced by Byzantine icons, or facilitate meditation?
Now, one of these definitely stands out.
We know it's not religious devotion.
He was not directly influenced by Byzantine icons.
Even though we could make a comparison,
there's not influence there.
And it wasn't for facilitating meditation.
So the best choice is definitely choice
A. Remember that this was a luxury item from the Rinpa
School.
All right.
So now just some last few reminders before you
get ready to take your test.
Make sure you read the prompt carefully.
Evaluate your choices, and make sure to select the best one.
There's only one correct answer.
And, again, for those both types of prompts,
make sure that your choice is true for both.
Think about connections between artworks when appropriate.
And pace yourself, give yourself time
to answer all 80 questions.
Thank you so much for watching, and I'll
see you in the next video.