Analyzing nineteenth-century sculpture

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AP Art History › Analyzing nineteenth-century sculpture

Questions 1 - 2
1

Dega bronze sculptures 01102010 natartgallery sofia 09

The exhibition which first featured this sculpture was considered scandalous because __________________.

the subjects were depicted in quotidian poses, and some of the sculptures used non-traditional mediums

nudes were presented in erotic poses

more famous sculptors were excluded from the exhibition

the inclusion of African masks

Explanation

In 1881 the use of quotidian poses was regarded as appropriate for an artist to do as a study in his studio, but not to present to the public. The use of mixed media in his sculpture The Little Fourteen Year Old dance was also a novelty.

Work is in the public domain, accessed through Wikipedia Media Commons: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/Category:Sculptures\_by\_Edgar\_Degas#/media/File:Dega\_Bronze\_Sculptures\_01102010\_NatArtGallery\_Sofia\_09.jpg

2

Rodin balzac nasher dallas 1

The original version of this sculpture was rejected because ____________________.

the group that commissioned the sculpture thought it was grotesque

the project was over budget

it took Rodin too long to complete the sculpture

the subject, Balzac, died before the sculpture could be completed

Explanation

The Societe des Gens de Lettres, who commissioned Rodin to sculpt Balzac rejected Rodin's sculpture because they considered Rodin's depiction insulting for being out of proportion and in the nude.

Work is in the public domain, accessed through Wikipedia Media Commons: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Rodin\_Balzac\_Nasher\_Dallas\_1.jpg

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