Final Exam Study Guide

The final exam will cover chapters 8-16 of Women, Art, and Society, and this is how it will be constructed:

20 vocabulary terms (match the term to its definition) worth 1 point each.

40 multiple choice questions worth 1 point each

2 essay questions focusing on conversations and/or lectures we've had in class worth 20 points.

The 20 vocabulary terms will be pulled directly from the "Terms Of The Day" lists I have given you at the beginning of each class period. Study these lists well enough to be able to match each term on the left side of the page with its particular definition on the right side of the page.

The 40 multiple choice questions come from both the class lectures and from the book. No less than 10 of these questions will cover material we never addressed in class; they come directly from the book.  The questions in this section will range from those that test how well you understand the definitions of terms to questions about specific artworks that you have seen, to questions about the cultural, religious, and political environments that contributed to the work.

Let me give you two example questions (yes, these will be on the test just as you see them here):

Sonia Delaunay, a cofounder of the Orphism art movement, was known for her use of strong colors and geometric shapes which she used as decoration for everyday items in works such as ____________________.

     A. Painterly Architectonics.
     B. Untitled Film Still #92.
     C. At the Piano.
     D. Simultaneous Dress.

Artist Jenny Holzer refers to her text pieces such as "If you had behaved nicely..." as ____________________.
     A. "Film stills"
     B. "The Jezebel Archetype"
     C. "Truisms"
     D. None of the above.

The best advice I can give you on how to study for this portion of the exam is to comb through all your notes you've taken in class, remind yourself of all the main concepts you've learned, familiarize yourself with all the "Terms Of The Day," and to make sure you have read the material in the book. Pay special attention to how each artwork serves as an example to illustrate a concept. Don't just depend on what I have told you in class.  About 75% of these questions will come directly from lecture. But you don't want to be thrown off by the questions that are based on the book alone.

The two essay topics focusing on conversations we had in class will require you to write a 2-3 paragraphs in response.  You will be presented with four topics from which you will choose the two you will write about:

1. Define  The New Woman.  Name a female artist who portrayed her concept of the New Woman in her work.  What choices did she make in her work to communicate this idea?
2. Explain the difference between The Male Gaze and The Female Gaze.  Name a woman artist who either appropriated the male gaze in her work or used the female gaze in her work.  In what ways did she use the concept and for what purpose? 
3. Name at least three of the distinguishing characteristics of Postmodern Art, and explain where you have seen those characteristics demonstrated in the work of at lest 2 Postmodern women artists.
4. Compare and Contrast:  You will be shown slides of two works of art that you have not seen in this class, one by a male artist and one by a female artist.  Both of these images will focus on the representation of women.  For the essay, follow the outline below:

• Comparison: How are they similar to one another?  What elements do both works of art have in common?  
• Contrast:  What are the differences between the two works of art?  
• Analysis:  What do you believe—based on your historical studies this semester—that the differences in these two works of art tell us about the different intentions of each artist?

The best way to study for these essays is to carefully read each of these questions and think about what you might write in response.  Each of them is based on lectures or a group discussion from class, but they are phrased to make you think critically about certain concepts. This is meant to test how well you have been paying attention to the concepts you've been learning in this class. Consult your notes and the book.  Maybe practice what you would write for each question.

If you decide to write about the compare-and-contrast essay topic:  For an example, look at the following images.  You have seen these two works of art in class, but look at them and try to recall the conversation we had about them in class.  Consider what you might write if asked to compare and contrast them:

 Edgar Degas

After the Bath

1895

Suzanne Valadon

Grandmother and Young Girl Stepping into the Bath

c. 1908

Study hard, and good luck. If you have taken good notes, if you have read the chapters, and if you have spent some time really trying to understand the "Terms Of The Day" then this exam shouldn't be difficult for you.