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Key Facts: La Rioja PAU History of Art Exam

90 min

Exam Time Limit

Universidad de La Rioja

0–10

Grading Scale

Gobierno de La Rioja

4.0

Min. Access Phase Score

Universidad de La Rioja (UR)

EUR 55.43

Base Registration Fee

Gobierno de La Rioja

6 Blocks

Curriculum Content Areas

2º Bachillerato History of Art Syllabus

The La Rioja PAU History of Art exam (Historia del Arte) is administered by Universidad de La Rioja (UR) and Gobierno de La Rioja for students completing 2nd Bachillerato. The exam lasts 90 minutes and is graded on a 0–10 scale (minimum 4.0 required in the Access Phase). Note that local questions on this platform are an English-language MCQ study adaptation created to help students master the underlying 2nd Bachillerato curriculum.

Sample La Rioja PAU History of Art Practice Questions

Try these sample questions to review concepts for the La Rioja PAU History of Art exam. Each question includes a detailed explanation. Start the interactive quiz above for the full 100+ question experience with AI tutoring.

1Which classical Greek architectural order is distinguished by column shafts resting directly on the stylobate without an individual base, plain cushion-like capitals (echinus), and a frieze divided into alternating triglyphs and metopes?
A.Doric order
B.Ionic order
C.Corinthian order
D.Tuscan order
Explanation: The Doric order is the oldest classical Greek architectural order. It features sturdy column shafts rising directly from the stylobate without an individual base, a simple echinus and abacus capital, and an entablature frieze divided into three-grooved triglyphs and sculpted metopes.
2Architects Iktinos and Kallikrates incorporated optical refinements into the construction of the Parthenon in Athens. Which architectural adjustment was designed to counteract human visual distortion?
A.Making the corner columns slightly thinner to allow maximum light into the interior cella
B.Incorporating entasis (a subtle convex swelling of column shafts) and curving horizontal lines upward toward the center
C.Constructing all perimeter columns perfectly vertical with zero inward tilt
D.Carving deeply recessed metopes that curve inward to create dramatic artificial shadows
Explanation: To make the Parthenon appear perfectly straight to the human eye, the architects used entasis (a slight convex bulge in the middle of column shafts), tilted outer columns slightly inward, and curved horizontal elements like the stylobate and entablature slightly upward in the center.
3Which Classical Greek sculptor authored the treatise known as the Canon (Kanon) and sculpted the Doryphoros (Spear-Bearer) to demonstrate ideal mathematical body proportions and contrapposto?
A.Polyclitus
B.Phidias
C.Praxiteles
D.Lysippos
Explanation: Polyclitus (Polycleitus) formulated the Canon, establishing a 1:7 head-to-body proportion system and mastering contrapposto—the weight shift balance of tension and relaxation visible in the Doryphoros.
4The Erechtheion on the Athenian Acropolis features an iconic asymmetric porch where sculpted female figures function as load-bearing architectural columns. What are these figures called?
A.Caryatids
B.Kore figures
C.Atlantes
D.Metopes
Explanation: The sculpted female figures that support the entablature of the Erechtheion's southern porch are known as Caryatids (Cariatides).
5Which characteristic distinguishes Hellenistic Greek sculpture (such as Laocoön and His Sons or the Nike of Samothrace) from High Classical sculpture?
A.Dramatic emotional expression, dynamic diagonal movement, and intense pathos
B.Rigid frontal posture with an archaic smile and braided hair
C.Strict adherence to serene, emotionless facial composure and quiet harmony
D.Complete abandonment of anatomical realism in favor of geometric abstraction
Explanation: Hellenistic sculpture (323–31 BC) emphasizes theatrical drama, intense emotional pathos, dynamic diagonal lines, spatial expansion, and realistic anatomical tension, departing from the calm balance of High Classical art.
6Which master sculptor supervised the artistic program of Pericles' Acropolis building project and carved the chryselephantine statue of Athena Parthenos inside the Parthenon?
A.Phidias
B.Myron
C.Polyclitus
D.Scopas
Explanation: Phidias was Pericles' general artistic director for the Acropolis. He sculpted the immense chryselephantine (gold and ivory) statues of Athena Parthenos and Zeus at Olympia, as well as supervising the Parthenon friezes.
7Lysippos's sculpture Apoxyomenos (Athlete Scraping Himself) modified the Classical canon of proportions established by Polyclitus. How did Lysippos alter sculptural representation?
A.He adopted a slimmer 1:8 head-to-body ratio and extended the figure's arms forward into the viewer's space
B.He increased the head size relative to the body to create a top-heavy 1:6 ratio
C.He eliminated all contrapposto movement, reverting to rigid Egyptian frontal balance
D.He depicted gods exclusively in relief panels rather than sculpting athletes in three dimensions
Explanation: Lysippos introduced a revised canon of 1:8 (head to total body height), making figures look taller and more slender. In Apoxyomenos, he extended the athlete's arm directly forward, breaking out of the two-dimensional frontal plane.
8Which material and structural innovation allowed Roman architects to span massive internal spaces without internal supporting columns in structures like aqueducts and vaulted basilicas?
A.Opus caementicium (Roman concrete) combined with round arches and vaults
B.Post-and-beam timber trusses covered with marble decorative shingles
C.Solid unmortared granite monoliths cut with dovetail joints
D.Prefabricated cast-iron ribs filled with baked mud-bricks
Explanation: Roman architectural superiority relied on opus caementicium (volcanic pozzolana concrete) combined with true arches, barrel vaults, and groin vaults, enabling monumental interior spaces free of dense column supports.
9The Pantheon in Rome features a rotunda topped by a hemispherical concrete dome. Which engineering techniques enabled Roman builders to reduce the dead weight of this massive dome?
A.Recessed ceiling coffers, lighter aggregate materials (pumice) toward the top, and a central circular oculus
B.External flying buttresses anchored to outer stone piers
C.A double-shell brick vault supported by iron ring chains
D.Four hollow corner towers that absorbed all lateral thrust
Explanation: The Pantheon's dome engineers reduced structural weight by embedding five rings of 28 recessed square coffers, progressively using lighter aggregate (from heavy basalt at the base to light pumice at the apex), thinning the concrete walls upward, and opening a 9-meter central oculus.
10Republican Roman portrait sculpture (verism) is famous for which distinct stylistic characteristic?
A.Unforgiving, realistic depiction of age, wrinkles, and physical flaws to convey ancestral authority
B.Idealized youthful perfection inspired by classical 5th-century Greek gods
C.Elongated abstract facial features with exaggerated stylized eyes
D.Colossal stylized figures carved exclusively out of imported Egyptian porphyry
Explanation: Republican Roman verism emphasized unsparing physical truth—wrinkles, balding heads, deep furrows, and sagging skin—to project gravitas, wisdom, experience, and ancestral lineage (imagines maiorum).

About the La Rioja PAU History of Art Exam

The La Rioja PAU History of Art exam (Historia del Arte 2º Bachillerato) evaluates secondary school graduates across La Rioja on core artistic movements, architectural systems, iconic sculptures, and master paintings from Classical Antiquity through the 20th century and contemporary art. Please note: The official PAU exam features written visual commentary and essay questions in Spanish; the 100 questions provided here are an English-language multiple-choice study adaptation designed for self-assessment and core concept mastery.

Exam sponsor: Universidad de La Rioja (UR) / Comisión Organizadora de la PAU de La Rioja. The requirements and fees below concern the certification or admission exam, separate from our free practice resources.

Assessment

90-minute written examination (traditionally open-ended commentary and visual analysis questions; local questions are an English-language MCQ study adaptation)

Time Limit

90 minutes (1.5 hours)

Passing Score

Marked on a 0–10 scale. Minimum 4.0 required in Access Phase to combine with Bachillerato GPA (60% Bachillerato + 40% PAU >= 5.0 to pass).

Exam / Certification Fees

EUR 55.43 base registration fee for PAU Access Phase set by Gobierno de La Rioja / Universidad de La Rioja.

Exam sponsor website

Reported exam pass rate: High (~85-95% PAU overall pass rate in La Rioja). This describes exam candidates, not OpenExamPrep users or results from using our resources. Exam sponsor website

Fees, eligibility, and exam policies can change. Confirm them with the exam sponsor before applying or paying.

Our practice resources: topics covered

We aim to reflect publicly available exam outlines and topic information in our study resources. Coverage, format, and difficulty may differ from the actual exam, and we cannot guarantee that every detail is accurate or current. Confirm exam requirements, fees, and policies with the official exam sponsor.

15%

Classical Greek and Roman Art

Doric, Ionic, and Corinthian orders; Parthenon architecture and optical adjustments; Greek archaic, classical (Polyclitus, Phidias, Praxiteles, Lysippos), and Hellenistic sculpture; Roman architectural engineering (aqueducts, arches, vaults, Pantheon, Colosseum), portrait sculpture, and relief narrative.

15%

Early Medieval, Romanesque, and Gothic Art

Early Christian basilicas and Byzantine architecture (Hagia Sophia, mosaics); Romanesque pilgrimage routes, church architecture (Santiago de Compostela), barrel vaults, thick walls, sculpted portals, and tympanums; Gothic architectural innovations (pointed arch, rib vault, flying buttress), stained glass, and cathedrals (Chartres, León, Burgos).

20%

Renaissance Art and El Greco

Italian Quattrocento (Brunelleschi, Donatello, Masaccio, Botticelli) and High Renaissance Cinquecento (Leonardo, Michelangelo, Raphael, Titian); Spanish Renaissance architectural evolution (Plateresque, Purism, Herrerian style/El Escorial) and Mannerist masterpiece paintings of El Greco.

20%

Baroque Art and Spanish Golden Age

Italian Baroque architecture, sculpture (Bernini, Borromini), and Tenebrism (Caravaggio); Flemish and Dutch Golden Age masters (Rubens, Rembrandt, Vermeer); Spanish Siglo de Oro painting (Ribera, Zurbarán, Murillo, and Diego Velázquez).

15%

19th Century Art: Neoclassicism to Post-Impressionism

Francisco de Goya's works and artistic evolution (tapestry cartoons, historical paintings, Black Paintings); Neoclassicism (David, Ingres), Romanticism (Delacroix, Friedrich), Realism (Courbet), Impressionism (Monet, Renoir, Degas), and Post-Impressionism (Cézanne, Gauguin, Van Gogh, Seurat).

15%

20th Century Avant-Garde, Spanish Masters, and Contemporary Art

Fauvism, Expressionism, Cubism (Pablo Picasso's Guernica, Les Demoiselles d'Avignon), Futurism, Dadaism, Surrealism (Salvador Dalí, Joan Miró), Abstraction (Kandinsky, Mondrian), Organic and Rationalist architecture (Wright, Le Corbusier), Pop Art, and contemporary artistic movements.

Preparing for the La Rioja PAU History of Art Exam

What You Need to Know

  • Passing score: Marked on a 0–10 scale. Minimum 4.0 required in Access Phase to combine with Bachillerato GPA (60% Bachillerato + 40% PAU >= 5.0 to pass).
  • Assessment: 90-minute written examination (traditionally open-ended commentary and visual analysis questions; local questions are an English-language MCQ study adaptation)
  • Time limit: 90 minutes (1.5 hours)
  • Exam / certification fees: EUR 55.43 base registration fee for PAU Access Phase set by Gobierno de La Rioja / Universidad de La Rioja. Official sources

Using Our Practice Resources

  • Work through all 100 available questions
  • Review every answer and explanation
  • Track weak areas and revisit them
  • Use our AI tutor for tough concepts

La Rioja PAU History of Art: Suggested Study Strategy

1Learn to visually identify key architectural components (triglyphs, volutes, rib vaults, flying buttresses, Herrerian obelisks).
2Master the iconographic analysis and historical context for major Spanish masterpieces (Velázquez's Las Meninas, Goya's 3rd of May 1808, Picasso's Guernica, El Greco's Burial of the Count of Orgaz).
3Trace stylistic developments across artistic periods (e.g., transition from Romanesque rigid symbolism to Gothic naturalism, or Renaissance balance to Baroque dramatic lighting).
4Understand the key theoretical canons, such as Polyclitus's 1:7 ratio or Lysippos's 1:8 ratio in classical sculpture.
5Practice comparing artistic movements across time, noting changes in space, line, color, light, and composition.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the format of the official La Rioja PAU History of Art exam?

The official La Rioja PAU History of Art exam is a 90-minute written examination administered in Spanish at Universidad de La Rioja (UR), consisting of visual image commentaries (comentario de obras de arte) and conceptual essay/short-answer questions. Note that the 100 questions available on this site are an English-language multiple-choice practice adaptation developed to help students test their knowledge of the official curriculum.

What is the passing score for La Rioja PAU History of Art?

The exam is graded on a 0–10 scale. In the Access Phase (Fase de Acceso), a minimum score of 4.0 is required to average with the Bachillerato GPA (which counts for 60% of the final university access score, while PAU counts for 40%, requiring a total average of >= 5.0).

What is the registration fee for the PAU exam in La Rioja?

The registration fee in La Rioja is set by Gobierno de La Rioja and Universidad de La Rioja, with a base fee of EUR 55.43 for the Access Phase, with exemptions or discounts for large families (familia numerosa), disabled students, or victims of terrorism.

Which university manages the PAU exam in La Rioja?

The examination is coordinated by Universidad de La Rioja (UR) and the Comisión Organizadora de la PAU de La Rioja, in collaboration with the Consejería de Educación del Gobierno de La Rioja.

Why are the practice questions here in English and in multiple-choice format?

These questions serve as an English-language MCQ study adaptation designed for international students, bilingual program candidates, and revision learners seeking to test core history of art concepts tested on the La Rioja 2nd Bachillerato curriculum.