In art history, the use of hierarchical scale is a technique where more important figures are shown larger than others. This technique can be found in which kind of work of art?

Introduction / Context:
Hierarchical scale is an artistic convention used especially in ancient and medieval art, where the size of a figure is determined by its social or spiritual importance rather than by realistic perspective. For example, kings or deities might be portrayed much larger than ordinary people. Understanding where this technique appears helps students appreciate how artists communicate meaning in both two dimensional and three dimensional works.

Given Data / Assumptions:

• The concept is hierarchical scale, a visual method of showing importance through size.
• The question asks in which kind of work of art this technique is used.
• Options separate painting, sculpture, both, neither, or architecture.
• We assume familiarity with historical art examples from different cultures.

Concept / Approach:
In many cultures, hierarchical scale appears in painted murals, illuminated manuscripts, and panel paintings, where central holy figures or rulers are larger than surrounding figures. It also appears in sculpture, especially in reliefs and monumental statues, where central gods or rulers are carved at greater scale. The key idea is that the technique is not limited to a single medium; both painting and sculpture can use scale differences to communicate hierarchy.

Step-by-Step Solution:
Step 1: Recall examples of religious or royal paintings where a main figure is much larger than attendants.Step 2: Recall sculptural reliefs on temple walls or monuments where central figures are carved larger to indicate importance.Step 3: Recognise that these examples cover both two dimensional painting and three dimensional sculpture.Step 4: Option C directly states both painting and sculpture in various cultures, which aligns with these observations.Step 5: Options A and B try to limit hierarchical scale to only one medium, and option D incorrectly excludes both, so option C is best.

Verification / Alternative check:
Art history surveys of ancient Egyptian, Mesopotamian, and medieval European art show hierarchical scale in wall paintings, frescoes, and relief sculpture. Kings and gods often dominate the visual field in both media. Textbook definitions of hierarchical scale describe it as a general compositional principle, not tied to any one technique or material. This confirms that both painting and sculpture can use hierarchical scale.

Why Other Options Are Wrong:
Option A, painting only, ignores important sculptural examples such as temple reliefs and public monuments. Option B, sculpture only, overlooks many famous paintings where saints or rulers are shown larger than others. Option D claims the technique is limited to photography, but photography typically records real scale rather than inventing hierarchical sizes, although symbolic composition can still occur. Option E, architecture only, confuses building size with figure size and does not match the art history definition of hierarchical scale.

Common Pitfalls:
Students sometimes think of painting and sculpture as completely separate and assume a particular technique belongs to only one. Another common oversight is to associate scale only with perspective and distance, forgetting its symbolic use. Remembering that hierarchical scale is a visual convention usable in any medium where relative size can be controlled helps avoid this error and supports choosing the combined option.

Final Answer:
Hierarchical scale is used in Both painting and sculpture in various cultures to show the greater importance of certain figures by making them larger.