1 Flashcards
cong
tubular object w/ circular hole cut into a square-like cross section
menhirs
large individual uncut stone erected as monument (singularly or in long rows)
megaliths
menhirs cut into rectangular shapes and used in the construction of a prehistoric complex
henge
(neolithic) circle of megaliths, usually w/ lintels placed on top. used for rituals and marking astronomical events
lamassus
colossal man-headed winged bulls; assyrian
Ceramics 1st produced in
asia
European cave paintings indicate
strong tradition of rituals
Early american objects materails
use natural materials like bone or clay to create ritual objects
prehistoric shelters
made of large animal bones heaped in the shape of a semicircular hut
ziggurats material
baked mud
near east materials
wood n stone scarce, earth abundant
cuneiform
wedge-shaped script
sumerian art
realistic looking figures acting out identifiable narratives
assyrian art
praised the greatness of king and his masculinity, stoic figures, emotional animals
relief
sculpture that projects from flat background. bas relief: very shallow relief sculpture
egyptian art
- created around ideas concerning eternity, afterlife, rebirth
- funerary objects dominate
- other than gods and pharoahs - shown as subordinate and lacking in idealization
- shoulders frontal, rest of the body (except eye) turned in profile
- represent successful men and women acting in calm, rational manner; contentment + stability
egyptian historical periods and art
- begins w/ unification of the country under king narmer
- old kingdom: pyramids
- middle: abandoned pyramid building in favor of smaller, cheaper rock-cut tombs
- new: amarna period
akhenaton
new kingdom pharoah. abandoned worship of many gods and substituted one god, aton, w/ himself portrayed as his representative on earth
aton
represented as a sun disk emanating rays instead of gods that were human/animal symbols
amarna style
art created during the reign of akhenaton, which features relaxation of canon rules
imhotep
history’s first recorded artist. art overseers were ordained high priests. erected 1st and largest pyramid ever, Stepped Pyramid. later deified.
- king djoser’s royal builder
ka
soul of a human that either ascends to heaven or can live in an egyptian statue of itself
necropolis
“city of the dead”; large burial area; great complexes of pyramids
engaged column
column thats not freestanding but attached to a wall
mastaba
at 1st, egyptians bured dead in these more unassuming places. simple tomb w/ flat roof, 4 sloping sides and an entrance for mourners to bring offerings. body buried beneath mastaba in an inaccessible area only spirit can enter
reserve column
column that’s cut away from rock but has no support function
egyptian columns
in new kingdom temples, based on plant shapes: lotus, palm, papyrus
pyramid texts
oldest religious texts in existence
clerestory
roof that rises above lower roofs and thus has window space beneath
hypostyle
hall in an egyptian temple that has roof supported by dense thicket of clumns
pylon
monumental gateway to egyptian temple marked by 2 flat, sloping walls btwn which is a smaller entrance
in the round
standing free with all sides shown
sarcophagi
stone coffin; hewn from enormous stones and placed in tombs to protect dead from vandals
egyptian gender color
men: ruddy brown/red
w: yellowish tinge
register
horizaontal band, often on top of another, that tells a narrative story
in situ
in origianl location
greek art
- panthoen of gods celebrated in large civic n religious buildings
- not studied according to dynastic rule but according to changes in style
- idealization and harmonic proportions
polykleitos
wrote famous (no longer existing) bk on cnaon of human proportions
iktinos
wrote on the nature of ideal archiecture
3 ways in which reek sculpture is a departure
- nudity
- contrapposto
- large-scale
kouros
(female kore) archaic greek sculpture of a standing youth
- stand frontally, bolt upright, squarish shoulders
- most smile
- mid-stride
- knotted hair
contrapposto
human figure standing with most of its weight on one foot so that its shoulders and arms twist off-axis from the hips and legs; asymmetrical
greek archaic sulpcutre medium
marble is the stone of choice
cire perdue
bronze sculpture is hollow, made in the lost-wax process
archaic vs classical
- classical: contrapposto
- classical: forms became highly idealized; even older ppl have heroic bodies
canon
- polykleitos
- ideal proportion; head 1/7 of body
- heavy musculature expressing stances of relaxed and stressed muscles
late classical
crushing of athens during peloponnesian war led to turning away from idealizing canon; gods depicted in more humanized way
hellenistic
- variety of expressions of emotion
- viewer meant to walk around
egyptian n greek similar
- temples r earthly homes of gods
- limited access to deity
entablature
upper story of greek temple
= cornice + frieze + architrave
frieze
horizontal band of sculpted/painted decoration
cornice
projecting ledge over a wall; separates upper n lower parts of temple
architrave
plain, unornamented lintel on the entablature
metope
small relief sculpture on facade of a greek temple, depicts episodes from greek myth
triglyph
projecting grooved element alternating w/ metope on greek temple
doric
- preferred by mainland greeks and greeks in sicily
- simplified capitals and columns w/ tapered shafts that sit on floor w/o base
- unadorned architraves and alternating triglyphs and metopes
ionic
- greek island architects preferred
- volute(spiral scroll)-like capitals, columns w/ bases, friezes of sculpture placed along entablature
corinthian
capitals had leaves and straight columns had bases that transitioned to the floor
capital
forms the topmost member of a column
acropolis
greek temple complex built on hill over city
propylaeum
gateway into greek temple complex
tholos
ancient greek circular shrine;
caryatid
(atlantid male) building column shaped like a female figure; all have long hair n solid gowns
peristyle
row of columns surrounding a buildling / enclosing courtyard
pediment
triangular top of temple that contain sculpture representing heroic deeds of deity housed inside
greek temples
- except for tholos, r rectengular
- post n lintel
- peristyle (columns completely surround temple core)
- pediments
- cornice
- doors set back from facade
krater
large greek bowl used for mixing water n wine
amphora
2-handled greek storage (for oil or wine) jar w/ opening large enough to admit ladle
lack figure
archaic period. emphasized large figures drawn in black on the red natural surface of the clay
red figure
end of archaic period. black backgrounds, natural red of clay detailed the formed
etruscan art
- pethon of gods celebrated in large civic n religious buildings
- known primarily thru archaeology; literary tradition is mostly lost
etruscans
ppl who lived in itality b4 romans
etruscan necropoli in
tuscany
etruscan building medium
wood, mut brick
stucco
fine plaster for wall decorations or moldings
terra cotta
hard ceramic clay used for building or pottery
roman art
- panthon of gods celebrated in large civic and religious buildings
- periods: republican, early imperial, late imperial, late antique
- architecture has large public element
- ancient writing survives n shed light on civ + art
- roman writing: some of earliest accounts about art; epics - foundation
roman art patronage
state and wealthiest individuals
roman artist life
low members of social scale, treated poorly
ashlar masonry
carefully cut n groovd stones that support a building w/o use of concrete or other kinds of masonry
barrel vault
arches extended in space and form into a continuous tunnel-like construction
groin vault
when 2 barrel vaults intersect –> larger, more open space; could be supported w/ only 4 corner piers rather than requiring a continuous wall space that a barrel vault needed
spandrel
the almost triangular space between one side of the outer curve of an arch
pier
vertical support that holds up arch or vault
coffer
sunken panel in a ceiling that prevents weight of dome from cracking the walls beneath it
forum
center of roman business world. large public square framed by principal civic buildings.
- focus: temple dedicated to locally favorite god
- bath houses, markets, admin buildings surround sides of forum
composite column
combo of ionic volutes + corinthian acanthus leaves
atrium
open-air courtyard in roman house or b4 a christian church
impluvium
rectangular basin in roman house placed in atrium to collect rainwater
cubicula
- roman bedrooms flanking an atrium; were windowless
- small underground rooms in catacombs serving as mortuary chapels (wealthy)
tuscan order
features slender, smooth columns that sit on simple bases; no carvings on frieze or capitals (doric style)
encaustic
ancient method of painting that uses colored waxes burned into a wooden surface
fresco
apply water-based paint onto freshly plastered wall; paint forms bond w/ plaster that’s durable
foreshortening
object is seen at oblique angle - shortened n turned deeper into picture plane to give effect of receding in space
orthogonals
draw viewer back in space to vanishing pt
atmospheric perspective
(aerial) cool pastel colors used to create the illusion of deep recession
veristic
sculptures from roman republic characterized by extreme realism of facial features (republicans valued wisdom, determination, experience). busts of senators, noblemen
imperial sculpture
- early: sculptures of emperors. inspiration from classical greece - ideal proportions, heroic poses, contrapposto – DIVINE
- late: figures lack individuality n r crowded tightly together; rejected depth n recession; emperors shown as military figures, not civilian rulers
medieval art
- no uniform medieval style
- religious expression and court life
gospel writers in art
order: matt (angel/man), mark (lion), luke (ox/calf), john (eagle)
lunette
crescent-shaped space, sometime sover a doorway, that contains sculpture or painting
roman vs christian mosaics
r: rock
c: gold faced w/ glass
catacomb
underground passageway used for burial
iwan
rectangular vaulted space in muslim building that’s walled on 3 sides n open on the 4th
qiblah
direction towards mecca hwihc muslims face in prayer
mihrab
a niche or chamber in a mosque indicating the wall that faces the direction of Mecca.
minaret
tall, slender column w/ balcony muezzin (islamic official) used to call ppl to prayer
minbar
pulpit from which sermons r given
muezzin
islamic official who calls ppl to prayer from minaret
voussoirs
wedge-shaped stone that forms the curved part of an arch; central voussoir is called keystone
shahnama
(Book of Kings)—an epic poem by Firdawsi describing the history of kingship in Persia (what is now Iran)
orrery
a mechanical model of the solar system, or of just the sun, earth, and moon, used to represent their relative positions and motions
kitsch
mass-produced imagery designed to please the broadest possible audience with objects of questionable taste
shibboleth definition
a belief or custom that is not now considered as important and correct as it was in the past; peculiarity of pronunciation, behavior, mode of dress, etc., that distinguishes a particular class or set of persons
bottega
studio of italian artist
chapter house
building next 2 a chruch used 4 meetings
mullion
central post/column that’s a support element in a window or door
pilaster
flattened column attached to a wall w/ a capital, shaft, base
quattrocentro
1400s in italian art
cinquecento
1500s in italian art
ignudi
nude corner figures on sistine chapel ceiling
sibyl
greco-roman prophetess whom christian saw as prefiguring the coming of jesus christ
di sotto in su
“frm the bottom up” type of ceiling painting where figures seem 2 b hovering above viewers, often lookin down at us
impasto
thick n very visible application of paint on a painting surface
drypoint
printmaking technique where artist uses needle to incise into metal plate; diff from etching b/c it doesn’t use acid to create image
zoopraxiscope
device that projects sequences of photographs to giv the illusion of mvmnt
caricature
drawing using distortion/exaggeration of some1’s physical features or apparel in order 2 make tht person look foolish
aquatint
print that achieves watercolor effect by using acids that dissolve onto a copper plate
caprice
work of art w/ fantasy element
documtnary photography
seeks poliical n social redress for current issues by using photos as a way of exposing society’s faults
harlem renaissance
rich artistic period 1920s 1930s named after af-amer neighborhood. marked by cultural resurgence by afamers in art
venice biennale
maj show of contemp art take place every other yr in venice
silkscreen
passes ink/paint thru stenciled image 2 make multiple copies
frottage
composition made by rubbing crayon/pencil over paper placed over surface w/ raised design
constructigvism
a style or movement in which assorted mechanical objects are combined into abstract mobile structural forms devoid of historical reference. The movement originated in Russia in the 1920s and has influenced many aspects of modern architecture and design.
- cubist influence
chasing
to ornament metal by indenting into a surface w/ a hammer
ahu
moai on platform
