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► Art History > Early Christian / Byzantine Vocab > Flashcards

Early Christian / Byzantine Vocab Flashcards

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1
Q

Catacombs

A

a subterranean burial ground consisting of tunnels on different levels, having niches for urns and sarcophagi and incorporating cubiculi

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2
Q

Cathedra

A

chair or throne of the bishop

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3
Q

Iconography

A

imaging representing a sacred figures and believed to deliver messages to god

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4
Q

Necropolis

A

“city of the dead”; burial area

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5
Q

Personification

A

attribution of human characteristics in inanimate objects

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6
Q

Sarcophagus

A

stone coffin decorated with relief

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7
Q

Syncretism

A

in religion or philosophy, the union of different ideas or principles

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8
Q

Cherub/Cherubim

A

in christian art, a round, winged boy (cupid)

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9
Q

Codex

A

a book or group of manuscript pages (folios) bound together

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10
Q

Lunette

A

a semicircular wall area, framed by an arch over a door or window; can be plain or decorated

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11
Q

Manuscript

A

a handwritten book or document

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12
Q

Medallion

A

any round ornament or decoration

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13
Q

Miniatures

A

illustrations within albums or manuscripts or intimate portraits

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14
Q

Mosaic

A

images formed by small colored stone/glass pieces (tesserae) affixed to a hard surface

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15
Q

Orant figure

A

representation of a standing figure praying with outstretched and upraised arms

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16
Q

Parchment

A

writing surface made from treated skins of animals; fine parchment: vellum

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17
Q

Putto/Putti

A

a plump, naked little boy, often winged in classical art called a cupid, Christian art called a cherub

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18
Q

Quire

A

a collection of leaves of parchment

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19
Q

Scroll

A

rolled paper with hard support on each end

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20
Q

Tesserae

A

small pieces used for mosaic

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21
Q

Vellum

A

thin parchment

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22
Q

Aisle

A

passage or open corridor that parallels main space of building on both sides

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23
Q

Ambulatory

A

the walkway passage around the apse in a basilican church or around the central space in a central plan building

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24
Q

Apse

A

large semicircular niche jutting out of a building; in christian church, it contains the altar

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25
Q

Arcade

A

a series of arches carried by columns and supporting a common wall or lintel

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26
Q

Arcosolium

A

an arched recess area used as a place of entombment

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27
Q

Atrium

A

unroofed, interior courtyard or in front of a christian church

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28
Q

Baptistry

A

separate, centrally planned structure surrounding the baptismal font

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29
Q

Basilica

A

large rectangular building with clerestory, side aisles separated from the center nave by colonnades, and an apse at the east end

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30
Q

Blind Arcade

A

arcade style with no actual openings; engaged for decoration

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31
Q

Buttress

A

added support from adjacent masonry elements

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32
Q

Ciborium

A

pavilion-like structure supported on four columns

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33
Q

Clerestory

A

topmost zone of a wall with windows in a basilica extending above the aisle roofs

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34
Q

Colonnade

A

row of columns that support straight lintel or series of arches

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35
Q

Crypt

A

underground vault

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36
Q

Cruciform

A

cross-shaped (building)

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37
Q

Cubiculum

A

small rooms for sarcophagi; painted with imagery related to their owners’ religious beliefs

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38
Q

Dome

A

round vault, usually over circular space; two types: pendentive, squinch

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39
Q

Loculi

A

long, rectangular niches in the walls that held 2-3 bodies

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40
Q

Mausoleum

A

building used as a tomb

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41
Q

Naos

A

principal room in a temple or church (nave and sanctuary)

42
Q

Narthex

A

entrance porch (vestibule) of a church

43
Q

Nave

A

central space of a basilica, usually flanked by aisles

44
Q

Portal

A

grand entrance, door, or gate to an important building; often decorated with sculpture

45
Q

Sanctuary

A

sacred/holy enclosure used for worship

46
Q

Spandrel

A

area between two arches, as in an arcade

47
Q

Spolia

A

materials used from previous buildings

48
Q

Tau Plan

A

building in the shape of the Tau cross

49
Q

Tholos

A

small, round building; sometimes built underground

50
Q

Tondo

A

circular painting or relief sculpture

51
Q

Transept

A

arm of a cruciform church, perpendicular to nave

52
Q

Citron (etrog)

A

Sukkot emblem symbolizing bounty of earth and unity of all Jews

53
Q

Cross

A

primary Christian emblem representing Jesus Christ and Christian religion as a whole; symbolizes suffering and triumph of Jesus’ Crucifixion and Resurrection

54
Q

Dove

A

purity; represents peace when shown with olive branch

55
Q

Fish

A

Jesus Christ; first letters of “Jesus Christ”, “Son of God”, “Savior” spelled out fish in Greek

56
Q

Lamb

A

Jesus’ sacrifice on the cross; flock represents disciples cared for by Good Shepherd “Jesus Christ”

57
Q

Lion

A

St. Mark the Evangelist; imperial figure

58
Q

Lulav

A

sheaf of palm

59
Q

Palm Trees

A

symbolizes the bounty of the earth and unity of all Jews

60
Q

Shofar

A

ram’s horn blown on ceremonial occasions

61
Q

Willow branches

A

Sukkot emblem that symbolizes bounty of earth and unity of all Jews

62
Q

XP

A

(Chi rho) First two letters of the word Christos

63
Q

Deésis

A

“entreaty” Important theme in art consisting of Christ flanked by Mary and Saint John the Baptist

64
Q

Fibulae

A

a brooch used to fasten cloak

65
Q

Icon

A

image representing a sacred figure

66
Q

Iconoclasm

A

banning or destruction of icons and religious art

67
Q

Iconostasis

A

partition screen in church between sanctuary and body of church and displays icon

68
Q

Pantokrator

A

“Ruler of all” Status of Jesus Christ

69
Q

Tablion

A

decorative rectangular panel on clothing

70
Q

Theotokos

A

“God bearer” Status of Mary, can also be interpreted as Christian community on earth

71
Q

Apsidial Chapel

A

rounded space off the ambulatory; circular rooms that flank the apse

72
Q

Buttress

A

supports for walls of the building

73
Q

Drum

A

wall that supports dome

74
Q

Exedra

A

semicircular niche

75
Q

Gallery

A

story found above side aisles of church, usually open to and overlooking the nave

76
Q

Pendentive

A

concave triangular section of vault that forms transition between square or polygonal space and circular base of dome

77
Q

Oculus

A

circular opening at apex of dome

78
Q

Quincunx

A

building in which five domed bays are arranged within a square, with a central unit and four corner units

79
Q

Squinch

A

arch or lintel built across upper corners of a square space

80
Q

Cloisonné

A

enamel technique in which metal wire or strips are affixed to the surface to form the design. The resulting areas (cloisons) are filled with enamel (colored glass)

81
Q

Diptych

A

two decorated panels of equal size hinged together

82
Q

Mandorla

A

almond-shaped area of light encircling the entire figure of a sacred person

83
Q

Scriptoria

A

a room in a monastery for writing or copying manuscripts

84
Q

Triptych

A

artwork of three panels that are hinged together so that side segments fold over central area

85
Q

Reverse Perspective

A

orthogonals or rays of sight do not converge on a vanishing point, but are thought to originate in the viewer’s eye in front of the picture. Image is constructed with orthogonal that diverge, giving slightly tipped aspect to objects

86
Q

Opus sectile

A

technique where materials were cut and inlaid into walls

87
Q

Opus tessellatum

A

technique using small tesserae to make mosaics

88
Q

Tromp l’oeil

A

manner of representation where appearance of natural space and objects is re-created with intention of fooling the eye of viewer, who may be convinced that subject is actually three dimensional

89
Q

Pendentive

A

spherical triangles between arches that rise to form openings where dome rests

90
Q

Squinch

A

Lintels placed across upper corner of wall and supported by arch or corbelled arches. Provides solid base drum for dome.

91
Q

Matthew

A

Human

92
Q

Mark

A

Lion

93
Q

Luke

A

Ox

94
Q

John

A

Eagle

95
Q

Latin Cross

A

cross with longer descending arm, most common (the regular one)

96
Q

Greek Cross

A

all arms of cross are equal length

97
Q

Russian Cross

A

contains three bars rather than one

98
Q

Tau Cross

A

Looks like a T

99
Q

Saint Peter’s Cross

A

Upside down regular cross

100
Q

Alpha and Omega

A

I and X / A and 3 on side

► Art History (41 decks)

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