Final Short answer questions Flashcards
Motifs borrowed by the early Christians from the Romans
orb, palm branch, saints depicted with/as animals the same way pagan gods were
Why was the book developed during the early Christian period?
It was easier to carry and use- Bible (New Testament) wasn’t read/ meant to be read front to back the same way the Old Testament was (chronologically)
What is the difference between a basilica and a central plan church?
A basilica is rectangular and is entered from one end with an apse at the other end. A Central plan church is usually octagonal and has equal dimensions around the center.
Parts of an early Christian church
clerestory, nave, apse, aisle, transept, narthex, atrium, baptistry
Definition of an icon
portrait or image. In Byzantine churches, a panel w/ a painting of sacred personages that are objects of veneration
Characteristics of Carolingian art
Roman influences, more artistic freedom allowed, merged illusionism of classical painting and northern linear tradition, energetic figures, revived equestrian portraits from Roman times, strict modular plans in their buildings, youthful Jesus, twin-tower western facade for basilicas
3 Parts of a Mosque
Mihrab, Minbar, Hypostyle
What is a mihrab?
niche in the qibla wall
What is a qibla wall?
Wall in a mosque that faces Mecca
What is a minbar?
raised platform in a mosque where leader of collective worship stands
What is a hypostyle?
Covered worship hall in a mosque
Parts of a Romanesque church:
cross shaped, walkway all around, side aisles, transept, chapel for different saints, ambulatory, radiating chapels, vaulted ceilings, barrel vaults, huge pillars, heavy masonry
Characteristics of Romanesque sculpture
elongated figures, linear style
What is a relic?
body parts, clothing, or objects associated with a holy figure
Parts of Romanesque portal:
Tympanum, voussoirs, lintel, trumeau, jambs
What is a tympanum?
prominent semi-circular lunette above the doorway proper, comparable in importance to triangular pediment in Greco-Roman temples
What are voussoirs?
wedge shaped blocks that together form the archivolts of the arch forming the tympanum
What is a lintel?
horizontal beam above the doorway
What is a trumeau?
center post supporting the lintel in the middle of the doorway
What are jambs?
the side posts of the doorway
Characteristics of Gothic architecture
pointed arches, round windows, ribs, nothing hidden structurally, “transparent” or “skeletal”, rose windows, lancet windows, very tall, groin vaults, flying buttresses, stained glass windows, tall thin masonry
Characteristics of Giotto’s style
blue background, uses landscape/architecture as compositional device, focus not on center, stagelike
Purpose of stained glass windows in Gothic Cathedral
don’t cover walls, replace them; transmit light; beauty
What is a pendentive?
Concave, triangular section of a hemisphere, four of which provide the transition from a square area to the circular base of a covering dome. Although pendentives appear to be hanging from the dome, they in fact support it.
