Greek Key Terms

Question 1

Kouros

Answer 1

male

Question 2

Kore

Answer 2

female

Question 3

Archaic Smile

Answer 3

• an artificial looking smile

- The smile is the Archaic sculptor’s way of indicating that the person portrayed is alive.

Question 4

Panathenaic

Answer 4

-Festival for Athena that happens every 4 years.

Question 5

Ionic

Answer 5

-The Ionic order is characterized by, among other features, volutes, capitals, columns with bases, and an uninterrupted frieze.

Question 6

Doric

Answer 6

-The Doric order is characterized by, among other features, capitals with funnel-shaped echinuses, columns without bases, and a frieze of triglyphs and metopes.

Question 7

Corinthian

Answer 7

-Consists of a double row of acanthus leaves from which tendrils and flowers grow, wrapped around a bell-shaped echinus.

Question 8

Pediment

Answer 8

-The triangular area contained within the peak of a temple’s roof and often contains sculptural relief narrating events from the lives of the gods.

Question 9

Cella

Answer 9

-The chamber at the center of an ancient temple.

Question 10

Contrapposto

Answer 10

• Means to “stand against” (in Italian).

- S-curve.

Question 11

Hellenistic

Answer 11

• The name of the stylistic period that began with the death of Alexander the Great.
• Art became more varied in subject matter and style and was often highly dramatic, exaggerated, tragic, passionate, and intense.

Question 12

Homer

Answer 12

-Author of the Iliad and the Odyssey.

Question 13

Red figure

Answer 13

-Red figure on Greek vases is achieved when a reddish-clay pot is fired with a black glaze which is scratched away to reveal the inverse images of patterns or scenes.

Question 14

Black figure

Answer 14

-Simply a technique of painting the glaze directly on the reddish-clay body of the pot.

Question 15

Relief

Answer 15

• Refers to figures projecting from a background of which they are a part.
• The degree of relief is designated either as high, low, sunken, or intaglio.