Terminology - 1 Flashcards
aesthetic
related to a set of criteria used to evaluate the quality of works of art
allegory
a concrete work of art to represent an abstract quality or idea through figures or symbols
allusion
a brief or indirect reference to a person, place, thing, or idea of historical, cultural, literary, or political significance
angst
to feel or express anxiety, apprehension, or insignificance
animism
belief that objects, places, animals, and natural phenomena possess a distinct spiritual essence
articulate
having or showing the ability to speak fluently and coherently
audience
an individual’s or group’s use of senses to observe a artistic product
avant-garde
refers to artists or movements that are radically ahead of their time
barrel vault
a masonry semicircular roof covering parallel walls or arcades
basilica
a church with a long nave, lit by clerestory windows, and an apse at the end; includes a large and rectangular hall used for gatherings
bas-relief
sculptural technique in which images and symbols are carved into and raised from the surrounding material
biomorphic
abstract form or images that evoke natural occurring forms
bourgeois
middle or upper class citizen, especially one with commercial or industrial interests
clerestory
the elevated, central portion of the roof, raised higher than the roof on either side, typically punctuated by windows or other openings
cognitive
relating to, being, or involving intellectual activity
commemorate
recall and show respect for
commodity
a product that can be bought or sold
concatenation
a series of interconnected things or events
connoisseur
an expert judge in matters of taste
contrapposto
a figure’s shift that entails one straight and one bent leg and the corresponding shifts throughout the rest of the body
critique
a detailed analysis and assessment of something, especially a literary, philosophical, or political theory
deconstruct
assertion that there isn’t one single intrinsic meaning, but many, and these can be conflicting
dolmen
a prehistoric monument of two or more upright stones supporting a horizontal stone slab
eclecticism
the borrowing of a variety of styles from different sources and combining them
elongation
the lengthening of something
entablature
assemblage of horizontal moldings and bands in classical architecture that rests on columns and consists of architecture, frieze, and comice
ephemeral
a work of art that only occurs once or a short time and cannot be embodied in a lasting object
epistle
a composition in prose or poetry written in the form of a letter to a particular person or group
epistemology
the study or theory of the nature, sources, and limits of knowledge
epitome
a person or thing of or possessed to a high degree the features of a whole class
evoke
to call up or draw forth
figurative
artwork representing the forms of humans or animals rather than ideas or patterns
formalism
the critical position that the most important aspect of a work of art is its form rather than its narrative content
fresco
pigment is painted on plaster, either wet or dry
gestalt
the idea in which a unifying object is seen over the individual parts
gestural
the application of painting in free sweeping gestures with a brush
hellenic
the greek term for themselves
hellenistic
the period of Greek history marked by the spread of greek culture throughout territories conquered by Alexander the Great and his successors
homage
to give or pay tribute; to use work from a previous creator and then use one’s own style to create something new
iconic
very influential, recognizable, and revered
iconography
“image writing”; the study of the significance or interpretation of the subject matter of art
illusionism
to describe a painting that creates the illusion of a real object or scene
idealize
in which artists strive to create images that approach perfection, according to ideals of their culture and time
juxtaposition
the act of positioning objects or elements to make the ordinary look extraordinarykit
kitsch
art designed to be in poor taste because of excessive garishness or sentimentality, but is appreciated in an ironic or knowing way
kouros
a statue of a standing, nude youth that did not represent any one individual youth but the idea of youth itself
linear
pertaining to the use of lines
liturgy
text and written directions for an official church service
medium
the material from which the artwork is made
megalith
a large stone used to construct a monument
modality
a particular mode in which something exists or is experienced and expressed
modeling
working of plastic materials by hand to build form
modular
a work of art with constituent parts that can be moved, separated, or recombined
motif
reoccurring fragment, theme, or pattern that appears in a work of art
narrative
visual presentation of a story or event in art
naturalism
style that focuses on portraying objects in a realistic manner
nonobjective
a type of abstract art that’s usually, but not always, geometric and aims to convey simplicity and purity
ornamental
decorative and embellished elements in structures and art
painterly
application of paint in a loss or less-controlled manner, resulting in visible paint strokes
pastoral
celebrate dominion of mankind over nature
pastiche
an artwork that imitates the style of previous works
picture-plane
the theoretical spatial plane corresponding with the actual surface of a painting or artwork
planar
the positioning of planes on another plane on in space
polyphony
separate parts blending together and making some bigger and more harmonious
posthumous
after a person, typically the death of the author or other artist
provenance
the history of ownership of a painting or other work of art
radial
symmetry in different directions
rational
based on or accordance with reason or logic
recession
creating the convincing illusion of a three-dimensional space within a painting
reliquary
a container or shrine in which sacred relics are kept
satire
art which ridicules its subjects often in order to provoke to prevent change
scale
the overall physical size of an artwork or objects in an artwork
semiotics
the study of how certain symbols acquired their meaning, how they came to represent info, and how relations affect reception
sentiment
art that emphasizes emotion at the expense of logic or reasoning
sequential
art where content is presented in a series of artistic items positioned in an order to convey messages
simulacrum
a copy of a copy of ideal form; a representation or imitation of a person of thing
site-specific
a work of art designed specifically for a particular location and has interrelations with the location
stylization
the decorative generalization of figures or objects by means of various convention techniques
sublime
the quality of greatness beyond all possibilities of calculation, measurement, or imitation
syllogism
a form of deductive reasoning consisting of a major premise, minor premise, and conclusion
tesserae
a small piece of stone, glass, ceramic, or other hand material cut in cubical or some other regular shape
tracery
bars or ribs used decoratively in windows or other openings
trompe l’oeil
in which the artist fools the audience into thinking they’re looking at the real thing
verisimilitude
art that aims for realism
zeitgeist
an intellectual thought that symbolizes the culture of a particular generation
