Unit 3 Vocabulary Flashcards
animal style
a medieval art form where animals are depicted in stylized and complicated pattern; usually fighting
chasing
ornamentation of metal by indenting into a surface with a hammer
cloisonne
enamelwork in which colored areas are separated by thin bands of metal, usually gold or bronze
codex
a manuscript book
colophon
commentary at the end of Chinese scrolls; any inscription at the end of a manuscript with information about its publication
fibula
clasp used to fasten garments
gospels
first four books of the New Testament and chronical the life of Jesus
horror vacui
“fear of empty spaces”; type of artwork where all space is filled, sometimes in a crowded, congested way
illuminated manuscript
manuscript that is decorated with painted initials, marginal illustrations, and large images that add pictorial element to written text
parchment
writing surface made from animal skins
vellum
fine parchment made from calf skin
scriptorium
place in a monastery where monks wrote manuscripts
zoomorphic
having elements of animal shapes
abbey
monastery for monks/convent for nuns and the connecting church
ambulatory
passageway against apse of a church
apse
end point of a church where the altar is
arcade
series of arches supported by columns
blind arcade
when arches face a wall and are not self-supporting
archivolt
series of concentric moldings around an arch
axial plan (basilican plan, longitudinal plan)
church with long nave whose function is the apse, designed along an axis
baptistery
in medieval architecture; separate chapel or building generally in front of church used for baptism
bay
vertical section of church that is embraced by set of columns, usually composed of arches and aligned windows
campanile
a bell tower of an Italian building
cathedral
principal church of a diocese, where the bishop sits
clerestory
the window story of a church
compound pier
gathering of engaged shafts around a pier
continuous narrative
work of art that contains several scenes of same story painted or sculpted in continuous succession
embroidery
woven product in which design is stitched into premade fabric
gallery
passageway inside or outside church characterized by having a colonnade or arcade
jamb
side posts of a medieval portal
Last Judgement
Christian scene of judgement at the end of the world
mandorla
almond-shaped circle around Christ, Buddha, other holy figures
narthex
vestibule/lobby of a church
portal
doorway, heavily decorated in Medieval tradition
radiating chapel
chapel that extends in radial pattern from centre
reliquary
vessel for holding sacred relics
rib vault
vault where diagonal arches form riblike patterns, typically supporting a roof
tapestry
woven product where design and backing are produced on a loom at the same time
transept
aisle in church perpendicular to the nave
transverse arch
arch that spans interior space connecting opposite walls by crossing from side to side
triforium
narrow passageway with arches opening into nave
trumeau
central pillar of portal that stabilizes structure, often elaborately decorated
tympanum
rounded sculpture place over poral of medieval church
vault
roof constructed with arches
barrel vault
when arch is extended to form a tunnel
groin vault
when two barrel vaults intersect at right angles
voussoir
wedge-shaped stone that forms curved part of arch
keystone
central voussoir
andachtsbild
image for private contemplation and devotion
apocalypse
the end of the world, God’s destruction of evil and final judgement of good and evil
bay
vertical section of a church that is embraced by set of columns and usually composed of arches and aligned windows
chevet
east end of a Gothic church
choir
space between transept and apse for a choir or clergymen
close
enclosed garden-like space around a cathedral
compound pier
pier that appears to be group/gathering of smaller piers put together
flying buttress
stone arch and pier that supports roof from pillar outside building
haggadah
“narration”, book containing Jewish story of Passover and ritual of Seder
hammerbeam
type of roof in English Gothic architecture where timber braces curve out from walls and meet high over middle of floor
lancet
tall, narrow window with pointed arch usually filled with stained glass
moralized Bible
Bible where Old and New Testament stories are paralleled with one another in illustrations, text, and commentary
ogee arch
arch formed by S-shaped curves that meet at the top
Passover
8-day Jewish festival that commemorates exodus of Jews from Egypt
Pieta
depiction of crucified Christ on the lap of Mary
pinnacle
pointed sculpture on piers or flying buttresses
seder
ceremonial meal celebrated on first two nights of Passover; marked by reading of the Haggadah
spire/steeple
tall pointed tower on a church
triforium
narrow passageway with arches opening into a nave, usually directly below a clerestory
lamentation
scene mourning Jesus’ death, often with Mother Mary, St. John, and Mary Magdalene
maniera greca
“greek manner”, style of painting based on Byzantine models poplar in 12th and 13th century Italy
tempera
type of paint made with egg yolk as binder, known for quick drying rate and opa
tempera
type of paint made with egg yolk as binder, known for quick drying rate and opaque colours
trecento
14th century in Italian art
altarpiece
painted or sculpted panel set on an altar of a church
annunciation
where Gabriel tells Mary she will be the mother of Jesus
donor
patron of art who is often seen in that work
engraving
printmaking process where burin is used to carve into a metal plate, causing impressions in the surface
burin
tool used for engraving
etching
metal plate covered with wax, and designs are cut into the wax, and an acid bath eats away at exposed portions of the plate; produces the finest details
oil paint
paint in which pigments are suspending in oil-based medium; allows for corrections, additions, and greater range of detail
polyptych
many-paneled altarpiece
redella
base of an altarpiece that is filled with small paintings
reformation
division in Christianity that occurred with the emergence of Protestantism
triptych
three-paneled painting or sculpture
woodcut
printmaking where wood tablet is carved into with a tool; strong, angular surfaces with sharp lines
bottega
studio of an Italian artist
chapter house
building next to a church used for meetings
humanism
Renaissance intellectual movement that emphasized secular alongside religious; power and ability of man
Madonna
Virgin Mary
mullion
central post or column that is support element in window or door
Neoplatonism
school of ancient Greek philosophy revived by Italian humanists
orthogonal
lines that appear to recede toward vanishing point in linear perspectives
perspective
depth and recession in a painting or relief sculpture
atmospheric/aerial perspective
landscape that gives illusion of distance
pietra serena
dark-gray stone used for columns, arches, and trim details in Renaissance buildings
pilaster
flattened column attached to wall with capital, shaft, and base
quattrocento
1400s in Italian art
trompe l’oeil
“fools the eye”; form of painting that attempts to represent object as existing in three dimensions
Arcadian
simple rural and rustic setting used in Venetian paintings
canvas
heavy woven material used as surface of a painting
cassone
trunk for storing a wife’s clothes
chiaroscuro
gradual transition from light to dark in painting
cinquecento
1500s in Italian art
entombment
painting or scene of Jesus’ burial
flood story
story of Noah, his family, and the ark
genre painting
painting in which scenes of everyday life are depicted
glazes
thin layers put over painting to sharpen colour and create sonorous effect
ignudi
nude corner figures on Sistine Chapel ceiling
Last Supper
meal shared by Jesus and disciples before crucifixion
sfumato
hazy effect that distances viewer from painting subject
sibyl
Greco-Roman prophetess whom Christians saw as prefiguring arrival of Christ
still life
painting of a group of inanimate objects
di sotto in su
‘form the bottom up’; type of ceiling painting where figures seem to over above the viewers
impasto
thick and visible application of paint on painting surface
tenebroso/tenebrism
dramatic dark and light contrast in painting
biombos
freestanding screens
casta paintings
paintings from New Spain showing people of mixed races
enconchados
shell-inlay paintings
escudo
framed painting worn below the neck in Spanish colonial painting
mestizo
someone of mixed European and Native American descent
