Western and Classical Arts Traditions – Lecture Review

Vocabulary flashcards summarizing key terms, materials, techniques, and stylistic features from prehistoric through Gothic art traditions covered in the lecture.

Ancient Art

The earliest human creative expressions, often using pictures instead of words to tell stories and record daily life.

Cave Painting

Images drawn or carved on rock walls by prehistoric people who lacked a written language.

Ocher

Red or yellow natural earth pigment used by prehistoric artists like chalk.

Flint Point

Sharp stone tool used to cut or incise lines into rock surfaces in prehistoric art.

Classical Art

Artistic style of ancient Greece and Rome (c. 750 BCE–400 CE), celebrated for harmony, proportion, and idealized beauty.

Egyptian Art

Art of ancient Egypt noted for monumental architecture, stylized painting, frontal sculpture, and symbolic jewelry.

Granite (Egyptian use)

Hard, durable stone commonly used in constructing Egyptian temples and monuments.

Sandstone (Egyptian use)

Soft, workable stone abundant in Egypt and used for large‐scale building blocks.

Limestone (Egyptian use)

Primary Egyptian building material, quarried locally for pyramids and temples.

Cella

Inner chamber of a Greek temple protected by surrounding walls, unlike Egyptian designs.

Hieroglyph

Ancient Egyptian picture‐writing, typically linear and lacking perspective or depth.

Pharaoh Statue

Idealized sculptural representation of an Egyptian king, frontal and immobile in pose.

Idealized Representation

Artistic convention of depicting figures in perfected, eternally youthful forms rather than true portraits.

Inverted Triangle Torso

Egyptian sculptural convention emphasizing broad shoulders and narrowed waist to form a geometric triangle.

Amulet

Small object worn for protection; common in Egyptian folk art for both men and women.

Pectoral (Egyptian)

Chest ornament shaped like a vulture symbolizing power and wealth.

Egyptian Pottery

One of Egypt’s earliest art forms, producing functional and decorative clay vessels.

Greek Art

Art of ancient Greece, admired for naturalistic human forms, balanced proportions, and skillful drawing.

Greek Temple

Standard shrine model with exterior columns and interior cella, influencing later Western architecture.

Human Anatomy (Greek study)

Greek artists’ detailed understanding of body structure, enabling lifelike sculpture and drawing.

Profile Eye

Greek convention of drawing an eye in side view on a profile face.

Stone Carving (Greek)

Expert Greek practice of shaping marble or limestone into detailed statues.

Bronze Casting

Technique mastered by Greeks to create durable metal sculptures.

Movement in Sculpture

Greek innovation of posing figures dynamically while maintaining ideal proportions.

Greek Jewelry

Ornaments of gold, bronze, or silver embellished with cupids, flowers, or mythic creatures.

Corinthian Pottery

Distinct Greek ceramic style with detailed painted decoration from Corinth.

Mosaic (Greek)

Labor‐intensive folk art forming images from small pieces of stone or glass.

Roman Art

Art of ancient Rome, blending Greek classical style with engineering ingenuity and realism.

Aqueduct

Roman engineered structure transporting water using arches and gravity.

Roman Concrete

Durable building material enabling large‐scale Roman construction like domes and vaults.

Arch

Curved architectural element perfected by Romans for strength and span.

Vault

Arched ceiling or roof, allowing Romans to create large interior spaces.

Aerial Perspective

Roman painting technique creating depth by softening distant forms.

Roman Realism

Sculptural approach capturing true facial expressions and historical detail.

Roman Mosaic

Floor or wall decoration using tiny colored tesserae to depict daily life and athletics.

Metalwork (Roman)

Roman skill in crafting objects from bronze, silver, and gold with intricate gem cutting.

Portland Vase

Famous Roman cameo‐glass vessel illustrating mythological scenes of Peleus and Thetis.

Doric Column

Simplest Greek architectural order characterized by sturdy, fluted shafts and plain capitals.

Ionic Column

Greek order identified by scroll‐shaped volutes on its capital.

Corinthian Column

Greek order with ornate capitals decorated with acanthus leaves.

Byzantine Art

Eastern Christian art marked by rigid tradition, sophisticated style, and strong religious expression.

Medieval Art

Art of the Middle Ages, heavily centered on church buildings and Christian themes.

Romanesque Art

11th–12th-century style featuring round arches, massive walls, and barrel vaults.

Round Arch

Semicircular arch typical of Romanesque architecture.

Gothic Art

12th–15th-century style noted for height, pointed arches, and light‐filled cathedrals.

Pointed Arch

Arch with a tapered apex, hallmark of Gothic architecture allowing greater verticality.

Gothic Painting

Formal, elegant style rich in detail and idealized representation, often created in monasteries.

Monastery

Religious community where many Gothic paintings and manuscripts were produced.

Didactic Sculpture

Gothic reliefs and statues used to teach biblical stories to an illiterate populace.

Relief Sculpture

Sculptural form projecting from a flat background, revived in Romanesque art but not fully in the round.

Stone Vault

Romanesque ceiling constructed by extending arches, creating a solid stone roof.

Engineering Works (Roman)

Roman roads, bridges, canals, and aqueducts illustrating advanced civil engineering.

Curved Forms

Roman introduction of cylindrical and spherical interior spaces using arches and concrete.

Scroll Capital

Characteristic top of an Ionic column resembling a rolled scroll.

Acanthus Leaf

Ornamental leaf motif decorating Corinthian capitals.

Rigid Tradition (Byzantine)

Strict adherence to established iconographic patterns limiting individual artistic expression.

Sophisticated Style (Byzantine)

Refined, elaborate treatment of form and color distinctive of Byzantine art.

Frontal Pose (Egyptian)

Sculptural stance facing directly forward, conveying timeless authority.