AP Art History - unit 1 vocab

mobiliary

of or relating to movable property

representation

an artistic likeness or image

ground line

a line drawn to signify the surface of the ground.

bent-axis approach

a plan that incorporates two or more angular changes of direction, characteristic of Sumerian architecture

cella

the frequently hidden inner part of a Greek or Roman temple that housed the image of the deity

ziggurat

an ancient Mesopotamian temple tower consisting of a lofty pyramidal structure built in successive stages with outside staircases and a shrine on top

axis mundi

world center, connection between heaven and earth

stele

stone slab, taller than wide, erected in the ancient world as a monument

deshret

red crown of lower Egypt, contains the cobra goddess on the forehead

hedjet

normal name for the white crown of pharaonic Upper Egypt

hierarchical scale

technique used where the artist uses unnatural proportion or scale to depict the relative importance of figures in the work.

lapis lazuli

semiprecious stone that is usually rich azure blue

lyre

a stringed instrument of the harp family having a U-shaped frame and used by ancient Greeks accompanied by song

register

horizontal level in a work that consists of several levels arranged one above the other

corbelled vaulting

arch-like construction method that uses stacked large stone blocks to span a space or void in a structure

necropolis

an elaborate cemetery of an ancient city

nemes scarf

striped headcloth worn by pharaohs in ancient Egypt, covered the crown and back of the head and nape of the neck, with lappets hanging down behind the ears over shoulders

sarcophagus

a stone coffin, literally "flesh-eater."

canon of proportions

a system based on mathematical ratios that was used by the Egyptians to create proportion in art when drawing the human figure

dyad

two individual maintaining a sociologically significant relationship

papyrus

a tall perennial sedge of the Nile valley, could be made into strips and pressed into a material to write on.

foreshortening

to reduce or distort in order to convey the illusion of three-dimensional space as perceived by the human eye.

buon fresco

Italian for "true fresh", pigments applied to wet plaster

megalithic

a stone of great size, especially in ancient construction work or prehistoric Neolithic remains.

mortise and tenon

a type of joint made of two parts: the tenon portion works as a peg and the mortis is the hole or slot into which the tenon is inserted

post and lintel

in building construction, a system in which two upright members, the posts, hold up a third member, the lintel, laid horizontally across their top surfaces

amarna

period in ancient Egypt in which tablets were found of correspondence between Amenhotep IV and his father

monotheism

the doctrine or belief that there is only one god.

sunken relief

relief that is carved into a sunken area and does not project above the surface

ankh

a tau cross with a loop at the top, used as a symbol of generation or enduring life

book of the dead

a collection of ancient Egyptian papyrus

books with prayers, hymns, incantations and behavior of the souls of the dead

canopic jars

jar used in ancient Egypt to contain the entrails of an embalmed body

faience

a glassy substance that is formed and fired like ceramic, made by combining crushed minerals with natron or plant ash

polytheistic

the doctrine or belief that there is more than one god

clerestory

high section of wall that contains windows above eye level, to admit light or fresh air

pylon

a monumental gateway of an Egyptian temple.

diprosopus

two-faced conjoined twins (incompletely separated identical twins)

duat

the realm of the dead in ancient Egyptian mythology

symposium

a meeting or conference for the discussion of some subject, especially where several speakers talk on or discuss before an audience

lamassu

an Assyrian protective deity, often depicted as having a human head, the body of a bull or lion, and bird wings

narrative

a story or account of events, experiences, or the like, whether true or fictitious

kouros

a sculpted representation of a young man, especially one produced prior to the 5th century b.c.

archaic smile

conventional representation of the mouth characterized by slightly upturned corners of the lips, found especially on Greek sculpture prior to the 5th century b.c

chiton

a gown or tunic, with or without sleeves, worn by both sexes in ancient Greece.

encaustic

painted with wax colors fixed with heat, or with any process in which colors are burned in.

kore

a sculpted representation of a young woman, especially one produced prior to the 5th century b.c.

peplos

a loose-fitting outer garment worn, draped in folds, by women in ancient Greece

kline

Rectangular Greek couches, made for reclining while eating

terra-cotta

a glazed or unglazed fired clay used especially for statuettes and vases and architectural purposes

agora

chief marketplace of Athens, center of the city's civic life

apadana

the great hall in an ancient Persian palace

capital

the distinct top section, usually decorative, of a column or pillar

akroteria

sculptures that adorn the roof of a temple

drum

cylinder stone blocks composing a column that is not a monolith

pathos

an element in experience or in artistic representation evoking pity or compassion

pediment

a triangular space that forms the gable of a low-pitched roof and that is usually filled with relief sculpture in classical architecture

peristyle

a colonnade surrounding a building or court, an open space enclosed by a colonnade

dromos

the passage to an ancient Egyptian or Mycenean subterranean tomb.

contrapposto

a position of the depicted human body in which twisting of the vertical axis results in hips, shoulders, and head turned in different directions.

amphiprostyle

having columns at each end only.

caryatid

a draped female figure supporting an entablature

chryselephantine

sculpture made out of gold and ivory.

facade

the front of a building.

pinakotheke

a picture gallery in either ancient Greek or ancient Rome

stylobate

a continuous flat base supporting a row of architectural columns

genre

painting that depicts scenes or events from everyday life usually realistically

krater

large vessel usually used for diluting wine with water

red figure pottery

a style of Greek vase painting that was invented in Athens around 530 BC that is characterized by drawn red figures and a painted black background

chatra

in Hindu religion, the embodiment of kingship. Takes on the shape of tiered umbrellas on the top of the stupa

circumambulate

to circle on foot, especially ritualistically

harmika

a square fence-like enclosure which indicates heaven on the top of a stupa

karma

the force generated by a person's actions held in Hinduism and Buddhism to determine the nature of the person's next existence

torana

a gateway consisting of two upright pillars carrying one to three transverse lintels often carved with symbolic sculpture, approach to Buddhist temples in India

yakshi

female earth spirit, portrayed as wide hipped voluptuous woman who can cause a tree to bear fruit simply by touching it with her foot.

tufa

a porous rock formed as a deposit from springs or streams

bi

circular ancient Chinese artifact made in jade or glass

cantilevering

projecting beam or member supported at only one end

cestus

an ancient boxing glove made with leather strips and sometimes filled with iron plates or fitted with blades or spikes

pugilist

a boxer, especially a professional one

gravitas

dignity, seriousness, or solemnity of manner

imagines

death masks of notable ancestors that were kept and displayed by the family

patrician

an aristocrat or nobleman.

imagines

death masks of notable ancestors that were kept and displayed by the family

veristic

extremely or strictly naturalistic

atrium

large open air or skylight covered space surrounded by a building

impluvium

sunken part of the atrium in a Greek or Roman house, designed to carry rainwater coming through the roof

tablinium

room situated on one side of the atrium opposite the entrance

linear perspective

a system of creating an illusion of depth on a flat surface

vanishing point

the point at which receding parallel lines viewed in perspective appear to converge