History of Art vocab terms

linear perspective

parallel lines appear to converge in the distance

vanishing point

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

atmospheric perspective

Creating the illusion of depth of space by fading colors and eliminating detail in objects that are further away.

contrapposto

A style of Greek sculpture where people are depicted standing and leaning so that the person's weight is being put on one side.

lost-wax casting

a method of casting metal by a process in which a wax mold covered with clay and fired, leaves a hollow form for metal molds to be made

diptych

a painting, especially an altarpiece, on two hinged wooden panels that may be closed like a book.

tromp l'oeil

"deceive the eye" an art technique that uses realistic lighting, shading, and perspective to make a flat, two-dimensional surface look like a three-dimensional space or object

foreshortening

The use of perspective to represent in art the apparent visual contraction of an object that extends back in space at an angle to the perpendicular plane of sight.

oculus

the round central opening of a dome

di sotto in su

"from the bottom up", works are ceiling paintings in which the figures seem to be hovering above the viewers

Leon Battista Alberti

came up with the concept of creating a "perfect" individual during the Renaissance which included; Having a high regard for human dignity, A realization of all people, and having an ability to have many achievements

triptych

A three-paneled painting or altarpiece.

polyptych

many-paneled altarpiece

illumination

The artistic decoration of books and manuscripts

tempera vs. Oil painting

Tempera is more transparent than oil and holds less pigment

woodcut and Engraving

Wood engraving is a technique developed in the 18th century in which the design is cut into the end grain of the wood block, instead of along the grain, on a harder wood than the typical woodcut.

tapestry

a wall hanging of heavy handwoven fabric with pictorial designs

Templo Mayor

the major temple in the centre of Tenochtitlan, dedicated to the god Huitzilopochtli

kachina

masked dancer at religious ceremonies of the Southwest Indians

kiva

a round room used by the Pueblo peoples for religious ceremonies

hozho

A Navajo concept referring to harmony, peace of mind, goodness, ideal family relationships, beauty in arts and crafts, and health of body and spirit.

adobe

A brick or building material made of sun-dried earth and straw.

huacas

Sacred spirits and powers that resided or appeared in caves, mountains, rocks, rivers, and other natural phenomena; typical of Andean societies.

tocapu

a small square unit of decoration that conveys pictorial information. Appears on Inca textiles and keros.

warp and weft

the threads that make up a loomed or woven fabric (warp is vertical, weft is horizontal)

inlay

a decorative technique where an artisan carves a shallow recess into a base object and embeds contrasting materials—such as wood, metal, stone, shell, or ivory—so that the final design sits flush with the surface

literati

well-educated people who are interested in literature but persued government service

hanging scroll

in asian art, a vertical scroll hung on a wall with pictures mounted or painted directly on it

hand scroll

in Asian art, a horizontal painted scroll that is unrolled to the left and often used to present illustrated religious texts or landscapes

calligraphic

lines that change from thick to thin in one stroke

leaf

A small-scale painting or calligraphy page in a larger album

album

a collection of leaves

hip roof

A roof with four sloped sides

seal

A permanent mark on art pieces that were owned by nobility to signify ownership

isometric perspective

linear perspective w/o a vanishing point; parallel lines in nature remain that way; flattening effect; interaction of 2D surface and spatial illusion

byobu

Japanese painted folding screens.

woodblock printing

a form of printing in which an entire page is carved into a block of wood

Ukiyo-e

Japanese woodblock printing; translation: "pictures of the floating world"

cartouche

a carved tablet or drawing representing a scroll with rolled-up ends, used ornamentally or bearing an inscription.

Giorgio Vasari

Italian painter and art historian (1511-1574); wrote The Lives of the Artists. Massive patronage of the arts came from this and was lead by families like the Medici's and also the churches, who saw art as a means of glorifying God.

fresco

mural painting technique where water-based pigments are applied directly onto freshly laid, wet lime plaster

chiaroscuro

an effect of contrasted light and shadow created by light falling unevenly or from a particular direction on something.

sfumato

Italian for "smoky", technique used to blend details to look more realistic

Vitruvius

a Roman author, architect, civil engineer and military engineer during the 1st century BC, known for his multi-volume work entitled De architectura.

pieta

A painted or sculpted representation of the Virgin Mary mourning over the body of the dead Christ.

classical ideal

an ancient Greek belief that humans should strive for a balance of physical, mental, and spiritual qualities; and in art, a harmony of parts and balance of stasis and movement, color and line.

façade

the principal front or exterior face of a building, usually featuring the main entrance and designed as a major artistic or stylistic statement

pilaster

a rectangular column, especially one projecting from a wall.

Protestant Reformation (b. 1517)

a 16th-century religious and political movement that challenged the authority of the Pope and the Roman Catholic Church

Martin Luther

95 Thesis, posted in 1517, led to religious reform in Germany, denied papal power and absolutist rule. Claimed there were only 2 sacraments: baptism and communion.

95 Theses

It was nailed to a church door in Wittenberg, Germany in 1517 and is widely seen as being the catalyst that started the Protestant Reformation. It contained Luther's list of accusations against the Roman Catholic Church.

monogram

A design composed of letters, usually the first letter of a name

still life

a picture depicting an arrangement of inanimate objects

Mannerism

Artistic movement against the Renaissance ideals of symetry, balance, and simplicity; went against the perfection the High Renaissance created in art. Used elongated proportions, twisted poese and compression of space.

The Counter Reformation

the reaction of the Roman Catholic Church to the Reformation reaffirming the veneration of saints and the authority of the Pope (to which Protestants objected)

Council of Trent

Called by Pope Paul III to reform the church and secure reconciliation with the Protestants. Lutherans and Calvinists did not attend.