Chapter 2 - Vocab Art History

bases

any support; also, masonry supporting a statue or the shaft of a column

capitals

the top portion of a column in architecture

citadel

a fortress on high ground, meant to protect a city

column

an architectural element used for support and/or decoration. Consists of a base topped by a decorated capital. Can be freestanding or attached to a background wall

crenellated

alternating high and low sections of a wall, giving a notched appearance and creating permanent defensive shields in the walls of fortified buildings

palace complex

a very large and richly furnished house where a royal family and nobles would live in. A group of buildings used for living and governing by a particular ruler, usually in a fortress or citadel

pictographs

a highly stylized depiction serving as a symbol for a person or object

registers

a device used in systems of spatial definition. In painting, a register indicates the use of a differing ground lines to differentiate layers of space within an image. In sculpture, the placement of self-contained bands reliefs in a vertical arrangement

shafts

the middle portion of a column, between capital and base. It was load bearing function, but is also decorative

stela

an upright stone slab or column typically bearing a commemorative inscription or relief design, often serving as a gravestone

ziggurat

(in ancient Mesopotamia) a rectangular stepped tower, sometimes surmounted by a temple. a type of step pyramid

cuneiform

an early form of writing with wedge shaped marks impressed into wet clay with a stylus, primarily used by Ancient Mesopotamians

cone mosaic

a surface decorated by pressing pieces (usually colored and of conical shape) of stone or baked clay into damp plaster

cylinder seals

a small cylindrical stone decorated with incised patterns. When rolled across soft clay or wax, a raised pattern or design (relief) is made, which served in Mesopotamia and Indus Valley cultures as an identifying signature

filigree

delicate, lace-like, ornamental work of intertwined wire

fluting

evenly spaced, rounded parallel vertical grooves incised on shafts of columns

stylized

a piece is represented in a non-naturalistic conventional form (the emoji heart does not represent a real heart)

stylus

an ancient tool for writing, consisting of a small rod with a pointed end for scratch letters on wax-covered tablets, and a blunt end for removing them

terminals

any element of sculpture or architecture that functions as decorative closure. They are usually placed in pairs at either end of an object (such as furniture) or facade (as on a building) to help frame the composition

torque

is a large rigid or at least stiff neck ring in metal, made either as a single piece or from strands twisted together

votive figures

are of various sizes and usually carved in gypsum or limestone. They depict men wearing fringed or tufted fleece skirts, and women wearing fringed or tufted dresses draped over one shoulder. Many have inlaid eyes and painted hair. The statues are usually carved with the hands clasped, right over left, at the chest or waist in a gesture of attentiveness. They were placed in shrines for the Gods

glazed

when a ceramic is covered, and then fired with a virtuous liquid, consequently making the ceramic waterproof, as well as gives decor

gold leaf

paper thin sheets of hammered gold that are used in gilding to create a decorative, reflective effect

ground lines

the surface in which figures of a composition are set. The solid baseline that indicates the ground plane of an image on which the figure stands. In ancient representations, such as those of the Egyptian, the figures and the objects are placed on the groundline without reference to their actual spatial relationships

grid

a system of regularly spaced vertically and horizontally crossed lines that give regularity to architectural plans as well as art compositions

incised

a surface in which a design or inscription is cut into a hard surface with a sharp instrument

inlays

an object or ornament that has been imbedded with different materials (wood, metal, glass, etc.) within it

lost-wax casting

a method of metal casting in which a molten metal is poured into a mold that has been created by means of a wax model. Once the mold is made, the wax model is melted and drained away

high relief

forms and figures stand out from the background to hold or more than half of their natural depth

low relief

slight projection of the form from the background of a flat sculpture

hieratic scale

the use of size to indicate the importance of a figure (religious or otherwise) in a work of art. Usually larger means more important/powerful

alabaster

a translucent form of gypsum which is usually white and fine-grained; it is often carved into ornaments

re/ra

sun god in ancient egypt religion

benben

sacred pyramidal shape related to the sun cult, symbolizing the sun's first rays and the emergence of light and life from the chaotic primordial waters

valley of the kings

a royal burial site in ancient Egypt near modern-day Luxor where New Kingdom pharaohs and powerful nobles were interred in rock-cut tombs–no more pyramids for now!

amarna period

marked by pharaoh Akhenaten's radical religious revolution, which replaced traditional polytheism with the worship of the sole god Aten.

exaggerated features like elongated heads, wide hips, and full lips, as well as a shift to naturalistic and intimate portrayals of the royal family engaged in domestic scenes.

Egyptian stance

rigid and stiff

composite pose

frontal and profile

so basically a representation of a human/figure from multiple perspectives

clerestory

is a high section of wall containing windows that is positioned above eye level, typically near the ceiling or roofline. Its primary purpose is to bring in natural light and, in some cases, ventilation, allowing for brighter, airier interiors without sacrificing privacy

hypostyle

a hall of an Egyptian temple that has a roof supported by a dense thicket of columns; a forest of columns

peristyle

a colonnade surrounding a building or enclosing a courtyard

pylon

a monumental gateway to an Egyptian temple marked by two, flat sloping walls(slant angle); in between, there is a smaller entrance

obelisk

a stone pillar, typically having a square or rectangular cross section and a pyramidal top, set up as a monument or landmark.

sunken relief

carving in which the outlines of figures are deeply carved into a surface so that the figures seem to project forward

ex: Akhenaton, Nefertiti, and three daughters

ankh

Egyptian symbol of life

gypsum

a soft mineral, calcium sulfate (CaSO₄·2H₂O), widely used as a building material, most commonly for drywall and plaster,

bent axis approach

a design feature in ancient Mesopotamian temples, such as those in Sumer, where visitors enter the building through one long wall and must turn approximately 90 degrees to face the central sanctuary or altar.

Anu

sky god of ancient Sumeria that was the father of gods

buttresses

a projecting support of stone or brick built against a wall.

Horus

is the falcon-headed god of the sky, war, kingship, and hunting, and the son of Osiris and Isis

Ma’at

is the ancient Egyptian concept and goddess embodying truth, justice, order, harmony, and balance

Abu

god of vegetation and fertility in Ancient Sumeria

lapis lazuli

necropolis

a "city of the dead," that often includes tombs, monuments, temples, and other funerary structures

ka

the soul in ancient Egypt

cella

main room of the temple where the god is housed

votive

offered in fulfillment of a vow or pledge

free standing

sculpture that is completely sculpted all the way around. No relief

apadana

audience hall of a Persian palace

monumental

gives an impression of grandeur

axial plan

This plan uses a single central line to align structures, leading the eye and guiding the viewer's experience. 

canon of proportions

proportioned figures in accordance with an ideal image of the human form

cartouche

an oval formed by a loop of rope

core glass

refers to the technique used to create the earliest glass vessels, which flourished in Egypt during the New Kingdom

colonnade

use of a row of columns to create impressive architectural spaces, primarily within massive temple complexes

engaged column

a column that is partially or wholly built into a wall, projecting outward to serve a decorative and sometimes structural function

faience

a man-made, quartz-based material with a distinctive blue-green glazed surface

mastaba

is an ancient Egyptian tomb characterized by its flat-topped, rectangular, mud-brick (or stone) structure with sloping sides

portico

A portico is essentially an open, roofed porch or colonnade with columns supporting the roof, leading to a building's entrance

sarcophagus

serve as coffins, often elaborately decorated, to house the deceased and express their status in life and their beliefs about the afterlife

serdab

is a small, concealed chamber within an ancient Egyptian mastaba or pyramid that housed a ka statue of the deceased individual.

allowed for the spirit to receive offerings brought by the living through a small slit or hole in the chamber.