Exam 1

Motif

repeated or recurring design element.

Meander Pattern

Greek decorative border design.

Bier

stand supporting a coffin.

Shroud

cloth used to cover the dead.

Krater

Greek vessel for mixing wine and water.

Geometric Period

Greek era (900–700 B.C.E.) known for patterns.

Stupa

Buddhist reliquary mound.

Torana

gateway marking sacred Buddhist space.

Axis Mundi

symbolic world axis connecting realms.

Mandala

symbolic diagram of the universe.

Aniconism

avoidance of human imagery in religious art.

Asceticism

self

Buddha

enlightened founder of Buddhism.

Samsara

cycle of birth, death, and rebirth.

Nirvana

release from the cycle of rebirth.

Circumambulation

ritual walking around a sacred object.

Tactility/Haptics

sense of touch in art.

Idolatry

worship of physical images.

Relic

sacred remains or object of veneration.

Reliquary

container holding a relic.

Martyrdom

dying for one’s faith.

Holy Robbery

theft of relics considered divinely sanctioned.

Found

Object Art

Installation

art designed for a specific spatial arrangement.

Conceptual Art

art prioritizing ideas over visual form.

Hajj

Islamic pilgrimage to Mecca.

Tawaf

ritual walking around the Kaaba.

Vegetal Designs

plant

Calligraphy

artistic writing, often sacred.

Enamel

fused colored glass on metal.

Cloisonné

enamel separated by metal strips.

Filigree

delicate twisted wire ornamentation.

Repoussé

metal relief hammered from the reverse side.

Synesthesia

blending of sensory experiences.

Extramission

ancient belief that vision emits from eyes.

Prototype

original model for later copies.

Buon Fresco

painting executed on wet plaster.

Pseudo Script

false or decorative imitation of writing.

Usury

lending money at interest, often condemned as sinful.

Frieze

horizontal decorative band.

Sequential Narrative

story told across separate scenes.

Continuous Narrative

multiple moments shown in one frame.

In Situ

in its original location.

Embroidery

decorative stitched imagery.

Tapestry

woven pictorial textile.

Continuous Narrative, Synoptic Type

repeated figures to show a sequence.

Rilievo Schiacciato

very low relief carving technique.

Baptistery

building used for baptism.

Guild

association of artists or craftsmen.

Private Chapel

small space for individual worship.

Fresco/Buon Fresco

painting on wet plaster.

Monoscenic Narrative

single scene depiction.

Persian Miniature Painting

detailed small

Manuscript Illumination

decorative illustrated text.

Bustan

Persian term for “orchard,” title of poetic work.

Stylization

simplified or exaggerated representation of forms.

Prehistoric

before written history.

Paleolithic

Old Stone Age, earliest human art period.

Relative Dating

determining age in relation to other finds.

Archaic Smile

stylized expression on early Greek statues.

Kouros/Kore/Kouroi

Archaic Greek statues of male/female youths.

Arete

Greek ideal of excellence and virtue.

Kalokagathia

Greek harmony of moral and physical beauty.

Canon of Proportions

mathematical system for ideal body ratios.

Pastiche

artwork imitating earlier styles.

Provenance

record of an artwork’s ownership history.

Connoisseurship

expert judgment of authenticity or quality.

Contrapposto

natural stance with weight on one leg.

Humanism

focus on human value and potential.

Verism

extreme realism in Roman portraiture.

Naturalism

accurate depiction of nature or life.

Portrait

depiction of an individual person.

Renaissance

cultural rebirth reviving classical art and ideas.

Composite Pose

combining multiple views in one figure.

Registers

horizontal bands organizing visual scenes.

Hieroglyphs

Egyptian writing system using pictorial symbols.

Find Spot

location where an artifact was found.

Necropolis

large ancient burial site.

Monolithic

made from a single massive stone.

Nemes Headdress

striped royal cloth worn by pharaohs.

Ka

spiritual essence or soul in Egyptian belief.

Idealization

depicting subjects in perfected form.

Polychromy

use of multiple colors on sculpture.

Amarna Period

artistic era under Akhenaten emphasizing naturalism.

Cuneiform

wedge

Spolia/Spoils of War

reuse of materials from earlier monuments.

Stele

upright stone slab with inscription or relief.

Site

Specificity

Organic/Biomorphic Shape

natural, irregular shape based on living forms.

Geometric Shape

precise mathematical shape like circles or squares.

Contour Line

outline that defines an object’s form.

Color Edge

where two colors meet to define a boundary.

Hatching/Cross

Hatching

Implied Line

line suggested by elements rather than drawn.

Gaze

direction or focus of a figure’s look.

Value

degree of lightness or darkness in color.

Chiaroscuro/Modeling

use of light and shadow to create volume.

Light Source

origin or direction of illumination in art.

Attached Shadow

shadow appearing directly on a subject.

Cast Shadow

shadow cast by an object onto another surface.