art history

incision

non-functional; decorative marks on the surface

lithic

stone, or made of stone.

relative dating

science of determining the order of past events without necessarily knowing their exact age

radiometric dating

the process of measuring the absolute age of geologic material by measuring the concentrations of radioactive isotopes and their decay products

sculpture in the round

Freestanding figures, carved or modeled in three dimensions.

composite image

an image formed by combining different images or different views of the subject

additive sculpture

A kind of sculpture technique in which materials (for example, clay) are built up or "added" to create form.

megalith

huge stone

passage grave

A prehistoric tomb with a long stone corridor leading to a burial chamber covered by a great tumulus.

tumulus

An artificial mound of earth and stones placed over a grave

corbelling

courses of stone or brick in which each course projects beyond the one beneath it.

kerbstone

Large stone decorated with spirals and zigzags surrounding passage graves.

profile view

shows an object as though you were looking at it from the side

composite view

A convention of representation in which part of a figure is shown in profile and another part of the same figure is shown frontally; also called twisted perspective.

deep time

different artists, the art is being revisited

duration

length of time something lasts

aura

a quality integral to an artwork that cannot be communicated through mechanical reproduction techniques

hieratic/hierarchic scale

important parts of art are depicted bigger

sumerian

The name of the first culture in the world to develop cities.

stele

A carved stone slab used to mark graves or to commemorate historical events.

register

a horizontal band, often on top of another, that tells a narrative story

formal conventions

the conventions that artists follow when telling a narrative through their art

continuous narrative

a work of art that contains several scenes of the same story painted or sculpted in a single frame

historiography

the study of historical writing

akkadian

"Semitic people" north of the Sumerian city-states;first empire

cuneiform script

writing typified by the use of wedge-shaped characters

citadel

city within a city

cire perdue

the lost wax process. A bronze casting method in which a figure is modeled in clay and covered with wax and then recovered with clay. When fired in a kiln, the wax melts away, leaving a channel between the two layers of clay which can be used as a mold for liquid metal

conventions of representation

how something was expected to be represented

extreme relief

a sculpture that is almost carved all the way around, but is still attached to a background

idealization

Seeing someone else as perfect, ideal, or more worthy than everyone else

static, stable and everlasting

description of Egyptian sculptures; the figures were strong and were expected to last forever

monumental architecture

architectural constructions of a greater-than-human scale, such as pyramids, temples, and tombs

bilateral symmetry

the property of being divisible into symmetrical halves on either side of a unique plane.

granulation

A decorative technique in which tiny metal balls (granules) are fused to a metal surface.

niello

a black compound of sulfur with silver, lead, or copper, used for filling in engraved designs in silver or other metals.

syncretism

a blending of beliefs and practices from different religions into one faith

buon fresco

true or wet fresco; pigments are mixed with water and become chemically bound to the freshly laid lime plaster

giornata

"a days work" in Italian; each patch was what the artist planned to paint in a single day

genre scene

scene of everyday life

repousse

formed in relief by beating a metal plate from the back, leaving the impression on the face

black figure pottery

A style or technique of ancient Greek pottery in which black figures are painted on a red background

red figure pottery

the background is glazed black so that figures stand out in terra-cotta

attributes/iconography

characteristics associated with figures in art that distinguish them/make them more recognizable

encostic

type of paint (pigment and beeswax)

kouros

An Archaic Greek statue of a standing nude male.

kore

Greek, "young woman." An Archaic Greek statue of a young woman.

pediment sculpture

- freestanding sculptures
- promoting the status of the Athenians
- figures are anatomically correct
- generic and idealized

temenos

large religious complex

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. People are depicted with their bodies curved like an "S"

entasis

a slight convex curve in the shaft of a column, introduced to correct the visual illusion of concavity produced by a straight shaft.

entablature

the upper story of a Greek temple

doric

This style of column features simple, heavy columns without bases.

ionic

more feminine column, distinguished from doric by the volute and the base

corinthian

an order of ancient Greek architecture similar to the Ionic, except that the capitals are carved in tiers of leaves

capital

the top segment of a greek column

raking cornice

The cornice on the sloping sides of a pediment.

pediment

the triangular top of a temple that contains sculpture

cornice

a projecting ledge over a wall (bottom of the pediment)

frieze

ornamental horizontal band on a wall

architrave

The lintel or lowest division of the entablature; also called the epistyle.

abacus

the very top of the capital

echinus

a rounded molding below an abacus on a Doric or Ionic capital

volute

A spiral, scroll-like form characteristic of the ancient Greek Ionic and the Roman Composite capital.

shaft

the body of a column

base

the bottom of the greek column

necking

the bottom portion of the capital of a greek coloumn

stylobate

The uppermost course of the platform of a classical Greek temple, which supports the columns.

metope

panel between the triglyphs in a Doric frieze, often sculpted in relief

triglyph

a triple projecting, grooved member of a Doric frieze that alternates with metopes

caryatids

women carrying the weight of the structure

kanon

ideal proportions for the human figure

pathos

appeals to the emotion

etruscan

a native or inhabitant of ancient Etruria; the Etruscans influenced the Romans

necropolis

city of the dead

virtus

valor, manliness, excellence, courage

verism

truth, depicting real people

plebian

lower levels of society

puditia

values for women; maternal, sober sexuality, modesty

pax romana

the Roman peace; the long period of peace enforced on states in the Roman Empire

voussoirs

wedge-shaped element, used in building an arch

keystone

the central building block at the top of an arch or vault

barrel vault

one arched walkway

groin vault

two barrel vaults intersecting

triumphal arch

arch built to celebrate and mark a victory

spolia

spoils

foundation

underground section of an arch, used for support

impost

slab of stone in between the arch and the shaft

pier

the shaft of the arch

rotunda

a building having a circular plan and a dome

coffered ceiling

sunken details; decorative; lightens load of roof

oculus

hole in ceiling; lets in light; symbolic (looking up at the heavens)

stepped dome

reinforces dome

portico

porch

drum

round part of building; bottom part of dome

trompe l'oeil

trick of the eye

incrustation

illusion, makes the building look more expensive

architectural

illusion of added architecture

ornamental

art gallery-like approach

intricate

combination of every fresco technique