CUMULATIVE VOCAB | CHINESE / JAPANESE / KOREAN / INDIAN ART | Unit 4 | APAH | REN | 23-24

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Abbey church

church located in a monastery under the authority of an abbot (high ranking monk)

Abstract

deviating from naturalism

Acanthus

a leaf used as a decoration for Corinthian column capitals

Adoration of the Magi

Nativity scene where three Kings visit the infant Jesus

Agora

a public open space in ancient Greece for assemblies and markets

Annunciation

announcement to Mary by the angel Gabriel that she would conceive the son of God

Appropriate

to take something for one's own use

Apse

a rounded end of a building, often in a basilica

Aqueduct

an artificial channel for conveying water

arabesque

ornamental design with intertwined flowing lines of Arabic or Moorish origin

Arcade

A series of arches

Atmospheric perspective

showing using hue: warm colors approach; cool colors recede

Atrium

open-roofed entrance hall or central court

Axial plan

design where parts of a building are organized longitudinally, or along a given axis

Barrel vault

a continuous surface of semicircular sections resembling a barrel or tunnel

Bas relief

sculpture with a slight projection from the surrounding surface

Basilica

building with a central nave, side aisle(s), and a semicircular apse

BCE/CE

Before the Common Era/ Common Era

Caliph

chief Muslim civil and religious ruler regarded as the successor of Muhammad

Caligraphy

decorative handwriting

Canon of proportions

A rule for size relationships, often for the human figure and architecture

Capital

the topmost member of a column

Cardinal points

each of the four main points of the compass (north, south, east, and west).

Caryatid

a stone carving of a draped female figure used as a pillar

Catacomb

an underground cemetery

Cathedral

church building where a Christian bishop has his official seat; cathedra is Latin for chair

Cella

the inner area of a temple housing the cult image of a god

Central plan

circle, octagon, square, or Greek cross shape. Often for a baptistery or martyrium

Chi-Rho

a monogram of chi (Χ) and rho (Ρ) as the first two letters of Greek Christos (Christ)

Circa

approximate date

Citadel

a fortress

Classical

relating to the ancient Greek and Roman world

Clerestory

the upper part of a wall containing windows

Codex

pages held together by stitching, the earliest form of book

Coffer

a series of sunken panels in a ceiling

Colonnade

a row of columns

Commission

to authorize the production of a work of art

Composite order

Roman order that combines characteristics of Ionic order and the Corinthian order

Composition

arrangement of visual elements in a work of art

Conceptual

relating to, or based on ideas

Concrete

pourable building material made from gravel, sand, cement, and water

Continuous narrative

A story where multiple scenes are portrayed in a single frame without any dividers

Contrapposto

a standing human figure whose weight is unequally distributed between the two legs

Convention

style or method that is traditional and widely recognized to a culture or period

Corbel

architectural member that projects from a wall and supports weight

Crucifixion

death of Jesus on the cross

Deposition

removal of Jesus from the cross

Diminution

reduction in the size of an object to show depth

Dynasty

a succession of people from the same family

Empire

an extensive group of countries under a single supreme authority

Encaustic

heated beeswax mixed with colored pigment

Engaged column

a column embedded in a wall

Entablature

The horizontal upper section of a classical building that rests on the columns

Entasis

a slight swelling in the shaft of a column

Ephemeral

lasting for a short time

Ethnocentric

evaluating other cultures according to the standards of one's own culture

Eucharist

ceremony commemorating Last Supper where bread & wine is consecrated and consumed

Façade

the face of a building

Figurative

representation based on the observation of a real object

Foreshortening

dramatically shortening an object to emphasize depth or perspective

Formal

purely visual aspects of art

Forum

the public square of an ancient Roman city

four-iwan mosque

mosque arranged around an open courtyard with a vaulted hall (iwan) on each side

Fresco

painting in watercolor on wet plaster on a wall or ceiling

Genre scene

scenes or events from everyday life

Greek cross

a cross with equal length arms

Groin vault

the intersection at right angles of two barrel vaults.

Hajj

Muslim pilgrimage to Mecca (1 of 5 pillars) that takes place in the last month of the year

Halo

circle of light shown above the head of a saint or holy person

Hellenistic

The spreading of Greek culture from the death of Alexander the Great to 31 BCE

Hieratic

showing importance through size

Homage

a conscious display of respect for another artist

Hue

name of a color

Hypostyle hall

many columns carrying the roof or ceiling

hypostyle mosque

1. Islamic sacred space with a roof supported by many columns

Icon

symbolic representation of a sacred Christian person

Iconoclast

destroyer of religious images

Iconography

study of subject matter and symbols

Iconophile

one who supports the veneration of religious images and icons

Idealistic

portrayal that is completely free from faults or defects

In situ

in its original place.

Innovation

introduction of new ideas or methods

Intuitive perspective

showing depth by approximating how objects growing smaller in the distance

Ka

Ancient Egyptian spiritual part of a person that survives after death (soul)

Kaaba

square stone building in center of the Great Mosque at Mecca, holiest shrine to Muslims

Keystone

wedge-shaped stone at the top of an arch holding the other pieces in place

Kufic

an early angular form of the Arabic alphabet found chiefly in decorative inscriptions

Lamentation

expression of grief over the dead body of Jesus

Last supper

final meal that Jesus shared with his Apostles in Jerusalem before his crucifixion

Linear perspective

creating the illusion of depth using converging diagonal lines called orthoganals

Loculi

recess in a catacomb or tomb where bodies were placed

Lost-wax process

metal casting where molten metal is poured into a mold created from a wax model

Lunette

shape of a crescent or half-moon

Madrasa

A school for Islamic instruction

Mandorla

almond-shaped halo surrounding the entire figure

Martyr

person killed because of their beliefs

Mastaba

Egyptian rectangular tomb with sloping sides, a flat roof, and an underground burial chamber

Mausoleum

a building that contains a tomb

Mecca

birthplace of Muhammad in 570 AD

Media

materials used to make art