Chapter 23: High Renaissance and Mannerism in Northern Europe and Spain

Alchemy

the medieval study of changing base metal into gold

Allegory

imbuing narratives, images or figures with symbolic meaning to convey moral principles and philosophical ideas

Anamorphic Image

a distorted image that must be viewed by some special means (such as a mirror) to be recognized

Choleric

(cat)-easily moved to excessive anger

Copyright

the exclusive legal right to protect written or artistic products. Durer was the first to successfully sue and win after someone published his work and took the profits.

Cosmic Landscape

a view of the world from above-a bird’s eye view

Counterreformation

attempt on the part of the Catholic Church to reform the issues which were driving the faithful to the Protestant Church

Engraving

using a burin to carve an image into a metal plate

Etching

corroding a design into metal with acid

Four Humors

a study of human temperament based on the idea of bodily fluids

Genre

a category of painting which depicted everyday life and people going about their daily tasks

Indulgences

pardon for the temporal punishment of sin which reduced the time a person would spend in purgatory

Landscape

a picture of a specific place

Melancholic

(elk) tend to a depressed spirit

Memento Mori

Latin language a reminder of human mortality sometimes signified by a skull

Mysticism

a personal experience of God

Nepotism

the appointment of relatives to important positions

Ninety-five Theses

the document written by Luther, which he nailed to the door of the Wittenberg Cathedral. He challenged papal authority and enumerated his objections to Church practices.

Phlegmatic

(ox) having a slow and stolid temperament

Predella

the narrow ledge on which an altarpiece rests on an altar

Protestant Reformation

reformers directly challenged the authority of the church

Protestantism

the establishment of new religions with a belief in personal faith rather than adherence to Catholic creed and practice

Sanguine

(rabbit) tendency toward cheerfulness of spirit

Woodcut

a wooden slab carved so that a raised design remains to be inked and used to make prints