Italian Art Before the Black Death -- terms

Humanism

movement inspired by ancient Greek/Roman texts, emphasizes classical world and studies rather than religion

pietra forte

local limestone used in many monumental buildings of Florence during Roman times

guild

organizations of crafts people + merchants that regulated a specific craft or trade (quality control, set professional standards, union)

nave

the central part of a church, extending from entrance to transepts

• long, rectangular

side aisle

narrow passageway located on the side of the nave

nave arcade

series of arches (supported by columns) that separates the nave from the side aisles

clerestory windows

the upper section of a wall that contains windows above eye-level to let in light and air

basilica plan

a building layout featuring a nave, side aisles, nave arcades

• originated from public Roman buildings

• adapted by early Christians for churches

central plan

building design where parts of a building radiate from a central point

rib vault

skeletal stone ribs that support a thin stone ceiling/roof

Mendicant Orders (Franciscans, Dominicans)

religious groups that have taken a vow of poverty

• caring about everyone, living + working in the city, taking care of urban populous, entertaining

• open to the public → gained lots of goodwill

maestà

majesty

altarpiece

set in churches to serve as visual aid

tempera

fast-drying, permanent water-soluble medium traditionally made with egg yolk

buon fresco

“true” or “good” fresco

wall-painting technique where water-based paint becomes fused with plaster

giornata

“a day’s work”

chiaroscuro

an aggressive contrast between dark and light in a composition

Enrico Scrovegni

a paduan money lender who commissioned the arena chapel by Giotto to atone for his family’s sins (usury)

usury

charging interest for a loan

high and low relief

high-relief is akin to a 3D sculpture while low-relief sculptures barely come off of the marble block they are being carved on

predella

long panel at the base of an altarpiece usually painted with narrative scenes

punch work

applied in decorative patterns to build texture on panels, corners, embellishments