Art appreciation terms

 Corinthian 

a Classical style of architecture characterized by ornate leaves on the capitals

Doric

A classical style of architecture characterized by weighty columns and a frieze with triglyphs and metopes

Ionic

one of the three, principal, classical architectural orders (along with Doric and Corinthian) originating in Ionia in the mid-6th century BCE. It is defined by slender, elegant columns, often associated with femininity, featuring a base, fluted shafts, and a distinctive capital adorned with spiral scrolls known as volutes

Chiaroscuro

The use of light and dark in a painting to create the impression of volume

Contrapposto

a sculpture pose in which the upper body twists in one direction and the lower body twists in another

Gothic

western European architectural style of the twelfth to sixteenth century, characterized by the use of pointed arches and ornate decorations

Renaissance

period of cultural and artistic change in Europe from the 14th-17th century

Hierarchical scale

the use of size to denote the relative importance of subjects in an artwork

Pediment

the triangular space, situated above the row of columns, on the facade of a building in the classical style

 linear perspective

a system using converging imaginary sight lines to create the illusion of depth

Tenebrism (night effects)

the dramatic use of intense darkness and light to heighten the impact of a painting

Genre Paintings

painting of genre art which depicts aspects of everyday life

Action painting

the application of paint to canvas by dripping, splashing or smearing that emphasizes the artists gestures.

Abstraction

The degree to which an image is altered from and easily recognizable subject

 Impressionism

late 19th century style conveying the fleeting impression of the effects of light

Cubism

20th century movement and style in art, especially painting, in which perspective with a single viewpoint was abandoned and use was made of simple geometric shapes, interlocking planes, and alter, collage