Art History Ancient to Medieval Exam 2

Late Antiquity

c. 250–750 CE; Rise monotheistic religions:Abrahamic Religions (Christianity, Judaism, islam)

Iconoclasts

Individuals who challenge, attack, or destroy cherished beliefs, traditional institutions, or established conventions, often viewing them as erroneous or superstitious

Iconophiles

Supporters or lovers of religious images and icons

Iconoclasm

The action, practice, or belief in destroying, challenging, or rejecting established, cherished beliefs, traditions, or religious icons/monuments

Idolatry

The worship of an idol, physical image, or any created thing, idea, or person in place of the Creator

Aniconism

Absence or prohibition of material representations of natural and supernatural beings in art, often codified by religious traditions

Classic

(c. 480–330 BC in Greece). Relates to Greco-Roman antiquity, such as It focuses on idealized human forms, symmetry, and proportion.

Classical

Refers to a work considered an outstanding, definitive, or high-quality example of its kind. It can describe something as a "classic example of Greek art," meaning it is a standard-setting, high-quality piece.

Classicism

style or aesthetic attitude that looks back to classical antiquity for standards of beauty and taste. It emphasizes formal order, simplicity, and restrained emotion. Key movements include the Renaissance and Neoclassicism. 

Pre Constantine

(roughly 33–312 AD) early Christianity before Emperor Constantine’s legalization of the faith, characterized as an underground, often persecuted, and marginalized sect that spread rapidly throughout the Roman Empire.

Early Christian

(c. 30–325 AD) describes the formative era from Jesus's ministry to the Council of Nicaea, characterized by a redeemed community meeting in homes, often under Roman persecution.

Cubicula

a small, multi-purpose private room in an ancient Roman domus (house) or villa, most commonly serving as a bedroom, quiet meeting space, or study

Adapted

The modification or transformation of an artistic, stylistic, or thematic element from one culture, medium, or time period into another, creating new meaning while retaining a connection to the original

Post- Constantine

(after 337 CE) saw the Roman Empire transition into a Christian state, with Constantine's sons and successors enforcing this shift, culminating in Christianity becoming the official state religion by 380 CE.

Early Christian

(c. 30–325 AD) describes the formative era from Jesus's ministry to the Council of Nicaea, characterized by a redeemed community meeting in homes, often under Roman persecution.

Aspe

a semicircular or polygonal, vaulted recess—usually located at the eastern end of a church—that houses the sanctuary and altar

Nave

the central, main body of a church where the congregation gathers, typically extending from the entrance to the altar area

Transept

Rectangular area that crosses the main body (nave) of a church at a \(90^{\circ }\) angle, separating it from the sanctuary or choir.

Typology

the classification, analysis, and study of cultural materials—such as artifacts, structures, or images—by grouping them based on shared characteristics, forms, or styles.

Byzantine

(c. 330–1453) was the continuation of the Roman Empire in its eastern provinces during Late Antiquity and the Middle Ages, centered in Constantinople

Pendentives

a triangular, curved segment of a vault that acts as a structural transition, allowing a circular or elliptical dome to rest atop a square or rectangular room

Tessera

a small, individual cube or piece of stone, glass, ceramic, or other material used to create a mosaic.

Islamic art

encompasses over 1,300 years of visual culture, spanning from the 7th century to the present, produced across a vast region from Spain to Southeast Asia. It is characterized by geometric patterns, intricate arabesque plant forms, and Arabic calligraphy, rather than human figures, used in textiles, ceramics, metalwork, and architecture.

The caliphate

an Islamic state under the leadership of a "caliph"—a political and religious successor to the Prophet Muhammad—ruling over the global Muslim community (ummah).

Nondirectional

describes a pattern, design, or composition that has no single, intended orientation or "top." It is designed to be viewed effectively from any angle or perspective.

Nondevelopmental

art that operates outside the linear, evolutionary, or narrative progress typical of Western art movements

Non personal

referring to artworks that intentionally suppress the artist's emotion, ego, and signature style. It highlights a focus on materials, logic, and systems rather than the artist's personal feelings, common in minimalist and conceptual art.

Nondramatic

typically refers to works that lack a central narrative, intense conflict, or emotional action, often emphasizing static, contemplative, or purely formal visual elements instead. It is used to describe art that is representational but passive (like a still portrait) or abstract/non-representational (focusing on form over story)

Hypostyle

a large interior space, commonly found in ancient Egyptian and Islamic architecture, where the roof is supported by numerous columns or pillars

Mihrab

a specialized niche, alcove, or decorative panel located in the qibla wall of a mosque, indicating the direction of Mecca for prayer

Arabesque

a form of artistic decoration characterized by rhythmic, intertwining, linear patterns of scrolling foliage, tendrils, or lines

Early Medieval

European art produced roughly between 400 and 1000 CE (sometimes 500–1000 CE), bridging the fall of Rome and the Romanesque period. This era is characterized by an fusion of classical Roman traditions, early Christian imagery, and the migration-period "barbarian" styles of Northern Europe, featuring intricate metalwork, animal style decoration, and illuminated manuscripts.

Sutton Hoo

a 7th-century Anglo-Saxon ship burial in Suffolk, England, representing the pinnacle of early medieval, or "Insular," art

Cloisonne

an ancient decorative metalwork technique where colored vitreous enamel, glass, or gemstones are inlaid into compartments (or "cells") separated by thin metal wires or strips (usually gold, silver, or copper) soldered onto a metal base

Scriptoria/ scriptorium

is a dedicated room in a medieval European monastery used for writing, copying, and illuminating manuscripts by hand, often serving as a primary hub for preserving texts during the Middle Ages.

Illumination/illuminators

decorating manuscripts with gold, silver, and brilliant colors

Antiquity

The extensive period of human history preceding the Middle Ages, generally spanning from the advent of writing (c. 3500–3000 BC) to the collapse of major empires like Rome in the 5th century AD (c. 476 AD).

Carolingian Renaissance

c. 780–900) was a deliberate, top-down revival of classical learning, literature, art, and architecture in Western Europe, initiated by Charlemagne. It centered on imitating Roman and Early Christian models, fostering a cultural renaissance centered on the court and monasteries.

Charlemagne

is Carolingian art or the Carolingian Renaissance. Running from roughly 780 to 900 AD, this period represents a deliberate revival of Classical Roman and Byzantine styles combined with Christian themes, aimed at uniting the Frankish Empire under a "new Rome"

Ottonian Renaissance

(c. 951–1024) was a period of cultural, artistic, and intellectual renewal in Central Europe, primarily Germany, during the reigns of Emperors Otto I, II, and III

Romanesque

a term coined in the 19th century to describe the first pan-European style, spanning roughly from 1000 AD to the mid-12th century, positioned between the Pre-Romanesque and Gothic periods.

Tympanum

the vertical, recessed, and often decorated surface situated above a door or window, bounded by a lintel and an arch

Archivolt

an ornamental, molded band that follows the curve on the underside or face of an arch, frequently found framing medieval church portals.

Relief carvings

a sculptural technique where figures or designs project from a flat background plane, creating a 3D effect while remaining attached to the surface.

Gothic

a medieval style (c. mid-12th to 16th century) originating in France, characterized by soaring height, intricate ornamentation, and increased naturalism, following the Romanesque period.

Tracery

ornamental stonework or woodwork that divides window openings into sections, commonly found in the upper parts of Gothic windows to support stained glass