Art History Unit 2 vocab!

for Aster

Horseshoe Arch

An arch shaped like a horseshoe, commonly found in Islamic architecture.

Minaret

A tall tower attached to a mosque, traditionally used for the call to a specific prayer during a specific time.

Studiolo

A small private room used for studying, reading, and displaying art.

Icon

A religious image, usually of Jesus, Mary, or saints, used in Christian worship.

Pendentive

A curved triangular architectural element that supports a dome over a square space.

Reliquary

A decorated container used to hold sacred remains or objects associated with christian saints.

Flying Buttress

An exterior diagonal support that helps hold up the tall walls of Gothic churches.

Ribbed Vaulting

A ceiling supported by intersecting stone ribs, commonly found in Gothic churches.

Rose Window

A large, circular stained-glass window commonly found in Gothic churches.

Pietà

An artwork showing Mary holding the dead body of Jesus after the crucifixion.

Tympanum

The decorated space above a church doorway, often showing religious scenes.

Linear Perspective

An art technique that creates the illusion of depth using lines that meet at a vanishing point.