Art History: Renaissance Techniques, Religious Symbols, and Fresco Methods

Altarpiece

A painted or sculpted panel behind an altar

Apostle

One of Jesus' 12 disciples; Greek for "messenger"

Arriccio

First rough plaster layer in fresco painting

Buon fresco

Painting with pigments on wet plaster (durable)

Cartoon

Full-size preparatory drawing for a painting

Chiaroscuro

Use of light and dark to model form

City-state

Independent, self-governing city

Confraternity

Lay religious group for worship/charity

Fresco

Painting on plaster (dry = fresco secco, wet = buon fresco)

Fresco secco

Painting on dry plaster

Giornata

Portion of plaster a fresco painter completes in one day

Gold leaf

Thin sheet of gold applied to surfaces

Grisaille

Gray monochrome painting to look like sculpture

Halo

Circle of light around a holy figure's head

Humanism

Renaissance focus on education, classics, civic virtue

Icon

Sacred image, especially in Byzantine churches

Illuminated manuscript

Handmade book with painted decoration

Illusionism

Making 2D art look 3D

Intonaco

Smooth final plaster layer for fresco painting

Maniera greca

"Greek manner," Byzantine-influenced Italian style

Mendicants

Begging friars (Franciscans, Dominicans) living off charity

Monastic order

Group of monks living under common rules

Mural

Wall painting

Mystery play

Religious drama about Christian faith

Perspective

Technique to show depth on a flat surface

Sacre rappresentazione

Italian religious play for lay audience

Secco

Italian for "dry" (as in fresc

Sinopia

Reddish pigment used to sketch fresco designs

Stigmata

Christ's wounds appearing on a saint's body

Tempera

Painting medium using egg yolk (or glue/casein)

Trecento

Italian 14th century (1300s)

True fresco

Painting on wet plaster (same as buon fresco)