Renaissance and Baroque Art History

Flashcards covering key terms and concepts from the Renaissance and Baroque art history lecture.

Gothic

An architectural style that flourished in Europe during the late Middle Ages, characterized by pointed arches, ribbed vaults, and flying buttresses.

Filippo Brunelleschi

An Italian architect and designer of the early Renaissance, best known for designing the dome of the Florence Cathedral.

Donatello

A renowned Italian sculptor of the early Renaissance, known for his works in marble and bronze.

Renaissance

A cultural movement that spanned roughly from the 14th to the 17th century, emphasizing humanism, art, literature, and the rediscovery of classical antiquity.

Tempera

A medium used for painting consisting of colored pigments mixed with a water-soluble binder, typically egg yolk.

Fresco

A technique for mural painting on freshly laid wet plaster, allowing the paint to become an integral part of the wall.

Mannerism

An artistic style that emerged in the later stages of the Renaissance characterized by exaggerated proportions, complex poses, and unusual colors.

Baroque

An artistic style prevalent in the 17th century known for its dramatic use of light, color, and movement.

Rembrandt

A Dutch painter and etcher, renowned for his portraits and use of light, considered one of the greatest painters in European art history.

Sfumato

A painting technique used to create a soft transition between colors and tones, popularized by Leonardo da Vinci.

Chiaroscuro

The use of strong contrasts between light and dark to give the illusion of volume in modeling three-dimensional objects and figures.

Albrecht Dürer

A German painter, printmaker, and theorist from the Renaissance known for his high-quality woodcuts and engravings.

Varnishing

The application of a protective layer over a painting to enhance its finish and durability.

Guild

An association of artists or craftsmen in a particular trade, often formed to protect their interests and regulate practices.

Humanism

A Renaissance cultural movement that turned away from medieval scholasticism and revived interest in ancient Greek and Roman thought.

Bronze

A metal alloy typically made of copper and tin, commonly used in sculpture and art during the Renaissance.

Engraving

A printmaking technique where an image is incised onto a hard surface, often metal, to create a print.

Relief sculpture

A sculptural technique where the sculpture projects from a background, creating a three-dimensional effect.

Triptych

A work of art, especially a painting, consisting of three panels that are hinged together.

Panel painting

A painting executed on a rigid support, typically made of wood or metal, as opposed to canvas.

Symbolism

The use of symbols to represent ideas or qualities, frequently found in Renaissance artworks.

Perspective

A technique used in painting to depict three-dimensional space on a two-dimensional surface.

Iconography

The visual imagery or symbolism used in a work of art, often to represent specific themes or narratives.

Naturalism

A style of art based on observing and capturing the natural world as it is, emphasizing realism.