Late Medieval & Onward Art History Terms

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naturalistic/naturalism

a theory and style of representation that seeks to depict the natural world as it is viewed or experienced through first-hand observation

Illusionistic/illusionism

refers to an artist's attempt to mimic or re-produce a more or less convincing illusion of the natural world;

perspective

the illusionistic depiction on a two-dimensional surface of three-dimensional objects in space.

altarpiece

a work of art that decorates the space above and behind the altar in a Christian church. Painting, relief, and sculpture in the round have all been used in altarpieces, either alone or in combination. They provide a key visual focal point for the congregation as they are lead through the worship rituals; thus, altarpieces are typically very important commissions for artists and tend towards more traditional and conservative approaches and subjects.

baptistry

a separate building or part of a church used especially for the sacrament (sacred ritual) of baptism, wherein a person (typically an infant in Catholicism) gains entry into the Christian faith.

city-state

a political system consisting of an independent city having sovereignty over contiguous territory and serving as a political center. In Renaissance Italy, for example, there were different kinds -- Republics, Monarchies, and Papal States -- that each had certain cities and particuar forms of governance and resulting cultures.

Humanism

an educational theory, a code of conduct and self-discipline, and a scholarly set of disciplines. can also be thought about as an over-arching world-view that prioritizes humans, their needs and behaviors, and their achievements.

guild

effectively similar to a trade union; during the Renaissance, difference professions were divided, which worked to standardize the fields and ensure quality work and equitable pay. important civic institutions, frequently sponsoring public artworks, hospitals, schools, orphanages, public celebrations, etc.

confraternities

organizations of laypeople who dedicated themselves to strict religious observance; these organizations were important in the 14-15th century for carrying out good works in the public realm: tending to the sick, burying the dead, feeding the poor, etc. in addition to sponsoring works of public art.

fresco

a technique of painting wherein dry, powdered pigment (i.e. the colors) are applied directly into semi-wet plaster that has been applied to a wall. A technically very challenging painting technique, they were revered in Renaissance Italy as the most prestigious art form, reserved for large-scale public or religious commissions.

tempera

a technique of painting wherein dry pigments are mixed into egg whites to give them the viscosity needed to apply them to a surface (typically wood board).

Polyptych

a common design for altarpieces which uses hinged multi-paneled paintings or relief panels; the hinges allow clergy to open and close the panels, thus revealing and concealing different scenes and compositions

Oil Paint

a medium of painting wherein dry pigment (i.e. the color) is suspended in oil (typically linseed oil); popular in the Northern European cities beginning from the 15th century, it is slow to dry, which makes it possible for an artist to achieve very fine detail. The suspension of the pigment in oil (as opposed to the egg whites of tempera paint or the plaster of a fresco painting) gives the color a very intense and luminous appearance

master artist

an artist who passed through the ranks of various workshops within the guild system, and was deemed qualified by a board of others of the guild; after having been judged qualified, they could establish their own workshop, where a staff of other artists and apprentices would work in all aspects of the artwork's production (e.g. grinding pigment into paint, stretching canvases, frame building, preliminary drawings, etc.).  The guild system and its strict professional hierarchy was meant to ensure quality and control prices within the market

Flemish Realism

a term used to describe the particular style of naturalism/realism popular in Northern European cities beginning from the 14th century. It is characterized by the incorporation of domestic details from contemporary life, contemporary city scenes, intricate details, and luminous, life-like depictions.

Verismilitude

an adjective meaning "appearing to be true or real"; this term not used exclusively to talk about the art of the Northern Renaissance, but it is used frequently in discussing Northern Renaissance art as artists in this context placed such emphasis on intricate naturalistic details.