Ap Art history medieval Art and european Islamic Vocab

Aisles

the portion of a basilica flanking the nave and separated from it by a row of columns or piers ex. Santa Sabina, Chartres Cathedral

ambulatory

a covered passageway around the apse or choir of a church, allowing one to walk around the sanctuary without disrupting services. ex. San Vitale, Chartres Cathedral

apse

A recess, usually semicircular, in the wall of a Roman basilica or at the east end of a church. ex. Santa Sabina, San Vitale, Chartres Cathedral

Archivolt

a series of concentric moldings around an arch ex. Chartres Cathedral

axial plan

a building with an elongated ground plan ex. Santa Sabina

Central plan

a church having a circular plan with the altar in the middle ex. San Vitale

barrel vault

a vault forming a half cylinderex. Santa Sabina

basilica

a large oblong hall or building with double colonnades and a semicircular apse, used in ancient Rome as a court of law or for public assemblies. ex Santa Sabina

buttress

a support or prop ex. Chartres Cathedral

catacomb

underground burial place ex. Catacomb of Priscilla

choir

the architectural space in a church where the clergy and choir sit, located between the nave and the apse or altar ex. Chartres Cathedral

codex

an unbound manuscript of some ancient classic (as distinguished from a scroll) ex. Vienna Genesis, Lindisfarne Gospels

crossing tower

the tower over the crossing of a church ex. Chartres Cathedral

encaustic

A painting technique in which pigment is mixed with wax and applied to the surface while hot. ex. Byzantine icon style (Theotokos type)

fibulae

A decorative pin, usually used to fasten garments. ex. (Context: Early Medieval metalwork)

filigree

delicate and intricate ornamentation (usually in gold or silver or other fine twisted wire) ex. (Context: Early Medieval metalwork+brooch)

groin vault

formed at the point at which 2 barrel vaults intersect at right angles ex. Chartres Cathedral

iconoclasm

Opposing or even destroying images, especially those set up for religious veneration in the belief that such images represent idol worship. ex. San Vitale (post-context)

illuminated manuscript

a manuscript in which the text is supplemented with such decoration as initials, borders (marginalia) and miniature illustrations. ex Vienna Genesis, Lindisfarne Gospels

incipit page

pages which highlighted a single initial or a few letters in very artistic manners. Used to break up text (begin new chapters) and draw attention to important parts of the book ex.

Jamb figures

the upright surfaces forming the sides of a doorway or window, often decorated with sculptures in Romanesque and Gothic churches ex. Chartres Cathedral

Mandorla

an almond-shaped nimbus surrounding the figure of christ or other sacred figure ex. Arena (Scrovegni) Chapel

narthex

A porch or vestibule of a church, generally colonnaded or arcaded and preceding the nave ex. Santa Sabina

nave

the central area of a church ex. Santa Sabina, Chartres Cathedral

pier buttress

a solid mass of exterior masonry that opposes the lateral thrust of an arch or a vault ex. Chartres Cathedral

Radiating chapel

In medieval churches, chapels for the display of relics that opened directly onto the ambulatory and the transept. ex. Chartres Cathedral

relinquary

a small box, container, or shrine used to hold or exhibit a religious relic, such as the bones of a saint ex. Chartres Cathedral

rib vault

A vault in which the diagonal and transverse ribs compose a structural skeleton that partially supports the masonry web between them. ex. Chartres Cathedral

scriptorium

A room in a monastery for writing or copying manuscripts ex. Lindisfarne Gospels, Bayeux Tapestry

stained glass

In Gothic architecture, the colored glass used for windows ex. Chartres Cathedral, Sainte-Chapelle

transept

The part of a church with an axis that crosses the nave at a right angle. ex. Santa Sabina, Chartres Cathedral

triforium

a gallery or arcade above the arches of the nave, choir, and transepts of a church. ex. Chartres Cathedral

tympanum

the space enclosed by a lintel and an arch over a doorway ex. Chartres Cathedral

vellum

Calfskin prepared as a surface for writing or painting. ex. Vienna Genesis, Lindisfarne Gospels

XP

xeroderma pigmentosa (Christian) ex. Early Christian symbols (Catacomb of Priscilla)

Islamic Art Next

Zohran Mamdany

Abstract

theoretical; not concrete; nonrepresentational ex. Folio from Qur'an (abstract)

figurative

using figures of speech; symbolic, not literal ex. Pyxis of al-Mughira

arabesque

ornate design featuring intertwined curves; a ballet position in which one leg is extended in back while the other supports the weight of the body ex. Alhambra, Pyxis of al-Mughira

calligraphy

art of beautiful handwriting ex. Folio from Qur'an, Alhambra, Pyxis of al-Mughira

dome

a rounded vault forming the roof of a building or structure, typically with a circular base. ex. Mosque of Selim II, Alhambra, Great Mosque of Córdoba

horseshoe arches

An arch of more than a half-circle; typical of western Islamic architecture ex. Great Mosque of Córdoba

mecca

City in western Arabia; birthplace of the Prophet Muhammad, and ritual center of the Islamic religion. ex. Great Mosque of Córdoba

medallions

Any round ornament or decoration. A large medal ex. Alhambra, Pyxis of al-Mughira

mihrab

(Islam) a niche in the wall of a mosque that indicates the direction of Mecca ex. Great Mosque of Córdoba

minarets

Tower attached to a Muslim mosque, having one or more projecting balconies from which a crier calls Muslims to prayer. ex. Great Mosque of Córdoba, Mosque of Selim II

mosaics

Pictures made with pieces of colored stone or glass ex. Great Mosque of Córdoba

muqarna

stucco decoration of Islamic buildings in which stalactite-like forms break a structure's solidity ex. Alhambra, Mosque of Selim II

pier

a structure projecting into the water and used as a docking or loading place for ships ex. Great Mosque of Córdoba

pointed arches

arches with two curved sides that meet to form a point at the apex ex.

polychrome

many-colored ex. Great Mosque of Córdoba

squinch

the polygonal base of a dome that makes a transition from the round dome to a flat wall ex. Mosque of Selim II, Alhambra

stucco

plaster made of cement, sand, and lime for covering exterior walls of buildings ex. Alhambra

tesserae

the small piece of stone, glass, or other object that is pieced together with many others to create a mosaic ex. Great Mosque of Córdoba