Art History Overview

A collection of key vocabulary terms and definitions from a lecture on art history, covering various periods and styles.

Prehistoric Cave Paintings

Cave Paintings at Chauvet and Lascaux Caves; Paleolithic/Prehistoric art found in France.

Venus of Willendorf

Paleolithic/Prehistoric sculpture from Austria, representing fertility.

Newgrange Passage Tomb

An ancient burial site from the Paleolithic/Prehistoric era located in Ireland.

Palette of Narmer

A significant ancient Egyptian artifact from the Predynastic/Early Dynastic Period.

Funerary Complex of Djoser

An architectural monument from the Predynastic/Early Dynastic Period in Egypt.

Temple of Ramses II

A temple from the New Kingdom period in ancient Egypt.

White Temple and Ziggurat

A temple structure from the 4th Millennium BCE period in Sumer/Mesopotamia.

Hypostyle Hall

A hall filled with columns, often decorated with paintings and low relief sculptures, typical of the New Kingdom in Egypt.

Lamassu

A protective deity depicted as a winged bull or lion, associated with Assyrian culture in the First Millennium BC.

Ka

The immortal human life force in ancient Egyptian belief, representing the essence of a person.

The Great Pyramids at Giza

Iconic structures built during the Old Kingdom period of ancient Egypt.

Dipyloan Krater

A large Greek vessel from the Geometric Period, used for ceremonial purposes.

Ionic Order

One of the classical orders of Greek architecture characterized by scroll-like volutes.

Doric Order

The simplest classical order of Greek architecture, known for its sturdy columns.

Parthenon

A former temple on the Athenian Acropolis, dedicated to the goddess Athena during the Classical Period.

Celtic Religion

A belief system where gods were associated with natural bodies like springs and lakes; rituals sometimes involved human sacrifice.

Edict of Milan

A proclamation from AD 313 that legalized Christianity across the Roman Empire.

Book of Kells

An illuminated manuscript created in Ireland during the Early Medieval Period, featuring Christian text.

Hiberno-Saxon Art

An artistic style that combines elements of Celtic, Roman, and Insular art from the Early Medieval period.

Naturalism

An artistic style that aims to depict subjects as they appear in the natural world.

Verism

A style in Roman Republican art that emphasizes realistic depiction of subjects, often in portraiture.