Renaissance Art and Architecture Review midterm

Apse

Semicircular recess in a building, typically at the east end of a church.

Basilica

• A rectangular structure, usually with a wooden roof and multiple aisles (typically three or five).

• Historical use as a public building in Roman times for civic proceedings, with entrances on one long side;

• In Christian architecture, entrance is on one end with an apse on the opposite end.

cartoon

In painting, a full-size preliminary drawing from which a painting is made

Central Plan

Structure parts of equal dimensions organized around a central point.

Capitals

The top part of a column, serving as a transition between the column and the lintel.

Chiaroscuro

Technique in art focusing on the use of light and shadow to create depth and volume.

Cinquecento

Refers to the 1500s (16th century) in Italy, marking the High Renaissance period.

Column

A vertical structural element that carries weight, typically circular in cross-section with a base, shaft, and capital.

Colonnades

Rows of columns supporting a structure, typically spanned with lintels.

Corinthian Capitals

Ornate capital form characterized by acanthus leaves and flowers, often replaced the standard Ionic capital in use.

Cruciform

Describes a cross-shaped layout in architecture.

Dome

A hemispherical architectural element formed by rotating an arch on its vertical axis. Represents grandeur; significant examples include the Pantheon in Rome and the Duomo of Santa Maria del Fiore.

Doric Capitals

Characterized by funnel-shaped echinuses and columns typically without bases; part of the Doric order of Greek architecture.

Engaged Column

A half-rounded column that is built into a wall.

Foreshortening

Artistic technique that creates the illusion of an object receding into space through perspective.

Heroic Nudity

Artistic convention from ancient cultures symbolizing divine favor in representations.

Ionic Capitals

Distinct feature of the Ionic order with spiral scrolls at its top.

Perspective

• Technique for creating an illusion of depth on a flat surface.

• Linear perspective uses vanishing points, while aerial perspective uses color intensity for distance representation.

Longitudinal Plan

• A building layout organized along a central axis.

Pediment

• Triangular space above the colonnade at the end of a building, often ornamental.

Pilasters

• Flat, rectangular columns projecting from walls, having a base and capital, often fluted.

Renaissance

• French term for "rebirth," referring to the revival of classical art and culture from the 14th to the 16th centuries in Western Europe.

Quattrocento

• Refers to the 1400s (15th century) in Italy, the Early Renaissance period.

Sfumato

• Technique emphasizing gradual tonal transitions, creating a smoky effect; associated with Leonardo da Vinci.

Trompe l’oeil

Illusionistic painting technique that deceives the viewer into perceiving a painted object as a real one; associated with Mantegna.

Alberti

Leon Battista Alberti (1404-1472) was an Italian architect, poet, and philosopher, known for his works on art theory and architecture, including the concept of perspective in painting.

Botticelli

Sandro Botticelli (1445-1510) was an Italian painter of the Early Renaissance, known for his mythological themes, especially "The Birth of Venus" and "Primavera."

Brunelleschi

Filippo Brunelleschi (1377-1446) was an Italian architect and engineer, recognized for developing linear perspective and designing the dome of the Florence Cathedral.

Castagno

Andrea del Castagno (about 1421-1457) was an Italian painter known for his frescoes and narrative style, often depicting religious themes and figures in a dramatic manner.

Donatello

Donatello (1386-1466) was a renowned Italian sculptor of the early Renaissance, notable for his realistic and expressive sculptures, including "David" and "Gattamelata."

Flora

In Roman mythology, Flora is the goddess of flowers and the season of spring, often depicted in art as a symbol of renewal and the beauty of nature.

Florence

Florence is a city in Italy, known as the cradle of the Renaissance, rich in art, architecture, and historical significance, notably home to figures like the Medici.

Ghirlandaio

Domenico Ghirlandaio (1449-1494) was an Italian painter known for his detailed frescoes and portraits, playing a significant role in the development of Florentine painting.

Humanism

A cultural and intellectual movement during the Renaissance that emphasized the value of human beings, individualism, and a return to the study of classical antiquity.

King David

A biblical figure, King David is often depicted in art as a symbol of kingship, faith, and the ideal ruler, notably represented in works by artists like Michelangelo and Donatello.

Leonardo

Leonardo da Vinci (1452-1519) was an Italian polymath, artist, and scientist, famous for masterpieces such as "Mona Lisa" and "The Last Supper."

Mantegna

Andrea Mantegna (1431-1506) was an Italian painter known for his use of perspective and foreshortening, with works like the "Camera degli Sposi" in Mantua.

Mantua

A city in Italy known for its Renaissance architecture and as the home of the Gonzaga family, who were influential patrons of the arts.

Medici

The Medici were a powerful banking family in Florence during the Renaissance, known for their patronage of the arts and influence on politics.

Michelangelo

Michelangelo Buonarroti (1475-1564) was a prominent Italian sculptor, painter, and architect, noted for works such as the sculptures of "David" and the Sistine Chapel's ceiling.

Neo-Platonism

A philosophical system that emerged in the Renaissance, combining Platonic thought with religious ideas, influencing art by emphasizing beauty and divine inspiration.

Palladio

Andrea Palladio (1508-1580) was an Italian architect known for his classical style and works, including the Villa Capra "La Rotonda," influencing architecture worldwide.

Pope Julius II

The pope from 1503 to 1513, known as the "Warrior Pope," he was a great patron of the arts, commissioning the rebuilding of St. Peter's Basilica and the Sistine Chapel.

Raphael

Raffaello Sanzio (1483-1520) was an Italian painter and architect, celebrated for his masterpieces like "The School of Athens" and his Madonnas.

Rome

The capital city of Italy, rich in history and art, central to the Renaissance as the seat of the papacy and influenced by the works of numerous artists.

Sistine Chapel

A chapel in Vatican City famous for its Renaissance art, particularly Michelangelo's frescoes on the ceiling and "The Last Judgment" on the altar wall.

Vatican City

An independent city-state enclaved within Rome, known as the spiritual and administrative center of the Catholic Church and home to the Pope.

Venus

The Roman goddess of love and beauty, often depicted in art as a symbol of femininity and allure, with representations like Botticelli's "The Birth of Venus."

Zephyrus

In Greek mythology, Zephyrus is the god of the west wind, often associated with spring and frequently depicted alongside Flora in art, symbolizing the arrival of spring.