ART 100 Final Exam Study Guide VOCAB WORDS

hierarchical scale

size is used to show importance

canon of proportions

system of ideal body measurements used to create balanced human

figures

lamassu

ASSYRIAN protective figure combining human, animal, and wings

mosaic

image made from small pieces of glass or stone

tesserae

INDIVIDUAL pieces used to create a mosaic

reliquary

container that holds sacred relics

Romanesque

medieval style with heavy forms and rounded arches

Gothic

style using pointed arches, ribbed vaults, and flying buttresses

flying buttress

external support transferring weight away from walls

mandorla

almond-shaped form surrounding a sacred figure

circumambulation

walking around a sacred object or structure

mudra

symbolic hand gesture in Buddhist sculpture

syncretism

blending of different religious or cultural traditions

mandala

symbolic diagram of the universe

literati painting

Chinese scholarly painting emphasizing expression over realism

woodblock print

printmaking technique using carved wooden blocks

contour rivalry

visual tension where shapes share edges

glyph

carved symbol representing a word or idea

petroglyph

image carved into rock

basket weaving

constructing forms by interlacing materials

nkisi nkondi

power figure used for spiritual or ritual purposes in Africa

tapa / featherwork

textile traditions using natural materials (fiber or feathers)

Renaissance

"rebirth" of classical Greek and Roman ideas

Mannerism

style with elongated and distorted figures

sfumato

soft, hazy transitions between tones

illusionism

creating the appearance of a 3D space

iconography

study of symbols and subject matter in art

humanism

focus on classical learning and human potential

tenebrism

strong contrast of light and dark

Grand Tour

travel to study classical art and culture

Salon

official exhibition of artworks in France

Romanticism

emphasis on emotion, drama, and individualism

Rococo

decorative, playful, and light style

Realism

depiction of modern life without idealization

Impressionism

focus on light, color, and momentary effects

impasto

thick application of paint

plein air

painting outdoors

Post-Impressionism

expressive use of color and form beyond realism

Cubism

breaking objects into geometric forms and multiple viewpoints

collage

assembling materials onto a surface

Dada

anti-art movement rejecting traditional meaning

readymade

everyday object presented as art

Regionalism

focus on American rural life

Color Field painting

large areas of flat color

Postmodernism

rejection of strict modernist rules; mix of styles

psychoanalysis

study of unconscious mind (Freud)

Conceptual art

idea is more important than the object

postcolonial theory

examines effects of colonization

installation art

artwork that transforms space, people can walk through / interact with space

site-specific art

created for a particular location