Glossary
Anglo-Saxon minuscule
A script developed in Anglo-Saxon England during the early Middle Ages, known for its distinctive letterforms and influence on later scripts.
Example:
Scholars can identify the origin of certain early medieval texts by recognizing the unique characteristics of Anglo-Saxon minuscule.
Apse
A semicircular or polygonal projection at the end of a building, especially a church, often housing the altar.
Example:
In many cathedrals, the main altar is located within the apse, drawing the eye to the sacred space at the church's eastern end.
Arabesques
Intricate, flowing, and interlacing patterns, often based on stylized plant forms or geometric designs, characteristic of Islamic art.
Example:
The Alhambra palace in Spain is renowned for its stunning arabesques that adorn walls and ceilings, creating a sense of infinite repetition.
Arcadian
Pertaining to an idealized, rustic, and pastoral setting, often associated with classical antiquity and a harmonious relationship with nature.
Example:
Nicolas Poussin's 'Et in Arcadia Ego' depicts shepherds in an idyllic, Arcadian landscape, contemplating mortality.
Archivolts
Decorative, concentric bands or moldings on the face of an arch, often found in the elaborate portals of Romanesque and Gothic churches.
Example:
The figures of elders and prophets are often carved into the archivolts surrounding the tympanum of a Romanesque portal.
Atrium
An open, central court or space in a building, often colonnaded, serving as an entrance area in early Christian basilicas.
Example:
The original St. Peter's Basilica featured a large atrium where worshippers could gather before entering the church proper.
Axially-planned
An architectural plan organized along a central axis, typically long and rectangular, directing movement and focus along a linear path.
Example:
Most traditional Christian basilicas are axially-planned, guiding the congregation from the entrance towards the altar at the far end.
Basilica
A large, oblong building type, typically featuring a long nave, side aisles, and an apse, often adapted for early Christian churches.
Example:
The ancient Roman basilica served as a model for early Christian churches, providing a spacious interior for congregational worship.
Calligraphy
The art of beautiful handwriting, highly revered in Islamic cultures and often used as a primary form of artistic decoration.
Example:
Beyond religious texts, exquisite calligraphy adorns many Islamic artifacts, from ceramics to metalwork, transforming words into art.
Canvas
A strong, coarse unbleached cloth, typically made from linen or cotton, stretched over a frame and used as a surface for painting, especially with oil paints.
Example:
The shift from wood panels to canvas in the High Renaissance allowed for larger, more portable paintings and greater flexibility for artists.
Centrally-planned
An architectural plan where the parts of a building are arranged symmetrically around a central point, often circular or polygonal.
Example:
The Pantheon in Rome is a prime example of a centrally-planned building, with its massive dome dominating the circular interior.
Chasing
A metalworking technique where a design is hammered or indented into the front of a metal surface to create a raised pattern on the reverse, without removing material.
Example:
The delicate details on an ancient Greek bronze vessel might have been created using chasing, carefully shaping the metal from the front.
Chiaroscuro
The use of strong contrasts between light and dark, usually bold contrasts affecting a whole composition, to create a sense of volume and drama.
Example:
Caravaggio's paintings are renowned for their dramatic chiaroscuro, where figures emerge from deep shadows into intense light.
Choirs
The area of a church between the transept and the apse, typically reserved for the clergy and choir, often featuring elaborate seating.
Example:
In many grand cathedrals, the choir is a distinct architectural space, sometimes separated from the nave by a screen.
Cloisonné
A metalworking technique where thin metal strips are soldered to a metal surface, creating compartments (cloisons) that are then filled with enamel, glass, or gemstones.
Example:
The Sutton Hoo helmet, a famous Anglo-Saxon artifact, is decorated with intricate cloisonné work, showcasing vibrant glass and garnet inlays.
Coffered ceilings
Ceilings decorated with a series of sunken panels, often square, rectangular, or octagonal, used for decorative and structural purposes.
Example:
The impressive dome of the Pantheon features coffered ceilings, which not only add visual interest but also reduce the dome's weight.
Engraving
A printmaking technique where a design is incised directly into a metal plate with a sharp tool (burin), creating crisp, precise lines.
Example:
Dürer's 'Melencolia I' is a famous engraving, showcasing the artist's meticulous control over line and detail.
Etching
A printmaking technique where a metal plate is covered with an acid-resistant ground, a design is scratched into the ground, and the plate is then immersed in acid to bite the lines.
Example:
Rembrandt was a master of etching, creating prints with rich tonal variations and intricate details by controlling the acid's action.
Façades
The principal front or face of a building, often designed with architectural prominence and decorative elements.
Example:
The elaborate, undulating façade of Borromini's San Carlo alle Quattro Fontane is a hallmark of Baroque architecture.
Flying buttresses
Arched exterior supports that transfer the outward thrust of a wall to a pier, allowing for taller walls, larger windows, and thinner construction in Gothic cathedrals.
Example:
The iconic flying buttresses of Notre Dame Cathedral allowed its walls to be pierced with vast stained-glass windows, flooding the interior with light.
Frescoes
A painting technique where pigments are applied to wet plaster, allowing the paint to become an integral part of the wall as it dries.
Example:
Michelangelo's Sistine Chapel ceiling is a monumental fresco, where the artist worked quickly on sections of wet plaster before they dried.
Genre paintings
Artworks depicting scenes from everyday life, often focusing on ordinary people and activities.
Example:
Pieter Bruegel the Elder's 'Peasant Wedding' is a classic example of a genre painting, capturing the lively atmosphere of a common celebration.
Half-uncial
A script style developed from uncial, used in early medieval manuscripts, characterized by some ascenders and descenders, making it more readable.
Example:
The Book of Kells, an iconic illuminated manuscript, features text written in a beautiful half-uncial script.
Horror vacui
A Latin term meaning 'fear of empty space,' referring to the artistic tendency to fill an entire surface with details and patterns.
Example:
Many intricate Islamic carpets demonstrate horror vacui, with every inch covered in complex geometric and floral designs.
Illuminated manuscripts
Hand-written books, typically from the Middle Ages, decorated with intricate designs, illustrations, and often gold or silver leaf.
Example:
The Book of Kells is a masterpiece of illuminated manuscripts, renowned for its elaborate Celtic knotwork and vibrant illustrations.
Impasto
A technique where paint is applied thickly to a surface, creating a textured effect that stands out from the canvas.
Example:
Vincent van Gogh's 'Starry Night' is famous for its swirling, expressive impasto, giving the painting a tactile quality.
Jambs
The vertical side posts of a doorway or window opening, often decorated with sculptures in Romanesque and Gothic art.
Example:
The elongated figures of kings and queens carved into the jambs of Chartres Cathedral's Royal Portal appear to guard the entrance.
Keystone
The wedge-shaped stone at the apex of an arch, which locks the other voussoirs in place and supports the arch's weight.
Example:
Removing the keystone from an arch would cause the entire structure to collapse, highlighting its crucial role.
Kufic calligraphy
An early, angular form of Arabic script, characterized by its bold, rectilinear letters, often used for monumental inscriptions.
Example:
The Dome of the Rock in Jerusalem features intricate bands of Kufic calligraphy adorning its interior, proclaiming religious verses.
Linear perspective
A system for creating the illusion of depth and three-dimensional space on a two-dimensional surface, using vanishing points, a horizon line, and orthogonals.
Example:
Masaccio's 'Holy Trinity' is an early masterpiece demonstrating the revolutionary use of linear perspective to create a convincing illusion of architectural depth.
Lintel
A horizontal architectural member spanning an opening, such as a doorway or window, supporting the weight of the structure above it.
Example:
Below the sculpted tympanum of a church portal, the lintel provides a horizontal support for the masonry above.
Martyrium
A building or shrine erected over the tomb or site of martyrdom of a Christian martyr.
Example:
The Church of the Holy Sepulchre in Jerusalem is considered a martyrium as it marks the traditional site of Christ's crucifixion and burial.
Mosaics
Artworks created by assembling small pieces of colored glass, stone, or other materials (tesserae) to form a picture or pattern.
Example:
The shimmering walls of the Hagia Sophia are adorned with stunning mosaics depicting religious figures and scenes, catching the light in a spiritual glow.
Narthex
An enclosed porch or vestibule at the entrance of some early Christian churches, separated from the nave by a screen or wall.
Example:
Before entering the main worship space, early Christians would gather in the narthex for certain rituals or to prepare for services.
Nave
The main central part of a church, extending from the entrance to the chancel or transept, where the congregation sits.
Example:
The long, soaring nave of Notre Dame Cathedral guides visitors' gaze towards the altar, creating a sense of grandeur and direction.
Oil paint
A type of paint made with pigments suspended in a drying oil, known for its rich colors, ability to blend smoothly, and slow drying time.
Example:
Jan van Eyck's 'Arnolfini Portrait' showcases the incredible detail and luminosity achievable with early oil paint techniques.
Pendentives
Curved triangular architectural elements that allow a circular dome to be placed on a square base, transferring the weight to four piers.
Example:
The massive dome of the Hagia Sophia is supported by ingenious pendentives, creating a seamless transition from the square walls below.
Portals
The elaborate and often sculpturally decorated entranceways of Romanesque and Gothic churches.
Example:
The west portals of Chartres Cathedral are adorned with hundreds of sculpted figures, serving as a visual sermon for pilgrims.
Rib vaults
A vaulting system where the weight of the roof is supported by a framework of projecting ribs, allowing for lighter wall construction and larger windows.
Example:
The introduction of rib vaults in Romanesque and Gothic architecture allowed for taller, more open interior spaces compared to earlier barrel vaults.
Salvation
The act of being saved from sin and its consequences, a central theological concept and frequent theme in Christian art, particularly in the Gothic period.
Example:
Gothic sculptures and stained glass often depicted narratives of Christ's life and the lives of saints, emphasizing the path to salvation for the faithful.
Sfumato
A painting technique that involves subtle gradations of light and shadow, creating a soft, hazy, or smoky effect, blurring outlines and transitions.
Example:
Leonardo da Vinci's 'Mona Lisa' is famous for its enigmatic smile, achieved through the masterful application of sfumato.
Spolia
The reuse of architectural or sculptural elements from older buildings in new constructions.
Example:
The Arch of Constantine in Rome famously incorporates spolia from earlier Roman monuments, showcasing a mix of artistic periods.
Squinches
Arches or corbels built across the corners of a square space to support a circular or octagonal dome, serving a similar function to pendentives.
Example:
In some Byzantine churches, squinches were used to bridge the gap between a square room and a circular dome, though less common than pendentives in grand structures.
Syncretism
The blending of different cultural or religious traditions, often seen in colonial art where indigenous and European elements combine to form a new hybrid style.
Example:
The Virgin of Guadalupe is a powerful example of syncretism in New Spain, combining indigenous beliefs with Catholic iconography.
Tempera
A painting medium made by mixing pigments with egg yolk or other binders, known for its sharp lines, quick drying, and matte finish.
Example:
Before the widespread adoption of oil paint, many Renaissance altarpieces, like Botticelli's 'Birth of Venus,' were painted using tempera.
Tenebrism
A dramatic style of painting using very pronounced chiaroscuro, where there are violent contrasts of light and dark, and darkness is a dominating feature of the image.
Example:
Artemisia Gentileschi's 'Judith Slaying Holofernes' powerfully employs tenebrism to heighten the drama and intensity of the scene.
Tesserae
Small individual pieces of stone, glass, ceramic, or other material used to create a mosaic.
Example:
The vibrant colors and intricate details of Byzantine mosaics are achieved by carefully arranging thousands of tiny tesserae.
Transept
The part of a cruciform church that crosses the nave at right angles, forming the 'arms' of the cross.
Example:
Walking through a Gothic cathedral, you'd notice the transept extending outwards, giving the church its distinctive cross shape.
Trumeau
A central post supporting the lintel of a large doorway, often carved with figures, especially in Romanesque and Gothic architecture.
Example:
The figure of Christ or a saint often stands on the trumeau at the center of a cathedral's main entrance, greeting visitors.
Tympanum
The semi-circular or triangular decorative wall surface over an entrance, bounded by a lintel and an arch, often filled with sculpture.
Example:
The Last Judgment is a common theme depicted in the tympanum of Romanesque and Gothic cathedrals, warning and instructing worshippers.
Vanitas
A genre of still-life painting, popular in the Baroque period, that includes symbols of death or change as a reminder of the transience of life and the futility of earthly pleasures.
Example:
A Dutch Golden Age still life featuring a skull, wilting flowers, and an hourglass is a classic example of a vanitas painting.
Vellum
A fine parchment made from the skin of a calf, lamb, or kid, traditionally used as a durable surface for writing and illuminating manuscripts.
Example:
Medieval scribes meticulously copied texts onto smooth sheets of vellum, ensuring the longevity of their illuminated manuscripts.
Voussoirs
Wedge-shaped stones that make up the curved part of an arch, with the keystone at the top locking them in place.
Example:
The alternating light and dark voussoirs of the Great Mosque of Córdoba create a striking visual pattern in its iconic arches.
Woodcut
A printmaking technique where a design is carved into a block of wood, with the raised areas holding the ink to be transferred to paper.
Example:
Albrecht Dürer's 'Apocalypse' series features powerful woodcut prints, demonstrating the expressive potential of the medium.
Zoomorphic
Art that incorporates animal forms or motifs, often stylized or abstract, as a decorative or symbolic element.
Example:
Many Viking artifacts feature intricate zoomorphic interlace patterns, depicting intertwined beasts and serpents.