Art History Midterm

Contrapposto

"set against"; used to describe the Classical convention of representing human figures with opposing alternations of tension and relaxation on wither side of a central axis to imbue figures with a sense of the potential for movement

palazzo

Italian term for palace, used for any large urban dwelling

Who are the Four Evangelists and what are their symbols?

Matthew - man with wings Mark - lion with wings Luke - ox with wings John - eagle

mural

a large painting created either directly on the wall, or created separately and affixed to the wall

linear perspective

a method of creating the illusion of three-dimensional space on a two-dimensional surface by delineating a horizon line and multiple orthogonal lines.

Altarpiece

a painted or carved panel or ensemble of panels placed at the back of or behind and above an altar

fresco

a painting technique in which water based pigments are applied to a surface of wet plaster and are absorbed into it, becoming part of the wall itself

What is iconography?

a particular range or system of types of image used by an artist or artists to convey particular meanings

Intaglio

a technique in which the design is carved out of the surface of an object; includes engraving, etching, and drypoint

flying buttress

an arch built on the exterior of a building that transfers the thrust if the roof vaults at important stress points to a detached buttress pier

Guilds

an association of artists or craftsworkers; Medieval and Renaissance guilds had great economic power, as they controlled the selling and marketing of its members' products, and provided economic protection, political solidarity, and training in the craft to its members

Illusionism

art that attempts faithful description of the appearance of the real world, using pictorial devices such as perspective and foreshortening

Why is the image of the Madonna and Child favored for altarpieces?

bc it shows the virgin mary being aware of the outcome that her son's life will be

What effects did the Protestant Reformation have on the arts in Northern Europe?

before there were many religious paintings from the bible; others subjects were painted such as more landscapes and realistic artwork

What qualities does oil painting possess and how does its use contribute to the character of Flemish art in the 15th century?

dries slowly so the artist has more time to work with it colors that can be layered to create different thickness and texture flemish painters used this technique

What are the key differences in the style and subject matter of art between 15th century Italy and 15th century Flanders? How can you account for these?

flemish work is done with oil paint; vivid colors; a realistic approach to art italian work focused more on landscape and naturalism

Iconography

identifying and studying the subject matter and conventional symbols in works of art

vanishing point

in a linear perspective system, the point on the horizon line at which orthogonals meet

Rustication

in building, the rough, irregular, and unfinished effect deliberately given to the exterior facing of a stone edifice; stones are often large and used for decorative emphasis around doors or windows or across the entire lower floors of a building

Sfumato

in painting, the effect of a smoky haze in an image, resembling the color of the atmosphere at dusk; derived from the Italian word fumo, meaning smoke

What is a Book of Hours? For whom were they made?

it is a prayer book that was used for private devotion. Made for everyone, and they honored the Virgin Mary

How does iconography serve to convey meaning in a work of art?

it shows images that represent a deeper meaning. Example: in Christian religious painting there is a lamb that represents Christ

What kinds of subjects were commissioned in the 14th century in Europe?

most subjects matter was about jesus and his life. focused a lot on religion and the bible

continuous narrative

multiple scenes from the same story appear within a single compositional frame

What is the role of patronage in the production of art and architecture?

patrons were often in charge of the details of whatever work was going to be made; cost, materials, location, subject matter

What are the two main reasons that the center of art production in Italy shifted from Florence to Rome at the beginning of the 16th century?

political power was not very reliable; artists went to rome in search of new inspiration and techniques

What are the advantages to prints as opposed to paintings?

prints allow art work to be more accessible, there can be multiple copies

What is a saint? What is an attribute? Who are some saints and what are their attributes?

saint: a person acknowledged as holy or virtuous and typically regarded as being in heaven after death attribute: a quality, character, or characteristic ascribed to someone or something has leadership

Eucharist

the central rite of the Christian church; re-enacts Christ's sacrifice on the cross and commemorates Christ's Last Supper with his disciples

Foreshortening

the illusion created on a flat surface in which figures and objects appear to recede or project sharply into space

patron

the institution or person who commissions or finances a work of art

register

the placement of self-contained bands of reliefs in a vertical arrangement; indicates the use of differing ground lines to differentiate layers of space within an image

hierarchic scale

the use of differences in size to indicate relative importance; for example, with human figures, the larger the figure, the greater their importance