Art History 40B- Midterm Terms
Central Plan
A church having a circular or octagonal plan with the altar in the middle. EX: San Vitale
Reliquary
A container or shrine where religious relics are stored or displayed (especially relics of saints). EX: St. Foy, little girl martyr
Apse
A domed or vaulted recess or projection on a building especially the east end of a church. EX: Seen in St. Peter's.
Flying Buttress
A free-standing support attached to the main vessel (nave, choir, or transept wall) by an arch or half-arch which transmits the thrust of the vault to the support attached tot he outer wall of the aisle. EX: First introduced at the Cathedral of Chartres.
Pilgrimage
A journey to a place considered sacred for religious purposes. EX: Many pilgrimage to Jerusalem to show their devotion to christianity. Also, the Labyrinth at St. Chartres was meant to symbolize the pilgrimage to Jerusalem.
Icon
A religious work of art, most commonly a painting, from Eastern Christianity and in certain Eastern Catholic churches. More broadly the term is used in a wide number of contexts for an image, picture, or representation. EX: The icon of Christ Pantocrator at St. Catherine's monastery
Clerestory
A row of windows in the upper part of a wall. EX: First seen in Saint Denis, 'designed' by Abbot Songer
Jamb
A side post of a doorway. EX: The statues of past Kings and Queens at the Cathedral of Chartres
Cathedra
A throne that is the official chair of a bishop EX: The seat of Peter
Mandorla
Almond-shaped body halo that acts like an orb to separate Christ from human realm. EX: Seen in The icon of Christ Pantocrator at St. Catherine's monastery
Gloss
An explanation of a difficult expression in a text. EX: Seen in the Book of Hours
Relic
An object considered holy because it belonged to, or was touched by, a saint or other holy person. EX: The skull of St. Foy that is encased in gold
Cathedral
Any large and important church EX: came from the word Cathedra "The seat of Peter"
Longitudinal Plan or Latin Cross
Church- Walk straight from the entrance to the alter. "Think Long" EX: Seen in the plan of St. Peters in Rome
Manuscript Illumination
Decorating or illustrating a manuscript in which the pages are often painted with silver, gold, and rich colors by monks and nuns. EX: Book of Kells
Historiated Initial
It is an enlarged letter at the beginning of a paragraph or other section of text containing an identifiable scene or figures, sometimes relating to the text. EX: Seen in the Book of Kells and the Book of Hours
Marginalia
Marginal notes, references, or comments intended to illuminate a text. EX: Seen in Book of Hours
Choir
The area of the church between a transept and main apse. it is the area where the service is sung and clergy may stand, and the main or high altar is located. EX: Saint Denis
Iconoclasm
The breaking of images; a religious controversy of the 8th century; Byzantine emperor attempted, but failed, to suppress icon veneration.
Archivolt
The continuous molding framing an arch. In Romanesque or Gothic architecture, one of the series of concentric bands framing the tympanum. EX: West Portal of Saint Lazare
Tympanum
The half-round panel that fills the space between the lintle and arch over the doorway of the church. EX: The west portal of Saint Lazare
Chi-Rho
The letters "X" and "P," representing the first letters of the title "Christos," were eventually put together to form this symbol for Christ. EX: Seen on the Book of Kells
Nave
The long central part of a church, extending from the entrance to the altar, with aisles along the sides. EX: Seen in Romanesque churches such as Saint Lazare
Barrel Vault
The simplest form of vault consisting of an unbroken series of arches; it forms a tunnel like shape. EX: Romanesque Period. Seen in St.Peter's
Ribbed Groin Vault
There is a framework of ribs or arches under the intersections of the vaulting sections that come to a point.Gothic Period, more delicate compared to the barrel vaults of the Romanesque period. EX: Saint Denis