ART HISTORYY

Colosseum

70-80 CE

Pantheon

c. 110-128 CE

Anthemius of Tralles

532-537 CE

Church of Hagia Sophia

532-537 CE

Isidorus of Miletus

532-537 CE

Exterior of Dome of the Rock

691 CE

aniconic

no images"; referring to traditions that DO NOT encourage visual imagery in religion:

apse

A recess, usually semicircular, in the wall of a Roman basilica or at the east end of a church.

arcade

a passageway defined by a series of arches; a covered passageway with shops on either side; an area filled with coin-operated games

barrel vault

the simplest form of vault consisting of an unbroken series of arches; it forms a tunnel like shape

central plan

any structure designed with a primary central space surrounded by symmetrical areas on each side; also called a greek-cross plan

codex

an unbound manuscript of some ancient classic (as distinguished from a scroll)

coffer

Decorative recessed square (on ceiling surface).

composite order

One of the five Classical orders; favored in late Roman architecture. On the capital, large conjoined Ionic volutes are combined with the acanthus leaves of the Corinthian order.

dome

a rounded vault forming the roof of a building or structure, typically with a circular base.

drum

...

engaged column

A column that is not freestanding but attached to a wall

forum

Rome's public meeting place

groin vault

formed at the point at which 2 barrel vaults intersect at right angles

icon

one who opposes established beliefs, customs, and institutions

iconoclasm

A belief that the practice of worshiping and honoring objects such as icons was sinful

illumination

The artistic decoration of books and manuscripts

longitudinal plan

a church plan with a long nave and side aisles. If it has a transept, it is more accurately called a Latin cross or cruciform plan.

mihrab

(Islam) a niche in the wall of a mosque that indicates the direction of Mecca

minaret

a tall slender tower, typically part of a mosque, with a balcony from which a muezzin calls Muslims to prayer.

mosque

A Muslim house of worship

nave

the central area of a church

orant figure

A figure with its hands raised in prayer

pendentive

An inverted, concave, triangular piece of masonry serving as the transition from a square support system to the circular base of a dome.

peristyle

a colonnade surrounding a Greek temple

pseudoperipteral

In Roman architecture, a pseudoperipteral temple has a series of engaged columns all around the sides and back of the cella to give the appearance of a peripteral colonnade.

qibla wall

the wall of a mosque that faces Mecca; the wall Muslims face when praying

rotunda

A circular domed building or hall

syncretism

the merging or fusion of differing philosophies

transept

The part of a church with an axis that crosses the nave at a right angle.

tuscan order

variation of Doric characterized by smooth-surfaced shaft with base, a plain architrave, and an undecorated frieze

verism

An artistic trend of the 1890s, in which operas dealt with ordinary people and true-to-life situations

voussoir

wedge-shaped stone building block used in constructing an arch or vault

How is the Imperial Procession of the Ara Pacis different from Greek tradition?

It depicts a real historical event.

This equestrian portrait survived the Christian Middle Ages because:

It was mistakenly believed to be a portrait of Emperor Constantine.

What is historically significant of the Colosseum?

It was built on top of land reclaimed from Nero's Golden House.

What is true about the Arch of Constantine?

It contains reliefs taken from earlier imperial monuments.

Why is the arch superior to post and lintel architecture?

It allows for the effective displacement of weight, making them much stronger.

Who was the first Christian Roman emperor?

Constantine

What is true about this series of wall paintings?

They indicate that the owner of the villa was probably a follower of a mystery religion.

What is NOT true of the Pantheon?

The dome is supported by a series of freestanding columns that interrupt the spatial unity of the building's interior.

What is true of the Roman basilica? (select all that apply)

They were used as secular buildings in ancient Rome.
Prototype for Christian

Portraiture from the Republican period of Rome can be described as:

Veristic

Where are some of the earliest examples of Jewish and Christian art found?

Catacombs

Old St. Peter's was based on what Roman prototype?

Basilica

What effect did the Edict of Milan have on Early Christian art and architecture?

It prompted the construction of larger, more elaborate buildings for Christian worship.

True or false: In general, the exteriors of Early Christian churches are just as ornate as the interiors.

FALSE

The incorporation of foreign symbols and motifs into an entirely new context was common in Jewish and Early Christian art. This is known as:

Sycretism

In what year did Christianity become the official religion of the Roman Empire?

380

Which of these is NOT a characteristic of Byzantine art?

Verism

What is the meaning of this image?

Destroying an icon of Christ is essentially the same as the torment of Christ on the cross.

What is a codex?

A predecessor of the modern book.

The dome of the Hagia Sophia rests on ______________, which bridges the gap between circular dome and the square supporting walls.

Pendentives

Emperor __________ commissioned the Hagia Sophia to be rebuilt after ________________.

Justinian I;
the old church was destroyed during the Nika Revolt.

Compared to the very earliest depictions of Christ, this version looks more:

Imperial and regal

What can be said of the Pantocrater in the dome of the Church of the Dormition? (select all that apply)

Its placement in the dome represents Christ's position at the top of the spiritual hierarchy.
It represents Christ as the "ruler of all.

What happened during the iconoclast controversy?

The creation and veneration of icons was banned throughout the Byzantine Empire, because some believed they constituted idolatry.

What is NOT true of this Late Byzantine icon?

The proportions of the figures are mathematically derived from a close observation of nature, exactly as the ancient Greeks had done.

The heavy classical influence in this Byzantine manuscript painting marks it as a work of the:

Macedonian Renaissance