Art 112 Midterm 2

verism

an interest in the faithful reproduction of the immediate visual and tactile appearance of subjects

engaged column

columns that are attached to a wall

aqueduct

structures with water conduits; a trough to carry flowing water, sometimes supported by arches

arch

a curved structural element that spans an open space

arcade

series of regularly spaced arched openings

voussoir

the oblong, wedge-shaped stone blocks used to build an arch

spandrel

wall areas adjacent to curves of an arch

barrel vault

a simple round arch that is lengthened to form a cylinder

groin vault

two barrel-vaulted spaces that intersect each other at right angles

mosaic

images formed by small colored stone or glass pieces affixed to a hard, stable surface

tesserae

small colored stone or glass pieces used in a mosaic

concrete

a building material developed by the Romans, made primarily from line, sand, cement, and rubble mixed w/ water

triumphal arch

a freestanding, massive stone gateway with a large central arch, built as urban ornament and/or to celebrate military victories (as by the Romans)

composite order

a combination of Ionic and the corinthian orders

rotunda

a circular room; any building (or part thereof) constructed in a circular (or sometimes polygonal) shape, usually producing a large open space crowned by a dome

drum

the circular wall that supports a dome

dome

a round vault, usually over a circular space

coffers

a recessed decorative panel that is used to reduce the weight of and to decorate ceilings or vaults

Edict of Milan (313 CE)

issued by Constantine granting freedom to all religious groups, including Christians

Augustus aka Octavian

concentrated real authority in himself, and his ascension marks the end of the republic

Titus

a Flavian emperor that helped restore imperial finances and stabilized the empire's frontiers

Hadrian

one of the "five good emperors" that oversaw a long period of stability and prosperity

Constantine "the Great

had a vision the night before battle- had shields inscribed with XP (Chi Rho); ruled as sole Roman emperor of the reunited empire until his death

catacomb

underground burial chamber consisting of different grounds or levels

menorah

a Jewish lamp-stand with seven or nine branches

basilica

a large rectangular building

longitudinal plan

any structure designed with a rectangular shape; if a cross-shaped building, the main arm of the building would be longer than any arms that cross it

nave

long, congregational area; the central aisle of a basilica, two or three stories high and flanked by aisles, and defined by the nave arcade or nave colonnade

aisles

passage or open corridor of a church, hall, or other building that parallels the main space, usually on both sides, and is delineated by a row of columns

clerestory

the topmost zone of a wall with windows in a basilica extending above the aisle roofs; provides direct light into the central interior space

apse

a semicircular projection at the opposite end of the nave from the narthex that functions as the building's focal point where the altar, raised on a platform, is located

transept

a wing that crosses the nave in front of the apse, making the building T-shaped

crossing

the juncture of the nave and the transept in a church, often marked on the exterior by a tower or dome

central plan

any structure designed with a primary central space surrounded by symmetrical areas on each side

conches

semi or half domes

pendentives

triangular curving wall sections; the concave triangular section of a vault that forms the transition between a square or polygonal space and the circular base of a dome

manuscript

a handwritten book or document; written by hand on parchment

parchment

specially prepared animal skin used as the 'paper' for manuscripts

illuminated manuscript

decorated or illustrated

folio

a manuscript page

codex

bound, rectangular book in the modern sense, rather than a scroll

icon

an image in any material representing a sacred figure or event in the Byzantine, and later the Orthodox, Church; venerated by the faithful, who believed them to have miraculous powers to transmit messages to God

iconoclasm

the banning or destruction of icons and religious art

cloisonne

an enamel technique in which metal wire or strips are affixed to the surface to form the design; the resulting areas are filled w/ enamel (colored glass)

St. Peter

the first bishop of Rome and therefore the first pope

Justinian

ruled during a time of political power, wealth and culture

Theodora

Empress that ably seconded Emperor Justinian

scriptorium

a room in a monastery for writing or copying manuscripts

westwork

the monumental, west-facing entrance section of a Carolingian, Ottonian or Romanesque church

monastery

sites of education and manuscript production

ribs, ribbed vaults

extra masonry demark the junctions of a groin vault; may function to reinforce the groins or may be purely decorative

relic

venerated objects associated with a saint or martyr

reliquary

a container, often made of precious materials, used as a repository for sacred relics

Charlemagne

Charles the Great; imposed Christianity

Bishop Bernward

TBD

pointed arch

TBD

flying buttresses

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

stained glass

molten glass is given a color that becomes intrinsic to the material; additional colors may be fused to the surface; most often used in windows, for which small pieces of differently colored glass are precisely cut and assembled into a design

rose window

a round window, often filled with stained glass, with tracery patters in the form of wheel spokes; large, elaborate and finely crated, they are usually a central element of the facade of French Gothic cathedrals

Book of Hours

a private prayer book, having a calendar, services for the canonical hours, and sometimes, special prayers

grisaille

a painting executed primarily in shades of gray

Abbot Suger

one of the most important figures in the development of the Gothic style