a style of representation that veers from naturalism, often flattening recognizable natural forms into shapes which may or may not be recognizably figurative

"high city," from the Greek akro-, (edge or extremity) + polis (city). Although many Greek cities had an acropolis, the most famous was in Athens, and "The Acropolis" refers to it.

visually beautiful; also (usually plural) referring to the branch of philosophy concerned with beauty, especially absent of personal meaning or usefulness

Latin, Lamb of God (symbolically, Jesus Christ)

a straight passageway. In a Christian basilica, side aisles flank a main central aisle (see nave)

from the Latin ambulātōrius (movable, suitable for walking), a space in churches that allows the faithful to walk by chapels and relics

a circular or oval performance space, from the Greek amphi (around/both/double) and theater.

colors next to one another on the color wheel, which tend to blend together smoothly

a cross-like symbol with a looped top, the Egyptian sign of life

a massive columned hall used by Persian kings for receptions

in architecture, a recess, usually semicircular, in the wall of a Roman basilica or at one end of a church, often the east end [Art History Glossary]

a channel for carrying water into Roman cities, often positioned atop an arcade

a row of arches placed side by side

a true arch is a strong structural element in the shape of an inverted U, comprised of wedge-shaped blocks called voussoirs and held in place with a keystone. For a corbeled arch, see corbelling.

line along which an artwork or structure is organized

a common Roman government building that became the basis for Christian church architecture

in church architecture, the space between two columns in a nave arcade; an orderly division of the interior space

two-sided symmetry in which two halves of a work of art mirror each other

a naturally-occurring tar used as an adhesive and decorative material

from the Greek calli- (beautiful) + graphy (writing), beautiful or ornamented writing

a rule for a standard of beauty developed for artists to follow

the element at the top of a column or pilaster

a richly-decorated manuscript page, where the illumination, occupying all or most of the page, resembles an ornate tapestry

weight-bearing columns sculpted in the form of women

the closed, inner part of a temple that housed an image of the deity

in architecture, the arrangement of the structural elements around a central point, often in a circle or octagon (compare to longitudinal plan)

a symbol of Christianity formed by overlapping the first three letters in the Greek spelling of the name Christos (Christ)

from the Latin chiaro (light) + scuro (dark), the artistic technique of combining light and shadow to create the illusion of three-dimensional form

the space behind the altar of a church

Styles of Classical architecture, each distinguished by its proportions and characteristic profiles and details, and most readily recognizable by the type of column and capital employed; three of the five Classical orders of architecture were developed in ancient Greek periods: Doric Order, Ionic Order, Corinthian Order [Art History Glossary]

relating to the style and values of ancient Greek and Roman art

a technique in which semi-previous stones and/or melted glass/enamel fill partitions (cloisons, in French) formed by metal wires fused to a metal base

inset panels in a ceiling, arch, or dome, used to lighten weight and/or add decoration

thin columns

a row of evenly-placed columns

a massive sculpture of a person

colors across the color wheel from each other and that both appear more bold when placed next to each other

the organization of elements within a work of art

a Roman invention, a mix of lime mortar, pebbles, sand, and water, which can be poured into molds and which hardens to function like stone

a scientific discipline that seeks to preserve cultural heritage for the future and can involve cleaning and repairing--ideally repairs are visible, but not distracting to the viewer.

professionals trained in the analysis and preservation or artwork

what a work of art is about; its story

lines that define the borders of a shape

a stance in which the figure bears weight on one leg, shifting the hips, chest, and shoulders into a more naturalistic, realistic pose

the amount of variation between the highest and lowest values in a work

an architectural technique in which material is built up in successive layers, or courses, with each one overhanging the one below it until they meet in the middle at the top

unpaid labor coerced by the state/slavery

beliefs about the order and structure of the universe

having the shape of the cross; a common layout for early and later Christian churches

breastplate, sometimes elaborately decorated

writing system developed in ancient Sumer from the Latin for wedge (cuneus) + form (shaped)

a small pierced object, like a long round bead, carved in reverse (intaglio) and hung on strings of fiber or leather

a very hard igneous rock, similar to granite though generally darker in color

the original followers of Jesus, also known as apostles

a hemispherical interior space, formed either by corbelling or by spinning an arch on its axis (true dome).

consisting of two elements; a pair. From the Greek dyo- (two).

large decorations worn in pierced ears; a feature common to Mesoamerican and North American cultures

decree issued by Constantine in 313 CE which legalized Christianity

in architecture, a view of a wall head-on, showing the vertical organization of its features

a painting medium in which the binder for the pigments is hot wax

columns that are not free-standing but become part of the wall they support

slight adjustments in Greek architecture to account for the perception of human vision, such as slightly swelling the middle of a column so that it would not appear to taper in the middle

a portrait of an individual mounted on horseback

one of the rites of the Christian church, it is based on Biblical scripture that quotes Jesus at the Last Supper telling His apostles to remember Him with a ritual of eating bread--"It is my body"--and drinking wine--"It is my blood"; also known as "Holy Communion" or "The Lord's Supper" [Art History Glossary]

the sacred vessel that holds the wine, believed to be transformed into the blood of Christ, in the Catholic Mass

one of the four authors of the Gospels: Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John

the front of a building

a type of ceramic with a glass-like surface

a pin for holding clothing in place

the location where an artwork or object was discovered

having decorative grooves

In Gothic architecture, an exterior structural element that carries the thrust of the nave vault over to the side aisles; the buttresses (vertical supports) and the flyers (arches that connect buttresses to the wall they support) together form the components of a flying buttress [Art History Glossary]

actual, three-dimensional shape (or the illusion of three-dimensionality)

analysis of a work of art based on its form rather than its subject matter or historical context

the characteristics of a work of art that can be recognized by the eye--line, shape, color, space, texture, etc. These are separate from an artwork's content or story.

(pl. fora) a central public and/or market space in Roman cities

in true, or buon, fresco, pigments are applied to wet plaster and the resulting painting becomes part of the wall itself, with vivid and well-preserved colors. In fresco secco, wet pigments are applied to already dry plaster.

in Greek temple architecture, the part of the entablature above the architrave and often bearing painted or sculpted decoration

in sculpture, the quality of having a clear front designed to face the viewer

designs formed on the earth

the four books from the Christian New Testament that record the life of Jesus: Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John

a metalworking technique in which small balls, or granules, of metal are fused to the metal surface

mythical element that combines the physical aspects of a lion and eagle

an annual pilgrimage to the Kaaba and one of the pillars of Islam

a marker of holiness, often in the form of a circle around an individual's head

closely-spaced parallel lines

scale based on relative importance; the more important a figure, the larger it appears compared to those around it. Also know as hieratic scale.

characterized by a forest of columns supporting the roof

literally, "breakers of images"; those opposed to depicting sacred imagery out of the fear that it would turn into idolatry--worshipping inanimate objects

[From Greek eikon meaning "image" + glúphō meaning "to carve" or "to write"] The visual images and symbols used in a work of art or the study or interpretation of these [Art History Glossary]

literally, "lovers of images," those who argue for the value of imagery as a gateway to worship of the divine

small religious images, often used in personal devotion

a style of representation that perfects or makes "ideal" the subject's features, proportions, etc., in accordance with prevailing beauty standards

a painting in a handmade book

lines that are not actually drawn, but that allow us to "connect the dots" to create the lines in our minds

from the Latin, tagliare (to cut). May refer to carving stone or other hard material to produce a positive image when impressed upon soft material, like clay. May also refer to a printing process in which lines are cut or etched into a metal plate and then, when inked, transfer that inked mark to paper.

intertwining linear designs, sometimes in the form of knotwork

a hard green semiprecious gemstone

in Egyptian belief, the immortal spirit which would leave the physical body at death

the stone at the top of a true arch that holds all the other voussoirs in place

Greek, "young woman;" a sculpture of a female youth

Greek, "young man;" a sculpture of a male youth

large, open-mouthed vessel for mixing water and wine

human-headed winged lion figures, often carved in stone as guardian figures of Assyrian palace entrances

narrow, pointed windows

a drink, generally one poured out as an offering to a deity

a system for depicting space that is based on the optical illusion that parallel lines seem to converge as they recede into the distance

Sir Arthur Evans, the archaeologist who first uncovered the palace at Knossos, divided Minoan chronology into many different periods with distinct abbreviations. LM II stands for the second part of the Late Minoan period.

characterizing a writing system which uses a sign (picture, symbol, or letter) to communicate a symbol or word

in architecture, describes a plan arranged along a single central axis, culminating at the altar

a sculpture technique in which a clay mold is coated in wax, covered in plaster, and then heated, causing the wax to run out. Molten metal is then poured into the resulting channels, allowed to cool, and the mold broken so that the sculpture can be removed and polished.

Latin, "new light," referring to the heavenly aura created in Gothic churches by the proliferation of windows, particularly with stained glass

a large, uppercase letter; a style of writing in which all letter have the same height (prior to Charlemagne's introduction of miniscules, or lowercase letters)

diagram of the universe

from the Latin, "almond," a full-body halo in the shape of an almond

those killed for their beliefs; often with religious connotations

the material(s) from which a work of art is made

a massive rock, from the Greek mega (big) and lith (stone)

a rectangular hall, fronted by an open, two-columned porch. It contained a more or less central open hearth, which was vented though an oculus in the roof above it and surrounded by four columns. The architectural plan of the megaron became the basic shape of Greek temples, demonstrating the cultural shift as the gods of ancient Greece took the place of the Mycenaean rulers.

religions that include a messiah figure who is promised to save believers

square spaces for either painted or sculpted decoration

a niche in the qibla wall

a tower adjacent or attached to a mosque, from which the call to prayer is announced

an often remote, self-sufficient community of the faithful (monks) who have committed themselves to a life of religious devotion

characterized by a belief in one god

a technique in which an image is formed using small pieces (tesserae) of hard material, such as stone, glass, and/or metal

a sense of motion as the eye is guided through a work of art--or the physical motion of kinetic artworks

the inner sanctuary of a Greek temple

an portico or vestibule at the entrance of a church (plural: narthices)

a style of representation that seeks to recreate the visible world or nature

from the Latin word for ship, the long central aisle of a basilica or cathedral

the area around and between the figure and ground

striped linen headcloth worn by ancient Egyptian kings

Sir Arthur Evans, the archaeologist who first uncovered the palace at Knossos, divided Minoan chronology into many different periods, including the Neoplatial period, sometimes abbreviated as MM III.

a winged personification of victory

a geographic designation, similar to the modern idea of a region, district, or county

not depicting recognizable objects. Non-representational art is sometimes described as pure abstraction.

naturally occurring black stone/glass formed by lava

from the Latin word for eye, an opening at the top of a dome or a circular window

a pose in which the speaker extends an arm to indicate authority as he speaks; we see this in the adlocutio, an address given by a general

in art, defining lines or shapes that are loose and curving like those found in nature

the lines used in the technique of linear perspective that converge at the vanishing point to suggest the illusion of depth

a heavy, often black, contour line

surface used for grinding and/or mixing pigments

from the Greek pan- (all) plus theos (gods). The collected deities of a particular group or region.

from the Greek, pan- (all) and kratōr (to rule), the almighty ruler

manuscript material made from very thinly stretched and scraped animal skin, treated to receive ink or paint

members of the Roman land-owning class

era of peace in the Roman Empire, initiated by Augustus, the first Roman Emperor, and persisting roughly 200 years until the death of Marcus Aurelius

the triangular space forming the gable of a pitched roof in classical architecture [Art History Glossary]

from the Latin pendēre (to hang), a curved triangular shape between a circular dome and a straight supporting pier

a heavy stone support, often larger than a column, with a wider base, and squared edges

a material, often in powdered form, that is applied directly to a surface or mixed with liquid, such as oil or water, to create paint

architectural elements similar to engaged columns, but flat rather than rounded

a journey undertaken for spiritual purposes, including the answer to a prayer, forgiveness for a sin, or healing for oneself or another

individuals undertaking a pilgrimage

the class of Romans that included merchants, small farmers, and freed slaves

an arch that is pointed rather than rounded to allow for the more efficient distribution of weight; characteristic of Gothic architecture and introduced to Europe from the Middle East; sometimes called an ogival arch or a "Gothic" arch [Art History Glossary]

consisting of more than one colors, from the Greek poly (many) + chroma (color)

a simple architectural technique of enclosing space using upright supports (posts) topped by a crosspiece (lintel)

the period in the Americas before the arrival of Columbus (problematic)

a story or symbol from the Jewish Bible that is seen to prefigure, or predict, an event in the life of Christ

the colors red, yellow, and blue, from which the rest of the colors can be formed

entranceway of a Greek temple

size relationship of parts of a body or form to one another and of the parts to the whole

the story of an artwork's discovery, findspot, and its various owners through history

a book containing the Psalms from the Hebrew Bible

a Roman temple arrangement in which the front columns are free-standing but the columns on the back and sides are engaged

in Roman Catholic doctrine, a space of suffering after death through which an individual may atone for sins in order to eventually be admitted to heaven

direction of Mecca

the holy book of Islam

symmetry around a central point or axis, like a sunflower viewed head-on

a piece of material or body part associated with a sacred event or person, and believed to have miraculous powers

sculpture that, unlike free-standing or in-the-round sculpture, doesn't detach entirely from its background. High-relief sculpture projects far from the background, whereas low-relief, or bas-relief sculpture is relatively shallow.

unlike sculptures in the round, reliefs don't detach entirely from their background. A sculpture may be in high relief, with greater projection from the background, or in low (bas) relief, where there is little projection. In ancient Egypt, we see sunken relief, where instead of projecting from the surface, the figures are delineated by carved-in contour lines.

an often-elaborate container for a relic

a metalworking technique in which the decoration is hammered into relief from the back of a thin sheet of metal. From the French "pousser," to push.

representational art depicts recognizable objects or scenes

restoration generally involves returning a site (or objects) to an earlier state, often through the use of non-original material. Ideally, all added material is detectable and treatments are reversible.

a ritual vessel used for pouring liquids, often in the form of an animal or animal's head

vaulting with projecting stone "ribs," usually diagonal and transverse, which serve both decorative and supporting functions

stone coffin, from the Greek word for limestone ("sarkophagos"), from sark (flesh) + phage (eat)

how bright or dull a color is; also referred to as intensity

an object's size relative to its surroundings

center for copying and illuminating manuscripts

a sculpture that can be observed from all sides, unlike a relief sculpture that doesn't fully detach from its background

colors formed by mixing two primary colors

from the Latin senatus, "council of elders," the main body in Roman constitutional government

Egyptian funerary sculptures, buried with the deceased to serve as "answerers" in the next life

the use of darker colors to create the illusion of shadows

book of kings, an epic poem describing the stories of pre-Islamic Persian kings

the property of a two-dimensional form, usually defined by a line around it or a change in color

Egyptian traditional short pleated skirt

architectural and decorative elements removed from one monument for use on another

a vertical stone monument or marker often inscribed with text or relief carving

characteristic visual properties of works made by an individual artist or by artists working in the same time and place.

an artistic approach that conforms to particular conventions, or systems, rather than faithfully representing the natural world

a very formal time of balance consisting of a mirroring of portions of an image

a construction style that characterizes Mesoamerican pyramids, comprising a sloping base (talud) supporting a vertical tablero (decorated entablature)

a textile with imagery woven directly into the cloth

traditionally, a painting medium in which the binder for the pigments is egg yolk

from the Italian, terra (earth) + cotta (baked), a reddish-brown fired natural clay

colors formed by mixing a primary color with a secondary color

symbols of the four Gospel writers

the real or simulated surface quality (roughness or smoothness) of an object

a circular tomb of beehive shape approached by a horizontal passage in the side of a hill [Merriam-Webster]

the holy text of Judaism

the stonework supporting stained glass windows

in church architecture, the arm that crosses the nave to produce a cruciform layout

a grouping of three massive stones, from the Latin tri- (three) + Greek: litho- (stone)

an artwork consisting of three pieces, often two wings flanking a central panel

a style of representation in which figures are depicted with combination frontal and profile views. Also known as composite view.

from the Greek tympanon, drum, the space above the entrance to a church

Upper Paleolithic refers to the period between approximately 40,000 and 10,000 years ago.
"Upper" is the most recent of three sub-divisions of the Paleolithic period (Lower, Middle and Upper). The word itself is made of two parts. "Paleo" which means old and "lithic" which means stone. Stone Age is a reference to the chronology of material technology of a given time. The Stone Age comes before the Bronze Age for example.
Paleolithic is the oldest of three stone-age periods (Paleolithic, Mesolithic and Neolithic). Thus "Upper Paleolithic" refers to the most recent period of the old stone age.

the upright cobra commonly shown on the headdress of the Egyptian pharaoh, denoting divine leadership and protection

the degree of lightness or darkness of a color

in linear perspective, the point at which the orthogonals converge

a tunnel comprised of arches, which may be simple (barrel vault), crossed (groin vault), or even stacked and pierced with windows (fenestrated groin vault)

like parchment, a manuscript material made from animal skin, in this case the skin of very young or fetal animals

from the Latin vērus ("true"), an artistic style that hyperrealistically exaggerates naturally occurring features, especially those demonstrating age

ornaments, shaped like scrolls or cinnamon rolls, that are notable features of Ionic capitals

the wedge-shaped blocks used to construct a true arch

the façade and towers at the western entrance of a medieval church

In sculpture, the look of sheer, almost transparent cloth—called "drapery" in art—that appears to cling to the body, exposing the form beneath; introduced in the Greek High Classical period before sculpture depicting the fully-nude female figure was acceptable; the sculptor Phidias is credited with introducing this style [Art History Glossary]