ancient art (n)
in Western culture, the art of the period preceding the Middle Ages; the art of the Greeks and Romans between 1200 B.C. and A.D. 400
ancient times between 1200 B.C. and A.D. 400; the period preceding the Middle Ages
the end of the world according to Christian belief; an event predicted in the biblical Book of Revelation in which God separates the Blessed from the Damned, delivering the former into Heaven and the latter into Hell
refering to books that are excluded from the New Testament in some versions of the Christian Bible because of their dubious authenticity
the group of 12 disciples (including Peter, John, Matthew, and Judas) chosen by Christ to spread his teachings and whose writings are the basis of the New Testament of the Christian Bible
the part of a painting or drawing representing the space behind figures or objects that are close to the viewer (in the foreground)
bad thief/good thief (n)
in the biblical story of Christ’s crucifixion (the Passion Story), the two thieves who were executed with Christ. The "bad thief" on Christ’s left doubts that he is the son of God, and challenges him to save them from their executions. The "good thief" on Christ’s right rebukes the bad thief, saying that he and the other criminal deserve their punishment while recognizing that Christ has done nothing wrong.
style of art and architecture prevalent in Europe in the 17th and early 18th centuries, characterized by extravagant theatrical forms and including dramatic manipulations of space, vivid illusions, opulent color, movement, and strong contrasts of light and dark
sea nymph who keeps Ulysses captive on her island for nine years in hopes that he will eventually agree to be her husband. She allows him to leave only after the messenger god Hermes tells her that the goddess Athena wishes him to be released.
chiaroscuro woodcut (n)
woodblock printmaking technique in which two or more cut blocks are printed one atop another. One block delineates the contours of the subject; other blocks add tonal values.
goddess who transforms Ulysses’ men into animals to keep them prisoners; later, when she realizes she cannot turn Ulysses into an animal, she helps him continue his journey home
coat of arms (n)
an arrangement of symbols in the shape of a shield that identifies an individual or family, especially when combined with armor
commission (n; v)
a work of art made through the funding or authority of a patron; to pay an artist or craftsman to create a work of art
pose in art developed in Classical times and revived during the Renaissance in which the weight of the body is shifted to one leg, allowing the other leg to bend in a relaxed position and causing the hips to tilt
16th- and 17th-century Roman Catholic movement that arose in response to the European Protestant Reformation; aggressive strategies were introduced to codify Catholic beliefs, to strengthen the Church, and to win back worshipers from Protestantism
early 20th-century art movement led by Pablo Picasso (1881–1973) and Georges Braque (1882–1963) that used fragmented shapes to depict several views of the same subject simultaneously, emphasizing the basic geometry or structure of the subject
race of one-eyed giants in ancient Greek and Roman mythology. One of Ulysses’ adventures included a Cyclops named Polyphemos.
da Vinci, Leonardo (1452–1519)
Italian Renaissance painter, sculptor, architect, and designer; best known today for his portrait the Mona Lisa and revered as one of the most innovative and creative artist/inventors of his time.
Emperor of Rome from A.D. 81 to 96 who successfully completed the conquest of Britain and is known for his dictatorial rule
printmaking technique in which a sharp needle is used to scratch lines into a metal plate, which is then inked and printed under pressure. When the needle scratches the plate, it creates a burr on one side of the line; the burr catches ink, producing a soft, dark line in the printed impression.
Dürer, Albrecht (1471–1528)
German painter, printmaker, and draftsman of the Renaissance who was an important intermediary between the artists of Italy and Northern Europe, particularly through his printmaking. His compositions and technique served as a model for many artists throughout Europe.
printmaking technique in which an image is cut into the surface of a metal plate through chemical acid erosion. The plate is first covered with a thin wax layer, called a ground, into which an artist draws the image with a pointed implement, revealing the metal plate underneath. The plate is submerged in acid, which bites the exposed metal into troughs, then inked and printed under pressure.
referring to or deriving from the northern part of present-day Belgium, traditionally referred to as Flanders, in which the Dutch language is spoken.
a collection of matching pieces making up a suit of armor
a piece of armor that protects the throat
Herod Antipas (c. 20 B.C.–c. A.D. 39)
Herod Antipas (son of King Herod the Great), governor of Galilee, who ordered the imprisonment and death of Saint John the Baptist; he later interrogated Christ before his crucifixion.
Holy Family (n)
in the Christian religion, Christ; his mother, the Virgin Mary; and her husband, Joseph (others may also be included, such as Elizabeth, the Virgin’s cousin, and her son, John the Baptist)
thought to be a poet of eighth-century B.C. Greece and the presumed author of the two epic poems, the Iliad and the Odyssey. The Iliad tells the story of the 10-year Trojan War; the Odyssey tells the story of Ulysses’ return home to Ithaca after the Greek victory in the Trojan War.
in the round (adj)
sculpture that is three-dimensional in form rather than attached to or supported by a flat background (as is relief sculpture)
International Gothic (n)
or International Style; sculpture and painting that was the product of artistic exchanges between Northern Europe and Italy in the 14th-century characterized by attention to pattern, ornament, and elegantly elongated forms
part of medieval tournaments in which two mounted knights fought using swords or lances
lost-wax method (adj)
the process of casting metal in which an object begins as a clay model. The model is first covered with wax that hardens as a thin shell and is then encased in an outer mold of thick clay. When the mold is completely dry, it is heated to melt the wax. Liquid bronze, copper, or another metal is then poured into the mold. After the metal has solidified, the cooled mold is opened, and the figure, a metal copy of the wax model, can be taken out, cleaned, and polished.
low relief (adj)
referring to sculpture or sculptural elements that are close to the support from which they are carved (as opposed to high relief); also known as bas-relief
designation for paintings and sculptures produced between about 1520 and 1580 (the later Renaissance) characterized by an interest in the distortion of formal conventions, exaggeration of expression, elongated proportions, enigmatic gestures, unusual colors, and an irrational treatment of space and light. Derived from the Italian word maniera, suggesting grace, playfulness, and formal beauty.
16th-century revival of Classical Stoicism, a philosophy that celebrated nature and emphasized the importance of reason and self-discipline while rejecting emotion. Although they criticized superstition and corruption in the Roman Catholic Church, many Neo-Stoics remained faithful Christians.
New Testament (n)
portion of the Bible that treats the life of Christ and the period following; includes the Gospels, Acts, Epistles, and the Book of Revelation
a tall, four-sided shaft that forms a pyramid at its tip; served as a type of religious monument in ancient Egypt. Examples of obelisks in Rome, Paris, and New York City were carried away from Egypt.
an extended landscape, often displaying an unobstructed view in every direction
relating to Christian sects founded in the 16th century by Reformation leader Martin Luther; Protestantism sought to reform the Church, denying the authority of the Pope and confirming the Bible as the only source of religious truth.
16th-century Western European movement aimed at reforming the Catholic Church. Reforms questioned Catholic doctrine and sought to return to scriptural authority and individual faith and to rid the Church of worldly abuses. These reforms resulted in the foundation of the Protestant Church.
the French word renaissance, meaning "rebirth." In 15th- and 16th-century Europe, the revival of art, architecture, learning, and literature emphasized and often imitated Classical examples from ancient Greece and Rome. Although the Renaissance was initially centered in Italy, aspects of Renaissance culture also appeared in Northern Europe (particularly Flanders, the Netherlands, and Germany), especially during the 16th century.
Saint John the Baptist (c. 6 B.C.–c. A.D. 36)
Christ’s cousin who foretold the coming of Christ and later baptized him in the River Jordan. John was later beheaded due to the treachery of the young Salome and her mother Herodias, wife of King Herod.
Saint John the Evangelist
in Christianity, one of the 12 apostles, author of one of the four gospels and the Book of Revelation in the New Testament, and, with Saints Matthew, Mark, and Luke, one of the four Evangelists whose writings record the life and teachings of Christ
from the Italian word fumo, meaning "smoke”; a painting technique used to create soft transitions between areas of light and shadow by blurring the edges of forms and depicting figures and objects as if in a smoke-like haze; derived from the writings and practice of the Renaissance artist Leonardo da Vinci
sirens (n, pl)
sea nymphs in Greek mythology who lure ships with enchanted singing toward their destruction. In the Odyssey, Ulysses was able to resist their song by lashing himself to the mast of his ship.
a sleeveless garment worn over armor