Exam 2

Question 1

Barrel vault/ arch

Answer 1

An elongated or continuous semicircular vault, shaped like a half-cylinder.

Question 2

Groin vault

Answer 2

A vault produced by the intersection at right angles of two barrel vaults

Question 3

still life

Answer 3

a work of art depicting mostly inanimate subject matter, typically commonplace objects which are either natural or man-made.

Question 4

roman portraiture/verism/veristic

Answer 4

a realistic style in Roman art. It principally occurred in portraiture of politicians, whose imperfections of the face were exacerbated in order to highlight their old age and gravitas

Question 5

Basilica

Answer 5

A large public building, rectangular in plan, normally featuring a nave flanked by aisles, and an apse.

Question 6

Forum

Answer 6

An open space used for markets and gatherings of citizens, surrounded by temples and public buildings

Question 7

linear perspective

Answer 7

a system of creating an illusion of depth on a flat surface

Question 8

atmospheric perspective

Answer 8

As space recedes into the far distance in a landscape painting or drawing, the intensity of the color fades and there is less contrast of lights and darks.

Question 9

fresco

Answer 9

A mural painting technique that involves painting with water-based paint directly onto wet plaster

Question 10

(nave) arcade

Answer 10

series or arches

Question 11

apse

Answer 11

A vaulted extension or projection, usually from a choir or chapel and generally circular or polygonal in shape.

Question 12

coffers

Answer 12

a square or polygonal ornamental sunken panel used in a series as decoration for a ceiling or vault.

Question 13

Clerestory

Answer 13

The upper part of a wall containing windows to let in natural light to a building, especially in the nave, transept and choir of a church or cathedral.

Question 14

mosaic

Answer 14

a pattern or image made of small regular or irregular pieces of colored stone, glass or ceramic, held in place by plaster/mortar

Question 15

tesserae

Answer 15

a small piece of stone, glass, ceramic, or other hard material cut in a cubical or some other regular shape.

Question 16

Pendentive

Answer 16

A spherical triangle which acts as a transition between a circular dome and a square base on which the dome is set.

Question 17

icon

Answer 17

sacred images representing the saints, Christ, and the Virgin, as well as narrative scenes such as Christ’s Baptism (2013.980a–d) and Crucifixion.

Question 18

Iconoclasm

Answer 18

a recurring historical impulse to break or destroy images for religious or political reasons