General Art History Terms

Question 1

The physical material of a work of art

Answer 1

Medium/Media(plural)

Question 2

An unconscious representation of its ideological age

Answer 2

Art

Question 3

What is the study of images?

Answer 3

Iconography

Question 4

What is the identification of separate elements in a composition in order to identify the subject matter?

Answer 4

Iconographic Analysis

Question 5

What is the manner, form, character, representation, construction, or expression of a work

Answer 5

Style/ Art Movement

Question 6

Illusion of a 3 dimensionality on a flat surface

Answer 6

Illusionism

Question 7

The use of lights and darks to achieve illusionism

Answer 7

Chiaroscuro

Question 8

Depicting objects as they appear in nature

Answer 8

Naturalism

Question 9

A freedom of form that is not naturalistic

Answer 9

Abstract

Question 10

A thin smooth application of paint with great detail and blend to eliminate brush strokes

Answer 10

Linear Application

Question 11

A thicker pigment of color and paint with less details and more brushstrokes

Answer 11

Painterly Application

Question 12

An examination of common elements of an art piece to include artist, style, media, subject matter - iconographic analysis, genre, composition

Answer 12

Formal Analysis

Question 13

An analysis of a work’s context to determine the significance of the object: patronage, social condition, economic, political, military, religious influences

Answer 13

Socio-historical Analysis

Question 14

The person, group, or organization that commissions the artist to create a work

Answer 14

Patron

Question 15

The chronological history of an artworks location/owners

Answer 15

Provenance

Question 16

An artist’s entire collection of work

Answer 16

Oeuvre

Question 17

The ideological representation of discussion through the composition of an art piece

Answer 17

Subject Matter

Question 18

Revival of Ancient Greek/Rome art

Answer 18

Classicism

Question 19

Order, balance, symmetry

Answer 19

Classicism

Question 20

Para Done

Answer 20

Rivalry

Question 21

Capital order of the pillar: Doric, Ionic, Corinthian

Answer 21

Classical orders

Question 22

Original design of classical order

Answer 22

Doric

Question 23

Scroll on the side (volutes)

Answer 23

Ionic

Question 24

Leafy top capital

Answer 24

Corinthian

Question 25

Reminder of death

Answer 25

Memento mori

Question 26

Diagonal lines in perspective system

Answer 26

Orthogonal

Question 27

Mathematical system for creating the illusion of space and distance on a flat surface

Answer 27

Linear perspective system

Question 28

Optical illusion that considers the lessening of detail as an object is further into the distance

Answer 28

Atmospheric perspective

Question 29

Left foot back and raised, right foot slightly forward, head tilted

Answer 29

Contrapposto

Question 30

Paint technique used to simulate stone

Answer 30

Grisai

Question 31

Playful chubby Angel babies

Answer 31

Puti

Question 32

Reinterpreted ancient ideas of Plato

Answer 32

Neo-platonic philosophy

Question 33

One hand covering genitals

Answer 33

Modesty pose

Question 34

Painting with pigments in a water soluble mixture such as water and egg

Answer 34

Tempera

Question 35

Two wooden panel altarpiece

Answer 35

Diptych

Question 36

Three wooden panel altarpiece

Answer 36

Triptych

Question 37

Multi wooden panel altarpiece

Answer 37

Polyptych

Question 38

Intuitive perspective/ one-point perspective

Answer 38

Naturalism of the north

Question 39

Taking a moment from ancient history and incorporating a scene from present era

Answer 39

Disguised symbolism

Question 40

Metal engraving

Answer 40

Melancholia

Question 41

Experimental fresco

Answer 41

Plaster, tempera, oil paint, varnish seal

Question 42

Smoke appearance to lessen rigidity of contour line

Answer 42

Sfumato

Question 43

To fool the eye

Answer 43

Tromp Loy

Question 44

Twisting shape of the body

Answer 44

Serpentinata

Question 45

Hard contract of darks to create a spotlight effect

Answer 45

Tenebrism

Question 46

People who copied the style of Caravaggio

Answer 46

Caraviggisti

Question 47

Known as the Dutch Republic

Answer 47

Northern Flanders

Question 48

Images that suggest the fleeting moments of beauty in the passing of time

Answer 48

Vanitas

Question 49

Group of people that don’t use tithes on artwork to decorate churches

Answer 49

Iconoclasts

Question 50

Collection of objects sitting still

Answer 50

Still life

Question 51

Hierarchy of Genres

Answer 51

1. History 2. Portraiture 3. Genre 4. Landscape 5. Animal 6. Still Life

Question 52

Award given to artist of Royal Academy to go and study in Rome

Answer 52

Prix de Rome

Question 53

Louis XIV formal living room

Answer 53

The Salon - Salon Carre

Question 54

Art style that resembles sea shell patterns

Answer 54

Rococo

Question 55

Townhomes in Paris

Answer 55

Otels

Question 56

The fanciest room in an aristocrats estate, used to hold parties

Answer 56

A Salon

Question 57

A genre developed to teach British culture morality

Answer 57

Moral genre

Question 58

Fete Galante

Answer 58

Elegant party