Chapter Twelve- Byzantine Art Vocabulary
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Created by:
krystingutierrez on January 28, 2012
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Description:
vocabulary from chapter 12, relating to byzantine art.
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25 terms
Terms | Definitions |
|---|---|
 neo-platonism | the belief that natural space and realistic qualties are not important; the concern of showing what is eternal (according to plato) instead of naturalism. |
| martyrium | a shrine to a christian martyr saint |
| tessera (tesserae) | greek, "cube" a tiny stone or piece of glass cut to the desired shape and size for use in forming a mosaic |
| apse | a recess, usually semicircular, in the wall of a building, commonly found at the east end of a church |
| choir | the space reserved for the clergy and singers in the church, usually east of the transept but, in some instances, extending into the nave |
| nave | the central area of an ancient roman basilica or of a church, demarcated from aisles by piers or columns |
| narthex | a porch or vestibule of a church, generally colonnaded or arcaded and preceding the nave |
| chi-rho-iota (aka christogram) | the three initial letters of Christ's name in greek monogram of christ the x extended p sign. put on shields to represent three groups: the emeror and his staff, the clergy, and the imperial guard |
| pendentive | a concave, triangular section of a hemisphere, four of which provide the transition from a square area to the circular base of a covering dome. although pendentives appear to be hanging (pendant) from the dome, they in fact support it. |
| squinch | an architectural device used as a transition from a square to a polygonal or circular base for a dome. it may be composed of lintels, corbels, or arches. |
| diptych | a two-paneled painting or altarpiece also, an ancient roman, early christian or byzantine hinged writing tablet, often of ivory and carved on the external sides. |
| theotokos | greek, "she who bore god" the virgin mary, the mother of jesus |
| pantokrator | greek, "ruler of all" christ as ruler and judge of heaven and earth |
| mandorla | an almond-shaped nimbus surrounding the figure of christ or other sacred figure. |
| triptych | a three-panneled painting, ivory plaque, or altarpiece. also, a small, portable shrine with hinged wings used for private devotion |
| orthodox | "right" type of christianity characteristic of the byzantine empire. acknowledged all bishops as equal and did not see the pope as the most powerful (as the roman catholics did) |
| heresy | belief or opinion contrary to orthodox religious (esp. christian) doctrine |
| iconoclasm | the destruction of religious or sacred images. in byzantium, the period from 726 - 843 when there was an imperial ban on such images. the destroyers of images were known as iconoclasts those opposed to this ban were iconophiles |
| icon | a portrait or image; especially in Byzantine churches, a panel with a painting of sacred personages that are objects of veneration. (in the visual arts, a painting, piece of sculpture, or even a building regarded as an object of veneration) |
| basilica | in roman architecture, a public building for legal and other civic proceedings, rectangular in plan with an entrance usually on a long side. in christian architecture, a church somewhat resembling the roman basilica, usually entered from one end and with an apse at the other. |
| ambulatory | a covered walkway, outdoors (as in a church cloister) or indoors; especially the passageway around the apse and the choir of a church. |
| exedrae | recessed area, usually semicircular |
| eucharist | in christianity, the partaking of the bread and wine, which believers hold to be either christ himself or symbolic of him |
| monestary | a group of buildings in which monks live together, set apart from the secular community of a town |
| monasticism | lifestyle of monks, relating to life in a monestary |
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