Art & Architecture Terms: A Concise Glossary
Art & Architecture Glossary
Elevation
The flat representation of the facade of a building.
Anthropomorphic
It means “in human form.”
Vault
A building’s geometric shape forming an arched roof. It is used to cover two walls parallel to two rows of pillars (or columns). It can also be described as an extension of a space. Example: the modern Vaults of the Sydney Opera House.
The Round
Any sculpture that is not connected to another. Example: Michelangelo’s Pietà .
Canon
A standard established to achieve the perfect proportions of the human body in a work of art. Example: Leonardo Da Vinci’s The Vitruvian Man.
Chiaroscuro
An art technique that appeared in the Cinquecento (sixteenth century) that plays with the contrast of light and darkness in the composition to highlight some objects more than others. A radical variation of this technique is known as tenebrism. Example: Tintoretto’s Last Supper.
Column
A crucial sustaining element of Greek architecture. Although generally used to hold a structure, it can also be used as a decorative element. It consists of three main parts: the base, which is the bottom and supports the shaft (the basic body of the column), and the capital, which acts as a union between the column and the rest of the structure. Example: the columns of the Parthenon.
Lean (Spandrel)
The triangular area between an arch and the structure it supports. In Arab art, these are called spandrels.
Engraved (Printing)
A printing technique involving the placement of a mold (matrix) covered with ink on a surface of fabric or paper to create prints.
Iconography
The symbolic description of a work based on the icons that appear in it, giving them a meaning that is usually specific to an age or artistic style.
Rigging (Apparatus)
Refers to the way materials are placed in the construction of a wall. They are classified according to material and its disposal, the most common being isodomous, in which all blocks are placed symmetrically and identically. This can be a rope pattern if placed on the wider side, or a blight pattern if placed otherwise.
Masonry
A wall-building technique involving the manual placement of stones or bricks.
Oil
A group of oils are mixed with other substances used in art to create different colors for painting. By extension, the final product obtained from the mixture is also called oil.
Perspective
The art of creating the illusion of depth and location of objects depicted in art.
Pillar
An architectural element used to support a structure and carry its weight.
Pilaster
A pillar attached to a wall.
Plant (Floor Plan)
A cross-section of a building used to appreciate the different rooms or parts of the building.
Relief
A sculpture carved on a flat surface, in which the elements appear to emerge from the flat surface itself. There are three different types according to how they are attached to the surface:
- Bas-relief: The figures stand out less than half their total thickness.
- Half-relief: The figures protrude about half their thickness.
- High relief: The figures emerge almost entirely from the surface.
- Sunk relief: The sculpture is carved in the same block that serves as a support, giving the illusion of depth.