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Art History Vocab
Upper Division ARTH Vocab
| Term | Definition |
|---|---|
| nomological | relating to or denoting certain principles, such as laws of nature, that are neither logically necessary nor theoretically explicable, but are simply taken as true. |
| ontological | relating to the fundamental nature of being, existence, or reality, asking "what is real?" or "what exists?". Simply put, an ontological question explores the very essence of things—like whether a chair is just an idea or a real object, or if God exists |
| Archaistic | In language, an archaism is a word, a sense of a word, or a style of speech or writing that belongs to a historical epoch beyond living memory, but that has survived in a few practical settings or affairs. |
| polyvalent | A polyvalent community member is a versatile individual who takes on multiple roles and responsibilities, adapting to various tasks and situations. Acting against or interacting with more than one kind of antigen, antibody, toxin, or microorganism. |
| polis | a city state in ancient Greece, especially as considered in its ideal form for philosophical purposes. |
| hidryein, hidryesthai, hidrysis. | these terms are used to define the process by which a statue becomes a "cult statue" through formal installation, rather than merely being a piece of art. |
| hidrysis | The noun form, referring to the act of installation, foundation, or settlement of a deity. |
| anthropomorphism | the attribution of human characteristics or behavior to a god, animal, or object. |
| Zeus’ sceptre at Chaironeia | |
| Mimesis | a fundamental concept in philosophy and art theory referring to the representation or imitation of reality, nature, or human actions in artistic expression, central to Plato and Aristotle's ideas on art as a reflection of the world. |
| epiphanic | something characterized by a sudden, profound realization or manifestation, like a spiritual insight, a moment of deep understanding, or a striking vision, stemming from the word epiphany, meaning a great revelation |
| liminal position | an "in-between" state, occupying a space on a threshold between a past identity/situation and an unknown future, characterized by ambiguity, transition, and uncertainty, like being between jobs, after a loss, or during a major life change |
| sacerdotal | relating to or denoting a doctrine which ascribes sacrificial functions and spiritual or supernatural powers to ordained priests. relating to priests or the priesthood; priestly. |
| epigraphic | inscriptions on durable materials like stone, metal, or clay, used by historians and archaeologists to understand ancient cultures, public life, and languages, deciphering, and analysis of texts on monuments, decrees, graffiti, or religious dedications |
| emanation | the act of flowing or issuing from a source, or the thing that flows out, like a feeling, idea, light, or energy, often from a divine or central point, signifying a radiating origin or a spiritual outflow. |
| scholiasts | a commentator on ancient or classical literature. |
| The Suda | A huge 10th-century Greek encyclopedia, a vital source for ancient literature, history, and grammar, named from a Greek word for "fortress". |
| alimentation | the provision of nourishment or other necessities of life. |
| anathemata | originally meant a sacred offering, something "set up" or given to the gods, like temple treasures or spoils of war |
| hieron | "temple," "sacred place," or "shrine," referring to a holy site or the entire temple complex, not just the inner sanctuary, and is used in ancient texts and the Bible to denote such holy structures, distinct from the spiritual "body" as temple. |
| xoanon | an ancient Greek term for a primitive, sacred wooden cult statue, often simple, carved from a tree trunk or block, considered a direct earthly manifestation of a deity, with later versions sometimes overlaid in precious materials |
| Isiteria "day of inaugural celebrations" | founding or dedication festivals for temples or cults in ancient Greece, especially 2 installing new divine images (hidrysis), marking a city's commitment 2 a deity, priests & polis participation, establishing the sacred space, religious practice. |
| The kathidrysis of Artemis Leukophryene | The kathidrysis (establishment or installation) of Artemis Leukophryene ("White-browed Artemis") refers to the ritual installation of her cult statue in the temple at Magnesia on the Maeander in Western Anatolia. |
| Kadiskos: "small bucket" or "small jar" in Ancient Greek, specifically referring to a small, two-handled, lidded vessel used in household religious rites for Zeus Ktesios | (protector of household wealth). It was filled with symbolic offerings like water, oil, grains, and fruits (pankarpia) and dedicated to ensure family prosperity, representing the household's stored wealth. |
| semeia symbol | refers to a mark, sign, token, or wonder, often used in ancient Greek texts to denote a sign from heaven (omen), a border marker, or a signal in battle. |
| Agalma | primarily refers to a revered statue or image, especially a cult image or votive offering in ancient Greece, symbolizing glory or delight |
| schema | meant form, shape, figure, appearance, or outward condition, related to holding or having a certain state, evolving from concepts of physical shape to abstract patterns, outlines, or ways of being, seen in philosophy |
| etiological | serving to explain something by giving a cause or reason for it, often in historical or mythical terms. |
| virtuality | refers to the quality of being essentially or functionally something without being physically real, encompassing both philosophical concepts of potential existence and modern technological applications like virtual reality |
| Periegesis | leading around") refers to a detailed geographical description, travelogue, or survey of a place or territory, often focusing on notable sights, history, and legends, like Pausanias' famous Description of Greece |
| alsos | grove, especially a sacred one" or small wood |
| Koragia | refers to an ancient Greek festival held in honor of the goddess Kore (Persephone) in Arcadia, specifically in Mantinea |
| leitourgia | public work or service, ancient Greece for civic duties citizens funded, later adopted into religious contexts (Christianity, Hellenism) or priestly ministry, signifying a shared, official act for the people's benefit, not just a private action. |
| aphidryma | refers to a cult statue or sacred object transplanted from one sanctuary to establish a new, subsidiary shrine elsewhere, essentially a "founding image" for a daughter sanctuary |
| Sagaciously | to act or speak in a wise, insightful, and shrewd manner, showing keen understanding, good judgment, and farsightedness, often involving deep thought or clever perception, as in, "She sagaciously chose her words carefully to avoid conflict" |
| reify | make (something abstract) more concrete or real. "these instincts are, in humans, reified as verbal constructs" |
| Simulacrum | meaning "likeness, semblance") is a representation or imitation of a person or thing.[1] The word was first recorded in the English language in the late 16th century, used to describe a representation, such as a statue or a painting, especially of a god. |
| signum | generally referring to a sign, mark, or token, |
| emic | insiders relating to or denoting an approach to the study or description of a particular language or culture in terms of its internal elements and their functioning rather than in terms of any existing external framework. |
| etic | an outsider's, objective viewpoint that attempts to analyze and map patterns of behavior using categories not defined by insiders, often based on preexisting theories and frameworks. |
| meconnaissance | a failure to recognize, misunderstanding, or willful ignorance, significant in psychoanalysis & sociology (misrecognizing one's true self or social reality, often for psychological comfort or social function, blurring knowledge with its opposite. ) |
| apotropaic | anything designed to ward off evil, harm, or bad luck, stemming from Greek words meaning "to turn away". |
| hermeneutic | adjective concerning interpretation, especially of the Bible or literary texts. noun a method or theory of interpretation. |
| salvific model | theological framework or plan for how humanity achieves salvation (deliverance from sin, suffering, or spiritual death) through divine action, centered on Jesus Christ in Christianity |
| syncretism | the amalgamation or attempted amalgamation of different religions, cultures, or schools of thought. |
| dialectics | the art of investigating or discussing the truth of opinions. "the lifeblood of the liberal arts is debate, dialectic, inquiry, and challenge" |
| Mise-en-scène | "placing on stage" or "what is put into the scene") is the stage design and arrangement of actors in scenes for a theatre or film production, both in the visual arts through storyboarding, etc |
| etiology | the investigation or attribution of the cause or reason for something, often expressed in terms of historical or mythical explanation. |
| In spe | (Latin for "in hope") refers to a future potential or expectation, often used in legal or formal contexts for anticipated rights (like an heir in spe) or in German/English as an adjective meaning "to be" (e.g., "son-in-law in spe"). |
| inter alia | means among other things |
| heuristic | involving or enabling discovery or problem-solving through methods such as experimentation, evaluation, and trial and error. |
| tutelary | serving as a protector, guardian, or patron. "the tutelary spirits of these regions" |
| Psalter | a book containing the Book of Psalms, used for liturgical and devotional purposes in Christianity and Judaism, often richly illuminated in the Middle Ages |
| chryselephantine | an ancient sculptural technique, particularly popular in Classical Greece, that combined gold (chrysos) for drapery and details with ivory (elephas) for flesh, often built around a wooden core to create luxurious, life-sized cult statues of deities |
| argoi lithoi | a Ancient Greek term meaning "unworked stones" or "rough stones," referring to naturally shaped stones, often meteorites or sacred boulders, worshipped as early aniconic deities before anthropomorphic sculptures became common |
| conclamatio | |
| pompa funebris | |
| pompae | |
| ganymede | |
| catafalque | |
| eschatological | relating to death, judgment, and the final destiny of the soul and of humankind. "unorthodox religionists concerned with eschatological questions" |
| rhetoric | the art of effective or persuasive speaking or writing, especially the use of figures of speech and other compositional techniques. |
| apotheosis | the highest point in the development of something; culmination or climax. "his appearance as Hamlet was the apotheosis of his career" |
| himation | an outer garment worn by the ancient Greeks over the left shoulder and under the right. |
| Encomiastic | meaning formally expressing high praise, admiration, or commendation. It describes speech, writing, or actions that are laudatory or eulogistic, often used in formal, literary, or academic contexts to describe effusive praise of a person or thing. |
| Hypogea (singular: hypogeum) | are ancient underground, rock-cut chambers or structures primarily used as tombs or temples, often featuring niches for remains, such as the Ħal Saflieni Hypogeum in Malta |
| Dii Manes | refers to the revered spirits of deceased ancestors and the dead in ancient Roman religion, often honored as "good" or "benevolent" spirits. They were considered household deities or divine, chthonic powers associated with the underworld |
| metric epitaphs | poetic, rhyming inscriptions on tombstones that summarize a person’s life, faith, or character |
| demythologization | is generally the attempt to examine a view transmitted in a myth or in mythical language for its content of reality and to work out the actual intended message. |
Created by:
Cholmesjones