Skill, shrewdness, or disciplined perception.B Ec[000000]f[16]BLAlberti
B
Leon Battista Alberti (1404-1472) of Italy. Alberti is considered a true Renaissance man--a term created during the Renaissance to refer to a person skilled in many fields. He was an architect, musician, artist, writer, and mathematician. Alberti is particularly remembered for his Ec[000000]f[16]LFuse of classical orders--columns--in Renaissance architecture and for his treatises on architecture, humanism, and art. Ec[000000]f[16]LBalmshouse
B
A poorhouse; a building where alms--food and money--are given to the poor. Ec[000000]f[16]LBaltarpieces
B
Works of art that are used to decorate the areas behind and above altars. Ec[000000]f[16]LBangel
BA spiritual being and servant of God superior to man in power and intelligence, frequently pictured with wings and a halo or a nimbus. Ec[000000]f[16]LBAnna
BThe wife of Joachim and mother of the Virgin Mary, also known as Saint Anne. Anna is mentioned in the Apocrypha of the New Testament. Ec[000000]f[16]LBapocryphal
B
Of dubious or unknown origin. Some stories and accounts of Jewish and Christian religious figures are referred to as apocryphal; a number of these are included in the Apocrypha, a series of books and parts of books considered non-canonical by the Jewish faith and by most Ec[000000]f[16]LFProtestant faiths, but accepted by many Roman Catholics and Eastern Orthodox. Ec[000000]f[16]LBapprentice
B
Someone who learns a trade or art through the experience of working for a skilled craftsman. In medieval Europe, this was usually a formal agreement, often arranged through a craft guild. Apprentices served their masters for about seven years and then became Ec[000000]f[16]LFjourneymen, who could sell their skills to other masters. A journeyman who became an expert in the craft and owned his own shop could become a master. A few young women served as domestic apprentices, but most apprentices were young men. Ec[000000]f[16]LBarchangel
B
A chief angel. According to Christian tradition, there are between four and seven archangels; these include Gabriel, Michael, Uriel, and Raphael. Ec[000000]f[16]LBarchitect
B
Someone who designs buildings. Ec[000000]f[16]LBartisans
B
Skilled craftsmen. Ec[000000]f[16]LBAscension
B
In Christian tradition, Christ's rise into Heaven from Mount Olivet. The Catholic Church celebrates this forty days after Easter Sunday. Ec[000000]f[16]LBbasilica
B
An early Christian church, characterized by a central nave with an aisle on each side and an apse--a projecting part of a building, usually semicircular and vaulted--on one end. Ec[000000]f[16]LBbenediction
B
Blessing; usually a short blessing at the end of a prayer. Ec[000000]f[16]LBBethlehem
B
Birthplace of Jesus Christ; at that time, a village in Judea. Jesus was born in a manger in Bethlehem when Joseph and Mary traveled to the city to be taxed by the Roman authorities. They fled to Egypt when they learned that King Herod planned to kill their son. Bethlehem, about five Ec[000000]f[16]LFmiles south of Jerusalem, is located in an area now called the West Bank, which came under control of Jordan in 1950 and then was taken over by Israel in 1967, after the Six-Day War. Ec[000000]f[16]LBbishop
BA person having spiritual or ecclesiastical supervision over an area. A bishop ranks over a priest and has the authority to ordain and confirm. A bishop's seat is called a Icathedral.I Ec[000000]f[16]LBbuttress
B
A structure, usually of wood, brick, or stone, which projects from a wall or building in order to provide support. Ec[000000]f[16]LBcanons
B
Clergymen who serve as part of the staff of a cathedral; also, writings accepted as Holy Scripture by religious authorities. Ec[000000]f[16]LBcathedral
B
A church headed by a bishop. ICathedral Icomes from the Greek word Ikathedra, Imeaning "seat." During the Middle Ages, cathedrals were central to town culture; usually located in the centers of towns, they were used for church services, gatherings, and markets. The typical Ec[000000]f[16]LFmedieval cathedral is shaped like a cross; its entrance, at the foot of that cross, faces west. Cathedral construction flourished from the eleventh to the sixteenth centuries in Europe--these buildings are among the most beautiful of the time and their sculpture, stained glass, and other decorations communicate medieval faith, culture, and thought. Ec[000000]f[16]LFCathedrals in the Gothic style--which was popular between the twelfth and fifteenth centuries--feature vaulted ceilings, flying buttresses, and large stained-glass windows. Famous European cathedrals include the Chartres Cathedral, Saint Paul's Cathedral in London, and the Milan and Seville Cathedrals. Ec[000000]f[16]LBChartresB
Refers either to a city in France or to the great cathedral within that city. The city of Chartres is the capital of Eure-et-Loir, a department in north central France. Located on the Eure River, Chartres is a city with many industries and also with historical importance. Probably a site of Ec[000000]f[16]LFdruidic assemblies in ancient times, it is the home of the glorious Chartres Cathedral. The cathedral, ravaged by fire and by warfare at least three times during the Middle Ages, was rebuilt and added to each time. It stands today as one of the finest examples of High Gothic art and architecture.
Ec[000000]f[16]LBclergy
B
People ordained for religious service. Ec[000000]f[16]LBcobblers
B
Craftsmen who make or repair shoes. Ec[000000]f[16]LBcolumnar
B
Tall and narrow; resembling or related to columns. Ec[000000]f[16]LBcoral
BA substance composed of marine polyps that deposit their hard, bony skeletons in masses which sometimes grow into coral reefs or atolls, especially in the Pacific Ocean. Coral is frequently used in jewelry and decoration. Ec[000000]f[16]LBcult
B
From the Latin Icultus,I or "adoration," a group of worshipers, or practitioners of a religious system. Although usage of the word has recently narrowed to mean only a small body of practitioners of an unorthodox, unpopular, or mysterious religious system, historically this has not been the case. Ec[000000]f[16]LBdonor
B
Someone who commissions a piece of art or architecture. The word Idonor--Ifrom the Latin verb Idonare, Imeaning "to present"--entered the English language in the fifteenth century. During the early Renaissance, the funding of art underwent a dramatic transformation. Before, only Ec[000000]f[16]LFnobles and high-ranking churchmen could commission works of art. By the fifteenth century, a rising middle class could also afford to commission artwork. Ec[000000]f[16]LBDuccio
B
Duccio di Buoninsegna (c.1255-1318), an Italian painter and leader of the Sienese school. His most famous works include the IMadonna Rucellai, Ian altarpiece for the Cathedral of Siena, and the IMaesta.I Duccio adds grace and elegance, a softness, tenderness, and naturalness, to Ec[000000]f[16]LFhis basic forms. Decorative touches and lyrical patterns animate the surfaces of his compositions. Ec[000000]f[16]LBedifice
B
A building, especially a very large one. Ec[000000]f[16]LBEnrico Scrovegni
B
A Paduan art patron of the late thirteenth and early fourteenth centuries. He commissioned the building of the Arena Chapel--also called the Scrovegni Chapel--on the site of an old Roman amphitheater. Giotto painted a series of magnificent frescoes in the chapel. The patron is Ec[000000]f[16]LFfeatured in the ILast JudgmentI fresco, presenting plans for the church. Ec[000000]f[16]LBequilateral triangle
B
A figure composed of three sides of equal length. Ec[000000]f[16]LBEuropeB
Part of the Eurasian landmass, sometimes called the peninsular continent. Europe is bounded by the Arctic Ocean to the north; the Atlantic Ocean to the west; the Mediterranean Sea, the Black Sea, and the Caucasus Mountains to the south; and the Ural Mountains and the Caspian Sea Ec[000000]f[16]LFto the east. Europe is the second smallest continent, having only 7 percent of the world's land. It contains about 15 percent of the world's population. Ec[000000]f[16]LBEvangelists
B
The writers of the four Gospels--the books of the Bible dealing with Christ's life; IgospelI comes from the Old English "godspel" meaning "good news." The four Evangelists are Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John. During the Middle Ages, artists and artisans often employed the iconography Ec[000000]f[16]LFof the four Evangelists as revealed in John's vision (Revelation 4:7-8): Mark was symbolized by a lion, Luke by an ox or calf, John by an eagle, and Matthew by a human being. Ec[000000]f[16]LBEve
B
In Jewish and Christian tradition, the first woman. With Adam, she was expelled from Paradise--the Garden of Eden--for eating fruit from the forbidden tree of knowledge. Ec[000000]f[16]LBfacade
B
A building's face, usually decorated or given special attention by the architect or builder. In a general sense, IfacadeI refers to the front of any building. Ec[000000]f[16]LBFlemalle
B
A town in the Liege Province of Belgium, southwest of the city of Liege. Flemalle, once part of Flanders, is known for its crystal glass factories and also for the late fourteenth- and early fifteenth-century artist, the "Master of Flemalle," Robert Campin. Ec[000000]f[16]LBFlemish
B
Of or relating to Flanders. IFlemishI also refers to the language of the people of Flanders. Ec[000000]f[16]LBfolk legends
B
Folklore; stories passed on from generation to generation, usually through oral tradition. These legends often undergo changes from one teller to the next; some have more than 1,000 different versions. As with mythology, certain themes and characteristics are repeated in the folk legends of almost all cultures. Ec[000000]f[16]LBFulbert
B
Saint Fulbert de Chartres (c.960-1028), the bishop of Chartres. Fulbert developed the school of the famous Chartres Cathedral into one of Europe's finest learning centers. When the prior church was destroyed by fire in 1020, Fulbert ordered the construction of a stone Ec[000000]f[16]LFcathedral in its stead. This cathedral, begun in 1021, was in turn devastated by a fire in 1194. Ec[000000]f[16]LBGabriel
B
An archangel and the herald of God. In the Bible, he appears before Daniel, Zacharias, and the Virgin Mary--revealing to her, in what is called the Annunciation, that she will be the mother of Jesus. Gabriel also is credited as the trumpeter of the Last Judgment and as the angel who revealed the Qur'an to Muhammad. Ec[000000]f[16]LBgeometry
B
A branch of mathematics dealing with shapes, points, lines, and angles. Geometry was important to medieval philosophy and was considered the science of truth. God was seen as the master architect, and simple geometric shapes were revelations of his plan. For Ec[000000]f[16]LFexample, the square represented matter, or "the four elements" of earth, air, fire, and water. The circle, perfect in its symmetry, alternately represented God, Heaven, and infinity. This philosophical approach to geometry is very evident in medieval architecture and iconography. Ec[000000]f[16]LBglutton
B
Someone who overeats in extremes. In the Middle Ages, gluttony--including drunkenness--was considered one of the vices, or seven deadly sins. Ec[000000]f[16]LBGolgotha
B
Also called Calvary; the place where Christ was crucified. The exact site is unknown--scholars place it outside of ancient Jerusalem, but within the walls of modern Jerusalem. Ec[000000]f[16]LBHenry Adams
B
Henry Brooks Adams (1838-1918), an American historian from Boston; he was a history teacher at Harvard University, an editor of the INorth American Review, Iand the author of several works, including, in 1904, IMont-Saint-Michel and Chartres.I Ec[000000]f[16]LBhierarchy
B
A system of rank or a group arranged by rank or class. Medieval Christians believed that angels had certain ranks or levels of influence and importance. Saint Dionysius the Areopagite (c.500) listed this hierarchy of angels in IThe Celestial Hierarchy.I The Roman Catholic Church, Ec[000000]f[16]LFlike many other organizations, is arranged in a hierarchy. Ec[000000]f[16]LBHigh Gothic
B
A Gothic style of architecture developed during the late twelfth century, characterized by very tall buildings. Examples of this style of architecture include the cathedral at Reims and the Chartres Cathedral. High Gothic architecture became less popular during the mid-thirteenth century. Ec[000000]f[16]LBHoly Family
B
Mary, Joseph, and the baby Jesus. Ec[000000]f[16]LBhomely
B
Simple, plain, or unattractive. Ec[000000]f[16]LBhomogenous
B
Uniform or very similar. Ec[000000]f[16]LBiconography
B
An artistic tradition of images or symbols that are associated with religious or mythological figures and events. For example, viewers of an ancient Greek mural depicting a number of gods and goddesses can recognize Athena by the owl on her shoulder, or Dionysus by the Ec[000000]f[16]LFgrape leaves in his hair. Similarly, in medieval Christian art, John the Baptist frequently appears dressed in camel hair, Saint Sebastian pierced with arrows, and Saint Stephen holding one of the stones with which he was killed. Ec[000000]f[16]LBinert
B
Unmoving or inactive. Ec[000000]f[16]LBinfuse
B
Permeate or spread throughout, especially with something positive. Ec[000000]f[16]LBJoachim
B
The wife of Anna and the father of the Virgin Mary. Joachim is a saint, but is not mentioned in the Bible; information about him comes largely from apocryphal sources. Ec[000000]f[16]LBJoseph
B
The husband of the Virgin Mary, a carpenter who acted as a father to Jesus. Joseph, a saint, is not mentioned in the biblical stories of Jesus' adulthood, and presumably died while Christ was still young. Ec[000000]f[16]LBJudas
B
Judas Iscariot. One of Christ's Twelve Apostles, he betrayed Jesus for thirty pieces of silver. Ec[000000]f[16]LBknights
B
In feudalism, mounted warriors who served a noble. Knights usually were expected to obey a strict code of ethics; in Europe in the Middle Ages, this code was called chivalry. Ec[000000]f[16]LBLast Judgment
B
In Christian tradition, the time, mentioned in the Apostles' Creed, when Christ will return "to judge the living and the dead." At this time, Christ, as God's agent, will decide which souls will ascend to Heaven and which will be damned. The Last Judgment has been immortalized by many Ec[000000]f[16]LFartists, including Giotto, Michelangelo, and van Eyck. Ec[000000]f[16]LBLast Supper
B
The last meal Christ shared with the Apostles before the Crucifixion. During this meal, Christ offered the first communion and revealed that one of his disciples would betray him. A popular theme in religious art, this scene has been immortalized by Giotto, Leonardo da Vinci, Salvador Dali, and many others. Ec[000000]f[16]LBlaver
B
A large basin. In ancient Jewish temples, lavers were used by religious leaders for ceremonial washing. Ec[000000]f[16]LBLazarus
B
The brother of Martha and Mary of the town of Bethany; he died of a sickness and was placed in a grave, but Jesus raised him from the dead. Ec[000000]f[16]LBLe Corbusier
B
Charles-Edouard Jeanneret (1887-1965), a Swiss architect and art critic, considered one of the finest and most influential architects of the twentieth century. In his 1923 IVers une architecture I(IToward a New ArchitectureI)I, Ihe said that "A house is a machine for living in," and many of his Ec[000000]f[16]LFbuildings were meant to house large numbers of people efficiently and comfortably. He also worked as a city planner, frequently advocating the destruction of urban areas so that they could be replaced to his specifications. His buildings are characterized by five characteristics, called his five points: supporting pillars that leave the ground Ec[000000]f[16]LFbeneath the building open, roof terraces that may be transformed into gardens, open floor plans (so that the structure of the building is independent of the interior walls), unadorned facades, and long horizontal windows. His most famous structures include Harvard University's Carpenter Center for the Visual Arts, the Unite d'Habitation apartments in Marseille, and the church at Ronchamp. Ec[000000]f[16]LBLiege
B
Capital city of the Liege Province in Belgium, also called ILuik Iin Flemish. Liege is a major river port, at the confluence of the Meuse and Ourthe Rivers. Ec[000000]f[16]LBLondon
B
Capital and largest city of England. Ec[000000]f[16]LBMagi
BThe plural form of the word "magus," which was a member of a hereditary priestly class that existed among the ancient Medes and Persians. The Magi, or the three wise men who came from the east to pay homage to the newly born Jesus, were named Gaspar, Melchior, and Balthasar.
Ec[000000]f[16]LBmarriage of Cana
B
In Christian tradition, Jesus attended a wedding in Cana, a town in Galilee, northeast of Nazareth. There, he turned water into wine. Ec[000000]f[16]LBMary
B
The mother of Jesus, also referred to as the Virgin Mary. Mary was a frequently represented, beloved figure in medieval and Renaissance art, and even in architecture; the rose window of the Gothic cathedral is the architectural symbol of the Virgin Mary. Ec[000000]f[16]LBmaster painter
B
In Europe's medieval apprenticeship system, a skilled painter who had completed his apprenticeship, who became an expert in his field, and who owned a shop. Ec[000000]f[16]LBmedallion
B
Something that resembles a large medal. Medallions frequently adorn walls or windows. Ec[000000]f[16]LBmedieval
B
Of or relating to the Middle Ages. Ec[000000]f[16]LBmiddle class
B
In medieval Europe, a burgeoning socioeconomic group, between the upper and lower classes, that was composed mainly of merchants, bankers, and craftsmen. Ec[000000]f[16]LBmonochromatic
BHaving or appearing to have only one color. Ec[000000]f[16]LBmosaicist
B
A maker of mosaics, intricate designs of small squares--tessarae--of colored glass, marble, tile, or stone, set in cement. This art form was very popular in Byzantine or Romanesque churches, but much less popular in Gothic structures. Ec[000000]f[16]LBmotifs
B
Recurring elements or patterns, especially representing a central theme. Ec[000000]f[16]LBnave
BThe long, central hallway of a cathedral, in which medieval worshippers stood or kneeled in prayer. In a cross-shaped--or cruciform--church, the nave forms the long main section of the church, perpendicular to the shorter transept. Worshipers in medieval France assembled for services Ec[000000]f[16]LFin both the nave and the north and south transepts of Gothic cathedrals. The word InaveI is derived from the Latin Inavis, Iwhich means "ship." The nave served symbolically as a vessel transporting the worshipers to Heaven. Ec[000000]f[16]LBNazareth
B
A small town in Galilee, where Mary learned that she would be the mother of Jesus. Jesus grew up in the city and was called a Nazarene. Ec[000000]f[16]LBnimbus
B
In art, a light-filled circle that surrounds the head of a holy figure. Ec[000000]f[16]LBnobility
BA class of persons distinguished by high birth or rank; aristocracy. Ec[000000]f[16]LBNotre Dame
B
French for "Our Lady," referring to the Virgin Mary. While the most famous Cathedral of Notre Dame--popularized by Victor Hugo's IThe Hunchback of Notre Dame--Iis located in Paris, the name is not unique. Cathedrals of Notre Dame can also be found in Tournai, Chartres, and Ec[000000]f[16]LFother cities. The Tournai Cathedral of Notre Dame is a basilica that dates to the eleventh or twelfth century; constructed in the shape of a cross, it is famous for its five huge towers, its Gothic choir, and its shrines. Ec[000000]f[16]LBPadua
B
A northern Italian town, southwest of Venice, dating to at least the fourth century B.C. Padua was the home of the Roman historian Livy, and also of Giotto. It holds the University of Padua, one of the oldest in Italy; Galileo taught there, and both Dante and Petrarch were students at the university. Ec[000000]f[16]LBParadise
B
The Garden of Eden or, in some cases, Heaven. When the Bible was first translated into Greek, the word IParadiseI was used to refer to the Garden of Eden. After 200 B.C., Jewish writers envisioned Paradise as a place of reward where the souls of the faithful went following death. Ec[000000]f[16]LFEarly Christian writers used the word in the same context. IParadise Lost,I an epic poem by John Milton, concerns the Fall--the expulsion of Adam and Eve from the Garden of Eden as punishment for eating the forbidden fruit. Ec[000000]f[16]LBpatrons
B
People who support artists or groups of artists financially. Ec[000000]f[16]LBpeasants
B
Members of the lower class of medieval Europe who acted as laborers or as landowners and farmers of small pieces of land. Ec[000000]f[16]LBpigments
B
Powdered substances that, mixed with an appropriate liquid medium, form paint. The type of pigment determines the color and the lightness or darkness of the paint. Ec[000000]f[16]LBpilgrims
B
People who make a journey for the purpose of religious devotion. Ec[000000]f[16]LBportals
B
Doorways or entrances. The portal of Chartres Cathedral features sculptural representations of classical figures closely associated with the seven liberal arts taught in catholic schools during the Middle Ages: geometry, arithmetic, grammar, rhetoric, astronomy, music, and
dialectics--or logic. Ec[000000]f[16]LBprophecy
BAn inspired prediction, usually indicating divine will and purpose. People who are gifted with prophecy are called prophets. Ec[000000]f[16]LBprophets
B
Those gifted with prophecy--an inspired prediction, usually indicating divine will and purpose. Ec[000000]f[16]LBprovocative
B
Stimulating; likely to cause a reaction. Ec[000000]f[16]LBpsalms
B
Poems or songs that are used in worship. The Book of Psalms is one of the books of the Old Testament. Ec[000000]f[16]LBpsalter
B
A collection of psalms, frequently--when capitalized--the Book of Psalms in the Old Testament. Ec[000000]f[16]LBReginaldo
B
Reginaldo Scrovegni, a Paduan and the father of Enrico Scrovegni. Enrico ostensibly commissioned the building of the Arena Chapel in order to atone for his father's sins. Reginaldo was a notorious usurer--someone who lends money with an exorbitant interest rate--who is referred to in Dante's IInferno.I Ec[000000]f[16]LBribs
B
In Romanesque and Gothic vaults, strong, supporting arches that cross one another; this divides the vaulted area into triangles. Ec[000000]f[16]LBRipoll
B
The name of both a town and a river in northeast Spain, in Catalonia. Ec[000000]f[16]LBrituals
BEstablished forms of ceremony. Ec[000000]f[16]LBRobert Campin
B
A Flemish painter. Robert Campin
(c.1378-1444) is known as one of the founders of the Netherlandish school, along with Jan and Hubert van Eyck. Campin is best known for his IMerode Altarpiece, Ipainted circa 1425 to 1430, but he also created a number of other Ec[000000]f[16]LFworks, most with religious subjects. He was a dean of the painter's guild, and his influential work is admired for its symbolism and its realistic details of medieval and early Renaissance life. Ec[000000]f[16]LBRoman arena
B
The section of a Roman amphitheater that is designed for gladiatorial combat. IArena Iis also Latin for "sandy place." Ec[000000]f[16]LBRonchamp
B
A small French village in eastern France. Le Corbusier's famous chapel of Notre-Dame-du-Haut was constructed in Ronchamp between 1950 and 1955. Ec[000000]f[16]LBrose window
B
A large, circular window of stained glass and tracery--ornamental stonework. Rose windows, architectural symbols for the Virgin Mary, may adorn the west facade and the north and south transepts of Gothic cathedrals. The rose windows of Chartres Cathedral, which is dedicated to Ec[000000]f[16]LFthe Virgin Mary, are especially noted for their beauty. Ec[000000]f[16]LBsacred
BReserved for religious veneration and not for use in the non-religious world. Religions hold sacred things to be worthy of special respect.
Ec[000000]f[16]LBSaint Ambrose
B
A bishop of Milan, an adviser of several Roman emperors, and a defender of freedom of religion from government interference. Saint Ambrose (339-397) was born in Germany and he baptized Saint Augustine. Ec[000000]f[16]LBSaint Bridget
B
A Swedish mystic. Saint Bridget (c.1303-1373) married Ulf Gudmarsson and they had eight children, one of whom was Saint Catherine of Sweden. After Gudmarsson's death, Bridget devoted herself to God and established the Bridgettine Order--composed of both men and women--that Ec[000000]f[16]LFfollowed traditions set forth by Saint Augustine. Ec[000000]f[16]LBSaint Peter
B
First known as Simeon, then Simon, then Simon Peter, and ultimately Peter. The name IPeter,I given to him by Jesus, means "rock" in Greek. Saint Peter was a fisherman with his brother Andrew until recruited by Christ to serve as an Apostle. After Christ was crucified, he led the Ec[000000]f[16]LFChristian church and is considered by Roman Catholics to have been the first pope. Two of the Epistles in the New Testament are attributed to him, but some scholars doubt that he actually wrote the letters. Saint Peter died around A.D. 64. Ec[000000]f[16]LBsanctified
B
Consecrated; declared sacred and devoted to God through a special ceremony. Ec[000000]f[16]LBsanctity
B
Holiness; the quality of being sacred. Ec[000000]f[16]LBsanctuary
B
A place that is considered holy or that has been consecrated--declared sacred and devoted to God through a special ceremony. A sanctuary is also considered a refuge for those in need; especially in medieval times, those granted sanctuary--protection--by a church, were immune from Ec[000000]f[16]LFarrest by civil forces while they remained within the church walls. Ec[000000]f[16]LBschematized
B
Arranged systematically, or with great care. Ec[000000]f[16]LBsecular
B
Related to worldly concerns as opposed to those of the church. Ec[000000]f[16]LBserenity
B
A state of calm and clear-headedness. A popular prayer, frequently called the "Serenity Prayer," reads, "God, grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change, the courage to change the things I can, and the wisdom to know the difference." Ec[000000]f[16]LBsermon
BA speech made by a religious leader that gives the listeners spiritual instruction. Ec[000000]f[16]LBshrine
B
A holy place, especially a case holding a holy relic or a small area--such as an alcove--in which a holy image is kept. Ec[000000]f[16]LBSiena
B
A city in the Italian region of Tuscany; an agricultural and artistic center. Siena was originally settled by the Etruscans; it later became the Roman city of Sena Julia. Historically, Siena was a commercial rival of Florence, but was ultimately surpassed. Siena was also a home to Duccio, one of the city's several famous religious artists. Ec[000000]f[16]LBspires
B
High, tapering structures rising from the tops of buildings; steeples. In France, spires were generally placed over the two western towers of cathedrals. The simplest spires were the steeply pitched timber roofs of Romanesque towers. Later Romanesque spires were commonly octagonal. Ec[000000]f[16]LBstained glass
B
One of the most popular and significant art forms of medieval Europe, probably originating from Byzantium; the technique of making stained glass was perfected during Romanesque times and became an integral part of Gothic architecture. Stained glass is composed of hundreds of Ec[000000]f[16]LFsmall pieces of tinted glass bound together by strips of lead that outline the various shapes of the piece. Finer details, such as hair, drapery folds, and eyes, are added to the glass surface with gray or black paint. Stained-glass windows typically require the efforts of several artisans: a glazier to cut and set the pieces of colored glass, a blacksmith to Ec[000000]f[16]LFshape the lead that binds the glass together, and a master mason to form the ornamental stonework that interlaces the window's designs. The golden age of stained glass lasted from about 1200 to 1250. As architectural activity declined after 1250, the demand for stained glass decreased and manuscript illumination--formerly the dominant art form of the Ec[000000]f[16]LFMiddle Ages--recaptured its former position. The art of stained glass experienced a resurgence in the twentieth century as modern artisans began to use the techniques to create boxes, hanging ornaments, and even intricately beautiful kaleidoscopes. Ec[000000]f[16]LBstatic
B
Unchanging or unmoving. Ec[000000]f[16]LBsuperfluous
B
In excess of what is necessary or desirable. Ec[000000]f[16]LBsymmetry
B
The property of having balanced proportions, especially where this balance is pleasing or desirable. Ec[000000]f[16]LBthe Cloisters
B
A museum of medieval art in New York City. A branch of the Metropolitan Museum of Art, the Cloisters was opened in 1938, and is located in Fort Tryon Park, overlooking the Hudson River. It contains a large collection of medieval pieces, including the IMerode Altarpiece, Ithe IHunt Ec[000000]f[16]LIFof the UnicornI tapestry series, and several cloisters--covered passages on the side of a court, usually with a wall on one side and colonnade, or series of columns, on the other. In a generic sense, a Icloister Ialso refers to an area of religious seclusion. Ec[000000]f[16]LBtiers
B
Rows; levels arranged on top of one another. Ec[000000]f[16]LBtomb
BA chamber--either below, partially below, or completely above ground--where a deceased person's body can be kept with his or her possessions, if desired, as an alternative to burial or cremation. Ec[000000]f[16]LBTournai
B
Once a Flemish city, located on the Scheldt River, now part of southwestern Belgium; called Turnacum by the Romans. Tournai, famed for the Tournai porcelain of the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries, is also home to the beautiful, five-towered cathedral of Notre Dame de Tournai. Ec[000000]f[16]LBtransept
B
In a cross-shaped--or cruciform--church, the section at a right angle to the nave, which is the long, main section. Worshipers in medieval France assembled for services in both the nave and the north and south transepts of Gothic cathedrals. Ec[000000]f[16]LBtreatises
B
Written arguments including detailed discussions of facts and conclusions. Ec[000000]f[16]LBtunic
B
A simple garment, frequently without sleeves, that reaches at least to the knees and is tied at the waist with a belt or sash. Ec[000000]f[16]LBtwo-dimensional
B
Having, or appearing to have, length and width, but not depth. Ec[000000]f[16]LBtympanum
B
The face of a pediment--the triangular space forming the end of a building from a horizontal projection to the roof. A tympanum is recessed and is usually decorated. Ec[000000]f[16]LBvaults
B
Coverings of masonry, shaped like arches, that support or form a roof or ceiling. Ec[000000]f[16]LBvices
B
Sins. Medieval Christian theology enumerated seven vices--the seven deadly sins--and seven virtues. The vices, which were frequently personified in medieval artwork and literature, were pride, covetousness, lust, envy, sloth, gluttony, and anger. More generally, IvicesI Ec[000000]f[16]LFare moral shortcomings or even, in a milder sense, bad habits. Ec[000000]f[16]LBvignettes
B
Small, running decorative patterns, especially used to separate or outline different works. The word is derived from the French Ivigne, Ior "vine"--artists frequently use grapevines as vignettes. Ec[000000]f[16]LBvirtues
B
Good qualities in people. Medieval Christian theology enumerated seven vices--the seven deadly sins--and seven virtues. These seven virtues were derived from Plato's four cardinal--or natural--virtues: courage, justice, temperance, and wisdom. Christianity added three Ec[000000]f[16]LFtheological virtues: faith, hope, and charity. The virtues were frequently personified in medieval artwork and literature. More generally, Ivirtues Iare beneficial or desirable qualities in anything.
