Download RST3C - Religion and Art

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Teacher Resource Bank
GCE Religious Studies
Unit 3C Religion and Art
Explanation of Terms
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Teacher Resource Bank / GCE Religious Studies / Explanation of Terms: Unit 3C Religion and Art / Version 1.0
EXPLANATION OF TERMS
Term
Definition
altar-piece
Decorative adjunct to the altar, sited behind it. Containing images that are
carved or painted depicting scenes from the life of Christ or lives of saints.
Sometimes made up of one or more panels.
anastasis
Literally a rising usually used in Orthodox or Byzantine art to refer to the
resurrection of Christ. (Harrowing of Hell.)
ante-chapel
Outer portion of chapel or church serving as an ant-chamber to the building
itself. Often separated from the main portion of building by a screen.
antiphoner
Large illuminated liturgical book used to direct antiphonal singing. Highly
decorated pages similar to illuminated manuscripts.
apse
Rounded end to a church or cathedral usually at the East end.
book of hours:
(horae)
Liturgical book used as an aid to prayer. Refers to the seven canonical hours
of prayer throughout the day. Usually highly illustrated.
book of kells
Illuminated copy of the Gospels written C800. One of the great masterpieces
of Irish Christian Art (now in Trinity College Dublin).
censer (thurible)
Container used to house burning incense for use in worship.
chalice
Principal liturgical vessel, the cup used to contain the consecrated wine at
communion services.
chi-ro
(chrismon)
Greek letters forming a monogram symbolising Christ. Formed from Greek
letters Chi and Rho represented as X, P.
ciborium
Liturgical vessel used for containing the consecrated bread at communion
services.
deesis
Depiction of Christ seated with Virgin Mary on his right and John the Baptist
on his left.
deposition
Image depicting the removal of Christ from the cross (also called the descent
from the cross).
doom painting:
doom
Visual representation of the Last Judgement. Common in medieval
churches, and often very graphic in detail. Usually sited on the arch dividing
the chancel from the nave of the church.
dormition
Death or falling asleep, usually refers to icon showing the dormition (death) of
Blessed Virgin Mary.
icon
Panel paintings of Christ, The Virgin Mary or the Saints. Revered as an aid
to devotion in Orthodox Church. They are more than just religious paintings
often described as ‘windows into heaven’ or ‘channels of God’s grace’.
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Teacher Resource Bank / GCE Religious Studies / Explanation of Terms: Unit 3C Religion and Art / Version 1.0
Term
Definition
iconoclasm
The destruction of devotional images and statues in churches. ICONOCLAST
CONTROVERSY specifically refers to 8th / 9th century movement that
destroyed icons, seeing them as a form of idolatry.
iconography
The reading and understanding of symbolism and imagery used within a work
of art.
iconostasis
Large screen separating sanctuary from the remainder of the church in
Orthodox buildings. Often holds tiers of icons arranged in formulaic levels.
illuminated
manuscripts
Highly decorated ancient manuscripts often for liturgical use (see Antiphoner,
Book of Hours and Book of Kells above). Pages often highly decorated in
margins with a variety of images or symbols, and initial letters of pages often
form the basis of an illustration.
mezuzah
Parchment roll on which first tow paragraphs of the Jewish Shema prayer are
written. Often placed in a decorated case and attached to the doorpost of
every traditional Jewish home.
mihrab
Arched niche indicating the direction of Mecca (the qibla) and thus direction
for prayer.
minaret
Tower of a mosque from which the faithful are called to prayer.
opus sectile
Form of floor mosaic usually of marble arranged in geometric pattern.
Pre-Raphaelite
Brotherhood
(PRB)
Term used to describe founder members of the Pre-Raphaelite school, e.g.
The artists, Holman Hunt, Millais, and Rossetti.
puja
Hindu ritual worship (three types: temple, domestic and communal.)
romanesque
Style of architecture broadly defined as the art of Western Europe from 10th to
13th century.
stained glass
Coloured or painted glass arranged to depict scenes and images. A useful
resource for teaching illiterate lay people (and literate) the key teachings of
the Christian faith, e.g. Bible windows at Canterbury Cathedral.
tesserae
Small cubes of stone marble or glass used in making of mosaics.
typological
symbolism
Term used in reference to symbolism found in art, particularly of the preRaphaelites especially Holman Hunt, e.g. ‘The Scapegoat’. Typological
symbolism refers to the symbolism within paintings that use references to
events in Old Testament to prefigure persons or events in the
New Testament. Usually consists of a ‘sign’ and a ‘signifier’.
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