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Unit 2 - Terminology
Terminology of South Asian, Islamic, and Buddhist art
30
Art History
Undergraduate 1
10/31/2012

Additional Art History Flashcards

 


 

Cards

Term

Reliquary 

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Reliquary [Buddhist], Biraman, Afghanistan, c. 50 BCE

Definition
container, often made by precious materials, used as repository to protect and display sacred relics
Term
Mandala
Definition

diagram of cosmos according to Buddhist tradition

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Plan/Mandala of the Great Stupa at Sanchi, 100 BCE

Term

Aniconic

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Definition
symbolic representation without images of human figures; for example, early Buddhist art is considered aniconic, with the Buddha being represented by either an umbrella-horse combination or a foot with a thousand-spoked wheel
Term

Vihara

 

Definition

Buddhist monastery in India; Buddhist monks living chambers; "for wanderers"

example - Ajanta Vihara, 400-700 CE

Term
Pagoda
Definition

tower usually associated with Buddhist temple, with multiple eaves

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Great Wild Goose Pagoda, Ci'en Temple, China, Tang Dynasty, 645-750 CE 

 

Term

Pradakshina

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Definition

circumambulation; "moving around a sacred object for a good cause"


Term
Lakshana
Definition

distinguishing mark of the Buddha; includes ushnisha (protrudence on head/bun atop the head) and urna (tuft of hair between eyes/dot in center of forehead)

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Term

Bodhisattva

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Bodhisattva figure from the Ajanta Caves, India, c. 475 CE

Definition
enlightened beings who postpone nirvana and buddhahood in order to stay & help others achieve enlightenment; differentiated from Buddha by their "earthly" jewelry
Term
Joined-block Technique
Definition

carving sculpture from two blocks rather than one to prevent warping over time

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Term

Kondo

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Kondo at the Horyuji Complex, Japan, 620 CE

Definition
known as the 'golden hall'; main hall for worship in Japanese Buddhist temple complex
Term

Avatar

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*gross crying*

Definition

 deliberate descent of a diety to earth, or a descent of the Supreme Being; mostly translated into English as "incarnation," but more accurately as "appearance" or "manifestation"

Most typically depicted Hindu avatar is Vishnu

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Boar Avatar of Vishnu rescuing Earth, Udayagiri, Cave 5, India, c. 401 CE

Term
Linga
Definition

cosmic [phallic] pillar depicted in Hindu sculpture

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Term

Darshan

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Definition

"visions of the divine" in Hindu worship, e.g. of a deity (especially in image form), or a very holy person or artifact

- Concept of seeing the diety and being seen by the diety

- Eye detail added last to "awaken" the image

Term
Nagara
Definition

a northern style Hindu temple; features "mountaintop" oblong domes (shikhara) with "cushion" tops (amalakas) and ordamental medicinal fruit atop the cushion (amala)

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Kandariya Mahadeva Temple, Khajuraho, India, c. 1000 CE

Term
Dravida
Definition

Southern style Hindu temple; features a single tall, pyramidal tower (vimana

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Rajarajeshvara Temple, Thanjavur, India, c. 1000 CE

Term
Shikhara
Definition

Oblong domes on nagara/northern temples that represent the surrounding mountain ranges 

[image]

Term
Vimana
Definition

a central pyramidal tower featured in southern style Hindu temples

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Term

Calligraphy

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Page from the Qur'an in Kufic Script, 900 CE

Definition

art of fine hand lettering; in Islamic art, script from the Qur'an is often incorporated into the intricate architecture 

- Kufic script & Nashki script

Term
Mihrab
Definition

 semicircular niche set into qibla wall of mosque

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Tile Mosaic Mihrab, Madrasa Imami, Isfahan, Iran, 1350 CE

Term

Hypostyle Hall

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Hypostyle Hall at the Great Mosque in Tunisia, c. 836-875 CE

Definition

hallways that are open spaces with a roof supported by columns organized in rows

 

Term
Maqsura
Definition

screened area preceding mihrab, reserved for ruler

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Maqsura, Great Mosque at Cordoba, Spain, c. 965 CE

Term
Qibla
Definition
direction pointing to the city of Mecca in which Muslims must pray towards
Term
Mausoleum
Definition

monumental building used as tomb; prominent in the Mughal Empire in India

Most notable example: Taj Mahal, which is a mausoleum for Shah Jahan and his wife (1631-1648)

Term

Maoi

 

Definition

Large ancestral sculptures that face inland on Rapa Nui (Easter Island); features prominent facial features, coral eyes (sometimes), and redstone-yellowstone construction 

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Maoi of Rapa Nui, Polynesia, 1200 CE

Term

tapa

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Definition
bark cloth using in Pacific Islander art; used specifically in the portable anakena sculptures of Rapa Nui
Term
Moko
Definition
traditional facial and body tattoos of the Maori; highly symmetrical, difficult process of cutting into the skin instead of pecking; used as signatures, where the person can draw out the entire intricate design on paper as their signature
Term
Blind Arcade
Definition

 series of engaged arches and column supports

 

Term
Lost-Wax Casting Technique
Definition
Important sculpture technique where wax is sculpted into an image/bust, melted out of its cast, and replaced with molten metal; allows for intricate details to an image without ruining the metal beforehand
Term
Battered
Definition
walls that slope inward toward the top (technique used at Great Zimbabwe, 1300 CE)
Term
Jataka
Definition

Stories of the Buddha's past lives 

[image]

"Hungry Tigress" Jataka, Japan

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