Lecture terms

An image of Christ triumphant over death, not obviously feeling pain or visibly wounded. He shows the otherworldly, disconnected, eternal, powerful features of a Byzantine, or “Greek” style.

An image of Christ suffering, in visible pain and wounded. He is a more empathetic figure. He seems to be like us, of this world, capable of pain and death. He shows the focus on the human condition and realism of a humanistic, Renaissance style.

The ritual of communion, in which the bread and wine are transubstantiated into the literal body and blood of Christ (in Catholicism). It only took place on special feast days, and behind the choir screen so the average person never saw it.

“Body of Christ,” the bread of the Eucharist.

The technique of showing one person more than once in the same scene doing different actions, representing multiple actions and times in the narrative in the same space.

A piece with some special connecton to a saint – a piece of their body or an item they used – that is venerated. Possession of a relic substantiated a church's spirituality. Relics also helped connect the vast Church in days of weak communication.

A vessel containing a relic until it is brought out for veneration on feast days.

The idea that the external appearance reflects the interior character.

The act of charging interest when collecting debts, viewed as a sin by the Catholic church.

A biography that lifts up or idealizes the individual.

A hagiopgraphic work written by St. Bonaventura that gives us the stories of the life of St. Francis

The traffic patterns and ambiance of a space. It is important to understand and utilize the spacial decorum when analyzing the art and architecture of a structure, just as it was when the artists were first considering how to approach a project.

The haircut with a shaved top and a remaining rim of hair that monks wore to show their devotion.

The workshop system in which master artists would train younger apprentices, in return for the students' help on commissions.