Glossary
plein air (French): “Open air”; refers to painting out-of-doors, as opposed to
studio painting.pointillism: The technique of applying tiny brushstrokes of paint to an entire
work, developed by Seurat in the 1880s.polyptych: An altarpiece or other devotional picture or relief sculpture,
made up of multiple panels. Typically, a central panel À anked by wings and
surmounted by gables or other forms and sometimes accompanied by smaller
panels (the predella) below the main panels.predella (Italian): The lower part of a large altarpiece, decorated with small
paintings relating to the ¿ gures above.quatrefoil (French): A decorative shape similar to a four-leaf clover, common
in Gothic art as a ¿ eld for relief sculpture or painting.realism: The ¿ delity to natural appearance in painting, found in many
periods of art. In the mid-19th century, it was a movement in which artists
abandoned Neoclassicism and Romanticism in favor of depicting subjects
from the everyday contemporary world, sometimes with a political or
social message.Reformation: A 16th-century religious movement that sought to reform the
Catholic Church and resulted in the establishment of Protestant churches.relief: The projection of a ¿ gure or design from the background on which it
is carved, molded, or stamped.Renaissance: Derived from the Italian word rinascimento, meaning “rebirth”
or “revival.” Originating in Italy, this period from the late 14th century
through the 16th century was characterized by a rebirth of interest in ancient
Rome and Classical literature and emphasized art, culture, and learning.