Arcadian (adj.) In Renaissance and later art, depictions of an idyllic place of rural peace and simplicity. Derived from Arcadia, an ancient district of the central Peloponnesus in southern Greece. architrave The lintel or lowest division of the entablature; also called the epistyle. belvedere Italian, “beautiful view.” A residence on a hill or any structure with a view of a landscape or seascape. capriccio Italian, “originality.” One of several terms used in Italian Renaissance literature to praise the originality and talent of artists. cassone (pl. cassoni) A carved chest, often painted or gilded, popular in Renaissance Italy for the storing of household clothing. cella The chamber at the center of an ancient temple; in a classical temple, the room (Greek, naos) in which the cult statue usually stood. colorito Italian, “colored” or “painted.” A term used to describe the application of paint. Characteristic of the work of 16th­century Venetian artists who emphasized the application of paint as an important element of the creative process. Central Italian artists, in contrast, largely emphasized disegnothe careful design preparation based on preliminary drawing. cupola An exterior architectural feature composed of a drum with a shallow cap; a dome. cutaway An architectural drawing that combines an exterior view with an interior view of part of a building. disegno Italian, “drawing” and “design.” Renaissance artists considered drawing to be the external physical manifestation (disegno esterno) of an internal intellectual idea of design (disegno interno). enamel A decorative coating, usually colored, fused onto the surface of metal, glass, or ceramics. escutcheon An emblem bearing a coat of arms. fantasia Italian, “imagination.” One of several terms used in Italian Renaissance literature to praise the originality and talent of artists. Greek cross A cross with four arms of equal length. grisaille A monochrome painting done mainly in neutral grays to simulate sculpture. halberd A combination spear and battle­ax. indulgence A pardon for a sin committed. ingegno Italian, “innate talent.” One of several terms used in Italian Renaissance literature to praise the originality and talent of artists. invenzione Italian, “invention.” One of several terms used in Italian Renaissance literature to praise the originality and talent of artists. keystone A wedge­shaped block used in the construction of a true arch. The central voussoir, which sets the arch, is the keystone. loggia A gallery with an open arcade or a colonnade on one or both sides. maniera Italian, “style” or “manner.” See Mannerism. Mannerism A style of later Renaissance art that emphasized “artifice,” often involving contrived imagery not derived directly from nature. Such artworks showed a self­conscious stylization involving complexity, caprice, fantasy, and polish. Mannerist architecture tended to flout the classical rules of order, stability, and symmetry, sometimes to the point of parody. martyrium A shrine to a Christian martyr saint. parchment Lambskin prepared as a surface for painting or writing. pendentive A concave, triangular section of a hemisphere, four of which provide the transition from a square area to the circular base of a covering dome. Although pendentives appear to be hanging (pendant) from the dome, they in fact support it. poesia A term describing “poetic” art, notably Venetian Renaissance paintings, which emphasizes the lyrical and sensual. quoins The large, sometimes rusticated, usually slightly projecting stones that often form the corners of the exterior walls of masonry buildings. sacra conversazione Italian, “holy conversation”; a style of altarpiece painting popular after the middle of the 15th century, in which saints from different epochs are joined in a unified space and seem to be conversing either with each other or with the audience. sfumato Italian, “smoky.” A smokelike haziness that subtly softens outlines in painting; particularly applied to the painting of Leonardo da Vinci. silverpoint A stylus made of silver, used in drawing in the 14th and 15th centuries because of the fine line it produced and the sharp point it maintained. stanza (pl. stanze) Italian, “room.” stylobate The uppermost course of the platform of a Greek temple, which supports the columns. stylus A needlelike tool used in engraving and incising; also, an ancient writing instrument used to inscribe clay or wax tablets. tholos (pl. tholoi) A temple with a circular plan. triglyph A triple projecting, grooved member of a Doric frieze that alternates with metopes. Tuscan column The standard type of Etruscan column. Resembles ancient Greek Doric columns, but is made of wood, is unfluted, and has a base. Also a popular motif in Renaissance and Baroque architecture. vellum Calfskin prepared as a surface for writing or painting. voussoir A wedge­shaped block used in the construction of a true arch. The central voussoir, which sets the arch, is the keystone.