Renaissance Vocabulary A. Atmospheric perspective- how things appear smaller, bluer, and hazier in the background. B. Chiaroscuro-bold contrasts between light and dark. Contraposto- a figure standing mainly on one foot, so that his body is no longer symmetrical but tilted. Ellipse- A flattened or foreshortened circle. Ex. Foreshortening- when an object appears to be “shortened” or smaller because of its angle to the picture plane. Fresco- a mural painting technique in which paint is mixed with wet plaster.

Vocabulary Continued… G. Humanism- a renewed interest in the art and writing of antiquity (Ancient Greece and Rome.) G. Linear perspective- the mathematical system for creating the illusion of depth on a flat surface H. Sfumato-a painting technique in which there are no harsh lines and different areas of color appear to blend together. Triangular Composition- using shapes and lines to arrange figures into a triangle in the artwork Trompe l’oeil- French “deceive the eye,” an art technique that uses realistic imagery to create the illusion that it is actually 3-dimensional. Vanishing Point – a point at which something disappears or ceases to exist