Glossary
Charles V (1500-1558):
Prince of the Habsburg family who, in the first half of the 16th century, was ruler of the largest territory during the Renaissance period, covering Spain, Belgium, the Netherlands, part of Germany, Italy, and the whole of Latin America. It was said that he ruled an empire upon which the sun never set.
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Christ:
For Christians, Christ is God made man, put on earth to atone for original sin. His name was Jesus and the word "christ" (from the Greek word "christos," meaning "the anointed one") indicates that he was God's envoy.
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Delacroix (1798-1863):
French painter who excelled at history painting, drawing both on English culture and Near Eastern civilization and motifs, painted with a subtle, bold use of color. He is often regarded as having been the leader of the Romantic school in France from the 1820s until his death.
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dynamic decentering:
Effect created by the positions of the figures, which are presented not frontally but in a spiraling movement, thereby lending depth and movement to the work.
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Eucharist:
Christian sacrament commemorating the Last Supper. During the Eucharist, the faithful are invited to eat the host, the bread in which, according to Roman Catholic doctrine, the body of Christ is supposed to be present.
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Eve's sin:
Also known as original sin, this was the misdeed committed by Eve, who tasted the fruit of the tree of knowledge in the original paradise. Despite God's warning not to eat the fruit, Eve let herself be tempted by Satan, who persuaded her to disobey the divine command. Eve also offered the fruit to her companion, Adam, which led the first human couple to be expelled from the Garden of Eden. From this time on, humankind would be condemned to live in sin until the arrival of Jesus Christ.
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Fra Angelico (known in 1417-1455):
A Dominican friar and Florentine painter from the first half of the 15th century, one of the first great artists of the Renaissance to create a unified illusionistic space in his paintings.
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Giorgione (1477-1510):
Venetian painter, poet, and musician whose art is characterized by its lyrical and atmospheric style and a mysterious quality, marking a new departure in Venetian painting at the beginning of the 16th century.
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Giovanni Bellini (known in 1459-1516):
Regarded as the most important Venetian painter of the second half of the 15th century, member of an important family of artists. His œuvre has a lyrical dimension and seeks a concordance between the emotions expressed by the figures and the natural setting of the scene.
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highlight:
Brushwork intended to render a flash of light or a reflection on some element in the painting. For their highlights, Venetian Renaissance painters often used lead white, a pigment of mineral origin.
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intercessor:
In the Christian religion, a person responsible for interceding with God through prayer to ensure the fulfillment of a wish or atonement for human sin.
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Last supper:
Christ's last meal before his Crucifixion, during which he announced his imminent death following betrayal by one of his disciples and instituted the sacrament of the Eucharist.
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Leonardo da Vinci (1452-1519):
Florentine painter, sculptor, architect, engineer, theorist, and poet, active mainly in Florence, Milan, and France, where he died. Thanks to his scientific research and artistic innovations, he was one of the leading figures of the Renaissance in Europe.
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mannerism:
A Europe-wide cultural movement in the 16th century, characterized by a sophisticated, artificial style that was influenced in particular by the art of Michelangelo.
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Michelangelo (1475-1564):
Florentine sculptor, painter, architect, engineer, and poet, who was also active in Rome. The beauty and expressive power of his works, in particular his Sistine Chapel frescoes and sculptures, have impressed generations of artists since the 16th century.
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paradise:
The earthly paradise was the place where Adam and Eve lived before original sin. Heavenly paradise is the destination of the just following their death.
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Passion:
In the Bible, the various episodes linked to the death of Christ, including his last meal, his arrest, his humiliation, and his death by Crucifixion.
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Renaissance:
A period that began in Italy in the 15th century and spread to the whole of Europe in the 16th century. It was characterized by the adapting of classical culture to the Christian spirit—a movement generally known as humanism—shaping art as well as philosophical and scientific ideas.
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repainting:
Paintwork added after a painting's execution by another person. Retouching is carried out, for example, to restore a damaged area or to hide an element that is regarded as indecent.
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Research and Restoration Center for France Museums (C2RMF):
The Research and Restoration Center for France Museums (C2RMF), whose director is Christiane Naffah, general heritage curator, employs two hundred people at three sites (Carrousel, Pavillon de Flore at the Louvre and the Petite Ecurie du Roi at Versailles), who study, analyse, and restore artworks. Their missions are carried out in collaboration with all the French museums classified as “Musée de France” by the Ministry of Culture, working with curators, directors of collections in the fields of research, preventive conservation, and restoration. The C2RMF is responsible for the creation and conservation of all archives relating to materials, analyses and restorations that it carries out.
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Rubens (1577-1640):
Painter and diplomat from Antwerp, active in Flanders, the Netherlands, Spain, France, Italy, and Great Britain. In his numerous works, he forged a style characterized by warm, dense colors and a lively sense of movement, making him one of the most brilliant representatives of Baroque art.
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saint:
In the Christian religion, a person who during their lifetime has behaved remarkably, performing miracles and displaying an unshakeable faith that has sometimes led to their martyrdom. The person is venerated after their death, as are their relics, which can bring about miracles.
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Sebastiano del Piombo (circa 1485-1547):
Venetian painter who trained with Giovanni Bellini and Giorgione. In 1511 he settled in Rome, where his style changed under the influence of Michelangelo and Raphael.
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sfumato:
From the Italian "fumo," meaning smoke. It refers to a hazy effect in painting achieved by juxtaposing thin translucent layers of paint. Sfumato results in figures with blurred, vague outlines, but accentuates volume and depth.
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Virgin:
In the Christian religion, Mary, mother of Jesus, who conceived her son without sexual intercourse thanks to the miraculous intervention of the Holy Spirit sent by God.
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Virgin and child:
Group composed of Mary and her son, Jesus; this type of representation was highly venerated and frequently depicted in the Christian world from the Middle Ages onward.
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