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Louis XIV (also known as the Sun King)
(1638–1715) king of France during the late Baroque period. Louis assumed total rule in 1661, establishing an absolute monarchy founded upon the idea that he was God’s representative on earth. Ruling from Versailles, his residence and the seat of the government, Louis supported numerous artists and writers during his 54-year reign.
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Marie-Antoinette
queen of France and wife of King Louis XVI. Marie-Antoinette was an enemy of the French Revolution and prompted her husband to resist reforms sought by the revolutionary National Assembly. She was especially unpopular with the French public and was imprisoned, along with Louis. Both were executed in 1793. |
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matador (n)
bullfighter |
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May 2, 1808 (Spain)
popular uprising amongst the lower classes in Madrid against invading French soldiers under the command of Napoléon Bonaparte. Though some local uprisings were successful, the Madrid revolt was suppressed. |
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Muslim (n)
follower of Islam, a religion founded upon the teachings of the 7th-century prophet Mohammed |
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mythological (adj)
relating to something fictitious or from myth. Myths are often ancient stories that help to explain the natural world and define social traditions. |
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Napoléon Bonaparte
(1769–1821) French general who declared himself emperor of France in the aftermath of the Revolution of 1789. His grand aim was to expand France’s boundaries: he declared himself king of Italy, replaced the Bourbon king in Spain with his brother, and tried in vain to invade both Britain and Russia. After military defeat, he was imprisoned but escaped and tried to regain power until definitively beaten at Waterloo (in Belgium) in 1815. Exiled to a small island in the southern Atlantic, he died in 1821. |
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Nativity (n)
Christian theme in art depicting the newborn Jesus with Mary and other figures |
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naturalism (n)
style of painting concerned with representing nature or real life (as opposed to religious, mythological, or historical scenes) in a manner in which the painted subject closely matches the actual appearance of its subject |
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Neoclassicism (n)
period in art and architecture, from 1770 to 1830, when artists drew inspiration from ancient Greece and Rome. Neoclassicism rejected the highly elaborate decoration of Rococo art in favor of balance and restraint.
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open-air painting (n)
painting outside, so that nature is confronted directly. The Barbizon school artists regularly employed the technique of painting outdoors, though it was used more extensively by the Impressionists later in the 19th century. |
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Ottoman Turks (n)
Turkish tribes in Anatolia, a region of Turkey, who established a powerful Muslim empire in the 14th century to combat the eastern Christian (Byzantine) empire. The Ottoman Empire came to an end in the early 20th century.
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painterly (adj)
painting style characterized by openness in form and freely applied, roughly textured pigment. Edges of forms are usually blurred rather than sharp. |
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palette (n)
range of colors used by an artist or that appear in a particular work of art |
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palette knife (n)
knife with a flat flexible blade used for applying and mixing paint |
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pastoral (adj)
of or relating to an idealized depiction of country life, often including shepherds and shepherdesses
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pendant (n)
one of a pair of related, interdependent works of art; for example, two portraits, one of a husband and the other his wife
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philanthropist (n)
one who seeks to better mankind through good works and donations |
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portrait (n)
likeness of a person (especially a face) in a work of art
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preliminary sketch (n)
drawing or loosely painted study made by an artist in preparation for creating a finished work |
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