GLOSSARY




At this juncture it is interesting to check some terms that pertain to the two main subjects addressed in this blog: art and religion. It should help the readers understand the content of the articles posted so far and get more information. The terms have been arranged alphabetically in order to make the glossary ‘easy on the eye.’

ALIENATION (n): the feeling that you have no connection with the people around you: alienación
‘Depressed people frequently feel a sense of alienation from those around them.’

ARTWORK (n): an object made by an artist, e.g. a painting: obra de arte

ATONEMENT (n): [formal] something that you do to show that you are sorry for something bad that you did (a sin); in Christian theology it also means the reconciliation between God and mankind through Jesus Christ: expiación

TO ATTAIN (v): [formal] to succeed in getting something: alcanzar, lograr
‘Art can be a means to attain enlightenment.’

AWE (n): a feeling of great respect sometimes mixed with fear or surprise: sobrecogimiento, temor reverencial
‘They experienced a tremendous sense of awe in the cathedral.’

TO BEHOLD (v): [beheld, beheld] [archaic or literary] to look at someone or something: contemplar
‘Those who have beheld the beauty of the desert never forget it.’

TO BESTOW (v): [formal] to give something as an honour or present: conceder, conferir
‘The university bestowed and honorary degree upon/on her.’

CANVAS (n): a piece of a strong, rough cloth used for painting on: lienzo

CATHARTIC (adj): an activity or experience that causes/fosters a process of releasing strong emotions in a way that helps you to understand those emotions: catártico
‘A drama which makes you cry and laugh can be a cathartic experience.’

TO CONVEY (v): to express a thought, feeling, or idea so that it is understood by other people: expresar, transmitir
‘His poetry conveys a great sense of religious devotion.’

CRUCIFIX (n): a model or picture representing Jesus Christ on a cross: crucifijo

TO DEPICT (v): to represent or show something in a picture or story: representar, describir, retratar
‘His paintings depict the lives of ordinary people in the last century.’

TO EPITOMIZE (v): to be a perfect example of a quality or type of thing: personificar, encarnar
‘This film epitomizes the spirit of the 1960s.’

ESCHATOLOGY (n): the part of theology concerned with death, judgement, and the final destiny of the soul and of humankind: escatología

EVIL (adj): morally bad, cruel, or very unpleasant; (in the religious realm) associated with the forces of the devil: malvado, da/maligno, na
‘In the book, they were driven out of the house by an evil spirit.’

EVOCATIVE (adj): making you remember or imagining something pleasant: evocador, ra
‘Her new book is wonderfully evocative of village life.’

FORERUNNER (n): something or someone that acts as an early and less advanced model for what will appear in the future, or a warning or sign of what is to follow: precursor, ra

FRESCO (n): [plural form frescoes or frescos] a picture that is painted on a wall or ceiling while the plaster is still wet: fresco
‘This church is famous for its frescoes.’

TO GO DOWN IN HISTORY (v): to be or do something so important that it will be recorded in history: pasar a la historia

THE GOSPELS (n): [Christianity] any of the four books of the Bible that contain details of the life and teachings of Jesus Christ: Evangelios

HIERATIC (adj): severe and inscrutable (an expression on the face): hierático, ca

HUMBLENESS (n): the good quality of not being proud or not believing that you are important: humildad

ICON (n): a very famous person or thing considered as representing a set of beliefs or a way of life: icono

ISOLATION (n): the condition of being alone, especially when this makes you feel unhappy: aislamiento
‘After all the visitors had left, she experienced a feeling of complete isolation.’

MARTYR (n): a person who suffers very much or is killed because of their religious or political beliefs, and is often admired because of it: mártir

MARTYRDOM (n): an occasion when someone suffers or is killed because of their religious or political beliefs: martirio

MUNDANE (adj): of this earthly world rather than a heavenly or spiritual one: mundano
‘The Japanese elevated the mundane practice of drinking tea to a spiritual discipline.’

MYSTIFYING (adj): making somebody confused because they do not understand something: de difícil comprensión o explicación
‘After ten years her mystifying disappearance was still unexplained.’

OIL (n): coloured paint containing oil used for painting pictures: óleo

OTHERWORLDLY (adj): more closely connected to spiritual things than to the ordinary things of life: de otro mundo
‘The children in the picture look delicate and otherworldly, as though they had never run or played.’

PAINTING (n): a picture made using paint: pintura, cuadro

PALM FROND (n): a long leaf of a tree that grows in hot countries and has a tall trunk with a mass of long pointed leaves at the top; in Christian iconography it represents the victory of martyrs, or the victory of the spirit over the flesh: hoja de palma

TO PORTRAY (v): to represent or describe someone or something in a painting, film, book, or other artistic work: retratar
‘The painting portrays a beautiful young woman in a blue dress.’

TO RENDER (v): to express or perform something: representar, reproducir
‘The artist has rendered the stormy sea in dark greens and browns.’

TO SEEK (v): [formal] [sought, sought] to try to obtain or achieve something: buscar (algo/hacer algo)
‘This artist has always sought to render his wistfulness accurately.’

SPONSOR (n): a person or organization that publicly supports something or somebody, even by giving money: patrocinador

SUBJECT MATTER (n): the things that are being talked or written about, or used as the subject of a piece of art: tema
‘The artist was revolutionary in both subject matter and technique.’

THEOLOGY (n): phillosophically oriented discipline of religious speculation and apologetics that is traditionally restricted, because of its origins and format, to Christianity but that may also encompass other religions, including especially Abrahamic faiths (Judaism and Islam). The themes of theology include God, humanity, the world, salvation, and eschatology (the study of last times): teología

THOUGHT-PROVOKING (adj): making people think seriously about a particular subject or issue: que hace pensar
‘Her artworks are brilliant and thought-provoking.’

TIMELESS (adj): having a value that is not limited to a particular period but will last forever: eterno, intemporal
‘His paintings pose many timeless philosophical and spiritual questions.’

TO UNDERGO (v): [underwent, undergone] to experience something that is unpleasant or something that involves a change: experimentar, someterse a
‘This work of art has recently undergone a major work of restoration.’

TO UPHOLD (v): [upheld, upheld] to defend or keep a principle or law: sostener, defender, mantener
‘We must rigorously uphold our original principles.’

WISTFULNESS (n): a slightly sad feeling caused by thinking about something that you would like to have, especially something in the past that you can no longer have: melancolía, nostalgia

WORLDLY (adj): relating to or consisting of physical things and ordinary life rather than spiritual things: mundano
‘Which is more important, the worldly existence or the heavenly one?’

WORSHIP (n): the practice of showing respect for God or a god, by saying prayers, singing with others, etc.; a ceremony for this: culto
‘Men have always played an active part in leading worship while women have been confined to more passive roles.’

Comments

Popular posts from this blog

ARTIST SPOTLIGHT: George Tooker

THE INTERESTING FACT: The Secrets of the Raphael's Rooms or The Cathartic Power of Art