National Galleries of Scotland

Commission

When an individual or organisation employs an artist to execute a particular project, the process and the resulting work are termed a ‘commission’.

Patronage

The support given to artists by an individual or organisation, usually through buying or funding their work.

Renaissance

A period in European culture from the 14th to the 16th centuries in which the visual arts flourished with advances in the treatment of anatomy and the use of perspective. It is particularly associated with Italy, where it began, though the term applies elsewhere. It is noted for a revival of interest in the cultures of ancient Greece and Rome.

Tapestry

A fabric with an ornamental or pictorial design woven into it.

Workshop

Specifically used for a group of artists or craftsmen working collaboratively, usually under the direction of a master, up to the mid-17th century. The phrase 'Workshop of…' is used to describe the origin of an artwork when the master artist had no hand in its creation.