National Galleries of Scotland

Celtic Revival

A renewed interest in the ancient Celtic arts of Britain and Ireland in the 19th and early 20th centuries which was particularly influential in the decorative arts.

Mural

An artwork or design attached or applied directly to a wall.

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.

Symbolism

The representation of subjects or ideas by use of a device or motif to create underlying meaning. A literary and artistic movement that originated in France and spread through much of Europe in the late 19th century. There was no consistent style but rather an appeal to the idea of the artist as mystic or visionary and the desire to express a world beyond superficial appearances.

Tempera

An emulsion paint usually made with egg yolks. It is associated with Italian art of the 13th to the 15th centuries and requires a precise painting technique as colours must be premixed and cannot be manipulated on the painting surface.