The frieze is above the architrave and below the cornice (in a position that could be quite difficult to view). The term also refers to any long, narrow, horizontal panel or band used for decorative purposes—e.g., on pottery, on the walls of a room, or on the exterior walls of buildings.

What does a frieze look like?

By extension, a frieze is a long stretch of painted, sculpted or even calligraphic decoration in such a position, normally above eye-level. Frieze decorations may depict scenes in a sequence of discrete panels. The material of which the frieze is made of may be plasterwork, carved wood or other decorative medium.

Why is it called a frieze?

The frieze that we are featuring as our word today is from the Latin word frisium, meaning "embroidered cloth." That word evolved from phrygium and Phrygia, the name of an ancient country of Asia Minor whose people excelled in metalwork, wood carving, and (unsurprisingly) embroidery.

Who designed the frieze?

The frieze is the work of three artists. It was designed by Constantino Brumidi, an Italian artist who studied in Rome before emigrating to America.

What's the difference between frieze and metope?

Metopes (rectangular slabs carved in high relief) were placed above the architrave (the lintel above the columns) on the outside of the temple. ... The frieze (carved in low relief) ran around all four sides of the building inside the colonnade.

Traditional Architectural Basics : What is the Frieze?

40 related questions found

What was a tholos used for?

In the Mycenaean period, tholoi were large ceremonial tombs, sometimes built into the sides of hills; they were beehive-shaped and covered by a corbeled arch. In classical Greece, the tholos at Delphi had a peristyle; the tholos in Athens, serving as a dining hall for the Athenian Senate, had no outside columns.

What decorative style is used on the erechtheum?

Used under CC BY-NC-ND 2.0. The Erechtheion was built with in the ionic style that was typical for eastern Greece. The Ionic design was used to set the Erechtheion apart from the larger, Doric style used to construct the Parthenon (Camp, 2001).

What are the decorative pieces in the frieze called?

The frieze in buildings using the classic Doric order is usually composed of alternate triglyphs (projecting rectangular blocks, each ornamented with three vertical channels) and metopes (spaces).

Is a frieze in art?

A frieze is a decorative band, usually, but not always, above a doorframe or on the wall near the ceiling. You may find a frieze of sculptured angels too formal for the trim of your bedroom wall. You might not think of a frieze in the same category as a painting or a statue, but it can be a true work of art.

What is an architrave in architecture?

architrave, in Classical architecture, the lowest section of the entablature (horizontal member), immediately above the capital of a column.

What does a pediment look like?

Pediments are gables, usually of a triangular shape. ... Variations of the pediment occur in later architectural styles such as Classical, Neoclassical and Baroque. Gable roofs were common in ancient Greek temples with a low pitch (angle of 12.5° to 16°).

What is a Friese?

noun A native or an inhabitant of Friesland; one of the Friesian race; a Friesian.

What is a cornice on a house?

In architecture, a cornice (from the Italian cornice meaning "ledge") is generally any horizontal decorative moulding that crowns a building or furniture element—for example, the cornice over a door or window, around the top edge of a pedestal, or along the top of an interior wall.

What is Greek frieze?

A frieze was a standard part of Greek architecture, a decorative area above the columns and below the roof line. The frieze was part of the entablature, a larger section comprised of a series of horizontal bands.

Who built the Erechtheion?

The Erechtheion, designed by the architect Mnesikles, was a complex building constructed in the last twenty years of the 5th century BC. It replaced the “Archaios Neos” (Ancient Temple) of Athena Polias, part of which had been destroyed by the Persians sixty years earlier.

What's inside the Erechtheion?

Inside the entrance are altars, one to Poseidon, on which in obedience to an oracle they sacrifice also to Erekhtheus, the second to the hero Boutes, and the third to Hephaistos . . . here is also inside--the building is double--sea-water in a cistern.

What is the opposite of Frieze?

ˈfriːz) A heavy woolen fabric with a long nap. Antonyms. natural object conductor insulator immateriality unbodied.

What does Disgored mean?

transitive verb. 1a : to discharge by the throat and mouth : vomit Like llamas, which disgorge stomach juices to show pique or displeasure, many animals spew fluids from their mouths, and for a variety of reasons.—

What part of speech is Frieze?

FRIEZE (noun) definition and synonyms | Macmillan Dictionary.

What is a relieving triangle?

A relieving triangle is a space (usually triangular) above a lintel in megalithic architecture to relieve the weight of the masonry. One example of a relieving triangle is the Lion Gate at Mycenae. Two lions in heraldic composition flank a pillar, forming a triangle.

What is the top of the Parthenon called?

The Parthenon is a resplendent marble temple built between 447 and 432 B.C. during the height of the ancient Greek Empire. Dedicated to the Greek goddess Athena, the Parthenon sits high atop a compound of temples known as the Acropolis of Athens.

What is a Greek temple called?

The Greeks referred to temples with the term ὁ ναός (ho naós) meaning "dwelling;" temple derives from the Latin term, templum. The earliest shrines were built to honor divinities and were made from materials such as a wood and mud brick—materials that typically don't survive very long.