Random Image

You are here: Random Image > Words beginning with n > Random Image for navis

Possible definitions for navis

Nabis
(from Hebrew, navi, "prophet, seer") Group of French artists who paved the way for the development of abstract art in the early 20th cent. The Nabis preached that a work of art is the visual expression of an artist's synthesis of nature and his or her personal aesthetic. They were influenced by P. Gauguin and the Pont-Aven school, as well as by Japanese woodcuts, Symbolist painting, and the Pre-Raphaelites. Paul Sé rusier (1865-1927), the group's founder, painted the first Nabi work, Landscape at the Bois d'Amour at Pont-Aven (also called Talisman; 1888). Original members included P. Bonnard and E. Vuillard; a later member was A. Maillol.


anvil
Iron block on which metal is placed for shaping, originally by hand with a hammer. The blacksmith's anvil is usually of wrought iron (sometimes of cast iron), with a smooth working surface of hardened steel. A projecting conical beak, or horn, at one end is used for hammering curved pieces of metal. When power hammers are used, the anvil is supported on a heavy block, which in turn rests on a strong foundation of timber and masonry or concrete. See also smithing.


Apis
In ancient Egyptian religion, a sacred bull deity worshiped at Memphis. The cult originated at least as early as the 1st dynasty (c.2925-c.2775 BC). Apis was probably at first a fertility god but became associated with Ptah and also with Osiris and Sokaris, gods of the dead. When an Apis bull died, it was buried with great pomp, and the calf that was to be its successor was installed at Memphis. Apis's priests drew omens from the bull's behavior, and his oracle had a wide reputation. The worship of Serapis (a combination of Osiris and Apis) probably arose at Memphis in the 3rd cent. BC and became one of the most widespread oriental cults in the Roman empire.


Babism
Religion that developed in Iran around Mirza Ali Muhammad's claim (1844) to be the Bab. Its beliefs are set forth in the Bayan, a holy book written by the Bab, which proclaims a universal law in place of all existing religious legal codes. Babism originated as a messianic movement in Shiite Islam. In 1867 the movement split, with the Azalis remaining faithful to the original teachings of the Bab and those of his successor Sobh-e Azal. Most Babis accepted the leadership of Sobh-e Azal's half-brother Baha Ullah, and under him the Baha'i faith was developed.


caviar
Eggs, or roe, of sturgeon preserved with salt. Most true caviar is produced in Russia and Iran, from fish taken from the Caspian and Black seas. The best grade, beluga, is prepared from large black or gray eggs; fresh beluga is relatively scarce and thus expensive. Lesser grades are from smaller, denser eggs. In the U.S., the roe of salmon, whitefish, lumpfish, and paddlefish is sometimes sold under the name caviar.


David
Second of the Israelite kings (r.c.1000-c.962 BC). David was an aide at the court of ...

Top words beginning with N: nonveteran, nonclassable, nucleopetal, nondisjunctive, nematogone, neoblastic, noirs, nonfuel, nonvortically, norlands, nephrogonaduct, navaho, netherlands, nabalite, niggler, narcotical, nondisagreement, neafie, neuhauser, nicotinamidase

More words beginning with N.

Browse the alphabet: A | B | C | D | E | F | G | H | I | J | K | L | M | N | O | P | Q | R | S | T | U | V | W | X | Y | Z