frontality
Direct forward orientation
Frontality is the quality of facing directly forward, especially in art.
Ancient Egyptian paintings and reliefs show figures in frontality—faces in profile but torsos squared to the viewer.
The term extends to any formal, forward-facing presentation: The portrait's strict frontality gives it an icon-like quality.
In theater and film, frontality describes staging or blocking oriented toward the audience.
Directly facing forward
- full-faceViewed from directly ahead
- anteriorSituated toward the front
- foreToward the front
- face-firstLeading with the visage
presentation · alignment · positioning · posture · stance · bearing
Frank, unvarnished manner
- candorUnguarded truthfulness
- forthrightnessQuality of being direct
- franknessDirect, unguarded honesty
- straightforwardnessQuality of being direct
honesty · openness · explicitness · boldness · assertiveness · sincerity · transparency · point-blank
Ancient Egyptian ruler
- sphinxMysterious, unreadable person
- hieroglyphicsSymbolic picture-based writing
- pyramidsApex-topped geometric solids
- EgyptianRelating to the pharaohs' land
Assyrian · Byzantine · Romanesque · bas-relief · frieze · archaic · stele · votive
Absence of slope
- two-dimensionalHaving only two axes
- planarOf a flat surface
- surfaceOutermost boundary layer
- compressionForcing into smaller space
head-on
Directly facing forward
face-first · presentation · alignment · positioning · posture · stance · bearing
bluntness
Frank, unvarnished manner
- candorUnguarded truthfulness
- forthrightnessQuality of being direct
- franknessDirect, unguarded honesty
straightforwardness · honesty · openness · explicitness · boldness · assertiveness · sincerity · transparency · point-blank · unequivocal
pharaoh
Ancient Egyptian ruler
- sphinxMysterious, unreadable person
- hieroglyphicsSymbolic picture-based writing
- pyramidsApex-topped geometric solids
Egyptian · Assyrian · Byzantine · Romanesque · bas-relief · frieze · archaic · stele · votive · icon
flatness
Absence of slope
- two-dimensionalHaving only two axes
- planarOf a flat surface
- surfaceOutermost boundary layer
portrait
Artistic depiction of someone
- bustFailure or sculpture
- full-faceViewed from directly ahead
- three-quarterSeventy-five percent portion
profile · mugshot · headshot · selfie · posed · sitter · likeness · representation · depiction · commemorative
frontalityprofile view
Lateral facial depiction
profile · side view · three-quarter view · rear view · turned away
frontalitydynamism
Active, energetic quality
naturalism · torsion · asymmetry · movement · spontaneity
front, confront, upfront, affront, forefront, frontal, confrontation, frontage, effrontery