Art Movements, Elements & Principles – Key Vocabulary

These vocabulary flashcards cover major art movements from Prehistoric to Contemporary periods, essential Impressionist concepts, and the fundamental elements & principles of art.

Prehistoric Art

Early human artistic expressions (c. 40,000 – 4,000 BCE) such as cave paintings and rock carvings, revealing humanity’s first visual communication.

Ancient Art

Egyptian, Greek, and Roman art (c. 3000 BCE – 400 CE) noted for naturalism and idealized human form.

Medieval Art

Early Christian, Byzantine, Romanesque, and Gothic styles (c. 500 – 1400 CE) emphasizing religious symbolism.

Renaissance

‘Rebirth’ period (c. 1400 – 1600) focused on humanism, realism, and anatomical study.

Baroque

Ornate, dramatic style (c. 1600 – 1750) using chiaroscuro, dynamic movement, and rich color to convey power.

Rococo

Light, playful style (c. 1720 – 1760) featuring pastel colors, asymmetry, and aristocratic leisure scenes.

Neoclassicism

Revival of Greek/Roman ideals (c. 1750 – 1850) stressing order, symmetry, and moral narratives.

Romanticism

Movement (c. 1780 – 1850) privileging emotion, imagination, and the sublime in nature.

Realism

Art (c. 1840 – 1880) depicting everyday life with accuracy and social commentary.

Impressionism

Movement (c. 1860 – 1892) capturing fleeting light and color with loose brushstrokes; name from Monet’s “Impression, Sunrise.”

Post-Impressionism

Diverse styles (c. 1880 – 1914) expanding on Impressionism through symbolism, emotion, and abstraction.

Contemporary Art

Broad range of styles from c. 1960 – present, including Pop Art, Minimalism, Conceptual Art, and Postmodernism.

Chiaroscuro

Dramatic contrast of light and shadow used prominently in Baroque art.

En Plein Air

Painting outdoors to capture natural light and atmosphere, favored by Impressionists.

Color

Visual perception consisting of hue, value, and saturation; organized on the color wheel.

Primary Colors

Red, yellow, and blue—colors that cannot be created by mixing others.

Secondary Colors

Orange, green, and violet—made by mixing two primaries.

Tertiary Colors

Hues created by mixing a primary with an adjacent secondary (e.g., red-orange).

Hue

The name of a color on the spectrum (e.g., blue, red).

Value

Lightness or darkness of a color, altered by adding white or black.

Saturation

Intensity or purity of a color; brightest at full strength, duller when desaturated.

Form

Three-dimensional quality or implied volume giving shape and structure to art.

Line

A continuous mark; can vary in thickness, direction, and be actual or implied.

Shape

Two- or three-dimensional area with defined boundaries; can be geometric or organic.

Geometric Shapes

Regular, mathematical forms such as circles, squares, and triangles.

Organic Shapes

Irregular, free-flowing forms found in nature.

Space

Area around and within objects; includes positive, negative, shallow, or deep space.

Positive Space

Areas occupied by objects or subjects in an artwork.

Negative Space

Areas around and between objects, helping define composition.

Texture

Surface quality—actual or visual—ranging from smooth to rough.

Balance

Distribution of visual weight to create equilibrium in art.

Symmetrical Balance

Mirror-image arrangement on either side of a central axis.

Asymmetrical Balance

Different elements achieving balance through visual interest rather than symmetry.

Radial Balance

Elements arranged around a central point like rays or spokes.

Contrast

Differences in elements (color, texture, size) to create visual interest.

Color Contrast

Use of opposing hues, values, or saturations to make elements stand out.

Textural Contrast

Juxtaposition of smooth and rough surfaces for emphasis.

Size Contrast

Variation in scale to establish hierarchy or focal points.

Emphasis

Technique that draws attention to a focal area within artwork.

Rhythm

Repeated elements creating visual tempo or movement.

Movement

Guiding the viewer’s eye or depicting action within a composition.

Proportion

Relationship of sizes between parts of a whole.

Scale

Overall size of an object in relation to others or its environment.

Unity

Sense of wholeness or cohesion among elements in a work.

Variety

Use of differing elements to create interest and avoid monotony.

Pattern

Repetition of motifs or elements forming decorative or structural design.

Anonymous Society of Painters

Group that organized the first independent Impressionist exhibition in 1874.

Claude Monet

Key Impressionist known for studies of light, e.g., Rouen Cathedral series.

Berthe Morisot

Female Impressionist focusing on intimate domestic scenes.

Mary Cassatt

American Impressionist celebrated for depictions of women and children.

Synthetic Pigments

19th-century paint innovations providing new vibrant colors for artists.