art

Art History

The study of art and its development across cultures and time periods.

Art Historical Inquiry

The process of investigating and interpreting works of art using evidence and context.

Primary Source

An original document or object created during the time being studied.

Secondary Source

A source that analyzes or interprets primary sources.

Formal Analysis

The study of an artwork's visual elements and design.

Visual Analysis

The systematic examination of an artwork's appearance and structure.

Iconography

The study of symbols and their meanings in art.

Context

The historical, cultural, social, and political circumstances surrounding an artwork.

Contextual Analysis

The interpretation of an artwork within its historical, cultural, and social circumstances.

Biographical Analysis

The interpretation of art using information about the artist's life.

Subject Matter

The people, objects, events, or ideas depicted in an artwork.

Content

The meaning or message conveyed by an artwork.

Theme

The central idea or underlying message of an artwork.

Style

A characteristic manner of artistic expression associated with an artist, period, or movement.

Patron

A person or organization that financially supports artists and commissions artworks.

Provenance

The documented history of ownership of an artwork.

Medium

The material or technique used to create an artwork.

Composition

The arrangement of visual elements within an artwork.

Scale

The relative size of an artwork or its components.

Proportion

The relationship of sizes between parts of an artwork.

Balance

The distribution of visual weight within a composition.

Symmetry

A balanced arrangement in which elements mirror one another.

Asymmetry

A balanced arrangement achieved without mirrored elements.

Emphasis

The use of visual elements to create a focal point.

Contrast

The use of differences to create visual interest.

Rhythm

The repetition of visual elements that creates movement.

Pattern

The repeated use of shapes, lines, or colors.

Unity

The sense that all parts of an artwork belong together.

Variety

The use of differences to create visual interest and complexity.

Movement

The visual path that guides the viewer's eye through an artwork.

Line

A mark made by a moving point.

Shape

A two-dimensional enclosed area.

Form

A three-dimensional object having height, width, and depth.

Color

The visual sensation produced by reflected light.

Value

The lightness or darkness of a color.

Texture

The surface quality of an object, whether actual or implied.

Space

The area around, between, and within objects.

Perspective

A technique used to create the illusion of depth on a flat surface.

Linear Perspective

A system using converging lines to create the illusion of depth.

Atmospheric Perspective

The use of color and clarity changes to suggest distance.

Foreshortening

The depiction of an object or figure compressed in depth.

Modeling

The use of light and shadow to create the illusion of three-dimensional form.

Drawing

The process of creating images primarily through lines and marks.

Painting

The application of pigments to a surface.

Printmaking

The process of producing multiple images from a prepared surface.

Photography

The process of creating images through the recording of light.

Sculpture

Three-dimensional art created by carving, modeling, casting, or assembling materials.

Mixed Media

Artwork created using more than one medium or material.

Collage

Artwork made by attaching materials to a surface.

Assemblage

Artwork made by combining found objects into a composition.

Carving

The technique of removing material to create a form.

Casting

The process of pouring liquid material into a mold.

Relief Sculpture

Sculpture projecting from a flat background.

Fresco

A painting technique using pigments applied to wet plaster.

Tempera

Paint made by mixing pigment with an emulsion such as egg yolk.

Oil Painting

A technique using pigments suspended in oil.

Watercolor

A technique using pigments suspended in water-soluble binders.

Impasto

The application of paint in thick, textured layers.

Chiaroscuro

The use of strong contrasts between light and dark.

Craft Art

Art emphasizing skilled handmade objects with functional or decorative purposes.

Folk Art

Art created within community traditions, often by self-taught artists.

Architecture

The art and science of designing and constructing buildings.

Humanism

A Renaissance philosophy emphasizing human potential and achievement.

Naturalism

The representation of subjects in a lifelike and realistic manner.

Idealization

The portrayal of subjects in perfected or enhanced forms.

Symbolism

The use of images or objects to represent abstract ideas.

Monumentality

The quality of appearing grand, imposing, and significant.

Western Art

The artistic traditions that developed primarily in Europe and the Americas.

Nonwestern Art

Artistic traditions that developed outside the European tradition.

Ancient Civilizations

Early societies that produced organized artistic traditions and monumental works.

Old Stone Age (Paleolithic)

The earliest period of human history characterized by hunter-gatherers and cave art.

Middle Stone Age (Mesolithic)

A transitional period marked by smaller tools and changing lifestyles.

New Stone Age (Neolithic)

A period characterized by agriculture, permanent settlements, and megalithic structures.

Mesopotamian Art

Art produced by civilizations that developed between the Tigris and Euphrates Rivers.

Persian Art

Art associated with the ancient Persian empires, known for monumental architecture and decorative design.

Egyptian Art

Art produced in ancient Egypt, characterized by idealized figures and funerary purposes.

Nubian Art

Art of the ancient cultures located south of Egypt in present-day Sudan.

Cycladic Art

Art of the Cycladic islands known for simplified marble figures.

Minoan Art

Art from Bronze Age Crete characterized by naturalistic forms and frescoes.

Mycenaean Art

Art of mainland Greece noted for fortifications and warrior imagery.

Greek Art

Art emphasizing idealized human forms, proportion, and balance.

Etruscan Art

Art of ancient Italy known for tomb paintings and expressive sculpture.

Roman Art

Art that adapted Greek traditions while emphasizing realism and engineering.

Byzantine Art

Christian art characterized by mosaics, icons, and spiritual symbolism.

Medieval Art

Art produced during the Middle Ages, often religious in subject matter.

Southern Renaissance

The Renaissance centered in Italy emphasizing humanism and classical ideals.

Northern Renaissance

The Renaissance in Northern Europe emphasizing realism and detailed observation.

Baroque Art

A dramatic and emotional style characterized by movement and strong contrasts.

Rococo Art

An ornate and playful style featuring light colors and decorative elegance.

Neoclassicism

An art movement inspired by classical Greece and Rome emphasizing order and reason.

Romanticism

A movement emphasizing emotion, imagination, and the power of nature.

Realism

A movement depicting subjects truthfully and without idealization.

Impressionism

A movement focused on capturing fleeting effects of light and atmosphere.

Post-Impressionism

A group of artists who expanded beyond Impressionism through expressive color and structure.

Modernism

A broad artistic movement that rejected traditional conventions and experimented with new forms.

Abstraction

Art that does not attempt to represent reality directly.

Pop Art

An art movement inspired by popular culture and mass media.

Minimalism

An art movement emphasizing simplicity and reduction to essential forms.

Photorealism

A style of painting or drawing that closely resembles a photograph.

Earthworks

Art created directly in the landscape using natural materials.