Culture, Art, and Aesthetic Values in Western Civilisation

Flashcards on key vocabulary terms from the lecture notes.

Aesthetics

A set of principles concerned with the nature and appreciation of beauty.

Art

The expression or application of human creative skill and imagination, typically in a visual form such as painting or sculpture, producing works to be appreciated primarily for their beauty or emotional power.

Culture

‘Culture is that complex whole which includes knowledge, belief, art, morals, law, custom, and any other capabilities and habits acquired by man as a member of society.’ Edward B. Tylor, Primitive Culture.

Perspective

The optical illusion using converging lines and vanishing points that makes objects appear smaller the farther away from the viewer they go.

Sfumato

Vague, indefinite, hazy – blurred edges.

Chiaroscuro

Contrast of light and dark

Tenebrism

A style of painting characterized by high contrast between light and shade — emphasis placed on chiaroscuro to achieve dark, dramatic effects.