Visual arts (terminology and ancient history)

The Conceptual Framework

A model describing the four key agents that give art meaning through their interactions: Artist, Artwork, Audience, and World.

Artist

The creator of the artwork.

Artwork

The created object.

Audience

The viewer/interpreter of the artwork.

World

The broader context (time, place, culture, society) in which the artwork exists.

Structural Frame

A perspective that focuses on how an artwork is made, emphasizing elements and principles of design.

Subjective Frame

A perspective that centers on personal emotional and psychological responses to artwork.

Cultural Frame

A perspective that considers the social, cultural, and political context in which an artwork was created.

Postmodern Frame

A perspective that examines how an artwork challenges traditional ideas about art.

Art Making

The act of creating art, focusing on process, materials, and concept.

Art Criticism

The act of interpreting and judging art, following the process: Describe, Analyze, Interpret, Judge.

Art History

The study of art across time, focusing on context, influence, and movements.

Formal Elements

The building blocks of an artwork, including Composition, Color, Line, Texture, Space, Form, and Tone.

Conceptual Terms

Terms that describe how meaning is created in art, such as Symbolism, Juxtaposition, Appropriation, Narrative, and Mood.

Stylistic Terms

Terms that refer to major art movements, including Modernism, Postmodernism, Minimalism, and Conceptual Art.

Techniques

Methods of creation in art, including Mixed Media, Installation, Digital Art, and Collage.

Ancient Egyptian Art

Art that represented mythological themes, pursuing order, balance, and perfection for the afterlife.

Horus

The falcon god of sky and war in Ancient Egyptian mythology.

Eye of Horus

A symbol of protection, restoration, and wholeness in Ancient Egyptian culture.

Ankh

A symbol of life and immortality in Ancient Egyptian art.

Scarab

A symbol representing rebirth and transformation in Ancient Egyptian culture.

Djed Pillar

A symbol representing stability and endurance in Ancient Egyptian art.

Ancient Greek Art

Art that honored gods and visualized myths to teach and commemorate.

Ancient Roman Art

Art that asserted power, recorded history, and honored the empire, often more political than Greek art.

Cosmic Balance

A shared theme in Ancient China, Japan, and India, represented by symbols like Yin-Yang (China), Om (India), and Enso (Japan).

Analysis Example: Picasso's Guernica

A modernist artwork characterized by cubist fragmentation, responding to the political context of the bombing of Guernica.