Modern & Contemporary Art: Elements, Principles, Movements and Artists

Vocabulary flashcards covering essential elements & principles of art, major modern movements, key concepts, and notable artists from the lecture.

Line

A path of a moving point; a basic element used to define shapes and contours.

Shape

A closed line that creates a 2-dimensional (2D) area of space.

Form

A 3-dimensional (3D) shape that shows length, width, and depth.

Color

The appearance of light reflected from objects; hue, value, and intensity.

Value

The relative lightness or darkness of a color or object.

Texture

The perceived surface quality of an object, real or implied.

Balance

The distribution of visual weight to achieve stability in a composition.

Rhythm

The ordered movement of visual elements that guides the viewer’s eye.

Pattern

An orderly, repeated arrangement of shapes, lines, or colors.

Harmony

A pleasing arrangement of visual elements that creates unity.

Proportion

The relative size or scale of objects in relation to each other.

Emphasis

The focal point; making one part of a work stand out for importance.

Modern Art

A broad term for varied movements (c.​1840-1960) that broke from academic tradition and explored new styles and techniques.

Realism (1840-1880)

The first modern movement; depicted everyday life truthfully, with accurate perspective, lighting, and detail.

Impressionism (1872-1892)

French movement using visible brushstrokes and fleeting light effects to capture momentary beauty over fine detail.

Fauvism (1899-1908)

Style of bold, often non-natural colors and vigorous brushwork that valued emotional response over realism.

Expressionism (1905-1933)

German-origin movement that distorted forms and colors to convey intense personal emotions rather than objective reality.

Cubism (1907-1914)

Revolutionary style by Picasso & Braque that fragmented subjects into multiple viewpoints, abandoning traditional perspective.

Post-Impressionism

Late-19th-century styles (e.g., van Gogh) that built on Impressionism but emphasized structure, form, or emotion.

Chiaroscuro

The use of strong contrasts between light and dark to create modeling and depth.

Perspective

A technique for depicting three-dimensional space on a flat surface using converging lines and scale.

Source Lighting

Lighting in a painting derived from a recognizable light source within the scene to mimic natural illumination.

Primitivism

The borrowing of visual forms from non-Western or prehistoric peoples, often found in Expressionist and Cubist works.

Still Life

An artwork depicting inanimate objects, a frequent subject in Cubism.

Henry Fuseli

Romantic painter of dramatic fantasies, known for ‘The Nightmare.’

Jean-François Millet

French Realist noted for rural scenes like ‘The Gleaners.’

Gustave Courbet

Leading French Realist who painted everyday subjects with unidealized detail.

Fabian de la Rosa

Filipino Realist best known for ‘In the Rice Field’ (1919).

Édouard Manet

Early Impressionist bridging Realism and modern art; painted ‘The Monet Family in the Garden.’

Juan Luna

Filipino painter linked to Impressionist tendencies; created ‘Spoliarium.’

Henri Matisse

Foremost Fauve, celebrated for vivid color works like ‘The Cat with Red Fish.’

Antonio Austria

Filipino Fauvist-inspired artist known for ‘Kangkong at Gabi’ (1992).

Edvard Munch

Norwegian Expressionist famed for ‘The Scream.’

Ang Kiukok

Filipino Expressionist recognized for dynamic forms such as ‘Fishermen’ (1981).

Georges Braque

French painter who co-founded Cubism with Picasso.

Pablo Picasso

Spanish artist, Cubist pioneer, and one of the most influential figures in 20th-century art.

Vicente Manansala

Filipino Cubist noted for transparent, fragmented scenes of Philippine life.