Chapter 3 Art Vocabulary

Sublime - A feeling of awe mixed with terror. Often used in reference to Romantic paintings.

Enlightenment - (A.K.A.) The Age of Reason. A philosophical movement of the 18th century that emphasized the use of reason to scrutinize previously accepted doctrines and traditions and that brought about many humanitarian reforms. Largely influenced by developments in science and physics.

Rococo - A style of art originating in France in the early 18th century that often depicts the upper classes. The style is marked by the use of pastel colors, swirling compositions, and light-hearted or sensual themes.

Neoclassicism - A style of art that originated in France in the mid to late 18th century. The style is marked by an influence of ancient Greek and Roman works. The subjects are often serious, often with a focus on heroic and/or patriotic themes. The colors used are bold, and the compositions are usually strong and linear.

Romanticism - A style of art that occurred in the late 18th century to the early 19th century. The works are not united by common styles or subject matter, but rather by emotion imagination, drama, and a generally negative reaction to change in society such as industrialization and urbanization.

Complementary Colors - (A.K.A.) Contrasting colors. Colors that are opposite one another on the color wheel.

Realism - A mid-19th century movement centered in France. These artists believed in representing subjects only of one’s own time, depicting non-academic subjects of the lower class, and displaying non-academic techniques.

Symbolism - A late-19th century movement that involved artists who were suspect of the changes going on in the modern world. Though not unified as a group or in style, they were unified in wanting their works to convey emotion, spirituality, or meaning.

Impressionism - A late-19th century movement centered in France. These artists strove to capture the modern instant, such as the effects of light and atmosphere, or the fleeting movement of dancers. These artists are also known for painting en plein air.

Neon-Impressionism - A late-19th century movement growing out of Impressionism. Though interested in capturing the effects of light and atmosphere, these artists also introduced the ideas of color theory and optics into their works. Pointillism was a common technique.

Post-Impressionism - A late-19th century movement who believed that the Impressionists were concerned with only the visual, and thus they wanted to imbue their works with meaning and emotion. These artists were also beginning to use non-natural colors, and working in a higher degree of experimentation than those before them.

Art Nouveau - Thought to be a ‘new art’ not rooted in any style of the past, this late 19th century movement wanted a return to a pre-industrial sense of beauty, and was primarily influenced by the curling, sinuous lines found in nature.

Non-Objective - (A.K.A.) Abstract art. A term referring to art that is completely free from any references to the real world.

Analytical Cubism - The first phase of cubism where the forms are being analyzed, where they are broken down into individual planes and reformed giving the sense of shifting perspectives and multiple viewpoints. A dull color palette of browns and grays doesn’t distract the eye, allowing the viewer to concentrate on form.

Synthetic Cubism - A later phase of cubism, where non-art materials were transformed into collages, creating new meaning. The collages, a low art form, were raised to a high art form.

Readymade - First used in relation to Dada works, it is a term that is applied to a ‘found object’ that is then transformed into a work of art.

Automatism - First used in relation to Surrealist works, the idea of letting the hand wander aimlessly when creating a work. The results is thought to reveal the innermost thoughts or desires, and thus is influenced by Jungian psychoanalysis. Automatism was also used by the Abstract Expressionists.

Biomorphic - A term used in relation to Surrealist works, referring to an abstract shape that seems to be derived from an organic life form.