aesthetic
Used to describe something as visually-based, beautiful, or pleasing in appearance and to the senses. Aesthetics is a term developed by philosophers during the 18th and 19th centuries and is also the academic or scientific study of beauty and taste in art.
allegory
An image or story that refers to a related or overarching concept such as good or evil.
appropriation
The act of borrowing imagery or forms to create something new.
classical art
Referring to the art of ancient Greece and Rome (300–400 BCE) and characterized by its emphasis on balance, proportion, and harmony.
colonialism
The practice of ruling over another country for the purpose of developing trade, or enforcing one's own culture and values on people from a different culture.
culture
The rarely questioned system of beliefs, values and practices that form one's life. Cultures are often identified by national borders, ethnicity, and religion—while some cultures cross borders, ethnicities and organized faiths. A culture which involves a select portion of a population and which is organized around a particular interest (such as cars, graffiti, or music) is known as a subculture.
form
The shape and structure of a work of art, formal elements include color, shape, pattern, and duration. Many artists strive for a relationship between form and content, so that the way something is made fits with what the artist intends the work to be about or how it will be seen.
history painting
Large-scale painting which represents either historical events or scenes from legend and literature. Considered the highest form of art in the 19th century, history paintings are generally grand in execution. Much of Modern Art has been a reaction against history painting, while some contemporary artists have found ways to incorporate the genre into their work.
iconography
Symbols and images that have a particular meaning, either learned or universal.
ideology
An organized system of values and opinions which form the basis of a social, political, or economic agenda. Informed by a culture, ideologies often take the form of rules, codes, or guiding principles.
juxtaposition
The state or position of being placed close together or side by side, so as to permit comparison or contrast.
metaphor
A relationship between disparate visual or verbal sources where one kind of object, idea, or image is used in place of another to suggest a likeness or analogy between them. Artists use metaphor to bridge differences between seemingly dissimilar images and ideas.
motif
A recurrent or dominant theme in a work of visual or literary art.
multicultural
Influenced by a diversity of ethnic, religious, cultural or national perspectives.
mythology
An allegorical narrative often incorporating legendary heroes, gods, and demi-gods of a particular people or culture.
narrative
The representation in art, by form and content, of an event or story. Whether a literal story, event, or subject matter—or a more abstract relationship between colors, forms and materials—narrative in visual art applies as much to the work as it does to the viewer's "story" of what they see and experience.
perspective
A visual formula that creates the illusion of depth and volume on a two-dimensional surface. Perspective also infers a particular vantage point or view.
representational
Works of art that depict recognizable people, places or things—often figures, landscapes, and still lifes.
Used to describe something as visually-based, beautiful, or pleasing in appearance and to the senses. Aesthetics is a term developed by philosophers during the 18th and 19th centuries and is also the academic or scientific study of beauty and taste in art.
allegory
An image or story that refers to a related or overarching concept such as good or evil.
appropriation
The act of borrowing imagery or forms to create something new.
classical art
Referring to the art of ancient Greece and Rome (300–400 BCE) and characterized by its emphasis on balance, proportion, and harmony.
colonialism
The practice of ruling over another country for the purpose of developing trade, or enforcing one's own culture and values on people from a different culture.
culture
The rarely questioned system of beliefs, values and practices that form one's life. Cultures are often identified by national borders, ethnicity, and religion—while some cultures cross borders, ethnicities and organized faiths. A culture which involves a select portion of a population and which is organized around a particular interest (such as cars, graffiti, or music) is known as a subculture.
form
The shape and structure of a work of art, formal elements include color, shape, pattern, and duration. Many artists strive for a relationship between form and content, so that the way something is made fits with what the artist intends the work to be about or how it will be seen.
history painting
Large-scale painting which represents either historical events or scenes from legend and literature. Considered the highest form of art in the 19th century, history paintings are generally grand in execution. Much of Modern Art has been a reaction against history painting, while some contemporary artists have found ways to incorporate the genre into their work.
iconography
Symbols and images that have a particular meaning, either learned or universal.
ideology
An organized system of values and opinions which form the basis of a social, political, or economic agenda. Informed by a culture, ideologies often take the form of rules, codes, or guiding principles.
juxtaposition
The state or position of being placed close together or side by side, so as to permit comparison or contrast.
metaphor
A relationship between disparate visual or verbal sources where one kind of object, idea, or image is used in place of another to suggest a likeness or analogy between them. Artists use metaphor to bridge differences between seemingly dissimilar images and ideas.
motif
A recurrent or dominant theme in a work of visual or literary art.
multicultural
Influenced by a diversity of ethnic, religious, cultural or national perspectives.
mythology
An allegorical narrative often incorporating legendary heroes, gods, and demi-gods of a particular people or culture.
narrative
The representation in art, by form and content, of an event or story. Whether a literal story, event, or subject matter—or a more abstract relationship between colors, forms and materials—narrative in visual art applies as much to the work as it does to the viewer's "story" of what they see and experience.
perspective
A visual formula that creates the illusion of depth and volume on a two-dimensional surface. Perspective also infers a particular vantage point or view.
representational
Works of art that depict recognizable people, places or things—often figures, landscapes, and still lifes.