Art Glossary

Op Art is a visual art style that uses optical illusions to create the impression of movement, vibrating patterns, flashing, or hidden images. The works are typically abstract, with many well-known (...) read more

Original artwork is art that stems directly from the personal inspiration and creativity of an artist. It is not a direct copy of another artist’s work, though it may be inspired by it. The subject (...) read more

Orphism is an abstract style of painting influenced by Cubism, developed by Sonia and Robert Delaunay. The term was coined around 1912 by French poet Guillaume Apollinaire to differentiate the (...) read more

Patina is the distinctive greenish surface that bronze develops over time due to exposure to air and humidity. Artists can also apply chemicals to bronze to artificially create patina. Alternatively, (...) read more

Performance Art is a genre of fine art that is traditionally interdisciplinary, involving various art forms. It can be scripted or unscripted, random or carefully orchestrated, spontaneous, or (...) read more

Perspective refers to the techniques artists use to represent three-dimensional objects on a two-dimensional surface. These techniques create the illusion of depth and space, making objects appear as (...) read more

Photorealism is a genre of art or artistic movement that involves drawing, painting, and other graphic media in which the artist carefully studies a photograph and attempts to reproduce it as (...) read more

A pigment is a material that changes the color of light by selectively absorbing certain wavelengths and reflecting others. Unlike phosphorescence or fluorescence, where materials emit light, (...) read more

Pixel Art is a form of digital art created by placing individual pixels, similar to assembling a mosaic where each small piece contributes to a larger image. The style is often associated with (...) read more

Political Pop was an art movement that emerged in China during the 1980s, blending the Pop Art style of Western countries with the socialist realism of China. This movement arose during a time of (...) read more

Pop Art is an art movement that began in Britain in 1955 and in the late 1950s in the U.S. It challenged traditional fine arts by incorporating imagery from popular culture, such as news, (...) read more

A portfolio is a collection of artworks or images assembled in a folder or digital format for storage or display. Artists often compile portfolios to showcase their work, either thematically related (...) read more

Postminimalism refers to a range of art styles that emerged in the 1960s, following the Minimalism movement. While Minimalism focused on simplicity and impersonality, Postminimalist artists retained (...) read more

Postmodernism is an art movement that emerged as a reaction against authority and traditional boundaries, seeking to blur the lines between art and everyday life. It aimed to bridge the gap between (...) read more

A print is an image or text reproduced using a template or master form. Prints are typically created by transferring ink from a prepared matrix to another material, often paper. Common matrices (...) read more

A print proof refers to any test impressions made from a printing plate or block to check the image quality before the final print is completed. These proofs are used as quality checks to ensure that (...) read more

Process Art is an artistic movement and creative approach where the focus is on the act of creation rather than the final product. The term process in this context refers to the various stages of (...) read more

Provenance refers to the chronology of ownership, location, or custody of an artwork. Tracing an object's provenance helps establish its authenticity and historical context by documenting its (...) read more

Queer Aesthetics refers to an art movement that emerged in the 1980s, focusing on themes of homosexuality, lesbianism, and broader issues of identity and gender. This movement gained momentum in the (...) read more

Readymade is the term coined by French artist Marcel Duchamp to describe artworks created from manufactured objects. Duchamp selected ordinary, functional items that he felt had visual indifference, (...) read more

Recto and verso are terms used to describe the right and left pages of an open book, or the front and back of a sheet of paper. In both cases, recto refers to the right-hand page or the front of the (...) read more

A replica is a copy of an artwork that is so precisely made that it is nearly indistinguishable from the original. Artists may create replicas of their own work, or replicas can be produced for (...) read more

Réalités Nouvelles means new realities and refers to an exhibiting society founded in 1939 in Paris by Sonia Delaunay. The Salon des Réalités Nouvelles was dedicated to promoting abstract art, which (...) read more

Shock Art is an art movement that uses disturbing images, scents, or sounds to provoke a strong, often shocked, reaction from viewers. It is often regarded as a form of social commentary, with (...) read more