Art Glossary

Metalcut was a relief printing technique used primarily in Europe from around 1450 to 1540. The technique involved using thin metal plates. One method involved cutting or hammering away parts of the (...) read more

Mexico's contemporary art scene is a vibrant blend of indigenous traditions and global currents, reflecting its rich cultural history. Museums such as Museo Tamayo and Museo Jumex in Mexico City host (...) read more

Mezzotint is a printmaking technique in which a copper or steel plate is roughened to produce a solid black print. The artist smooths specific areas of the plate to create a range of tones, from deep (...) read more

Minimalism is a style in music and visual arts characterized by pared-down designs and simplicity. It began in Western art after World War II, gaining prominence particularly in American visual arts. (...) read more

Mixed media refers to artwork that incorporates more than one medium within a single piece. Unlike multimedia art, which combines distinct forms of visual art and often includes elements like sound, (...) read more

A mobile is a type of kinetic sculpture consisting of an ensemble of balanced parts that hang freely and move independently or as a whole when influenced by air currents or touch. Typically made of (...) read more

Modern Realism is an art style that depicts subjects as they exist in reality. Emerging after the development of abstract art, Modern Realism combines traditional realistic representation with modern (...) read more

Meaning School of Things, Mono-ha originated in Tokyo in the mid-1960s. Instead of creating traditional artwork, the artists of Mono-ha used different materials and their natural properties to (...) read more

Monochromatic describes paintings, photographs, designs, or drawings that utilize one color or various shades of a single color. Monochromatic objects have a limited range of hues. While the term (...) read more

Monoprinting is a printmaking technique where a single impression is created from a re-printable surface, such as a lithographic stone, wood block, or metal plate. Unlike traditional printmaking, (...) read more

Monotype is a printmaking technique where an image is painted or drawn on a nonabsorbent, smooth surface, traditionally an etching plate of copper, but now also acrylic, zinc, or glass. The image is (...) read more

Montage is a film editing technique where a series of shots are edited into a sequence to condense time, convey information, and manage space within the narrative. While it primarily refers to this (...) read more

Mosaic is an art form that involves creating images by arranging many small pieces of colored tile, glass, or other materials. These pieces, often numbering in the hundreds, are placed closely (...) read more

Multimedia refers to an art technique that combines multiple forms of media, such as visual, audio, and digital elements, into a single composition. This is different from mixed media, which involves (...) read more

Naïve art describes a style of artwork that is simple and unsophisticated, often created by artists without formal training in an academy or art school. The style is characterized by a lack of (...) read more

Neo-Dada is a minor visual and audio art movement with intents similar to those of Dada artwork. While it revives some of Dada's objectives, Neo-Dada emphasizes the importance of the produced artwork (...) read more

Known as Neo-Geo for short, this movement uses geometric objects and shapes to create abstract artwork as a metaphor for society. Inspired by various 20th-century art styles, including minimalism and (...) read more

Net Art is art created on the internet, specifically for the internet. Artists who create it use computers to generate imagery, exhibit art online, or build programs that produce unique artworks. (...) read more

The contemporary art scene in the Netherlands is renowned for its innovative spirit and diverse creative expressions. Key institutions like the Stedelijk Museum in Amsterdam and Museum Boijmans Van (...) read more

Neue Wilden is the term German artists used for Neo-Expressionism. In the 1970s and 80s, expressive painting re-emerged in Germany, with artists embracing intense colors and broad brushstrokes. The (...) read more

New British Sculpture is the name referring to the work produced by a group of sculptors, installation artists, and other creators who exhibited together in London during the 1980s. This group (...) read more

Neo-Figurative Art is a collective term that refers to the revival of figurative art in America and Europe during the 1960s, following a period dominated by abstraction. Michel Ragon, a French art (...) read more

New Generation Sculpture was a movement started in the 1960s by a group of British artists. They experimented with unconventional forms, materials, and colors, creating sculptures that did not rely (...) read more

The New Leipzig School is a movement in modern German painting that represents the third generation of artists associated with the Hochschule für Grafik und Buchkunst Leipzig. This movement reflects (...) read more