What is Romanticism? Romanticism is a European cultural movement promoting the expression of feelings, individualism, the beauty of nature, and a melancholic past. Starting at the end of the 18th century and in vogue until the mid-19th century, Romanticism stood in stark contrast to the Age of Enlightenment’s celebration of reason. The movement first flourished …
What is a Diptych? A diptych is a term naming an artwork composed of two parts. The word comes from the Greek “dipthukos”, and the Late Latin “diptycha” meaning folded double. The two plates or panels, attached or hinged together, are either mobile or stationary. The panels are usually painted or carved with related illustrations. …
What is a Triptych? A triptych – from the Greek ‘tri’ meaning three and ‘ptyx’ meaning fold – is a work of art in three sections. Commonly a triptych is painted on wood, composed of a central panel flanked by two hinged pieces on either side. The term itself originates from the 18th century. Before …
Trompe-l’œil, literally ‘to deceive the eye’ in French, is often used to refer to a type of illusionistic painting. The term primarily denotes two modes in flat art: the use of perspective in wall or easel painting or quadratura, a type of illusionistic ceiling painting. In both instances, the viewer’s eye is manipulated through linear or …
What is a Relief Sculpture? A “relief” sculpture is a sculpture where the foreground elements are attached to and made of the same material as the background. “Relief” comes from the latin root “relevo”, which means “to raise”, as the sculpted elements of the artwork are “raised” up from the background. These works are sometimes …
What is “Anastole”? “Anastole” is the Greek name for a hairstyle originally made popular by Alexander the Great during his reign in the 4th Century BC. The style can be seen in the many sculptures and paintings of Alexander the Great, including: The hairstyle involves hair flipped up away from the forehead, and Alexander also …
Still life is the painting or drawing of inanimate objects. The common or cliche example would be a “bowl of fruit”, but could include things such as other types of food, drinking glasses, vases, books, clothing, or natural items like flowers and plants, rocks and sea-shells, etc. History of the Still Life Genre Still life …
