Art Movements Essay Examples and Topics

Admittedly, Renaissance art is often regarded as a great stride forward. The artists started creating three-dimensional paintings which ‘involved’ the viewer into the world of the painting. The use of linear perspective made it possible to make certain stresses and to highlight particular ideas. Masaccio’s Holy Trinity (1427) is one of the most illustrative examples […]

The first article is authored by Michael Fried and it explores the form of the photograph. The article begins by discussing the nature of still-life paintings. The paper also looks into the views of some art critics concerning still-life art pieces. According to the author, visual art gives several but particular impressions to the viewer. […]

The Impact of Commedia Dell’Arte Commedia Dell’Arte (CDA) is one of the brightest spots in the history of performing art. It is rather difficult to name a particular year when it appeared, but researchers agree that first records of this type of performing art date back to the middle of the sixteenth century. It has […]

As a rule, any style of painting as a culture phenomenon has its roots hidden in a separate individuals’ techniques, their vision of how the picture should be composed, painted and perceived. Individuals with common vision and ideas are associated with one painting style. However, a problem with such distribution may occur when, in spite […]

Identify trend name, and give a brief description of the message behind this trend Serenissima (“the most serene”) represents an atmosphere that is romantic yet modern. The color palette of this trend primarily consists of purplish pinks, mint green and turquoise hues that remind a state of calmness. These colors can be applied to various […]

Abstract This essay aims at exploring the many facets of art and its ability to change how the society thinks of refugees in their search for asylum in foreign states. The study will identify whether it is possible for art to have the power of dissenting against the society’s perception of refugees. The study expects […]

Introduction Romanticism can be described as a period that was characterized by numerous changes in the works of art.1 Besides, the period of romanticism is estimated to have existed between 1760 and1870. During this era, numerous changes occurred in the works of art coupled with reactions against the rise of Neoclassicism that was taking shape […]

Introduction Just like every other area in life that has movements which advocates for the rights of people who have subscribed to the movement, the concept of art also has its own movement which is known as the aesthetic movement. The core values that govern this movement have no strict definition with the movement encompassing […]

The principles of democracy and equality have been established in the world only recently, in the 20th century. It is important to say that before that period, terror and barbarism were governing the world; however, such issues as slavery and colonialism used to be the reality of developed countries in spite of the unnatural essence […]

Introduction: The Time for the Change Has Come Culture is something that is never stable – floating together with time, sometimes keeping in pace with the latter, sometimes overrunning it, and sometimes lingering somewhere in the past, it follows the specific, unpredictable pattern. Turning steady even for a moment is unnatural to culture in general […]

Introduction Art and ceramic making is firmly engraved in particular contexts and most of the time, these are linked to certain groups. Some may be direct such as art movements while others may be indirect such as globalisation. Kawaii movement This movement started in the 1970s in Japan and was used to represent everything about […]

Renaissance, also known as “Rebirth”, is considered as the start of modern history during the 14th century. The Renaissance was first experienced in Italy and then adopted by the rest of Europe. After the Renaissance ended in 1600, the Baroque period was experienced from 1600 to 1800. Both periods employed polyphony and used same instruments […]

The name impressionism basically attempts to help people understand the work and achievements of impressionist painters. This artistic approach was more prevalent in the 1870s and 1880s.The painters applying impressionism intended to focus the direct impressions of color and light that a person sees and feels when interacting with the environment (Cunningham & Reich, 2010). […]

Introduction The mid-Victorian era, also known as Grand Period, was full of interesting events and people. The Great Exhibition of 1851, usually referred to the Crystal Palace Exhibition, demonstrated the achievements in the world industry during the recent years. The size and richness of the exhibits impressed lots of people. However, such prosperity was available […]

Introduction Nowadays, the Canadian art takes one of the most important places in the cultural sphere. Though visual and performing arts are considerably influenced by the European trend and are not financially supported in a proper way (Sakany, 2004), the achievements of Canadian artists remain to be considerable for the world culture and for the […]

Formal Analysis. The Nativity: Medieval Art of the XIII Century in a Nutshell Mediterranean Medieval art delights with the seeming simplicity of its themes and the numerous underlying ideas that are revealed as one takes a closer look at the artwork in question. Even though the artworks delight with their diversity of themes and motifs, […]

Introduction Humanism was one of the major facets of the Renaissance period that lasted from 1400 to 1650. Originating in Italy, humanism movement during the renaissance reveals human shift from the medieval tradition that was strongly linked to pious religious motivation in arts and literature to adopt a new way of life in which secularism […]

One of the world’s most mysterious and at the same time elegant branch of arts, impressionism, is both a riddle and an answer to it. Suggesting people to take a closer look into their own minds, impressionism offered that the spectator could incorporate his vision of the world together with that one of the author. […]

What is Romanticism? Romanticism refers to the period of intellectual, artistic and literary movement in Europe in the first half of nineteenth century. This movement was a vivid response to the Industrial Revolution, as well as a revolt against existing political and social norms (Gunderson 38). Romanticism was an ideological system that criticized rationalistic nature […]

There are wide variations in regard to time periods and genres as far as art works are concerned. It is worth noting that some art works were founded on individuals’ minds or cultural and social influences. In addition, other art works were as a result of an influence from the features and styles used during […]

In art, formalism describes the concept that the artistic merit of a work of art is completely established by its form, its medium, and its visual characteristics[1]. Formalism stresses on the elements of the works of art that include shape, color, texture and line while avoiding concepts of realism such as content and context. In […]

Impressionism is a style of art often known as optical realism. It is denoted by a unique visual experience with light effects and movements in the manner objects appear. Key highlights of this art style include pure primary colors and little strokes to compliment the light reflected (Wildendstein, 2010). Claude Monet, a key French painter, […]

The Neo-classic era and the Romantic era have always had distinct differences in terms of features and characteristics. From political, moral, heroic and artistic themes, the distinction between these eras is always outstanding (Brion, 2003). Neoclassicism always emphasizes on precision, order, intellect and a rational mind as major themes. The main objective of neoclassicism is […]

Introduction Art history generally refers to the academic study of objects of art in history and their development styles. This study will examine several methods used by historians to answer questions that help them come up with data on various historical periods. Art history began in the 19th century but with dating of the ancient […]

The High Renaissance is often referred to as the dawn of the epoch of the modern art. Those were great times of changes in the world of art and in the minds of people. The three geniuses of the Renaissance, Leonardo, Michelangelo and Rafael, were the cornerstones of the new era, the era when the […]

Cubism burst on the art-viewing public at the Salon Des Independents in 1911 (Harrison and Wood 2002, 184). An ancient Chinese proverb wishes, “May you live in interesting times.” Cubism reflected all that had gone before in art, but also reflected the ‘interesting’ technological and social trends of its era, as attested by each of […]

Renaissance was considered to be a time where there was exercise of a lot of inventiveness in art, structural designs, science, and writing in literature. This period lasted in Europe at an approximated period of three centuries between 1300 and 1600 which led to the interventions of the printing press as well as telescope. There […]

In this book, Horowitz talks about a range of artists who moved to America in the middle of the twentieth century, how they adapted to their new environment and also their influence on the performing arts. These artists migrated as a result of war, mainly the Second World War and other political reasons. The author […]

Impressionism was a new trend that emerged from Paris and it was brought about by the upcoming generation of artists. For an artist to be acknowledged in France he or she was supposed to present his work to the salon. The salon acted as a platform that was used by various artists to illustrate their […]

Parthenon was an ancient place of worship that was built in 438BCE on the acropolis of Athens by Phidias, who was a renowned sculpture. It was built as a dwelling place for the goddess known as Athena who was perceived to be the administrator of Athens. Although the state of its structure has deteriorated there […]

Introduction It is clear many people do not understand the real definition of post-modernism. Notably, there exist two groups of people; one that believes the term has definition and the other one, which believe that the term is indefinable. This has resulted into intelligent conversations, which end up confusing people even more. Nevertheless, it is […]

Since times immemorial people have exploring the mysterious connection between the man and the nature. The ancient people believed that life was governed by mysterious natural powers to which divine omnipotence was ascribed. With the coming of the industrial era, the distance between the man and the nature grew larger until a disastrous point was […]

Starting from the second half of the eighteenth century, the mainstream of European art was largely dominated by the movement of Neoclassicism. This movement presupposed relying on the subjects and standards of depiction established in the classical culture of the ancient world. In painting, the golden age of Neoclassicism was represented by such outstanding artists […]

Harrison and Wood observe that “The history of art is that of a long series of attacks upon social and aesthetic values held to be moribund, although the avant-garde position is frequently nostalgic and absolute.” [1] This could not be truer in the case of the essays under consideration, essays in the style of manifestoes […]

Rome with a Christian Face? Early Byzantine Art 330–527 The discussion of Byzantine art represents a challenge for the researcher. The main issue about Byzantine art is that it demonstrates incompliance with the traditional chronologically-based methodologies of art. Standardly perceived as the art of “religious icons”, Byzantine art can be defined as the religious art […]

Introduction The painting titled Luncheon of the Boating Party by Pierre Augusta Renoir was done in the year 1881. This painting was guided by real life models all of whom being Renoir’s friends who had gathered on the balcony of the Maison Fournaise , a boat commonly found in Chatou, France. The boat was floating […]

The mosaic ‘Empress Theodora and Her Attendants’ depicts empress Theodora surrounded by a host of her court ladies and attendants. This intense scene is performed in clear and simple lines that allow focussing the viewer’s attention on other visual means. Color and light work together in the composition so that they help to emphasize the […]

Introduction The beginning of the twentieth century was marked by major tumultuous changes. World War 1 and the Russian Revolution greatly influenced how people understood the world. The findings of Freud and Einsten, as well as the technological innovations of the Machine Age, registered distinctively new ‘modernist’ modes of feeling and perception. In cultural terms, […]

Introduction In the early 20th century, the art culture in France took a dynamic turn from conventional art to adopt a contemporary form of art known as cubism. Initially, cubism was not widely accepted but pioneer cubists such as Pablo Picasso and George Braque played a pivotal role in perpetuating the new form of art […]

It is of fundamental importance that the essential elements and characteristics of art periods be understood especially after the noteworthy realization that these periods marked or were caused by important social conditions and events in historical context. There exists numerous art periods in the history of civilization, with some evolving as a continuation of earlier […]

The 1700s were a time of enormous change all over Europe, and in North America as well. The restored appreciation of Classical, pre-Christian achievements, which had begun and flowered in the Renaissance, continued to influence all parts of life and culture. The European world had, in a matter of a few generations, dramatically expanded. It […]

Introduction The Tate Exhibit, by assembling international works and works in many media, demonstrates, to the less enthusiastic, the exhibit designer’s message that the Avante-Garde was a legitimate and wide ranging movement, and one which reverberates in its effects even today. Styles such as Neo-Plasticism, are Elementarism are examined, but the most colorful is Dada. […]

Naum Gabo in his essay on neoplasticism and constructivism published in the book Theories of modern art tries to analyze the changes that have taken in the art world in modern years. He sees a clash between the new and the traditional forms of art with supporters of the conventional art trying hard to oppose […]

Introduction Nicolas Bourriaud came up with the term “Relational Art” in 1995. He defined it as artistic practices that include the whole human relationships together with their social environment as their point of origin. He did not consider art to a private and independent aspect without a context. Bourriaud gave art a whole new outlook […]

At a glance, the painting depicts people swimming on the raft. Their faces are exhausted, and it seems that they have been swimming for weeks or even months. The raft is almost broken, but still it is controlled by people. Some of the people are desperately trying to find the way home whereas others lost […]

One of the foremost characteristics of Classical artistic style, associated with Greco-Roman antiquity, is the fact that it is being concerned with the celebration of bodily perfection. This can be explained by the fact that Greco-Roman artists of the era were convinced of the existence of dialectical relationship between the concepts of aesthetic/intellectual finesse, civil […]

In visiting Zhang Hongtu’s art studio in Woodside, in the New York borough of Queens, one is struck by his gentle and lively insight. It is very frustrating for a listener because his English is so heavily accented, but what is understandable of his speech is well worth noting. In a wide-ranging discussion, he touched […]

It is like time travel to look at vintage images from the 1960s of Yves Klein creating art using the naked bodies of young women, blue paint, and paper surfaces. Watching his process of creation, it is easy to see why some members of the public threw up their hands in bafflement and disapproval at […]

Impressionist art is an artistic style that focuses on the viewer’s impression of the painting rather than the image itself. The impressionist movement planned by French painters in 1874 was meant to promote the freedom by artists to focus on other unique aspects of painting apart from realistic representation. The pictures in impressionist art are […]

Art has a long history of being involved in the achievement of political goals; consider the monumental imperial advertisement of power and control of resources represented by the huge Colossus of Rome[1]. In the early 20th century, what was termed realism was not the direction that popular art movements were taking. However, what was termed […]

Islamic art includes artistic traditions of countries that developed under Islamic rule or influence, these are the countries that are extending from Southern Spain to Central Asia. The works of art created in these countries are very different and similar at the same time. They are united by one style and the same purpose, but […]

Humans are quintessentially political animals, and art is a quintessentially human activity. It should not surprise us, therefore, that art has been used in the service of politics from earliest times. The notion of realism as an art movement is as much of an approximation as any other term applied to art. Any representation of […]

History of Islamic Art takes its roots in the seventh century and encompasses all types of visual art produced by people who inhabited culturally Islamic territories. Though Islamic art long stayed remarkably loyal to spiritual and religious traditions, it can still be perceived as sophisticated mixture of Arab, Turkish, Persian, and even Roman and Byzantine […]

Buchloh observes the cyclical appearance of action and reaction in art since the advent of Cubism, and infers from this that art reflects somehow the state of society. In the associated readings, the authors make some similar points about the tidal movement between realism and abstraction, although they are not uniformly as focused on the […]

Introduction The word renaissance refers to a change of state or a revival. It is in context the change in cultural activities recorded among the European countries in the early times beginning from fourteenth century to the seventeenth century. The cultural change brought transformation in many aspects of lives. Among the aspects transformed were economics, […]

Buddha image is one of the most prominent and the origin of Asian art work. This image is inclined more towards Buddhist religion which most Hindu’s believe (Krishan 62). Before Buddha image came in to existence, Buddhist never used to worship images or forms. The man behind the religion was called Buddha Vakali and he […]

Every time art movements replace each other, a new, “fresh” tendency rebuts and refutes the old one with enthusiasm and categoricity. However, there is hardly any movement in the history of art that demonstrated as strong aspiration for destroying the “old” and bring the “new” as Futurism. Having emerged in the early 20th century, Futurism […]

Introduction I am a casual fine art enthusiast like majority of the people and I highly appreciate majority of the art movements such as the modernized impressionism, cubism or surrealism. There is a mystery behind minimalism, which I fail to understand. Minimalism is a unique type of art that one can easily fail to understand […]