decorative arts
Beautiful functional objects
Decorative arts are art forms concerned with the design and ornamentation of functional objects—furniture, ceramics, textiles, glassware, metalwork.
The term distinguishes these crafts from "fine arts" like painting and sculpture, which exist primarily for contemplation rather than use.
The museum's decorative arts collection includes 18th-century porcelain and Art Nouveau jewelry.
- craftsmanshipSkill in making objects
- ceramicsHardened clay objects
- fine chinaDelicate ceramic tableware
- textilesWoven or knit materials
- potteryFired clay objects
cloisonné · majolica · ornamentation · carving · wrought iron · lacquerware · faience · illuminated manuscripts · blown glass · furniture · inlaid wood · folk art · gilding · applied arts · toleware · scrimshaw · boiserie · tapestry
- cultural heritagefolklore, traditions, customs, folk music revival, museum collections
- Craft MovementsArt Nouveau, Bauhaus, maker movement, metalsmithing, glassblowing
- artfine art, Renaissance, painters, masterpieces, paint
- Art & Culturepainting, sculpture, music, dance, theater
- artsartist, creativity, expression, songs, painting
- fine artsfine art, fine arts, painting, visual arts, sculpture
decorative artsmachinery
Collective mechanical equipment
utilitarian design · functional design · industrial design · functional · utilitarian
decorative artsfine arts
Creative visual disciplines
high art · conceptual art · sculpture · performance art · beaux-arts
decorative artsplain
Basic and unremarkable
simple · unadorned · utilitarian design · minimalism · functional
decorate, artistic, decoration, decorative, decorating, adorned, decorator