modern art movement

A modern art movement is a distinct style or philosophy of visual art that emerged roughly between the 1860s and 1970s, characterized by shared techniques, subjects, or ideological aims among artists.

Impressionism, Cubism, Surrealism, and Abstract Expressionism are canonical examples.

Each movement typically arose in reaction to what preceded it: The Dada movement rejected the logic and aesthetics that had led to World War I.

The term distinguishes these historical movements from contemporary art, which follows them.