non-figurative
Not symbolic, concrete
Non-figurative describes art that doesn't represent recognizable objects, people, or scenes from the physical world.
The term is nearly synonymous with abstract, though non-figurative emphasizes what the work avoids rather than what it achieves: The gallery specializes in non-figurative painting.
A non-figurative sculpture uses form and material without depicting anything identifiable.
Depicting recognizable subjects
- realisticTrue to life
- objectivePurpose or goal
- naturalisticImitating actual appearance
- literalMeaning exactly what's said
mimetic · academic · illusionistic · verisimilitude · realist · traditional · photorealistic · lifelike
Meaning exactly what's said
- denotativePertaining to explicit meaning
- plainBasic and unremarkable
- directUndeviating or to guide
- straightforwardClear and uncomplicated
prosaic · concrete · explicit · unembellished · matter-of-fact · precise · exact · unadorned
representational
Depicting recognizable subjects
- realisticTrue to life
- objectivePurpose or goal
- naturalisticImitating actual appearance
literal · mimetic · academic · illusionistic · verisimilitude · realist · traditional · photorealistic · lifelike · depictive
literal
Meaning exactly what's said
- denotativePertaining to explicit meaning
- plainBasic and unremarkable
- directUndeviating or to guide
straightforward · prosaic · concrete · explicit · unembellished · matter-of-fact · precise · exact · unadorned · factual
non-figurativefigurative
Representing through imagery
representational · figurative art · realistic · naturalistic · realism
non-figurativefigurative
Representing through imagery
metaphorical · symbolic · allegorical · idiomatic · poetic
non, figure, figurative, figuratively, figuration, figured, figures, figuring, prefigure