piece of art
Gallery display item
A piece of art is any individual work of visual art—a painting, sculpture, photograph, or installation.
The phrase is neutral and descriptive, used when discussing specific works: The museum acquired a new piece of art for its collection.
It avoids the evaluative weight of calling something simply "art" or "artwork," which might imply judgment about quality or significance.
Shaped three-dimensional art
- drawingMarks forming a picture
- photographImage from a camera
- printTransfer text to paper
- installationProcess of putting in
mural · relief · bust · figurine · statue · portrait · landscape · still life
Heavy woven cloth
- oil paintPigment bound with linseed
- acrylicSynthetic resin or fiber
- watercolorTranslucent paint medium
- marbleRecrystallized limestone rock
bronze · clay · charcoal · pastel · fresco · tempera · gouache · ink
Public exhibit space
- gallerySpace for displaying artwork
- exhibitionPublic display of items
- collectionGathered set of items
- curatorCollection overseer
collector · patron · commission · auction · appraisal · provenance · authenticity · restoration
Maker of creative works
- visionAbility to see
- inspirationSource of creative impulse
- creativityCapacity for original thought
- expressionConveyed thought or feeling
imagination · concept · process · studio · atelier · palette · easel · model
Concerning beauty or art
- beautifulExtremely pleasing aesthetically
- strikingNoticeably impressive
- evocativeTending to summon memories
- provocativeMeant to provoke response
iconic · timeless · seminal · acclaimed · exquisite · sublime · powerful · haunting
Marks left by painting
- compositionArranged elements forming whole
- perspectiveAttitude or spatial rendering
- shadingDepicting light and darkness
- textureSurface tactile quality
layering · glazing · impasto · chiaroscuro · underpainting · stippling · cross-hatching · blending
Condensed version of text
- surrealismIrrational, dreamlike aesthetic
- expressionismDistorting reality for emotion
- cubismGeometric, fragmented visual style
- minimalismAesthetic of reduction
impressionism · realism · baroque · renaissance · romanticism · contemporary · modernism · postmodernism
sculpture
Shaped three-dimensional art
- drawingMarks forming a picture
- photographImage from a camera
- printTransfer text to paper
installation · mural · relief · bust · figurine · statue · portrait · landscape · still life · triptych
canvas
Heavy woven cloth
- oil paintPigment bound with linseed
- acrylicSynthetic resin or fiber
- watercolorTranslucent paint medium
marble · bronze · clay · charcoal · pastel · fresco · tempera · gouache · ink · mixed media
museum
Public exhibit space
- gallerySpace for displaying artwork
- exhibitionPublic display of items
- collectionGathered set of items
curator · collector · patron · commission · auction · appraisal · provenance · authenticity · restoration · conservation
artist
Maker of creative works
- visionAbility to see
- inspirationSource of creative impulse
- creativityCapacity for original thought
expression · imagination · concept · process · studio · atelier · palette · easel · model · subject
aesthetic
Concerning beauty or art
- beautifulExtremely pleasing aesthetically
- strikingNoticeably impressive
- evocativeTending to summon memories
provocative · iconic · timeless · seminal · acclaimed · exquisite · sublime · powerful · haunting · moving
brushstrokes
Marks left by painting
- compositionArranged elements forming whole
- perspectiveAttitude or spatial rendering
- shadingDepicting light and darkness
texture · layering · glazing · impasto · chiaroscuro · underpainting · stippling · cross-hatching · blending · casting
abstract
Condensed version of text
- surrealismIrrational, dreamlike aesthetic
- expressionismDistorting reality for emotion
- cubismGeometric, fragmented visual style
minimalism · impressionism · realism · baroque · renaissance · romanticism · contemporary · modernism · postmodernism · dadaism
piece of arttool
Device for a task
appliance · commodity · equipment · instrument · hardware
piece of artnatural object
Thing occurring in nature
found object · accident · raw material · happenstance · random occurrence
piece of artpiece of junk
Worthless or broken thing
piece of garbage · garbage · trash · rubbish · waste
art, piece, painting, pieces, carving, artwork, masterpiece, piecing, tapestry