works of art
Museum's prized holdings
Works of art are objects created primarily for aesthetic appreciation rather than practical function—paintings, sculptures, photographs, installations.
The phrase often implies cultural or artistic significance: The museum acquired several important works of art.
Calling something a work of art can be high praise for exceptional craft or beauty: That goal was a work of art.
Renaissance portrait, famously inscrutable
- Starry NightSwirling celestial landscape painting
- GuernicaBasque town attacked aerially
- DavidMasculine Hebrew name
- Sistine ChapelVatican worship hall
The Birth of Venus · The Night Watch · The Thinker · American Gothic · The Kiss · The Great Wave · Terracotta Army · Taj Mahal
Heavy woven cloth
- sculptureShaped three-dimensional art
- paletteSurface for mixing pigments
- studioCreative professional's workspace
- easelUpright frame for paintings
brushstrokes · sketching · drafting · molding · carving · etching · glazing · weaving
Public exhibit space
- gallerySpace for displaying artwork
- exhibitItem publicly displayed
- curatorCollection overseer
- collectionGathered set of items
acquisition · conservation · restoration · provenance · catalogue · docent · retrospective · vernissage
Style prioritizing perception
- surrealismIrrational, dreamlike aesthetic
- realismAccepting things as they are
- cubismGeometric, fragmented visual style
- expressionismDistorting reality for emotion
dadaism · abstract · figurative · baroque · renaissance · minimalism · romanticism · neoclassical
Concerning beauty or art
- beautyAesthetic excellence
- eleganceRefined, graceful quality
- sublimeAwe-inspiring greatness
- harmonyAgreement or musical blend
composition · masterful · exquisite · captivating · stunning · evocative · provocative · moving
Inherited cultural legacy
- traditionCustom passed through generations
- artifactsHuman-made historical objects
- symbolismRepresenting concepts through images
- iconographyAnalysis of artistic symbols
patrimony · multicultural · diversity · indigenous · sacred · ceremonial · narrative · mythology
Mona Lisa
Renaissance portrait, famously inscrutable
- Starry NightSwirling celestial landscape painting
- GuernicaBasque town attacked aerially
- DavidMasculine Hebrew name
Sistine Chapel · The Birth of Venus · The Night Watch · The Thinker · American Gothic · The Kiss · The Great Wave · Terracotta Army · Taj Mahal · Book of Kells
canvas
Heavy woven cloth
- sculptureShaped three-dimensional art
- paletteSurface for mixing pigments
- studioCreative professional's workspace
easel · brushstrokes · sketching · drafting · molding · carving · etching · glazing · weaving · blending
museum
Public exhibit space
collection · acquisition · conservation · restoration · provenance · catalogue · docent · retrospective · vernissage · auction
impressionism
Style prioritizing perception
- surrealismIrrational, dreamlike aesthetic
- realismAccepting things as they are
- cubismGeometric, fragmented visual style
expressionism · dadaism · abstract · figurative · baroque · renaissance · minimalism · romanticism · neoclassical · futurism
aesthetic
Concerning beauty or art
harmony · composition · masterful · exquisite · captivating · stunning · evocative · provocative · moving · timeless
heritage
Inherited cultural legacy
- traditionCustom passed through generations
- artifactsHuman-made historical objects
- symbolismRepresenting concepts through images
iconography · patrimony · multicultural · diversity · indigenous · sacred · ceremonial · narrative · mythology · identity
works of arthousehold items
Objects used domestically
commodities · consumer goods · kitsch · appliances · tools
works of artjunk
Worthless discarded items
trash · knockoffs · reproductions · kitsch · schlock
works of artnatural phenomena
Occurrences without human cause
raw materials · found objects · wilderness · organic matter · geological formations
work, art, artist, works, artistic, artwork, artisan, artists, artisans