Art Glossary
Terms, techniques and styles — by category and alphabetically, without repetitions
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Painting 51 
What a picture is made of: paints and grounds, ways of laying a stroke, and work with light, colour and layers.Styles and movements 49 
The great manners and epochs — from gothic and baroque to cubism and minimalism — and how to recognise them in an object.Genres 22 
What a work is about: portrait, landscape, still life, battle scene and other established kinds of subject.Porcelain and ceramics 38 
What porcelain, faience and ceramics are made of and decorated with: bodies, glazes, painting and factory marks.Silver and metal 26 
Working in metal: chasing, niello, filigree, gilding, enamels and the hallmarks used to read a piece.Sculpture and relief 10 
Volume in art: reliefs, cabinet pieces, casting, carving and the poses a figure is built on.Graphic arts and printing 14 
Drawing and the printed sheet: engraving, etching, lithography, screen printing and other ways to pull an impression.Decorative and applied arts 35 
The beauty of objects: glass and stained glass, mosaic, textile, wood, ornament, lacquer and gilding.Market and collecting 10 
How art is sold and collected: the auction, the estimate, the provenance, repetitions and exhibitions.Other 2 
Terms that do not reduce to a single technique: perception, light, and the artist working on the viewer’s senses.
What a picture is made of: paints and grounds, ways of laying a stroke, and work with light, colour and layers.Styles and movements 49 The great manners and epochs — from gothic and baroque to cubism and minimalism — and how to recognise them in an object.Genres 22 What a work is about: portrait, landscape, still life, battle scene and other established kinds of subject.Porcelain and ceramics 38 What porcelain, faience and ceramics are made of and decorated with: bodies, glazes, painting and factory marks.Silver and metal 26 Working in metal: chasing, niello, filigree, gilding, enamels and the hallmarks used to read a piece.Sculpture and relief 10 Volume in art: reliefs, cabinet pieces, casting, carving and the poses a figure is built on.Graphic arts and printing 14 Drawing and the printed sheet: engraving, etching, lithography, screen printing and other ways to pull an impression.Decorative and applied arts 35 The beauty of objects: glass and stained glass, mosaic, textile, wood, ornament, lacquer and gilding.Market and collecting 10 How art is sold and collected: the auction, the estimate, the provenance, repetitions and exhibitions.Other 2 Terms that do not reduce to a single technique: perception, light, and the artist working on the viewer’s senses.AlphabetTerms in total: 257
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Styles and movements Abstraction Artistic movement and method of rejecting realism
Painting Alfreco Painting Alfreco painting is a painting technique in which paints are applied to pre-dried lime plaster. This technique
Painting Alla Prima Painting technique with painting a layer in one session
Silver and metal Amalgam Amalgam is a metal alloy, most often mercury with silver or gold, which was used to coat the surface of object
Genres Animalism Genre of fine art dedicated to the depiction of animals
Styles and movements Antwerp School The Antwerp School is one of the most important artistic associations of the Northern Renaissance. Its center 
Decorative and applied arts Arch Architectural and decorative element
Styles and movements Archaic An early stage in the development of art, characterized by simplicity of forms and stylization.
Styles and movements Archaic Smile A specific type of facial expression in early Ancient Greek sculpture (7th–6th centuries BC)
Styles and movements Art Brut Naive art outside traditional boundaries
Styles and movements Art Deco Style in Art and Design of the Early 20th Century
Other Art Therapy Art Therapy is a treatment method based on the use of various forms of art, such as painting, sculpture, music
Market and collecting Auction House An organization that conducts art auctions
Styles and movements Empire Artistic style in the art of the first half of the 19th century
Painting Ensemble in Painting The Integral Artistic System of a Painting
Silver and metal Openwork Silver Carving Openwork silver carving is an exquisite technique in which the finest patterns are cut from metal, creating th
Genres Self-Portrait Self-Portrait is a special genre in painting where the artist creates an image of themselves. It can be either
Painting Watercolor Watercolor is a painting technique that uses transparent water-soluble pigments applied to paper or other surf
Market and collecting Аукцион Публичная продажа произведений искусства и антиквариата, где цена определяется в ходе торговБ
Porcelain and ceramics Barbotine Technique of Decorative Painting on Porcelain and Faience
Styles and movements Baroque Art style of the 17th–18th centuries with an emphasis on opulence and dynamism
Sculpture and relief Bas-relief Relief sculpture technique for surface decoration
Decorative and applied arts Batik Fabric painting technique using resist agents
Genres Battle Genre Genre of fine art devoted to military scenes
Porcelain and ceramics Biscuit A special kind of unglazed porcelain
Decorative and applied arts Boiserie A type of decorative wood carving used for interior decoration
Decorative and applied arts Plateau Utilitarian and decorative object made of porcelain or silverВ
Genres Byzantine Icon A religious artwork that originated in Byzantium
Painting Eastern Perspective A Special System of Depicting Space in Eastern Art
Painting Oriental Ink Painting Technique and Philosophy of Ink Imagery
Decorative and applied arts Stained Glass Decorative Colored Glazing in Art and Architecture
Genres Vanitas A symbolic genre of still life
Porcelain and ceramics Vazon (Flower Urn) Decorative porcelain container for flowers
Styles and movements Venetian School An outstanding movement in Renaissance painting
Silver and metal Vermeil Silver gilding techniqueГ
Genres Cityscape Depiction of urban views in painting and graphics
Graphic arts and printing Engraving Engraving is a technique of printmaking in which an image is created by cutting or etching (engraving) onto th
Decorative and applied arts Garnish A set of artistic objects made in a single style or design
Silver and metal Georgian Silver Style of silver items in Great Britain from the 18th to the early 19th century
Decorative and applied arts Glass Engraving Glass engraving is the art of creating images, patterns, or inscriptions on a transparent surface using a buri
Porcelain and ceramics Glaze A special technique of treating porcelain surfaces to impart shine and protection
Styles and movements Gothic A medieval artistic style characterized by elongated forms and religious symbolism
Decorative and applied arts Gothic Rose A round stained-glass window in a Gothic church
Painting Gouache Technique using water-soluble paints based on gum arabic
Graphic arts and printing Graphics Graphics is a broad category of artistic creativity encompassing various techniques and materials. It includes
Painting Grisaille Painting in one color or shades of gray
Styles and movements Grotesque Grotesque is a style in art that combines elements of reality and absurdity. It can manifest in various forms:
Silver and metal Guilloché Guilloché is a technique of extremely fine mechanical engraving on metal, most often on silver, which creates 
Sculpture and relief Gypsum Gypsum is a soft, easily workable material widely used in art for creating sculptures and molds. It is a miner
Porcelain and ceramics Gzhel Gzhel is a unique style of folk art, primarily representing specialized ceramics produced in the eponymous reg
Sculpture and relief High Relief A high relief that protrudes from the plane by more than half of its volume.
Styles and movements Hyperrealism An art movement that strives for maximum detail in imagery
Painting Scratching Scratching is a method of creating artistic images by scraping off the upper layers of material with a tool. T
Decorative and applied arts Smoothness Smoothness is a painting technique used to create an even and uniform surface, allowing the viewer to focus on
Decorative and applied arts Tapestry Decorative wall textile panelД
Porcelain and ceramics Decal (Decalcomania) A technique for creating images by transferring a design
Styles and movements Decorative Art An artistic trend emphasizing decorative elements and aesthetics.
Painting Decorative Painting Ornamentation of objects and interiors with painted elements
Porcelain and ceramics Decorative plate Artistic object made of porcelain or faience for interior decoration
Decorative and applied arts Decoupage A technique for decorating with paper cutouts
Porcelain and ceramics Delftware Legendary ceramics decorated with cobalt
Painting Drapery The method of rendering fabric folds in art
Painting Dripping Dripping is a method of creating paintings that originated thanks to the artist Jackson Pollock. The essence oЖ
Genres Genre Painting Depiction of scenes from everyday life in painting
Decorative and applied arts Jardinière Decorative container for flowers or fruit, often made of porcelain or silver
Porcelain and ceramics Porcelain Painting Porcelain painting is the art of creating unique decorations on porcelain items. This method allows the artistЗ
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Styles and movements Arts and Crafts A style of handcrafted artistic work from the late 19th to early 20th century
Painting Illusionism Artistic technique for creating the effect of three-dimensionality and optical deception
Porcelain and ceramics Imari Traditional Japanese style of porcelain painting
Decorative and applied arts Imitation Marble Decorative Technique in Painting and on Objects
Styles and movements Immersive Art Immersive art is a genre of contemporary art that engages viewers in the process of perception, creating the e
Painting Impasto Technique of applying thick layers of paint to canvas
Porcelain and ceramics Imperial Chinese Porcelain Imperial Chinese porcelain is a unique type of porcelain created for the court and the upper classes of societ
Styles and movements Impressionism Impressionism is an artistic movement that emerged in France in the late 19th century. It is characterized by 
Painting Imprimatura Thin first layer of paint on the ground in painting
Decorative and applied arts Intarsia Intarsia is a refined technique of decorative art in which images are created from an assortment of colored wo
Genres Interior Painting A genre depicting the interior spaces of buildingsК
Porcelain and ceramics Bone China A special type of porcelain distinguished by its composition and translucency
Market and collecting Cabinet Collection A personal collection of works of art in small formats
Genres Cabinet Portrait A genre of portrait painting intended for private collections
Sculpture and relief Cabinet sculpture Small sculptural forms intended for interiors and collecting
Silver and metal Cabinet Silver A distinct type of table and decorative silver
Graphic arts and printing Calligraphy Calligraphy is the art of beautiful writing, which has become an important form of self-expression in most cul
Sculpture and relief Cameo Relief image of a profile on stone or in an artifact
Painting Camera obscura Optical device for projecting an image onto a surface
Porcelain and ceramics Campana Special type of conical porcelain items
Styles and movements Canon Classical artistic style, adherence to established models
Sculpture and relief Capital Decorative upper part of a column in architecture and art
Genres Capriccio Genre in painting of architectural fantasy
Decorative and applied arts Cartouche A decorative element in the form of a shield or scroll bearing an inscription or ornament
Porcelain and ceramics Ceramics Ceramics is an artistic direction associated with the creation of objects from clay with subsequent firing. Th
Styles and movements Classicism An art style turned to the ideals of antiquity and harmony
Silver and metal Cloisonné Enamel decoration technique using metal partitions
Porcelain and ceramics Cobalt Artistic technique of decoration on porcelain with cobalt-based paints.
Styles and movements Collage Collage is a unique technique in art that involves creating an artwork by joining various materials and object
Painting Composition The combination of elements of art to achieve unity
Styles and movements Contemporary Art A modern movement in art that emerged in the second half of the 20th century
Sculpture and relief Contrapposto A technique in sculpture and painting composition for conveying movement and naturalness of pose
Painting Contrast A technique for creating expressiveness through the opposition of elements
Painting Contre-jour Artistic technique of dramatic lighting of the subject from behind
Sculpture and relief Counter-relief A type of relief where the image is recessed into the material.
Porcelain and ceramics Craquelure A feature of ceramic and porcelain items
Painting Craquelure A network of fine cracks on the surface of paintings or porcelain
Styles and movements Cubism Avant-garde movement in the visual arts of the 20th century
Decorative and applied arts Icon Case Decorative icon case for icons
Painting Intimacy Genre of fine art in small forms
Styles and movements Kinetic Art Kinetic art is a direction in contemporary art where movement or the illusion of movement becomes a key elemen
Market and collecting Picture Gallery Picture Gallery is a special room intended for exhibiting paintings. Such galleries can be both public and pri
Silver and metal Silver Hallmarking A method of identifying and attributing silver items
Graphic arts and printing Woodcut A printing technique in which an impression is made from a wooden blockЛ
Painting Glazing Method of applying transparent paints in layers
Decorative and applied arts Lacquer Miniature Traditional lacquer painting on decorative and applied art objects
Decorative and applied arts Lacquer Painting A decorative technique using layers of lacquer
Painting Lacuna A lost or unfilled fragment of painting
Graphic arts and printing Linocut Linocut is a printing process based on carving an image from a soft material called linoleum. This technique a
Decorative and applied arts Lunette Semicircular composition above doors and windows
Porcelain and ceramics Luster A special technique of applying metallic shine to porcelain
Porcelain and ceramics Plastic Decoration on Porcelain Technique of volumetric ornamentation of porcelain items.М
Styles and movements Art Nouveau Artistic movement of the turn of the 19th–20th centuries
Painting Brushstroke A method of applying paint that shapes the texture and expressiveness of the canvas
Painting Easel Portable stand for artist's canvases and boards
Porcelain and ceramics Majolica Majolica is a type of ceramics decorated with bright opaque glaze, most often lead-tin. The surface is white, 
Styles and movements Mannerism A style in 16th-century European art that arose between the Renaissance and Baroque.
Graphic arts and printing Marbling Marbling is an ancient technique in which paints are applied to the surface of water or a viscous liquid, and 
Genres Marina A genre depicting sea views, ships, and coastal scenes
Decorative and applied arts Marquetry Decorative wood inlay technique
Porcelain and ceramics Matte Glaze A special method of coating porcelain or ceramic items
Porcelain and ceramics Meissen Porcelain Legendary European Porcelain of the 18th Century
Porcelain and ceramics Miniature on Porcelain An art form of painting on small porcelain surfaces
Styles and movements Minimalism Minimalism is a style in art and design that emerged in the mid-20th century, characterized by simplicity of f
Painting Mizanabim Mizanabim is an artistic technique used to create the initial layer of a drawing that sets the overall tone an
Styles and movements Modernism Modernism is one of the most significant artistic movements of the 20th century, representing not just a style
Silver and metal Mokume-gane Mokume-gane is a Japanese decorative forging technique where layers of different metals are combined, creating
Painting Monochrome Painting The technique of using a single color in different shades
Graphic arts and printing Monotype An original technique for creating a single print of ink on paper
Painting Palette knife Artistic tool for painting and creating texture
Porcelain and ceramics Porcelain Mark System of signs on porcelain items for determining the manufacturer and age
Silver and metal Silver Matting A special type of silver finish with a velvet-like, non-reflective surfaceН
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Graphic arts and printing Etching A printmaking technique using acid to bite into a metal plate
Decorative and applied arts Ormolu The Art of Gilt Bronze in Decorative Arts
Decorative and applied arts Ornament Decorative system for embellishing the surface of a silver item
Porcelain and ceramics Tin Glaze Tin glaze is an opaque white coating that appeared in the Middle Ages and changed European ceramics. It contaiП
Genres Bust Portrait A type of portrait depicting a person from the waist up or higher
Genres Double Portrait Double Portrait is a type of portrait genre where the artist depicts two people, most often related by kinship
Painting Palette A tool for mixing and selecting paints
Decorative and applied arts Panel Panel is the art of creating large decorative or artistic works that are placed on walls or other surfaces. Mo
Styles and movements Paris School International artistic community of the first half of the 20th century
Genres Parsuna Early form of portrait in Russian painting of the 17th century
Painting Pastel Artistic technique and material for painting and drawing
Painting Pastel Tones A feature of the color palette in artistic porcelain
Genres Pastoral A genre in art that celebrates idyllic rural life.
Silver and metal Patination A technique for artificially aging the surface of silver items
Silver and metal Patinа The natural patina of time on works of art and antiques
Painting Perspective A method of conveying depth and space on a flat surface.
Painting Plein Air Painting Outdoors
Styles and movements Pointillism Pointillism is a unique painting technique that originated in France at the end of the 19th century. The found
Decorative and applied arts Polychromy Multicolored painting in art and decorative objects
Genres Portrait Miniature A special form of portrait painting in small formats
Styles and movements Post-Impressionism Post-Impressionism is not just a continuation of Impressionism, but a unique stage in the history of art that 
Decorative and applied arts Potale Imitation of gold or silver leaf in decor and art
Painting Proportions A system of relationships between parts of a composition and a figure
Market and collecting Provenance The History of an Art Object's Origin
Silver and metal Puncheon Tool for creating relief in metal and silver
Silver and metal Puncheoner Specialist in processing silver or other metal items by means of punching
Styles and movements Purism The pursuit of purity of form and rejection of excess
Silver and metal Silver fineness Silver fineness is a hallmarking system used to determine the silver content in an item. It indicates the perc
Genres Three-Quarter Portrait A Special Angle for Painting Portraits
Porcelain and ceramics Underglaze painting Technique of decorating ceramics and porcelain with paints before glaze application
Painting Underpainting The stage of preliminary painting of a picture to create a baseР
Decorative and applied arts Floral Ornament A decorative motif inspired by plant forms
Market and collecting Rarity A rare item of particular value to collectors
Porcelain and ceramics Relief on Porcelain A special technique for decorating porcelain items
Styles and movements Renaissance Period of flourishing of arts and humanism in the 15th–16th centuries
Market and collecting Replica An exact copy of a work of art with the aim of recreating the original.
Silver and metal Repoussé Metalworking technique in decorative art
Genres Retablo Traditional painted panel adorning the altar
Silver and metal Reticulation Feature of Formation of Network Cracks on Antique Silver
Styles and movements Retro Style A direction that uses motifs and aesthetics of past eras
Market and collecting Retrospective Exhibition format dedicated to an overview of an artist's or movement's work
Painting Rhythm in Composition Repetition of elements to create dynamics in works of art
Styles and movements Rocaille Decorative style in 18th-century art
Styles and movements Rococo Style of decorative and elegant art of the 18th century
Decorative and applied arts Ruby Glass A unique technique for coloring glass in a rich red hueС
Porcelain and ceramics Blue and White Porcelain Blue and White Porcelain is a unique phenomenon that emerged in the 13th–14th centuries. Its distinctive featu
Porcelain and ceramics Celadon A traditional type of glazed ceramics with a characteristic green hue
Painting Chiaroscuro A method of conveying volume and depth through the interplay of light and shadow
Painting Dry brush A special method of painting with watercolor or oil
Painting Easel Painting Easel painting is a style of painting in which the artist creates a work on a portable canvas or wood mounted 
Painting Mixed Media The combination of various artistic materials and techniques in a single work
Styles and movements Northern Renaissance Art movement of the Renaissance in Northern Europe
Silver and metal Regency Silver Distinctive style of early 19th-century English silver
Sculpture and relief Sculptural Group Composition of Several Figures in Sculpture
Styles and movements Secession Creative association in art of the late 19th — early 20th century
Silver and metal Selective Gilding Technology for decorating silver items
Painting Sepia Sepia is a refined technique based on soft brown tones obtained from natural or artificial pigments. Initially
Painting Sfumato Painting technique for creating soft transitions between colors
Decorative and applied arts Sgraffito Sgraffito is an original technique that combines painting and engraving. Its essence lies in applying several 
Genres Silhouette Artistic technique based on depicting an object as a shadow.
Decorative and applied arts Smalti mosaic Smalti mosaic is an ancient decorative technique in which an image is created from tiny pieces of colored glas
Styles and movements Surrealism Avant-garde artistic movement of the 20th century
Styles and movements Syncretism Syncretism is the unification of elements from various styles, techniques, and cultural traditions within a si
Other Synesthesia Synesthesia is a unique phenomenon where one sense arises from the stimulation of another. In art, this can ma
Styles and movements Synthetism A method in painting that combines various techniques and stylesТ
Painting Brushstroke Brushstroke is a technique of applying paint with a brush, important for conveying mood and texture in paintin
Silver and metal Snuffbox Small decorative box for storing tobacco, an object of decorative art
Painting Tempera The most ancient painting technique using egg yolk
Styles and movements Tenebrism Tenebrism is an artistic technique that uses sharp contrasts of light and shadow to create dramatic expression
Porcelain and ceramics Terracotta Terracotta is a type of ceramic made from clay, fired at a high temperature, usually in a red-orange color. It
Genres Tondo Circular form of an artwork
Painting Trompe-l'œil Optical Illusion in Visual Art
Painting Warm and Cool Colors A way to divide and perceive colors in artФ
Decorative and applied arts Bevel Technique for finishing the edges of glass, porcelain, or silver items
Porcelain and ceramics Faience Type of ceramic with a porous base
Porcelain and ceramics Faience Plastic Art A form of decorative and applied art
Styles and movements Figurative Art Visual art that depicts recognizable objects and forms
Silver and metal Filigree (Scan) Fine technique of openwork wire pattern in artistic silver
Styles and movements Flemish School Flemish School — one of the most brilliant artistic movements of the Renaissance, which originated in Northern
Decorative and applied arts Florentine Mosaic A Unique Technique of Artistic Stone Inlay
Painting Fresco Fresco is a painting technique in which paints are applied to freshly mixed lime plaster. This technique, know
Porcelain and ceramics Frit Frit is a special glassy powder used in ceramics to create glaze. At high temperatures, the frit melts, formin
Porcelain and ceramics Frit porcelain A type of porcelain with added frit for special luster and plasticity
Graphic arts and printing Frottage A graphic technique for obtaining an imprint of textured surfaces
Styles and movements Futurism An avant-garde movement in 20th-century art
Porcelain and ceramics Porcelain Porcelain is a high-quality ceramic material made from white clay, quartz, and feldspar. It is easily recogniz
Porcelain and ceramics Porcelain Figurine An object of decorative and applied art made of porcelain
Painting Texture A feature of the painting's surface created by brushstroke, relief, or materialХ
Market and collecting Art Auction Art Auction is an event where works of art, antiques, and collectibles are put up for sale and sold through pu
Sculpture and relief Artistic cast iron Decorative technique for making artistic cast iron products
Silver and metal Cold enamel A technique for decorating items that imitates true enamel on metal or porcelainЧ
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Graphic arts and printing Burin Burin is the main tool of an engraver, with which the master cuts lines on metal, creating elegant images and 
Genres Caricature A witty depiction of a person with exaggerated features
Porcelain and ceramics Chamotte Technical Additive and Artistic Technique in Ceramic Art
Styles and movements Chinoiserie European artistic style with motifs of Chinese art
Graphic arts and printing Line Engraving A traditional method of creating images with lines on metal or wood
Graphic arts and printing Serigraphy Serigraphy is a printing method that uses a stencil to transfer ink through a mesh onto a surface. This techni
Styles and movements Shabby Chic Decorative style in art and design
Decorative and applied arts Shibori Traditional Japanese fabric dyeing technique
Decorative and applied arts Shtof Traditional vessel for storing and serving drinks, often artistically decoratedЭ
Styles and movements Eclecticism Mix of diverse styles and forms in 19th-20th century art
Decorative and applied arts Eglomise Technique of artistic glass decoration from the reverse side
Silver and metal Enamel A technique for decorating objects with colored glass coatings
Silver and metal Enamel miniature Decorative technique of painting on metal with colored enamels
Painting Encaustic Ancient painting technique using molten wax
Porcelain and ceramics Engobe Engobe is a liquid clay applied to the biscuit of a piece before firing. It is used to smooth the surface and 
Graphic arts and printing Estampage A technique for obtaining impressions in decorative and applied arts
Market and collecting Estimate (Appraisal) Method for determining the potential market value of art
Styles and movements Expressionism An art movement expressing inner emotions through distortion of form and color
Painting Study A quick sketch from life to capture impressions
Graphic arts and printing Éstamp A graphic work produced by printing from a plate