The Great Wave off Kanagawa by Hokusai(Japanese, 1760–1849), colored woodcut print.

Forms, genres, media, and styles Main article: The arts

Art tends to facilitate intuitive rather than rational understanding, and is usually consciously created with this intention.^{[citation needed]}Fine art intentionally serves no other purpose.^{[dubious – discuss]} As a result of this impetus, works of art are elusive, refractive to attempts at classification, because they can be appreciated in more than one way, and are often susceptible to many different interpretations. In the case of Géricault's Raft of the Medusa, special knowledge concerning the shipwreck that the painting depicts is not a prerequisite to appreciating it, but allows the appreciation of Géricault's political intentions in the piece. Even art that superficially depicts a mundane event or object, may invite reflection upon elevated themes.

Traditionally, the highest achievements of art demonstrate a high level of ability or fluency within a medium. This characteristic might be considered a point of contention, since many modern artists (most notably, conceptual artists) do not themselves create the works they conceive, or do not even create the work in a conventional, demonstrative sense. Art has a transformative capacity: it confers particularly appealing or aesthetically satisfying structures or forms upon an original set of unrelated, passive constituents.

The western Age of Enlightenment

The western Age of Enlightenment in the 18th century saw artistic depictions of physical and rational certainties of the clockwork universe, as well as politically revolutionary visions of a post-monarchist world, such as Blake's portrayal of Newton as a divine geometer, or David's propagandistic paintings. This led to Romantic rejections of this in favor of pictures of the emotional side and individuality of humans, exemplified in the novels of Goethe. The late 19th century then saw a host of artistic movements, such as academic art, Symbolism,impressionism and fauvism among others.

Painting by Song Dynasty artist Ma Lin, c. 1250. 24,8 × 25,2 cm.

The stylized signature of SultanMahmud II of the Ottoman Empire was written in Arabic calligraphy. It readsMahmud Khan son of Abdulhamid is forever victorious.

In the east,

In the east, Islamic art's rejection of iconography led to emphasis on geometric patterns,calligraphy, and architecture. Further east, religion dominated artistic styles and forms too. India and Tibet saw emphasis on painted sculptures and dance, while religious painting borrowed many conventions from sculpture and tended to bright contrasting colors with emphasis on outlines. China saw the flourishing of many art forms: jade carving, bronzework, pottery (including the stunning terracotta army of Emperor Qin), poetry, calligraphy, music, painting, drama, fiction, etc. Chinese styles vary greatly from era to era and each one is traditionally named after the ruling dynasty. So, for example, Tang Dynasty paintings are monochromatic and sparse, emphasizing idealized landscapes, but Ming Dynasty paintings are busy and colorful, and focus on telling stories via setting and composition. Japan names its styles after imperial dynasties too, and also saw much interplay between the styles of calligraphy and painting. Woodblock printing became important in Japan after the 17th century.

Sculptures, cave paintings, rock paintings, and petroglyphs

Many great traditions in art have a foundation in the art of one of the great ancient civilizations: Ancient Egypt,Mesopotamia, Persia, India, China, Ancient Greece, Rome, as well as Inca, Maya, and Olmec. Each of these centers of early civilization developed a unique and characteristic style in its art. Because of the size and duration of these civilizations, more of their art works have survived and more of their influence has been transmitted to other cultures and later times.

Cave painting of a horse from theLascaux caves, c. 16,000 BP.

History Main article: History of art

Venus of Willendorf, circa 24,000–22,000 BP.

Sculptures, cave paintings, rock paintings, and petroglyphs from the Upper Paleolithic dating to roughly 40,000 years ago have been found, but the precise meaning of such art is often disputed because so little is known about the cultures that produced them. The oldest art objects in the world—a series of tiny, drilled snail shells about 75,000 years old—were discovered in a South African cave.^[11]

The second and more recent sense of the word art is as an abbreviation for creative art or fine art. Fine art means that a skill is being used to express the artist's creativity, or to engage the audience's aesthetic sensibilities,

20th-century Rwandan bottle. Artistic works may serve practical functions, in addition to their decorative value.


Art can describe several things: a study of creative skill, a process of using the creative skill, a product of the creative skill, or the audience's experience with the creative skill. The creative arts (art as discipline) are a collection of disciplines (arts) that produceartworks (art as objects) that are compelled by a personal drive (art as activity) and echo or reflect a message, mood, or symbolism for the viewer to interpret (art as experience). 

regardless of its apparent purpose. A cup, which ostensibly can be used as a container, may be considered art if intended

 regardless of its apparent purpose. A cup, which ostensibly can be used as a container, may be considered art if intended

Works of art worldwide can tell stories or simply express an aesthetic truth or feeling. Panorama of Along the River During the Qingming Festival, an 18th-century reproduction of the 12th-century original by Zhang Zeduan

Philosopher Richard Wollheim distinguishes three approaches to assessing the aesthetic value of art

Evaluation

Mozarabic Beatus miniature; Spain, late 10th century.