Like building blocks, from Realism to Lowbrow, these different types of art are interconnected.
As the creative pendulum swings, artistic styles are often reactions against or homages to their predecessors.
These visual art movements are fundamental to understanding the different types of art that shape modern history.
Cornaro Chapel, Santa Maria della Vittoria, Rome
Toward the end of the Renaissance, theBaroquemovementemerged in Italy.
Like the preceding genre, Baroque art showcased artistic interests in realism and rich color.
Unlike Renaissance art and architecture, however, Baroque works also emphasized extravagance.
Michelangelo, “David,” 1501 – 1504 (Photo: Jörg Bittner Unna viaWikimedia Commons,CC BY-SA 3.0)
This opulence is evident inBaroque painting, sculpture, and architecture.
Painters likeCaravaggiosuggested drama through their treatment of light and depiction of movement.
Sculptors likeBerniniachieved a sense of theatricality through dynamic contours and intricate drapery.
“The Ecstasy of St. Teresa” by Bernini. 1647-1652. Cornaro Chapel, Santa Maria della Vittoria, Rome
And architects across Europe embellished their designs with ornamentation ranging from intricate carvings to imposing columns.
Artists likeEugene Delacroixfound inspiration in their own imaginations.
This introspective approach lent itself to an art form that predominantly explored the spiritual.
Jean-Honoré Fragonard, “The Swing,” 1767 (Photo:Wikimedia Commons, Public domain)
This initial underground exhibition, which took place in 1874, allowed them to gain public favor.
This time, artists reacted against the need for naturalistic depictions of light and color in Impressionist art.
The French Art Nouveau style was embraced by artists working in a range of mediums.
Jacques-Louis David, “The Oath of the Horatii,” 1784–5 (Photo:Wikimedia Commons, Public domain)
In addition to the fine arts, like painting and sculpture, it featured heavily inarchitectureanddecorative artsof the period.
This reduction of images to minimal lines and shapes was part of the Cubist quest for simplification.
This was a clear break from the use of perspective, which has been the standard since the Renaissance.
Eugène Delacroix, “Liberty Leading the People,” 1830 (Photo:Wikimedia Commons, Public domain)
A hallmark of Futurist art is the depiction of speed and movement.
Though it is most closely associated with Germany, it attracted and inspired artists of all backgrounds.
Bauhausliterally translated to construction houseoriginated as a German school of the arts in the early 20th century.
Jean-François Millet, “The Gleaners,” 1857 (Photo:Google Arts & CultureviaWikimedia Commons, Public domain)
Paintings produced in the Art Deco style typically feature bold forms and busy compositions.
Some, like those by Polish-born painter Tamara de Lempicka, depict dynamic portraits of stylish subjects.
Typically, these figures are dressed in bright colors and set in abstract metropolitan locations.
Claude Monet, “Water Lilies,” 1906 (Photo:Wikimedia Commons, Public domain)
MoMA, New York.
Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York.
Abstract Expressionismis an American art movementthe first to explode on an international scalethat started after World War II.
Vincent van Gogh, “The Starry Night,” 1889 (Photo:Wikimedia Commons, Public domain)
The term Abstract Expressionism, though closely married to Pollocks work, isnt limited to one specific style.
Installations are three-dimensional constructions that play with space to interactively engage viewers.
Today, contemporary artists keep his practice alive, crafting experimental installations from mediums likestring,paper, andflowers.
Alphonse Mucha, “Four Seasons,” 1897 (Photo:Wikimedia Commons, Public domain)
In contemporary terms,kinetic artencompasses sculptures and installations that have movement as their primary consideration.
Photorealismis a style of art that is concerned with the technical ability to wow viewers.
Similar to Pop Art, Photorealism is often focused on imagery related to consumer culture.
Pablo Picasso, “Les Demoiselles d’Avignon,” 1907 (Photo:Wikimedia Commons, Fair Use)
A common thread is that all works must start with a photographic reference point.
Giacomo Balla, “Dynamism of a Dog on a Leash,” 1912 (Photo:Wikimedia Commons, Public domain)
Marcel Duchamp, “Fountain,” 1917 (Photo:Wikimedia Commons, Public domain)
Poster for the Bauhaus movement by Joos Schmidt, 1923 (Photo:Wikimedia Commons, Public domain)
© 2019 Tamara Art Heritage / ADAGP, Paris / ARS, NY
“The Persistence of Memory” by Salvador Dalí. 1931. MoMA, New York.
“Autumn Rhythm (Number 30)” by Jackson Pollock. 1950. Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York.
“The Souls of Millions of Light Years Away” by Yayoi Kusama
“Rouge Triomphant (Triumphant Red)” by Alexander Calder. 1959–1965.
“Untitled” by Yigal Ozeri. 2012.
