Art

Art
It can be a painting in a museum or a

sculpture in a park. Or maybe a movie that
knocks your socks off. It can be a painted
Chinese screen, an African mask, a Persian
rug, or ancient Egyptian jewelry. Or a
photo that captures a moment in history. It
might be a construction made out of
automobile parts. It’s all art.
WHAT IS ART?
We call lots of things art today. We use the

term visual arts to describe the arts we can
see. Painting, sculpture, and architecture
have long been the major visual arts in
Europe and North America. Today, we
include photography, furniture, pottery,
jewelry, and many other arts and crafts
among the visual arts.
Sometimes we speak of the fine arts—

other forms of expression that appeal to our
sense of beauty and form. This broader
category includes literature, music, and
dance, in addition to the visual arts.
PAINTING, SCULPTURE, AND

ARCHITECTURE
Painting, sculpture, and architecture have

all been around for a long time. We tend to
consider them the most important forms of
art.
People painted and drew on the walls of

caves during the Stone Age, as long as
32,000 years ago. They made pictures of
animals—probably the animals they
hunted for food.
Over time, artists started painting different

subjects. They painted landscapes, portraits
of people, religious figures, and still lifes
(fruit, flowers, and other objects that don’t
move).
Sculpture is as old as painting. The first

sculptures we know about are small human
figures. The human figure remained the
most popular subject of sculpture until the
20th century. Today, sculptors are
concerned more with the materials of
sculpture than with subjects. They even
make sculptures out of junk and other
objects they find lying around.
Architecture is both an art and a science—
the art and science of making buildings.
Rulers and religions are responsible for
putting up some of the most impressive
buildings in the world. Rulers built
magnificent palaces to display their wealth
and power. Religions need churches,
mosques, temples, and other structures as
places of worship. Religious buildings also
celebrate the mysteries of religion.
WHY DO WE MAKE ART?
Everybody likes to draw, swoosh paint

around with their fingers or a brush, or
model things out of clay. The desire to
make art is universal. People make art
everywhere, and they seem to have been
doing it for as long as they’ve been around.
One of the main reasons for making art is
pleasure. We enjoy making art and we
enjoy looking at it. We find beauty in art,
and that gives us pleasure. We also admire
the skill and imagination that go into
making art.
Art has served other purposes, too. Think

about portraits—pictures of people. Before
there were cameras, a portrait was how
people remembered someone who wasn’t
there.
Portraits of rulers made them look

powerful to impress their subjects. History
paintings reminded people of victories in
battle and other important events.
Sculptures also commemorated rulers and
victories.
Before many people could read, art
instructed and educated. For example,
stained glass windows in churches were
meant to teach people stories in the Bible.
Many paintings from the past show
religious scenes.
NEW IDEAS ABOUT ART
Our ideas about art changed during the

1900s. Technology expanded our notions
of art. Photographs and film are new kinds
of art that developed from new inventions.
Today, people also create art on computers.
Artists also changed our ideas about art. In

1913, French artist Marcel Duchamp put a
bicycle wheel on display in an art gallery.
Nobody considered it art at the time. But
Duchamp claimed it was art because he
said so.
What did Duchamp mean? He meant that

he had changed how we look at the bicycle
wheel by putting it in a gallery. We could
now see the wheel as a beautiful object, not
just as a bicycle part. He turned other
everyday objects into art to make people
look at things differently.
Some artists decided to get rid of subject

matter. They focused instead on shapes,
lines, colors, and other elements of art.
These artists made what we call abstract
art. You can’t see objects in abstract art.
But you can respond to colors and shapes.
Perhaps they make you feel happy or sad.
Art museums also broadened our ideas of
art. They began to display the arts that add
beauty to our homes and our bodies. These
so-called decorative arts include furniture,
pottery, glass, fashion, and jewelry.
AT THE ART MUSEUM
Don’t try to take in too much when you

visit a museum. You’ll just get tired. Find
something you like to look at. Make
comparisons.
Perhaps you like a particular color.

Compare paintings to see how different
artists have used that color. Look for that
color in other kinds of art—for example, in
rugs and pottery. What other colors do
artists put with your color? Does your color
get brighter or dimmer as a result?
Maybe you like art with animals. Pick an
animal and find it in different paintings,
carvings, weavings, or pots. Has the artist
made you see things about the animal
you’ve never noticed before?
Microsoft ® Encarta ® 2009. © 1993-2008

Microsoft Corporation. All rights reserved.

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Art

It can be a painting in a museum or a

We call lots of things art today. We use the

Sometimes we speak of the fine arts—

PAINTING, SCULPTURE, AND

Painting, sculpture, and architecture have

People painted and drew on the walls of

Over time, artists started painting different

Sculpture is as old as painting. The first

WHY DO WE MAKE ART?

Everybody likes to draw, swoosh paint

Art has served other purposes, too. Think

Portraits of rulers made them look

NEW IDEAS ABOUT ART

Our ideas about art changed during the

Artists also changed our ideas about art. In

What did Duchamp mean? He meant that

Some artists decided to get rid of subject

AT THE ART MUSEUM

Don’t try to take in too much when you

Perhaps you like a particular color.

Microsoft ® Encarta ® 2009. © 1993-2008

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