Overview

Painting and sculpture represent humanity’s visual and tactile exploration of identity, power, emotion, and beauty. These art forms span thousands of years, reflecting technological changes, philosophical ideas, and cultural values through form, color, and material.

Key Concepts in Visual Art

• Medium: The material used (e.g., oil, marble, acrylic, bronze).
• Composition: The arrangement of visual elements in a work.
• Style: Characteristic approach to form and technique (e.g., realism, impressionism, abstract).
• Iconography: Use of imagery to convey symbolism and meaning.
• Perspective: Techniques for suggesting depth and three-dimensionality on a flat surface.

Major Artistic Movements and Figures

• Classical: Idealized human forms and balanced proportion (e.g., Phidias, Parthenon).
• Renaissance: Realism and anatomical accuracy (e.g., Michelangelo, Leonardo da Vinci).
• Baroque: Dramatic lighting and emotion (e.g., Caravaggio, Bernini).
• Romanticism: Emphasis on emotion, nature, and the sublime (e.g., Delacroix, Géricault).
• Impressionism: Capturing light and moment (e.g., Monet, Renoir).
• Modern and Contemporary: Innovation in form, color, and concept (e.g., Picasso, Warhol, Kara Walker).

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