Art Style
An art style describes a grouping of artworks based on their aesthetic appearance. The artworks may share similar techniques, themes or subject matter, or have been created during a specific time period. Artists within art movements that exhibit particular styles may have been influenced by one another, or studied at the same academies.
As art evolves over time, new styles and movements emerge while others fade in popularity. Some styles may also overlap, as artists borrow and combine elements from different movements to create their own unique style.
Western and Eastern Art Styles
Historically, Eastern art movements have been categorized by dynastic or political eras and markers, whereas Western art movements are categorized by aesthetic criteria and cultural changes in society.
Examples of Eastern art styles include Chinese Brush Painting, Sumi-e (Japanese Ink Painting), Ukiyo-e woodblock prints and Mughal miniature paintings. Western art styles include Renaissance, Baroque, Art Deco and Pop Art.
Contemporary art styles are often influenced by globalization and the rise of technology, with movements such as Digital Art and Street Art becoming increasingly popular.
While art styles provide a framework for understanding and categorizing artworks, they should not be seen as rigid limitations on artistic expression. Many artists choose to work outside of particular styles, creating their own unique visual language. Ultimately, the important thing is to appreciate art for its ability to provoke emotion and inspire creativity.
Art Style vs Art Movement
Art movement denotes a period of time where cultural or political changes inspired changes in the artistic community, resulting in a collective style or shared way of creating art. An art style is the visual appearance of an artwork that may have been influenced by an art movement, but can also be developed independently by the artist. For example, artists have painted with a realistic art style throughout history, but the purpose of the realistic art movement in the 19th century was to represent the lives of common people, rather than the idealized lives of religious figures, aristocrats or social elites. The realism movement centered around the way in which subjects were presented, rather than ultra realistic appearances. They are interlinked in the way they are described, their influences and their classifications.