An artwork is a human creation that is intended to express something about life and reality, or to be enjoyed as beauty. It is usually considered to be a product of the fine arts and can include paintings, sculptures and other objects created for decorative, aesthetic or utilitarian purposes. However, ephemeral performance art, conceptual art and architectural models may also be considered works of art in some contexts.
The concept of artwork is studied and debated in the academic fields of art history, aesthetics and art criticism. The meanings and values of an artwork are determined by its cultural context. For example, an artwork might be interpreted as having religious, historical or political significance within a certain community, or as representing a particular cosmological concept. The artwork might even have ritualistic or symbolic functions within that culture, as is the case with many masks and masked dances.
An artwork can be created using a wide range of media and techniques, including paints, inks, papers, wood, metal, stone and digital devices. Modern artists often combine several different techniques and mediums in their works. For instance, a painting may be made of acrylic or oil on canvas, but it can also be a photograph, a collage or an installation. Similarly, a sculpture might be carved from marble, but it could also be made of steel, glass or plastic.
One of the most important factors in determining the value of an artwork is its degree of skill and technique. In the past, a work of art was thought to be the product of a specific artistic skill, such as the ability of a painter or sculptor to render a realistic depiction of a scene or even an abstract non-representational image. However, a number of artistic movements, such as Dada and conceptual art, have dispelled this belief, and the definition of an artwork has since expanded to include a variety of ephemeral and non-tangible creative expressions.
Besides skill, an artist’s choice of subject matter and style can also contribute to the value of an artwork. For instance, an artist’s use of color to convey thematic or symbolic ideas can be significant. The color choices might be influenced by the artist’s experience, his or her knowledge of natural or cultural surroundings and by the work of other artists.
The history of an artwork is typically described in terms of the periods and styles in which it was created, as well as by its cultural context. For example, Claude Monet’s paintings are associated with Impressionism, a style of art that developed in the second half of the nineteenth century. An artwork might also be linked to a particular period, style or movement because it was inspired by events in a particular part of the world, such as the social movements of feminism and other political, economic and historic situations.