Art

Picture (image): definition, types, history and uses Picture An overview of pictures (images): what they are, how they are made, key types and characteristics, a brief history from early art to digital imaging, and common uses and distinctio…

Picture Frame: Function, Parts, Materials, History and Care Picture frame Comprehensive overview of picture frames: parts, materials, glazing, mounting and conservation, plus styles, historical context and practical care advice for display and preservati…

Pietà (Michelangelo) A high Renaissance carved marble group by Michelangelo showing the Virgin Mary holding the dead Christ. Created early in his career and now displayed in Saint Peter's Basilica, Vat…

Piñata: history, forms, uses and cultural meanings Piñata A piñata is a decorated container, typically filled with sweets or small gifts, used in celebrations across Latin America and beyond; forms, construction, history, and common tradi…

Pink (color) — characteristics, history, and common uses Pink Pink is a pale red hue produced by adding white to red. This article explains its appearance, variations, cultural history, how it is made, and common uses and associations.

Place of Articulation (phonetics) Place of articulation Where a speech sound is formed in the vocal tract. Describes articulators, common places (e.g., bilabial, alveolar, velar), classifications, examples in languages, and related phon…

Plane (woodworking tool) Plane (tool) A plane is a hand or powered tool used in woodworking to flatten, smooth, and shape timber by shaving thin layers from a surface.

Plaster: materials, types, uses and history Plaster Plaster is a building and casting material made from binders such as gypsum, lime or cement. Used for surface finishing, decoration, casting and medical casts, it has diverse types…

Plastic: materials, types, history, uses and environmental issues Plastic A clear, concise overview of plastics—what they are, how they are made, major types (thermoplastics, thermosets, bioplastics), historical development, common uses, and environmenta…

Plum (color) Plum is a family of purple-toned colors named after the plum fruit, ranging from pale mauve to deep reddish‑purple. Used in fashion, design, and art, it carries associations of ric…

Poetry: forms, functions, and history Poetry A concise encyclopedia overview of poetry: definition, characteristics, common forms, historical context, uses, and guidance for reading and writing poems.

Poi spinning: technique, equipment, history and contemporary practice Poi spinning Poi spinning is a performance and object-manipulation art using weights on cords to create rhythmic patterns. It spans traditional Māori roots to modern flow arts with LED and fire…

Pointe shoes: design, history, and role in classical ballet Pointe shoes Pointe shoes are reinforced ballet slippers that allow dancers to balance and dance on the tips of their toes; they have a distinctive box, shank and ribbons and developed with Rom…

Pointillism: technique, history, and artistic legacy Pointillism Pointillism is a late 19th-century painting method using small dots of pure color that optically mix in the viewer’s eye. It developed from Impressionism and influenced color theor…

Polka: history, style, music, and cultural spread Polka Polka is a lively Central European couple dance and musical genre originating in Bohemia; it became a 19th-century social and ballroom craze and later a folk and popular tradition…

Polymer clay: composition, uses, and care for modeling and craft Polymer clay Polymer clay is a pliable, PVC-based modeling material cured by heat. This article explains its composition, working properties, common techniques, uses in crafts, safety advice, a…

Pop art — mid‑20th century movement in visual culture Pop art Pop art is a mid‑20th century art movement that used imagery and techniques from mass media, advertising and popular culture to question and celebrate consumer society.

Porcelain: composition, types, history and uses Porcelain An overview of porcelain—its materials, manufacture, principal types (hard-paste, soft-paste, bone china), properties, historical development and typical uses.

Portrait (art and photography) Portrait A portrait depicts a person's appearance and expression in art or photography, aiming to convey likeness, character and mood. This article explains forms, history, compositional el…

Portrait of Adele Bloch-Bauer I (The Woman in Gold) Portrait of Adele Bloch-Bauer I Portrait of Adele Bloch-Bauer I, painted by Gustav Klimt in 1907, is a landmark gold-leaf portrait from his 'golden phase', noted for its ornamentation, provenance history and cult…

Portrait of an American Family Debut studio album by Marilyn Manson released July 19, 1994. Produced by Trent Reznor and Marilyn Manson, it introduced the band's abrasive industrial sound, controversial imagery,…

Post-Impressionism: Origins, Styles, and Influence Post-impressionism Post-Impressionism is a late 19th-century art tendency that extended Impressionism while pursuing greater structure, symbolism, and individual expression in painting.

Poster A poster is a printed or digital visual display designed to inform, persuade, or decorate public spaces. Commonly used for advertising, education, art reproduction, and political m…

Pottery: materials, techniques, history and uses Pottery Pottery is the craft and art of forming clay-based ceramics. This article explains materials, common types, shaping and firing methods, glazing, historical development, and modern…

Pragmatics: Meaning and Use in Context Pragmatics Pragmatics examines how people use and interpret language in real situations, focusing on intention, context, and the non-literal aspects of meaning.

Price: meaning, forms, and economic role Price An overview of price: definitions, how prices emerge in barter and monetary systems, key types and determinants, price-setting institutions, indices, and why prices matter in marke…

Primary color Primary colors are chosen base hues used to produce other colors by mixing. Different sets (additive RGB, subtractive CMYK or traditional RYB) suit light, inks, and pigments and de…

Primavera (Botticelli) — Allegorical Renaissance painting Primavera (Botticelli) Primavera is Sandro Botticelli's major allegorical tempera panel from c.1482, combining mythological figures, floral symbolism and humanist thought. It is linked to Medici patronag…

Printmaking: Techniques, History, and Principles Printmaking Overview of printmaking—methods, history, how prints are made and authenticated, common techniques (relief, intaglio, lithography, screenprint, digital), and conservation considera…

Profession: definition, history, characteristics and modern roles Profession An overview of professions: what they are, how they developed, key features such as training and ethics, examples of learned professions, and distinctions between professional and…

Prokash Karmakar: Indian Modern Painter (1933–2014) Prokash Karmakar Profile of Prokash Karmakar, a prominent Indian painter known for expressive landscapes, bold color and line, with works in major Indian collections including the National Gallery…

Prose (ordinary written and spoken language) Prose Prose is the natural form of written or spoken language used for everyday communication, narrative, exposition and information. It contrasts with verse, and appears across fiction,…

Psychedelic rock: origins, sound, key artists, and legacy Psychedelic rock Psychedelic rock is a 1960s-rooted rock subgenre marked by studio effects, extended improvisation, and influences from hallucinogenic culture. It shaped later rock styles and conti…

Puce (color) Puce Puce is a variable reddish‑purple hue, often described as grayish or brownish red‑violet. Its exact shade varies by source; it has historical fashion associations and many named to…

Question (inquiry and linguistic form) Question A question is a communicative act requesting information, confirmation, permission, or a response. This article describes types of questions, their linguistic forms, intonation and…

Quilt A quilt is a layered textile made of a decorative top, insulating batting, and a backing, joined by sewing or tying; quilts function as bedding, art, ceremonial objects, and commun…

Rage: the intense form of anger — expression, causes, and management Rage Rage is an extreme form of anger marked by intense arousal and potential loss of control. This article explains its features, triggers, physiological basis, historical study, risks…

Rainbow: formation, appearance, and cultural significance Rainbow A rainbow is a circular optical phenomenon produced by sunlight and water droplets; this article explains its formation, types, viewing conditions, and cultural and scientific impo…

Rainbow flag (LGBT) The rainbow flag, often called the Pride Flag, is the widely recognized emblem of LGBT communities. Created in 1978 by Gilbert Baker, it has evolved into multiple color variants an…

Raspberry (color) Raspberry is a vivid pinkish-red hue named for the fruit; it spans bright, berry-like pinks to deep red-purples and is used in fashion, design, and branding.

Realism: depiction and philosophy of the real Realism Realism is an approach in the arts, literature, and thought that seeks to represent subjects truthfully and to treat the world as independent of idealized or supernatural distortio…

Reason: thought, logic, and practical judgment Reason Reason is the human capacity to draw conclusions from evidence and principles. This article explains its features, history, uses in science and law, and limits compared with emotio…

Recording: capturing information, media, history, and uses Recording Recording is the process of capturing and preserving information — audio, video, text, sensor data or other data — on a medium. This article surveys methods, history, preservation…

Recording studio Facility designed to capture, edit and produce audio. Covers layout, acoustics, equipment, history, business models and studio types including commercial, project and home setups.

Red Velvet (South Korean girl group) Red Velvet (group) Red Velvet is a South Korean girl group formed by SM Entertainment in 2014. Debuting with "Happiness," they expanded to five members in 2015 and are known for blending bright pop a…

Red-violet (color) Red-violet Red-violet is a deep, rose-tinted purple located between red and violet on traditional color wheels. This article explains its appearance, mixing, history in color theory, uses, an…

Relief (sculpture) Relief Relief is a sculptural method in which figures or designs project from a flat background, varying from shallow bas-relief to high relief and used widely in architecture, monuments…

Renaissance art: origins, styles, and influence Renaissance art Renaissance art, emerging in 15th–16th century Europe, revived classical ideas, developed perspective and naturalism, and shaped Western art through innovations in technique, patro…