Art

Ballroom dance: styles, history, competitions and social practice Ballroom dance Overview of ballroom dance: principal styles (Standard/Modern and Latin), key dances, history, competitive rules, social uses, major figures and distinctions between international…

Barbara Kruger: text, image and social critique Barbara Kruger Barbara Kruger (born 1945) is an American conceptual artist whose bold text-over-image works—red bars, black-and-white photos and white Futura type—examine power, gender, consumeri…

Baroque (European art, architecture, and music, c. 1600–1740s) Baroque Baroque is a dramatic, ornate European style across architecture, painting, music and dance that developed c.1600–1740s, emphasizing contrast, movement and emotional expression.

Bas-relief: Low-relief sculpture — technique, history, and uses Bas-relief Bas-relief is a shallow form of relief sculpture in which figures project only slightly from the background. This article explains methods, history, materials, notable examples and…

Basket: forms, materials, history and uses Basket An overview of baskets — their materials and making techniques, cultural history, practical and decorative uses, and related meanings such as the basketball hoop.

Batik: traditional wax-resist cloth dyeing Batik Batik is a wax-resist dyeing technique that originated on the island of Java. It produces patterned textiles through wax application and layered dyeing; styles, tools and meanings…

Baton: uses, types, and history Baton Overview of batons — short sticks used as tools, symbols and sports equipment. Covers common types (police, relay, conducting, twirling), materials, historical role, regulations, s…

Bauhaus: History, Principles, and Global Influence of the German Design School Bauhaus Bauhaus (1919–1933) was a German school that united craft, fine art and industry. Its pedagogy, workshops and aesthetic shaped modern architecture, furniture, typography and design…

Bayeux Tapestry: an illustrated account of the Norman conquest Bayeux Tapestry A detailed, neutral overview of the Bayeux Tapestry: its form, materials, narrative scenes, likely origin and historical importance, and how it is conserved and displayed today.

Bead: materials, history, techniques, and cultural significance Bead A bead is a small object with a hole for stringing, made from many materials and used for decoration, trade, ritual, and art across cultures from prehistory to today.

Beauty: concepts, theories, perception, and cultural meaning Beauty Overview of beauty as a perceptual and evaluative concept: philosophical theories, psychological and biological basis, cultural variation, domains (art, nature, writing, music) and…

Belly dance (raqs sharqi): form, history, styles and cultural context Belly dance Belly dance (raqs sharqi) is a family of Middle Eastern dance traditions characterized by articulated torso and hip movements, diverse regional styles, theatrical and social roles,…

Bezalel Academy of Arts and Design Bezalel Academy of Art and Design Israel's national academy of art and design, founded in 1906 by Boris Schatz. Based on Mount Scopus with additional campuses in Jerusalem and Tel Aviv, it trains artists and design…

Bhangra: Punjabi Folk Dance and Musical Tradition Bhangra Bhangra is a high-energy folk dance and music tradition from the Punjab, originating in harvest celebrations and later evolving into global popular, competitive and fusion forms em…

Bhangra: energetic folk dance of Punjab and its modern global forms Bhangra (dance) Bhangra is a high-energy Punjabi folk dance rooted in harvest celebrations. Known for dhol-led rhythms, athletic steps and colourful costume, it survives as traditional village sty…

Bharata Natyam: Classical Indian Dance of Expression and Technique Bharata Natyam Bharata Natyam is a South Indian classical dance from Tamil Nadu, known for precise footwork, expressive gestures (abhinaya), temple origins, structured repertoire set to Carnatic…

Bird's-eye view Bird's eye view A bird's-eye view is an elevated visual perspective from above used in maps, art, photography, and planning to show layout, relationships and context from a high vantage point.

Black (color): light, pigment, symbolism, and uses Black Black denotes absence or near-absence of visible light or, in materials, strong absorption across wavelengths. This article explains optical, pigment, artistic, heraldic and practi…

Black and White (monochrome imagery): history, characteristics and uses Black and white Overview of black-and-white imagery: tonal principles, historical development in photography, film and television, technical characteristics, artistic uses and distinctions from ot…

Blackletter (Gothic Script): History, Styles, and Modern Uses Blackletter Blackletter, or Gothic script, is a family of dense, angular letter forms used across medieval Europe and later in print, notable for its textured appearance, regional styles, and…

Blue (color): properties, natural occurrence, history and cultural meaning Blue Comprehensive overview of the color blue: its physical basis, natural appearances, pigments and dyes, cultural symbolism, and notable facts about perception and use.

Blue-green: overview, history, and uses Blue-green Blue-green is a color between blue and green (a deep cyan tone). This article explains its visual qualities, history in color theory, modern distinctions, common names, and practic…

Blush (color) Blush is a soft red-violet hue often described as a muted pink or rose. Used in design, cosmetics, and textiles, it evokes warmth and subtle romance; the color name dates to 1590.

Bob Ross: Painter, TV Instructor and Creator of The Joy of Painting Bob Ross American painter and television host known for accessible wet-on-wet landscape instruction, The Joy of Painting, and a gentle teaching style that popularized oil painting for milli…

Body image: perceptions, influences, and consequences Body image Overview of body image—how people perceive their bodies, what shapes those perceptions across cultures and genders, associated health impacts, and approaches to prevention and supp…

Body piercing: practices, history, types and safety Body piercing Overview of body piercing: common types, cultural background, procedure, healing and safety. Discusses jewelry, uses, aftercare and notable distinctions in contemporary practice.

Body-painting: techniques, traditions, and contemporary uses Body-painting Body-painting is the temporary application of color to human skin for art, ritual, performance, camouflage or celebration. Materials, cultural meanings and safety practices vary wo…

Bold (type) Bold type is a heavier, darker style or weight of a typeface used to emphasize text, establish visual hierarchy, and increase legibility in print and digital media.

Bonsai — the Japanese art and practice of miniature trees Bonsai Bonsai is the Japanese practice of cultivating and shaping small trees in shallow containers. This article explains its aims, techniques, historical roots, common styles, care basi…

Book frontispiece A frontispiece is an illustration placed to face a book's title page. Often a portrait or thematic scene, it has served artistic, informational, and commercial roles in printed boo…

Bookbinding: craft, techniques, and history Bookbinding An overview of bookbinding — the craft and industrial processes that assemble and finish books, covering materials, methods, historical development, and preservation.

Branle — a Renaissance social and court dance Branle Branle (also bransle or brawl) is a family of side‑to‑side dances from 16th‑century France that spread across Europe; notable for simple repeated steps, group formations, and inclu…

Breaking (Breakdance): Origins, Core Moves, and Global Competitions Breakdance Breaking (breakdance): overview of its 1970s Bronx origins, key moves—toprock, downrock, power moves, freezes—and how it evolved into global battles, festivals, crews and Olympic c…

Brera Academy (Accademia di Belle Arti di Brera) Brera Academy State art academy in Milan housed in the historic Palazzo Brera; includes the Pinacoteca di Brera and several scientific and cultural institutions, with roots from 1776 and ongoing…

Bridgestone Museum of Art Tokyo art museum founded by Bridgestone's founder, known for major Impressionist and modern holdings plus ancient Greek ceramics; historically reconstituted into the Artizon Museum…

Bronze (color) Bronze is a warm metallic brown tone evoking the alloy bronze. It appears in art, design, heraldry and awards, with variations from pale golden-brown to deep reddish-brown and a ch…

Brooklyn Museum Large encyclopedic overview of the Brooklyn Museum: location, building, collections, history, public programs, and notable works including feminist art and Egyptian holdings.

Brown (color): characteristics, pigments, meaning, and uses Brown Comprehensive overview of brown: how it is produced, common pigments, natural occurrences, cultural meanings, design uses, and distinctions from related colors.

Brush (tool): types, parts, history and uses Brush A brush is a tool with bristles, wires, or filaments used for cleaning, grooming, painting and industrial work. This article describes parts, materials, major types, history, care…

BTS (Bangtan Sonyeondan) — South Korean pop group BTS BTS (also Bangtan Sonyeondan) is a South Korean seven-member pop group formed in 2013, known for genre-blending music, global chart success, a large international fandom, and phila…

Byzantine art: style, history, and lasting influence Byzantine art A concise overview of Byzantine art — its visual language, media, historical development from the 5th century to 1453, and its influence across Eastern Europe and the Mediterranean…

Byzantium (color) Byzantium is a deep, dark purple shade named for the ancient city; associated with luxury and imperial purple, used in design, fashion, and art with variations across palettes.

Cabinetmaking: craft, techniques, and history Cabinet making Cabinetmaking is the skilled craft of designing and building cabinets and fine furniture, covering tools, joinery, materials, historical development, uses, and distinctions from re…

Calligraphy: the art and practice of beautiful writing Calligraphy Calligraphy is the disciplined art of forming letters and expressive marks. This article covers its tools, styles, history in different cultures, contemporary uses, and distinguish…

Cantilever (figure skating move) Cantilever The cantilever is a dramatic figure skating field move in which the skater travels on a deep edge while bending the torso backward so the back becomes nearly parallel to the ice.

Canvas (heavy woven fabric) Canvas Durable plain-woven textile traditionally made from hemp or linen and now often from cotton; used for sails, tents, painting supports, bags, shoes and industrial coverings.

Capoeira: Afro‑Brazilian martial art, dance, music and cultural practice Capoeira Capoeira is an Afro‑Brazilian system combining martial movements, music and dance. It originated among enslaved Africans and indigenous people in colonial Brazil and evolved into a…

Car stereo An overview of car stereos: functions, common components, historical development, installation and technical distinctions including power, connectivity, and modern features.