From time to time we all happen across a word or phrase concerning art that leaves us scratching our head, trying to discern its meaning. Of course we could go look it up in the dictionary, but more often than not we decide that would be more trouble than it's worth so we just skip over it and go on our merry way in blissful ignorance. Personally, I've always felt the best, most convenient dictionary was the one between the ears, so with that in mind I've assembled a list of art terms that may or may not be familiar to artists and non-artists alike. Some are a little obscure but all have to do with art and so we are looking for definitions only in that context. Now, you can cheat and go look them up, or you can have some fun and GUESS their meanings, or ask someone, or try and figure them out logically or etymologically. If you know your French and Italian it will help. For those bent on cheating, I've alphabetized them for your convenience. I've also given a few clues to guide you. Tomorrow's Arty-fact will contain the meanings.
1. aquatint (it's not what you think)
2. arabesque (nope, not Arabic painting)
3. atelier (has nothing to do with the heartburn from what you ate last night)
4. automatism (not the art of learning to drive an automatic)
5. breakfast piece (It ain't toast)
6. capriccio (it's not a new flavor of cappuccino)
7. chinoiserie (not a new type plastic surgery)
8. chromolithography (has nothing to do with chrome)
9. churrigueresque (if you can pronounce it, that's half the battle)
10. contextualism (make sure you keep this in the right context)
11. contrapposto (posto, not pasta)
12. cycle (forget about your Harleys and Hondas)
13. deesis (it's not what comes after ceesis)
14. fatura (has nothing to do with obesity)
15. fete galante (It's not a 1999 Ford)
16. fresco secco (not a soft drink refill)
17. frottage (has nothing to do with how old you are)
18. gesturalism (Hey! Watch that middle finger!)
19. giornata (not a new brand of pasta)
20. grisaille (not a cheap cut of meat)
21. ignudi (not an Italian **** beach)
22. limner (has nothing to do with limericks or those who write them)
23. literati painting (nope, not paintings of books, nor painting FROM books)
24. nocturne (if you're thinking wet dream, forget it)
25. odalisque (okay, MAYBE a wet dream...naw, forget it)
26. orthogonal (has nothing to do with bad feet)
27. painterly (not a well-mannered artist)
28. picture plane (nope, not an airliner showing movies)
29. provenance (has nothing to do with God)
30. sfumato (it's not the secret to your grandmother's spaghetti sauce)
31. tenebrism (nope, not the art of downing ten beers in a row)
32. tondo (forget about the Lone Ranger)
33. vanitas (has nothing to do with self-portraits)
34. verism (not truthfulness)