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Decorative Art Portal | Britannica

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Arts</a> </span> <span class="breadcrumb-item "> Decorative Art </span> </nav> <h1 class="font-serif mt-30 mb-20">Decorative Art</h1> <div class="font-serif grid"> <div class="col-sm-70 col-sm-offset-15"> People appreciate the usefulness of things like glassware and furniture, but they appreciate such objects even more when they’re aesthetically pleasing, too. That’s where decorative art comes in. Explore the world of basketry, metalwork, pottery, interior design, tapestry, and more.</div> </div> </div> </div> <div class="container"> <h2 class="label my-30">Decorative Art Encyclopedia Articles</h2> <div class="grid top g-10 mb-40"> <div class="col-33 col-sm-20 col-md-16 col-lg-10"> <div class="border shadow p-10 text-center "> <a class="font-weight-bold font-14 " href="/browse/Decorative-Art/1">AAL-BAR</a> </div> </div> <div class="col-33 col-sm-20 col-md-16 col-lg-10"> <div class="border shadow p-10 text-center "> <a class="font-weight-bold font-14 " href="/browse/Decorative-Art/2">BAR-BRU</a> </div> </div> <div class="col-33 col-sm-20 col-md-16 col-lg-10"> <div class="border shadow p-10 text-center "> <a class="font-weight-bold font-14 " href="/browse/Decorative-Art/3">BRU-CHI</a> </div> </div> <div class="col-33 col-sm-20 col-md-16 col-lg-10"> <div class="border shadow p-10 text-center "> <a class="font-weight-bold font-14 " href="/browse/Decorative-Art/4">CHI-CUV</a> </div> </div> <div class="col-33 col-sm-20 col-md-16 col-lg-10"> <div class="border shadow p-10 text-center "> <a class="font-weight-bold font-14 " href="/browse/Decorative-Art/5">CYM-ERS</a> </div> </div> <div class="col-33 col-sm-20 col-md-16 col-lg-10"> <div class="border shadow p-10 text-center "> <a class="font-weight-bold font-14 " href="/browse/Decorative-Art/6">ERT-GIO</a> </div> </div> <div class="col-33 col-sm-20 col-md-16 col-lg-10"> <div class="border shadow p-10 text-center "> <a class="font-weight-bold font-14 " href="/browse/Decorative-Art/7">GIP-HYD</a> </div> </div> <div class="col-33 col-sm-20 col-md-16 col-lg-10"> <div class="border shadow p-10 text-center "> <a class="font-weight-bold font-14 " href="/browse/Decorative-Art/8">HäU-KLI</a> </div> </div> <div class="col-33 col-sm-20 col-md-16 col-lg-10"> <div class="border shadow p-10 text-center "> <a class="font-weight-bold font-14 " href="/browse/Decorative-Art/9">KNI-MAC</a> </div> </div> <div class="col-33 col-sm-20 col-md-16 col-lg-10"> <div class="border shadow p-10 text-center "> <a class="font-weight-bold font-14 " href="/browse/Decorative-Art/10">MAC-MUT</a> </div> </div> <div class="col-33 col-sm-20 col-md-16 col-lg-10"> <div class="border shadow p-10 text-center "> <a class="font-weight-bold font-14 " href="/browse/Decorative-Art/11">MUḥ-PEA</a> </div> </div> <div class="col-33 col-sm-20 col-md-16 col-lg-10"> <div class="border shadow p-10 text-center "> <a class="font-weight-bold font-14 " href="/browse/Decorative-Art/12">PEA-RED</a> </div> </div> <div class="col-33 col-sm-20 col-md-16 col-lg-10"> <div class="border shadow p-10 text-center "> <a class="font-weight-bold font-14 " href="/browse/Decorative-Art/13">REG-SER</a> </div> </div> <div class="col-33 col-sm-20 col-md-16 col-lg-10"> <div class="border shadow p-10 text-center "> <a class="font-weight-bold font-14 " href="/browse/Decorative-Art/14">SER-TAM</a> </div> </div> <div class="col-33 col-sm-20 col-md-16 col-lg-10"> <div class="border shadow p-10 text-center "> <a class="font-weight-bold font-14 " href="/browse/Decorative-Art/15">TAO-VEN</a> </div> </div> <div class="col-33 col-sm-20 col-md-16 col-lg-10"> <div class="border shadow p-10 text-center "> <a class="font-weight-bold font-14 " href="/browse/Decorative-Art/16">VEN-ḤAL</a> </div> </div> </div> <h2 class="label my-30 text-center">Featured Articles</h2> <div class="js-pinboard grid gy-20"> <div class="p-10 d-inline-flex js-pin col-100 col-sm-33 col-md-25 "> <div class="card text-normal col-100 "> <div class="card-media position-relative"> <a href="https://www.britannica.com/art/stagecraft" style="--aspect-ratio: 16/9"> <img loading="lazy" src="https://cdn.britannica.com/62/1862-050-B1AC1BB0/Interior-theatre-woodcut-triptych-Kabuki-Utagawa-Toyokuni.jpg?w=400&h=225&c=crop" alt="interior of a Kabuki theater" class="col-100" /> </a> </div> <div class="col"> <div class="card-body text-hyphenate"> <a href="https://www.britannica.com/art/stagecraft" class="font-weight-bold font-16 lh-sm">stagecraft</a> <div class="font-serif mt-10 font-14"> Stagecraft, the technical aspects of theatrical production, which include scenic design, stage machinery, lighting, sound, costume design, and makeup. In comparison with the history of Western theatre,... </div> </div> </div> </div> </div> <div class="p-10 d-inline-flex js-pin col-100 col-sm-33 col-md-25 "> <div class="card text-normal col-100 "> <div class="card-media position-relative"> <a href="https://www.britannica.com/biography/Charles-Eames-and-Ray-Eames" style="--aspect-ratio: 16/9"> <img loading="lazy" src="https://cdn.britannica.com/16/42816-050-32769D9B/armchair-glass-fibres-Charles-and-Ray-Eames-1949.jpg?w=400&h=225&c=crop" alt="Charles and Ray Eames: armchair" class="col-100" /> </a> </div> <div class="col"> <div class="card-body text-hyphenate"> <a href="https://www.britannica.com/biography/Charles-Eames-and-Ray-Eames" class="font-weight-bold font-16 lh-sm">Charles Eames and Ray Eames</a> <div class="font-serif mt-10 font-14"> Charles Eames and Ray Eames were American designers best known for the beauty, comfort, elegance, and delicacy of their mass-producible furniture. They also wrote books, made motion pictures, and designed... </div> </div> </div> </div> </div> <div class="p-10 d-inline-flex js-pin col-100 col-sm-33 col-md-25 "> <div class="card text-normal col-100 "> <div class="card-media position-relative"> <a href="https://www.britannica.com/art/enamelwork" style="--aspect-ratio: 16/9"> <img loading="lazy" src="https://cdn.britannica.com/04/132904-050-86360CBB/dish-Samson-Philistines-jawbone-ass-enamel-copper.jpg?w=400&h=225&c=crop" alt="Samson killing Philistines" class="col-100" /> </a> </div> <div class="col"> <div class="card-body text-hyphenate"> <a href="https://www.britannica.com/art/enamelwork" class="font-weight-bold font-16 lh-sm">enamelwork</a> <div class="font-serif mt-10 font-14"> Enamelwork, technique of decoration whereby metal objects or surfaces are given a vitreous glaze that is fused onto the surface by intense heat to create a brilliantly coloured decorative effect. It is... </div> </div> </div> </div> </div> <div class="p-10 d-inline-flex js-pin col-100 col-sm-33 col-md-25 "> <div class="card text-normal col-100 "> <div class="card-media position-relative"> <a href="https://www.britannica.com/art/pottery" style="--aspect-ratio: 16/9"> <img loading="lazy" src="https://cdn.britannica.com/88/132288-050-74505F78/Pottery-people-clay-Hohokam-designs.jpg?w=400&h=225&c=crop" alt="Hohokam pottery" class="col-100" /> </a> </div> <div class="col"> <div class="card-body text-hyphenate"> <a href="https://www.britannica.com/art/pottery" class="font-weight-bold font-16 lh-sm">pottery</a> <div class="font-serif mt-10 font-14"> Pottery, one of the oldest and most widespread of the decorative arts, consisting of objects made of clay and hardened with heat. The objects made are commonly useful ones, such as vessels for holding... </div> </div> </div> </div> </div> <div class="p-10 d-inline-flex js-pin col-100 col-sm-33 col-md-25 "> <div class="card text-normal col-100 "> <div class="card-media position-relative"> <a href="https://www.britannica.com/biography/Pollaiuolo-brothers" style="--aspect-ratio: 16/9"> <img loading="lazy" src="https://cdn.britannica.com/mendel-resources/3-130/images/shared/default3.png?v=3.130.14" class="default col-100" /> </a> </div> <div class="col"> <div class="card-body text-hyphenate"> <a href="https://www.britannica.com/biography/Pollaiuolo-brothers" class="font-weight-bold font-16 lh-sm">Pollaiuolo brothers</a> <div class="font-serif mt-10 font-14"> Pollaiuolo brothers, Italian brothers who, as sculptors, painters, engravers, and goldsmiths, produced myriad works together under a combined signature. Antonio del Pollaiuolo (original name Antonio di... </div> </div> </div> </div> </div> <div class="p-10 d-inline-flex js-pin col-100 col-sm-33 col-md-25 "> <div class="card text-normal col-100 "> <div class="card-media position-relative"> <a href="https://www.britannica.com/art/mosaic-art" style="--aspect-ratio: 16/9"> <img loading="lazy" src="https://cdn.britannica.com/69/134369-050-E336629C/floor-fragment-synagogue-church-stone-mortar-Israel.jpg?w=400&h=225&c=crop" alt="bird mosaic" class="col-100" /> </a> </div> <div class="col"> <div class="card-body text-hyphenate"> <a href="https://www.britannica.com/art/mosaic-art" class="font-weight-bold font-16 lh-sm">mosaic</a> <div class="font-serif mt-10 font-14"> Mosaic, in art, decoration of a surface with designs made up of closely set, usually variously coloured, small pieces of material such as stone, mineral, glass, tile, or shell. Unlike inlay, in which the... </div> </div> </div> </div> </div> <div class="p-10 d-inline-flex js-pin col-100 col-sm-33 col-md-25 "> <div class="card text-normal col-100 "> <div class="card-media position-relative"> <a href="https://www.britannica.com/art/glassware" style="--aspect-ratio: 16/9"> <img loading="lazy" src="https://cdn.britannica.com/80/7980-004-8B8D8B42/Fish-glass-decoration-Egyptian-New-Kingdom-18th.jpg?w=400&h=225&c=crop" alt="fish of core-made glass" class="col-100" /> </a> </div> <div class="col"> <div class="card-body text-hyphenate"> <a href="https://www.britannica.com/art/glassware" class="font-weight-bold font-16 lh-sm">glassware</a> <div class="font-serif mt-10 font-14"> Glassware, any decorative article made of glass, often designed for everyday use. From very early times glass has been used for various kinds of vessels, and in all countries where the industry has been... </div> </div> </div> </div> </div> <div class="p-10 d-inline-flex js-pin col-100 col-sm-33 col-md-25 "> <div class="card text-normal col-100 "> <div class="card-media position-relative"> <a href="https://www.britannica.com/art/Faberge-egg" style="--aspect-ratio: 16/9"> <img loading="lazy" src="https://cdn.britannica.com/83/177883-050-C7D1AE16/Rose-Trellis-Egg-House-of-Faberge-Walters-1907.jpg?w=400&h=225&c=crop" alt="Fabergé egg: Rose Trellis Egg" class="col-100" /> </a> </div> <div class="col"> <div class="card-body text-hyphenate"> <a href="https://www.britannica.com/art/Faberge-egg" class="font-weight-bold font-16 lh-sm">Fabergé egg</a> <div class="font-serif mt-10 font-14"> Fabergé egg, any of a series of decorative eggs containing objets d’art that were made by Peter Carl Fabergé’s studios from 1885 to 1917. The best-known—as well as the most lavish and intricate—were the... </div> </div> </div> </div> </div> <div class="p-10 d-inline-flex js-pin col-100 col-sm-33 col-md-25 "> <div class="card text-normal col-100 "> <div class="card-media position-relative"> <a href="https://www.britannica.com/art/calligraphy" style="--aspect-ratio: 16/9"> <img loading="lazy" src="https://cdn.britannica.com/65/104965-050-9491EA51/word-Calligraphy-calligraphy.jpg?w=400&h=225&c=crop" alt="calligraphy sample" class="col-100" /> </a> </div> <div class="col"> <div class="card-body text-hyphenate"> <a href="https://www.britannica.com/art/calligraphy" class="font-weight-bold font-16 lh-sm">calligraphy</a> <div class="font-serif mt-10 font-14"> Calligraphy, the art of beautiful handwriting. The term may derive from the Greek words for “beauty” (kallos) and “to write” (graphein). It implies a sure knowledge of the correct form of letters—i.e.,... </div> </div> </div> </div> </div> <div class="p-10 d-inline-flex js-pin col-100 col-sm-33 col-md-25 "> <div class="card text-normal col-100 "> <div class="card-media position-relative"> <a href="https://www.britannica.com/art/tapestry" style="--aspect-ratio: 16/9"> <img loading="lazy" src="https://cdn.britannica.com/45/46945-004-A9126229/La-Dame-a-la-licorne-one-tapestry.jpg?w=400&h=225&c=crop" alt="La Dame à la licorne" class="col-100" /> </a> </div> <div class="col"> <div class="card-body text-hyphenate"> <a href="https://www.britannica.com/art/tapestry" class="font-weight-bold font-16 lh-sm">tapestry</a> <div class="font-serif mt-10 font-14"> Tapestry, woven decorative fabric, the design of which is built up in the course of weaving. Broadly, the name has been used for almost any heavy material, handwoven, machine woven, or even embroidered,... </div> </div> </div> </div> </div> <div class="p-10 d-inline-flex js-pin col-100 col-sm-33 col-md-25 "> <div class="card text-normal col-100 "> <div class="card-media position-relative"> <a href="https://www.britannica.com/topic/heraldry" style="--aspect-ratio: 16/9"> <img loading="lazy" src="https://cdn.britannica.com/10/59410-050-EE63EABD/Cylinder-seal-impression-hero-combat-scene-bull-man.jpg?w=400&h=225&c=crop" alt="Image shows a seal depicting several mythical creatures fighting." class="col-100" /> </a> </div> <div class="col"> <div class="card-body text-hyphenate"> <a href="https://www.britannica.com/topic/heraldry" class="font-weight-bold font-16 lh-sm">heraldry</a> <div class="font-serif mt-10 font-14"> Heraldry, the science and the art that deal with the use, display, and regulation of hereditary symbols employed to distinguish individuals, armies, institutions, and corporations. Those symbols, which... </div> </div> </div> </div> </div> <div class="p-10 d-inline-flex js-pin col-100 col-sm-33 col-md-25 "> <div class="card text-normal col-100 "> <div class="card-media position-relative"> <a href="https://www.britannica.com/art/interior-design" style="--aspect-ratio: 16/9"> <img loading="lazy" src="https://cdn.britannica.com/40/7940-050-2CF6D072/Berlin-Philharmonic-Concert-Hall-Hans-Scharoun.jpg?w=400&h=225&c=crop" alt="Berlin Philharmonic Concert Hall" class="col-100" /> </a> </div> <div class="col"> <div class="card-body text-hyphenate"> <a href="https://www.britannica.com/art/interior-design" class="font-weight-bold font-16 lh-sm">interior design</a> <div class="font-serif mt-10 font-14"> Interior design, planning and design of man-made spaces, a part of environmental design and closely related to architecture. Although the desire to create a pleasant environment is as old as civilization... </div> </div> </div> </div> </div> <div class="p-10 d-inline-flex js-pin col-100 col-sm-33 col-md-25 "> <div class="card text-normal col-100 "> <div class="card-media position-relative"> <a href="https://www.britannica.com/art/stained-glass" style="--aspect-ratio: 16/9"> <img loading="lazy" src="https://cdn.britannica.com/75/211275-050-C6417801/rose-window-transept-France-Chartres-Cathedral.jpg?w=400&h=225&c=crop" alt="Chartres Cathedral: stained-glass rose window" class="col-100" /> </a> </div> <div class="col"> <div class="card-body text-hyphenate"> <a href="https://www.britannica.com/art/stained-glass" class="font-weight-bold font-16 lh-sm">stained glass</a> <div class="font-serif mt-10 font-14"> Stained glass, in the arts, the coloured glass used for making decorative windows and other objects through which light passes. Strictly speaking, all coloured glass is “stained,” or coloured by the addition... </div> </div> </div> </div> </div> <div class="p-10 d-inline-flex js-pin col-100 col-sm-33 col-md-25 "> <div class="card text-normal col-100 "> <div class="card-media position-relative"> <a href="https://www.britannica.com/art/graphic-design" style="--aspect-ratio: 16/9"> <img loading="lazy" src="https://cdn.britannica.com/98/148998-050-04CCE7D7/Scene-Egyptian-Book-of-the-Dead.jpg?w=400&h=225&c=crop" alt="Egyptian Book of the Dead" class="col-100" /> </a> </div> <div class="col"> <div class="card-body text-hyphenate"> <a href="https://www.britannica.com/art/graphic-design" class="font-weight-bold font-16 lh-sm">graphic design</a> <div class="font-serif mt-10 font-14"> Graphic design, the art and profession of selecting and arranging visual elements—such as typography, images, symbols, and colours—to convey a message to an audience. Sometimes graphic design is called... </div> </div> </div> </div> </div> <div class="p-10 d-inline-flex js-pin col-100 col-sm-33 col-md-25 "> <div class="card text-normal col-100 "> <div class="card-media position-relative"> <a href="https://www.britannica.com/art/Korean-art" style="--aspect-ratio: 16/9"> <img loading="lazy" src="https://cdn.britannica.com/06/134006-050-C0226DE5/Dragon-jar-porcelain-Diameter-decoration-glaze-Brooklyn.jpg?w=400&h=225&c=crop" alt="Korean dragon jar" class="col-100" /> </a> </div> <div class="col"> <div class="card-body text-hyphenate"> <a href="https://www.britannica.com/art/Korean-art" class="font-weight-bold font-16 lh-sm">Korean art</a> <div class="font-serif mt-10 font-14"> Korean art, the painting, calligraphy, pottery, sculpture, lacquerware, and other fine or decorative visual arts produced by the peoples of Korea over the centuries. (Although Korean architecture is touched... </div> </div> </div> </div> </div> <div class="p-10 d-inline-flex js-pin col-100 col-sm-33 col-md-25 "> <div class="card text-normal col-100 "> <div class="card-media position-relative"> <a href="https://www.britannica.com/topic/metalwork" style="--aspect-ratio: 16/9"> <img loading="lazy" src="https://cdn.britannica.com/34/132934-050-5EA12F7D/figure-sculpture-Vishnu-Nepal-Brooklyn-Museum-New.jpg?w=400&h=225&c=crop" alt="Vishnu" class="col-100" /> </a> </div> <div class="col"> <div class="card-body text-hyphenate"> <a href="https://www.britannica.com/topic/metalwork" class="font-weight-bold font-16 lh-sm">metalwork</a> <div class="font-serif mt-10 font-14"> Metalwork, useful and decorative objects fashioned of various metals, including copper, iron, silver, bronze, lead, gold, and brass. The earliest man-made objects were of stone, wood, bone, and earth.... </div> </div> </div> </div> </div> <div class="p-10 d-inline-flex js-pin col-100 col-sm-33 col-md-25 "> <div class="card text-normal col-100 "> <div class="card-media position-relative"> <a href="https://www.britannica.com/technology/furniture" style="--aspect-ratio: 16/9"> <img loading="lazy" src="https://cdn.britannica.com/28/134028-050-E9567531/Card-table-mahogany-patina-gold-maker-stenciling-1828.jpg?w=400&h=225&c=crop" alt="mahogany card table" class="col-100" /> </a> </div> <div class="col"> <div class="card-body text-hyphenate"> <a href="https://www.britannica.com/technology/furniture" class="font-weight-bold font-16 lh-sm">furniture</a> <div class="font-serif mt-10 font-14"> Furniture, household equipment, usually made of wood, metal, plastics, marble, glass, fabrics, or related materials and having a variety of different purposes. Furniture ranges widely from the simple pine... </div> </div> </div> </div> </div> <div class="p-10 d-inline-flex js-pin col-100 col-sm-33 col-md-25 "> <div class="card text-normal col-100 "> <div class="card-media position-relative"> <a href="https://www.britannica.com/art/garden-and-landscape-design" style="--aspect-ratio: 16/9"> <img loading="lazy" src="https://cdn.britannica.com/27/178027-050-0D565D96/gardens-Palace-of-Versailles-France-Andre-Le.jpg?w=400&h=225&c=crop" alt="Palace of Versailles: gardens" class="col-100" /> </a> </div> <div class="col"> <div class="card-body text-hyphenate"> <a href="https://www.britannica.com/art/garden-and-landscape-design" class="font-weight-bold font-16 lh-sm">garden and landscape design</a> <div class="font-serif mt-10 font-14"> Garden and landscape design, the development and decorative planting of gardens, yards, grounds, parks, and other types of areas. Garden and landscape design is used to enhance the settings for buildings... </div> </div> </div> </div> </div> <div class="p-10 d-inline-flex js-pin col-100 col-sm-33 col-md-25 "> <div class="card text-normal col-100 "> <div class="card-media position-relative"> <a href="https://www.britannica.com/art/goldwork" style="--aspect-ratio: 16/9"> <img loading="lazy" src="https://cdn.britannica.com/40/8240-050-7F18ACD9/pendant-bees-Minoan-Sun-tomb-granulation-Mallia.jpg?w=400&h=225&c=crop" alt="Minoan gold pendant" class="col-100" /> </a> </div> <div class="col"> <div class="card-body text-hyphenate"> <a href="https://www.britannica.com/art/goldwork" class="font-weight-bold font-16 lh-sm">goldwork</a> <div class="font-serif mt-10 font-14"> Goldwork, sculpture, vessels, jewelry, ornamentation, and coinage made from gold. A brief treatment of goldwork follows. For full treatment, see metalwork and gold. Gold is at once the most malleable and... </div> </div> </div> </div> </div> <div class="p-10 d-inline-flex js-pin col-100 col-sm-33 col-md-25 "> <div class="card text-normal col-100 "> <div class="card-media position-relative"> <a href="https://www.britannica.com/technology/rug-and-carpet" style="--aspect-ratio: 16/9"> <img loading="lazy" src="https://cdn.britannica.com/48/35648-004-334FD9A8/Detail-carpet-Esfahan-Indo-Washington-DC-Corcoran.jpg?w=400&h=225&c=crop" alt="Detail of an Indo-Esfahan carpet, 17th century; in the Corcoran Gallery of Art, Washington, D.C." class="col-100" /> </a> </div> <div class="col"> <div class="card-body text-hyphenate"> <a href="https://www.britannica.com/technology/rug-and-carpet" class="font-weight-bold font-16 lh-sm">rug and carpet</a> <div class="font-serif mt-10 font-14"> Rug and carpet, any decorative textile normally made of a thick material and now usually intended as a floor covering. 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