body of work
Học thuậtThân thiện
Definition
Noun: * The complete or substantial collection of creative works produced by a writer, artist, composer, or other creative individual over their career or a significant period. It refers to the total artistic or intellectual output considered as a whole entity.
Usage
This term is used to discuss and evaluate the collective achievements of a creative person. It implies a comprehensive view rather than focusing on a single piece. * It is a formal term commonly used in academic, artistic, and literary criticism. * It is often preceded by a possessive (e.g., Shakespeare's body of work, the director's body of work). * It can be used with verbs like study, analyze, evaluate, consider, and encompass.
Examples
- Scholars often analyze an author's entire body of work to identify recurring themes.
- The exhibition aims to present a comprehensive overview of the painter's body of work.
- When considering her body of work, it is clear she was a pioneer in the field.
- His body of work encompasses poetry, novels, and critical essays.
Advanced Usage
- The phrase can be used to discuss the evolution or periods within a creator's output.
- We can divide his body of work into three distinct phases.
- It can be applied metaphorically to the collective output of a group or in non-artistic fields, though this is less common.
- The committee's body of work over the past decade has been impressive.
Variants and Related Words
- Oeuvre (noun): A synonym, borrowed from French, with the same meaning. It is considered slightly more specialized or academic.
- She dedicated her life to the study of Mozart's oeuvre.
- Corpus (noun): A collection of written texts, especially the complete works of a particular author or a body of writing on a particular subject.
- The linguist analyzed a corpus of modern English novels.
- Output (noun): The total amount of something produced by a person or organization. It is broader and less specific to art.
- The writer's output decreased in his later years.
Synonyms
- Collected works
- Lifework
- Canon (especially in literature)
- Portfolio (often used for visual artists or designers)
Related Phrases
- Legacy: What someone is remembered for, which is often closely tied to their body of work.
- His scientific legacy is defined by his groundbreaking body of work.
- Magnum opus: Refers to a creator's greatest single work, which is a part of their larger body of work.
- Many consider "Moby-Dick" to be Melville's magnum opus.
Noun
- the total output of a writer or artist (or a substantial part of it)
- he studied the entire Wagnerian oeuvre
- Picasso's work can be divided into periods