Definition

Noun: A genre of painting that depicts scenes from ordinary, everyday life. These works focus on the realistic portrayal of common people engaged in typical activities, such as domestic chores, market scenes, or social gatherings, rather than on historical, religious, or mythological subjects.

Usage

The term "genre painting" is used to classify and describe a specific category of art. It is typically used in art historical and critical discussions. - It is often discussed in contrast to other painting genres like history painting, portraiture, or landscape. - The term can refer to individual works or to the tradition as a whole.

Examples

Advanced Usage

• As a critical term: In art criticism, "genre painting" is analyzed for its social commentary, its depiction of class, and its techniques of realism and naturalism.
• Cultural specificity: While strongly associated with the Dutch Golden Age, the term is applied to similar traditions in other cultures and periods.

Variants and Related Words

• Genre scene: A synonym often used interchangeably with "genre painting" to refer to an individual work.
• Genre art: A broader term that can encompass other media (e.g., prints, drawings) depicting everyday life.
• Bambocciata (plural ): A specific type of 17th-century genre painting, originating with Dutch and Flemish artists in Rome, depicting the lower classes in often humorous or picturesque scenes.

Synonyms

• Domestic scene
• Scene of everyday life
• Bourgeois painting (context-specific, often 19th century)

Related Idioms and Phrases

• "A slice of life": This phrase is conceptually related to genre painting, describing art or literature that presents a realistic, unembellished representation of ordinary experience.

Noun

1. a genre depicting everyday life