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Lesson
Lesson 1. What a genre is and why it matters
Remember the main genres of painting and learn to identify a painting's genre by what it shows.
A map of the genres
The main genres of painting
A genre is a type of painting defined by WHAT it shows. Once you know the genre, you immediately understand by what rules to read the painting and what to expect from it. The main genres:
— Portrait — an image of a particular person (or group). The aim is to convey appearance and character.
— Still life — an image of inanimate objects: dishes, food, flowers, books, skulls (French nature morte, “dead nature”).
— Landscape — an image of nature and space: fields, mountains, the sea, the sky, a city (a cityscape, or veduta).
— Genre scene (scene of everyday life) — scenes from the daily lives of ordinary people: a market, a kitchen, a tavern, a celebration, work.
— History painting — events from history, mythology, the Bible, literature. For a long time it was considered the “highest” genre.
There used to be a strict hierarchy: history painting and portraiture were valued above the “simple” still life and landscape. Over time this hierarchy collapsed.
Lesson notes
The main genres of painting
A genre is a type of painting defined by WHAT it shows. Once you know the genre, you immediately understand by what rules to read the painting and what to expect from it. The main genres:
— Portrait — an image of a particular person (or group). The aim is to convey appearance and character.
— Still life — an image of inanimate objects: dishes, food, flowers, books, skulls (French nature morte, “dead nature”).
— Landscape — an image of nature and space: fields, mountains, the sea, the sky, a city (a cityscape, or veduta).
— Genre scene (scene of everyday life) — scenes from the daily lives of ordinary people: a market, a kitchen, a tavern, a celebration, work.
— History painting — events from history, mythology, the Bible, literature. For a long time it was considered the “highest” genre.
There used to be a strict hierarchy: history painting and portraiture were valued above the “simple” still life and landscape. Over time this hierarchy collapsed.