The concept of style is often mentioned in relation to different art pieces. A style as an artistic notion might seem somewhat difficult to explain. However, the definition offered by Hauser (2018) seems to be comprehensive and detailed enough. Specifically, Hauser (2018) defines style as a characteristic of art pieces that determines their external parameters, primarily, their look. The specified definition is somewhat vague, yet the broad range of art styles and genres does not allow for a closer approximation o the definition.
Therefore, a style provides the viewer with immediate shorthand concerning the main characteristics of an art piece. As a result, one can determine the origin of an artwork, namely, its time period and the culture that produced it, quite accurately. For example, when considering “The Starry Night” by Vincent van Gogh, one will notice the use of vivid colors, which was one of the key marks of Post-Impressionism (Hauser, 2018). In addition, van Gogh’s painting featured clear geometric forms, such as circles for the stars themselves, and the presence of lines as the means of detailing the sky and the outlines. The focus on geometric patterns as the key means of shaping the look and identity of a painting is another attribute of Post-Impressionism (Hauser, 2018). After noticing the specified stylistic choices made by the author, one will unmistakably relate the painting to the Post-Impressionism era, namely, the 19-20th-century France (Hauser, 2018). Overall, being the key means of determining the identity of an art piece, its style provides the background for the artwork.
Though defining style as a set of specific characteristics of an artwork allowing one to relate it to a certain art movement is significantly vague, it does provide the necessary basis for the analysis. Therefore, identifying the art style is one of the key tasks when exploring an artwork. With close attention to detail, one will be able to isolate the crucial markers of a certain style, thus, relating an artwork to a respective genre, background, and time period.
Reference
Hauser, A. (2018). The Philosophy of Art History (Routledge Revivals). Routledge.