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Painting

Practice of applying paint, pigment, color or other medium to a surface

Painting is the practice of applying paint, pigment, color or other medium to a solid surface (called the "matrix" or "support"). The medium is commonly applied to the base with a brush, but other implements, such as knives, sponges, and airbrushes, can be used.

In art, the term painting describes both the act and the result of the action (the final work is called "a painting"). The support for paintings includes such surfaces as walls, paper, canvas, wood, glass, lacquer, pottery, leaf, copper and concrete, and the painting may incorporate multiple other materials, including sand, clay, paper, plaster, gold leaf, and even whole objects.

Painting is an important form in the visual arts, bringing in elements such as drawing, composition, gesture (as in gestural painting), narration (as in narrative art), and abstraction (as in abstract art). Paintings can be naturalistic and representational (as in still life and landscape painting), photographic, abstract, narrative, symbolistic (as in Symbolist art), emotive (as in Expressionism) or political in nature (as in Artivism).

A portion of the history of painting in both Eastern and Western art is dominated by religious art. Examples of this kind of painting range from artwork depicting mythological figures on pottery, to Biblical scenes on the Sistine Chapel ceiling, to scenes from the life of Buddha (or other images of Eastern religious origin).

Painting Media

90,342 media by topic ∙ page 1 of 904
Wood on the Downs

Wood on the Downs

Artist: Paul Nash(11 May 1889 – 11 July 1946)

[Library, Theodore Newton Law Residence]

[Library, Theodore Newton Law Residence]

Title: [Library, Theodore Newton Law Residence]..Creator: Richie, Robert Yarnall, 1908-1984..Date: October 30, 1965..Place: Houston, Texas..Part Of: Robert Yarnall Richie photograph collection..Physical Descrip... more

[Dining Room, Theodore Newton Law Residence]

[Dining Room, Theodore Newton Law Residence]

Title: [Dining Room, Theodore Newton Law Residence]..Creator: Richie, Robert Yarnall, 1908-1984..Date: October 30, 1965..Place: Houston, Texas..Part Of: Robert Yarnall Richie photograph collection..Physical Des... more

[Master's Sitting Room, Theodore Newton Law Residence]

[Master's Sitting Room, Theodore Newton Law Residence]

Title: [Master's Sitting Room, Theodore Newton Law Residence]..Creator: Richie, Robert Yarnall, 1908-1984..Date: October 30, 1965..Place: Houston, Texas..Part Of: Robert Yarnall Richie photograph collection..Ph... more

[Morning Room, Theodore Newton Law Residence, Houston]

[Morning Room, Theodore Newton Law Residence, Houston]

Title: [Morning Room, Theodore Newton Law Residence, Houston]..Creator: Richie, Robert Yarnall, 1908-1984..Date: October 30, 1965..Place: Houston, Texas..Part Of: Robert Yarnall Richie photograph collection..Ph... more

[Master Bedroom, Theodore Newton Law Residence]

[Master Bedroom, Theodore Newton Law Residence]

Title: [Master Bedroom, Theodore Newton Law Residence]..Creator: Richie, Robert Yarnall, 1908-1984..Date: October 30, 1965..Place: Houston, Texas..Part Of: Robert Yarnall Richie photograph collection..Physical ... more

Wall painting fragment

Wall painting fragment

Ceiling Painting from the Tomb Chapel of Senenmut

Ceiling Painting from the Tomb Chapel of Senenmut

Miniature Mask for a Canopic bundle

Miniature Mask for a Canopic bundle

Wall painting fragment

Wall painting fragment

Floral decoration.

Wall painting fragment

Wall painting fragment

On black ground; head of a bird in white, green plant on green groundline.

Ceiling Painting from the Tomb Chapel of Senenmut

Ceiling Painting from the Tomb Chapel of Senenmut

Wall painting on black ground: pair of supports, from the imperial villa at Boscotrecase

Wall painting on black ground: pair of supports, from the imperial vil...

Ceiling Painting from the Tomb Chapel of Senenmut

Ceiling Painting from the Tomb Chapel of Senenmut

Wall painting with a standing woman

Wall painting with a standing woman

Wall painting from Room H of the Villa of P. Fannius Synistor at Boscoreale

Wall painting from Room H of the Villa of P. Fannius Synistor at Bosco...

Wall painting from Room H of the Villa of P. Fannius Synistor at Boscoreale

Wall painting from Room H of the Villa of P. Fannius Synistor at Bosco...

Wall painting fragment

Wall painting fragment

Wall painting: frieze supporting trellis, from the imperial villa at Boscotrecase

Wall painting: frieze supporting trellis, from the imperial villa at B...

Wall painting: Polyphemus and Galatea in a landscape, from the imperial villa at Boscotrecase

Wall painting: Polyphemus and Galatea in a landscape, from the imperia...

Ceiling Painting from the Tomb Chapel of Senenmut

Ceiling Painting from the Tomb Chapel of Senenmut

Wall painting fragment

Wall painting fragment

On black ground; Acephalic Hippocamp to right.

Wall painting from the west wall of Room L of the Villa of P. Fannius Synistor at Boscoreale

Wall painting from the west wall of Room L of the Villa of P. Fannius ...

Miniature Stela of Ahmose

Miniature Stela of Ahmose

Palette for painting of Vizier Amenemopet

Palette for painting of Vizier Amenemopet

Wall painting from Room H of the Villa of P. Fannius Synistor at Boscoreale

Wall painting from Room H of the Villa of P. Fannius Synistor at Bosco...

Man Carrying Ducks

Man Carrying Ducks

Wall painting on white ground: fragment with candelabrum, from the imperial villa at Boscotrecase

Wall painting on white ground: fragment with candelabrum, from the imp...

Miniature Bottle

Miniature Bottle

Fresco fragment with siren

Fresco fragment with siren

Fragment of a Doorjamb from the Tomb of Djehutynefer

Fragment of a Doorjamb from the Tomb of Djehutynefer

Wall painting on black ground: Egyptianizing scene and pair of swans, from the imperial villa at Boscotrecase

Wall painting on black ground: Egyptianizing scene and pair of swans, ...

Wall painting fragment

Wall painting fragment

On red ground with white palmette.

Wall painting fragment

Wall painting fragment

Painter's Palette Inscribed with the Name of Amenhotep III

Painter's Palette Inscribed with the Name of Amenhotep III

Wall paintings on black ground: from the imperial villa at Boscotrecase

Wall paintings on black ground: from the imperial villa at Boscotreca...

Wall painting on black ground: cornice fragment, from the imperial villa at Boscotrecase

Wall painting on black ground: cornice fragment, from the imperial vil...

Wall painting on black ground: supports with entablature, from the imperial villa at Boscotrecase

Wall painting on black ground: supports with entablature, from the imp...

Wall painting on black ground: supports with entrablature, from the imperial villa at Boscotrecase

Wall painting on black ground: supports with entrablature, from the im...

Ceiling Painting from the Tomb Chapel of Senenmut

Ceiling Painting from the Tomb Chapel of Senenmut

Wall painting on black ground: landscape, from the imperial villa at Boscotrecase

Wall painting on black ground: landscape, from the imperial villa at B...

Wall painting on black ground: fragment of support/entablature, from the imperial villa at Boscotrecase

Wall painting on black ground: fragment of support/entablature, from t...

Wall painting fragment

Wall painting fragment

Wall painting fragment

Wall painting fragment

Wall painting fragment

Wall painting fragment

Floral decoration.

Wall painting fragment

Wall painting fragment

On yellow ground; figure of Genius in red facing left, making a libation. Early Imperial

Wall painting on black ground: Aedicula with small landscape, from the imperial villa at Boscotrecase

Wall painting on black ground: Aedicula with small landscape, from the...

Wall painting fragment

Wall painting fragment

On yellow ground; plant stalk in sepia with tendrils; white calyx below.

Wall painting on white ground: candelabrum, from the imperial villa at Boscotrecase

Wall painting on white ground: candelabrum, from the imperial villa at...

Cubiculum (bedroom) from the Villa of P. Fannius Synistor at Boscoreale

Cubiculum (bedroom) from the Villa of P. Fannius Synistor at Boscoreal...

Painted limestone funerary stele with a seated man and two standing figures

Painted limestone funerary stele with a seated man and two standing fi...

Miniature coffin of Saiah

Miniature coffin of Saiah

Wall painting on black ground: Egyptianizing scene and pair of swans, from the imperial villa at Boscotrecase

Wall painting on black ground: Egyptianizing scene and pair of swans, ...

Miniature broad collar

Miniature broad collar

Wall painting on red ground: candelabrum, from the imperial villa at Boscotrecase

Wall painting on red ground: candelabrum, from the imperial villa at B...

Wall painting fragment

Wall painting fragment

On black ground; blue rosettes with white highlights; yellow tendrils between rosettes.

Wall painting fragment

Wall painting fragment

On black ground; two birds in flowering acanthus plant; flowers in vine.

Wall painting fragment

Wall painting fragment

On yellow ground; frontal winged figure in red with left hand grasping vine.

Ceiling Fragment Depicting Pigeons in Flight

Ceiling Fragment Depicting Pigeons in Flight

Wall painting: Perseus and Andromeda in landscape, from the imperial villa at Boscotrecase

Wall painting: Perseus and Andromeda in landscape, from the imperial v...

Panel painting of a woman in a blue mantle

Panel painting of a woman in a blue mantle

Wall painting on black ground: supports with entablature, from the imperial villa at Boscotrecase

Wall painting on black ground: supports with entablature, from the imp...

Figure in a Landscape

Figure in a Landscape

Exodus Painting, five elements from a painted hanging depicting the Crossing of the Red Sea

Exodus Painting, five elements from a painted hanging depicting the Cr...

Wall painting fragment

Wall painting fragment

Marble funerary relief

Marble funerary relief

Facsimile of the Apse Painting in Tomb 25, Bagawat Necropolis, Kharga Oasis

Facsimile of the Apse Painting in Tomb 25, Bagawat Necropolis, Kharga ...

Charles K. Wilkinson

Portrait of an elderly lady with a gold wreath

Portrait of an elderly lady with a gold wreath

Three Poems from the “Collection of Poems Ancient and Modern” (Kokin wakashū), known as the “Araki Fragment” (Araki-gire)

Three Poems from the “Collection of Poems Ancient and Modern” (Kokin w...

Facsimile of Painting in the Chapel of Peace, Bagawat Necropolis, Kharga Oasis

Facsimile of Painting in the Chapel of Peace, Bagawat Necropolis, Khar...

Charles K. Wilkinson

Saint Michael

Saint Michael

Portrait of the Boy Eutyches

Portrait of the Boy Eutyches

Portrait of a man with a mole on his nose

Portrait of a man with a mole on his nose

Portrait of a thin-faced man

Portrait of a thin-faced man

Portrait of a thin-faced, bearded man

Portrait of a thin-faced, bearded man

Portrait of a Youth with a Surgical Cut in one Eye

Portrait of a Youth with a Surgical Cut in one Eye

Panel fragment with the god Shiva/Oesho

Panel fragment with the god Shiva/Oesho

Panel with the god Zeus/Serapis/Ohrmazd and worshiper

Panel with the god Zeus/Serapis/Ohrmazd and worshiper

Panel with the god Shiva/Oesho and worshiper

Panel with the god Shiva/Oesho and worshiper

Panel with the god Pharro and worshiper

Panel with the god Pharro and worshiper

Elderly Man Flanked by Egyptian Gods

Elderly Man Flanked by Egyptian Gods

Wall painting

Wall painting

Northern Wei dynasty (386–534)

Manuscript Leaf Fragment

Manuscript Leaf Fragment

Manuscript Leaves Fragment

Manuscript Leaves Fragment

Manuscript Leaf Fragment

Manuscript Leaf Fragment

Manuscript Leaf Fragment

Manuscript Leaf Fragment

Manuscript Leaf Fragment

Manuscript Leaf Fragment

Made in Byzantine Egypt

Manuscript Leaf Fragment

Manuscript Leaf Fragment

Made in Byzantine Egypt

Manuscript Leaf Fragment

Manuscript Leaf Fragment

Made in Byzantine Egypt

Manuscript Leaves Fragment

Manuscript Leaves Fragment

Made in Byzantine Egypt

Buddha

Buddha

Three Bodhisattvas

Three Bodhisattvas

Leaves from a Coptic Manuscript

Leaves from a Coptic Manuscript

Manuscript Leaves from an Arabic Manuscript

Manuscript Leaves from an Arabic Manuscript

Head of a Buddha

Head of a Buddha

Manuscript Leaves from an Arabic Manuscript

Manuscript Leaves from an Arabic Manuscript

Manuscript Leaves from an Arabic Manuscript

Manuscript Leaves from an Arabic Manuscript

Made in Byzantine Egypt

Monk Holding a Lotus

Monk Holding a Lotus

Attendant

Attendant

Three Celestial Attendants

Three Celestial Attendants