What Is The Purpose of Decorative Art?

In the field of visual arts, "decorative art" refers to the practice of making objects that are both beautiful and useful.

Ceramics, textiles, furniture, glassware, metalwork, and jewelry are just a few of the many creative forms that fall into this category.

Decorative art aims to beautify practical objects so that we can enjoy them more in our daily lives. Decorative art works have been created in many different cultures and eras.

Decorative art has strong ties to a variety of artistic disciplines, including architecture, graphic design, and fashion, and is often an influential source of creative ideas in these fields.

What is decorative art?

The main goal of decorative art is to enhance the visual appeal of a given object. The term "decorative art" doesn't just apply to paintings and drawings; it can also describe architecture and sculpture.

Despite its long history, decorative art flourished during the Renaissance, and the Victorian era saw a resurgence in the genre.

History of Decorative Art

Humans have been making beautiful and useful crafts since prehistoric times, and it can be said that decorative art began back then. For example, cave paintings and carvings often feature decorative patterns and motifs, indicating humanity's early love of aesthetics.

Decorative art was vital in ancient Egyptian, Greek, and Roman culture, serving important religious and secular functions. Artisans created exquisite ceramics, linens, and jewelry for worship and burial.

The church and wealthy benefactors often commissioned decorative artworks in the Middle Ages, including illuminated manuscripts, tapestries, and metalwork.

The decorative arts flourished during the Renaissance as artists and craftsmen began to produce works that were both beautiful and technically advanced.

Today, artists and designers use a wide variety of materials and techniques to create products that are both functional and beautiful, proving that the decorative arts are as important as ever.

The Difference Between Decorative and Fine Arts

Functionality is the primary dividing line between decorative and fine arts. Fine arts are created primarily for their aesthetic and intellectual value, with little or no focus on their practicality.

Fine art works are often exhibited in museums and galleries with one of the following goals: to inspire emotion, challenge the mind, and demonstrate the artist's unique vision. Media such as painting, sculpture, printing, and photography are all considered fine art.

When artists create works of decorative art, they have a dual goal: to improve the environment and to bring joy to others. Furniture, textiles, pottery, glassware, and metal are all examples of decorative arts, which are often created to complement or enhance an existing interior or architectural environment.

While the aesthetic value and skill of a decorative art piece is certainly admirable, this value is secondary to the primary function of the piece. Value is another important difference between decorative art and fine art.

The high prices paid for fine art pieces in the market can be attributed to the rarity and originality of the piece. Decorative art is generally not highly valued by the art market due to its larger scale production and wider availability.

Finally, the line between decorative art and fine art is sometimes blurred, and certain pieces may function well in either category. However, their function and purpose distinguish them from one another.