entertainment-pedia

Having trouble understanding some of the lingo when visiting art galleries or art auctions? Here are a few commonly-used art terms to be familiar with.

Antiquities
This is a term for objects from Antiquity, specifically, ancient Greece and Rome, ancient Egypt and the other ancient Near Eastern cultures.

Artists Proof
A small group of outstanding prints for the artist's use, which have been set aside from the edition prints.

Appraisal
An appraisal is a formal evaluation of the fair market and/or insurance value of a given piece or group of property. This value, which is made by comparing the object with similar works that sold recently, may also represent what an item would likely bring at auction. Insurance value reflects what it would cost to replace an item.

Authenticity Guarantee
When an auction house or gallery stands by the accuracy of its bold-type description of authorship, usually for a period of time.

Bought In
At an art auction, if there are no bids on a lot, or if bidding does not reach the reserve price,the lot is "bought in," meaning it is left unsold and remains the property of the owner.

Batik
Parrafin or beeswax is used to resist paint or dye on fabric or paper. Designs and patterns are produced on the unwaxed areas.

Buyer's Premium
At an auction, this is the additional amount above the hammer price that is paid to the auctioneer as part of the total purchase price.

Consignor
The owner who is transferring property to a gallery or auction house to act as agent on the owner's behalf for the sale at auction

Fair Market Value
A term used frequently by appraisers referring to their judgment and opinion about an object's likely sale price if offered for sale by a willing seller to a willing buyer. Since the auction process is open to all bidders, a sale at auction is considered to be a measure of Fair Market Value.

Gouache
(Tempera)
Opaque watercolors and the technique of painting with such colors using white to make tints.

Impressionism
Considered to be the most important art movement of the 19th century.

Lithograph
This is a printing process. A small stone, or metal plate is used. The printer, usually with the artists supervision, covers the plate with a sheet of paper which are then run through the printer.

Lot
An individual object or group of objects offered for sale at auction as a single unit.

Medium
The art material that is used in a work of art. This may include clay, paint or pencil. Describing more then one art medium is referred to as media.

Patina
Caused by corrosion, it is an incrustation, usually green, on the surface of a metal (typically bronze) object. Such discoloration occurs naturally with age through exposure to elements.

Provenance
According to Sotheby's, provenance is the history of ownership of the property being sold. This can be an important part of the authentication process as it establishes the chain of ownership back (if possible) to the time the piece was made. An interesting provenance can add to the a piece's value, as was the case with the Duchess of Windsor's jewels or the contents of Andy Warhol's estate (where even cookie jars fetched thousands of dollars), which were both sold at Sotheby's.

Relic
An object or a custom that remains from a previous time or culture.

Algonquin martini: 1 1/2 parts rye whiskey, 3/4 parts dry vermouth and 3/4 parts pineapple juice.

Bellini: 2 parts peach juice or peach puree and 4 parts Champagne.

Bloody Mary: 3 parts spicy tomato juice drink with 1 part vodka, 1/2 parts lemon juice ,a splash of Worcestershire sauce. Typically garnished with a celery stalk.

Boston Sidecar: 1 part light rum, 1/2 part brandy, 1/2 part triple sec and 1/2 part lime juice.

Compari Cocktail: 1 part Campari, 3/4 parts vodka, dash of bitters. Garnish with a lemon twist.

Gimlet: 2 parts gin and 1 3/4 parts lime juice.

Highball: whiskey and ginger ale to taste.

Manhattan: 2 parts rye whiskey, 1/2 part sweet vermouth and a few dashes of bitters. Garnish with a maraschino cherry.

Old-fashioned: 1 sugar cube, a few dashes of bitters, orange slices and 3 parts bourbon. Garnish with a maraschino cherry.

Planter's Punch: 2 parts dark rum, splash of grenadine, 2 parts pineapple and 2 parts orange juice. Garnish with maraschino cherry and/or orange slice.

Rob Roy: 1 1/2 parts Scotch, 1/4 part sweet vermouth and bitters to taste. Garnish with a maraschino cherry.

Rum and Coke: 2 parts of rum and add Coke to taste. Garnish with a slice of lime.

Tom Collins: 1 1/2 parts gin, 1 part lemon juice, 1/2 parts sugar syrup. Add club soda to taste. Garnish with a maraschino cherry and a lemon slice.

Whisky sour: 1 1/2 parts whiskey and 1 1/2 parts lemon juice. Add sugar syrup to taste.

Do you like contemporary art? A new study suggests that's because you've developed an emotional connection to it. If you prefer older pieces, on the other hand, your response is intellectual. The findings, published in Psychology of Aesthetics, Creativity and the Arts, from the University of Rome was based on 137 people who attended to local museums in Rome: the Braschi, which is home to pieces created through the middle of the nineteenth century, and the National Gallery of Modern and Contemporary Art. Essentially, how you feel about a piece is based largely on when it was created.

Both groups – the emotive and intellectual – stated that their reason for going to the museums was "an interest in the artists" and the opportunity to "see the artworks in the original." But, those opting for the National Gallery frequently responded that they enjoyed "the pleasure they feel during their visit," while those going to the Braschi cited a "desire for cultural enrichment."

Is it as simple as "modern art is to be enjoyed and the classics are to be appreciated?" It sure seems that way, as the response by those hitting the Braschi seem to equate it to taking the stairs rather than an elevator – it feels good because it's good for you. That said, there's no doubt that intellectual stimulation feels fantastic, so oversimplifying the reaction as some form of self-betterment is probably a tad unfair, especially since participants in both groups had high scores for "openness to new experience." The modern art lovers, though, did tend to lean toward "sensation-seeking."

The demographic breakdown is pretty interesting, as well. Most of the participants were women, and all generally had similar levels of education. But, those preferring the National Gallery were 10 years younger, on average, than those gravitating toward the classics.

[Photo by Steve Ferdman, Bauzen Studios]