Glossary

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B

Background

The part of the picture plane that seems to be farthest from the viewer.

Balance

The arrangement of visual arts elements to create a feeling of equilibrium in a work of art. Three types of balance are symmetry, asymmetry, and radial (emanating from the center).

Barbizon

Located in the forest of Fountainebleau, France, this artistic school specialized in detailed pictures of the forest and countryside.

Benjamin West

An American-born artist (1738-1820) who spent most of his career in England creating portraits of members of the royal family and large-scale history paintings.

Bird’s eye

Placement of a camera above the subject so that the viewpoint is that of a bird looking down at the subject.

Blaue Reiter

Second major German Expressionist Group, formed in Munich in 1911. The two founding artists were Vassily Kandinsky and Franz Marc.

Bodhisattva

In Buddhist thought, one of the host of divinities who was provided to the Buddha to help him save humanity and who has postponed enlightenment in order to help others overcome suffering.

Broken line

A line separated into parts.

Bronze Age

China (2000-1100 bce).

Buddha

Enlightened being, mostly referring to the historical Prince Siddhartha, who is later called Buddha Sakyamuni.