Below is a glossary article post in the category F which discusses the explanation of the meaning, definition and meaning of the acronym, term, jargon, or termonology of Formalism based on summaries from various types of sources (references) that are relevant, related, and trustworthy.
Understanding Formalism
So, what is actually meant by Formalism?
Formalism is a study of art only based on the analysis of its form – how to be made and what form.
Explanation of Formalism
Formalism illustrates a critical position that the most important aspect of a work of art is its form – the way is made and the pure visual aspect – rather than its narrative content or its relationship with the visible world. Therefore, in painting, a formalist critic will focus exclusively on the quality of colors, brushes, shapes, lines, and compositions.
Formalism as a critical attitude emerged as a response to impressionism and post-impressionism (especially Cézanne paintings) where unprecedented emphasis was placed in the pure visual aspect of the work. In 1890 the post-impressionist painter and art writer, Maurice Denis, published a manifesto entitled Definition of Neo-Tradicialism in which he emphasized that aesthetic pleasure can be found in the painting itself not the subject. This is one of the most quoted texts in the history of modern art:
Remember, that an image, before that is a picture of a battle horse, a naked woman, or a story, is basically a flat surface covered with a color arranged in a certain order.
In the British format art theory was developed by Bloomsbury painter and critic Roger Fry and Author Bloomsbury Clive Bell. In his book in 1914, Bell formulated a significant form of ideas – the form itself could convey feelings. All of this leads quickly to abstract art, pure art. Formalism dominated the development of modern art until the 1960s when it reached its peak in what was called a new critic of American critic Clement Greenberg and others, especially in their writing about color paintings and post-painter abstractions. It was precisely at that time formalism began to be challenged by postmodernism.
Moreover, as we have seen above, this term is one of a collection of dictionaries, acronyms, terms, jargon, or terminology in the field of arts that begins with an alphabet or prefix F, as well as terms associated with F.
Meaning of Formalism in the English, Indonesian (Including Javanese and Sundanese), and Malaysian Translation Dictionary
Apart from discussing the meaning and discussion of the definition, to deepen it further, here we also need to know what the word means in the English, Indonesian (including Javanese and Sundanese) translation dictionaries, as well as Malaysia (Malay).
For easy understanding, in this glossary post, we will explain it in the form of a list of translations of terms from various types of languages as follows:
- English; Terminology = Formalism.
- Indonesian (including Javanese and Sundanese translations); Terminology = Formalisme (Indonesian), Formalisme (Java), and Intelisme in Sundanese.
- Malaysian; Terminology = Formalisme.
Closing
OK, above there is the discussion and explanation of what is the meaning of Formalism.
Hopefully this article post that we have shared can be useful and can broaden our insight and literacy, especially in Art.
See also ours other articles related to the field of Art on the main blog page of our website.
Footnotes
This glossary post was created by referring to the conclusions of the meaning of definitions from various authoritative relevant references such as Wikipedia, Britannica and several other sources such as MoMA, Tate, ModernArts, and so on. This word is one of a collection of terminology in the field of Art which begins with the alphabet or prefix F. This article wasupdated in Jul of 2025.
- https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Art
- https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Creativity
- https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?search=formalism
- https://www.britannica.com/search?query=formalism
- View example images of formalism through Google here
- View example images of formalism on Bing here
- View example images of formalism on Yandex here
