decorative art

American  

noun

1. art that is meant to be useful as well as beautiful, as ceramics, furniture, jewelry, and textiles.

2. Usually decorative arts. any of the arts, as ceramics or jewelry making, whose works are created to be useful.

3. works of decorative art collectively.

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Etymology

Origin of decorative art

First recorded in 1850–55

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

decorative art

Prints, paintings and works of decorative art document the philosophies, pivotal events and major figures of the time, from the Boston Massacre and Paul Revere to indigenous conflicts and George Washington.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jan. 18, 2026

The swanky new museum will feature master paintings, tapestries, sculptures, decorative art pieces, armory and sumptuous royal furniture collected by Spanish monarchs over five centuries, spanning the empire’s Hapsburg and Bourbon dynasties.

From Washington Times ● May 22, 2023

“People have gotten more and more creative, and we have a lot more elaborate costumes and decorative art that people have built.”

From Seattle Times ● Mar. 17, 2022

‘Kumihimo: The Art of Japanese Silk Braiding by Domyo’ The history of this decorative art, which dates to the sixth century, is traced in this exhibit on view Dec. 11 through March 6.

From Los Angeles Times ● Dec. 1, 2021

GROTESQUE, strictly a form of decorative art, in painting or sculpture, consisting of fantastic shapes of human beings, animals and the like, joined together by wreaths of flowers, garlands or arabesques.

From Encyclopaedia Britannica, 11th Edition, Volume 12, Slice 5 "Greek Law" to "Ground-Squirrel" by Various