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

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

While borrowing freely from the French decorative art vocabulary popularized by the Exposition, Seattle architects also incorporated distinct Pacific Northwest images.

From Seattle Times • Jun. 3, 2023

In each of the 65 episodes, a Frick curator offers insights on a work of art in the museum’s collection — a painting, sculpture or decorative art — as well as a related cocktail.

From New York Times • Oct. 21, 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 through March 6.

From Los Angeles Times • Dec. 31, 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