work of art

American  

noun

1. a piece of creative work in the arts, especially a painting or sculpture.

2. a product that gives aesthetic pleasure and that can be judged separately from any utilitarian considerations.

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work of art British  

noun

1. a piece of fine art, such as a painting or sculpture

2. something that may be likened to a piece of fine art, esp in beauty, intricacy, etc

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Etymology

Origin of work of art

First recorded in 1825–35

Example Sentences

What makes “Picnic” an enduring work of art is its tonal complexity.

From The Wall Street Journal

The daring title essay is a denunciation of what she viewed as the modern practice of substituting our own meanings for those contained in works of art, an act that “tames” those works.

From The Wall Street Journal

“Dreamworld” and “Man Ray” remind us that the best works of art, Surrealist or not, are as elusive as our dreams.

From The Wall Street Journal

Important works of art from Bohemian lands were destroyed by iconoclasts during the Hussite Wars of the 15th century, and much was taken as booty during the Thirty Years’ War in the 17th.

From The Wall Street Journal

Each week a writer focuses on a single work of art—we use the term in its broadest sense—and explains why, in his or her view, it is of surpassing cultural significance.

From The Wall Street Journal

Related Words

• artwork
• composition
• piece