Decorative Art, PEA-RED

People appreciate the usefulness of things like glassware and furniture, but they appreciate such objects even more when they’re aesthetically pleasing, too. That’s where decorative art comes in. Explore the world of basketry, metalwork, pottery, interior design, tapestry, and more.
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Decorative Art Encyclopedia Articles By Title

pearl
pearl, concretion formed by a mollusk consisting of the same material (called nacre or mother-of-pearl) as the......
pebble mosaic
pebble mosaic, type of mosaic work that uses natural pebbles arranged to form decorative or pictorial patterns.......
Pembroke table
Pembroke table, light, drop-leaf table designed for occasional use, probably deriving its name from Henry Herbert,......
pendant
pendant, in jewelry, ornament suspended from a bracelet, earring, or, especially, a necklace. Pendants are derived......
Penrose, Sir Roland
Sir Roland Penrose was a British artist, collector, and writer known best for his curatorial work and promotion......
peplos
peplos, garment worn by Greek women during the early Archaic, Classical, and Hellenistic periods (i.e., up to about......
Percier, Charles; and Fontaine, Pierre
Charles Percier and Pierre Fontaine were a pair of French architects and interior designers who carried out many......
perfume
perfume, fragrant product that results from the artful blending of certain odoriferous substances in appropriate......
pergola
pergola, garden walk or terrace, roofed with an open framework over which plants are trained. Its purpose is to......
peridot
peridot, gem-quality, transparent green olivine in the forsterite–fayalite series (q.v.). Gem-quality olivine has......
peristerite
peristerite, iridescent gemstone in the plagioclase (q.v.) series of feldspar minerals. The name (from Greek peristera,......
Perriand, Charlotte
Charlotte Perriand was a French designer known for iconic 20th-century furniture, such as the LC “Fauteuil Grand......
Perry, Grayson
Grayson Perry is a British potter who embedded in his work images of violence and other disturbing social issues.......
peruke
peruke, man’s wig, especially the type popular from the 17th to the early 19th century. It was made of long hair,......
petasos
petasos, wide-brimmed hat with a conical crown worn in ancient Greece. The petasos worn by men had a rather low......
petit point
petit point, form of canvas embroidery similar to cross-stitch embroidery (q.v.), but even finer because of its......
Petit porcelain
Petit porcelain, French hard-paste porcelain produced by Jacob Petit (b. 1796). Petit worked at the porcelain factory......
petticoat
petticoat, in modern usage, an underskirt worn by women. The petycote (probably derived from the Old French petite......
pew
pew, originally a raised and enclosed place in a church designed for an ecclesiastical dignitary or officer; the......
phenakite
phenakite, rare mineral, beryllium silicate, Be2SiO4, used as a gemstone. Phenakite has long been known from the......
photomontage
photomontage, composite photographic image made either by pasting together individual prints or parts of prints,......
Phrygian cap
Phrygian cap, soft felt or wool conical headdress fitting closely around the head and characterized by a pointed......
Phyfe, Duncan
Duncan Phyfe was a Scottish-born American furniture designer, a leading exponent of the Neoclassical style, sometimes......
Picasso, Pablo
Pablo Picasso was a Spanish expatriate painter, sculptor, printmaker, ceramicist, and stage designer. He was one......
picturesque
picturesque, artistic concept and style of the late 18th and early 19th centuries characterized by a preoccupation......
pierced work
pierced work, in metalwork, perforations created for decorative or functional effect or both; the French term for......
pietra dura
pietra dura, (Italian: “hard stone”), in mosaic, any of several kinds of hard stone used in commesso mosaic work,......
pileus
pileus, close-fitting, brimless hat worn by the ancient Romans and copied from the Greek sailor’s hat called the......
pilgrim bottle
pilgrim bottle, vessel with a body varying from an almost full circle, flattened, to a pear shape with a shortish......
pillar and scroll shelf clock
pillar and scroll shelf clock, wooden shelf clock mass-produced in the United States from the second decade of......
pin
pin, the small, pointed and headed piece of stiff wire used to secure clothing or papers. In mechanical and civil......
Pineau, Nicolas
Nicolas Pineau was a French wood-carver and interior designer, a leader in the development of interior decorating......
Pinxton porcelain
Pinxton porcelain, English porcelain produced in Derbyshire from 1796 to 1813. The factory was established by John......
piqué work
piqué work, decorative technique, usually employed on tortoiseshell, in which inlaid designs are created by means......
Pitkin glass
Pitkin glass, a glassware originating from a glasshouse established by the Pitkin family in East Hartford (now......
plain weave
plain weave, simplest and most common of the three basic textile weaves. It is made by passing each filling yarn......
platform rocker
platform rocker, rocking chair with rockers fixed to move on a stationary base rather than on the floor. Introduced......
pleached alley
pleached alley, garden path, on each side of which living branches have been intertwined in such a way that a wall......
plique-à-jour
plique-à-jour, (French: “open to light”), in the decorative arts, technique producing translucent enamels held......
Plymouth porcelain
Plymouth porcelain, first hard-paste, or true, porcelain made in England, produced at a factory in Plymouth, Devon,......
point Colbert
point Colbert, (French: “Colbert lace”), needle-made lace developed at Bayeux in France in 1855, inspired by 17th-century......
point de France
point de France, (French: “French lace”), the 17th-century school of French lace set up by Louis XIV’s minister......
point de gaze
point de gaze, (French: “gauze lace”), needle lace produced in Brussels, principally from 1851 to around 1900,......
point de Paris
point de Paris, (French: “Paris lace”), product of a lace industry known to have existed around 1634 in the Île......
poke bonnet
poke bonnet, hood-shaped hat tied under the chin, with a small crown at the back and a wide projecting front brim......
polonaise
polonaise, in clothing, a coatlike dress, originally worn by Polish women, that was extremely popular in the 1770s......
Polonaise carpet
Polonaise carpet, any of various handwoven floor coverings with pile of silk, made in Eṣfahān and other weaving......
pomander
pomander, small metal (sometimes china) container designed to hold a ball of aromatic spices or herbs. Worn suspended......
pompadour
pompadour, style of dressing the hair in which the front hair is rolled back and the side hair up to meet it in......
poncho
poncho, article of clothing of ancient origin, a cloak made of a square or rectangle of cloth with a hole in the......
Ponti, Gio
Gio Ponti was an Italian architect and designer associated with the development of modern architecture and modern......
poplin
poplin, strong fabric produced by the rib variation of the plain weave and characterized by fine, closely spaced,......
Popova, Lyubov Sergeyevna
Lyubov Sergeyevna Popova was one of the most distinctly individual artists of the Russian avant-garde, who excelled......
porcelain
porcelain, vitrified pottery with a white, fine-grained body that is usually translucent, as distinguished from......
porcelain enamelling
porcelain enamelling, process of fusing a thin layer of glass to a metal object to prevent corrosion and enhance......
porkpie
porkpie, round hat with a turned-up brim and a flat crown. The porkpie, so called because of its shape, became......
Portland Vase
Portland Vase, Roman vase (1st century ad) of dark blue glass decorated with white figures, the finest surviving......
potpourri
potpourri, in pottery, a decorative ceramic vessel with a perforated cover originally made to hold a moist mixture......
potter’s mark
potter’s mark, device for the purpose of identifying commercial pottery wares. Except for those of Wedgwood, stonewares......
pouncet-box
pouncet-box, small silver box, the sides of which are “pounced,” or pierced, with holes, containing a sponge soaked......
Powers, Harriet
Harriet Powers was a seamstress whose 19th-century quilts gained renewed interest in the 1970s for their spirited......
Prada, Miuccia
Miuccia Prada is an Italian fashion designer best known as the head designer at the Prada fashion house. She is......
prayer rug
prayer rug, one of the major types of rug produced in central and western Asia, used by Muslims primarily to cover......
President Vargas diamond
President Vargas diamond, Brazilian stone weighing about 727 carats in rough form. It was discovered in the Santo......
prie-dieu
prie-dieu, praying desk for one individual with a knee bench close to the floor and a vertical panel supporting......
Primaticcio, Francesco
Francesco Primaticcio was an Italian Mannerist painter, architect, sculptor, and leader of the first school of......
princess style
princess style, in dress design, style of women’s clothing characterized by garments that are closely fitted to......
promenade
promenade, place for strolling, where persons walk (or, in the past, ride) at leisure for exercise, display, or......
Prouvé, Jean
Jean Prouvé was a French engineer and builder known particularly for his contributions to the art and technology......
psykter
psykter, ancient Greek pottery vessel with a tall, cylindrical foot, rounded body, and short neck, used for cooling......
Pucelle, Jean
Jean Pucelle was an outstanding miniature painter and manuscript illuminator. He excelled in the invention of drolleries......
Pueblo pottery
Pueblo pottery, one of the most highly developed of the American Indian arts, still produced today in a manner......
punch’ŏng pottery
punch’ŏng pottery, decorated celadon glazed ceramic, produced in Korea during the early Chosŏn period (15th and......
punto a groppo
punto a groppo, (Italian: “knotted lace”), ancestor of bobbin lace (q.v.). It was worked in 16th-century Italy......
punto in aria
punto in aria, (Italian: “lace in air”), the first true lace (i.e., lace not worked on a woven fabric). As reticella......
pusher lace
pusher lace, lace made in the 19th century at Nottingham, Eng., on the “pusher” machine, patented in 1812 by S.......
Putman, Andrée
Andrée Putman was a French designer, known for her Minimalist, avant-garde furnishings and interior designs. Putman......
puttee
puttee, covering for the lower leg consisting of a cloth or leather legging held on by straps or laces or a cloth......
pyrope
pyrope, magnesium aluminum garnet (Mg3Al2), the transparent form of which is used as a gemstone. Its colour varies......
pâte-sur-pâte
pâte-sur-pâte, (French: “paste on paste”), method of porcelain decoration in which a relief design is created on......
Pénicaud Family
Pénicaud Family, French enamelers active in Limoges during the 16th century, considered to be among the finest......
qalamkārī textile
qalamkārī textile, painted textile of a type produced during the 17th century at various centres in India, notably......
Qashqāʾī rug
Qashqāʾī rug, floor covering handwoven by the Qashqāʾī people, who have the reputation of making the best rugs......
Queen Anne style
Queen Anne style, style of decorative arts that began to evolve during the rule of King William III of England,......
quillwork
quillwork, type of embroidery done with the quills of a porcupine, or sometimes with bird feathers. This type of......
quilting
quilting, sewing technique in which two layers of fabric, usually with an insulating interior layer, are sewn together......
Quimper faience
Quimper faience, tin-enamelled earthenware produced by a factory at Loc Maria, a suburb of Quimper in Brittany,......
rabato
rabato, wide, often lace-edged collar wired to stand up at the back of the head, worn by both men and women in......
raden
raden, Japanese decorative technique used for lacquerware and woodenware, in which linings of mother-of-pearl or......
raised work
raised work, form of embroidery practiced in England in the 17th century, characterized by biblical and mythological......
raku ware
raku ware, Japanese hand-molded lead-glazed earthenware, originally invented in 16th-century Kyōto by the potter......
Raphael
Raphael was a master painter and architect of the Italian High Renaissance. Raphael is best known for his Madonnas......
rapier loom
rapier loom, a shuttleless weaving loom in which the filling yarn is carried through the shed of warp yarns to......
Raqqah ware
Raqqah ware, type of Islamic lustreware produced at Al-Raqqah, Syria, between the 9th and 14th centuries. The body......
Rauschenberg, Robert
Robert Rauschenberg was an American painter and graphic artist whose early works anticipated the Pop art movement.......
Ravenscroft, George
George Ravenscroft was an English glassmaker, developer of lead crystal (or flint glass). It was a heavy, blown......
Rayy ware
Rayy ware, in Islamic ceramics, style of pottery found at Rayy, near Tehrān, and dating from the 12th century.......
red-figure pottery
red-figure pottery, type of Greek pottery that flourished from the late 6th to the late 4th century bce. During......
redingote
redingote, fitted outer garment. The man’s redingote, worn in the late 18th and early 19th centuries, was a full-skirted,......

Decorative Art Encyclopedia Articles By Title