Fine art refers to arts that are "concerned with beauty or which appealed to taste" (SOED 1991). The term was first attested in 1767, as a translation from the French term beaux arts and designates a limited number of visual art forms, including painting, sculpture, and printmaking. Schools, institutes, and other organizations still use the term to indicate a traditional perspective on the visual arts, often implying an association with classic or academic art.
The word "fine" does not so much denote the quality of the artwork in question, but the purity of the discipline. This definition tends to exclude visual art forms that could be considered craftwork or applied art, such as textiles. The more recent term visual arts is widely considered to be a more inclusive and descriptive phrase for today's variety of current art practices, and for the multitude of mediums in which high art is now more widely recognized to occur.
The term is still often used outside of the arts to denote when someone has perfected an activity to a very high level of skill. For example, one might say that "Pelé took football to the level of a fine art."
Tattoofest - Tampa Bay, FL Thu, 27 Mar 2008 00:00:00 -0000 3/27/2008 - 3/27/2008 Mar_27.jpg Tampa's Doubletree Hotel hosts the annual Tattoofest March 27-29. With competitions, entertainment, and discussions, there will be something for everybody who loves tattoos and piercings. The contests are all free to enter, so get involved!
