A work of art is defined as something that has been created, often by an artist, to be enjoyed by a viewer. An artwork may be a sculpture, painting, or a musical composition. It can also be a film or a play. Generally, a work of art has three basic components: a subject, a style, and a purpose.
The subject of a work of art is generally thought to be an object or a topic. However, it is possible to consider the subject of an artwork to be an idea, or an image, or even a focus. The most common subjects of artworks are people, abstractions, and the natural world. Other categories include objects or themes that provoke outrage or censorship.
In general, an expert can provide a definition of what makes something an artwork. But the definition has to be substantive. For example, it must explain what makes an expert an expert. Similarly, the definition must explain how an expert recognizes connections between different historical periods and art. Moreover, it must include a list of experts who have expertise in this area.
In addition to the definition, it is necessary to identify the conditions under which the work of art is recognized as such. This is done through a narrative. Ideally, a candidate for the art-status must be a work of art created in a particular artistic context. And he or she must have a true historical narrative. If the candidate is not acknowledged or if it fails to meet these criteria, it is not a work of art.
One of the most important things to remember is that the definition of an artwork is a misguided pursuit. Most of the time, a definition is a means to explain biased data. These definitions are based on conceptual confusions in traditional philosophy. They have also been influenced by the rise of radical artworks in the twentieth century. While the present definitions of art are not as arbitrary as many of the classical definitions, they can be difficult to understand in isolation.
Classical definitions of art, on the other hand, are not philosophically independent. They tend to underplay the substantial unity of the art form. According to the classical definition, an artwork has certain formal and representational properties. However, these properties can be combined with aesthetic judgments and aesthetic experiences.
Conventionalist definitions of art also deny the connection between the expressive and the formal properties of art. Usually, these definitions have to do with the relationship between a work of art and its subject, and its historical context.
In a more complex approach, a group of works is considered to be a single artwork. Unlike the classical definitions, which take an artwork to have one property, the conventionalist definitions do not. Each work of art is characterized by a combination of formal and expressive properties.
A work of art is usually presented to an artworld audience. However, this does not necessarily mean that the identity of the work remains unchanged over time.