Fine art is a term used to refer to fields traditionally considered to be artistic. It is also used to describe "high-quality" works from these fields.

"Fine art" differs from "useful art" (craft) in that it is purely aesthetic, whereas crafts are made to serve a practical purpose. Example: a sculpture of a teapot that does not actually work is fine art, whereas one that does work is craft.

The line is blurred when fine decoration is applied to a useful item, such as a quilt, eating utensils, furniture, or decorative architecture such as caryatids. In some cases, a finely decorated useful item may be put on display for its aesthetic value rather than used. In a few cases, classes of items that were formerly useful are now regarded as belonging to the fine arts; for example, tapestries, which used to be used as insulation, are now used purely for decoration in many cultures.

The Fine Arts

• Dance
• Design
• Drawing
• Film
• Literature (aesthetic)
• Music
• Opera
• Painting
• Photography
• Printmaking
• Sculpture
• Textiles (aesthetic)
• Theater

See also

• art
• visual arts and design
• contemporary art
• artist
• painter
• sculptor
• engraver
• art history
• art historian
• connoisseur
• actor
• musician
• singer
• Academy of Fine Arts