non-figurative
/ˌnɒnˈfɪɡ.ər.ə.tɪv/ (bre, ipa) · /ˌnɑːnˈfɪɡ.jɚ.ə.t̬ɪv/ (ame, ipa)
non-figurative — adjective
1. describes art such as painting or sculpture that does not show recognisable peop
describes art such as painting or sculpture that does not show recognisable people, places, or objects, but uses only shape, line, and colour to create its effect.
Bilal's new gallery shows only non-figurative work from young Brazilian artists.
attributive: non-figurative + work (collective art noun)
The museum's third floor is devoted to non-figurative paintings made after 1950.
attributive: non-figurative + paintings (countable plural)
Nkechi prefers non-figurative sculpture because the curving forms remind her of music.
Critics argue that Kandinsky's later work is purely non-figurative and carries no hidden image.
The art teacher asked Lakshmi to try a non-figurative style for her final project.
- abstract
the everyday word; non-figurative is the more technical art-world term.
- non-representational
near-synonym used in formal art writing; emphasises the lack of any depicted object.
- nonobjective
American art-criticism term, especially for work that contains no reference to any real-world object at all.
- figurative
art that does show recognisable people, places, or objects.
- representational
more formal antonym; common in museum and academic writing.
文法句型
non-figurative + art-noun (painting, sculpture, style)
用法筆記
Almost always used about visual art (painting, sculpture, drawing, design). Does not modify people, behaviour, or non-art objects — for those, use 'abstract' in its general sense.