Texture is an artistic element artists use to depict depth and dimension.
Still Life, Thayer, Abbott Handerson, about 1886, From the collection of: Indianapolis Museum of Art at Newfields
This painting shows the element of texture with the smooth brush strokes on the soft flowers, and short, rough strokes for the bowl and table.
My Children (Mary, Gerald, and Gladys Thayer), Abbott Handerson Thayer, ca. 1897, From the collection of: Smithsonian American Art Museum
This painting shows texture with obvious brush strokes, like in the grass, the clothing, and sky.
Self-portrait, Abraham Ángel, 1923, From the collection of: Museo Nacional de Arte
This work shows texture through the colors. For example, the wrinkles in his shirt contrast and add texture. This is also shown in his hair, the trees, sky and dirt.
The Little Village Girl with Red Carnation, Adolfo Guiard, 1903, From the collection of: Museo de Bellas Artes de Bilbao
This painting shows texture through the variation of brush strokes used. Her shirt and skirt are long smooth strokes and the background seems almost stippled with paint.
Warlugulong, Clifford POSSUM TJAPALTJARRI | Anmatyerr people, 1977, From the collection of: National Gallery of Australia
This painting shows texture because of the technique indigenous Australians used for their art. This technique is created by painting small dots on the canvas used.
Untitled (Ponte), Amadeo de Souza-Cardoso, 1914, From the collection of: Museu Coleção Berardo
Texture is used in this painting with the quick blots of paint over a flat color.
Sailing by Moonlight, Albert Pinkham Ryder, undated, From the collection of: The Phillips Collection
This painting shows texture because the details are shown through quick, small brush strokes.
This painting shows a lot of texture through the variety of brush strokes used. Her skin has longer, smoother brush strokes, and her clothing, hair, and background are more reckless strokes.
This painting shows texture through long, wavy, brush strokes and a lack of blending. This makes the painting seem rough and more textured.
This painting seems like it has a three-dimensional aspect, where the painting pops off of the canvas. This implies texture literally in the sense that you can feel the painting's texture.
Christchurch, Spitalfields, Leon Kossoff, 1987, From the collection of: British Council
This painting has a mixture of long and short brush strokes and a lack of blending with the paint. This implies texture.
Row of Sleepers, Henry Moore, 1941, From the collection of: British Council
This painting displays texture through small lines of graphite. The people almost look like rock because of the color choices and pitted surfaces.
Brown Tube Shelter, Henry Moore, 1940, From the collection of: British Council
This painting shows texture through the almost worn look the paint gives off in the background. Quick, small, strokes imply a bark-like and stone-like texture.
The Fertile Crescent, Anselm Kiefer, 2009, From the collection of: Essl Museum - Contemporary Art
The bricks in this painting are textured and pop off of the canvas in a three-dimensional manner. The background seems wiped off in layers which also implies texture.
Foolish Virgin, Adolf Frohner, 1988, From the collection of: Essl Museum - Contemporary Art
The texture in this painting is shown through variations of brush strokes and the lack of blending, creating blocks of color.
Credits: All media
This user gallery has been created by an independent third party and may not represent the views of the institutions whose collections include the featured works or of Google Arts & Culture.
