What is the difference between Modern art and Traditional Art?

Answer 1

Traditional Art refers mainly to art that was brought about during the Renaissance Period. Artist who still follow the traditional art style focus on painting the figure, landscapes and still lifes in a realistic way. The theme is usually allegorical (tells a story) with figures from the Bible or history. The average person can discern what the images are and what the story of the painting is simply by looking at the painting.
Modern Art was a little more complex. Modern art was usually an artist's comment on traditional art. They also painted the figure, landscapes, still lifes, etc except they did not stay within the traditional method. Art, for them, was more conceptual and experimental. It was also very personal. They used "color" to express emotion and "line" to express movement and time. They wanted the viewer to bring something to the experience (because for each one, it was different). Modern Art forced the public to re-assess their values and beliefs. It allowed them to question the world because art was no longer bound by the confines of tradition.

Answer 2

While we may have opinions about what traditional art is, there is no actual definition of it. Modern art, however, is well defined, but not at all well understood in the public's eye. Modernism is a time (very debated) roughly from the end of the 1800s to the mid-fifties. Around that time art moved into the Post-modern era.
Names get attached to styles of art by art critics and art historians some years after the art has been in the public eye. Much discussion goes on about what is or is not art of any particular era. Dada art for example, some art critics say there is really only one piece of Dada art; others say art that addresses the same ideas as the original piece did, or look similar to it (it was a toilet) are also Dada.

I saw from several answers you got before mine that there is a lot of confusion about what Modern Art is. It is not just the non-objective style (which is to say that it does not deliberately represent any recognizable objects) so many people have come to believe it is, but is art that addressed different ideas and issues than that of the art before it.

Although we all sort of sloppily call anything done recently as "modern," that does not mean it belongs in the era of "Modern Art." Confused? Well so are a lot of people. People also confuse the term "abstract" with non-objective as well. Abstract art is still recognizable. For example, children often make trees with a circle on top of a stick (called lollipop trees) and a triangle on a stick. We know that trees don't look exactly like that, but we know they are drawing trees. That is abstraction. I had to ask a lot of questions to my very brilliant professors to understand these concepts myself.

Answer 3

Traditional art requires talent. Modern art does not.

Answer 4

Modern art has a lot of personal interpretation and the use cubism and symbolism is a popular style of modern art.

Traditional art is basically painted to look like the subject.

Answer 5

You can't really tell what the fuc k modern art is about while traditional art is easy to figure out.

Answer 6

I was wondering the same thing myself today