To help better understand art and to classify it in ways that make it easier for us to compare, we have created a great deal of art genres. These genres are necessary for art history and the education of new artists. It would be tough to create anything if you had no idea what it was or how to tell someone else what it is. Genres like architecture, political art, conceptual art, avant-garde art, religious art and photography are all classified by experts and done so to help observers with their ability to compliment and critique. Some genres are more “in” than others depending on the time period. For example, the 21st century has seen a lot pop art and impressionism. Although there is no real sign as to how or why these trends happen – there are trends through time that are unmistakably profound. Our directory on art genres will dig deeper than you thought possible into each specific genre, how it came to be and offer examples and resources of each. You will also find links to genre-specific art and time periods as well as links to famous artists that define each genre. The directory is even filled with information on what the criteria for each genre are and how a piece of art comes to fall in that specific genre. Next time you are at an art gallery or visit a museum you will be educated enough to understand why specific artworks became famous and what their significance really is.