primitivism

Definitions

A belief in the value of what is simple and unsophisticated, expressed as a philosophy of life or through art.

A mode of aesthetic idealization that either emulates or aspires to recreate 'primitive' experience, often drawing inspiration from non-Western or prehistoric art.

The state or quality of being primitive, or a doctrine that emphasizes the superiority of a simple, natural way of life over complex civilization.

Examples

The artist's later works were heavily influenced by the raw aesthetic of primitivism.

Critics often debate whether the movement's embrace of primitivism was a genuine appreciation of folk culture or merely an exoticized fantasy.

His philosophy rejected modern industrialization in favor of a return to a state of agrarian primitivism.

Synonyms

simplicity naivety naturalism unsophistication artlessness rudimentariness purity

Antonyms

sophistication modernism complexity refinement advancement cultivation urbanity