Gesamtkunstwerk

Stairway of the Hôtel Tassel, an early example of Gesamtkunstwerk

A Gesamtkunstwerk (German: [ɡəˈzamtˌkʊnstvɛʁk] ⓘ, literally 'total artwork', translated as 'total work of art',[1] 'ideal work of art',[2] 'universal artwork',[3] 'synthesis of the arts', 'comprehensive artwork', or 'all-embracing art form') is a work of art that makes use of all or many art forms or strives to do so. The term is a German loanword accepted in English as a term in aesthetics.

  1. ^ Millington (n.d.), Warrack (n.d.)
  2. ^ Oxford English Dictionary, Gesamtkunstwerk
  3. ^ ArtLex Art Dictionary Archived 14 August 2016 at the Wayback Machine