Art Trivia Quiz

Test your knowledge of art and artists with this art trivia quiz. 

art trivia paint pallette

Art inspires and moves us all differently. Many works of art have stood the test of time and are still viewed and spoken of today... centuries after they were created.

No matter what the tool, in the hands of an gifted artist, history, creativity, movement, emotion, and so much more are captured in timeless works that are admired long after the artists are gone.

How many great artists are you familiar with? What do you know about the tools they use in their creations? Use this art trivia to discover your true knowledge of art. Then, take time out to spend a day at an art museum or an evening painting with friends and experience the joy of creativity. 

Art Trivia Questions

box of acrylic paints

01. In oil painting, why shouldn't you dry your paintings in the dark?
a. You can't see when it's dry.
b. This may cause a thin film of oil to rise to the surface, yellowing it.
c. Paint needs sunlight to dry.
d. It will stay wet and eventually go mouldy.

02. Who painted 'The Scream' (the famous painting of a man screaming with a nuclear mushroom cloud behind him.)?
a. Oskar Kokoschka
b. Marc Chagall
c. Egon Schiele
d. Edvard Munch

03. Which famous twentieth century artist painted "100 Cans" (Pop Art)?
a. Andy Warhol
b. Roy Lichtenstein
c. Piet Mondrian
d. Jeff Koons

04. What is Pablo Picasso's style of artwork called?
a. Realism
b. Cubism
c. Abstract
d. Romanticism

05. What art movement was Yoko Ono associated with during the 1960s?
a. Dadaism
b. Futurism
c. Fluxus
d. Post-Impressionism

06. This art term, describing an outlined image of a solid figure and having the appearance of a 'shadow', was named for a finance minister in the government of French King Louis XV. What is the name of this shadowy art form?
a. Blotter
b. Poster
c. Silhouette
d. Modern

07. With which 20th century art movement were Salvador Dali, René Magritte, and André Breton associated?
a. Surrealism
b. Dadaism
c. Post-Impressionism
d. Outsider

08. American children ages 2-8 years old, average how much time per day coloring?
a. 5 minutes
b. 28 minutes
c. 10 minutes
d. 45 minutes

09. What is a primary color?
a. Any color of the rainbow.
b. A color made from mixing two others.
c. A color that can't be made by mixing others together.
d. A color made by mixing three colors together.

10. How many paintings did Van Gogh sell in his lifetime?
a. One hundred
b. Fifty-four
c. Sixteen
d. One

11. This is the combination of pieces of cloth, magazines and other found objects to create artwork. What is it called?
a. Collage
b. Found Art
c. Outsider
d. Surrealist

12. The term "collage" is derived from a French word meaning ...
a. Paste Up
b. Messy
c. To Cut
d. Bizarre

13. What are the three primary colors?
a. Yellow, blue, red
b. Orange, red, green
c. Yellow, orange, blue
d. Grey, black, white

14. Which type of paint dries the most quickly?
a. Acrylic
b. Watercolor
c. Gouache
d. Oil

15. In respect to art, what is a body of work?
a. A set of life drawings.
b. A set of bronze sculptures of figures.
c. The collection of paintings of a gallery or museum.
d. The collection of paintings an artist has done that are typical of their style, approach, or techniques.

16. Which notorious 20th century European leader said: 'Anyone who sees and paints a sky green and pastures blue ought to be sterilized.'
a. Joseph Stalin
b. Benito Mussolini
c. Adolf Hitler
d. None of the above

17. The first example of cave painting was discovered in 1879. What country was it found in?
a. America
b. Spain
c. Africa
d. China

18. Which 19th-century artist inspired the American Congress to create the National Park System?
a. Vincent van Gogh
b. Albert Bierstadt
c. Ansel Adams
d. Winslow Homer

19. Who is famous for painting huge close-ups of flowers?
a. Mary Cassatt
b. Georgia O'Keeffe
c. Camille Claudel
d. Sonia Delauney

20. What culture is credited with producing the first ceramics?
a. The Egyptians
b. The Aztecs
c. The Chinese
d. The Japanese

21. How long did Leonardo da Vinci spend painting the Mona Lisa's lips?
a. 8 months
b. 12 years
c. 10 weeks
d. 2 years

22. What is it called when therapists use art to help clients deal with emotional issues?
a. Crazy Art
b. Art Therapy
c. Angel Painting
d. Self-Portrait

23. When and where was the first pencil invented?
a. France in the 1300s AD
b. China in 800 AD
c. England in the 1500s AD
d. Egypt in 500 BC 



Art Trivia Answers

paints and brushes for art

01. b. Because this may cause a thin film of oil to rise to the surface, yellowing it. / 02. d. Edvard Munch / 03. a. Andy Warhol / 04. b. Cubism / 05. c. Fluxus / 06. c. Silhouette / 07. a. Surrealism / 08. b. 28 minutes / 09. c. A color that can't be made by mixing others together. / 10. d. One / 11. a. Collage / 12. a. Paste Up / 13. a. Yellow, blue, red / 14. a. Acrylic paints are touch-dry in minutes, and fully dry in a week or two.(Oil paints are touch-dry in 2-7 days, depending on thickness and climate, and fully dry in 6 months to 2 years.) / 15. d. The collection of paintings an artist has done that are typical of their style, approach, or techniques. / 16. c. Adolf Hitler / 17. b. Spain / 18. b. Albert Bierstadt's(1850-1902) landscape paintings helped the American people to realize the importance of protecting the wilderness. / 19. b. Georgia O'Keeffe /20. d. The Japanese / 21. b. 12 years / 22. b. Art Therapy / 23. c. England in 1565


Questions and answers for this Art Trivia provided by
Catherine from Self Help Healing Art Journal

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