A professional performer, especially in music, dance, or theater; a skilled artist with special talent.
From French 'artiste,' derived from 'art' (from Latin 'ars'). The French diminutive form '-iste' emphasizes someone who practices or specializes in art.
The word 'artiste' is more specific than 'artist'—it implies professional skill and performance, which is why circuses and concert halls use it, but you'd rarely hear someone call a weekend painter an 'artiste'!
The gendered distinction between 'artist' and 'artiste' (often feminine, connoting performance/decorative work) historically trivialized women's creative labor and positioned it as entertainment rather than serious art.
Use 'artist' as the standard term for all practitioners; reserve 'artiste' for historical or performance-specific contexts and clarify its meaning.
["artist","performer"]
Women visual artists—Artemisia Gentileschi, Frida Kahlo, Barbara Hepworth—were relegated to 'decorative arts' while male contemporaries were canonized; reclaiming 'artist' centered their intellectual labor.
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