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virtu
virtu (or vertu). ‘A love of or taste for works of art or curios; a knowledge of or interest in the fine arts; the fine arts as a subject of study or interest’ (OED). The word, deriving from the Latin virtus (‘excellence’) via the Italian virtù, became common in England in the 18th century ( Horace Walpole in a letter of 1746 refers to ‘my books, my virtu and my other follies and amusements’). It now hardly survives apart from the term ‘object of virtu’ (or ‘object de vertu’), meaning a curio, which is still current in saleroom language.
The related term ‘virtuoso’ was originally used of someone who was learned in the arts or sciences, and according to Henry Peacham in The Compleat Gentleman (1634) it was applied particularly to those skilled in distinguishing copies of antiquities from the originals. It came to be applied to professional artists, and the ‘Society of Virtuosi’, founded in 1689, was composed of ‘gentleman painters, sculptors and architects’. In modern usage it denotes a person who shows consummate mastery of technique and is applied primarily in music (‘a virtuoso violinist’) rather than in the visual arts. |
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IAN CHILVERS. "virtu." The Oxford Dictionary of Art. 2004. Encyclopedia.com. 31 May. 2012 <http://www.encyclopedia.com>. IAN CHILVERS. "virtu." The Oxford Dictionary of Art. 2004. Encyclopedia.com. (May 31, 2012). http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O2-virtu.html IAN CHILVERS. "virtu." The Oxford Dictionary of Art. 2004. Retrieved May 31, 2012 from Encyclopedia.com: http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O2-virtu.html |
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virtu
vir·tu / ˌvərˈtoō/ (also ver·tu) • n. 1. knowledge of or expertise in the fine arts. ∎ curios or objets d'art collectively. 2. poetic/lit. the good qualities inherent in a person or thing. PHRASES: article (or object) of virtu an article that is interesting because of its antiquity, beauty, quality of workmanship, etc. |
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"virtu." The Oxford Pocket Dictionary of Current English. 2009. Encyclopedia.com. 31 May. 2012 <http://www.encyclopedia.com>. "virtu." The Oxford Pocket Dictionary of Current English. 2009. Encyclopedia.com. (May 31, 2012). http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O999-virtu.html "virtu." The Oxford Pocket Dictionary of Current English. 2009. Retrieved May 31, 2012 from Encyclopedia.com: http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O999-virtu.html |
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virtu
virtu, vertu taste for works of art. XVIII. — It. virtù (see next) used in this sense.
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T. F. HOAD. "virtu." The Concise Oxford Dictionary of English Etymology. 1996. Encyclopedia.com. 31 May. 2012 <http://www.encyclopedia.com>. T. F. HOAD. "virtu." The Concise Oxford Dictionary of English Etymology. 1996. Encyclopedia.com. (May 31, 2012). http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O27-virtu.html T. F. HOAD. "virtu." The Concise Oxford Dictionary of English Etymology. 1996. Retrieved May 31, 2012 from Encyclopedia.com: http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O27-virtu.html |
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virtu
virtu
•accrue, adieu, ado, anew, Anjou, aperçu, askew, ballyhoo, bamboo, bedew, bestrew, billet-doux, blew, blue, boo, boohoo, brew, buckaroo, canoe, chew, clew, clou, clue, cock-a-doodle-doo, cockatoo, construe, coo, Corfu, coup, crew, Crewe, cru, cue, déjà vu, derring-do, dew, didgeridoo, do, drew, due, endue, ensue, eschew, feu, few, flew, flu, flue, foreknew, glue, gnu, goo, grew, halloo, hereto, hew, Hindu, hitherto, how-do-you-do, hue, Hugh, hullabaloo, imbrue, imbue, jackaroo, Jew, kangaroo, Karroo, Kathmandu, kazoo, Kiangsu, knew, Kru, K2, kung fu, Lahu, Lanzhou, Lao-tzu, lasso, lieu, loo, Lou, Manchu, mangetout, mew, misconstrue, miscue, moo, moue, mu, nardoo, new, non-U, nu, ooh, outdo, outflew, outgrew, peekaboo, Peru, pew, plew, Poitou, pooh, pooh-pooh, potoroo, pursue, queue, revue, roo, roux, rue, screw, Selous, set-to, shampoo, shih-tzu, shoe, shoo, shrew, Sioux, skean dhu, skew, skidoo, slew, smew, snafu, sou, spew, sprue, stew, strew, subdue, sue, switcheroo, taboo, tattoo, thereto, thew, threw, thro, through, thru, tickety-boo, Timbuktu, tiramisu, to, to-do, too, toodle-oo, true, true-blue, tu-whit tu-whoo, two, vendue, view, vindaloo, virtu, wahoo, wallaroo, Waterloo, well-to-do, whereto, whew, who, withdrew, woo, Wu, yew, you, zoo
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Cite this article
"virtu." Oxford Dictionary of Rhymes. 2007. Encyclopedia.com. 31 May. 2012 <http://www.encyclopedia.com>. "virtu." Oxford Dictionary of Rhymes. 2007. Encyclopedia.com. (May 31, 2012). http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O233-virtu.html "virtu." Oxford Dictionary of Rhymes. 2007. Retrieved May 31, 2012 from Encyclopedia.com: http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O233-virtu.html |
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