representationalism

noun

rep·​re·​sen·​ta·​tion·​al·​ism ˌre-pri-ˌzen-ˈtā-shnə-ˌli-zəm 

-shə-nᵊl-ˌi-

1

: the doctrine that the immediate object of knowledge is an idea in the mind distinct from the external object which is the occasion of perception

2

: the theory or practice of realistic representation in art

representationalist

ˌre-pri-ˌzen-ˈtā-shnə-list 

-shə-nᵊl-ist

noun

Synonyms

• literalism
• naturalism
• realism
• verisimilitude
• verismo

Examples of representationalism in a Sentence

the artist eventually abandoned the representationalism of his earlier work

Word History

First Known Use

1842, in the meaning defined at sense 1