Pastiche
[pah-STEESH]
Part of speech: noun
Origin: French, late 19th century
1.
An artistic work in a style that imitates that of another work, artist, or period.
2.
An artistic work consisting of a medley of pieces taken from various sources.
Examples of Pastiche in a sentence
"I practiced writing in every possible way that I could. I wrote a pastiche of other people.' — Katherine Ann Porter"
"It was clearly a pastiche, but I still admired the painting."
About Pastiche
You can't order it at a restaurant, but "pastiche" has etymological ties to your favorite bowl of carbs. The Latin word "pasta" means paste, which turned into "pasticcio" in Italian, and "pastiche" in French. You can turn a floury paste into pasta, or you can paste together artistic styles into your own work.
Did you Know?
Have you ever heard someone say there are no new ideas? That might be a bit extreme, but the word "pastiche" describes artistic work that imitates another. It could be a pastiche of an artist's style, such as Frida Kahlo, or a tribute to an entire period, such as Cubism.
