The expression or application of human creative skill and imagination, typically in a visual form such as painting or sculpture, producing works to be appreciated primarily for their beauty or emotional power.
Art may be characterized in terms of mimesis (its representation of reality), expression and communication of emotion.

…something that reveals the essential or hidden truth
…creating beauty or harmony
…self-expression

What I dream of is an art of balance, of purity and serenity, devoid of troubling or depressing subject matter, an art which could be for every mental worker, for the businessman as well as the man of letters, for example, a soothing, calming influence on the mind, something like a good armchair which provides relaxation from physical fatigue. (Henri Matisse)

What is art? Art grows out of grief and joy, but mainly grief. It is born of people’s lives. (Edvard Munch)