Afbeeldend

Afbeeldend is a Dutch adjective derived from the verb afbeelden, meaning to depict or illustrate. As an adjective it indicates something related to depicting subjects in visual form or to the act of producing images.

Grammatically, afbeelding is built on the present participle afbeelden, and afbeelden functions as a modifier in compounds such as afbeelend or afbeeldende, though the spelling may vary with grammar and hyphenation rules. In everyday Dutch, the term most often appears in phrases describing art and imagery, and it is closely linked to the idea of depicting a subject in a concrete, recognizable form.

In art historical usage, afbeelend is used to characterize works that represent recognisable subjects, as opposed to abstract or non-representational works. The more common term for the field as a whole is beeldende kunst (visual arts), with de beeldende kunsten referring to the disciplines that create images or images-based work. Afbeeldend is thus typically encountered within descriptive phrases rather than as a standalone field label.

Related concepts include beeld, afbeelding, and beeldende kunst. The distinction between afbeelden (to depict) and begrijpen (to understand) reflects how afbeelden centers on representation, while beeldende kunst emphasizes the broader practice of creating images. In contemporary Dutch, the term afbeelden remains primarily a descriptive or typological reference rather than a distinct separate discipline.