Which theory of judging art posits that art should imitate what we see in the real world?

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Art is judged by how closely it imitates real life. Imitationalism holds that the value of an artwork lies in its ability to mirror the world—its objects, textures, light, and forms—as we experience them. When a work faithfully represents what we see, it fulfills this theory. In contrast, formalism judges art mainly by its visual design—how elements like line, color, contrast, and composition work together—regardless of whether it looks like the real world. Emotionalism, on the other hand, focuses on the feelings or emotional impact the work produces rather than its likeness. Balance, while important in composition, is a principle about arranging elements to achieve stability and harmony, not a theory about whether art imitates reality. So the statement about imitating the real world aligns best with imitationalism.