This chapter introduces the complex interplay between language and visual art, emphasising the integral role of communicative practices in artistic production, interpretation, and dissemination. It begins by highlighting the diverse textual genres and verbal interactions central to the art world, from artists’ statements, exhibition proposals, and press releases to gallery notes, museum audio guides, and artists’ websites. Despite the abundance and richness of these textual practices, linguistic studies of art-related discourse remain underexplored. The chapter then reviews existing research employing methodological tools such as genre analysis, systemic functional linguistics, and corpus analysis to investigate how language constructs and conveys artistic meaning. It further situates these studies within broader philosophical, historical, and scientific frameworks, exploring how language interacts with artistic expression. Ultimately, the chapter seeks to establish the study of art discourse as a burgeoning subfield within language and (applied) linguistics, offering fresh insights into the dynamic relationship between language and visual art. This foundational overview sets the stage for subsequent chapters, which probe further into the themes discussed across varied contexts and practices.