pictūra, ae, f. [pingo], painting, the art of painting.
I Lit.: una est ars ratioque picturae, Cic. de Or. 3, 7, 26; 1, 16, 73; id. Brut. 18, 70; Ap. de Mund. p. 66, 23.—
B In partic., a painting of the face , Plaut. Most. 1, 3, 105.—
C Transf., concr., a painting , picture (cf. tabula): et si qua inutilis pictura sit, eam vendat, Plaut. As. 4, 1, 10; Cic. Or. 11, 36: nego ullam picturam neque in tabulis neque textilem fuisse, quin conquisierit, id. Verr. 2, 4, 1, § 1: accedant statuae et picturae, Sen. Ep. 16, 8: positae sunt picturae Herculis liberos occidentis, id. Contr. 5, 34, 14: statuas et picturas avehere, Tac. A. 16, 23: dicitur tabulam picturae cedere, Gai. Inst. 2, 78.—Of embroideries : textilibus picturis, Lucr. 2, 35.—Of paintings in Mosaic , Verg. Cul. 64.—Of a carving in relief : et sculpsit in eis picturam cherubim, Vulg. 3 Reg. 6, 32.—
II Trop., a painting , picture in words: animum ab istā picturā imaginibusque virtutum traducere, Cic. Tusc. 5, 5, 14: Homerum tradunt caecum fuisse; at ejus picturam, non poësin videmus, id. ib. 5, 39, 114.