Masterpiece
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Originally, the term masterpiece (or chef d'œuvre) referred to a piece of handicraft art produced by a journeyman aspiring to become a master craftsman in the old European guild system, which is partially retained today only in Germany. These were (or are) typically perfect pieces of handicraft art, admired for their beauty and elegance.
Nowadays this term mostly refers to any work of art that is considered extraordinarily well-performed.
Specifically in the arts, this term is often narrowly defined as a work of such genius that it trancends its historical limitations; a masterpiece, in this narrow definition, becomes universal or timeless while still evoking or representing its place in history.
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