Final answer:
The phrase describes an artistic visual using figurative language, often found in fields relating to arts and humanities, to enhance the depiction of a subject.
Step-by-step explanation:
The figure of language mentioned, "the veins stood out like ropes in his long, sinewy neck", is a form of simile that is often used in artistic descriptions to convey a vivid image. This type of descriptive language is typical in discussions related to arts and humanities, where visual elements are translated into words to enhance the understanding of a piece.
For example, visual art analysis often involves descriptive terminology to depict the physical attributes of a piece, such as the striations on a sculpture or the texture of a painting. The keywords relevant to this query would encompass artistic description, visual art analysis, and figure of language.