ART APPRECIATION

MODULE 1 : WHAT IS ART

• The word ART comes from the Ancient Latin “Ars” which means “craft or
specialized form or skill, like carpentry, or smithying or surgery”
(Collingwood,1938)
• In Medieval Latin, “Ars” means something different.
• During 17th Century when the problem and idea of aesthetics, the study of
beauty, began to unfold distinctly from the notion of technical workmanship,
which was the original conception of the word “Art”.
• 18th Century when the word has evolved to distinguish between fine arts and
the useful arts
• Art is also studied because “it is among the highest expressions of culture,
embodying its ideals and aspirations, challenging its assumptions and beliefs,
and creating new visions and possibilities for it to pursue” (Sayre, XVI).
THE ASSUMPTION OF ART
1. ART IS UNIVERSAL
• Literature has provided key works of arts. Among the most popular ones being
taughtin schools are the two Greek epics, the Iliad and Odyssey
• Those which have been made long time ago is considered as artistic. Age is not
a factor a factor of art in determining art. An art is not good because it is old, but
because it is good” (Dudley et al., 1960)
• Enjoyment in the arts belongs to a higher good, one that lies at the opposite end
base of pleasures (John Stuart Mill’s Utilitarianism , 1879),

2. ART IS NOT NATURE

• Art is man’s expression of his reception of nature.
• Art is based on an individual’s subjective experiences of nature.

3. ART INVOLVES EXPERIENCE

• Art is just experience. By experience, mean the“Actual doing of something”
(Dudley et al., 1960)
• When one asserts having experienced preparing a particular recipe, he in fact
asserts knowing how the recipe is made
• An important aspect of experiencing art is it’s being highly personal, individual,
and subjective.
 • It depends on his perception, tastes, biases (Degustibus non disputandum
est.)

MODULE 2 : ART APPRECIATION: CREATIVITY, IMAGINATION, AND

EXPRESSION

• Not even photographs or sketches of nature, though captures or

drawn by man, are works of art, but mere recordings of the beauty in
nature (Collins & Riller, 1931)
1. ART Appreciation as a way of Life
• Jean-Paul Sartre, a famous French philosopher of the twentieth
century, described the role of art as a creative work that depicts the
works in a completely different light and perspective, and the source
due to human freedom
• Refining one’s ability to appreciate art allows him to deeply
understand the purpose of an artwork and recognize the beauty it
possesses (Collins & Riley, 1931).
• In cultivating an appreciation of art, one should also exercise and
develop his taste for things that are fine and beautiful.
• Frequenting museums, art galleries, performing arts theaters, concert
halls or even malls that display art exhibitions that are free in
admission during leisure time will not only develop an understanding
of the art, but will also serve as rewarding experience.

2. The Role of Creativity in Art Making

• Creativity requires thinking outside the box.
• Originality - not imitate the lines, flaws, colors, and patterns in
creating nature.
• It’s more fun in the Philippines ( 2011 ) vs It’s more fun in Switzerland
( 1951 )

3. Art as a Product of Imagination, Imagination as a Product of Art

• “Imagination is more important than knowledge. For knowledge is
limited to all we now know and understand, while imagination
embraces the entire world, and all there ever will be to know and
understand”. ( Albert Einstein )
 • In an artist’s mind sits a vast gallery of artworks. An artwork does not
need to be a real thing, but can be something that is imaginary
(Collingwood, 1938).
• Cave walls are surrounded by drawings and paintings of animals they
hunted: wild boars, reindeers, and bison.
• Clays were molded and stones were carved into forms that resemble
men and women; burial jars were created with intricate designs on
them.
• These creative pieces were made not only because they were
functional to men, but also because beauty gave them joy.

4. ART as an Expression of Emotional Content

• Robin George Collingwood, an English Philosopher who is best
known for his work in aesthetics, explicated in his publication The
Principles of Art (1938) that what an artist does to an emotion is not
to induce it, but express it.
• Description actually destroys the idea of expression, as it classifies
the emotion, making it ordinary and predictable.

MODULE 3 : HISTORY OF ART

• The unearthing of archaeological artifacts and remains provide

modern a society a glimpse of beliefs, practices, and activities of
early civilizations.
• The early people produced such materials that reflects their attitudes
and belief systems on spiritual, social, political, and economic
matters.

ART IN EARLY CIVILIZATIONS

PRE-HISTORIC ART
• early humans ( stone Age ) turned to the creation of paintings and
sculptures that depicts humans, animals and their natural habitats
 • Palaeolithic art is a product of climate change.
- Two boys chased after their dog into a hole where their ball got
stuck in. When they followed the dog, they were astonished to
discover a cave with beautiful paintings. The cave paintings
would eventually be called the “Hall of Bulls.”
• Neolithic art was developed especially when life for the early
humans has become more stable.
- 4000 BCE, there were several monumental and architectural
structures erected.
- Stonehenge located in Southern England. Others see it as
complex calendar that tracked the movement of Sun and Moon
and others ascribe some magical element to it by associating it
with Merlin the Magician from The King Arthur’s story.
- It is also notable that the earliest civilizations emerged and
flourished in river valleys: the Nile in Egypt, Indus in India,
Tigris and Euphrates in Mesopotamia, and Huang Ho River in
China.

EGYPTIAN ART
• The Fertile Ribbon starts from the banks of the Nile River, which
flows North to Africa and ventures into Mediterranean.
• 3 Egyptian civilization period ( Old, Middle, New )
• THE PYRAMID OF GIZA ( OLD )
- Served as tombs since their main purpose was to provide a
resting place for Pharaohs
- Was constructed roughly more than two million limestone
blocks
- Highlighting the ingenuity and advancement of Egyptians.
• MIDDLE KINGDOM
- One of the key Features of Middle kingdom is a shift in the
Political Hierarchy (emergence of Landlords that threatened the
authority of Pharaohs)
- Art has taken a backseat during Middle kingdom ( King
Mentuhotep Stabilized Egypt)
- Egypt was not immune to foreign invaders- they fell into the
hands of Hykos (introduced Bronze age weapons and horses
 • NEW KINGDOM
- The art in New Kingdom had references from both preceding
kingdoms
- In the new kingdoms, however, they started mortuary temples.
- The newly found strength and power comes from an inflated
ego.
• AFTER NEW KINGDOM
- Most sculptures during this period had curving lines and full-
bodied forms.

ART OF EMERGING EUROPE

ANCIENT GREECE
• The humanist ideals of the Greek were reflected in their democratic
form of government
• Greek Art – ( Geometric ,Archaic ,Classical ,Hellenistic )
• GREEK ARCHAIC PERIOD
- Origins of theater and drama can be traced back during the
Greek civilizations.
- Lacoon and his Sons ( Trojan priest and his sons being
strangled by serpents. Their position was a result of Lacoon’s
instructions during the Trojan War )
ANCIENT ROME
• The Roman republic was established around 500 BCE. This
civilization eventually transformed into one of the Western Europe’s
mightiest empires.
• Collosseum ( Entertainment purposes like public events and
gladiator games )
THE MIDDLE AGES
• Most important products of the Middle Ages would have to be copied
of the Christians scriptures
RENAISSANCE ART
• Artist valued the “individual” as a subject of arts and Influenced by
humanism and naturalism
MANNERISMS
• Artist would observe nature and try their best to emulate it
BAROQUE AND THE ROCOCO
• The term “baroque” is derived from the Portuguese term barocco
which is translated as “irregularly shaped pearl”
• Politics and art was strengthened aside from religion.
NEOCLASSICISM
• Neoclassicism transpired during the late 18th and 19th centuries
ROMANTICISM
• Romanticism used the central themes of Neoclassical artworks as a
springboard.
• During the Age of Revolutions, there has been a tremendous focus
on patriotic and nationalistic movements like the French Revolution.
REALISM
• Realism focuses on the accuracy of details that depicts and mirrors
reality.
• Idealistic concepts and images were replaced by real manifestation of
society.
IMPRESSIONISM
• emerged in the mid to late 1800s.
• Incorporated scientific principles to achieve a more distinct
representation of color.
POST-IMPRESSIONISM
• rejection of Impressionism which led to the development of individual
style that gave emphasis to defining from with the use of broken
colors and short brush stroke.
• Some of the famous post-impressionism artists include Paul
Cazanne, Georges Seurat, Paul Gaugin, Vincent van Gogh, among
others.
NEO-IMPRESSIONISM
• Most of the painters rely on a systematic and scientific techniques
that have predetermined visual effects not only on the art work itself
but also how the audience perceive the art.
• Georges Seurat recorded optical sensations. His color theories
paved the way for the technique called Pointillism – utilizes discrete
dots and dashes of pure color.
• Other neo-impressionism artists include Henri-Edmond Cross,
Maximilien Luce, and Camille Pissarro, among others.
ART NOUVEAU
• Betweenn1890 and 1910
• This ornamental style of art uses long and organic lines that are
concretely manifested in architecture, jewelry, and glass design,
among others.
FAUVIST
• Emerged in France around the turn of the 20th century
• Fauvist revolutionary used pure and vibrant colors by applying
straight from the paint tubes directly to the canvas.
CUBISM
• Between 1907 and 1914, French artist Pablo Picasso and Georges
Braque introduced a new visual arts style called cubism.
• focusing on a flat surface was rejected and the existing and prevailing
notion that art shouls imitate nature
FURURISM
• Common themes are restlessness and the fast-paced of modern life.
• Italian poet and editor Filippon Tommaso Marinetti coined the
term “futurism” to reflect his purpose of disregarding the traditional
methods of the art in the past.
MODULE 4 : FUNCTIONS AND PHILOSOPHICAL PERSPECTIVE ON
ART

• Greek philosopher Aristotle claimed that every particular substance

in the world has an end, or telos in Greek, which translates into
“purpose”.
• Aristotle’s view of reality, is bound to achieve a life of fulfillment and
happiness, or in Greek, eudaimonia.
• Telos is connected with function, which is his rationality.
FUNCTION OF ART
• Personal Function of Art
- It’s function depend on the person- the artist who created the
art.
- An artist may create an art out of self- expression or therapeutic
purpose
• Social function of Art
- Art is considered to have a social function if and when it
addresses a particular collective interest as opposed to a
personal interest.
- Political art is a very common example of an art with social
function. It convey a message of protest, contestation or
whatever message the artist intends hos work to carry.
• Physical function of Art
- The physical function of art are the easiest to spot and
understand.
- The physical functions of art can be found in artworks that are
crafted in order to serve some physical purpose.
• Other function of Art
- Music was principally used for dance and religion. Today It is
no longer for religion purposes but for expressing feeling
through serenade.
- Sculpture,is another functional art form that long existed for
various purposes. People erect status for the divine. ( Roman
Catholic statues of God and saints )
Philosophical Perspective on Art
• Art as an imitation
- The Republic, particularly paints a picture of artist as imitators
and art as mere imitation ( Plato )
- In Plato’s metaphysics or view of reality, the things in this world
are only copies of the original, the eternal and the true entities
that can only be found in the World of Forms.
- Plato was deeply suspicious of art and artist for two reasons:
1. They appeal to the emotion rather to the rational faculty of
men.
2. They imitate rather than lead one reality.

• Art as a Representation
- Aristotle considered art as an aid to philosophy in
revealing truth.
- For Aristotle, all kinds of art including poetry, music, dance,
painting and sculpture, do not aim to represent reality as it is.
- conceived of art as representing possible versions of reality.
- In the Aristotelian worldview, art serves two particular purposes:
1. Art allows for the experience of pleasure. Ex. A horrible
experience can be made an object of humor in a comedy.
2. Art also has an ability to be instructive and teach its and
teach its audience things about life, thus, it is cognitive as well.

• Art as a Disinterested Judgment

- Immanuel Kant, in his Critique of Judgment, considered the
judgment of beauty, the cornerstone of art, as something that
can be universal despite its subjectivity.

• Art as Communication of Emotion

- According to Leo Tolstoy, arts plays a huge role in
communication to its audience’s emotions that the artist
previously experienced.
MODULE 5 : ARTIST AND ARTISANS

• Robert Henri’s The Art Spirit (1923), he stated that “ Art when really
understood is the province of every human being.
• Artist and the guilds
- Guilds were a type of social fellowship, an association
structured with rules, customs, rights and responsibilities. With
a lifetime commitment to a particular trade.
- An artisan develops immense skill and expertise in his craft.
- In the Philippines, the culture of artisan became prevalent
during the time of Spanish colonial period.
• ARTIST AND HIS STUDIO
- Today, artist studios have been a place of interest for the
public.
- The studio model dates back from the Renaissance.
- Work stations were segmented into two, the studiolo and the
bottega; the latter is where the work usually happened.
• Other Players in the World of Art
- All artistic work, like all human activity, involves the joint activity
of a number,often a large number, of people. ( Howard S.
Becker’s Art Worlds , 1982 )
- The existence of art worlds, as well as the way their existence
affects both the production and consumption of artworks,
suggests a sociological approach to the arts.
- It is important to note that with the complexity of the art world,
players are no longer limited to those who undertook formal
instruction in either (or both) production and/or study of art.
- The role of curator is more of the interpretation and
development of the artwork (s) or the collection(s) through
establishing the significance, relationship, and relevance of
these materials in isolation and/ or as part of a wider narrative.
• Engagement with Art
- Cline’s The Evolving Role of Exhibitions and its Impact on Art
and Culture (2012), she wrote that “exhibitions act as a catalyst
of art and ideas to the public;
- Moreover, in Paula Marncola’s What Makes a Great
Exhibition? (2006), it reads that “exhibitions are strategically
located at the nexus where artists, their work, the arts institution
and may different publics intersect.
- One of the most common platforms to engage with the art is
trough exhibitions either at museums or galleries. Nowadays,
there are other exhibition spaces that have opened up for artist
to showcase their works.
• Criteria for the National Artists
- Presidential Proclamation 1001 of 1972 was created to
recognize and honor Filipinos who contributed to Philippine art
and writing. Award and National Artist Decoration was
established. The National Commission set criteria for the
Cultural and Arts National Artist and the Philippines Cultural
Center.
1. An artist who has established a way of artistic expression or style,
earning the honor and influencing future generations of artists;
2. An artist who has produced a notable body of work and
continuallydemonstrated brilliance in their art form's practice,
elevating artistic expression or style; and
3. An artist that has received widespread acclaim and evaluations of
their work and respect and honor from peers through distinguished
national and international recognition, critical acclaim, and
evaluations of their work.