CHAPTER 1: THE STUDY OF HUMANITIES

The Origin and Meaning of Humanities

The term "humanities" originated from the Renaissance Latin expression studia
humanitatis or study of humanitas which refers to "culture, refinement, education".
During the Renaissance period of the early 15" century, the studia humanitatis became
a secular study in the universities at the time. The humanities course primarily consisted
of grammar, rhetoric, poetry, history, and moral philosophy, Latin and Greek classics.

The humanities today include literature, language, philosophy, geography,

history, religion, music, and art. These subjects used methods that are primarily critical,
speculative, and historical in elements whereas natural sciences are critical discipline
and use of empirical approaches.

Humanities are academic disciplines that deal on the various aspects of society
and the noble in man. Thus, humanities make man more humane, cultured, dignified,
and refined human being. In short, humanities bring out the best and worthiness of man
as a person.

Meaning and Importance of Art

Art is a subject under humanities. There is no one universal definition of art

since art is subjective. It is subjective in the sense that people differ in their perception
of an object or thing. Some people may consider an object as something beautiful and
meaningful while others may consider it as ugly or meaningless, In other words,
different authors and writers define art in various ways as they perceive it. Moreover,
the meaning of art has changed throughout history due to multicultural settings. Thus,
every time a new movement in art emerged, the meaning of what is art, or what is
acceptable as art, is being challenged.

Hereunder are some of the definitions of art given by various authors and writers.

1. Art is derived from the Latin word "ars," meaning ability or skill - J.V.. Estolas

2. Art is taken from the Italian word "artis," which means craftmanship, skill,
mastery of form, inventiveness, and the associations that exists between form and
ideas, between material and technique.-A. Tan

3. Art is a product of man's need to express himself - F. Zulueta

4. Art is concerned itself with the communication of certain ideas and feelings by
means of sensuous medium, color, sound, bronze, marble, words and film-C. Sanchez

5. Art is that which brings life in harmony with the world. – Plato
 6. Art is an attitude of spirit, a state of mind-one which demands for its own
satisfaction and fulfilling, a shaping matter to new and more significant form.-John
Dewey

7. Art is the skillful arrangement or composition of some common but significant

qualities of nature such as colors, sounds, lines, movements, words, stones, wood, etc.,
to express human feelings, emotions, or thoughts in a perfect, meaningful, and
enjoyable way. - Panizo and Rustia

8. Art is not what you see but what you make others see - Georgia O'Keeffe

9. Art is a life that helps us to realize the truth-Pablo Picasso

10. Art is the desire of a man to express himself, to record the action of his
personality in the world he lives in. - Amy Lowell

11. Art is never finished, only abandoned - Leornardo da Vinci

12. Art is not a handicraft, it is the transmission of feeling, the artist has
experienced. - Leo Nikolaevich Tolstoy

13. Art is the realization in external form of a true idea and is traced back to that
natural love of imitation which characterizes human. - Aristotle

14. Art is the conscious creation of something beautiful or meaningful using skill
and imagination - Lisa Morder

15. Art is the discovery and development of elementary principles of nature into
beautiful forms suitable for human use- Frank Lloyd Wright

16. Art is not what you see but what you make others see - Edgar Degas

From the above definitions of art, it can be concluded that there are several ways
of defining art as there are many people, authors, and writers in the universe. Each
definition is influenced by the unique perspective of the above authors and writers as
well as their own personality and character.

Nevertheless, a glimpse of the above definitions brings us four (4) common

essentials of art.

1. Art is man-made, not God-made

2. Art is creative, not imitative

3. Art benefits and satisfies man- when he uses art in practical life through artistic
principles, taste, and skill
 4. Art is expressed through a certain medium or material by which the artist
communicates himself to his fellows.

Art has a particular importance in our lives. All the arts that we see have a
purpose as well and makes a huge impact in our lives. Here are the reason why art is
important.

1. Art highlights and heightens the importance of certain events in order to keep
them memorable and pleasurable
2. Art enables us to get a glimpse of the thoughts, feelings, and beliefs of the
people in their time and the faces in their environment that influenced the
3. Art enables us to value and appreciate beautiful things as a consequence of
our encounter with arts.
4. Art may influence us to change our ways and behavior as a result of the
aesthetic experience we derived from the arts.
5. Arts are valuable sources of inspirations and aesthetic delightful experience
through the artist works of art.

Swara Swami (May 31, 2016) list the reasons why art is important. Here is the list:

1. Arts improve your creativity skills.

2. Arts give you joy and satisfaction

3. Arts relieve stress.

4. Arts give you the opportunity to showcase your talent.

5. Arts give you confidence in our performance.

6. Arts help you do well academically.

7. Arts help you learn visually

8. Arts help you to express your emotions.

9. Art is a different language because it can express things without words

The Importance of Art to Students

Arts play a valuable role to students.

1. Through participation in arts - music, dance, drama. media arts, and the visual
arts-
 students can develop their creativity
 students learn about their identity
  students develop self-awareness
 students develop self-confidence
 students develop sense of well-being

2. Through intense involvement in artistic activities-
 students experience a sense of wonder and joy when learning through
the arts
 students can be motivated to participate more fully in cultural life
 students are able to gain educational opportunities which they can use
later in their career life.

Meaning and Importance of Art Appreciation

Art appreciation can be defined as follows:

1. Art appreciation is the ability to interpret and understand man-made arts and
enjoy them through actual work experience with art tools and materials.
2. Art appreciation is the possession of the works of art for one's admiration and
satisfaction.
3. Art appreciation refers to the knowledge and understanding of the general and
everlasting qualities that classify all great arts.
4. Art appreciation is the introduction and exploration of visual and performing art
forms.
5. Art appreciation is the analysis of the form of an art work to general audience to
enhance their enjoyment and satisfaction of the works of art.

Art appreciation is important to our lives. However, people differ in their appreciation
of art. Their appreciation of art depends on personal preference on: (1) the aesthetics
and form of art; (2) elements and principles of design; and (3) social and cultural
acceptance. Thus, appreciation of art can be subjective.

Art appreciation is important to students. It develops their visual thinking and

analytical skills where they are able to observe closely and describe what they see
around them in detail, so as to provide evidence for their observations. Small efforts
done by the students such as these can lead to a greater appreciation of art.

Art appreciation is also important to others for the following reasons:

Art appreciation –

1. can help the person make sense of his world by broadening his
experience and understanding of the things around him.
2. can help the person imagine even the unimaginable.
 3. is able to connect a person's life and experience the past, the present,
and the future or sometimes simultaneously.
4. can help transport the individual to different places and culture through
literature, films, visual arts, and other forms of art.
5. allows the individual to see himself, his family dynamics as well as his
community through different lens of great art.
6. enable the individual to better empathize with those who suffered and
endured for their lives through great art forms
7. gives meaning to the data science provides. If science give us empirical
facts, tie these facts together with theories, it's the humanists who turn
these facts with moral, emotional, and spiritual meanings.

Famous personalities say something about art appreciation.

1. "Studying the arts in college prepares the person for a lifetime of

pleasure and appreciation of being open to new experience and of becoming that
ideal every liberal arts college strives to produce-a life- long learner" - Barbara
Ernst Prey, artist and member of the National Council in the Arts

2. "Our nation's future may depend on our creativity and our ability to
understand and appreciate the cultures around the world as much as our
proficiency in reading and math - Cornell University President David Skorton

3. "Art can serve as a symbol for something that is tangible, or for a

thought, an emotion, a feeling, or a concept. Through peaceful means, it can
convey full spectrum of the human experience. Perhaps that is why appreciating
art is so important" - Archeologist Nicholas Conrad

Art History refers to the historical development and stylistic context of the
objects of arts that includes the major and minor arts. The major arts include
painting, sculpture, and architecture as well as the minor arts like ceramics,
furniture, and other decorative arts.

As term, art history or history of art encompasses the different methods of

studying visual art.

As a discipline, art history is not similar to art criticism. Art criticism

determines the relative artistic values of an individual work in comparison with
others of comparable style.

Art historians based their studies by scrutinizing objects of arts by answering

historically such questions as the key features of the art style, what does the art convey
and how does it function visually. It also asks questions as to how the artists meet their
goal as well as the symbols that were involved.

Methods Used in Art History

Art history which started in the 19 century but has precedents that date to the
ancient time has a number of methods:

1. Art historians examine the works of art in the context of its time or within which
it was created. The works of art subject to scrutiny are the creator's motivations, desires
and prejudices of its patrons and sponsors. Comparative analysis of themes and
approaches of the creator's colleagues and teachers and the symbolism of the art of
works.

2. Art historians analyze the works of arts through the analysis of their forms. The
analysis is focused on the artist's use of line, shape, color, texture, composition and
other art elements.

The two-dimensional and three-dimensional picture planes are two approaches

in creating art. The way the elements of arts employed results to either representational
or non-representational art. If the artist copy or imitate an object or image found in
nature, this approach is called representational art. But if the artist creates an art in a
realistic manner (not imitation) rely on symbolism or striving to capture nature's
essence, the art is non-representational which is also called abstract art. Impressionism
as an example of representation style is produced when the artwork was not directly
imitative but an impression of nature. In expressionism, the work of art is not
representational but the expression of the artist's feelings, longings, aspirations, and
ideals of beauty and form.

3. Art historians also use critical theory in analyzing objects of arts when dealing
with more recent objects. Art historians often borrowed from literary scholars when it
involves the application of a non-artistic analytical framework to the study of art objects.

4. Another method in art history is the application of media and digital

technology. This is the recent method in analyzing art history.

Purpose of Art History

As you well-know, art history is the historical development of visual arts. Hence,
the purpose of art history is:

 to place art in a social and historical context

 it has more advantage over art appreciation when evaluating works of
art. The more information an evaluation has on the works of art, the better
an evaluation he can make over the works of art.
 when a person has more context when looking at something such as
piece of art work, he could better understand more the story behind that
particular piece of art work,
 to see how things like war, religion, politics, technological change have
effect not only on the artist but on the artwork that was produced.
CHAPTER 2: ASSUMPTIONS OF ART

Art is universal

In every country of the world, art exist because it is important to people's lives. It
is the oldest and most important means of expression developed by man in any culture.
In fact, man learned to draw before he could even start to talk as evidenced by some
early paintings in caves and trunks of trees shown in prehistoric times. Art has been
created by all people of the world at all times; it has lived because it is liked and
enjoyed. The elements and forms of art apply to all arts everywhere.

Art is cultural

Art contributes to the understanding of past and present cultures. Through art,
people learn about their culture's values and strengthen their culture's identity. Through
art, the people feel proud of their customs, traditions, and beliefs because they give a
sense of belonging. The artists' work such as painting, sculpture, music, dances,
ceramics, prints and others are records of their society's culture. They create within the
person's sensitivities toward their community, their country and the world around them.

Art is not nature

Art is not nature because it is man-made. Art is man's interpretation of what he

perceives as art. Nature, such as the mountains, the volcano, lakes, rivers, land terrain
are made by God and not by man. Thus, art, and not nature, is made by man by all
times.

Art is an expression of the mind

According to Jeff Lee (2016), art is a form of expression of the deepest emotion
of the minds. According to him, the egoic mind (conscious mind) and the echoic mind
(unconscious mind) together making up the totality of thinking. Artistic expression may
be expressed 100% in conscious mind but those who are extremely artistic or right-
brained individuals, they may be more creative and are able to recognize the value of
linking seemingly unrelated thoughts or ideas, methods, and concepts because of their
frequent practice.

Art is a form of creativity

Art is a product of the imagination that entertains, pleases and inspire people.
The various artworks of artists reflect the artist's power of creativity.

Artists create artwork about anything they want, imagine or see around them.
The artists use their imagination to create any artwork using strange shape and different
kinds of links and colors.
 Color expresses the artist's personal feelings and moods. Colors symbolize
ideas. It brings art a particular meaning, mood, and feeling in an artwork. The artist's
choice of color expresses the beauty and elegance of the artist's work and also feeling
the artist has at that moment. He does all this as a consequence of his creative mind
and imagination.

Therefore, we can say that art is creative, not imitative; artworks are produced by
human creative skill and imagination.

Art involves experience

When a work is finished in a satisfactory manner, an experience occurs.

Likewise, when a problem is solved or a game is played, or a conversation is rounded
out satisfactorily; experience do occur. Fulfillment and consummation of an act conclude
the experience.

In all experiences, every successively part flows freely. Artists use their
experiences to ventilate their feelings through the works that they make. Some artists
focus on societal problems, issues, and concerns. Some of them use expressionism to
communicate strong and intense feelings. They reflect in their works on the brink of
socio-cultural problems because of their experiences. For example, Ang Kiukok, a
famous Filipino-Chinese painter likes to dwell on subject matters showing the "harsh,
disturbing, morbid" realities happening in the Philippines. Due to his experiences, he
likes to express anger as well as frustration in his paintings. Emotion is the moving and
cementing force of his artwork.

In like manner, the painting of Vincent Van Gogh, the "Starry Night" is an
expression of feelings based from his experiences. In his artwork, he displayed stars
swirling in the sky. He used bold jagged strokes, gloomy colors to convey strong and
strange feelings. The lines, colors and shapes express his feelings about the scene in
his paintings. The expression of the artists are shown in the way they express their
feelings towards their artwork.
CHAPTER 3: FUNCTIONS AND PHILOSOPHY OF ARTS

The Functions of Art

Every art form has a definite function since it satisfies a particular need. To
the layman, art may have little function. Some find meaning in art in its ability to serve
the purpose for which it was designed. Obviously, architecture is directly and almost
entirely functional because buildings and other structures are always built for some
special purpose. Music and dance were used in ancient rituals and worship of the gods,
for social and folk entertainment, as well as in the military. Paintings and sculpture
may be used to narrate events, to portray people or events, to instruct (as in the
case of Christian art), to commemorate individuals or historical events, and to
serve as vehicles of personal expression. Metal works such as gates, grills, lamps,
Christian religious objects, armor, weapons, and tools, ceramics, glassware, stained
glass, mosaic, tilework, textile, and furniture are among the many types of arts or crafts.
Each of these examples is made for some definite and specific use.

The seven (7) functions of art are:

1. Aesthetic function - Through art, man becomes conscious of the beauty of nature.
he benefits from his own work and from those done by his fellowmen. He learns to use,
love, and preserve them for his enjoyment and appreciation.

concerned with beauty or the appreciation of beauty.

Paintings and songs we don’t understand but we buy
it
2. Utilitarian function - With the creation of the various forms of art, man now lives in
comfort and happiness. Through art, man is provided with shelter, clothing, food,
light, medicine, beautiful surroundings, personal ornamentals, entertainment,
language, transportation, and other necessities and conveniences of life. Art does
not only enrich man's life. It also improves nature through landscape gardening creation
of super highways, and through propagation and conservation - of natural resources.

3. Cultural function - Through the printed matter, art transmits and preserves skills and
knowledge from one generation to another. It makes man aware of his cultural
background, making him more knowledgeable making his life more enduring and
satisfying.

There are these paintings , printed materials, like comics that introduce the
culture, tradition and lifestyles of us Filipinos before
 3. Social function - Through civic and graphic arts, man learns to love and help
each other. International understanding and cooperation are fostered and nations
become more unified, friendly, cooperative, helpful, and sympathetic.

Civic art is the sum total of the architecture, public spaces,

monuments, urban design, and landscape of a city, but it is far more
than the sum of the parts. Civic art is place making into art that
creates timeless civic values and helps define cultures.
4. Political function - Art reinforces and enhance a sense of identity and
ideological connection to specific political views, political parties and politicians.

The role of a political artist is to understand and express

different points of view of the social and political scenario,
through art.
There are four major functions of political art
- sociopolitical expression, propaganda, protest and
satire- the use of humor, irony, exaggeration, or ridicule to
expose and criticize people's stupidity .

Mascots during sona, posters

5. Educational function - There are art symbols and signs to illustrate knowledge
and attitudes that are not expressed in words.

Behind every art their purpose is to educate us, infrom us,

and tell the story behind every art
7. Spiritual function-Some art works express spiritual beliefs, customs, ceremonies
and rituals about the meaning and destiny of life. These artworks may have religious
significance.

Paintings and sculpture may be used to narrate events, to

portray people or events, to instruct (as in the case of
Christian art), to commemorate individuals or historical
events, and to serve as vehicles of personal expression.
Philosophy of Art

Philosophy of art refers to the study of the nature of arts, its concept, interpretation,
representation, expression and form. Philosophy of art is closely related to
aesthetics, which is the study of beauty and taste.

There are five (5) philosophical perspectives of art. These are:

1. Art as Mimesis

The word mimesis is a Greek word which means "imitation" or "copying",

although it may also mean representation. The philosophers Plato and Aristotle
spoke of mimesis as the representation of nature.

Plato believed that all artistic creation is a mimesis. It exists in the "world of
ideas" and is created by God. The concrete things that man created are just
shadows created by man's mind. All artists are imitators of nature.

Aristotle speaks of tragedy as an "imitation of an action" - that of a man falling

from a higher to a lower estate. Thus, when an artist skillfully select and present a
material, that artist is purposely seeking to imitate or copy the action of life.

2. Art as Representation (Aristotle) Art represents something. When an artist

uses signs and symbols to take the place of something else, he is using art
as a representation of such signs and symbols. It is through representation
that people organize the world and reality through the act of naming its elements.
Signs and symbols are arranged in order to form semantic constructions and
express relations with the other things.

In other words, he believed that artists could capture the beauty of the world
around them through the use of their creative skills.

3. Art for Art's Sake (Kant) that art should not be judged on its
relationship to social, political, or moral values, but purely for its
formal and aesthetic qualities,
complicated, provocative, and decadent

illustration by Aubrey Beardsley, a member of the Decadent movement, shows

Salomé with the head of John the Baptist
 It was Victor Cousin, a French philosopher who translated this slogan which means
"Tart pour l'art". Artists associated with aestheticism believes that art needs no
justification. Art does not serve political didactic or other hand.

Immanuel Kant's main interest was not in art per se, but in Beauty in the Sublime.
Kant being an Enlightenment writer thought that beauty or sublimity were not really
properties of objects, but ways in which we respond to objects. Kant pointed out that
what he meant by Beauty is not the Form of the Beautiful but about Taste. Kant's
concern is not on the subjective aesthetic response but on the function of individual
or personal taste. He claimed that judgment of taste are both subjective and
universal.

He said that aesthetic universals are subjective because they are responses of
pleasure and do not essentially involve any claim about the properties of the object
itself. On the other hand, aesthetic judgment is universal because it is not merely
personal but also, it is disinterested.

4. Art as an Escape

According to Allen Weinstein, without mental escape, we build up a lot of anxiety

within ourselves. Artists have to get rid of this anxiety and pressure because if we
keep these worries and anxieties within our mind, they will come out in the form of
anger and even hatred. Unfortunately, such anger and hatred are often taken out on
the wrong people.

According to Señeres and others (2008), the artists works of art reveal the
emotional outburst that has been kept for many years in their mind. The only way to
take out such tension is through painting, dancing, music, and other art forms. They
are a cathartic solutions to one's anxiety and life's difficulties. Likewise, the
awareness that these works of art created among the viewers may also lead to a
positive or negative emotional reaction.

5. Art as Functional

The artist intent in creating a functional piece of art is to bring creativity. beauty,
and usefulness into people's everyday lives. Whether it's a curvy chair made of
cardboard, a banca made of paper, functional art makes us rethink and re-assess
the way we look at ordinary things, sometimes by using unusual materials in their
construction.

CHAPTER 4: THE SUBJECT OF ART

Meaning of Subject of Art

In any art from- painting, music, sculpture, architecture, or dance - there is

always a subject that serves as the foundation of the creation of
the work of art. A subject of art is usually anything that is represented in the
artwork. It is varied-it may be a person, object, scene, or event.

Sources of Subjects

Subjects of art may be found in primary sources such as:

 artwork
 documents
 nature
 history
 autobiographies
 film of the artist
 interviews
 mythology
 diaries
 Christian tradition
 sacred oriental text
 speeches
 letters
 photographs
 others not mentioned above

Where to Find the Primary Sources:

 archives
 catalogues
 sketchbooks
 art galleries
 exhibits
 art museums
 notebooks
 art and cultural centers

Types of Subjects
1. Representational or Objective Arts

There are artworks that depict something easily recognized by most people Painting,
sculpture, graphic arts, literature, and theatre arts are generally classified as
representational arts, although some paintings and sculptures are without subjects.
Music and dance may or may not have subjects.

Traditional sculptures and paintings have subjects. When looking at a traditional

painting or a statue, one expects to recognize the subject - a man animals, a landscape,
a waterfall, figures, dreams, fantasies, seascape, still life etc.

3. Non-Representational or Non-Objective Arts

There are artworks that have no resemblance to any real subject. they do not
represent anything and they are what they are, they rather appeal directly to the senses
primarily because of the satisfying organization of their elements.

Some contemporary painters have shifted their interest to the work of art as an
object in itself, an exciting combination of shapes and colors that fulfill the aesthetic
need without having to represent image or tell a story. Many modern paintings have a
purely visual appeal, so difficult that literal-oriented spectators cannot appreciate them.

Content in Art

Content in art refers to the meaning or significance, and/or feeling imparted by a

work of art. This is not the same thing as the subject matter the work depicts. Content of
art is inextricably linked with form, Form refers to the pictorial aspects of art such as
word, design, and choice, about shapes, sizes, colors, contrast, medium, soft, or hard
edges, and many other decisions.

Content in art may be classified as factual, conventional,

and subjective. based on or influenced by personal feelings,
tastes, or opinions.