Humn12n:Reading Visual Arts - KTJ 1

Module 5: Visual Art

Criticism
Module Overview
This module contains lessons about the ways of analyzing and criticizing an
artwork based on symbols, styles, and the visual elements and principles used. In
this module, all the learning gained from the previous discussions will be applied.
This will stimulate students’ senses and sensibilities and will provoke them to look
past beyond what meets the eye.

Motivation Question

What kind of artist are you? What kind of style would you employ? And
what kind subject/s would you like to show in your work?
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Lesson 5.1 Ekphrasis

Lesson Summary

This lesson tackles the ways of explaining an artwork by using literary elements
and techniques.

Learning Outcomes

• Describe an artwork through the imaginative act of narrating and reflecting on the
artwork’s subject.
• Respond to an artwork by evoking the students’ emotional and personal styles.

Discussion

In our past discussions, we were able to identify the different classifications of

Arts (Fine Arts, Applied Arts, Performing Arts, Literary Arts, etc.). It was also
mentioned that these classifications do not only stand alone, but they can also be
incorporated to create different work of art. For this lesson, we are going to tackle
how we can write a piece of literature that is inspired by the artwork we see. This
technique is what we call Ekphrasis. Ekphrasis is one of the oldest type of writings,
this is often a vivid, dramatic, verbal description of a certain visual art, either real or
imagined.
Since the time of Homer, poets have devised many different forms to interact
with art by analyzing, exploring, and inventing scenes and dialogue that will lead
them to new insights and discoveries. More than 2,000 years ago, poets used this
form of poetry to help their audience visual legendary battles. Now, poets have
moved beyond only what is seen in art work to exploring the deeper meaning of the
art.
Writing an Ekphartic poem can help in giving words to the feelings inspired by
the work of art and can amplify the meaning of the artwork. The imagination of the
poet while looking at an artwork can be boundless, he/she may evoke imagined
dialogue between subjects in the artwork and the artist himself/herself.
The subject in an Ekphratic poem can be about an actual work of art (actual
ekphrasis) or a fictional object (notional ekphrasisi). Sometimes, ekphratic poem may
also respond to a wok of art that has once existed but is now lost or destroyed
((unassessable actual ekphrasis).
Compared to other forms of Literature, there is no established form for writing
ekphratic poetry. Any poem about a work of visual at, whether rhymed or unrhymed,
metrical or free verse, can be considered as an ekphratic poem. The poet may have
different interpretation on an artist’s work of art, thus a work may show emotional
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engagement, symbolic interpretation, personification of the subject matter, or may

another dimension to the artwork. However, although the poems may differ in tone
and style all of them engages with the message from the work of art.
Examples of Ekphratic Poems are:

The Starry Night

Painting by Vincent Van Gogh
Poem by: Anne Sexton

That does not keep me from having a terrible need of — shall I say the word —
religion. Then I go out at night to paint the stars.
— Vincent Van Gogh in a letter to his brother

The town does not exist

except where one black-haired tree slips
up like a drowned woman into the hot sky.
The town is silent. The night boils with eleven stars.
Oh starry night! This is how
I want to die.

It moves. They are all alive.

Even the moon bulges in its orange irons
to push children, like a god, from its eye.
The old unseen serpent swallows up the stars.
Oh starry starry night! This is how
I want to die:

into that rushing beast of the night,

sucked up by that great dragon, to split
from my life with no flag,
no belly,
no cry.

This short poem mentions the details that can be found on the painting, but
the main focus of the poet is on her emotional response towards the art. We can see
that rather than describing merely Van Gogh’s work Sexton engages with the
painting in a personal way.
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Painting: Pieter Brueghel the Elder, Two Monkeys (1562)

Poet: Wislawa Szymborska

Two Monkeys by Brueghel

(trans. from the Polish by Magnus Kryski)

I keep dreaming of my graduation exam:

in a window sit two chained monkeys,
beyond the window floats the sky,
and the sea splashes.

I am taking an exam on the history of mankind:

I stammer and flounder.

One monkey, eyes fixed upon me, listens ironically,

the other seems to be dozing--
and when silence follows a question,
he prompts me
with a soft jingling of the chain.

This poem shows symbolic interpretation of the subject matter focused in the
painting. Symborska here suggest that the monkey are symbols of hopelessness of
the human condition. It does not matter whether the monkey is facing towards the
open or towards the room, either way, the monkeys still remain enslaved.

In writing your own Ekphrastic Poem you should take note of the following:
Pay attention to how the artwork makes you feel, take note of the sensory impression
it gives or triggers; you can write about the scenery, the subject presented and think
about what the subjects did after the painting; you can also imagine a story about the
creation of the artwork, or the voice of the artists while creating the work. Whatever
style you choose in writing your poem, what is important is the response you have
towards the artwork.
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Lesson 5.2 Visual Arts Criticism

Lesson Summary
This lesson will tackle the different steps of art criticism and how art should be
described, analyzed, interpreted, and judged. This lesson will enhance the students
understanding of the elements and principles of art.

Learning Outcomes
1. Recognize visual choices the artist made in creating an artwork.
2. Critic the elements and principle used by the artist.

Discussion
One of the most important part of understanding an artwork is being able to
critique how an artist uses the different elements of visual arts and the principles of
design. Art Criticism is the detailed analysis, evaluation, and discussion of an
artwork.

This is when the viewers/critics reflect about a particular work of art and make
personal, substantiated interpretation of the artwork. It can also be defined as the
interpretation of art and its value. Aside from analyzing the artwork, art critics will also
question whether an artwork has a historical importance and whether it relates to the
works before it.

For a long time, many have perceived art criticism as a form of privileged
consciousness were only those who have special eyes can provide insight to the
message of a certain artwork. However now, students taking an art subject, like
Reading Visual Arts, are now taught how to analyze and understand the different
symbols, elements and principles used in a certain artwork. This process of criticizing
and artwork is necessary since it is one of the best ways to improve the work of an
artists. Through this process, Artists are able to improve their skills not only in using
the different elements and principles, but also in communicating their feelings and
ideas.

As art students, it is important for us to know how to critic and artwork. To

begin, one should know the four basic steps of art criticism: Description, Analysis,
Interpretation, and Evaluation.

Description

When we review a certain work of art, we start first by describing what we

see, talk about the visual fact in an artwork. The description should include things like
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the form and scale of the work, the colors used, or the subject presented. In this step,
there should be no room for judgement and interpretation of what we think the
artwork means. We will only describe here the things that we see. You can also ask
questions like: What is the name of the artist who created the work? What is the style
used in the artwork? When was the artwork created? and What are the elements
used? Then, you will describe how these elements are used in the artwork, and how
these elements affect the overall visual effect or the mood of the work.

For example:

“This is a small-scale portrait painting of a young woman, shown from the

mid-torso up, against a dark background. She is clasping her hands in front of
her chest and looking up and slightly to the viewer’s right. She wears a pink
dress, and a long veil that falls behind her head.”

In describing, avoid using the terms like ugly, beautiful, good, or bad.
Remember that at this step you are only describing about what you see, and not
judging the art.

Analysis
In this step, you will now determine what the things, like the elements of
visual arts, suggest and why the artists used these specific lines, colors, texture,
shape, etc. to convey his/her feelings, ideas, or to show an important historical event.
Focusing on the details found in the artwork is important in analyzing the whole
composition of the work. In this step consider the most significant art principles that
were used in the artwork and describe how the artist used them to organize the
elements. You can also answer questions like: How has the artist used colors in the
work(s)? What sort of effect do the colors have on the artwork? How has the overall
visual elements affect the mood of the work(s)? Was a certain mood achieved by the
use of elements of art and principles of design?
Example:

Delaroche and David: versions of Napoleon crossing the Alps

”On the left, we see Paul Delaroche's painting of Napoleon crossing the Alps.
He created this painting in response to the one on the right, which Napoleon
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commissioned Jacques Louis David to create. Notice Delaroche's use of

darker colors, primarily browns, and the tired mule. Meanwhile, David's
painting uses diagonal lines to convey a great deal of motion, as if Napoleon
is charging up the hill on his horse (though he probably did ride a mule).
David uses more vibrant colors and shines a light on Napoleon, creating a
sharp contrast between the light and shadows cast on him, which contrasts
the almost flat mountains and sky in the distance.”
Interpretation
After describing and analyzing the visual effect of the artwork, it is now time to
interpret what you have seen. In this stage, you will now establish context that will
explain why the artist created this artwork, and what does this artwork mean. In
interpreting a work of art, it is also important to interpret the overall meaning of the
work by pointing out or providing the evidence inside the work; the time it was
created can be used as a context clue to interpret the subject or elements used in the
artwork and what the artist is trying to say and why he/she created the work.
Example:
“Napoleon commissioned Jacques Louis David to create the painting
of him, which tells the viewer that this painting was part of Napoleon's
propaganda. He wanted to be seen as bold, fearless, and powerful, and
David's painting conveys that message. On the other hand, Paul Delaroche's
work shows that Napoleon is tired from an arduous journey in which the harsh
elements of the cold climate are included. Napoleon is seen in his regular
human form as he presses on while riding a mule whose textured coat shows
that he, too, is worn and weary. Napoleon isn't heroic in this version, but he is
still clearly the leader as he is helped by a peasant on foot and followed by a
soldier.”
In this step, you can also describe your own reaction to the work. You can
think about how you feel while looking at the work. Try to use expressive language to
talk about your reaction to the work. Then, back up your interpretation with examples
from your description and analysis to explain why you think and feel the way you do
about the piece.
Evaluation
The last step is the evaluation or judgment. After careful observation,
analysis, and interpretation of an artwork, you are ready to make your own judgment.
This is your personal evaluation based on the understandings of the work. In this
step, you can decide where an artwork stands alongside similar works and explain
what aspects of it are most important when deciding its quality. You will also decide
whether an artwork is successful or not. Your goal here is not to decide if the work is
good or bad, instead focus on whether you think of the work as successful.
This last step of art criticism is tricky, because our own biased views may
often come to play when they should not. So in evaluating or judging, explain how
you are judging the work and clearly state the focus of your evaluation. For example,
you might say that you are judging the piece on how well organized it is, how well
done it is technically, and how successfully it portrays the intended mood or themes.
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Summarize why you think the work is successful or unsuccessful. In a few

sentences, explain your judgment of the work. Give specific reasons for your
judgment, using your interpretation and analysis of the work.
For example:
“I believe this work is successful because the use of light, shape,
gesture, and line all work together harmoniously to portray the mood of the
subject.”

References and Additional Resources to Watch and Read:

Barnet, Sylvan. A Short Guide to Writing About Art. Eighth Edition. Upper Saddle
River, New Jersey: Pearson Prentice Hall, 2008.

Munsterberg, Margorie (2009). Writing about Art. Retrieved from:

https://writingaboutart.org/pages/stylisticanalysis.html

Wilson, Kara (nd). Art Criticism: Definition, Function & Examples. Retrieved from:
https://study.com/academy/lesson/art-criticism-definition-function-
examples.html

Raven, Jackie. (2020, August 27). What Is Ekphrastic Poetry? Retrieved from
https://www.thoughtco.com/ekphrastic-poetry-definition-examples-4174699

https://www.uvm.edu/wid/writingcenter/tutortips/artform.html
https://www.uvm.edu/wid/writingcenter/tutortips/ArtPage.pdf