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Lecture 4 - Imitationism and Representationism

The document discusses Plato's imitation theory of art and beauty. [1] Plato believed that beauty exists in the eternal forms or ideas in the world of being, and that physical things in the world of becoming are beautiful to the extent that they imitate these ideal forms. [2] He also believed that art is beautiful based on how well it imitates the appearance of physical things, which themselves imitate ideal forms. [3] Therefore, according to Plato, art is twice removed from real beauty—it imitates the appearance of reality.

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760 views31 pages

Lecture 4 - Imitationism and Representationism

The document discusses Plato's imitation theory of art and beauty. [1] Plato believed that beauty exists in the eternal forms or ideas in the world of being, and that physical things in the world of becoming are beautiful to the extent that they imitate these ideal forms. [2] He also believed that art is beautiful based on how well it imitates the appearance of physical things, which themselves imitate ideal forms. [3] Therefore, according to Plato, art is twice removed from real beauty—it imitates the appearance of reality.

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Aser Ser
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© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
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LECTURE 4

Art and Philosophy:


Imitationism and
Representationism

Dr. Allan C. Orate

DR. ALLAN C. ORATE, UE


DR. ALLAN C. ORATE, UE
LECTURES
4.1. Imitation Theory of Art and Beauty

4.2. Philosophical Theory of Music

4.3. Representation Theory of Art

4.4. Romantic Realism in Philippine Art

DR. ALLAN C. ORATE, UE


LECTURE 4.1
Imitation Theory
of Art and Beauty

DR. ALLAN C. ORATE, UE


DR. ALLAN C. ORATE, UE
THEORIES OF ART

Imitationism
Representationism
Formalism
Expressionism
Action Theory
Institutional Theory
PLATO
348-267 BC

The Dialogue
The Republic

IMITATIONISM
Idealist Theory of Art
Raphael, The School of Athens, 1511
Raphael,
The School
of Athens
(Detail)

Leonardo
as Plato

Michelangelo
as Aristotle
Plato’s Circle
Mosaic of Pompeii
1st Century BC

MOSAIC
IMITATIONISM BY PLATO

PHILOSOPHY
OF BEAUTY
What is beauty?
What is the essence of
beautiful things?

What is art?
What is the essence of art? PHILOSOPHY
OF ART
TWO WAYS OF
CONSIDERING BEAUTY

RELATIVE ABSOLUTE
“Beauty is in the eye of “Beauty is in the thing
the beholder.” itself.”

SUBJECT OBJECT
AESTHETICS BEAUTY UGLY
is is is
Logic Truth Falsity
Metaphysics Reality Illusion
Epistemology Knowledge Ignorance
Ethics Good Evil
IMITATIONISM BY PLATO
Ignorance Art Studies Philosophy Knowledge
WORLD OF WORLD OF WORLD OF
ART BECOMING BEING

IMITATION APPEARANCE REALITY


Illusory Changing Unchanging
Temporal Eternal
Illusion Artist Individual Demiurge Universal
COPY THING FORM

Painting of Chair Material Chair Idea of Chair


ARTISTIC PHYSICAL METAPHYSICAL
Beautiful Artworks Beautiful Things Idea of Beauty
IMITATIONISM
IDEA
Beauty of Forms Metaphysical Contemplated
REALITY Chair: Idea by Philosopher

MATTER
Beauty of Things Physical Made by a
APPEARANCE Chair: Thing Carpenter

ART Copy of Made by a


Beauty of Imitation Physical Painter
ILLUSION Chair: Art
World of Art World of Becoming World of Being
IMITATION APPEARANCE REALITY

IDEA OF
BEAUTY

ROSE DAWSON KATE WINSLET IDEA


In the Film Titanic In This World In the World of Ideas
“Artistic Beauty” “Physical Beauty” “Real Beauty”
ID Picture

IMITATION OF THE
APPEARANCE OF
THE REAL MAN
PLATO’S ALLEGORY OF THE CAVE

ART

Inside the Cave Outside the Cave


THIS WORLD REAL WORLD
PLATO’S ALLEGORY OF THE CAVE

ART

Inside the Cave Outside the Cave


THIS WORLD REAL WORLD
PLATO’S ALLEGORY OF THE CAVE

ART

Inside the Cave Outside the Cave


THIS WORLD REAL WORLD
Movies Based on the Philosophy by Plato
IMITATIONISM BY PLATO
Things in this world are beautiful as
appearances of the reality or idea of beauty
or the universal form of beauty existing
in the world of being.

Art is beautiful as
imitations of things in this world.

Art is the imitation


of the appearance of reality
Van Gogh,
Chair with
a Pipe

IMITATION OF THE
APPEARANCE OF
THE REAL CHAIR
Leonardo,
Portrait of
Ginebra
d’Benci

IMITATION OF
A PHYSICAL
WOMAN
Van Gogh,
Sunflower
Cezanne,
Still Life
with
Apples
CLASSICAL
GREEK SCULPTURE
Imitation of the
Idea of Beauty

Polycritus,
Doryphorus
(Spear Bearer)
450 BC
Kouros
Ancient
Greek
Sculpture
600 BC
Praxiteles
Hermis
340 BC
Praxiteles
Aphrodite
of Cnidos
Venus
de Milo,
150 BC
Myron
Discobolus
(Disk Thrower)
340 BC

PERFECT POSITION OF
THE HUMAN BODY
Position of rest
between two
movements

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