1

MODULE 4

Art and Philosophy: Imitationism and Representationism

Lesson 4.1. Imitation Theory of Art and Beauty

Lesson 4.2. Philosophical Theory of Music

Lesson 4.3. Representation Theory of Art

2
 Chapter Overview

At its most basic, the representational theory states that the fundamental, definitive quality
of art is the ability to capture some aspect of reality. In short, if it's not a reflection of
something that actually exists, then it's not art. This means that art can be defined foremost
as an extension of human perception; it's a way to reflect the ways that the mind perceives
and
understands reality.
The roots of representational theory date all the way back to ancient Greece, when
imitation theory was the foundation of artistic principles. According to the ancient Greeks, the
definitive role of art is to imitate nature in its most perfect forms.
The aesthetic theory known as imitationalism applies to artworks that look
These artworks contain recognizable, realistic looking objects and scenes that closely imitate
whatrealistic.
we see in the real world.
If the primary purpose of the artwork is to show us how something looks in real life, then
it belongs in this category.
Imitational artworks are sometimesreferred to as
"representational" because they represent what we see in the real world.
3
 Lesson 4.1. Imitation Theory of Art and Beauty

1. Examine the imitation theory by Plato as a philosophy of art and beauty.

REFERENCES

Readings
Ancient Civilization: Ancient Greece. https://www.ushistory.org/civ/5e.asp.

Bedard, M . (May 31, 2020) Plato’s Allegory of the Cave: Summary and Meaning for

Screenwriters. https://www.studiobinder.com/bl og/platos-allegory-of-the-cave/

Plato Allegory of the Cave. Republic, VII 514 a, 2 to 517a, 7. Translation by Thomas Sheehan.

Videos
What is Art? maARTe ako. https://www.youtube. com/results?search_ query=ma arte+ako.

4
Can you determine which among the artworks are alive?

How do arts affects

your perception of
being alive?
What is ART? - maARTe ako

https://www.yo
utube.com/wat
ch?v=TjuV7S

A6fj4 5
 The easiest thing is to imagine Plato as an enemy of art because he viewed art products of
all kinds, whether poetry, theatre or painting as inferior copies of the ultimate reality. But it
should be borne in mind that Plato's primary aim was not to evaluate the worth of aesthetic
pleasure but to point out that representation through art was inferior to the ultimate truth. His
concerns were not artistic but philosophical.

Plato’s theory on art from The Republic claims that art is nothing more than a copy of
a copy of an ideal, thrice removed.
❑ Using a couch as an example, Plato believed that the true artist was god,
who then inspired the carpenter, who then inspired the painter, “thus we have three
forms of
couches and three overseers of their manufacture - the painter, the carpenter, and god.”

❑ He believed that art imitates reality, that it imitates the objects and events of ordinary
life, be it images of nature, or a photograph of a ballerina. He saw art is nothing more 6
 KEY

CONCEPTS

7
Imitation define as:
▪ Applies to artworks to create a realistic appearance.
▪ Realistic looking objects and scenes that clearly mimic what we see in the world around us.
▪ he main purpose of imitationism is to portray the subject matter as realistic as possible.

Plato discussed art forms like tragedy, along with sculpture, painting,
pottery and architecture, not as 'art' but as 'techne' or skilled craft. He regarded them all as
instances of

'tmheimetesrinsa' loridiemalitraetiaolint.iePsla('tForcmritsi'ciosred'Idaelal si'm). iItnatsitoeadns,

tihnecyluodfifnegretdramg edreieism, fitoartifoanilsinogf tho indepgs icnt our world, which

themselves were copies of the Ideas.
The easiest thing is to imagine Plato as an enemy of art because he viewed art products of
all kinds, whether poetry, theatre or painting as inferior copies of the ultimate reality. But it
should be borne in mind that Plato's primary aim was not to evaluate the worth of
aesthetic pleasure but to point out that representation through art was inferior to the ultimate
further
truth.art away from the truth towards an illusion. This belief leads Plato to the determination
His
that leads to dangerous delusion.
concerns were not artistic but philosophical. 8
 IMITATIONISM B Y PLATO

Raphael, The School of Athens,

1511
Raphael,
The School
of Athens

(Detail)

Leonardo
as Plato

Michelangelo
as Aristotle

9
 PHILOSOPHY OF
BEAUTY
The nature of beauty is one of the most enduring and controversial themes in Western philosophy, and
is—with the nature of art—one of the two fundamental issues in philosophical aesthetics. Beauty has
traditionally been counted among the ultimate values, with goodness, truth, and justice

ARTIST WHO WA S CONSIDERED T O HAVE WOR KE D AND FIT WITHIN THE

IMITATIONALISM S T Y L E OF ART

Leonardo da Vinci was known as the Renaissance Man. He What is

helped society of the early 1500’s to see artists as genii. beauty?
What is the essence of
The artist portrayed Mona Lisa as elegantly dressed in the
beautiful things?
fashion of the day, and unadorned by jewelry. It is as if the
artist wanted nothing to distract attention from her face, and her What is art?

face is the epitome of Renaissance masterwork What is the essence of

representing female beauty at that time. In fact, her gaze is
mesmerizing and art?
yet shyly seductive.
In his paintings like Mona Lisa, few lines are evident
rather, sfumato techniques have been employed. Sfumato is an
Mona Lisa, 1503-06
Italian word used to describe changes of color, and Oil &tempera on wood 78 x 52cm
especially tone, from light to dark by gradual stages. 10
 But for Plato’s theory on art from The Republic claims that art is nothing more than
a copy of a copy of an ideal, thrice removed.
❑ Using a couch as an example, Plato believed that the true artist was god, who then
inspired the carpenter, who then inspired the painter, “thus we have three forms of
couches and three overseers of their manufacture - the painter, the carpenter, and
god.”

❑ He believed that art imitates reality, that it imitates the objects and events of
ordinary life, be it images of nature, or a photograph of a ballerina. He saw art is
nothing more than an imitation of people, places, and things that already exist.

11
AESTHETIC BEAUT UGLY
is is is
S Y
Logic Truth Falsity
Metaphysics Reality Illusion
Epistemology Knowledge Ignorance
Ethics Good Evil

Metaphysics :The branch of philosophy that deals with the first principles of things, including such concepts as being,
knowing, substance, essence, cause, identity, time, and space.

Epistemology: comes from the Greek words “episteme” and “logos”. “Episteme” can be translated as
“knowledge” or

“understanding” or “acquaintance”, while “logos” can be translated as “account” or “argument” or

“reason” 12
 World of Art World of Becoming World of Being

IMITATION APPEARANC REALIT

E Y

IDEA
OF
BEAUT
Y

ROSE DAWSON KATE WINSLET IDEA

In the Film Titanic In This World In the World of
Ideas
“Artistic Beauty” “Physical Beauty” “Real Beauty”
 Plato’s "Allegory of the Cave"

Is a concept devised by the philosopher to reflect on the nature of belief versus

knowledge. The allegory states that there exists prisoners chained together in a cave. Behind
the prisoners is a fire, and between the fire and the prisoners are people carrying puppets or

oshthaedrowobsj,ebcetsli. eTvihnisg cthasetms atosbheadreoawl. on the other side of the wall.

The prisoners watch these Plato asserts that one prisoner could become free. He finally
sees the fire and realizes
the shadows are fake. This prisoner could escape from the cave and discover there is a
whole new world outside that they were previously unaware of.
This prisoner would believe the outside world is so much more real than that in the
cave. He would try to return to free the other prisoners. Upon his return, he is blinded
because his eyes are not accustomed to actual sunlight. The chained prisoners would see
this blindness and believe they will be harmed if they try to leave the cave.
 16

P L ATO ’ S A L L E G O R Y O F T H E C AV E

ART

Inside the Outside the

 17
THIS WORLD REAL
WORLD
P L ATO ’ S A L L E G O R Y O F T H E C AV E

ART

Inside the Outside the

 18
THIS WORLD REAL
WORLD
P L ATO ’ S A L L E G O R Y O F T H E C AV E

ART

Inside the Outside the

 19
THIS WORLD REAL
WORLD IMITATIONISM B Y PLATO

▪ Things in this world are beautiful as appearances of the reality or idea of beauty or the universal

▪ Af ortmisobf ebaeuatuiftuyl eaxsi isimtinitgatinonthseowf tohrilndgos finbethi nisg .world.

▪ Art is the imitation of the appearance of reality
IMITATION OF THE APPEARANCE IMITATION OF
OF THE REAL CHAIR A PHYSICAL
WOMAN

Van Gogh, Leonardo,

Chair with a Portrait of Ginebra d’BenCi
 20

Beauty in the Human Form

Ancient Greek sculptures were typically made of either stone or wood and very few of
them survive to this day. Most Greek sculpture was of the freestanding, human form (even if
the statue was of a god) and many sculptures were nudes. The Greeks saw beauty in the naked
human body.
Early Greek statues called kouros were rigid and stood up straight. Over time, Greek
statuary adopted a more natural, relaxed pose with hips thrust to one side, knees and arms
slightly bent, and the head turned to one side.
Other sculptures depicted human action, especially athletics. A good
example is
Myron's Discus Thrower Another famous example is a sculpture of Artemis the huntress. The
piece, called "Diana of Versailles," depicts the goddess of the hunt reaching for an arrow
while a stag leaps next to her.
Among the most famous Greek statues is the Venus de Milo, which was created in the
second century B.C.E. The sculptor is unknown, though many art historians believe Praxiteles
to have created the piece. This sculpture embodies the Greek ideal of.
 21

CLASSICAL G R E E K SCULPTURE
Imitation of the Idea of Beauty

Polycritus,
Doryphorus Kouros, Ancient Greek Sculpture Venus de Milo,
Spear Bearer)450 BC 600 BC
150 BC

Myron Discobolus
Praxiteles Aphrodite
Praxiteles Hermis 340 BC (Disk Thrower) 340 BC
of Cnidos

PER FECT POSITION OF THE HUMAN BODY

 22

Evolution of Beauty
 23

The Roles of Imitation Theory of Art :

The imitationalism or mimetic theory of art claims that artwork is best when it imitates life. We’ve all
experienced seeing an artwork from a distance and mistaking it for the real thing, rather than a replica. Those
pieces are prized under imitationalism. The most realistic, the better.

Society
Nothing is more natural than for children to pretend and for human beings to create, using their
imagination. Thus, any human society which is healthy will be a society where there is imitative art. The
concept of art as imitation is also used in the sense of representation (representation of reality or nature).
History
Art does not teach us history because it is imitation, but because art imitates human actions, good art
has to represent or depict character, character traits and personality. These later things are real, so it teaches
us moral and psychological lessons.
Education
What art is imitating or representation is real and applicable to our lives. Art also displays and
transmits this knowledge in a unique way. The audience are made to understand the universals at work in
the drama or poetry and in that sense they internalize the knowledge of human nature and morality utilized
by the playwright, poet or/the novelist.
 24

Can you draw a conclusion from this caricature inspired from the painting of Michael Angelo?

Question

Artist: Michael Angelo

Date: 1512
Medium used: Fresco
Title: Creation of
Adam
 25

Lesson 4.2. Philosophical Theory of Music

1. Interpret imitationism as the philosophical basis of ancient Greek art and of some
classical compositions in music.

REFERENCES
Readings
Shimamura, A. (2012). Towards a Science of Aesthetics. A. Shimamura & S. Palmer, Aesthetic Science:
Connecting Minds, Brains and Experiences. Oxford University Press.
Analytic Perspectives in the Philosophy of Music. Internet Encyclopedia of Philosophy.
htt ps://iep.utm.edu/music-an/
Videos
Corelli: Sonata XII: La Follia: Music of the Spheres. (Jan. 20, 2015). https://
www.youtube.com/watch?v=uKj2DzFt1zQ
J.S. Bach – Toccata and Fugue in D minor BWV 565. (Sept. 29, 2010).
htt ps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Nnuq9PXbywA
Voice of Ascension - Palestrina: "Credo" from Missa Papae Marcelli. (Jan. 29, 2020).
htt ps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W0QEMXSitrc
Josquin Desprez: Ave Maria (Motet). (April 7, 2012). htt ps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kxLv2pPiQVI
Ave Maria. (Jan. 8, 2017). https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-9wxPWtvLlA
Monks singing Gregorian Chant in a Catholic Benedictine Seminary. (Jan. 29, 2012).
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CBwh1OXw6uI
Gregorian - Losing My Religion (2011 Live). (April 20, 2012). https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YeAGO5OHJX8
 26

“If you want to keep

your brain engaged

tphrrocuegshs,outlis agin
playing music is to
ten th e
tool. in gIta provides
total a ogr
Researchbrain has workout.”
great
listening shown
reduce anxiety, that to
blood
music
pressure, and pain as well as
can
imopordo,vementas leaelpertn
memory. 27

Key Take Aways:

I hope you’ve found the information presented interesting and informative. For something so
trivial like music there is so much to be learned about it.
1. Emotion: Music can influence our emotions by evoking responses from different parts of our
brains.
2. Learning: Exposure to music from a young age will have a positive impact on learning ability to
learn.
3. Memory: Music impacts our memory in that when a song is linked to a certain piece of
information it is easier to recall that information when we hear the song.
 28

Music isn’t simply sounds we hear. It is sounds we listen to. Analogously to

natural languages, the process of listening to music involves understanding it as
music. But how exactly should this understanding be characterized?
Contemporary analytic philosophy has produced a debate regarding the way in
which we should describe basic musical understanding.
The philosophy of music attemptsto answer
questions concerning the nature and value of musical practices.
Philosophy of music has attempted to
solve the riddle of musical value: how is pure music valuable to our lives
if it makes no reference whatsoever to our world? The most original
solutions to
this problem have tried to show that it is precisely the music’s abstractness
 29

THE BASIC QUESTION IN THE HUMANITIES

Is sometimes expressed thru music
KEY

CONCEPTS

https://www.
youtube.com
/watch?v=m
Bcqria2wmg

PHILOSOPHICAL THEORY OF MUSIC

COSMOLOGICAL
Concerns the structure of the Physical Universe
-PYTHAGORAS

EPISTEMOLOGICAL

Concerns the Nature of Human K no- PwLlAeT Od ge

 30

COSMOLOGICAL
THEORY OF MUSIC

PHYSICAL
PYTHAGORAS
Wh ere does it
UNIVERSE come from? 570-490 BC
Mathemati cian
Astronomer
Philosopher

According to Pythagoras, “There is

geometry in the humming
of the strings; there is music in
Wh ere does it KNOWLEDGE
the spacing of the spheres.”
leads to? OF REALITY

THE SOUND OF THE SOUND OF

 31

Music is the imitati on of cosmic sound.

Music Human
of the Music
Corelli,
Spheres Sonata XII,
Music of the
Spheres

https://www.yout
ube.com/watch?v
=uKj2DzFt1zQ

"The eyes are made for astronomy, the ears for harmony,
 and these are sister sciences." PYTHAGORAS 32

EPISTEMOLOGICAL THEORY
OF MUSIC BY PLATO

“If gymnasti cs is for the body,

so as music is for the soul.”

PHYSICAL BODY SPIRITUAL SOUL

GYMNASTICS MUSIC
=Strong Body =Intelligent Soul/Mind
Health Knowledge
 33

DEGREE OF TRUTH
REALITY
PHILOSOPHY Ideas or Forms Realm of Knowledge
MATHEMATICS Numbers
https://www.you
tube.com/watch?
v=Nnuq9PXbywA

MUSIC Harmony of Spheres Bach, Toccata and

Fugue in D Minor
ASTRONOMY Heavenly Bodies

PHYSICS Earthly Bodies APPEARANCES

Realm of Opinion
BIOLOGY Animals & Plants and Error
HISTORY Societies

LITERATURE Biographies & Stories

Painti ng & Sculpture IMITATION

 Realm of Ignorance 34

T h e o l o g i c a l T h e or y of M u s i c
AUGUSTINE

“Singing is praying
twice over.” T HE OL OGY OOFNSTAHI NE TCSOMMU
NI ON
CHURCH HEAVEN
TRIUMPHANT God, Mary,
Saints, Angels

Prayer=Music

CHURCH EARTH
MILITANT People Alive
Sing a n e w song unto the
Lord. Let your song be
PURGATORY
sung from mountains high. Prayer = Music Venial Sinners Palestrina,
Sing a n e w song unto the
Credo
Lord, singing alleluiah.
CHURCH HELL htt ps://www.yout
ube.com/watch?v=
SUFFERING
 35

M E D I E VA L A N D R E N A I S S A N C E MU SIC

RELIGIOUS AND SACRED MUSIC

LITURGICAL MUSIC Motet
Monophonic: One Sounded Music
GREGORIAN CHANT LATIN m o v e r e
ENGLISH “to move”
Polyphonic: Many Sounded Music Movement of many voices
MOTET: Sacred Choral Music counterpointi ng one another
Renaissance Composers:
Giovanni Palestrina htt ps://www.
youtube.com/
Joaquin Des Prez watch?v=kxLv
2pPiQVI

PIPE ORGAN MUSIC

Des Prez (1450-1521)
Misa Pange Lingua
 36

Pope
GREGORIAN CHANT
Gregory I
590 AD
Glory to God in the
highest, and peace to his
people on earth. Lord
God, heavenly king,
Ave Maria, almighty God and Father,
Gregorian Chant we worship you, we give
800 AD you thanks, we praise you
for your glory.

htt ps://www.youtu
be.com/watch?v=-
9wxPWtvLlA

All voices singing

 in unison 37

DEFINITION OF ART BASED ON IMITATIONISM

https://www. PAINTING Imitati on of the appearances of people, things or

youtube.com
/watch?v=Ye SCULPTURE events
AGO5OHJX8

Imitati on of the sound of the universe

Master of Chant, Losing M y Religion , MUSIC

1988 (Gregorian Rock Version)

Imitati on of movements of animals, nature or
DANCE
things
https://www.y
outube.com/
watch?v=B7F
71KXq-1M LITERATURE Imitati on of life through language

Leoninus, Alleluia Angelus Domini D RAM A Imitati on of life through acti on and dialogue

https://www.y Four Litt le Swans

outube.com/ https://www.
 watch?v=CB youtube.com
wh1OXw6uI /watc3h8?
v=Xd
2nTXsivHs

Lesson 4.3. Representation Theory of Art

1. Identify artworks, styles, artists and philosophers that abide with representation
theory.
2. Compare and contrast artworks, styles, artists and philosophers that abide with

representation theory.
REFERENCES
Readings
Shimamura, A. (2012). Towards a Science of Aesthetics. A. Shimamura & S. Palmer, Aesthetic Science:
Connecting Minds, Brains and Experiences. Oxford University Press.

Representation (arts). Wikipedia. htt ps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Representation_(arts)

Cooper, D. (1999). Theories of Art. Companion to Aesthetics.

http://users.rowan.edu/~clowney//Aesthetics/theories_of_art.htm

Videos
Amorsolo. https://youtu.be/D_EkOeVxGCw

Fernando Amorsolo. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UzoJ pcZVv4

 39

VENUS O F WILLENDORF
She was created around 25,000 years ago,
and is here mention as an excellent
example of early representational art.

▪ Started many millenia ago with Late

Paleolithic figurines and carving.
▪ Example: Venus of Willendorf- while
not too terribly realistic, is clearly

meant to show the figure of a woman.

▪ Throughout our history as art-creating
human, most art has been
representational.
 40

The term 'representation' carries a range of meanings and interpretations. In

literary theory, 'representation' is commonly defined in four ways.
▪ To look like or resemble
▪ To stand in for something or someone
▪ To present a second time; to re-present
▪ More viewer-friendly to vast majority of people than abstract or conceptual
art.
The reflection on representation began with early literary theory in the ideas of
Plato and Aristotle, and has evolved into a significant component of language and
communication studies.
 41

Representationism
KEY
The work of representing may seem
CONCEPTS insufficiently ambitious. As the re-presenting or
imitating of what nature or God has already
created, it can at its best be technically notable,
is but must always be derivative and repetitious. The
beauties of art are very seldom transcriptions, into
a medium, of pre-existing natural beauties.
an image
Could we not claim that art is always a
an appearance mimesis (a copying) of nature: if not of nature's
a copy visible appearances, then of its fundamental
energies and their endless transformations?
a reproduction A typical representational account sees art as
of things, portraying the visible forms of nature, from a
people, schematic cave drawing of an animal to the
evocation of an entire landscape in sun or storm.
objects The particularity of individual objects, scenes or
F I G U R A Tor
I V event.
E ART persons may be emphasized, or the generic, the
 A r t t h a t c o n t a i n s r epr esent at i on. common, the essential. 42

REPRESENTATION OF PEOPLE

A representational artist may seek

fdawi tehlfl uslenlescstivt oelhy own thienugs lyaraen.

dHde eofer csthivem, t ahye unfulfilled; or on the

ideal, the fully realized potential.
The artist may see the ideal as reached by
extrapolating from the empirical, "correcting’ its
deficiencies; or by contemplating the alleged
idea or form to which empirical objects
approximate and aspire.
Representational theories thus give the arts
a distinctive cognitive role. The artist opens
our eyes to the world’s perceptual qualities
and configurations, to its beauties, ugliness's
and horrors.
 Van Eyck, The Arnolfini Marriage
43

REPRESENTATION OF THINGS OR OBJECTS REPRESENTATION OF EVENT

Van Gogh, Bedroom at Arles, 1888 Francisco, Mural on the History of the Philippines, 1963
 44

WAYS OF REPRESENTING NATURE

Block of Natural Marble

CHANGING the physical appearance of

PHYSICAL
nature, like a natural marble that turn
ALTERATION into a sculpture by carving and cutti ng. Michaelangelo,
Pieta

ENHANCING the appearance of nature,

SELECTIVE
like a forest that becomes a garden by
MODIFICATION arranging and trimming the plants, or a Forest LANDSCAPING
Art of
w o m a n beauti fying herself b y putti ng
cosmeti cs o n her face. Garden denesvirgon
mental

Copying nature according to the CHOICE

PERCEPTUAL of the arti st, but the resulti ng image is Natural
INTERPRETATION still recognizable, like in the style of
representati on in cubist and fauvist art. Face COSMETOLOGY
 Art of Facial
Beauti fi ed Face Beautification
45

PERCEPTUAL INTERPRETATION OF NATURE

The way of presenti ng the subject is ABSTRACTIVE

Dora Photo of
Maar Mrs. Matisse

Real Woman
(Natural Appearance)
Matisse, Portrait of
Mrs. Matisse, 1913

Painti ng of a Woman Representati on in

(Cubist Style) Fauvist Style
 46

DEFINITION OF ART ACCORDING TO EXACT REPRESENTATION

Representati onism

is the
recreati on of made by the artists
Natural Tree Painti ng of a Tree
NATURE created by God
The more the art resembles nature,
the more it becomes beautiful.

The way of presenti ng the

 subject is REALISTIC 47

Who was the bett er painter?

Zeuxis versus Parrhasius

Zeuxis (or Zeuxippus) was a Parrhasius was born in Ephesus, Ionia (now part of Turkey), and later settled
Greek painter of the fifth century in Athens. He was praised by ancient critics as a master of outline drawing,
BCE. He was born in Heracleia of and he apparently relied on subtle contours rather than the new technique of
Pontus but lived in Athens where chiaroscuro to suggest the mass of the human body. He also tried to portray
he studied and spent most of his various psychological states and emotions in his depictions of the face. Many
life. He painted idealised human of his drawings on wood and parchment were preserved and highly valued by
figures but specialised in still life. later painters for purposes of study. His picture of Theseus adorned the
None of his works survive today Capitol in Rome; other works were chiefly mythological groups. His picture
as is common with most ancient of the Demos, the personified people of Athens, was particularly famous.
None of his works or copies thereof survive. 48
painters.

Who was the better painter?

Zeuxis was born in Heraclea sometime

Zeuxis as truoduenndt B46

ACop4Efollaonddoruwsa.s Parrhasius
Parrhasios) of Ephesus was a contemporary
t(hoZeuxis.
of er sPairartists
Both drhatosiu bse
produced works on
both wooden panels and frescoes on wa ls,
unfortunately none of their work survives.
The two were said to be the best painters of
the fourth century BCE. The elder Pliny
recorded a myth surrounding a competition
between the two painters. It is said that
Zeuxis created grapes that were so realistic
that birds saw the image and attempted to
eat then. Shortly after he went to view
Parrhasius painting, and asked that the
curtain be lifted so he could look at the
image only to discover that the curtain was
itself the painting. Zeuxis acknowledged his
defeat, because while he had tricked birds
 the curtain of Parrhasuis had deceived a
man and fellow artist. 49

Magritt e
The Human
TROMPE
Condition
L’OEIL
1933
“trick the eye”

Painti ng that looks so

realistic that it fools

the eye as if it sees the

real thing.

Magritt e

The Human
 Condition
1930 50

WILLIAM
SHAKESPEARE L E O N A R D O DA VINCI

“ A r t is putting m i r r o r u p
“ A r t is a window to
to natur e.”
n atu r e.”

“All the world is a stage,

 merely players.” 51

CHINESE ART
T h e d r a w i n g of f o r m s w h i c h a n s w e r to n a t u r a l f o r m .

WU TAO TZU (Wu Daozi) Numerous legends gathered around Wu

“Sage in Chinese Painti ng ” Daozi, often concerning commissions by
Emperor Xuanzong.
Form of Form In one, Emperor Xuanzong called him
Nature
= of Art to paint a wall of his palace. He
painted a wall mural displaying a rich
nature-scene set
in a valley, containing a stunning
Art reaches array of flora and fauna and including a
perfecti on and cave at the foot of a mountain. The story
goes that he informed the emperor that it's
become divine not just what the emperor is able to see,
made
Wu this painting in such a way, that a
spiritDaozi
dwellshasin the cave. Next, he clapped
his hands and entered the cave, inviting the
emperor to follow. The painter entered the
CHIEH TZU YUAN
cave but the entrance closed behind him
“ W h e n painti ng has
and, before the astonished emperor could
reached divinity (shen), STORY: He entered his own
move or utter a word, the painting vanished
 the matt er.” inside forever. from the wall. This story depicts the
spirituality of art. 52

CHINESE ART
The drawing of forms which answer to natural form.

Zhang Daqian Scenery

Drawing of a Humanities TAOISM ART
 Student NATURE IN TRADITIONAL
CHINESE PAINTING
53

Constable, Hay Wain

Michelangel
o, God the

CHRISTIAN ART Representational CS irsetai

ICON Religious Images
ntoer,

Chapel
Painting
Detail
1512

Pieta,
Michelangelo

1499
Leonardo, The Last Supper, 1498

STYLE
High
 Renaissance
Art
Monet, Field of Poppies
54

ROMANTIC REALISM
Great art is a representational vision of values that dramatizes the beauties of the world and
man’s
compatible and efficacious place in it through images that portray a heighten reality, one that not only
brings selected aspects of real life into sharp focus through compelling aesthetics but also
communicates ideas. Classical Realism seeks perfection and universality, the idea of the ideal; e.g.,
ancient Greek sculpture.
Romantic Realism seeks personal expression of values, imbuing art with feelings for ideas that the

artist holds passionately about life and humankind, thereby suffusing the work with a glowing emotional
essence.
I n Philippine Art
The contemporary Romantic expresses values through images of the present, the here and now, the real
and relevant. Today’s Romantic uses form (the physical presentation) to communicate content (human

values via subject matter) through individual style (emotional expression), thereby making the means
the end merge, blend, and re-emerge as one totality of experience that unifies mind, body, and soul.
and
Romantic Realism in Philippine Arts through Fabian dela Rosa and Fernando Amorsolo shown:
▪ aspect of beauty
▪ Idyllic and exotic rural sceneries
▪
▪ For tourism purposes
55

H o w d o y o u d r a w a b eau tif ul scenery w h e n y o u w e r e y o u n g ?

 56

“Master of Genre” in Philippine Art

Born in Paco, Manila

Studied in Escuela de Bellas Artes
and Academie Julian, Paris France
Director, School of Fine Arts UP
Won Gold and Bronze Award
in St. Louis Expositi on, 1904
Awarded Patnubay ng Sining

at Kalinangan, 1968

1869-1937
 57

De la Rosa, A Remembrance of Villa

De la Rosa, View of Santa Ana De la Rosa, Pasay Beach 1927 Borghese, 1909

De la Rosa,
 De la Rosa, Transplanting Rice, 1904 De la Rosa, El Kundiman, 1930
Quezon
Won Gold Medal, St. Louis Exposition, 1904
58

FERNANDO AMORSOLO
1892-1972
Enrolled in Art School, Liceo de Manila
Studied in UP School of Fine Arts

and Academia de San Fernando, Spain

Made more than 10,000 painti ngs
Won First Prize, New York Fair, 1939
Dean, UP College of Fine Arts
First Philippine Nati onal Artist

Most popular painter in the country

“Grand old m a n of Filipino painters”
https://youtu.be/D_
EkOeVxGCw “Master of tropical scenery”
 https://www.youtu
be.com/watch?v=U
zoJ_pcZVv4 59

Amorsolo, Leyendo el Periodico, 1908

Won Second Place, Bazar Escolta sponsored
Amorsolo, Afternoon Meal of Rice Workers, 1929 by Asociacion Internacional de Artistas. Amorsolo Rice Plating
Won First Prize, New York Fair 1929 Amorsolo was 16 years old. Shows only aspects of beauty

Amorsolo, Tinikling
 60

Amorsolo, The Market Scene

Amorsolo, Fruit Pickers Under the Mango Tree
 61

Amorsolo, The Celebration of the First Mass Amorsolo, The Making of Philippine Flag
 62

ILLUSTRATION IN THE PHILIPPINE READERS

Writt en by
CAMILO OSIAS
in 1917

Illustrated by
FERNANDO
AMORSOLO

Textbook for elementary

students during the
 American period
Amorsolo, Patriotic Pledge
63

Amorsolo, Amorsolo,
A Woman A Woman
Reading Reading
a Letter, a Letter,
1917 1917

ILLUSTRATION IN ILLUSTRATION IN
PHILIPPINE PHILIPPINE
READER READER

Amorsolo, Amorsolo,
Husband and Roasting
Wife Harvesting Pig, 1917
Banana, 1917

ILLUSTRATION IN ILLUSTRATION IN
 PHILIPPINE
READER PHILIPPINE
READER
64

Isidro Ancheta (1882-1946), Batis Cesar Buenaventura (1922-1983), Bahay Kubo

AMORSOLO’S FRIEND AMORSOLO’S INFLUENCE Cesar Buenaventura, Landscape, 1975

Praise for Amorsolo’s Representational Style

Of Romantic Realism

“ TrTueherepfaleinctionsgnit obf
ythAe mFiloripsoinloo asroeul.”

Critique
It is highly commercialized, and is meant for
Dominador Castaneda (1904-1967), Cesar Buenaventura, Bahay Kubo under the appearance of order and beauty.
Women Washing by the Stream
AMORSOLO’S FRIEND
65

T H E C O M M O N ART SCENERY W E K N O W N OW …
Beauty sa Harap, Pero sa Likod
MMDA Art Vandalism Industrial Valley, Marikina
 Marikina Industrial Valley Metro Gwapo Project,
MMDA Bayani Fernando

66

Manasala, The Madonna of the Slums is said to be the

Madonna of portrayal of a mother and child from the
the Slums, countryside who became urban shanty
19 residence once in the city. This image were
50 tightly focus on the two subjects. As what you
can see in the picture is a mother hugging her
sibling with her two hands, as well as the child
holding her m o t h e r ’s face.
This painti ng identi fi es the reality of the
Philippine Society today which describes social
care amidst hardships.
Though the mother is the most happy even
when she suffers pain to give birth for her
child,
even how diffi cult life is, a mother never ever
back down to all life problems and challenges in
PHILIPPINE ART
the world she faces. Mother and child
From Romantic
painti ng portrays the reality of being a mother
Realism
even though how diffi cult life is she is the one
Through
 Modernism alolwveaybsut haelsreo nthoet osonlldy ietor thakaet
to Social Realism
pg roootdeccta hr eera nchdilgdi vi en 67

every ti me from the world that full of challenges.

Instructions: The answer to each question should have at least a minimum of 50 words.

Analysis 1. How do arts affects your perception of being alive? (Lesson 4.1)

Assessment 1. Can you draw a conclusion from this caricature inspired from
the painting of Michael Angelo? (Lesson 4.1)

Reflection 1. Have any of your art skills improved during this project?
 68

RUBRICS F O R GRADING

CRITERIA EX(1C0E PL LT ABOV(E8 AV(6EPRTA BEL O(W4 P(2OP

ES N) T PATVSE)RAGE SG) E PATVSE)RAGE OTR)

Uniqueness of idea Uniqueness of idea Uniqueness of idea Minimal detail Absolute minimal
ANALYSIS: is thorough, is informative and is present, but some provided, needs effort.
Creativity and informative, and well thought. details improvement.
uniqueness demonstrates missing/incorrect.
significant effort.

Message is Message is Message is present, Minimal detail Absolute minimal

thorough, informative and but some details provided, needs effort.
informative, and well thought. missing/incorrect. improvement.
AC SlaSriEtyS:
demonstrates
SMMesEsNaTg:e is significant effort.
clearly addressed
The relevance is The relevance is The relevance is Minimal detail Absolute minimal
REFLECTIONS: thorough, informative and present, but some provided, needs effort.
Impact: The idea is informative, and well thought. details improvement.
relevant to present demonstrates missing/incorrect.
69
situation significant effort.

Module 4 Examples of Pencil or Charcoal Drawing

Make a representational work of art. C H O O S E

ONLY O N E :
a. Select a portrait picture of the model you want to
copy by applying pencil or charcoal drawing and
submit the two together to compare the model
exactly as he or she looks like. Use 1/8 illustration
board for drawing. The process on making your
portrait drawing should be done by using time Examples of Landscape Painting
lapse mode of your cellphone camera. Submit it
together with the final picture of your artwork.
b. Make a landscape painting based on the style of
Romantic Realism in Philippine art. You can use
water color or acrylic paints. Use 1/8 illustration
board for painting. The process on making your
 landscape painting should be done by using time SEE EXAMPLES OF TIME LAPSE:
lapse mode of your cellphone camera. Submit it htt ps://youtu.be/EwfO5EhPiKQ
https://youtu.be/Tno-7P3FhJ0
together with the final picture of your artwork. 70

RUBRICS FOR ACTIVITY 4

Needs
CRITERIA Excellent Good Fair Improvement
(31-40 points) (21-30 points) (11-20 points)
(1-10)

The artwork does not

The artworks looks The artwork does
Representati onal The artwork looks look like the model in
like the model except not look like the
Artwork exactly like the model. many parts of the
for some parts. model at all.
compositi on

The compositi on
Romanti c realism is The compositi on
Romanti c realism is correctly applies
Applicati on of incorrectly applied to does not apply
Romanti c Realism many parts of the romanti c realism at
cwcohr orel ectclyo mapppol reoxmceapnttti oc compositi on. all.
DR. ALLAN C. ORATE, UE
rseoaml i esmparts of it. 71
siei tdi otno. the

MODULE 4