Art Philosophies and Assumptions

• Arts is a tangible expression of an artist's creativity and skill, stirring emotions and providing an escape from reality

Philosophies of Art

• Aestheticism values art for its intrinsic worth, emphasizing beauty and sensory experience over utilitarian purposes
• Expressionism conveys emotions and subjective experiences using distortion and vivid colors
• Formalism uses composition, color, and line to decide artistic merit
• Pragmatism in Art suggests art's value lies in its practical consequences and impact on individuals and society
• Postmodernism challenges traditional art concepts like authorship and originality and blends diverse styles and media
• Feminist Aesthetics studies how gender shapes artistic creation, interpretation, and representation, for a more inclusive and equitable art world

Assumptions of Art

• Aesthetic Autonomy: Art has intrinsic value, separate from practical or moral concerns; for example, the Mona Lisa
• Expressive Power allows artists to convey emotions and ideas; for example, The Scream by Edvard Munch
• Subjectivity of Beauty: Beauty varies and impacts artistic evaluation; for example, Persistence Memory by Salvador Dali
• Form and Content involves the interplay of medium, technique, message, and meaning, for example, Guernica by Pablo Picasso
• Creations of Meaning: Art creates meaning beyond what is literally represented, inviting interpretation and reflection; for example, the Mona Lisa

Functions of Art

• Aesthetic Function: Art evokes emotional responses, stimulates senses, and provides a platform for creative expression
• Expressive Function allows people to express emotions, ideas, and perspectives
• Cultural Function preserves and transmits cultural identity by reflecting societal values, traditions, and historical narratives

Art History

• Cave Art from the Upper Paleolithic period (40,000-10,000 BCE) is among the earliest art forms; found in places like Lascaux and Altamira, it mainly served ritualistic and symbolic purposes to give insight into prehistoric cultures
• Egyptian Art spanned from the Pre-dynastic period (6000-3150 BCE) to Greco-Roman period (332 BCE-395CE) and reflects religious, funerary, and political aspects with continuity and symbolism
• Greek Art flourished from the Geometric period (900-700 BCE) through the Hellenistic Period (323-31 BCE), evolving with stylistic and thematic changes through Archaic, Classical, and Hellenistic phases
• Roman Painting, influenced by Greek art, peaked during the Roman Empire
• Medieval Painting, from the 5th to 15th century, reflected religious and feudalistic themes
• Chinese Painting has ancient roots and evolved through various dynasties
• Ukiyo-e (Japanese Print) from the Edo period (17th to 19th centuries) captured urban life and culture
• Renaissance (14th-17th century) was an intellectual movement that originated in Italy and revived interest in classical learning, art, and humanism, after the Middle Ages
• Mannerism, emerging in the late Renaissance (16th century), reacted against classical ideals with a departure from naturalism
• Baroque (17th-18th century) followed the Renaissance, using grandeur, drama, and emotional intensity, as part of the Catholic counter-reformation Rococo emerged in the early 18th century and reacted against the formality of the Baroque, focusing on grace, ornamentation, and lightness
• Neo-Classicism (Mid 18th to early 19th century) reacted against the excesses of the Baroque and Rococo styles, flourishing during the Enlightenment by emphasizing reason, order, and classical ideals
• Romanticism (late 18th to mid-19th century) responded to the rationalism of the Enlightenment and the Industrial Revolution by celebrating emotions, individualism, and nature
• Realism (mid-19th to early 20th century) reacted to the idealized depictions of Romanticism, seeking a more accurate portrayal of contemporary life
• Impressionism emerged in France in the late 19th century (1870s and 1880s), responding to the rigidity of academic art by capturing the fleeting effects of light on scenes of everyday life
• Post-Impressionism followed Impressionism in the late 19th to early 20th century, characterized by a subjective and expressive approach
• Neo-Impressionism emerged in the late 19th century, reacting against the subjectivity of Impressionism by emphasizing a more scientific approach to color theory
• Symbolism originated in the late 19th century, reacting against realism and naturalism by evoking emotions and suggesting meanings rather than depicting reality
• Art Nouveau emerged in the late 19th century against historicism, known for ornate and intricate designs
• Fauvism emerged in the early 20th century, marked by vivid colors, bold brushstrokes, and a departure from realistic color representation
• Expressionism emerged in the early 20th century, emphasizing subjective emotion, distortion, and vivid imagery
• Cubism emerged in the early 20th century with Pablo Picasso and Georges Braque, radically departing from traditional artistic representation by breaking down objects and figures into geometric shapes and depicting multiple viewpoints simultaneously
• Futurism emerged in Italy in the early 20th century with Flippo Tommaso Marinetti, celebrating technology, speed, and modernity to capture the dynamism of the industrial age
• Abstract/Non-objective movements responded to the changing sociopolitical landscape of the 20th century
• Dadaism originated during World War I, and rejected conventional art to challenge order
• Surrealism delved into the subconscious, responding to the aftermath of war and exploring dreamlike imagery
• Constructivism, after the 1917 Revolution in Russia, emphasized utilitarianism and geometric forms
• De Stijl aimed for universal harmony through abstraction
• Expressionism in post-war America expressed inner emotions
• Optical Art, Pop Art, Minimalism, and Conceptual Art emerged in the mid-20th century as reactions to consumerism, mass media, and a desire for intellectual engagement
• Photo Realism emerged in the late 1960s and 1970s, also known as Super-Realism or Hyper-Realism, evolved as a reaction to abstract expressionism, replicating photographs with precision
• Installation Art emerged in the late 1950s and 1960s, challenging static art notions and includes body art, earth and land art, and performance art