Introduction to Art History and Appreciation

Art History

• Art history: the study of art objects within their historical context
• Art historians analyze the meaning of visual arts like painting, sculpture, and architecture in the period they were created
• Art history goes beyond listing art movements or placing them on a timeline
• Art historiography: the historical study of visual arts encompassing identification, classification, description, evaluation, interpretation, and understanding
• It encompasses the historic development of painting, sculpture, architecture, decorative arts, drawing, printmaking, photography, and interior design.

Art Appreciation

• Art Appreciation: Understanding of the qualities classifying great arts, exploration of visual art forms, and the introduction to visual literacy principles
• It involves analyzing artwork to enhance the general audience's enjoyment
• Subjective art appreciation depends on individual preferences for aesthetics
• Objective art appreciation can be based on design elements, principles, and socio-cultural acceptance
• Art appreciation aims to make individuals more humane, which translates to being free, reflective, feeling, and relating
• Art appreciation trains students to reflect critically and logically, thus forming evaluative judgements

Etymology of Art

• Art is derived from the Latin word "ARS," meaning "craft" or "specialized skill" like carpentry, smithying, or surgery
• Art is expressing human creative skill and imagination in a visual form like painting or sculpture
• It entails producing work to be appreciated for beauty and emotional power

Definitions of Art

• Merriam-Webster defines art as something created with imagination and skill that is beautiful or expresses crucial ideas/feelings
• Twyla Tharp describes art as the only way to run away without leaving home
• Pablo Picasso defines art as the elimination of the unnecessary and a life that helps to realize the truth
• Agnes Martin sees art as the most concrete representation of subtle feeling
• Plato defines art as that which brings life in harmony with the beauty of the world
• John Dewey defines art as an attitude of spirit and state of mind fulfilling a shaping of matter into significant form

Role of Creativity in Art

• Creativity in art requires thinking outside the box to solve unprecedented problems, combine function/style
• Creativity makes art unique and more enjoyable
• Something is creative when it is new or extraordinary

Art and Imagination

• Imagination is more important than knowledge, as per Albert Einstein
• Knowledge is limited to what is known, while imagination embraces everything
• Imagination goes beyond the norm, driving advancement through curiosity
• An artist's mind holds a vast gallery of potential artworks, and the artwork can exist only in the imagination
• Taking a musician's tune in their head, and the making of this tune is an image of an imaginative creation

Art as Expression

• Expression is the essence of what an artist does with emotion
• Through expression, artists explore their own emotions while creating something beautiful
• Expressing emotions differs from describing them
• Artworks become reflections of the artist's inner self, rather than reflections of the external world

Assumptions and Nature of Art

• Art encompasses diverse human activities, creations, and expressions serving as media for communicating ideas, emotions, and appreciation
• Assumption is something accepted as true without proof
• Art is universal as it is found everywhere and embedded in people's lives
• Art is cultural as it embodies people’s way of life, religious practices, traditions
• Art is work of humans and anything humans create is part of culture
• Art is distinct from Nature, requiring enhancement or expression by humans to be classified as art
• Art appreciation requires experience and use of the five senses
• Art is an expression translating the unnameable and marking the unknown

Nature of Arts

• Art is a range of activities
• Art represents reality
• Art is an expression and a means of communication of emotions
• Art matters and it is universal
• Art is creation

Visual Arts

• Visual arts are perceived through sight and exist in 2D or 3D forms, reflecting a cultural, social, and spiritual mood influenced by nature

Two-Dimensional Media

• Painting
• Drawing
• Uses oil and acrylic
• Uses Charcoal and Pastel
• Uses Pencil
• Uses water colour
• Photography
• Silkscreen
• Cartoons and comics

Three-Dimensional Media

• Carving and Weaving
• Engraving
• Woodcut
• Etching
• Stained glass
• Stage setting
• Mosaics
• Tapestry

Visual Arts Examples

• Filmmaking includes creating all types of films including documentaries and video based processes
• Performing Arts use the artist's body and presence as a medium
• Poetry-performance uses language for aesthetic and evocative qualities
• Architecture balances both art and science designing buildings and structures
• Dance is the art form of movement of the body
• Literature uses language for aesthetic and evocative qualities
• Applied Arts can include fashion, which covers the design of all types of dresses
• Applied Arts can include furniture, the design of objects for industrial or commercial production

Functions of Art

• Functions of art aims to understand the purpose of art, with different art forms fulfilling distinctive roles that focus on the practical perks
• Personal functions are highly subjective and depend on the artist's intention, may include self-expression or entertainment
• Social functions serve collective interests with art conveying messages like support or protest
• Political art, a social function, depicts societal issues like poverty
• Physical functions serve a physical purpose to craft artworks like jars, plates, and Architecture or interior design
• Art serves cultural, historical, and religious purposes, evident in music used for gatherings and other arts like sculptures, poems, and movies

Other Functions of Art

• Aesthetic: Artworks enhancing appreciation and enjoyment of nature's beauty
• Cultural: Art as a lens into skills and customs, preserving and transmitting culture
• Political: Art as campaign art or political agenda promotion
• Religious: Art evolving from religion
• Economic: Questioning artist's financial value

Philosophical Perspective on Art

• Plato viewed art as mere imitation
• The real entities are in the "World of Forms"
• Art is just an imitation of those copies
• Aristotle saw art as aiding philosophy in revealing truth
• Art represents a version of reality, providing pleasure and teaching about life
• Immanuel Kant considered judgments of beauty as subjective yet universal cornerstones of art
• Leo Tolstoy posited art as vital in communicating emotions, enabling an artist to share experiences with an audience

The Subject and Content of Art

• Subject matter: The heart and soul of an artwork
• Beginners may struggle to understand an artwork if they do not focus on appreciating it subjectively
• Clues that mediate an artwork are the three main components: Subject, content, and form

Art Components

Subject:

• The visual subject or focus of the artwork
• The "what" Content:
• The meaning communicated by the artist
• The “why” Form:
• The development and configuration of the artwork
• How elements/materials are put together
• The “how”

Subject of Art

• Most art forms (painting, sculpture, music, etc.) have a subject as the foundation of the artwork -The subject matter and the obvious aspect of the artwork is what the work depicts or represents
• The subject answers the question: "What is the work of art all about?"
• Art without a subject is called "non-objective"
• Architecture is non-representational, not representing any subject in particular

Kinds of Art

• Representational/Objective Art: uses subjects and represents real objects or events with recognizable figures (also called "figurative art")
• Subcategories include Realism, Impressionism, Idealism, and Stylization

Representational Art Examples

• Still life: Depicts inanimate objects, either natural or man-made, in an artificial setting
• Portrait: Art highlighting the face/expression to show the individual's personality
• Landscapes, seascapes, moonscapes, and cityscapes: Illustrate natural sceneries
• Mythology, religion, dreams, and fantasies: Illustrations focused on such

Non-Representational/Non-Objective Art

• Does not reference anything outside itself and lacks recognizable objects
• It is considered abstract, shows ideas and feeling
• An example is Jackson Pollock's "Convergence" that captures emotions, movement, and energy through chaotic paint

Jackson Pollock Art

• "Autumn Rhythm": the flowing lines and earthy colors convey nature, movement, energy and is open to the viewers interpretation

Sources of Art Subject

• Nature
• History
• Greek and Roman Mythology
• Judeo-Christian Tradition
• Religion
• Sacred Oriental Text

Kinds of Art Subject

• History
• Still life
• Animals
• Figures
• Nature
• Landscape
• Seascape
• Cityscape
• Mythology
• Myth
• Dreams
• Fantasies

Content of Art

• Content: the meaning, message, or feeling imparted by a work
• Form: Pictorial aspects
• The content is mass of ideas communicated
• Subject Matter is the literal, visible image in a work
• Content includes the ideas, feelings and reactions connected with the subject
• Subject matter is the subject of the work, e.g., still-life or portrait, but the content is more like the meaning

Levels of Meaning in Art

• Factual - the literal statement or narrative in the work
• Conventional - the special agreed upon meaning for a particular culture
• Subjective - the individual meaning applied by the artist

Elements of Design

• Design is a fundamental aspect of our visual world that shapes how we perceive and communicate ideas
• Elements of design include line, shape, color, and texture that are essential for visual communication, creating visuals that resonate with audiences

Elements of Design - Line

• Line is defined by connecting two points
• Lines can define shapes, create form, create hierarchy, add emphasis, and evoke emotions through attributes such as thickness, length, and direction

Types of Line

• Straight lines do not curve
• Curved lines bend smoothly
• Implied lines are not physically drawn

Elements of Design - Shape

• Shape: A 2-dimensional enclosed area limited to height and width
• Boundaries are typically formed by lines or color contrasts, with categories being geometric and organic
• Geometric shapes: Precise and regular forms like circles, squares, and triangles to convey stability and structure
• Organic shapes: Evoke softness, fluidity, and movement inspired by irregular forms

Elements of Design - Form

• Form has height width and depth to bring physical shape, volume, and structure to object that have both geometric and organic characteristics

Elements of Design - Color

• Color: The perception of light reflected from the surface of a shape or form, evoking emotions and moods, generating contrast and harmony

Characteristics of Color

• Hue: red, green, yellow, blue
• Value: light or dark
• Intensity: bright or dull

Color Descriptors

• Primary colors
• Secondary colors
• Tertiary colors
• Complementary colors
• Analogous colors

Elements of Design - Value

• Value: Degree of lightness or darkness
• Create depth, contrast, and designers perceive values as a gradient
• Contrast of value separates objects in space, as gradation suggests mass and contour

Elements of Design - Space

• Space: Distances/areas between components of a design
• There are two fundamental types positive and negative.
• Positive space is the area occupied by objects
• Negative space is the empty space surrounding objects

Elements of Design - Texture

• Texture: Surface quality sensed through touch
• Real or perceived to add dimension and interest
• The elements that help designers create visually appealing and impactful designs guide eye movement and effective communication

Principles of Design

• Principles of design pertain to how artists visually organize or manipulate elements to convey their intention
• Principles of design can be used to convey intention and communicate meaning

Principles of Design - Contrast

• Arrangement of opposite elements and effects to create interest (example: Caravaggio, Crucifixion of St. Peter, 1601)

Principles of Design - Rhythm

• Suggests movement and action through repetition of lines, shapes, colors, to create a visual tempo

Principles of Design - Proportion

• size relationship between the parts to create things like depth realism or disorientation

Principles of Design - Unity

• Creates the cohesive and harmony among elements in a piece

Principles of Design - Balance

• Distribution of weight in a composition
• Balance can lend calm or chaos to the work

Forms of Balance

• Symmetrical - Is well-balanced and stable when mirrored on both sides
• Asymmetrical - Contains unstable and uneven areas to add dynamic

Principles of Design - Emphasis

• Highlights important areas or draws interest

principles of Design - Movement

• Can be the way an artists depicts movement using elements/principles
• The way the viewers eye should be transported across the art

Principles of Design - Variety

• Elements differ to create interest/energy

Artists and Artisans

• Art*
• The expression or application of human creative skill and imagination
• Is a range of human creative skill used to evoke feelings by utilizing elements to resonate and express shared experiences
• Art Making* Art making includes art exploration, concept development, and art production.
• Pre-production/subject development:
• Ends when planning the content starts being produced
• Production/medium manipulation:
• A method of joining inputs to create something
• Post production/exhibition:
• Involves making and displaying the Artwork for public use

Artisan

• Artisan: one who produces directly functional or decorative arts
• They craft the things that make our life easy
• They are functional to relevant and essential life

ARTIST

• Artists: Someone who creates indirectly functional artworks with aesthetic value using imagination.
• Generally defined as artists being painters, scuptors, poets, writers, musicians etc.
• Create paintings, sculptures, dances, music, and literary pieces.

Artisan skills

Artisan:

• Artisan one who create functional great looking works by hand with skills, patience, and experience Artists:
• Artists Create visually pleasing works but lack practical value Artisanship:
• Artisanship the creation objects by skilled craftspeople

Artisanship Historical Context

• Artisans held prestigious society roles in many ancient cultures
• Medieval Europe's guild system controlled production quality, and apprenticeships
• Craftsmanship traditions were/are significant in other cultures like Egyptian, Chinese, Islamic

Art vs. Craft

• Renaissance separated "fine art" (aesthetic beauty) and "craft" (functional)
• Fine artists gained individual recognition, unlike anonymous artisans
• The present has blurred this boundary, and artisan skills are now celebrated in galleries and museums

Artisanal Techniques

• Pottery/Ceramics: Wheel throwing, glazing, and kiln firing techniques combine functionality and design
• Textile Arts: Ancient practices weaving, dyeing, embroidery, and quilting are also arts of expression
• Metal working/jewelry: A balance between delicate metal works and functional design
• Woodworking: Skilful manipulation of wood for furniture, architecture, and sculpture

Modern Artisanship

• Revival of Artisan Goods has spurred a desire for small batch handmade goods
• The maker movment, DIY ethics, Etsy, and Social Media have made artisanship available to the world

Contemporary Artisanship

• Contemporary artist are blending traditional craft techniques into contemporary works bridging the line between art and craft.
• Artisan crafts have a relationship to the cultural heritage of a society, and organizations are working to save them
• Fair trade ensures artisans are paid fairly and artisanal goods are more sustainable

Conclusion on Artisans

• Both art and artisanship are essential to cultural identity and expression.
• Artisanship is increasingly recognized as a valuable form of art that challenges old hierarchies