1. Chapter 4
Style, Form, and Content

2. The duty of an artist is
to strain against the
bonds of the existing
style.
–Philip Johnson

3. • There are several characteristic methods
of expression that have developed that
are referred to as style.
• The content of a work includes not only
its form but also its subject matter and
its underlying meanings or themes.
• Awareness of style, form, and content
helps the viewer understand and
appreciate the visual arts more fully.

4. STYLE
• Style - The handling of distinctive
elements and particular media
throughout the various artistic periods
associated with the work of an
individual artist, a school or movement,
of a specific culture or time period.

5. Art, Culture, and
Context
• Variations in style are sometimes linked to:
– use of different media
– diverse cultural contexts
– characteristic approach of the artist to the subject
“Context has a profound influence on style.”

6. Art, Culture, and
Context
One of the best ways to illustrate stylistic
differences is to examine a group of artworks
with a common theme, such as the “couple”.
 The works of most artists are a product of
their culture and time.
There are LOTS of styles in art, and they
change often, yet there are some standards.

7. Fig. 4.9, p.97 GRANT WOOD. American Gothic (1930). Oil on beaverboard. 29-7⁄8” x 24-7⁄8”.

8. Fig. 4.3, p.93 HENRI DE TOULOUSE-LAUTREC. The Two Girlfriends (1894). Oil on cardboard.
48 cm x 34.5 cm.

9. Fig. 4.2, p.92 ROY LICHTENSTEIN. Forget It, Forget Me! (1962). Magna and oil on canvas. 79-7⁄8” x 68”.

10. Fig. 4.4, p.93 ROBERT MAPPLETHORPE. Ken Moody and Robert Sherman (1984). Photograph.

20. Realistic Art
realism - is the portrayal of people and things
as they are seen by the eye or as they are
thought to be without idealization, without
distortion.
Realism - (with a capital R) also defines a
specific school of art that flowered during the
mid-nineteenth century in France.

21. Photography
We think of most photography as
realistic:
• The technique of shooting, capturing,
and documenting, suggests candid
truth, and reality.

27. Realistic versus
Representational Art
• Representational art presents natural
objects in a recognizable manner,
although not a realistic form.
• Representational art or figurative art -
is defined as art that portrays, however
altered or distorted, things perceived in
the visible world.

32. Expressionistic Art
• In expressionistic art, form and color are
freely distorted by the artist in order to
achieve a heightened emotional impact
• Expressionistic - also a modern art movement

36. Abstract Art
• Abstract - Art that departs significantly from
the actual appearance of things.
• Nonobjective - Art that makes no reference to
nature or reality.
• Cubism - Transcribed natural forms into
largely angular geometric equivalents
• Psychic Automation - When an artist
attempts to clear their mind of purpose and
concerns so that inner conflicts and ideas find
expression through their works.

54. COMPARE + CONTRAST
• The style of a work of art refers to the
characteristic ways in which artist’s
express themselves and the times in
which they live.
• Conceptual art - The ideas being
expressed by the artist are more
important than their physical
expression.

58. Copy nature and you infringe on the work of our
lord. Interpret nature and you are an artist.
-- JACQUE LIPCHITZ
• Artist often title abstract works to provoke thought.
• They may title a work “untitled” to avoid
associations created by the title.
• They may deliberately title a nonobjective work
based on some association triggered by the work.
• One of the issues that viewers have with non-
objective work is that they want to it to make sense.
Nonobjective work is just that, nonobjective.

59. FORM
• Form incorporates elements, design principles, and composition
in a work of art. This might include:
– Color
– Texture
– Shape
– The illusion of 3D
– Balance
– Rhythm
– Unity of design
• Formalistic criticism involves the elements and design but not
the historical or biographical elements of a work of art.

60. Content
Content - everything included in a work
of art
• The content of a work of art not only
refers to lines and forms but also its
underlining meanings or themes.

61. The Levels of Content
in a Work of Art
Three levels of content:
• Subject Matter
• Elements and composition
• Underlying or symbolic meanings or
themes

62. Compare + Contrast
• An awareness of the historical circumstances
under which a work of art was created,
understanding what is new about its style
and composition help the viewer appreciate
its significance.
• Understanding the relationship between
these next two pieces, makes each more
meaningful to the viewer.

63. Fig. 4.12, p.99 JACQUES-LOUIS DAVID. Death of Marat (1793). Oil on canvas. 63-3⁄4” x 49-1⁄8”.
Fig. 4.13, p.99 SANDOW BIRK. Death of Manuel (1992). Oil on canvas. 33” x 25”.

64. Iconography
Iconography - The study of the themes and
symbols in the visual arts.
• In fine art, winter is a common symbol of death
and aloneness.
• Fall is a common symbol of harvest and decline.
• Awareness of symbolism can enrich the viewing
experience.