The document discusses what art is and debates its definition. It explores the purpose of art and whether previous knowledge is needed to appreciate it. Examples of different artworks are provided, from paintings to sculptures, and readers are asked to determine which are considered art. The elements of art like line, color, texture, and principles of art like balance and harmony are explained. Finally, readers are given an activity to analyze artworks using these concepts.
3. WHAT IS ART?
Participate in the debate!
• What do you think is the purpose of art?
• Do you consider people must have some previous
knowledge to be able to understand and appreciate a
piece of art? Why?
• Have you been to a museum or art exhibit?
• What have you liked the most? What didn´t you like?
• Do you believe the value and “price” of a work of art
are the same thing? Why?
• What circumstances do you think influence the
August Rodin, The Thinker artists´ works ?
1879-1889
MA Rosa M. Brito
4. Which one is a work of art?
Alberto Prego. 2009.
Joan Miró, Blue Star, 1927. Free digital scribbling.
MA Rosa M. Brito
5. Which one is a work of art?
Picasso. The dog.
MA Rosa M. Brito
6. “There really is no such thing as
Art. There are only artists”
E. H. Gombrich
Do you agree? Why?
MA Rosa M. Brito
7. Is this art? Loris Cecchini,
Stage Evidence
(bicycle), 1998.
Emilio Mariño,
Spring, 2001
Darío Escobar, Obverse & Reverse
MA Rosa M. Brito
8. “Art is everything that men
call art”
Dino de Formaggio
Do you agree? Why?
MA Rosa M. Brito
9. Art and the artistic creation
Artistic creation is
inherently human
Art and men are inseparable
MA Rosa M. Brito
10. “ It is virtually impossible to imagine any
society without art of some kind. Indeed, the
visual arts, music, drama, dance, and other
forms of art, add a sense of pleasure to life.
The arts are a vital part of civilization, an
essential part of any culture. They are the
universal languages through which human beings
express their dreams, their aspirations, their
ideas, and their feelings. They make it possible
for all of us to communicate, understand, and
appreciate each other. The arts have always
been and always will be the language of
civilization”
(Mittler, 2000: 5) MA Rosa M. Brito
11. Art, a unique contribution in human
life
Michelangelo, The Sistine Chapel, 1508-12
http://www.stumbleupon.com/su/1kpcQm/www.vatican.va/various/cappelle/sistina_vr/index.html
12. “The aim of art is to represent not
the outward appearance of things,
but their inward significance”.
Aristotle (384 AC-322 AC) Greek philosopher.
Vincent van Gogh, The Starry Night, 1889
13. “A thousand years ago, most people never saw an
image. People who lived in a town might have seen
art in their local church or temple but only the
very wealthy could own images.
In the sixteenth century, Henry VIII sent the
painter Hans Holbein across the channel so he
could see what a woman he was considering for
marriage looked like.
Throughout history, images were anchored to a
place. Today, images are everywhere and infinitely
reproducible. They may even be surpassing text as
the dominant form of communication.”
Google Art Project
http://www.googleartproject.com/education/
MA Rosa M. Brito
14. Art…
It is a human production
It is an expressive production
It has symbolic values as a result of a
mental activity and a technique in a
determined model of society.
It uses specific languages
MA Rosa M. Brito
15. Why do we create art?
Aesthetics reasons: beauty, goodness
Moral/ethic reasons: existentialist
dilemmas
Spiritual reasons: religion and
supernatural forces
Historical reasons: immortalization of
historical events
Political reasons: propaganda or
ideological indoctrination
MA Rosa M. Brito
21. What is Aesthetics?
Aesthetics is a Philosophy´s discipline that
studies the different manifestations of
beauty.
Beauty is a concept whose different
definitions depend of the time period and
society values MA Rosa M. Brito
23. Works of art are made of line, color, texture, form, and
perspective. Can you identify the lines, colors and shapes in
this painting of Joan Miró, Carnival of Harlequin, 1924-25?
MA Rosa M. Brito
24. Color
Secundary
Primary
Tertiary
Joan Miró, Portrait IV,
1938
Claude Monet,
Bartolomé Esteban Murillo
Garden at Vetheuil“,
San Agustín lavando los pies a Cristo 1881
1650 - 1655.
MA Rosa M. Brito
25. Line
It is a continuous
mark made by a
moving point in a
surface. It permits
the identification
of pictorial shapes
Can you draw a face
Henri Matisse,
with 5 lines?
Nude Oranges,
1952
MA Rosa M. Brito
26. Find the lines in this painting
Jean Baptiste Camille,
Beach near Etreta Corot
1872
MA Rosa M. Brito
27. Line and Movement
Parthenon, Grecia, 447-438 bc
Vertical: strength and stability
MA Rosa M. Brito
28. Line and Movement
Thomas Eakins, The Biglin Brothers Racing, Horizontal: calmness
1873 MA Rosa M. Brito
29. Line and Movement
Diagonal: tension
Théodore Géricault, The Raft of the Medusa, 1818-19
MA Rosa M. Brito
30. Line and Movement
Henry Moore,
Large Interior
Form, 1981
Andy Goldsworthy,
Broken Pebbles, 1985
Curve: flowing and
continuous movement MA Rosa M. Brito
31. Texture
It is an element of art that refers to
the quality of the surface of the work of
art.
The texture can be real or visual.
MA Rosa M. Brito
35. Compare textures
Jean-Auguste-
Dominique Ingres,
Princess de Broglie,
1853
MA Rosa M. Brito
36. Shape and Form
William H. Johnson, Going to Church, 1940-41
Two-dimensional or three-dimensional?
MA Rosa M. Brito
37. Shape and Form
Luis Meléndez, Stll Life with Oranges, Jars, and Boxes of Sweets, 1760-65
Two-dimensional or three-dimensional?
MA Rosa M. Brito
38. Components of the Form
Henry Moore,
Family Group,
1945-49
Mass: size and bulk of the three-dimensional form
MA Rosa M. Brito
39. Components of the Form
Henry Moore,
Two Large
Forms,
1965-69
Paul taylor Dance Company
Volume: space inside the three-dimensional form
MA Rosa M. Brito
40. Perspective
Depth in a painting is an optical illusion
created by the use of space in the work as
a whole. The types of perspective are:
• Vanishing point
• Planes
• Contrast
Real three-dimensional space: height,
width, and depth is found in sculpture,
ceramic and architecture.
MA Rosa M. Brito
45. The principles of art
The artists design their works of art
using and controlling the elements of art
and applying the principles of art.
To learn and identify the principles of
art in a creative work, help us to recognize
and enjoy the composition, artistry of the
piece and the talent of the artist.
MA Rosa M. Brito
46. Balance
Combined elements
to give stability and
equilibrium to a work
of art. There are
three types of
balance:
symmetrical,
asymmetrical and
radial
Symmetrical
balance Raphael, Madonna del Baldacchino, 1508
MA Rosa M. Brito
48. Radial
balance
Notre-Dame
Cathedral,
Paris, 1163
MA Rosa M. Brito
49. Emphasis or contrast
Combines
elements to
point out the
differences or
contrasts
Vicent Van Gogh
Le Cyprés
1889
MA Rosa M. Brito
50. Harmony
“Combines similar elements in a work of
art to stress their similarities” (Mittler,
42)
Tunic Moche_Wari Community, VII – IX Century
MA Rosa M. Brito
51. Variety
It is diversity,
change and
complexity.
Kandinsky, Composition X
1939 (160 Kb); Oil on canvas
MA Rosa M. Brito
53. Rhythm
It is created
through the
careful repetition
of elements to
create a visual
tempo or beat
Marcel Duchamp,
Nude Descending a Staircase #2,
1912
MA Rosa M. Brito
54. Proportion
It is the
relationship
between the
elements of
the artwork,
usually
connected
with
emphasis
Feminine figure
Iranian region,
Caspian Sea
Bronce Age MA Rosa M. Brito
55. Activity
Work in pairs.
Observe the following images,
analyze them, applying the
elements and principles of art
that correspond to each one of
them
MA Rosa M. Brito
67. Activity
Choose a partner for the activity.
Analyze each one of the artworks
with the corresponding formats given
to you by your professor.
Henry Moore, Family Group, 1945-49, bronze,
Tate , London
Templo del Expiatorio, Arq. Adamo
Boari, 1897-1972, Guadalajara, Jal. Théodore Géricault, The Raft of the Medusa,
México 1818-19, Oil on canvas, Musée du Louvre, Paris
68. Referencias y Bibliografía
Arnason, H. H., & Prather, M. (1998). History of modern art: painting,
sculpture, architecture, photography (4th ed.). New York: Harry N.
Abrams, Inc.
Figueroba, A., & Madrid, M. T. (1996). Historia del arte . Madrid: McGraw-
Hill.
Manzaneque Casero, J. A. (n.d.). Historia del Arte. almez.pntic.mec.es.
Retrieved December 7, 2012, from
almez.pntic.mec.es/~jmac0005/Bach_Arte/Teoria/Html/teoria_funcion.ht
m
Mittler, G. A. (2000). Art in focus: aesthetics, criticism, history, studio
(4th ed.). New York : GLENCOE/MCGRAW-HILL.
APA formatting by BibMe.org.
MA Rosa M. Brito
