Art Appreciation

Study Guide 3 – Function and Philosophical Perspective on Art

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LEARNING
OBJECTIVES
At the end of this module, you should be able to:

a. clarify misconceptions of art;

b. characterize the assumptions of art; and
c. engage better with personal experience of and
in art.

TOPIC
OUTLINE

a. Function of Art
b. Philosophical Perspective on Art

OVERVIEW
Specific art is assigned for a specific function and
was made and design to fulfill its function. Art forms
can be described within a specific context to classify
them fully, all art that is made now or early in history
has a meaning and purpose, and this purpose
justifies their function in a community or society.
Source: “man-looking-at-pictures-on-wall” by Good Free Photos is
licensed under CC0 Public Domain.

ACTIVATING
PRIOR KNOWLEDGE

Instruction: Use at least 50-100 words for your

answers with this question. Use short coupon bond
for your answer.

-Explain the image on the next page using your own

imagination and think of what may be its function to
an individual or society.

Study Guide 3 – Art Appreciation | Page 1 of 5


FUNCTION
OF ART
Some art can be described based on their
appearance on where it was conceived and why. You
also need to find or identify the artist who made the
art since he is the key to unlocking the mysteries on
the art's possible meaning. You might say, "What is
he/she thinking while making this art? When you
look at an artwork, you are the other half of the great
piece, as you will be the one that will give meaning to
a seemingly blank piece.
Besides culture, location, etc. It is a big factor in
assigning function to art as it becomes a big part of
the artists as he creates a masterpiece. Thinking out
of its context might mislead you to a different
meaning from the original meaning that the artist
wants to imply.
Some categories normally fall on art: social,
physical, and personal. These three, most of the
time, overlap in many forms of art. Here's how you
can apply and think about this function.
Physical - Of all the functions of art, physical
function is so far the easiest to understand. It dwells
on a physical object and functions very specifically.
If you see a Katana, a blacksmith was made and
looked perfectly made with no almost no defects. It
is made specifically to cut heads and body parts as
it was mainly functioning as a decapitating tool.
Social - You can see the social functions of art when
it addresses aspects of collective life and not of a
single person's life experience or point of view.
Social art is often used to influenced individuals to
shift ideas and beliefs.
For example, the art of Juan Luna "Spoliarium"
depicts the harsh ending of the gladiators in the
arena of Rome, does the social meaning about the
harsh environment of our modern society, and
shares a collective disposition of many individuals
because of its meaning.
Public art in Germany in year 1930s had an
overwhelming symbolic theme. Did the art exert
meaning to people? Patriotic and political posters
are being posted too on an allied country. It is called
a political art that delivers a message to the mass
about a specific ideology using artwork, sometimes
painting, but photography.
Additionally, Spanish painter Francisco Goya (1746–
1828) and English portrait artist William Hogarth
(1697–1764) perform social functions with their art
satire that changes society's way of thinking using
their art. Sometimes community, when owes a
specific masterpiece, can elevate the way people
think. For example, American kinetic artist Alexander
Calder (1898–1976) conceived an artwork, namely
the Stabile; this became a community treasure and
point of pride.
Study Guide 3 – Art Appreciation | Page 2 of 5
Personal - The most complicated functions of art are PERSPECTIVE ON ARTS
personal since they are tough to explain. A personal
function is highly subjective since it flows on the
different experiences and perspectives of different
individuals.

An artist may create artwork out of self-expression

or because of aesthetics only. However, this artwork
might mean bigger to those who see it because of
their own experience and might have a thicker
connection to those artists but might fail to connect
to other people. Everything of it is a part of the
context as art is highly subjective. There is no
specific way to justify the meaning of a specific
artwork.

Personal behavior is unclear for some reason. From

the artist to the spectator and from viewer to viewer,
knowing the artist's background and conduct helps
people to interpret the piece of art.

It is also well acknowledged as a platform that

religious groups are using. Art was also utilized to
perform magic attempts, change seasons, acquire
food, and sometimes create destruction. There is no
end to how art can be utilized.

“Plato
Silanion
PHILOSOPHICAL Musei

Capitolini MC1377” by Marie-Lan Nguyen is licenced

under CC BY 2.5

Art as an Imitation. Art as a mere imitation and

artists as imitators, Plato depicts in his book the
Republic. He describes what art can do to his
proposal of a republic if included in the educational
curriculum. He does not accept the idea of art since
it depicts an illusion and a fake reality.

Study Guide 3 – Art Appreciation | Page 3 of 5

For example, the chair that you used to sit is in the The first statement clearly suggests that whoever is
world of forms, but the chair on the painting is just speaking makes a clear judgment (subjective). The
an imitation of the real thing. Plato sees the artist as second, on the other hand, is aesthetic (objective).
a creator of something that is not true, something
To judge aesthetically, you need to be disinterested
that is deceiving and attractive to the eyes. Plato
in the artwork and go beyond your limitations of
thinks that men mightnot find true things life rather
judging. Since you will use not your own experience
stays on a place delusion that the artists created.
but instead make a clear judgment based on an
Imitation of an imitation that is art according to established idea.
Pluto; for example, poetry gives many people an
Art as a Communication of Emotion - Leo Tolstoy
excitement, but it is a mere illusion of reality as it
says that art plays a massive role in the audience's
gives false hope to people about a happy life. You
emotions. It finds its way to communicate with the
can see many paintings that depict reality but are
artist's past experiences. Same with language, art
they real? Plato believes that art is dangerous to
also communicates but not with organized words
society as it alludes to the faithless minds of people.
but through emotion. Art can also unite society
with its unique ability to let people's innermost
Plato is not the only one with this kind of idea. feelings show as a purveyor. Art centralized on
Aristotle shares the ideology the same with Plato. people from the beginning of time; art never leaves
However, Aristotle sees art as a helping hand in
and will stay as long as humans exist art will.
explaining the truth in philosophy. Aristotle believes
that art is, in fact, an imitation, but it does not
contradict the idea of the real world. Art represents
many versions of reality; that's what Aristotle
thoughts about art. This reality might give interesting LEARNING
versions to different people's perspectives. Aristotle ACTIVITY
has two meanings of art: (1) it gives pleasure(a hard
situation can be minimized through art (2) It
represents and teach facts about life. Instruction: Use at least 50-100 words for your
Immanuel Kant, on the other hand, sees art as answers in each question. Use short coupon bond
universal things despite it being highly subjective. for your answer
Beauty is undeniably subjective, but we cannot argue
that being beautiful came from a universal idea of
beauty. There are certain criteria for a thing or a 1. Give at least 1 art form that change your life.
person to be called beautiful. Why? Explain using your own experience.

Art as a Representation. On what sense can beauty 2. Does art always have a function? Why? Support
be judge, that ordinarily claims to be subjective in your response. Provide your own example.
the first place? How can we see or explain it using
universality and objectivity? 3. If an artwork ceased to have a function, will it
remain an art? Why?
What is the difference between these two
statements?

1.This painting looks good

SUMMARY
2.The beauties of this painting are undeniable

Study Guide 3 – Art Appreciation | Page 4 of 5

We can learn from this lesson that that art can be São Paulo newspaper cited in
subdivided into three main functions: tinyurl.com/y4yxgzo9

 the first physical, this function can easily be Retrieved from: “Kant gemaelde 3.jpg” by Johann
seen as it appears in objects and has a fix Gottlieb Becker (1720-1782) cited in
function; tinyurl.com/y2xern6x
 second social, this function is a collection of
Retrieved from: “man-looking-at-pictures-on-wall”
peoples life experience and can be utilized cited in tinyurl.com/y4rs7v43
to alter the ideology of many people;
 the third persona, this is the hardest one to
spot as it dwells to the life experience of the
author and the audience;
_________________________________________
This lesson taught us about the different
philosophical perspective on art,
Prepared by:
 as an imitation like what Plato is suggesting;
 art as a representation that showcase the ROBEL Z. JAVELOSA LPT
Faculty, College of Arts and Sciences
objectivity and subjectivity of artwork;
 and lastly the art's way of communicating to
people through emotion.

REFERENCES

Congwod, R. (1938). The Principles of Art.

Worcestershire: Read Books Ltd.

Dudley.L., Fadcy. A.. and McGraw-Hill Book Compny.

(1960). The Humanities. New York McGraw-
HIII.

Mill. J.S. (1879). Utilitadanism. 7th Ed. London:

Longmans, Green, and Co.

Soc, D. (2000). “Socrates and Alcibiades. in the

‘Symposium.’” Hennathena 168, 25-37.

Retrived from: “Plato Silanion Musei Capitolini

MC1377.jpg” by Copy of Silanion is licensed
under CC BY 2.5 cited in tinyurl.com/y2qsm9ls

Retrieved from “Unique Forms of Continuity in

Space, original plaster.jpg” Museu de Arte
Contemporânea in São Paulo by Estado de

Study Guide 3 – Art Appreciation | Page 5 of 5