The Origin and Meaning

of Humanities

Noel P. Tuazon, MFA

Holy Name University
• The term “humanities” originated from
the RenaissanceLatin expression studia
humanities or study of humanities which
refers to “culture, refinement, education”.
During the Renaissance period of the early
5th century, the studia humanitatis became a
secular study in the universities at the time.
The humanities course primarily consisted of
grammar, rhetoric, poetry, history, and moral
philosophy.
• Humanities are academic disciplines that
deal on the various aspects of society and
the noble in man. Thus, humanities make
man more humane, cultured, dignified,
and refined human being. In short,
humanities bring out the best and
worthiness of man as a person.
 Meaning and Importance of Art
Art is a subject under humanities.
There is no one universal definition of art
since art is subjective. It is subjective in the
sense that people differ in their perception
of an object or thing. Some people may
consider an object as something beautiful
and meaningful while others may consider
it as ugly or meaningless. In other words,
different authors and writers define art in
various ways as they perceive it.
 Some definitions of art
given by various authors
and writers:
• Art is derived from the Latin word
“ars”, meaning ability or skill.

vJ.V. Estolas
• Art is taken from the Italian
“artis”, which word means
craftsmanship,
skill, mastery of form,
inventiveness, and the
associations that exists
between form and ideas,
between material. and technique.
v A. Tan
• Art is a product of man’s need to express
himself.

-F. Zulueta
• Art is concerned itself with
the communication of certain ideas
and feelings by means of
sensuous medium, color,
sound, bronze, marble, words and
film.
.
v C. Sanchez
• Art is that which brings life in
harmony with the world.

v Plato
lt
• Art is an attitude of spirit, a state
of mind- one which demands for its
own satisfaction and fulfilling, a
shaping matter to new and more
significant form.

• John Dewey
• An art is the skilled arrangement
or composition of some common
but significant qualities of nature
such as colors, sounds, lines,
movements words, stones, wood,
etc., to express human
feelings, emotions, or
thoughts in a perfect,
meaningful, and enjoyable way.
i ti
v Panizo and Rustia
• Art is not what you see but what you
make others see.

vGeorgia
ri O’Keeffe
’ff
• Art is a life that helps us to
realize the truth.

vPablo
l Picasso
i
• Art is the desire of a man to express
himself, to record the action of his
personality in the world he lives in.

vAmy Lowelll
l
• Art is never finished, only
abandoned.

vLeonardo
r da Vinci
i i
• Art is not a handicraft, it is
the transmission of feeling, the artist
has experienced.

vLeo Nikolaevich
i li Tolstoy
lt
• Art is the realization in external
form of a true idea and traced back
to that natural loveof
imitation which
characterizes human.
ri t tl
vAristotle
• Art is the conscious creation of
something beautiful or meaningful
using skill and imagination.

vLisa
i Morder
r r
• Art is the discovery and development
of elementary principles of nature
into beautiful forms suitable for
human use.

vFrank
r Lloyd
l Wright
ri t
• Art is not what you see but what
you make others see.

vEdgarr Degas
 Glimpse of the above definitions
bring four common essentials of art.
• Art is man-made, not God-made
• Art is creative, not imitative
• Art benefits and satisfies man- when he
uses art in practical life through artistic
principles, taste, and skill
• Art is expressed through a certain medium
or material by which the artist
communicates himself to his fellows.
• Art has a particular importance in our
lives. All the arts that we see and hear
have purpose as well as expressions; they
occupy some place in our judgment and
makes a huge impact in our lives.
Reasons why art is important:
• Art highlights and heightens the
importance of certain events in order to
keep them memorable and pleasurable.
• Art enables us to get a glimpse of the
thoughts, feelings and beliefs of the
people in their time and the faces in their
environment that influence.
• Art enables us to value and appreciate
beautiful things as a consequence of our
encounter with arts.
• Art may influence us to change our ways
and behavior as a result of the aesthetic
experience we derived from the arts.
• Arts are valuable sources of inspirations
and aesthetic delightful experience
through the artist works of art.
 Swara Swami’s reasons why art is important:

• Arts
rt irrimprove
r ti itillyour
. creativity skills.
• Arts
rtijtigive
f tiyou. joy and satisfaction.
• Arts
rt rrelieve
litr. stress.
• Arts
rtitrtgive it tryou the opportunity to showcase your
talent.
t l t.
• Arts giver. you confidence in performance.
rtifiirf
• Arts
rtlllihelp
ll . you do well academically.
• Arts
rtll help
rill . you learn visually.
• Arts help you express your emotions.
rtlrrti.
• Art is rdifferent
rt iiff t litr language because it can express
things
t iittr .without words.
 The Importance of Art to Students

• Through
rrti i ti participation in
i arts-
rt - music,
i , dance,,
drama, t visual
r,irt , media arts, and the il arts-
rt -
vStudents
tt can develop
l their
t ir creativity
r ti it
vStudents
tt learn
l r aboutt their
t ir identity
itit
vStudents
tt develop
l self-
lf- awareness
r
vStudents
tt develop
l self-confidence
lf-fi
vStudents
tt develop
l sense off well- ll being
i
-
• Through intense involvement in artistic
activities-

• Students
ttrifrj experience a sense of wonder and joy
when learning
l r it rtrtthrough the arts
• Students
ttti ttrti ican tr be motivated to participate more
fully
f ll iltinrcultural
l lif life
• Students
ttrl titilrtare iti able to gain educational opportunities
which
itl tthey
r i t canirr use
r lif later
. in their career life.
Thank you!