Ways of Presenting the

Subject
Ways of Presenting the Subject
• Naturalism. In Greek
(Hellenistic) art, gods and
heroes, looked and
behaved like human
beings. Greek deities were
almost always depicted in
idealized human form. The
imagery did not focus on
the specific attributes of an
individual but on the more
universal characteristics of
the human form as is
accepted by the culture of
the day.
Apollo and the Muses
Ways of Presenting the Subject
• Realism. This depicts the
artist’s attempt of
portraying the subject as it
is. Realists try to be
objective as possible in
their subject presentation.

The Third Class Carriage.

Honoré Daumier (1808- 1879)
Ways of Presenting the Subject
• Abstraction. “to
move say or to
separate form”. It
involves the process
of simplifying or
reorganizing
characteristics and
elements of the work
to adhere to the
artist’s level of artistic
expression.
Composition VII (1913)
Photo: WassilyKandinsky.net
Forms of Abstraction
• Distortion. When figures have been
arranged that its proportions differ
significantly from reality. The subject is
misshapen or twisted out. This is done to
create a dramatic/emotional effect.
• Elongation. The subject is stretched
vertically and/or some parts lengthened
to give the impression of thinness.
• Mangling. Artists show subject as cut,
lacerated, mutilated or hacked with
repeated blows.
• Cubism. Use of figures: cone, cylinder,
sphere, triangle, square, cube and circle
in place of real pictorial elements.
Ways of Presenting the Subject
• Symbolism. Symbols in
art draws the viewer’s
attention to what other
messages the artist may
be trying to convey aside
from what is obviously
observed.

The Wounded Angel by Hugo Simberg

Ways of Presenting the Subject
• Fauvism. Literally means wild
beasts. Painted pictures of
comfort, joy and pleasure.
Use of bright colors that did
not reflect reality.
Ways of Presenting the Subject
• Dadaism. “hobby
horse”. Doesn't
follow the traditions
and principle of art.
Dadaist try to
provoke the public
with outrageous
pieces of writing,
poetry recitals and
art exhibits.
LHOOQ (1919)
Artist: Marcel Duchamp
Duchamp transformed a cheap
postcard of the Mona Lisa (1517)
painting, which had only recently
been returned to the Louvre after it
was stolen in 1911. On the postcard,
Duchamp drew a mustache and a
goatee onto Mona Lisa's face and
labeled it L.H.O.O.Q. If the letters are
pronounced as they would be by a
native French speaker, it would sound
as if one were saying "Elle a chaud au
cul," which loosely translates as "She
has a hot ass."
Collotype - Museum Boijmans Van
Beuningen, Rotterdam
Ways of Presenting the Subject
• Futurism. Artists
of this movement
wanted their works
to capture the
speed and force of
the modern
industrial society.

The City Rises (1910)

Artist: Umberto Boccioni

Ways of Presenting the Subject
• Surrealism. Began
in Paris in 1924 by
the French poet
Andre Breton. It
emphasized the
activities of the
subconscious mind.
Most have themes
that are violent and
cruel.
Double Portrait (1944) is a painting by Filipino-American artist
Alfonso A. Ossorio.
Ways of Presenting the Subject
• Expressionism.
Expressionists
believe that man
needs spiritual
rebirth for him o
correct defects that
ruin the society.
Subjects presented
involve chaos,
sadness, tragedy
and defeat.
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pencil-gouache-watercolour-paper-Black-Stocking-1913.jpg