REA D IN G V IS U A L A R T S

M ESTE R, SY 20 1 9-20 20
SECOND SE
•Shows how the content and features have been
organized to give you more detailed information
on these key areas of understanding and skills,
including information on related artists and
questions to develop your understanding of the
VISUAL ARTS.
CONTENT AREAS: THE FRAMES

• SUBJECTIVE FRAME
• STRUCTURAL FRAME
• CULTURAL FRAME
• POSTMODERN FRAME
THE FRAMES

The different ways of seeing and Subjective Cultural

understanding Art

Structural Postmodern
SUBJECTIVE FRAME
• DEFINITION: PERSONAL RESPONSE OR EXPERIENCE BY
ARTIST — FEELINGS, FEARS, DREAMS; EMOTIVE ARTWORKS;
INTUITIVE, IMAGINATIVE; INNER CONSCIOUSNESS,
IMMEDIATE SENSORY EXPERIENCES
• KEY WORDS: FEELINGS, MOOD, IMAGINATION, DREAMS
• CONSIDER: DIFFERENT EMOTIONS (E.G. LONELINESS,
ANXIETY, SORROW, JOY, AGONY, LOVE, PAIN, LOSS,
OBSESSION, EXCITEMENT, FEAR)
STRUCTURAL FRAME

• DEFINITION: THE LANGUAGE OF SIGNS, SYMBOLS, CODES

AND CONVENTIONS USED BY THE ARTIST TO COMMUNICATE
• KEY WORDS: COMPOSITION, SYMBOLS, CODES,
TECHNIQUE
• CONSIDER: LINE, COLOR, TONE, TEXTURE, TEXT
CULTURAL FRAME
• DEFINITION: THE ARTIST’S RESPONSE TO OR COMMENTS
ON HIS OR HER CULTURAL CONTEXT AND SOCIETY’S VALUES
• KEY WORDS: SOCIETY, RACE, GENDER, BELIEFS
• ALTERNATIVE KEY WORDS: CONTEXT, ATTITUDES,
BELIEFS, SOCIETY ALTERNATIVE
• CONSIDER: WAR, VIOLENCE, CONSUMERISM, POLITICS,
CLASS
POSTMODERN FRAME
• DEFINITION: ARTWORKS THAT CHALLENGE CONVENTIONS,
TRADITIONS AND FORMS OF ART, OFTEN AIMING TO SHOCK
• KEY WORDS: MASS MEDIA, APPROPRIATION, PASTICHE, CHALLENGES
TRADITIONS
• ALTERNATIVE KEY WORDS: QUESTIONS, PARODY, SATIRE,
APPROPRIATION, PASTICHE
• ALTERNATIVE ACRONYM: QUEEN PRUDENCE SITS AT PLUNKTON
• CONSIDER: USE OF TECHNOLOGY; ARTWORKS OFTEN REQUIRE
AUDIENCE INTERACTION; SATIRE, PARODY, IRONY
THE THINGS WE DO IN ORDER Art Criticism
Artmaking and
TO STUDY ART Art History
ARTMAKING PRACTICE
• DEFINITION: THE INTENTION AND WORKING METHODS OF THE ARTIST; THE WAY ARTISTS
GO ABOUT CREATING THEIR ART (WHAT ARTISTS DO BEFORE, DURING AND AFTER MAKING
AN ARTWORK)
• CHOICES: MEDIA, SCALE, TECHNOLOGIES, SUBJECT
• ACTIONS: REFLECTIONS, STUDIO SPACE
• TIME AND PLACE: STYLE
• FRAME: (STRUCTURAL, CULTURAL ETC.)
• INTENDED REACTION FROM AUDIENCE: EXHIBITION REQUIREMENTS
• KEY WORDS: WHY (AND WHAT THEY COMMUNICATE) AND HOW (WHICH CAN BE
INFLUENCED BY IDEAS, THEORIES, VALUES, BELIEFS, SOCIETY)
• CONSIDER: THE DECISIONS ARTISTS MAKE
CRITICAL PRACTICE

• DEFINITION OF AN ART CRITIC: A SPECIALIST WHO

INTERPRETS AND EVALUATES ARTWORKS FOR
READERS, AND WHOSE JUDGEMENTS CAN INFLUENCE
AN ARTIST’S CAREER
• KEY WORDS: PERSUADES, INFORMS, ENTERTAINS,
EVALUATES
HISTORICAL PRACTICE
• DEFINITION OF AN ART HISTORIAN: A SPECIALIST WHO
RESEARCHES ARTISTS’ LIVES, THE PERIOD THEY WORKED
IN, INFLUENCES ON THEIR STYLES AND HOW THEIR ART
WAS PRODUCED, PROVIDING CONTEXT FOR AN
APPRECIATION OF THEIR ARTWORKS
• KEY WORDS: INFORMS, EXPLANATION, HISTORICAL FACTS,
CONTEXT (TIME/PLACE)
CONCEPTUAL FRAMEWORK
CONCEPTUAL FRAMEWORK

•THE AGENCIES OF THE ARTWORLD ARE THE ARTISTS,

ARTWORKS, AUDIENCE AND WIDER WORLD.
•IT IS NO LONGER ENOUGH TO SEE THE ARTWORK AS
ALWAYS A SEPARATE, DISCRETE OBJECT. WE NEED TO
CONSIDER THE RELATIONSHIPS OR INTERACTIONS
AMONG ARTIST, WORLD, AND AUDIENCE.
The agencies that make
up the world of art
THE ARTIST
THE ARTIST MAY IN FACT BE THE ARTWORK OR
BE LINKED TO IT CLOSELY ON AN EMOTIONAL
LEVEL. ALTERNATIVELY, THE ARTIST MAY DEVELOP
THE CONCEPT RATHER THAN THE ARTWORK
ITSELF, WHICH IS CREATED WITH THE ASSISTANCE
OF TECHNICALLY SKILLED COLLABORATORS.
THE ARTIST’S INTENTION MUST ALSO BE
CONSIDERED: IS IT, FOR EXAMPLE, TO INFORM,
RECORD, SHOCK, CHALLENGE, CRITIQUE PAST
ART OR RAISE QUESTIONS IN THE AUDIENCE?
THE ARTWORK
THE CHANGING ROLE OF THE ARTWORK
MEANS ARTWORKS MAY BE PERMANENT
PHYSICAL OR TRANSIENT OBJECTS, IDEAS OR
VIRTUAL REALITY IMAGES. THE CONTEXT
(TIME, PLACE, ART HISTORICAL STYLE) AND
THE WAY AN ARTWORK IS DISPLAYED ARE
IMPORTANT, ASIDE FROM ITS PHYSICAL
PROPERTIES.
IS DOCUMENTATION IMPORTANT? WHAT IS
THE ARTWORK?
THE WORLD
• HOW THE ARTIST’S INTERESTS IN THE
WORLD ARE COMMUNICATED: THE
INFLUENCE OF HISTORICAL EVENTS,
PLACE AND SOCIETY
• CHANGING SOCIAL VALUES: THE
CULTURE — BOTH THE ARTWORLD
AND MASS CULTURE — NEEDS TO BE
CONSIDERED.
THE AUDIENCE

• HOW THE AUDIENCE ARE AFFECTED OR

INVOLVED, INCLUDING INTERACTIVE ART
• WHO IS THE AUDIENCE — THE WIDER
PUBLIC, EDUCATED ART VIEWERS, ART
CRITICS OR ART HISTORIANS?
• HOWISTHEARTWORKEXPERIENCED?
HOWISITPRESENTEDORCURATEDTOTHEA
UDIENCE?
I. SUBJECTIVE FRAME
 SUBJECTIVE FRAME
• The subjective frame draws on the emotions and inner life of the artist, including their
imaginings, dreams and fears.
• Artists express their personal, intuitive sensory experiences and feelings towards their
world and others’.

• Through the subjective frame artists examine humanity’s weightier issues, such as life,
death, love, loneliness, sorrow and anxiety, as well as the workings of the unconscious.

• Artworks created within the subjective frame often draw powerful emotive responses from
the audience. a mood may be created using such techniques as expressive brushstrokes,
tonal contrasts, imaginative fantasy imagery, or unusual images and color selection.

• Subjective artworks, ranging from precise realism to total abstraction, express the personal
and psychological experience of the artist.
LIST OF ARTISTS:
• HIERONYMUS BOSCH
• CARAVAGGIO AND RUBENS
• HENRY FUSELI
• EDVARD MUNCH
• LOUISE HEARMAN
• IRENE HANENBERGH
Hieronymus Bosch
(c. 1450–1516, Dutch)

The Garden of Earthly

Delights: Allegory of
Luxury c. 1500
Panels of triptych
Oil on panel
collection: Prado
Museum, Madrid, Spain
FORM FRAME CONCEPTUAL VOCABULARY
FRAMEWORK

Painting Subjective — We can look at this

artwork as pure
Allegories - stories or
poems in which events or
Bosch fantasy, an expression characters have symbolic
of Bosch’s wild meaning
creates an imaginings. We can Folklore - traditional
imaginative also examine its beliefs, stories,
symbolism and customs
fantasy explore its links with Sarcasm - scornful or
world. the society of his cutting comments
time. Triptych - a painting
consisting of three panels
that work together as a
group
Critical Study…
There is a strong element of fantasy and wicked fun, even sarcasm, in THE GARDEN OF
EARTHLY DELIGHTS. Absurd human figures, horrendous demons, strange birds, and monstrous
fish and animals populate this fantastic and terrifying world. By placing the heads of pigs, dogs,
birds or monkeys on other animals or humans, BOSCH symbolically represents the different vices
(wickedness) that are part of human nature.
It seems to be a devil-infested landscape. there is also a sense of a narrative (story) and unity
in this wondrous, strange nightmare world.

• BOSCH’s works began with accurate observations that were then transformed by his incredibly
vivid imagination. His technique involves great attention to detail. The color is rich but well
balanced around the work. He worked quickly on white painted panels, adding glazes of color
then overlapping fine details of bright color.
Historical Study…
There is very little documentation on BOSCH’s life, as he left no
letters or diaries. He was originally called JEROME VAN AKEN, that
his wife belonged to a prosperous family and that he had no children.
In 1486, he finished a triptych that his father had been unable to
complete. None of BOSCH’s works are dated or signed, but more
than 30 paintings and a small number of drawings are attributed to
him. Although there is little evidence to help us link BOSCH’s art to
his own life experiences, we can look at the way it relates to the
society and beliefs of the time (cultural frame).
 BOSCH lived at the historical turning point between the
middle ages and the renaissance. His art reflects an age
dominated by death and harsh religious teachings.
Religion played a big part in everyday life. About one in
every 19 people belonged to a religious order, and there
were many convents and monasteries. BOSCH’s paintings
were moral allegories, intended to point out human
weakness and wickedness (as in his painting THE SEVEN
DEADLY SINS). He drew his subject matter from a study of
magic, witchcraft and astronomy, and there are links in his
works to folklore.
 BOSCH’s work is rich in symbolism: black creatures represent the devil, a
dead fish represents sin, and red berries signify lust. Creatures with long noses
suggest evil, blades, knives and male sexuality. Large ears are to hear the
music of the devil. Fruit and animals are erotic symbols inspired by popular
songs, sayings and slang expressions of his time.

• For example, to ‘pluck fruit’ was slang for the sexual act, so in the right middle
ground of THE GARDEN OF EARTHLY DELIGHTS we see the significance of
the group of youths and maidens picking fruit. In the labors of the months (the
seasonal calendar), may was the time of love and was generally illustrated by
lovers embracing in a tub of water.

• Look again at THE GARDEN OF EARTHLY DELIGHTS and observe the lakes
and ponds.
• For his representation of sensual pleasure or lust, BOSCH
uses the traditional idea of the Garden (of Eden) and
combines various symbols from themes of his time. Yet his
art also shows originality and a fertile imagination.
• Among BOSCH’s main themes were fear, humiliation and
torture.
TASKS
1. Plus, Minus, Interesting (PMI)
By focusing on the ‘plus, minus and interesting’ points about a
topic or question, a PMI chart helps you to make decisions, for
example when choosing a subject or materials for artmaking. A PMI
can also be used as a way of evaluating and showing your
perspectives on an artwork.
• Write the name of the topic or artwork in a box.
• In three boxes, add your thoughts about the topic or artwork — what
is good, bad or interesting about it.
2. Critical Study
2.1. Find one phrase that evaluates Bosch’s work (shows an opinion or
judgement); for example, ‘his technique involves great attention to detail’.
2.2. Subjective Frame
Describe areas in this painting that suggest Bosch had a highly developed
imagination.
2.3. Structural Frame
List four symbols in the garden of earthly delights and their possible meanings.
2.4. Cultural Frame
How does this artwork reflect Bosch’s society?
2.5. Postmodern Frame
Do any of these symbols have the same meaning today? Where do we see
fantasy creatures in our society? How are present- day monsters different?
3. Historical Study

Historical writing generally explains the place, time,

meaning and purpose of an artwork. What information is
presented in the ‘historical study’ section that helps your
understanding of Bosch’s work?
Write your
interpretation of
this conceptual
framework of the
agencies of the
artworld