The Study of Humanities

and the Arts CPAR WEEK 1

Expected Learning Outcomes:
 Articulate the concepts and
definitions of the Humanities

Identify and differentiate the

various views on art, the context
and subtext of art, and coordinates
of art criticism.
 Recognize the values of art and
analyze & critique artworks.
Activity 1: Define

Humanities
Arts
Humanities
 Latin word “humanus” which means
human, cultured, refined

 the study of humans in the individual,

cultural, societal and experiential
sense

 help us understand ourselves,

others, and the world
SUBJECTS UNDER
HUMANITIES COURSES:
1. Painting 6. Music
2. Sculpture 7. Theatre
3. Architecture 8. Dance
4. Photography 9. Film
5. Literature
 Past

Present Why study Humanities?

It allows people of different cultures to communicate and
understand their sometimes common pasts but present
differences. It shows how different disciplines affect and
complement one another. It is ongoing and continual,
constantly evolving and shaping.
TEXT
 medium (what it is made of)
 form (outward shape)
 content (the subject it describes)
medium
literature & philosophy words
prose info, narration, description
poetry express intense emotion

philosophy & history analyze & communicate ideas & info

wood, clay, colored pigments,

visual arts & architecture marble, granite, metal, neon, film,
computers
dance body
music sound
form
In Literature, form determines genre
long narrative poem about hero epic
formal, dignified speech in praise of person or thing eulogy

In Art, form depends on how an artist manipulate the

formal elements of composition
represents objects or events in the real
representational
world, usually looking easily recognizable
does not depict anything from the real
nonrepresentational
world
Representational Art Nonrepresentational Art

Vase With Fifteen Sunflowers Girl before a Mirror

by Vincent Van Gogh by Pablo Picasso
content
in almost all modes of expression form and content
are often interrelated (gestalt)

visual arts & formal elements of music are without

symbolic content

literature, painting, & sculpture may imitate or

describe nature

music is almost always nonrepresentational

CONTEXT
 In what time and place did the artifact originate?

 How did it function within the society in which it

was created?

 Was the purpose of the piece decorative, didactic

(designed to teach a lesson), magical,
propagandistic?

 Did it serve religious or political needs (or both) of

the community?
SUBTEXT
 its secondary or implied meanings

 embraces the emotional or intellectual messages

embedded in, or implied by, a work of art
What is Art?
Greeks:
an imitation of reality
imitative or representational
it copies something in the real world
What is
Contemporary Art?
• It is the art of today, produced by artists
who are living in the 21st century.

• It provides an opportunity to reflect on

Contemporary Society and the issues
relevant to ourselves, and the world
around us.
Plato (an idealist)
• Art is an imitation of an imitation.

Aristotle (a realist)
• Art is still an imitation, but imitation
not of an ideal world but the real
world.
Tolstoy
• Art is the contagion of feeling.
• artist → express through art
• artwork → evoke feelings in viewers

Croce
• Art is the expression of emotion.

Collingwood
• Art is an expression of an original
feeling, intention, or vision of the
artist.
The Values of Art
Artworks can be distinguished based on the ff. qualities:

1. Aesthetic Value
• the value which causes an object to be a “work of art”
• a quality that appeals to our sense of beauty

2. Intellectual Value
• stimulates thought

3. Suggestiveness
• associated with emotional power of art
• evokes emotions, moves audience

4. Spiritual Value
• elevates spirit
• capacity to inspire
The Values of Art
Artworks can be distinguished based on the ff. qualities:

5. Permanence
• a great work of art endures
• opens new insights and meaning

6. Universality
• timeless and timely, always relevant
• deals with elemental feelings, fundamental truths, & universal
conditions

7. Style
• how an artist sees his subject, forms ideas, & expresses them
• dinstictive style/way of an artist

8. Form
• the organization, arrangement or framework, manner of style of
constructing, arranging, and coordinating its parts for an effective result
 “Planting Rice” by Fernando Amorsolo

Assignment:
On a piece of paper, analyze if
the painting checks out all the
values of art.
 Aesthetic Value
 Intellectual Value
 Suggestiveness
 Spiritual Value
 Permanence
 Universality
 Style
 Form What can you say about
this painting?
The 4 Coordinates
of Art Criticism
1. The Subject Matter
2. The Artist
3. The Audience
4. Its Own Form
Questions to consider when
critiquing an artwork:
1. What is it about?
2. What does it represent?
3. What is it trying to say?
4. Who created it?
5. What does his work reveal about him? (the artist)
6. What is its relevance?
7. Of what value is it to me?
8. How do i react to it?
9. What is its nature and structure?
10. What expressive elements were used to convey
the meaning?
4 Principal Approaches to
Art Criticism and Appreciation

1. Mimetic (based on the subject matter)

2. Expressive (based on the artist)
3. Pragmatic (based on the audience)
4. Aesthetic or formal (based on the form)
1. Mimetic (based on the subject matter)
• the beauty of the subject and its significance are
the basis for aesthetic judgement
• Modern Critics:

aesthetic quality
 what is depicted (subject)

 how it is depicted (form)

2. Expressive (based on the artist)
• a work of art is also judged from the perspective of
the Artist
 previous works
 life history
 philosophy/beliefs
 background
 era in which he lived
 life experiences
• Modern Critics: art must be judged based on its intrinsic
qualities. In judging the aesthetic value, the relationship
with the creator need not be considered.
3. Pragmatic (based on the audience)
• emphasis on the value and importancce of art to
its audience rather than aesthetic value

• Modern Critics: consider all values of art;

aesthetic value is secondary or non-essential
4. Aesthetic or formal (based on the
form)
• Formal Approach: form is the basis of aesthetic
judgement and others considerations are
unnecessary.
Guide in Analysis:
a) physical properties: size, shape, and medium
b) subject matter
c) posture, gestures, expression
d) tone/shading
e) functions of color: natural, harmonize, symbolic, decorative, affective
f) materials
g) economy of the statement
How to Critique Artworks:
1. Describe what you see
A. Artist’s name
B. The title of work
C. Type of Artwork
D. Subject
E. Objects in the painting
F. First impression
G. Colors used
H. Shapes, lines, and texture
I. Light Saturation
J. Sensory qualities; mood and visual effect
How to Critique Artworks:
2. Analyze the Artwork
 in-depth examination of how the artist utilized the technical
elements such as:
• color
• shapes, forms, & lines
• texture
• light & shadow
• how each technical element contributes to mood, meaning,
& aesthetic value
How to Critique Artworks:
3. Interpret the Artwork
• What do you think the artist is trying to say?
• What does the artwork mean to you?
• The artist’s intended purpose
• Symbols in the artwork

4. Evaluate the Artwork

• The artwork’s value
• Relevance to the art community
• Strong points and low points

5. Use art vocabulary in your art critique.

Activity:
From what you have learned, try to create
a contemporary art that reflects the
concept of Humanity and Art.

Rubrics
Creativity 40%
Relevance to the Concept 30%
Presence of all Values of Art 20%
Teamwork 10%
TOTAL 100%
You must finish the artwork by
Wednesday.

Prepare a 1/4 sheet of paper for

our short quiz.
7 items for Identification
8 items for Enumeration
Thank you for
listening.