CHAPTER

AP II
ART
APPRECIATION

A
 This book does
Can art appreciation be taught? not pretend
fo to
appreciation to sBudents, according Dudley
feach
Comes from experience and experience cdn "aßpreciation
only be livo
presented here are the bases art appreciaion, their qualities c
basic principles why such works of art are enjoyed. Braque I107 the
optly
Commented that
The only valid thing in art is the one thing that cannot be
expiained.. To explain away the mystery of a great painting would dlo
ireparable harm, for whenever you explain or define something you
substitute the explanation or the definition of the real thing.

THREE LANGUAGES OF THE ARTS Dudley cites the languages of the

arts as:

1. Primary language: Built into us as a part of our human legacy. This is the
anguage of arts to which we can all respond, given the chance and
sonme reassurance of its validity. It is built into the very center of humanity,
and when It lies uncultivated, and becomes foreign to us, we become less
than human.
2. Secondary language: it is made up of the conventions, the traditions
and styles, which have accumulated over the ages. The greater the
number of works of arts we come to krnow and appreciate intimately, the
orger our vocabulary becomes of these conventions.

3. Third language: is the language in which this and on the

other books
ar's are written or documented. It deals with the ability to talk about fhe

orts meaningfully and expressively.

FACTORS INFLUENCING THE WORK OF THE
ARTIST
Style: There are certain common denominators of subject maiel,
1reatment, and emphasis, which
appear repeatedly in art works ot gve
epoch. These represent the style ofa
the collective
period, which maybe the produciO
feeling of society or enlightened perceptions
of the
ledders
of an age.

2.Historical factors: most of the artistic creations of

any of the past periods
had certain traits in common. The artist's
search for new perceptions is

22
dlirectly or linked to his society and environment. If he ignores or
indirecily
loses the connection., his work becomes irelevant, and worst, urninteligible
too his fellowmen

influenced
3. Geographical factors: Artists are basically conditioned and
by their places of origin and ethnicity.
Psychological/ and Sociological factors: Socio-economic and
4. Political,
contribute to the development
political systems and behavioural patterns
or change in style in art.

as Christianity. The
5. Religious factors: Religious movements sUch
Humanism brought
Reformation, the Counter Reformation. and
tremendous changes in social and political structures
that in the process

had also influenced directly changes in the direction of art styles.

art forms. The use of

6. Technological factors: Technology produces
new
times
piastic, plaster, rubber, and other synthetic materials in modem
so-called "plastic arts", "industrial arts" and the "state of thne
brought the
art" appliances and machines.
THE BASIC RELATIONSKIPS IN ART

Every work of art has four basic relationships. They are 1) the subject
matter: 2) the artist; 3) the audience/ and 4) its ovwn form. in interpreting an art
work one may ask questions about such relationships with the subject matter:
what is it about? What does it depict or represent? What is it trying to say? In

relation io the artist: who created it? What does his work reveal about what sort
of person is he? Relating to the audience-What is the relevance of the art work?
Of what value is it to me? And in relation to its own form: What is the nature and
structure of the art work? What are the expressive elements used to convey fhe

mecning of the work? What are the principles which were integrated in
conveying the meaning of the art?
24
 The four relationships are bases for the four principal approaches to art
criticism and appreciation, namely:

1. mimetic (based on the subject matter)

2. expressive (based on the artist)
3. pragmatic (based on the audience
4. formal or aesthetic (based on the form)
1. SUBJECT MATTER

With respect to subject matter, art is an imitation, depiction or

representation of some aspect of nature of life. That which is imitated/ depicted
or represented of art is its subject matter. Anything in the universe may serve as
the subject of art: aspect of nature such as the sea, the sky. fields, forest
mountains, animals, etc., (often depicted in paintings), human concern in the
realm of experience, action and deed (as recounted in fiction, narrative poetry
and the drama), and emotions and moods (lyric poetry) and-ideas (the
essay
spotial foms (sculpture and architecture).ikonal forms (music) and plastic forms
in motion in space and time (dance).

Subject is a term used for whatever is represented in a work of art

(Dudiey, p. 19). It refers to any idenlifiable object. individual, thing, place or
event ilustrated in a work of art, (Montemayor, p. 5). A subject answers the
question what. is it or what is it about. However, it should be noted that not all
arts have subject. Those arts with subject are called objective or
representational art, while those that do not have are called non-objective or
nonrepresentational art.

According to subject matter art may be classified into two types:

1) Representational or Objective Art portrays or depicts something other

than its own form. Examples: Venus de Milo, Da Vinci's Mona Lisa, Prokofiev's
Peter and the Wolf, the ballet Swan Lake. Literature is principally
representational.
2) Non-representational or
Non-objective Art
represents nothing except
its own form. Example: the Pyramids of Egypt, Mondrian's non-figurative
25
 paintings, the symphony of Mozari. Among the major arts,
architecture is the
most nearly always non-objective. in
non-objective art, subject matter and form
are one: the form is the subject.
SOURCES OF SUBJECT OF ART

Nature (Landscoapes, seascapes, Cityscapes)

The natural environment has
always been
the -source and popular
subjects used by the
artist. The painter's observation of and
communion with nature is
always a convenient
and ever -available
subject throughout the
ages. Van Goth's painting "Stamy Night" is a.
good example.
2. ANIMALS

Most of primitive
paintings and sculpture are
about animals. Either the
graceful movements or
the brute strength of certain
animals continued to
attract and inspire
painters and sculptors.
3. History

Traditionally, historical figures such as rulers,

statesmen,
leaders and heroes were
always good subjects for
writers, painters and sculptors.
literature chronicle the lives of
Biographies as a form of
historical personages.
Throughout the ages, sculptors carved the bust or
figures of great men (example are those of Alexander
the Great and Julius
Caesar) and manY painters drew
the portraits of
outstanding leaders in a show of their
admiration and respect (Ex:
that of Queen
portraits of Napoleon and
Elizabeth)
4. Mythology, Legend, and Folklore

and mythological
Religious
also favoritee
characters are

Subjects of many
artists. The
The
SGcred, Sublime, and supernatural
character of religion and ancient

mythology helps create in the

artist a sense of awe, intrigue and

inspiration which is manifested in

his work. (Creation of Adam,
Homers Iliad and the Odyssey)

Christian religion had

tremendous influences on artistsbelonging to the medieval period. Medieval

Madonna and Child, stories
masterpieces of art were on subjects such as Christ,
reflected the power of the Church on
from the New and Old Testaments. This
European society during the early Middle Ages.
also good subjects for artists.
Legendary figures and folk heroes are
such as those of
Literary epic writers heralded the exploits of legendary figures
in our case we have the epics of Biag
King Arthur, Beowulf, Roland, and El Cid.
of folk heroes, whether part-
ni Lam-ang, Bernardo Carpio, etc. The exploits
Wiliam Walace (Brave-heart). Sinbad
history or pure fiction such as Robin Hood,
the Sailo, and in our case, Darna are celebrated by
artists in either print or in

cinema.

4. Everyday Life or Genre

Some artists make as subjects people

doing simple and ordinary activities. They
have created some of them in panting.

Examples are "planting rice", and "laundry

Woman" by Fernando Amorsolo.

27
 APPROACHES TrO ART CRITICISM

A. MIMETIC APPROACH (subject matter)

The approach to art criticism through the

Subject matter is called mimetic (derived from the
Greek word mimesis, meaning imitation.) The mimetic
approoch stresses the importance of subject matter or
content in art. According to this approach, the merit
of the work of art lies in its subject; the beauty of the
subjeci and its significance are the basis for aesthetic
judgment. This approach has been discredited by
modern critics who assert that the aesthetic quality of
a work of art depends not so much on what is
depicted (the subject) as on how it is depicted (the
form). To the modern critics, therefore, a poem in
praise of the splendor of God is not necessarily a lover's complaint about the
horrible smell coming from his iady's armpit, and a painting depicting a lovely
woman by the sea does not necessarily have greater aesthetic merit than
another painting depicting a drunken old man sprawled beside the huge pile of
garbage. What we should appreciate is not the subject but the manner of
presentation of the subject.

WAYS OF PRESENTING THE SUBJECT IN ART

The artist empioys certain methods according to his choice and attention.
Although, various developments happened in modern art, the movements or
the "isms" to which the following ways of
representation are part ot a large
group, the following are stil considered the most common and the most generdi
on the styles of art

1. Realism:

The work of art is realistic when the

presentation and organization of the work is
detailed and natural. The artist selects,
changes, and amanges details of the idea he
wants to make clear/ though he chooses the
subject matter. The function of the artist is to
illustrate as accurately and honestly as
possible what he observed through his senses.

2. Abstraction:

The term abstract means "to move away" or "to separate." Abstraction
thus, is highly selective. The abstractionist does not represent a cognizable
object as they exist in reality. The elements of arts are simplified to convey his
emotions for a particular subject or 'theme. He may use geometric figures; alter
colors,-and normal perspectives depending upon his intensity and his mood.
Abstract does not need toillustrate the subjects as an objective or recognizable
; reaiity.

3. Distortion:

In exaggerating, twisting and elongating the forms to emphasize an

intense feeling, artists do this. Distortion helghtens dramatic impact of a shape
in a figure. Example, Philippine Sculptor Eduardo Castrillo used elongation form
in his "PIETA" at the Loyola Memorial Park. Exaggeration as a manner of
representing an idea is also Used by various artists to convey function.

B. THE ARTIST, WRITER OR CREATOR (Expressive Approach)

From the point of view of the artist (poet, essayist. fiction writer, dramatist,
composer, painter, sculptor or architect). art is a means of expression, a medium
for communicating an idea, an emotion or some other human experience, an

33
 impression on life, a vision of beauty. And because the arfist puts something of
himself into his art, it becomes an extension ot hinself, an objectification of some
aspect of his personality. Our experience of a work Of art, therefore, brings us in
contact with the personality of the crlist. The individuality of the creator is
reveale to us through his opus. However, the degree to which the artist has
revealed himself varies from one form of art to another or from one particular
work of art to another.

The expressive approach

to art criticism stresses the
relationship of the artwork
to its creator. In this
approach, the artist
himself becomnes the
major, element
generating both the
artistic product and the
norms by which the works
is to be judged.
Interpreting art in the light
of the knowledge that we
have about the artist has
some degree of validity: it
is an admitted foct that something about the artist, his life-history, his philosophy
and beliefs, his character, certain circumstances in his life which may influenced
the creation of the art work in question; such as: his background, the era during
which he lived, and other pertinent information places us in a better position to
interpret and evaluate his work.
C. AUDIENCE OR READERS
(Pragmatic Approach)
From the view point of the audience
readers, in the case of literature, viewers, in
the case of the visual arts, and listeners, in the
Case of music), art is experience; what is a
painting unless one can see it, and what is a
sonata unless one can hear it? Art always has
an, audience is none other than the artist
himself
One aspect of art, which is of importance too
the audience, is its
value, function or
significance. Aside from its essential value
(aesthetic art may have secondary values:
religious, philosophical, moral, historical
political, social Scientific, commercial
sentimental, practical, etC.)
The pragmatic approach to art criticism emphasizes the value and
importance to the aesthetic values and judge art according to how useful is it to
the audience. For instance, they are partial to artworks that have a moral
value-that aim to teach, to instruct, to ennoble, or to mold the moral character
of the audience (this view may be traced back to the Romans: Horace, and
Cicero), or else they have preference for those objects of art that are useful or
have practical value. Marist-Leninist-Maoist critics are classified as pragmatic
because they assert that the role of art in the socialist order is to contribute to
the
the fulfilment of the objectives of the state, to serve as a vehicle for
propaganda in the people's struggle against imperialism, and other foms of
capitalist exploitation. Again, modern critics reject the pragmatic approach

35
 of art, aside from the aesthetic value, as
consider all the values
because they
non-essential.
therefore incidental,
merely secondary,
field of art criticism that the merits of arts are
It is the prevailing view in the
merits are there regardless of whatever they
found in its own form in that these
as sUch by the audience or not: only
an
a r e grasped and appreciated

enlightened audience c a n appreciate great art. Pragmatists attack this view on

confines art to the enjoyment of the favoured
the ground that it is "elitist" that it
of people who are not "enlightened". The
few and shuts out the great masses
maintains that a work of art attains
Russian novelist Leo Tolstoy, a pragmatist,
more greatness the more it gives
moral upliftment and pleasure to the greatest
assert that the aesthetic judgment
number of people. Modern critics, however,
reliable, the masses being for the most part
of the masses is far from
a work of art does not depend on,
uneducated, ignorant; that the greatness of
of
and cannot be measured by, its popularity with the people. A gaudy painting
Mayon Volcano from a shop of Mabini Street is
not a class as that of Picasso

simply because it is understood and appreciated by

a greater number of
Frank Sinatra is superior to
people, or that Karoake bar anthem "My Way" by
Mozart's Symphony No. 40 for the same reason.

D. FORM (Formalist or Aesthetic Approach)

"There are no mora! or immnoral books!

they are either well-writtenbadly written."

or

Oscar Wilde. playwright (Preface to his book,

Picture of Durian Gray)
manner of
With respect to form (the
imitation, how the subject matter
is handled
a whole
and presented), art is composition, and
of various parts of elements; the selection, organization
Consisting
elements according to certain formal principles and
integration of these
constitute that which we call the form of art.
employing certain techniques
elements as image
Hence, in poetry, organization of such expresive
sound values of words, meter
figure of speech, tone, movements, symbols,
form. In music, the
myme. etc., Using language as medium. creates poetic
harmony, temp0,
integrafion of such expressive elements as rhythm, melody
dynamics and timbre, using tones the basic
as medium and following principies
of organization-repetition, variation and contrast-results in the creation o
musical form. A film in achieving its objective to tell a story (the subject matter
employs and
a nd combines many elements: screenplay, acting, direction,
cinematography. pacing. editing/ set design, backgrounc music. costuming.
make-up. casting, etc. How the story is presented of these elements constitutes
cinematic form.

Modern critics, advocating the formal and aesthetic approach to art

criticism, stress the importance of form in a work of art. They uphold the motto
"Art for art's sake" This view seeks to liberate art from the chains of morality,
religion. polifical propaganda, social reform, etc., and sets up arts as something
worthy of appreciation for its own sake. The formal approach considers the form
as the basis of aesthetic judgment and that other considerations are secondary.
This approach requires that the audience be knowledgeable, which is the
reason why pragmatists charge that it encourages snobbery and elitism.