The Origin and Meaning
of Humanities
Noel P. Tuazon, MFA
Holy Name University
• The term “humanities” originated from the
Renaissance Latin 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.
J.V. Estolas
• Art is taken from the Italian word
“artis”, which means craftsmanship,
skill, mastery of form, inventiveness,
and the associations that exists
between form and ideas, between
material and technique.
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.
C. Sanchez
• Art is that which brings life in
harmony with the world.
Plato
• 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.
Panizo and Rustia
• Art is not what you see but what you
make others see.
Georgia O’Keeffe
• Art is a life that helps us to realize
the truth.
Pablo Picasso
• Art is the desire of a man to express
himself, to record the action of his
personality in the world he lives in.
Amy Lowell
• Art is never finished, only
abandoned.
Leonardo da Vinci
• Art is not a handicraft, it is the
transmission of feeling, the artist has
experienced.
Leo Nikolaevich Tolstoy
• Art is the realization in external form
of a true idea and traced back to that
natural love of imitation which
characterizes human.
Aristotle
• Art is the conscious creation of
something beautiful or meaningful
using skill and imagination.
Lisa Morder
• Art is the discovery and development
of elementary principles of nature
into beautiful forms suitable for
human use.
Frank Lloyd Wright
• Art is not what you see but what you
make others see.
Edgar 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 improve your creativity skills.
• Arts give you joy and satisfaction.
• Arts relieve stress.
• Arts give you the opportunity to showcase your talent.
• Arts give you confidence in performance.
• Arts help you do well academically.
• Arts help you learn visually.
• Arts help you express your emotions.
• Art is different language because it can express things without
words.
The Importance of Art to Students
• Through participation in arts- music, dance,
drama, media arts, and the visual arts-
Students can develop their creativity
Students learn about their identity
Students develop self- awareness
Students develop self-confidence
Students develop sense of well- being
• Through intense involvement in artistic
activities-
• Students experience a sense of wonder and joy
when learning through the arts
• Students can be motivated to participate more
fully in cultural life
• Students are able to gain educational opportunities
which they can use later in their career life.
Thank you!
