Appreciation

Art
Lesson 1
Understanding the Arts
Defining Art

• Art has no single definition

• Different scholars, artists, and philosophers have had their
own perspective of what art is
• Britannica Encyclopedia, art is something that is created
with imagination and skill and that is beautiful or that
expresses important ideas or feelings.
 What’s in the word?
Originally, the term “art” is related to the Latin word “ars” meaning, art, skill, or craft.
The first known use of the word comes from 13th-century manuscripts. However, the word
art and its many variants (artem, eart, etc.) have probably existed since the founding of Rome
art is both the process
(Marder, 2019). Therefore, it is safe to say that

of producing something skillfully and the

product of artists’ imagination and creativity.
 Artists’ Definition of Art
Here are some definition of art according to famous artists throughout history, let’s take a look at them

Rene Magritte Frank Lloyd Wright Thomas Merton Pablo Picasso

Art is a discovery and

development of
Art evokes the mystery Art enables us to find The purpose of art is
elementary principles of
without which the world ourselves and lose washing the dust of daily
nature into beautiful forms
would not exist ourselves at the same time life off our souls
suitable for
human use
 Here are some definition of art according to famous artists throughout history, let’s take a look at them

Lucius Annaeus
Edgar Degas Jean Sibelius Leo Tolstoy
Seneca

Art is a human activity

consisting in this, that one
man consciously, by means
of certain external signs,
Art is not what you see,
All art is but imitation of Art is the signature of hands-on to others
but what you make others
nature civilizations feelings he has lived
see
through, and that others
are infected by these
feelings and also
experience them

Artists’ Definition of Art

 Art Appreciation
• The word appreciate is defined by Merriam Webster
Dictionary as - grasping the nature, worth, quality, or
significance of something. Therefore, when a person appreciates
a work of art, it means that he or she understands the nature
and meaning of the work of art, thereby giving it value.

• Deborah Gustlin & Zoe Gustlin states that art

appreciation centers on the ability to view art
throughout history, focusing on the cultures and the people, and
how art developed in specific periods. It is difficult to
understand art without understanding the culture, its use of
materials, and a sense of beauty.
Creativity and Imagination
in the creation of art

Creativity is tied to the real world, it is the ability to

create something real using the imagination. It is the product
of the imagination brough to the real world with purpose and
intent

Imagination is the capability to create images,

connections, ideas, and theories in one’s mind. It is needed for
creativity. It plays with what is known because it is not
necessarily anchored on logic or reality.
Lesson 2
Philosophical
Perspectives and
Assumptions of Art
 Philosophy of the Arts
Philosophy in art delves into the profound interplay between human creativity and the realm
of thought. It's an exploration of the fundamental questions that arise when we contemplate
the nature, purpose, and significance of artistic endeavors across various mediums, from
visual arts to literature, music, and beyond.

At its core, the philosophy of the arts seeks to unravel the essence of creative expression. It
asks questions like: What defines art? How do we perceive beauty? What role does emotion
play in artistic interpretation?

Through these inquiries, philosophers attempt to discern the underlying principles that guide
both the creation and the consumption of art.
The Philosophical Perspectives in Art
Delving in to the different viewpoints of Philosophers on what Art is
Art as
mimesis/ imitation –
Plato’s the Republic
• Plato didn’t look too fondly on art. Regarding all art forms
as instances of ‘mimesis’ or imitation, he criticized them
for failing to depict the eternal ideal realities that he
referred to as ‘forms’ or ‘ideas’.
• Plato thought that when artists like poets, actors, and
painters create their work, they’re only copying things they
see in the world.
• Plato believed that true art is the expression of important
concepts like wisdom and beauty using perfect patterns,
almost like in math. He wasn't so keen on art that only
focused on basic and selfish things.
Art as
a Representation-
Aristotle’s Poetics
• Like Plato, Aristotle defines art as mimesis, an imitation
• But for him, art was not mere copying. As a realization in
the external form of a true idea, art idealizes nature and
completes its faults seeking to grasp the universal type in
the individual phenomenon.
• Aristotle believed that if an artist wants to make art, they
should gather all the info they can about the topic and
present them in a specific form (applying the scientific
process in studying the art form to master it)
• 'The aim of art is to represent not the outward appearance of
things, but their inward significance’, - Aristotle
Art as a Disinterested
Judgment - Immanuel
Kant’s Critique of Judgment
• Kant has a definition of art, and of fine art. He defines "fine
art" or the "art of genius." as a kind of art that doesn't
have a clear purpose, but it still helps us think and
communicate with others
• Kant's idea has three parts: how art shows things, how it's
put together, and how it expresses feelings. He focuses not
just on the art itself, but also on the people who create it—
the artistic geniuses.
• Art for Kant falls under the broader topic of aesthetic
judgment judging what's beautiful, what's amazing, and
how nature works.
• His understanding of art is a part of his bigger study to find
and understand the connections between science, ethics,
and faith
Art as
a Communication of
Emotion - Leo Tolstoy
• He believes that art is a means of communicating emotion,
with the aim of promoting mutual understanding
• By gaining awareness of each other’s feelings we can
successfully practice empathy and ultimately unite to
further mankind’s collective well-being
• Tolstoy firmly denies that pleasure is art’s sole purpose.
Instead, he supports a moral-based art able to appeal to
everyone and not just the privileged few
 Assumptions
Art is universal of Art
The reason Greece is wrong to claim
the Parthenon sculptures as an
exclusive national property is the
same reason that this is a noble
agreement: because art is for
everyone. It does not have any
borders.
Art is cultural Assumptions
In every culture in the world,
artistic expression has
of Art
emerged to provide an outlet for
thoughts, feelings, traditions, and
beliefs. It's generally less important to
Art is not nature
define what art actually is and more If you think of nature as a baseline for
useful that anthropologists look at truth, art is an interpretation
the impact and meaning of a of that, an additive substance. Art is a
particular form of expression. modeling tool for diving deeper into
the patterns, rhythms and meanings
tossed up by nature— interpreting,
reframing and understanding them.
Assumptions
Art involves
of Art
experience
All life is experience; everything you
have been through up to now colors
what you look at, how you see it, what
details you focus as opposed to
someone else and how they look at
the same things. No two people are
the same so your experiences
shape all your art and anyone
else’s is shaped by theirs.
 Art is an expression made visible by a form.

Art as The expression contained in the form is an

attempt to translate the unnamed and the
unknown. Intrinsic to our existence as humans
expression is our quest to create meaning, and art allows
that process to take place. Making meaning
involves understanding our surroundings and
marking our experiences. Art, at its root, is an
expression and the artist is an expresser,
translating in order to create meaning. Art
Assumptions expresses and translates; art
acknowledges and reveals, art
of Art transfers and art intervenes.
Art as a form of Assumptions
of Art
creation
The act of creation is what gives artists a
special power. They are allowed to
make statements about things which they
have come to recognize and they
accomplish this by giving the world
something new to ponder. There is an
unending amount of beauty in this world
and it is the responsibility of the artist to
effectively capture and display this beauty
to the world.
A Major Problem in
the Art Industry
 Gender Gap in the Art Industry
Men have been dominating the field of arts. Even up to this
day, women are not given the same opportunity compared to men.

In 2014, Georgia O’Keefe sold a painting for almost $45 million, setting a record for an
artwork by a female artist. But that’s nothing compared to Leonardo da Vinci’s “Salvator
Mundi,” which sold in 2017 for $450 million - the highest price ever achieved for
artwork sold at auction. Work by Mary Cassatt, a popular painter in the 19th Century,
also fetches a lot less than her fellow impressionist Claude Monet at auctions.