Module 12 Art History

Welcome to the thirteen module on the Art Appreciation

Art may be considered one of the earliest activities of man.
Man could draw long before he could write. We have no record
of how man spoke 20,000 years ago, but we do know how he
used drawing to communicate certain ideas.
At the end of this module you are expected to:
• Examine the History of Art from the Prehistoric Period to
the Contemporary Society.
• Enumerate the Styles of Art

Baroque Art
The baroque style of architecture prevailed in Europe during
the 17th and 18th centuries and was characterized by elaborate
and grotesque forms and ornamentations. In painting, this is
characterized by movement, energy and restleness.
The compositions of baroque painting employs diagonal and
zigzag lines that best express the vitality and movement
quality of the baroque art

Gothic Art
This style of architecture originated in the middle of the
century. It is characterized by pointed arch and ribbed vault.
The Gothic Cathedral with its high pointed spiral striving
upwards to the sky illustrates the symbol and expression of
faith. All the important features of the structure served to
emphasize its verticality.
Modern Art
Modern art is characterized by contemporary styles of visual
art, music and literature. It rejects traditionally accepted or
sanctioned forms and emphasizes individual experimentation
and sensibility. This modern art is the result of various social
factors at the turn of the century that saw the marked
advancement of science and technology.
Styles of Art
Expressionism
Is a manner of painting and sculpturing in which natural forms
and colors are distorted and exaggerated this style of art,
which developed in the 20th century is characterized chiefly by
heavy, often black lines that define form, sharply contrasting
often vivid colors and subjective treatment of thematic
materials.
Surrealism
Is a style of art and literature developed principally in the 20th
century, stressing the subconscious or non-rational
significance of imagery at automatism or the exploitation of
change effects, unexpected juxtapositions and symbolic
objects.
Realism
Is another style of art whose interest and concern centered on
the actual or real problems. It delves on the treatment of forms,
colors, space, as they appear in actuality or ordinary visual
experience. Realism is associated with social consciousness
and transformation occurring during the period. American
society was then suffering from economic depression and
moral decadence.
Realistic paintings
In which form and content try to make a moving human
message are works of artists who are highly sensitive people,
feeling and living with their society and finding art a vehicle for
communicating significant human experience that will
transform human values essential to a truly humane society.

Impressionism
Is a style of painting developed in the last third of the 19th
century, characterized by short brisk strokes of bright colors
used to recreate the impression of light on objects. In literature
this is a practice that emphasizes immediate aspects of objects
or actions without exhaustive examination
Cubism
Is a style of painting and sculpture developed in the early 20th
century characterized chiefly by an emphasis on the formal
structure of a work of art and the reduction of natural forms of
their geometrical equivalent.
Abstract
Is conceived apart from any concrete realities, or specific
objects. It pertains to the formal aspect of art emphasizing
lines, colors, and generalized geometric forms. This kind of art
is a logical extension of cubism with its fragmentation of the
object.
Renaissance Art
Renaissance was the period of economic progress where cities
were built. The term Renaissance came from the French
language meaning rebirth. In this period, another word was
created for man. There was a classical learning in the study of
the ancient greek and roman texts. The period stirred
enthusiasm for the philosophy and artistic values of the
ancients. The ideals of classicism balance, harmony, proportion
and intellectual order became the artistic standard of the time.
Painting and Sculpture
An important characteristic of the period was the spirit of
scientific inquiry and investigation. This new and vital
approach to the materials world led to empiricism, which lay
on the evidence of the senses. The artists strove for a more
naturalistic portrayal of man and developed new techniques
such as modeling shading for a three dimensional effect.
Architecture
Is the art and science of building when one speaks of
architecture it would always by associated with houses,
churches, commercial buildings or any other structures.
Architecture is the art and science of designing and building
structures or large groups of structures in keeping with
aesthetic and functional criteria.
The Styles of Architecture
Egyptian Architecture 3,200 B.C to First Century A.D
The gigantic scale which distinguishes Egyptian Architecture
was made possible not only by the materials, but also by the
methods of quarrying, transporting and raising enormous
blocks of stones into position. Quarrying was done with copper
tools and by the use of timber wedges which, when swollen by
water, split the blocks away from the natural rock. The
outstanding feature of the religion of the Egyptians was their
strong belief in a future state hence the erection of such
everlasting monuments as pyramids for the preservation of the
dead.
Greek Architecture 350- 30 B.C
• Hellenic Period 650-323 B.C
Although temples were then the chief building type, the
earliest resembled the Aegean megaron in plan and in
having timber laced, sun- dried brick walls, stucco covered,
on stone dadocs, timber embraced portals (the origin of the
door architrave), narrowing a little towards the top, timber
antae or upright protecting the free ends of the naos wall
where they embraced the pronaos or porch and a low
pitched roof showing pediments or gables over the narrow
ends.

• Hellenistic Period (323-30 B.C)

This period provided much of the decorative inspiration of
some Roman building types. Greek Hellenic architecture
had mostly benn of a religious character, but from the
fourth century B.C onwards, public buildings multiplied in
type and number and passed into permanent form.

Roman Architecture 300 B.C- A.D 365

The Romans adopted the columnar and trabeated style of the
Greeks, and also developed the arch and the vault from the
beginnings made by the Etruscans. This combined use of
column, beam and arch is the keynote of the Roman style in its
earliest stages.
The Romans added as fourth and fifth orders of Architecture
the Tuscan and the composite order the first three orders
being Ionic, Doric and Corinthian
Romanesque Architecture
The Romanesque style of the tenth to the twelfth centuries was
remarkable for the tentative use of a new constructive
principle, the deliberate articulation of structure, in which each
construction part played a designed role in establishing
equilibrium. The general character of the Romanesque style is
sober and dignified, while formal massing depends on the
grouping of towers and the projection of transepts and choir.
The character depends on the employment of vaulting, based
initially on Roman methods.
Byzantine Architecture 5th Century to the Present
Day
The character of Byzantine Architecture, which dates from the
fifth century to the present day, determined by the novel
development of the dome to cover polygonal and square plans
for churches tombs and baptisteries
The practice of using a domical system of roof construction is
in strong contrast to the early Christian timber tussles. It may
be broadly stated that the Basilican type of plan belongs to
early Christian architecture and the domed centralized type of
plan to the Byzantine.

Early Christian Architecture 313-800

The early Christians, as Roman craftsmen, continued old
roman traditions, but prosperity was declining and it was
natural that the materials from Roman temples had become
useless for their original purposes. Further in their churches,
modeled on Roman basilicas they used old columns which, by
various devices were brought to a uniform height.
On this account, although extremely interesting from an
archaeological point of view, early Christian buildings hardly
have the architectural value of a style produced by the solution
of constructive buildings. Basilican churches had either closely
spaced column carrying the entablature. The Basilican church
with three or five aisles covered by a simple timber roof, is
typical of the early Christian style
Islamic Architecture 7th Century to the Present Day
Islamic Architecture is a product of a major historic event the
rapid conquest of diverse territories by a people with no
architectural tradition and the conquest synthesis of styles
under one philosophy- but in many different circumstances.
Islamic Architecture is fundamentally centered upon god. At its
heart is the mosque and inward looking building where the
prime purpose is contemplation and prayer
Renaissance Architecture 15th to 19th Century
Architecture during the Renaissance was brought to the
construction of aristocratic residences, or palazzos, as well as
churches. Usually three stories high, they were symmetrical,
with flat rusticated façade and regular ornamentation. This
generally consisted of arches above the windows and between
them at regular intervals, flat columns called pilasters with
capitals from the classical orders. The long straight line of the
roof strengthened the massive, horizontal emphasis of the
structure.
The Early Period 1494-1589
The special character of this transitional period lies in the
combination of gothic and renaissance features to form a
picturesque ensemble such as the flying buttresses or
pinnacles. The principal buildings in this period were castles in
the countries around Paris and on the Louvre. The influence of
traditional Gothic craftsmanship was more pronounced in
France.
The Classical Period 1589-1715
This period is notable for the dignity, sobriety, and masculine
quality of its foremost buildings, resulting from the
subordination of plan, composition and detail and the unity of
the whole, and the charity and simplicity with which the
elements were used.
There is a descent from the classical grandeur of the previous
ewra, particularly marked in domestic planning and in interior
decoration

Modern /International Architecture

The asymmetrical plan, evident only at first in domestic
architecture, the house growing organically out of its internal
requirements, seems to have originated with architects later to
be associated with the arts and crafts movement in England
1887 and whose ideas were also absorbed by the young Frank
Lloyd.
Theatre
The drama is an art form in which the performers act a story to
the audience. It is a combination of different arts.
 In ancient Greece, the drama began as the worship of the god of
wine, Dionysus. From this, classical Greek drama developed
written by poets and musicians like Aeschylus and Sophocles.
A kind of play was performed in China more than 3,000 years
ago. When the seasons changed young men and women from
different villages met at places where rivers joined and sang
danced and acted in praise of the gods.

References and Supplementary Materials

Books and Journals
• Fernandez, Steven Patrick (2010) Making Theatre; The Craft of the
Stage. Iligan City: MSU – Iligan City: MSU Iligan Institute of Technology,
Mindanao State University

.Online Supplementary Reading Materials

• http://www.saylor.org/courses/arth101b
• http://www.sbctc.edu
• https://courses.lumenlearning.com/sac-
artappreciation/part/context-and-perspectives/