PART I
Individuals have a responsibility to both themselves
PROTAGORAS (481 – 411 BCE)
- Man is the measure of all things
- Ancient Greek philosopher
- This creature man never ceased to amaze
philosophers, scholars and scientist fo over
two millenia
The Vitruvian Man ( 1490 ) – Da Vinci
WHY STUDY HUMANITIES
ARTS
- painting, sculpture, architecture, literature,
music, dance and theatre.
- These are areas in which human subjectivity
is emphasized and individual
expressiveness is celebrated
ART – just ONE part of the world of the Humanities
HUMANITIES
- Latin word: HUMANUS, meaning human,
cultured and refined
- To be human is to show characteristics of
RATIONALITY, BENEVOLANCE and
CARE
- To be cultured and refined is to show good
tastes and manners indicative of good,
PROPER EDUCATION
HUMANITIES
- contains the record of man’s quest for answers
to the fundamental questions
- studies man and the manner in which he
conducts himself from the time of his existence
to the present
- composed of academic disciplines that makes
it distinctive
- studies how people process and document the
human experience using philosophy, literature,
religion, art and history
-studies how individuals’ manner of expression
varies as they record human experiences and
how the way of documenting these forms a
connection between and among the past,
present and future
FUNDAMENTAL PRINCIPLES OF THE HUMANITIES
HUMANISM - associated with beliefs about FREEDOM
- human beings are capable of making
significant personal choices within the
constraints imposed by the heredity, personal
history and environment
MAJOR PRINCIPLES OF HUMANISM
1. Human nature is inherently good
2. Individuals are free and are capable of making
choices
3. Human potential for growth and development is
virtually limited
4. Self-concept plays an important role in growth and
development
5. Individuals have an urge for self-actualization
6. Reality is defined by each person
7.
and to others
NATURE OF ARTS
ART
- Aryan root : ar means to join or put together
- Latin term: sars, artis means everything that is
artificially made or composed by man
ART – constitutes one of the oldest and most important
means of expression
- skillful arrangement or composition of some
common but significant qualities of nature
ART IS SUBJECTIVE – employs the use of perception,
insights, feelings and intuition
FUNCTIONS OF ART
FUNCTIONAL ART FORMS – architecture, weaving,
furniture-making,
NON-FUNCTIONAL - painting, sculpture, literature,
music, dance and theatre
> Moonlight Sonata by Beethoven – not provide the
person that much needed nourishment but listening
to it does something to human spirit
FUNCTIONS OF ART FORMS:
THE HUMAN NEED FOR EXPRESSION
- built in human psyche: this need to express,
to show, to exhibit what is hidden in man’s
inner world. -man’s thoughts, emotions,
imaginations, dreams and aspirations are
expressed in his art.
THE SOCIAL NEED FOR DISPLAY, CELEBRATION
AND COMMUNICATION
- Man needs to share and convey it to others.
In a way others may know, may empathize
and may realize that people are
interconnected.
THE PHYSICAL NEEDS FOR FUNCTIONAL OBJECTS
- Art is all man made.
- All of technology is art.
- It is a careful combination of form and
function.
- This is based on the premise that if an
object is to perform its function, its form
(design) should also allow it to do so.
ART: AS VIEWED BY PHILISOPHY
Philosophy – field of discipline; attempted to explain
almost all aspects of human existence
Aesthetics – philosophical study of beauty and taste
- concerned with the nature of art
Plato (428 – 347 BCE)
- philosophers of Ancient Greece
- Dialogues
- teacher: Socrates
- loved and hated arts at the same time
- good literary stylist and great story teller
- considered art as threatening
- originals are called FORMS
TWO IDEAS OF THE ARTS (PLATO)
1. Art is imitation – art is a copy of a copy which leads
people farther from away the truth
2. Art is dangerous – art has power to stir emotions
- should not go uncensored (The Republic)
 > Artist: having the skills, imagination and creativity
that would enable them to make an almost perfect copy
of forms.
Aristotle (384 – 322 BCE)
- famous philosopher of Ancient Greece
- student of Plato
- distinguished what is GOOD and what is
BEAUTIFUL
- GOOD: always presents itself in some actions
- BEAUTIFUL: may exist even in motionless
objects
- universal elements of beauty are manifested by
ORDER, SYMMETRY, AND DEFINITENESS
- Poetics: “Physical manifestation of beauty is
likewise affected by its size.”
- Poetry, dance and music, mitates some
aspects of human nature through rhythm,
harmony, melody and vocal sound.
- considered ART as IMMITATION or a
representation of nature
- emphasis was on POETRY
- Poetry: more philosophic and serious than
philosophy itself
POETS IMITATED THREE THINGS
1. Things and events which have been or still are;
2. Things which are said to be seen and are probable
3. Things which are essentially are
Paintings and sculptures – seen by Aristotle as a
representation/imitation of ideas, imagination and reality
Immanuel Kant ( 1724 – 1804 )
- German, Enlightenment Philosopher
- 1763: treatise on Aesthetics entitled
“Observation of the Feelings of the Beautiful
and the Sublime”
- main interest: ART itself, not in beauty
- beauty is a matter of taste
- TASTE can both be SUBJECTIVE and
UNIVERSAL
SUBJECTIVE TASTE - does not focus on the properties
of the object itself but rather on the pleasure on
experiences as he responds to it
UNIVERSAL TASTE- non-aesthetic and does not
consider the beauty of the work or the mastery of the
artist
- artwork Is appreciated for what it is
- Beauty is a question of form and COLOR is not
important
- COLOR: nothing to do with the properties
: only used for decorative function
TWO KINDS OF AESTHETIC RESPONSES:
1. Beauty results in pleasure if there is order, harmony
and symmetry
2. Beauty leads to a response of awe that overwhelms
the viewers of the art
ARTIST AND ARTISANS
ARTIST- person who exhibits exceptional skills in the
visual and/or the performing arts
- more sensitive, very perceptive and more
creative
- have the knack to interpret ideas
- medium: words, pigments, clay, stone, musical
notes, or combination
- what an artist creates: FORMAL EXPRESSION
2 IMPORTANT COMPONENTS OF THE ARTWORK
1. form
2. substance
Artwork – portrays the artist’s experience
Artisan - person who is in a skilled trade that involves
making things by hand
- craft worker who makes or creates objects of
great beauty by just using his hands
- creations may be functional or decorative
- crafts: furniture, sculpture, glass figurines,
metalwork, clothing, jewelry, food items and
handicrafts
- dominant producers of consumer products prior
to Industrial Revolution
- woodcarvers of Paete, Laguna
- ceramic makers of Tiwi, Albay
- basket weavers of Pangasinan
- Piña weavers of Kalibo, Aklan
THE ART FORMS
Artistic abilities may be an inborn talent or may
have resulted from inspiration and years of training from
an art master.
PAINTING
- application of pigments to a surface
- two-dimensional art form
- Luna’s Spoliarium
- Botticelli’s Inferno
SCULPTURE
- three-dimensional
- sculptor creates a solid form using molding,
carving, welding, casting and assembling
-pop medium: clay, wood, stone, metal, ice,
glass and plastic
- Tolentino’s Bonifacio Monument
- Michelangelo’s David
ARCHITECTURE
- most FUNCTIONAL of all art forms
- creating designs for buildings
- Cultural Center of the Philippines in Manila
- Burjkhalifa in Dubai
MUSIC
- art of sound expressed through a song,
through the use of instruments or a combination
of both
- Philippines Kundiman
- Beethoven’s Symphony No. 5
DANCE
- art of body movements that is attuned to a
musical piece
- ancient times: forms of worship
- Philippine folkdances like Tinikling, Singkil and
the ballet
LITERATURE
- art of using words to express thoughts, ideas
and feelings
- poetry, novel, short story, essay, epic, legends
- Homer Iliad
- Nick Joaquin’s Woman Who Had Two Navels
THEATRE
- the performance of drama
- may include music, dance and literature
 - Phantom of the Opera
- Noli me Tangere
In the contemporary society, art forms evolved to
include: photography, digital arts and installations.
CLASSIFICATION OF ART FORMS
a. Visual Art – painting, sculpture, architecture
b. Performing Arts – music, dance, theatre, literature
APPRECIATING THE ARTS
This study of the arts is aimed at engaging the
learners to have a relationship with the work that would
make them understand art not only for itself but from the
view of the artist, the period, the culture and the
society it was created.
Courses designed for appreciating arts aims for
learners to have good art awareness and they would be
able to:
- GIVE A GOOD PHYSICAL DESCRIPTION of
the artwork based on their knowledge of art
elements and materials.
- ANALYZE THE ARTWORK in terms of what
the artist wants his work to represent and their
subjective reaction which includes their thoughts
and feelings.
- PERCEIVE THE ARTWORK IN THE
CONTEXT OF ITS HISTORY. This would
enlighten the learners of the artist’s intention in
doing the work.
- GIVE MEANING TO THE ARTWORK BASED
ON ITS DESCRIPTION, ANALYSIS AND
CONTEXT
- JUDGE THE ARTWORK as to whether it is
good or bad based on the learner’s perception of
it and its aesthetic and cultural value.
Appreciating art is essential to man’s
understanding of himself and his psychic need to seek
an expression.
ART is here to stay. It is man’s legacy. It is the
proof that e together with others have sought to express
the workings of his mind and achieve immortality.
PART II
SUBJECT AND CONTENT
Subject of art – refers to what the work represents
- It could be a person, an object, a scene or an
event
Representational or objective arts – artworks that
have subjects
Non-representational or non-objective arts – artworks
that do not have subjects
- Do not present descriptions, stories or
references to identifiable objects or symbols
- They appeal directly to the senses primarily
because of the organization of their expressive
elements
Color – usually conveys mood
Bright and dark hues – affect how a piece of painting
may be interpreted
Light and delicate lines – suggest gaiety
Dark, heavy lines – communicate foreboding or heavy
feeling
SOURCES OF SUBJECT
Characteristics of the artists may be the factors
that would determine the kind or type of subject that they
will represent in his art.
Art is human expression and the artists choice
of subject are clues to their inner world.
Sources of the artists’ inspiration for their works
 Nature – most popular source of objective art
- Mountains, trees, animals, landscapes,
seascapes, cloudscapes
 People – human subjects, whether real or
imagined, are the most interesting
- Can offer clues to the artists’ thoughts,
moods and the genre the art work is
presenting
 History – depict real events which are verifiable
facts that occurred in the past
- The purpose of such works is either to
commemorate events or to teach history
to the viewers
 Legends – artworks based on this present to
viewers of the art something tangible even when
unverified
- Art brings life to these stories
 Religion – these artworks are based on the
sacred texts: the Holy Bible of Christianity,
Quran of Islam and the Torah of Judaism
 Mythology – based on the stories of the gods
and goddesses of Ancient Greece, Rome, Celts,
Norse, and the Egyptians
- These deities are depicted in human or
animal forms and present humanlike
behavior
 Dreams and Fantasy – the intrigue of the
unconscious also inspires artists to present it
through art for others to see, relate and interpret
 Technology – the modern era with its tall
buildings and amazing machines
- Cityscapes, airplanes, cars, ships,
motorcycles and robotic technology
Some ways in which artists may present their choice of
subject
 Naturalism – one would immediately recognize
that these images were imitated from the human
figure, although it is safe to assume that the
average citizen of ancient Athens or Corinth
possessed less of these idealized features
- Greek (Hellenistic) Art – gods and
heroes, looked and behaved like human
beings
- Egyptians’ (Coptic) Art – Greek deities
were almost always depicted in
idealized human form
These figures were made almost perfect to
imbue them with a greater degree of stature and
significance worthy of super beings
 Realism – this depicts the artist’s attempt of
portraying the subject as it is
 - Realist – try to be as objective as - This is an art movement that doesn’t
possible in their subject presentation allow the traditions and principles in art
- Is the most popular way of presenting art - It is a revolt against tradition and aims to
subjects show the wickedness of society
 Abstraction - Abstract means “to move away - Dadaist – tried to shock and provoke
or to separate from” the public with outrageous pieces of
- As subject presentation moves away writing, poetry recitals and art exhibits
from reality, from presenting the subject  Futurism – this art movement began in Italy
as it really is - Artists of this movement wanted their
- It involves the process of simplifying or works to capture the speed and force of
reorganizing characteristics and the modern industrial society
elements of the work to adhere to the - Their paintings and sculptures highlight
artist’s level of artistic expression the technologies of modern life
- The artist usually selects and renders  Surrealism – is an invented word for super
the subject with its shape, and colors realism
altered - The art movement began in Paris in
Forms of Abstraction: 1924 by the French poet Andre Breton
- Distortion – this form of abstraction - It emphasized the activities of the
results when the figures have been so subconscious mind
arranged that its proportions differ - Subjects in this kind of presentation
significantly from reality attempt to show man’s inner mind and
-this is manifested when the subject is how he may perceive his outside world
misshapen or twisted out  Expressionism – this art movement occurred
-this is done to dramatize the shape of a during the first decade of the 20th century in
figure or to create a dramatic/emotional Germany where this art style was introduced
effect - Expressionist – believe that man needs
- Elongation – the subject is stretched spiritual rebirth for him to correct defects
vertically and/or some parts lengthened that ruin the society
to give the impression of thinness - This style of art depicts the emotions
- Mangling – this may not be so common aroused by objects and events
in paintings but may be popular in other - Subject presented involved chaos,
art forms sadness, tragedy and defeat
-artists show subject as cut, lacerated,
mutilated, or hacked with repeated
blows
- Cubism – presented through the use of
figures: a cone, cylinder, sphere,
triangle, square, cube, and circle in
place of real pictorial elements
Cubists – wants to show forms in their basic
geometrical shape
 Symbolism
- Symbol – is defined as visible sign of
something invisible such as an idea or
quality
-draws the viewers’ attention to what
other message that artist may be trying
to convey aside from what is obviously
observed
-this adds a mysterious quality to the
artwork that invites viewers to uncover
 Fauvism – this subject presentation began in
France, and was the first organized movement in
painting of the 1900s
- Literally means wild beasts
- Henri Matisse – was the leader of the
movement
- Fauves – did not express ethical,
philosophical or psychological themes
but painted pictures of comfort, joy and
pleasure
- they used bright colors applied to a
surface
 Dadaism
- Dada – is French for hobby horse