ART110 Module 1 Notes

Topic: Aesthetics and Appreciation

Humanities – what it is to be human through an understanding of the _human ____________

_experience_____________.

Areas of study include: philosophy, history, religion, literature, performing arts, visual arts and languages.

 This area of study tends to be viewed more _subjectively______________ than the more __
objective_____________ sciences and math.

 Subjective – conclusions and opinions are determined more from __informed opinion_________
_____________ and experience than cold hard facts.
Example: _____A painting_____________________________________

 Objective – conclusions that are generally __fact based________________and verifiable often

using scientific methods.
Example: _2 + 1 = 3_________________________________________

The “arts” in general (theater, music, painting, sculpture, etc) all involve a process of
___creation__________.

 Visual Art – One form of “the arts” and the focus of Art Appreciation. Art we _use_____
_our____ _eyes______ to experience.

 Idea – the __conceptual___________________ material.

Example: religious work. Representation of Mary and the baby Jesus

 Medium – the ___Physical_______________ material.

Example: paint, marble, etc.

 Product – the _Finished_______________ work

Example: a sculpture, a painting, etc.

 Applied arts – in general, works that traditionally have a ___functional_____________ purpose

Example: architecture, ceramics, glassworks, furniture

 Fine arts – in general, works that traditionally _does ___ _not_____ have a functional purpose.
Example: the Mona Lisa painting

 Two-dimensional –flat _________ art.

Examples: paintings, prints, drawings, film, photography

 Three-dimensional – art that ___occupies space________________________.

Examples: architecture, sculpture, glass and metal work,
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ART 110 Module 1 Notes
Topic: Aesthetics and Appreciation

What is Art?

Do not be restricted by your initial response; delay a conclusion until it has a chance to be appreciated.

“All profoundly original art looks ugly at first” Clement Greenberg (1909-1994), American Art Critic

 Aesthetics – artistic expression that moves you in a powerful way. Subjective

 Appreciation – The importance or worth that something has to a person or group of people.
Objective

 Criticism/analysis – An analytical approach to looking at something. Allows us to move from

aesthetics (subjective) to appreciation (objective).

1) Formal analysis: considers ____Considers the object and its parts by

itself__________________________________

_______________________________________________________________

Includes: detail analysis: compares one part to

___another_____________________.

structural analysis: compares one part to the

____whole______________.

2) Contextual analysis: considers how the work compares to factors

____outside________

_the work______________________ . Including the artist’s other works, the style,

the

time period.
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ART110 Module 1 Notes

Work 1: Rogier van der Weyden. Deposition. c.1435-1440.

 Subject Matter: Realistic or Semi-Abstract? __Semi
Abstract___________________________________
 _______________________________________________________________________
 Color:_________________________________________________________________
 ______________________________________________________________________

Work 2: Pietro Perugino, Christ Handing the Keys of the Kingdom to St. Peter, 1481-83.
 Perspective: Atmospheric or Linear? _____Both______________________________________
 _______________________________________________________________________
 Line: ___________________________________________________________________
 _______________________________________________________________________

Work 3: Thomas Cole. View from Mount Holyoke, (the Oxbow), 1836
 Shapes: Organic or Geometric? ______Organic______________________________________________
 ______________________________________________________________________________
 Significance of the shapes: ________________________________________________________
 ______________________________________________________________________________

Work 4: Claude Monet, Impressions at Sunrise, 1872

 Artistic Style: Classical or Impressionism? ______Classical____________________________________

 ______________________________________________________________________________
 Significance of this work: _________________________________________________________
 ______________________________________________________________________________

Work 5: Vincent Van Gogh, Cafe Terrace at Night, 1888
 Subject Matter: Realistic or Semi-Abstract? _____Semi
Abstract____________________________________
 ______________________________________________________________________________
 Color:_________________________________________________________________________
 ______________________________________________________________________________

Work 6: Pablo Picasso, Les Demoiselles d'Avignon, 1907

 Shapes: Organic or Geometric? ____________Geometric___________________________________
  ________________________________________________________________________
 Significance of the shapes : ___________________________________________________
 ________________________________________________________________________

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ART110 Module 1 Notes

Work 7: Jackson Pollack, Lavender Mist: Number 1 , 1950

 Art History Period: 18th Century or Modern? ______ Modern___________________________________
 ______________________________________________________________________________
 Jackson Pollack’s nickname? _______________________________________________________
 ______________________________________________________________________________

Work 8: Mark Rothko, Orange and Yellow, 1956

 Colors: Warm or Cool? ____Warm_________________________________________________
 _______________________________________________________________________
 Subject Matter: abstract or non-objective? _____________________________________
 _______________________________________________________________________
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