M4.

LECTURE 2
Representation
Theory of Art: The
“Window to Nature”

Prepared by
Dr. Allan C. Orate
UE-Manila
DR. ALLAN C. ORATE, UE
DR. ALLAN C. ORATE, UE
 REPRESENTATIONISM
ART is
an image
an appearance
a copy
a reproduction
of things, people,
nature, objects
or events. FIGURATIVE ART
contains representation.

WILLIAM SHAKESPEARE: “Art is putting mirror up to nature.”

LEONARDO DA VINCI: “Art is a window to nature.”
Van Eyck,
The Arnolfini
Marriage

REPRESENTATION
OF PEOPLE
REPRESENTATION
OF THINGS OR
OBJECTS

Van Gogh, Bedroom at Arles, 1888

 REPRESENTATION OF EVENT

Francisco, Filipino Struggles on History (Detail), 1968

 WAYS OF REPRESENTING NATURE

PHYSICAL CHANGING the physical appearance of nature,

like a natural marble that turn into a sculpture
ALTERATION by carving and cutting.

ENHANCING the appearance of nature, like a

SELECTIVE forest that becomes a garden by arranging and
MODIFICATION trimming the plants, or a woman beautifying
herself by putting cosmetics on her face.

Copying nature according to the CHOICE of the

PERCEPTUAL artist; usually distorted but the image is still
INTERPRETATION recognizable, like in the style of representation
in cubist and fauvist art.
 PHYSICAL ALTERATION
OF NATURE

Block of Natural Marble Michelangelo, Pieta

 SELECTIVE
MODIFICATION
OF NATURE

Forest Garden

LANDSCAPING: Art of environmental design

 COSMETOLOGY
Art of Facial Beautification

Natural Beautified
Face Face
 PERCEPTUAL INTERPRETATION OF NATURE

Dora Maar: Real Woman

(Natural Appearance)

ABSTRACTIVE way of
presenting the subject
Painting of
a Woman in
Cubist Style
 EXACT REPRESENTATION

Natural Painting
Tree of a Tree

Art faithfully
resembles nature

REALISTIC way of presenting the subject

 Who is the
Zeuxis better painter? Parhasius
 Painting of Grapes Painting of Curtain
by Zeuxis by Parhasius
TROMPE L’OEIL: “Trick the Eye” Painting that looks so realistic
that it fools the eye as if it sees the real thing.
Magritte
The Human
Condition
1935
 CHINESE ART WU TAO TZU
“Sage in Chinese Painting”
“The drawing of forms
which answer to
natural form.”

Form of Form
Nature
= of Art

Art reaches perfection and

becomes divine
CHIEH TZU YUAN
“When painting has
reached divinity (shen),
there is an end of STORY: He entered his own
the matter.” painting and lost there
inside forever. Art has
become his own life.
Amorsolo
Sunset
1950
CREDITS FOR VISUAL IMAGES
THANK
YOU.