GEE3 – Reading in Visual Arts

Reading No. 2 - The History of the Artist

October 27, 2021

Directions: After reading the given reference, answer the following questions.

1. Based on the reading, how different were the perspectives toward the artists during the
Ancient, Classical, and Medieval times, and at the beginning of the 16th century? And in
relation to our discussion, how did the Renaissance help in this drastic change of
perspective?
During the Ancient, Classical, Medieval and at the beginning of the 16th century the
perspective of peoples towards Artists is highly respectable because Artists during
that day were viewed as the social and intellectual equal of aristocrats and scholars,
Artists were essentially working for an employer such as monarch, church, or a
corporate organization meaning they are supported by a professional and regulated
by a professional body or guild. During those days, Artists proves how successful
they were to play the fullest possible rule in society, becoming the confidant of
kings, popes and sometimes they even acting as diplomats and courtiers, The
renaissance contributed in this drastic change of people’s perspective because of
rapid increase of Artist’s service towards Patrons during Renaissance, Basically a
patron is someone who provides the necessary financial assistance for an artist to
create a work from a scratch, it could be a King, Queen or a Church leader in a
certain place. Patronage helps artists to promote their artworks and made them more
popular around the world, without patronage some famous artists could never have
created their masterpiece.

2. According to the reading, how did the French Revolution attracted new personalities?
And what were the outcomes of this new attraction?

According to the reading the French Revolution attracted new personalities because
of guiding in profound political and social changes, The increasingly numerous and
prosperous elites of wealthy commoners - merchants, manufacturers, etc. aspired to a
political power causing the peasant a rapidly increased and improved in their social
life, peasants wanted to get rid of the vestiges of feudalism so that they will acquire a
full rights of landowners and to be free to increase their holdings, because of this the
privileged world of monarchy and aristocracy began to slowly disappear and with
this new sense of individual freedom or liberty, French revolutionaries attracted new
personalities, The outcome of this attraction put an end to the French monarchy,
feudalism, and people took political power from the Catholic church, it brings new
ideas to Europe including liberty and freedom for the commoner as well as the
abolition of slavery and the rights of women. In arts, The French Revolution affected
art in such a good way because French Revolution leads artists to create some
artwork about importance of basic human rights, morality, issue about industrial
society, and personal experiences. French Revolution also led the Development of
modern Art.
3. Referring to the reading, what happened during the most recent turning point of the roles
of the artist that happened during the 1960s? What were the notable changes that
occurred in the roles of the artists?

During the 1960, Andy Warhol, who was the most articulate advocate for another
role of artist, who found the image of the artist as penniless reformer outdated, and
unattractive wanted Artists to share in the material benefits of postwar era and argued
that he wanted Artist to have a role in society similar to that Madison Avenue
advertising or businessmen and because of that, the notable changes that occurred in
the roles of the artist was Artists during that time and today embraced Warhol’s ideas
with passion and they become successful businessman or woman selling to
institutions or private client such as large corporations or internet millionaires. This
cause the artist to create art not in a traditional way but to promote an idea or
concept, often collab with other creatives and the manages it as a project or
installation, delegating the physical manufacturer or assemble of components to
select subcontractors.

4. Based from the reading, what are the important roles that the patrons, collectors, and
dealers play in the field of art? Give specific examples.

Based from the reading, The important role of patrons is to provide the necessary
financial assistance for an artist to create a work from scratch, they are the one who
willing to support artists different from the patrons, collectors help artists to gain
money and popularities in exchange of collector’s pleasure. In the other hand,
Dealer’ role is to set in a journey or adventure to find some artists’ works, they
sometimes acted as patrons of young artist, Dealers’ role is to become a bridge
between Artists and Collectors. Patron, Collector, and Dealer has the same main
roles, and that is to make the artwork and the artists become famous all over the
world. Example, A patron paid an artist to create an art, after the artist created his or
her artworks, he or she wanted it to sell so he or she called the Dealer to deliver it to
auction, And after the deliver, Some Collectors fight for the best price to attain the
artwork for their own pleasure in auction.

5. What is the importance of the “spaces” in the works of art? How do they influence the
role and purpose of the art for a certain era or period? Cite examples.

Art exists in every side of the world, as long as there are spaces there is always be a
place for arts, Space is important in art because spaces is the one to be filled with
artworks for enhancing life with beauty or aesthetic and style. Spaces influenced the
role and purpose of the art for a certain era or period because of its different style and
characteristics, for example, during the Renaissance era spaces are churches with
religious arts representing heavenly bodies, styles of spaces varies in different era.
One of the example of spaces filled with art is the National Gallery of Art.
6. Based on the reading, how do we describe a good art criticism?

Based in the readings, good art criticism respects the certainty and history but with
concerned with value judgements. Good art critiques need to question and probes an
artist’s purpose, intentions and technical ability. It is also necessary to see if the
artwork of an artist portrayed a great or tremendous emotions and it also need the
validity of curator’s interpretation.