MODULE 10 ART FORM AND CONTENT ANALYSIS 

Course Title: Reading Visual Arts 

Course Code: GE Elec 2 
Date and Time Allotment: April 4-8, 2022 (3 hrs) 

Introduction 
In this module we will see how formal properties, subject matter, context and iconography team up to
help interpret meaning in  art. Let’s approach these four terms as different levels of meaning we can examine to
get a more complete understanding of what we  are seeing.. 

I. Objectives 
1. Discuss the meaning of form and content 
2. Undertake comparative descriptions of form and content 
3. State the three levels of meaning in world art 
4. Analyze the form and content of an artwork 

II. Lecture 

“There is only one thing in a work of art that is important: it’s that thing you can’t explain”. 
-Georges Braque 

Even though Braque’s enigmatic quote cloaks works of art in mystery, art, by its

nature,  
asks questions and holds meaning. It explains ideas, uncovers truths, manifests what is beautiful  
and tells stories. It is at once a form of visual expression and non-verbal communication. Many  
times, an artwork’s meaning, or content, is easy to see. Two examples are the freshness of an  
Impressionist landscape painting or the identity inherent in a portrait photograph. But  
sometimes the meaning in a work of art is hidden, deciphered from signposts and clues  
imbedded in the work by the artist. 

HOW WE SEE: OBJECTIVE & SUBJECTIVE MEANS 

Up until now we’ve been looking at artworks through the most immediate of visual  
Monet, Lavacourt-Sunshine-and-Snow, 1881 

effects: what we see in front of our eyes. Now we can begin to break down some barriers to find specific 
meaning in art, including those of different styles and cultures. To help in this journey we need to learn  the
difference between looking and seeing. 

To look is to get an objective overview of our field of vision. Seeing speaks more to  understanding. When we
use the term “I see” we communicate that we understand what something  means. There are some areas of
learning, particularly psychology and biology, that help form the basis  of understanding how we see. For
example, the fact that humans perceive flat images as having a "reality"  to them is very particular. In contrast, if
you show a dog an image of another dog, they neither growl nor  wag their tail, because they are unable to
perceive flat images as containing any meaning. So you and I  have actually developed the ability to "see"
images. 

In essence, there is more to seeing than meets the eye. We need to take into account a cultural  

Nadar Self-Portrait, c. 1855

component in how we perceive images and that we do so in subjective ways. Seeing is partly a result of cultural
biases. For example,  when many of us from industrialized cultures see a parking lot, we can pick out each car
immediately, while others from remote tribal  cultures (who are not familiar with parking lots) cannot. 

Gestalt is the term we use to explain how the brain forms a whole image from many component parts.
For instance, the  understanding of gestalt is, in part, a way to explain how we have learned to recognize
outlines as contours of a solid shape. In art for  example, this concept allows us to draw "space" using only
lines. 
THE FIRST LEVEL OF MEANING: FORMAL 

So, after we see an object, we can understand its form: the physical attributes of size, shape and
mass. With art, this may at  first appear to be simple: we can separate out each artistic element and discover
how it is used in the work. You had practice doing this  in the last two modules. The importance of a formal level
of meaning is it allows us to look at any work of art from an objective view. 

THE SECOND LEVEL OF MEANING: SUBJECT 

There are specific categories of ideas that have been represented in art over time. Many of them are
present in some cultures,  but never present in others. This disparity gives us another place to look for meaning
when we approach differences in representation.  But generally, these categories of ideas (sometimes called
subjects) can also be called a genre of art; that is, a fairly loose category of  images that share the same
content. Here is a brief list of the type of genre that you may see in a work: 

• Landscape 
• still life 
• portrait 
• self-portrait 
 • allegory: representing a mythological scene or story 
• historical: actual representation of a historic event 
• religious: two forms: religious representation or religious action 
• daily life: sometimes also called genre painting 
• nude: male nude and female nude are separate categories 
• political: two forms: propaganda and criticism 
• social: work created to support a specific social cause 
• power: work created to connect to specific spiritual strength 
• fantasy: work created to invent new visual worlds 
• decoration: work created to embellish surroundings 

• abstraction: work whose elements and principles are manipulated to alter the subject  in some way. 

What you will discover when you think about some of these subjects is that you may already  have a vision of
how this subject should appear. For example: visualize a portrait or self-portrait. You  can see the head, probably
from the shoulders up, with little background, painted fairly accurately. Artists  often reinvent how a subject is
portrayed Some works of art can be part of a certain genre by using  metaphor: one image that stands for
another. 

Contemporary artists sometimes reinterpret artworks from the past. This can change the context  of the work (the
historical or cultural background in which the original work was created), but the content  remains the same.
Dorothea Lange’s Migrant Mother, Nipomo Valley from 1936 (below) uses the subject  matter of a mother and
her children to symbolize the hardships faced during the Great Depression. The  woman’s face speaks of worry
and desperation about how to provide for her children and herself.  Comparatively, San Francisco photographer
Jim Thirtyacre’s image Working Mother from 2009 reflects  this same sentiment but through the context of the
first major economic crisis of the twenty first century. 

THE THIRD LEVEL OF MEANING: CONTEXT 

The craft arts have meaning too, primarily in the functionality of the art works themselves, but also in the  style
and decorations afforded them. A goblet from the 16 century has an aesthetic meaning in its organic  form, in its
th

function as a means to hold and dispense liquid, and a particular historical meaning in the way  it is embellished
with diamond point engravings that depict the flow of the river Rhine. 
The goblet’s detailed map of the Rhine gives it specific context: the historical, religious or social issues 
surrounding a work of art. These issues not only influence the way the viewer finds meaning in particular  
THE FOURTH LEVEL OF MEANING: ICONOGRAPHY 
At the simplest of levels, iconography is the containment of deeper meanings in simple representations.  It makes
use of symbolism to generate narrative, which in turn develops a work’s meaning. 
Dorthea Lange, Migrant  Mother, 1936. Photograph. Farm Security Administration  collection, U.S. Library of  Congress. 
 Jim Thirtyacre, Working  Mother, 2009. Color digital  image. 

Goblet (Roemer) 
early 17th century 
Dutch, probably Amsterdam

Each of the objects in this painting has a specific meaning beyond their imagery here. In fact, this painting is
actually a painted marriage  contract designed to solidify the agreement between these two families. It is
especially important to remember that this is not a painting  of an actual scene, but a constructed image to say
specific things. 

1. You notice that the bride is pregnant. She wasn't at the time of the painting but this is a symbolic act to
represent that she  will become fruitful. 
2. The little dog at her feet is a symbol of fidelity, and is often seen with portraits of women paid
for by their husbands. 3. The discarded shoes are often a symbol of the sanctity of marriage. 
4. The single candle lit in the daylight (look at the chandelier) is a symbol of the bridal candle, a devotional

candle that was to  burn all night the first night of the marriage. 
5. The chair back has a carving of St. Margaret, the patron saint of childbirth. 
6. The orange on the windowsill and the rich clothing are symbols of future material wealth  
(in 1434 oranges were hand carried from India and very expensive). 
7. The circular mirror at the back reflects both the artist and another man, and the artist's  
signature says "Jan van Eyck was present", both examples of witnesses for the betrothal  
 pictured. (We don't think of this much anymore, but a promise to marry was a legal  
contract). The circular forms around the mirror are tiny paintings of the Stations of the  
Cross. 

You can see how densely populated iconography in imagery can convey specific hidden  
meanings. The problem here is to know what all of this means if we want to
understand the work.  Understanding the context of the work will help.
Another more contemporary painting with icons  

imbedded in it is Grant Wood’s American Gothic from the 1930’s. The dower expressions on the  figures’ faces
signify the toughness of a Midwestern American farm couple. Indeed, one critic  complained that the woman in
the painting had a “face that could sour milk”. Notice how the trees and  
American Gothic 
The Art Institute of Chicago Grant Wood, American (1891-1942) 1930

bushes in the painting’s background and the small cameo the woman wears mirror the soft roundness of her
face: these traditional  symbols of femininity carry throughout the work. In contrast, the man’s straight-backed
stance is reflected in the pitchfork he holds, and  again in the window frames on the house behind him. Even the
stitching on his overalls mimics the form of the pitchfork. The arched  window frame at the top center of the
painting in particular is a symbol of the gothic architecture style (Links to an external site.) from  12 century
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Europe. 
We can use iconography to find meaning in artworks from popular culture too. The “Golden Arches” mean fast
food, the silhouette of an  apple (with a bite out of it) means a brand of computer, a single, sequined glove
stands for Michael Jackson, the ‘king of pop’ and the  artist Andy Warhol’s soup can image forever links
Campbell’s soup with Pop Art.  

References: 
Art Appreciation. Lumen Learning. https://courses.lumenlearning.com/masteryart1/chapter/why-it-matters-3/ 

Introduction 
This module focuses on contexts as a way of making and responding to artworks. Contexts are frames
of reference  that inform the concepts and focuses, allowing visual communication and meaning to evolve. The
contexts are contemporary,  personal, cultural and 
formal. As students engage in art-making and responding, they employ different contexts to understand and
appreciate how  artists incorporate a range of influences and layers of meaning. 

I. Objectives 
1. Recognize different types of contexts and how contextual information can broaden our
understanding of art. 2. Define the term "context" and explain its role in finding meaning in art 
3. Identify, research, integrate and explain visual information concerning artworks and
specific meaning 4. Create an analysis of an artwork based on its context 

II. Lecture 
CONTEXTUAL ANALYSIS 
To write about a work of art, begin with an observation of its key formal elements and analyze its
visual  characteristics (formal analysis). However, in contextual analysis, the primary exercise of looking must
then extend into the  realm of research. Sound research allows us to connect the artwork’s formal
achievements to historical and cultural purposes  and meanings. 
A successful contextual analysis will include formal analysis, a discussion of who made it, when
and where it was  made, its patronage and/or social purpose, and its cultural meaning and significance. 
Start researching your artwork with the following questions as a guide. Also bear in mind your
conclusions from your  formal analysis, as you will need to refer to the work’s visual characteristics to back up
 your thesis. When researching, be sure  to search for both specific Information on the work of art and its artist,
as well as for more general information about the work’s  culture, era, and style or artistic movement. 
Maker 
• Who made it? A known individual, an anonymous one, or a group of people? 
• What was the social status of the artist/craftsperson in its culture? 
• If the artist is known, is there information about his or her life, other artworks, or ideas 
• that you can apply to understand the work of art you are analyzing? 

History and Culture 

• Is the exact date known, or debated? 
• In what cultural tradition or era was it made? 
• How does the style of this artwork vary from the style of similar works of its era, and 
• what does that tell us? 
• How does its style compare with similar art that came before and after it? 
• What has happened to the work in terms of its physical condition or status over time? 

Patronage or Purpose 
• Was the artwork commissioned, or made for sale? 
• Why was the work of art made? 
• Who paid for it, and what does that tell us? (Art historians call this patronage.) 
• Who would have seen this artwork, and where? 
• Is there cultural and religious symbolism (iconography) in the work?
Wider contexts 
All art is in part about the world in which it emerged. – Terry Barrett, Criticizing Art: Understanding the
Contemporary 
• Supported by research, can you identify when, where and why the work was created and its original intention
or purpose (i.e. private sale; commissioned for a specific owner; commemorative; educational; promotional;
illustrative;  decorative; confrontational; useful or practical utility; communication; created in response to a
design brief; private  viewing; public viewing)? In what way has this background influenced the outcome
(i.e. availability of tools, materials  or time; expectations of the patron / audience)? 
• Where is the place of construction or design site and how does this influence the artwork (i.e. reflects local
traditions,  craftsmanship, or customs; complements surrounding designs; designed to accommodate
weather conditions / climate;  built on historic site)? Was the artwork originally located somewhere
different? 
• Which events and surrounding environments have influenced this work (i.e. natural events; social movements
such  as feminism; political events, economic situations, historic events, religious settings, cultural events)?
What effect did  these have? 
• Is the work characteristic of an artistic style, movement or time period? Has it been influenced by trends,
fashions or ideologies? How can you tell? 
• Can you make any relevant connections or comparisons with other artworks? Have other artists explored a
similar  subject in a similar way? Did this occur before or after this artwork was created? 
• Can you make any relevant connections to other fields of study or expression (i.e. geography, mathematics,
literature, film, music, history or science)? 
• Which key biographical details about the artist are relevant in understanding this artwork (upbringing and
personal  situation; family and relationships; psychological state; health and fitness; socioeconomic status;
employment;  ethnicity; culture; gender; education, religion; interests, attitudes, values and beliefs)? 
• Is this artwork part of a larger body of work? Is this typical of the work the artist is known for? • How might
your own upbringing, beliefs and biases distort your interpretation of the artwork? Does your own  response
differ from the public response, that of the original audience and/or interpretation by critics? • How do these
wider contexts compare to the contexts surrounding your own work? 

Analysis and interpretation through different contexts 

 Contexts are used as a method or approach to view and decode visual language in artworks and art practice.
Artworks can be  investigated through different contexts to understand multiple meanings. Students use
contexts to understand the work of artists  and in developing, researching and reflecting on their own work.
Each context uses a series of questions to guide analysis and 
interpretation. Viewing and creating work through different contexts draws on characteristics typical
of that context. 1. Contemporary context 
The contemporary context informs the analysis and interpretation of past and present artwork through a lens of
21st century art  ideas and issues, and how this challenge engagement, communication and meaning.
Through: 
• art-making, students can test boundaries of traditional art practices. They reconceptualize, modify and
appropriate artworks and images, and investigate the impact and place of new technologies on art practices
and experiences • responding, students examine new or different meanings and significance that may be
assigned to artworks of the past.  They question and re-evaluate traditionally held values and assumptions of
art and representation. 

Contemporary context guiding questions: 

• How is meaning and significance of past artworks challenged when viewed through a lens of 21st century
ideas and  issues? 
• How do contemporary art approaches, technologies or environments impact the viewer experience and
interpretation of  artworks? 
• How are artistic or social traditions challenged and expanded by contemporary art forms, subject matter and
display? • How do artists communicate or provoke ideas about current issues and concerns and challenge
established  philosophies? 

Artworks viewed and created through the contemporary context typically: 

• challenge mainstream ideas about the boundaries of art 
• manipulate and change the familiar 
• question established conventions 
• use non-traditional materials and new technologies 
• exploit digital technology and multi-sensory experiences, such as sound and movement 
• work against traditional practices 
• may be exhibited in public spaces rather than traditional gallery environments 
• reference images from both real life and fiction 
• borrow imagery through appropriation of recognizable sources and popular culture 
• use parody and irony to present current concerns
• use satire and humor to exaggerate ideas for impact. 

2. Personal context 
The personal context informs the analysis and interpretation of emotions, sensory experiences, personal
philosophy, beliefs and  ideas that are reflected in artworks, and how these contribute to engagement,
communication and meaning. Through: 
• art-making, students investigate their responses to the world around them, their personal interests,
experiences and  philosophies, and the impact these have on symbolism and practices 
• responding, students examine how artists and the choices they make are influenced by life and
experiences, and  consider how their own feelings and background influence their physical and emotional
reactions as audience. 

Personal context guiding questions: 

• How does an artist’s practice reflect the influences of their life and experiences? 
• How do the experiences and expectations of the viewer influence the reading of the artwork and the
construction of  personal meaning? 
 • How do artists communicate their personal stories, thoughts, feelings, philosophies and ideas? 

Artworks viewed and created through the personal context typically: 

• generate immediate emotional responses through visual imagery 
• stimulate reactions through sensory experiences 
• communicate through material and imagery that is sometimes visually shocking
or confronting • appeal to viewers through prior experiences and knowledge 
• employ recognizable qualities that express the artist’s beliefs and values 
• explore the artist’s personal journey or memories 
• express the artist’s passion or inspiration 
• develop through the artist’s imagination, fantasy and dreams 
• use distortion and manipulation of visual imagery to change appearance 
• share human and psychological experiences and emotions. 

3. Cultural context 
The cultural context informs the analysis and interpretation of the social influences and representations of time,
place, politics,  purpose, ethnicity, gender and spiritual and secular beliefs on artwork, and how these contribute
to engagement, communication  and meaning. Through: 
• art-making, students explore cultural values, historical or current events, social pressures, and attitudes that
impact on  them and others, and determine the origins of social meaning communicated in artwork 
• responding, students consider indigenous perspectives; regional, national, international, social and
cultural identity of  artists and audiences; and how artists use their work as a vehicle to invite change and
provoke conversation. Cultural context guiding questions: 
• How does the artwork communicate about the influences of society and the time when it
was created? • How do the values of past artists compare to the values of today? 
• How do the cultural values and background of the viewer influence the interpretation
of meaning? • How have historical or contemporary events contributed to the meaning
of the artwork? 
Artworks viewed and created through the cultural context typically: 
• identify cultural influences on the artist, such as history, religion, politics, ethnicity, gender,
social class, age • reflect community interests through social commentary 
• explore Australian culture through narrative depictions 
• question cultural and social roles 
• explore spiritual or religious traditions 
• explore cultural themes, such as notions of beauty, coming of age 
• depict traditional imagery and communicate through familiar symbols and metaphors 
• demonstrate influences of art movements, styles and origins of time and place 
• can be identified through specific iconographic elements that link the work to a style or movement exist in a
historical  framework. 
4. Formal context 
The formal context informs the analysis and interpretation of formal visual art elements and principles, the
application of  materials and techniques, the stylistic qualities relative to historical periods or iconology seen in
artworks, and how these  contribute to engagement, communication and meaning. Through: 
• art-making, students focus on the formal organization and placement of visual components, experimenting
with codes,  symbols, and art conventions, and the communicative value of art materials, techniques and
processes
• responding, students decode artworks by reading the relationships between specific visual language, signs,
symbols,  codes, and conventions that are used to transmit information and ideas in artworks. 

Formal context guiding questions: 

• How do formal art elements and principles contribute to the meanings and messages in the
artwork? • How do stylistic characteristics shared with other art forms communicate meaning,
 intention, time and place? • How do materials, techniques, application, skills or display influence
the impact and interpretation of artworks? 

Artworks viewed and created through the formal context typically: 

• emphasize process, elements, principles, materials and media 
• employ imagery as a visualization of ideas and representation 
• rely on aesthetic knowledge and experience 
• can be described by identifying tangible qualities and characteristics 
• employ imagery to signify a time, place or events 
• communicate meaning by decipherable visual elements 
• represent ideas as a system of symbolic objects, motifs or signs which are decoded as evidence of the artist’s
intention 

References: 
Gale A. (2021). Student Art Guide: How to analyze an artwork: a step-by-step guide. 
https://www.studentartguide.com/articles/how-to-analyze-an-artwork 

Pine-Richland School District. Contextual Analysis. Retrieved from 

https://www.Pinerichland.org/cms/libPA1001138/Centricity/Domain/94/
Contextual_Analysis_NewHampshireInstituteofArt.pdf 

Queensland Curriculum & Assessment Authority (2019). Visual Art v1.1 Supporting resource: Contexts.
Retrieved from  https://www.qcaa.qld.edu.au/downloads/senior-qce/arts/snr_vis_art_19_units1-
4_sr_contexts.pdf

Introduction 
Artworks are didactic in nature; therefore, they demand a response. However, oftentimes, being
confronted by artworks  is quite perplexing. Meaning is sometimes inaccessible to the commonplace person. In
this module, we will learn about seven  approaches in reading art and be guided with some steps in arriving a
good judgment to an artwork.  

I. Objectives 
At the end of the end of this module, students should be able to: 
1. Learn the different approaches and steps of analyzing and reading art 
2. Construct proper art criticism by asking appropriate and relevant questions; 
3. Evaluate and analyze an artwork based on a set of criteria 

II. Lecture 

ART CRITICISM 
Art Criticism as mentioned by James Elkins in the essay, What Happened to Art Criticism, is a discipline of the
arts that  seems to be both healthy and dying. If you live in a city where there are art galleries and museums,
you will notice that these  institutions produce exhibit notes and pamphlets that give a little bit of informative and
elaborative writing about the artworks  on display. However, this is not widely practiced in the academe,
especially in terms of General Education. Do you think this is  an important skill to learn? Why or why not? 
Methods in Reading Art 
What is a method? 
Think of methods as filters that help you appreciate aspects of art in different lenses. There are some "filters" that
are more  effective than others, especially when we talk about context and content. 
Have you encountered philosophy as a required subject to study? Philosophy has been man's attempt to make
sense of why  we do what we do. If we want to become more diverse in our approach to learning, art
methodologies is one of the means and  these are mainly hinged on long-held philosophies. Depending on what
the art is talking about and where it is from, we can read  it in a non-biased way through these approaches: 
1. Formalism and Style-basically gives importance to the formal qualities (art elements, materials, and design
principles) as  basis for the meaning of art. Roger Fry is a major purveyor of this thinking. The form is the content
per se and does not take  history and context into account. 
2. Iconography-Focuses on the subject matter primarily over form. When using this method, you will answer
questions like:  who is this person the artist painted and what does it represent? Why did the artist choose this
image and what for? 3. Contextual Approaches-From the term itself, context becomes an important factor in
criticizing artworks here. We can take  many approaches to contexts like Marxism, Orientalism, Colonialism,
Racial Iconography, Feminism, and Gender. As you can  observe, these are mainly schools of thought and
philosophical movements which place an artwork within a certain parameter.  For example, Marxism is about art
in relation to economics. On the other hand, Feminism is bent toward the societal context of  art wherein gender
becomes a strong factor in the forces behind an artistic creation. 
4. Biography and Autobiography -Considers the life and context of the artist. This approach is based on the
assumption that  the artist's life, beliefs, choices, and personality are directly connected to the works that he or
she creates. 5. Semiotics-From the Greek word “sema,” which means sign. Hence, an artwork or art form is
assumed to be composed of a  set of signs that may have significant cultural and contextual meanings beyond
itself. 
6. Psychoanalysis-Freud is probably a familiar name in the field of psychology and he is one of the basis of this
theory. In  psychoanalysis, one is concerned about the unconscious mind in relation to the artist, the viewer, and
the cultural context it is  involved in. 
7. Aesthetics and Psychoanalysis - Individual notion of what is considered acceptable, beautiful, or attractive in
works of art  are in part influenced by psychological factors. The approach then connects psychology to one’s
constructed philosophy of art.
Analyzing Artwork (Art Criticism) 
A Step-by-Step Guide 

1: Description (It answers the question, "What do you see?") 

Pure description of the object without value judgments (Elements of Art) 
List what you can see in this artwork. 
• Objects, figures, colors, shapes, objects, background, etc. 
• Imagine you are describing it to a blind person. Do this in as much detail as possible and use art terms. 

2: Analyze (It answers the question, "How did the artist do it?") 
Determining what the features suggest and deciding why the artist used such features to convey
specific ideas. Composition (organization of shapes) 
• What types of shapes are used in this artwork (i.e. rounded, curved, straight-edged or
geometric shapes)? • Is there a mixture of different types of shapes or are all the shapes
similar? 
• Are some parts of the composition full of shapes and some parts empty, or are the shapes spread evenly
across the  artwork? 
• Are some shapes repeated or echoed in other parts of the artwork? 
• Does the whole composition look full of energy and movement, or does it look still and peaceful? How did
the artist  create this movement/stillness? 
• What is the center of interest in the composition? 
• How does the artist draw your attention to it? 

Use the elements/principles to reflect upon the art form 

• Determination of subject matter through naming iconographic elements, e.g., historical event, allegory,
mythology,  etc. 
• Selection of most distinctive features or characteristics whether line, shape, color,
texture, etc. • Analysis of the principles of design or composition, e.g., stable, 
• repetitious, rhythmic, unified, symmetrical, harmonious, geometric, varied, chaotic, horizontal or vertically
oriented,  etc. 
 • Discussion of how elements or structural system contribute to appearance of image or function •
Analysis of use of light and role of color, e.g., contrasty, shadowy, illogical, warm, cool, symbolic, etc. •
Treatment of space and landscape, both real and illusionary (including use of perspective), e.g.,
compact, deep,  shallow, naturalistic, random 
• Portrayal of movement and how it is achieved 
• Effect of particular medium(s) used 
• Your perceptions of balance, proportion and scale (relationships of each part of the composition to the whole
and to  each other part) and your emotional 
• Reaction to object or monument 

3: Interpretation (It answers the question, "What is the artist trying to say? What is going on in the
picture") • What do you think the artist is trying to say in this artwork? What does it mean? 
• What is the main theme or idea behind this piece? 
• If you were inside this artwork, what would you be feeling/ thinking? 
• Does the artwork have a narrative (tell a story)? Is it a religious artwork? 
• Is it abstract? Is it realistic? Why? 
• How would you explain this artwork to someone else? 
• Evidence: What evidence inside or outside the artwork supports your interpretation? 

4: Evaluation (What do I think about this artwork? How do I feel about whether the artist was successful in
conveying  an idea?) 
• Based upon what you have observed already, give your opinion of the artwork. You MUST
give reason. • Use aesthetic theories to help evaluate 
• Is it a good artwork? 
• Criteria: What criteria do I think are most appropriate for judging the artwork? 
• Evidence: What evidence inside or outside the artwork relates to each criterion? 
• Judgment: Based on the criteria and evidence, what is my judgment about the quality of the artwork? •
“Franz Marc has created an effective expressive painting, because the hot colors and lively brush marks he
has used  add to the overall feeling of energy and excitement his is trying to create.” 
• “The overall mood of this drawing would be improved if Kathe Kollowitz had used strong, dramatic shadows,
instead  of pale tones. Dark tones would develop the feeling of fear and loneliness in this image.”
EXAMPLE: 
 This artwork contains a sad little girl that is bleeding from the nose and holding a teddy bear, all while she is
standing in  a landscape of rubble. There are five people in the background that are looking directly at the
little girl; two men are  photographing her, a woman with a clip board and headphones has her arm
extended that prevents two men wearing red  crosses from interfering with the sad event that is occurring. 
The artist used jagged lines to create the disorder and destruction surrounding the little girl. The little girl is
placed slightly  off-center in the foreground for the viewer in order to place greater emphasis on her, while
placing the observers in the  background. The most noticeable use of the elements of art is the use of only
one color, red. The artist used an intense  red to draw the viewer’s attention to the blood on the girl’s face
and on the Red Cross men that want to help the child.  The placement of the people in the artwork and the
use of red place great emphasis on the child being depicted because  it makes the viewer’s eyes refer back
to the little girl. 
The destruction surrounding the child, blood on her face, and her facial expression tells us that it is a sad
and  uncomfortable environment. The scene is also disturbing because the adults are not helping the
innocent and crying child.  Instead, they are taking advantage of her situation and documenting it for their
own benefit. The artist utilizes this scene  to make his audience aware of the great lengths that the news
media is willing to go to in order to obtain a “touching”  story. 
This artwork is very powerful and thought provoking because the artist provides a different perspective for
his audience  about the news media. He confronts the viewer with a dramatic scene of helplessness in order
to get his social message  across. Therefore, this artwork successfully achieves and meets the criteria for
the aesthetic theory of instrumentalism.

References: 
IB Art. Analyzing Artwork (Art Criticism). https://sites.google.com/a/hbuhsd.edu/ib-art/analyzing-artwork Roldan,
A. N. J. and Deliosa, C. P. (2019). A Course Module for Art Appreciation. REX Bookstore.