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Module 1
Understanding
Humanities and
Art Appreciation MARICEL L. ABAYA, LPT, RGC
abaya.smmc2021@gmail.com
09569917040
Part-time Instructor

Module Duration:
February 7-19, 2022

GE006
Art Appreciation
San Mateo Municipal College GE006 - ART APPRECIATION
Bachelor of Science in Psychology Maricel L. Abaya, LPT, RGC
San Mateo Municipal College All Rights Reserved

I. MODULE DURATION
3 Units Course
Synchronous Meeting : 1.5 hours per week
Asynchronous Meeting : 1.5 hours per week
Date : February 7-19, 2022

II.LEARNING OBJECTIVES

At the end of the module, you are expected to:

1. identify the different assumptions of arts;
2. classify the different sources of subject art and kinds of subject;
3. write an essay about utilizing the arts as a way to express yourself;
4. appreciate the importance of studying Art Appreciation and Philosophy.

III. INPUT INFORMATION

A. HUMANITIES AND ART APPRECIATIONS

Relevance of Art Appreciation

 Art has played a significant role throughout our history.
 It is also a part of our lives now from the clothing we wear to the video games we play, the cars we
drive to the covers or pictures in the books or magazines we read. It will continue to be a part of our
future and the future of our loved ones for many generations to come.

 Art is not meant to be looked at only for what it is.

 It is meant to stimulate thought because it allows viewers to draw their own emotions and pull from their personal
experiences when viewed. It is very powerful in this way and it naturally develops critical and innovative thinking skills.
 Art also teaches many important qualities such as listening, observing and responding to multiple perspectives.

Importance of Studying Art Appreciation and Philosophy

● Helps us to develop an appreciation for each other and how we are all unique in our own way.

● Provides students with a forum for developing their literacy and communication skills. Promoting these
conversations about art help students develop visual thinking skills where they are able to observe closely, describe
what they see in detail, and also provide evidence for their observations.

● Art helps us make sense of our world, and it broadens our experience and understanding. The arts enable us to
imagine the unimaginable, and to connect us to the past, the present, and the future, sometimes simultaneously.

● Great literature, films and visual art transport us to different places and cultures; great art even allows us to see
ourselves and our own community through a different perspective.

THE PHILOSOPHY
 "Philosophy" comes from Greek words meaning "love of wisdom."
 Philosophy uses the tools of logic and reason to analyze the ways in which humans experience the world.
 It teaches critical thinking, close reading, clear writing, and logical analysis; it uses these to understand the language
we use to describe the world, and our place within it.
 Those who study philosophy are engaged in asking, answering, evaluating, and reasoning about some of life’s most
basic, meaningful, and difficult questions about human existence.

San Mateo Municipal College GE006 - ART APPRECIATION

Bachelor of Science in Psychology Maricel L. Abaya, LPT, RGC
San Mateo Municipal College All Rights Reserved

Meaning of Humanities and Art Appreciation

We live in a world that is full of visual images; therefore, we acquire a great deal of information and knowledge
about our environment through images rather than merely through text and numbers. Illustrations, graphic images, charts,
photography and creative text — all forms of visual art — allow information to be communicated beyond the written word.

 Humanities is derived from the Latin word humanus, which means refined or cultured human.
 The humanities are studies about human culture, such as literature, philosophy, and history.
 Studying the humanities gives you general knowledge and intellectual skills rather than occupational or
professional skills.
 The humanities provide general knowledge about the best accomplishments of human beings throughout
history.
e.g.Learning the works of Shakespeare, Plato, and Beethoven, and our very own Jose Rizal
 The humanities are the stories, the ideas, and the words that help us make sense of our lives and our world
(White, 1997).
 The humanities introduce us to people we have never met, places we have never visited, and ideas that may
have never crossed our minds. By showing how others have lived and thought about life, the humanities help
us decide what is important in our own lives and what we can do to make them better. By connecting us with
other people, they point the way to answers about what is right or wrong, or what is true to our heritage and
our history.
 The humanities help us address the challenges we face together in our families, our communities, and as a
nation.
 As fields of study, the humanities emphasize analysis and exchange of ideas rather than the creative
expression of the arts or the quantitative explanation of the sciences.

 Art Appreciation is referred to the knowledge of the general and everlasting qualities that classify all great art.
 It is used to refer to the exploration of visual art forms or the introduction of basic principles of visual literacy.
 It refers to analyzing the form of an artwork to general audiences to enhance their enjoyment of such works of
art, it may be analyzed without reference to subject matter, symbolism or historical context.
 Art appreciation can be subjective depending on personal preference to aesthetics and form, or it can be
based on several elements and principles of design and also depends on social and cultural acceptance.
Most of the modern art critics and art historians draw back from this term, underrating art appreciation as
demanding too little serious thought.

 Art appreciation refers to the pursuit of knowledge and understanding of the universal and timeless qualities
characterizing works of art.
 It invokes an analysis of the works based on acknowledged elements of composition and principles of design,
through which enjoyment of the humanities is enhanced (Ariola, 2014).

Art History

 Art history is the study of objects of art in their historical development and stylistic contexts; that is genre, design,
format, and style.
 The study includes painting, sculpture, architecture, ceramics, furniture, and other decorative objects
(Mansfield, 2002).

 As a term, art history, its product being history of art, encompasses several methods of studying the visual arts; in
common usage referring to works of art and architecture.

 As a discipline, art history is distinguished from art criticism, which is concerned with establishing a relative artistic
value upon individual works with respect to others of comparable style, or sanctioning an entire style or movement; and
art theory or "philosophy of ad', which is concerned with the fundamental nature of art.
 One branch of this area of study is aesthetics, which includes investigating the enigma of the sublime and
determining the essence of beauty (Elkins, 2006).

Art history is not only a biographical endeavor. Art historians often root their studies in the scrutiny of individual objects.
They thus attempt to answer in historically specific ways, questions such as: What are key features of this style, What

San Mateo Municipal College GE006 - ART APPRECIATION

Bachelor of Science in Psychology Maricel L. Abaya, LPT, RGC
San Mateo Municipal College All Rights Reserved

meaning did this object convey, How does it function visually, Did the artist meet their goals well, What symbols are involved,
and Does it function discursively?

Creativity and Imagination

Imagination is thinking of something — whether it is an object, place, time, etc., that is not
present
Creativity is doing something meaningful with your imagination.

Imagination allows us to think of things that are not real or around us at any given time.
Creativity allows us to do something meaningful with our imaginations.

Imagination is about seeing the impossible, or unreal.

Creativity is using imagination to unleash the potential of existing ideas in order to create new
and valuable ones.
 The biggest difference between each of these is the frame of focus we have when
attempting to utilize each.

 With imagination, our focus can be on things that are impossible.

 Creativity requires our focus to be on things that might be possible, but we
can't be sure until we explore them further.
 Where imagination simply requires that we have some context from which to
envision an idea,
 Creativity requires that we have knowledge of the idea, motivation and freedom
to explore and tinker, intelligence to see what makes the convergence of any
set of ideas possible, and then the energy to see the process through.

We have a tendency to use the terms "being imaginative" and "being creative" as
synonyms, but they are not. It's quite possible to be imaginative without being
creative (Naiman, 2016).
“Creativity is the act of turning new and imaginative ideas into reality. If you
have ideas, but don't act on them, you are
Imaginative but not creative.”

We are all born with imagination but creativity is learned. And you deserve your chance to learn it.

B. BASIC ASSUMPTIONS, FUNCTIONS AND NATURE OF ARTS

 Art is an expression made visible by a form. The expression contained in the form is an attempt to translate the
unnamed and the unknown. Intrinsic to our existence as humans is our quest to create meaning, and art allows that
process to take place.

 Making meaning involves understanding our surroundings and marking our experiences. Art, at its root, is an
expression and the artist is an expresser, translating in order to create meaning.

 Art expresses and translates, art acknowledges and reveals, art transfers and art intervenes.

 Art is an expression, an expression of feeling, belief, and character.

Basic Assumption of Arts

Assumption is a thing that is accepted as true or as certain to happen, without proof.

 It is something that you accept as true without question or proof.

San Mateo Municipal College GE006 - ART APPRECIATION

Bachelor of Science in Psychology Maricel L. Abaya, LPT, RGC
San Mateo Municipal College All Rights Reserved

Many assumption has been written about arts and some of these are:

Art has been created by all people at all times, in all countries and it lives because its well-liked and enjoyed.
Naturally, arts linger on particularly if it is popular and love by the people. Example, the works and writings of Dr. Jose Rizal
and the movie, The Ten Commandments.

Art involves experience. In order to experience something, you have to make use of your five senses. Hence, there
can never be appreciation of art without having experienced it.

Art is not nature; nature is not art. Art is made by man and nature by God. However, nature can be enhanced by man.
The enhanced beauty and artistry of nature, then, can be classified as an art.

Art is cultural. Art is a work of humans and anything that has been created by humans is part of culture. Art becomes
cultural when it depicts people's way of life, religious practices, mores and traditions, etc.

Art is a form of creation. Art is something that is created with imagination and skill and that is beautiful or that expresses
important ideas or feelings [Source: Merriam-Webster]. As it is said, human is the creator of art. No art can be created
without human which, in turn, uses his/her imagination and creativity to produce art. According to the word's most basic
definition, an artist is simply a person who creates art.

Art is subjective. Henceforth, it cannot be measured by its significance or the level of skill with which it is created. Its
subjective nature makes art's only measurable quality is whether or not it exists. Example "beauty is in the eye of the
beholder" meaning, every individual has his/her own perception and/or interpretation about the subject. It would never be
the same for every individual.

Nature of Arts

1. Art is a diverse range of human activities in creating visual, auditory or performing artworks, expressing the author’s
imaginative or technical skill, intended to be appreciated for their beauty or emotional power. In their most general form
these activities include the production of works of art, the criticism of art, the study of the history of art, and the aesthetic
dissemination of art.

2. Art represents reality. Representation is the use of signs that stand in for and take the place of something else, it is
through representation that people organize the world and reality through the act of naming its elements. Signs are
arranged in order to form semantic constructions and express relations. Art represents reality, since it is often depicting
objects or scenes from the world. An artwork can depict a scene such as a cafe or a restaurant, or a park or garden. So,
there is a sense in which art represents the mind's eye or what the imagination perceives.

3. Art is an expression. The expression contained in the form is an attempt to translate the unnamed and the unknown.
Intrinsic to our existence as humans _is our quest .to create meaning, and art allows that process to take place. Making
meaning involves understanding our surroundings and marking our experiences.

4. Art serves as a means of communication of emotions. The purpose of works of art may be to communicate political,
spiritual or philosophical ideas, to create a sense of beauty to explore the nature of perception, for pleasure, or to generate
strong emotions. Art is an act of expressing feelings, thoughts, and observations of human conditions. A fundamental
purpose common to most art forms is the underlying intention to appeal to, and connect with, human emotion.
5. Art matters. The arts matter because they allow us to express ourselves and illustrate the world around us in a different
light, helping us to gain understanding of people and society, and give hope while living in this world. Art matters because it
illustrates the human experiences.

6. Art is universal. Literally, art can be found in every corner of the world. Art is everywhere and it is imbedded into the way
of life of the people. Exclusivity is out of bounds when we speak of arts because it is for everyone. Art is the true Esperanto,
an artificial international language, the one form of culture that is genuinely beyond national limitations. Art knows no
barriers; not even language is a barrier in understanding it. Example, foreign arts displayed in museums throughout the
world, paintings such as the Mona Lisa, Sistine Chapel, and photos of well-known places are readily viewed.

San Mateo Municipal College GE006 - ART APPRECIATION

Bachelor of Science in Psychology Maricel L. Abaya, LPT, RGC
San Mateo Municipal College All Rights Reserved

7. Art is creation. It is the combination of already existing material elements into new forms which become the realization of
a preconceived idea. Both hut and picture rose in the imagination of their makers before they took shape as things. The
material of each was given already in nature; but the form, as the maker fashioned it, was new. In its essence and widest
compass art is the making of a new thing in response to a sense of need. The very need itself creates, working through man
as its agent.

Functions of Art

No piece of art can be assigned a function either in essay form or in casual conversation, if it is not first considered within
the proper context. Trying to classify function depends on context.

That said, the functions of art normally fall into three categories. These are personal, social and physical functions. These
categories can, and do, overlap in any given piece of art (Esaak, 2018).

The Personal Function

 An artist may create out of a need for self-expression, or gratification. He/She might have
wanted to communicate a thought or point to the viewer.
 Perhaps the artist was trying to provide an aesthetic experience, both for self and viewers.
 A piece might have been meant to "merely" entertain others. Sometimes a piece isn't meant
to have any meaning at all.

 On a slightly higher level, art may serve the personal functions of control.
 Art has been used to attempt to exert magical control over time, or the seasons or even the
acquisition of food.
 Art is used to bring order to a disorganized and disorderly world. Conversely, art can be
used to create confusion when an artist feels life is too dull and ordinary.
Example is the statue of Venus, a Roman mythology goddess. One may wonder why the statue has no arms yet it
is considered to be a national treasure.

 Art can also be therapeutic for both the artist and the viewer.

Expressive art therapy is the use of creative arts form of therapy and is a fantastic field that has proven to work wonders
in many people’s lives.
 It can help someone express themselves, explore their emotions, manage addictions, and improve their self-
esteem.
 Example, music. The therapeutic value of music cannot be ignored.

 Works of art make us aware of other ways of thinking; feeling, and imagining that have never occurred to us before.

 Another personal function of art is that of

religious service.

Religious art usually expresses collective ideas

about human life in relation to the divine.

For our purposes, then, an art of spiritual

concern is any search for ultimate values through
the use of visual form.
 The crucifixion is an example of visual form in
relation to our religious belief.
 Another is the "The Last Supper" painting.

San Mateo Municipal College GE006 - ART APPRECIATION

Bachelor of Science in Psychology Maricel L. Abaya, LPT, RGC
San Mateo Municipal College All Rights Reserved

The Social Function

One cannot conceive of a society without art, for art is closely related to every aspect of social life.

Social functions of art are those that go beyond personal intrinsic value to art’s social benefits.
 Individuals and their society are dynamically related.
 Art communicates. Most often it is constructed with the intention of sharing responses to and opinions about life with
others.
 Art enriches, informs, and questions our world. When highly valued, it can be both a social and financial asset. Art can
have powerful transformative and restorative effects within a society as well.

Arts perform a social function when:

1. Influences Social Behavior (Political Function). It seeks or tends to influence the collective behavior of a people.
Example is the "Bayanihan." Some people think that art designed to social behavior is corrupt, impure, "mere" propaganda,
and so on.

2. Display and Celebration. It is created to be seen or used primarily in public situation like fiestas, parade, etc.

 One function of sculpture and painting is the commemoration of important personages in society.
 The statues of national heroes that grace our parks and plazas are commemorative works as are the commissioned
paintings of leaders or rulers.
 Often they serve to record important historical events, or reveal the ideals of heroism and leadership that the
community would want the young to emulate.

Social description expresses or describes social or collective aspects of existence as opposed to individual and personal
kind of experiences.

The Physical Function

The physical functions of art are often the easiest to understand, Works of art that are created to perform some service
have physical functions,

1. Form and Function. The function of an object is generally essential in the basic form that it takes a chair is So designed
as to allow the seated body to rest comfortably On it. The shapes, sizes, and different parts are harmoniously related to one
another and integrated into an object that fulfills and tells about their particular purpose.

2. Architecture. The design of the building is determined primarily by its operational function. What is the building for? Who
are going to use it? How many are they? The design that a building takes is also adapted to the climate of the region. The
architect must take the physical, psychological, and spiritual needs of the family into account when he designs a house.

3. Community Planning. A community is more than just a group of buildings. It is a group of individuals and families living
in a particular locality because of common interest and needs. Community planning involves the efficient organization of
buildings, roads, and spaces so that they meet the physical and aesthetic needs of the community.

Community planning takes into consideration the assignment of areas for proper land use. These are:

3.1. Residential districts. Special areas are assigned for residential purposes. The present trend is to get away
from overcrowded downtown districts and the attendant problems and settle in areas where it is possible to blend
the charms of rural living with the conveniences of urban living.

3.2. Industrial and commercial areas. These areas are usually located near the source of raw materials. A
commercial area can be a cluster of small neighborhood stores, a shopping complex in the suburbs, or a central
downtown district. It is usually situated where it can be reached easily by car or public transport.

3.3. Civic centers. A community governs itself; it, therefore provides structures where the functions of government
can be efficiently carried out, and which would, in appearance, be symbolic of community dignity and pride.

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Bachelor of Science in Psychology Maricel L. Abaya, LPT, RGC
San Mateo Municipal College All Rights Reserved

3.4. Parks, plazas, and malls. The need for a balance between man-made structures and natural areas is answered
in the design of plazas and malls. These may provide some relief from problems such as air and water pollution,
inadequate facilities for recreation, and lack of parking space.
3.5. Streets and roads. Transportation must function with reasonable ease and rapidity from one area to another.
Streets are large or small, according to their function.

4. Function and beauty. Many things remain the same in shape throughout the years because their functional
requirements do not allow for greater variations in their form. Time has proved that their designs best enable them to
accomplish their purpose.

C. THE VISUAL ARTS

The Visual Arts

The visual arts are art forms that create works that are primarily visual in nature, such as ceramics, drawing, painting,
sculpture, printmaking, design, crafts, photography, video, film making and architecture. These definitions should not be
taken too strictly as many artistic disciplines (performing arts, conceptual art, textile arts) involve aspects of the visual arts
as well as arts of other types.
 Also included within the visual arts are the applied arts such as industrial design, graphic design, fashion design,
interior design and decorative art.

The current usage of the term "visual arts" includes fine art as well as the applied, decorative arts and crafts, but this was
not always the case. Before the Arts and Crafts Movement in Britain and elsewhere at the turn of the 20th century, the term
'artist' was often restricted to a person working in the fine arts (such as painting, sculpture, or printmaking) and not the
handicraft, craft, or applied art media. The distinction was emphasized by artists of the Arts and Crafts Movement who
valued vernacular art forms as much as high forms. Art schools made a distinction between the fine arts and the crafts
maintaining that a craftsperson could not be considered a practitioner of art (Grau, 2007).

Visual arts include the following:

1. Fine Arts. The term "fine ad' refers to an art form practiced mainly for its aesthetic value and its beauty rather than its
functional value. Fine art is rooted in drawing and design-based works such as painting, printmaking; and sculpture. It is
often contrasted with "applied art" and "crafts" which are both traditionally seen as utilitarian activities. Other non-design-
based activities regarded as fine arts, include photography and architecture, although the latter is best understood as an
applied art (Severney, 2013).

The area of fine art is constantly being extended to embrace new activities arising because of either new technology, or
artistic inventions The former is exemplified by acrylic painting, as well as silkscreen printing and giclee prints; the latter by
the invention of mixed-media artworks employing collage, decollage, photomontage, or "found-art." Because of this gradual
widening process, it is almost impossible to define or fix a meaning for fine art.

2. Contemporary Arts. The visual arts also include a number of modern art forms, such as: assemblage, collage, mixed-
media, conceptual art, installation, happenings and performance art, along with film-based disciplines such as photography,
video art and animation, or any combination thereof. This group of activities also includes high tech disciplines like computer
graphics and giclee prints.

Another modern visual art, is the new environmental or land art, which also includes transitory forms like ice/snow sculpture,
and graffiti art.

3. Decorative Arts and Crafts. In addition, the general category of visual arts encompasses a number of decorative art
disciplines and crafts, including ceramics and studio pottery, mosaic art, mobiles, tapestry, glass art (including stained
glass), and others.
Wider definitions of visual art sometimes include applied art areas such as graphic design, fashion design, and interior
design. In addition, new types of body art may also fall under the general heading of visual arts. These include tattoo art,
face painting, and body painting.

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Bachelor of Science in Psychology Maricel L. Abaya, LPT, RGC
San Mateo Municipal College All Rights Reserved

Philosophical Perspective of Arts

Philosophical perspective points to the nature of art, including such concepts as interpretation, representation and
expression, and form. It is closely related to aesthetics, the philosophical study of beauty and taste.

Some of these philosophical perspectives are:

1. Art as mimesis (Plato). Mimesis is derived from the Greek word "mimos" meaning to imitate. Mimesis is a critical and
philosophical term that carries a wide range of meanings, which include imitation, representation, mimicry, imitatio,
receptivity, nonsensuous similarity, the act of resembling, the act of expression, and the presentation of the self (Gebauer,
1992).

Mimesis was an idea that governed the creation of works of art, in particular, with correspondence to the physical world
understood as a model for beauty, truth, and the good. Plato contrasted mimesis, or imitation, with diegesis, or narrative.
After Plato, the meaning of mimesis eventually shifted toward a specifically literaiy function in ancient Greek society, and its
use has changed and been reinterpreted many times since.

According to Plato, all artistic creation is a form of imitation: that which really exists, in the "world of ideas" is a type created
by God; the concrete things man perceives in his existence are supernatural representations of this ideal type. Therefore,
the painter, the tragedian, and the musician are imitators of an imitation, twice removed from the truth. Example, God
created a bed; then the carpenter created a bed; the artist in turn, painted the bed in his canvass.

2. Art as representation (Aristotle). Similar to Plato's writings about mimesis, Aristotle also defined mimesis as the
perfection, and imitation of nature. Art is not only imitation but also the use of mathematical ideas and symmetry in the
search for the perfect, the timeless, and contrasting being with becoming. Nature is full of changes, but art can also search
for what is everlasting (Auerbach, 1953).

Aristotle's Poetics is often referred to as the counterpart to this Platonic conception of poetry. Poetics is his treatise on the
subject of mimesis. Aristotle was not against literature as such; he stated that human beings are mimetic beings, feeling an
urge to create texts art that reflect and represent reality.
Aristotle thought of drama as being "an imitation of an action" and of tragedy as "falling from a higher to a lower estate" and
so being removed to a less ideal situation in more tragic circumstances than before. He posited the characters in tragedy as
being better than the average human being, and those of comedy as being worse.

3. Art for Art Sake (Kant). In the minds of late eighteenth century and early nineteenth century philosophers, the role of art
could be nothing less than to create beauty. The beautiful, for Emmanuel Kant (1724-1804), is "that which without any
concept is recognized as the object of necessary satisfaction." In other words, the appropriate stance of the spectator,
perceiving ('beauty" is one of indifference. This indifference does not imply, as it would in the contemporary sense today,
that one is uninvolved; it simply means acknowledging that the beauty possessed by the object is necessary and that the
agreement as to the beauty would be universal. In contradiction, taste is always ordered upon the indifferent, but this
indifference is also the key to the recognition of the universality of beauty. The status of aesthetic judgment is not empirical
but logical, based upon the powers of human reason and rationality, which excludes internal and external purposiveness or
"interest." Kant introduces purposiveness without a purpose, allowing the mind of the one who contemplates art freely to an
unrestricted play of the mental faculties (Wilette, 2010).
As Kant wrote in the Critique of Judgment, "For judging of beautiful objects as such, taste is requisite; but for beautiful art,
for the production of such objects genius is requisite." In a very famous statement, he asserted that "Genius is the talent (or
natural gift) which gives the rule to art.
The Subject of Art

To a majority of people, the appeal of most works of art lies in the representation of familiar objects. Their enjoyment of
painting, sculpture, and literature comes not from their perception but from the satisfaction they get out of recognizing the
subject or understanding the narrative content.

The subject of art refers to any person, object, scene or event described or represented in a work of art.

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San Mateo Municipal College All Rights Reserved

There are two types of subject of art as follows:

1. Representational or Objective. Representational art or figurative art

represents objects or events in the real world, usually looking easily recognizable.
It uses "form" and is concerned with "what" is to be depicted in the artwork.
Example: painting, sculpture, graphic arts, literature and theater arts.

2. Non-representational or Non-
objective. These are those arts
without any reference to anything
outside itself (without representation). It is nonobjective because it has no
recognizable objects. It is abstract in the sense that it doesn't represent real
objects in our world. It uses "content" and is concerned with "how" the artwork is
depicted.
Sources of Subject Art

1. Primary sources provide first-hand testimony or direct evidence concerning a topic under investigation. They are created
by witnesses or recorders who experienced the events or conditions being documented. Often these sources are created at
the time when the events or conditions are occurring, but primary sources can also include autobiographies, memoirs, and
oral histories recorded later. Primary sources are characterized by their content, regardless of whether they are available in
original format, in microfilm/microfiche, in digital format, or in published format.

2. Secondary sources interpret and analyze primary sources. Because they are often written significantly after events by
parties not directly involved but who have special expertise, they may provide historical context or critical perspectives.
Secondary sources routinely include pictures, quotes or graphics of primary sources. Depending on the subject, newspaper
and journal articles can fall into both categories.

For example, Paul Goldberger’s architectural review of the new Citi Field and Yankee Stadium in New York is a primary
source because he is commenting directly on a current event whereas an article surveying the history of New York City
stadiums would be considered a secondary source.

However, years from now, scholars might look to the survey article as a primary example of key evaluatory architectural
principles.

Some of these sources of art subject are:

1. Nature — animals, people, landscapes. These three are the most common inspiration and subject matter for art.

2. History — Artists are sensitive to the events taking place in the world around them. The dress, the houses, the
manner of living, the thoughts of a period are necessarily reflected in the work of the artist.

3. Greek and Roman mythology — These are the gods and goddesses. Its center is on deities and heroes.

4. The Judaeo Christian tradition—religion and art, the Bible, the Apocrypha, the rituals of the church

5. Oriental Sacred Texts — The countries of the orient, especially China, Japan, and India, have all produced
sacred texts of one kind or another, and these inspired various kinds of art. Most fruitful have been the texts and
traditions of Hinduism and Buddhism.

6. Other Works of Art — These are the subjects that can be found in those works that take their subject directly
from other works of art.

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Bachelor of Science in Psychology Maricel L. Abaya, LPT, RGC
San Mateo Municipal College All Rights Reserved

Kinds of Subject

Artists usually draw their arts through the different kinds of subject. These include:

1. Still Life — These are groups of inanimate objects arranged in an indoor setting.
Example: flowers and fruits arrangements; dishes, food, pots and pans, musical
instruments and music sheets. The arrangement is that like to show particular human
interests and activities. The still life of Still life picture of an apple
Chinese and Japanese painters usually show flowers, fruits and leaves still in their
natural setting, unplucked from the branches. Today, focus is on the exciting
arrangement ad combinations of the object's shapes and colors.

2. Landscapes, Seascapes and Cityscapes — Artists have always been fascinated

with their physical environment.
● Favorite subject of Chinese and Japanese painters.
● Fernando Amorsolo is well-known for having romanticized Philippine landscape.
● In Europe, the paintings of pure landscapes without human
figures were almost unheard of until the Renaissance period.
They only served as backgrounds prior to this Modern painter
seem to be attracted to scenes in cities. Vicente Manansala,
Arturo Luz, and Mauro Malang Santos are some local
painters who have done cityscapes.

3. Animals — They have been represented by artists from almost

every ages and places. In fact, the earliest known paintings are
representation of animals on the walls of caves. The carabao has
been a favorite subject of Filipino artists, The Maranaos have an animal form of sarimanok as their proudest prestige
symbol. Sometimes, animals have been used as symbols in conventional religious art, example:

b. The fish and lamb are symbols of Christ.

c. The phoenix is the symbol of resurrection.

d. The peacock is the symbol of immortality through Christ.

e. The dove stands for the Holy Spirit in representation of the Holy Trinity.

4. Portraits — People have always been intrigued by the human face as an index of
the owner's character. As an instrument of expression, it is capable of showing a
variety of moods and feelings. Portraits are realistic likeness of a person in sculpture,
painting, drawing or print but it need to be a photographic likeness. A great portrait is a
product of selective process, the artist highlighting certain features and de-
emphasizing others. It does not have to be beautiful, but it has to be truthful. Besides
the face, other things are worth noticing in portraits are the subject's hands, which can
be very expressive, his attire and accessories for it reveals much about the subject's
time.
Statues and busts of leaders and heroes were quite common among the Romans but it
was not until the Renaissance that portrait painting became popular in Europe. Many
artists did self-portraits. Their own faces provided them unlimited opportunities for
character study.

San Mateo Municipal College GE006 - ART APPRECIATION

Bachelor of Science in Psychology Maricel L. Abaya, LPT, RGC
San Mateo Municipal College All Rights Reserved

5. Figures — The sculptures' chief subject has traditionally been the human body, nude or clothed. The body's form,
structure and flexibility offers the artist a big challenge to depict it in a variety of ways, ranging from the idealistic as in the
classical Greek sculptures to the most abstract.

The grace and ideal proportions of the human form were captured in religious sculpture by
the ancient Greeks. To them, physical beauty was the symbol of moral and spiritual
perfection; thus they portrayed their gods and goddesses as possessing perfect human
shapes.

Early Christian and medieval artists seldom represented the nude figures. The figures used
to decorate the walls and entrances of their churches were distorted so as not to call undue
attention and distract people from their spiritual thoughts.

But Renaissance artists reawakened an interest in the nude human figure. A favorite subject
among painters is the female figure in the nude.

6. Everyday Life — Artists have always shown a deep concern about life around them. Many of them have recorded in
paintings their observation of people going about their usual ways and performing their usual tasks• Genre paintings usually
are representations of rice threshers, cockfighters, candle vendors, street musicians, and children at play.

7. History and Legends — History consists of verifiable facts, legends, of

unverifiable ones. Although many of them are often accepted as true
because tradition has held them so far. Insofar as ancient past is concerned,
it is difficult to tell how much of what we know now is history and how much
is legend. History and legend are popular subjects of art.

While many works may not

be consciously done
historical records, certain
information about history
can be pieced from them such as the costumes and accessories, the status
symbols, the kinds of dwellings or the means of transportation.

Malakas and Maganda and Mariang Makiling are among the legendary
subjects which have been rendered in painting and sculpture by not a few
Filipino artists.

8. Religion and Mythology — Art has been a

hand maiden of religion. Most of the world’s
religions have used the arts to aid in worship, to
instruct, to inspire feelings of devotion and to
impress and convert non-believers. The Christian
church commissioned craftsmen to tell the stories
about Christ and the saints in pictures, usually in
mosaic, murals, and stained glass windows in
churches. It also resorted to the presentation of
tableaux and plays to preach and to teach.

The term myth comes from the Greek word

"Mythos," meaning story or legend. Myth tries to explain the relationships between gods and humans. Although the events
in a myth are usually impossible, they try to send a message that has an important social or religious meaning.

San Mateo Municipal College GE006 - ART APPRECIATION

Bachelor of Science in Psychology Maricel L. Abaya, LPT, RGC
 San Mateo Municipal College All Rights Reserved

9. Dreams and Fantasies - Dreams are usually vague and illogical. Artists, especially the surrealists have tried to depict
dreams as well as the grotesque terrors and apprehensions that lurk in the depths of the subconscious. A dream may be
lifelike situation. Therefore, we would not know if an art is based on a dream unless the artist explicitly mentions it. But if the
picture suggests, the strange, the irrational and the absurd, we can classify it right away as a fantasy or dream although the
artist may have not gotten from the idea of a dream at all but the workings of his imagination. No limits can be imposed on
imagination.

Different Levels of Meaning

A subject matter has three different levels of meaning. These are:

● Factual Meaning— the literal meaning or the narrative content in the work which can be directly apprehended
because the objects presented are easily recognized. Examples: stones, river, house, etc.
● Conventional Meaning — refers to the special meaning that a certain object has in a particular culture or group of
people. Examples: flag symbol of a nation, cross for Christianity, crescent moon for Islam.
● Subjective Meaning—any personal meaning consciously or unconsciously conveyed by the artist using a private
symbolism which stems from his own association of certain objects, actions or colors with past experience.

IV. LEARNING ACTIVITIES

Instructions: Do the following activity using Microsoft Word format and submit it to our google classroom. For
those who have no internet connection, send your answers through the instructor’s Facebook Messenger.
1. Recall one of the experiences you have in your life as a teenager.
2. Pick one of these experiences that you like to depict and express your feeling/s about it using any art
expressions.

V. ASSESSMENT/ EVALUATION

Online quiz will be given during asynchronous learning session.

VI. ASSIGNMENT
Instructions: Do the following activity using Microsoft Word format and submit it to our google classroom. For
those who have no internet connection, send your answers through the instructor’s Facebook Messenger.
 Answer the given question:
If you were an artist, what kind of artist will you be? What art will you explore?

VII. LEARNING RESOURCES

Art Appreciation for College Students by Roman D. Leano, et.al

San Mateo Municipal College GE006 - ART APPRECIATION

Bachelor of Science in Psychology Maricel L. Abaya, LPT, RGC