UNIT 2 SUBJECT AND CONTENT

Lesson: Subject and Content

This lesson familiarizes students with the various subjects of arts as well as the
sources of these subjects to help them become informed observer or audience of the arts. It
also provides students opportunity to look into the content or meaning of the artwork the
artist wants to communicate to the audience.

Learning Outcomes

At the end of the lesson, the students must have:

1. Classified artworks according to subject;

2. Determined the subject of art and its source;
3. Analyzed the content or meaning/message communicated in the artwork;
4. Described their place (barangay/town) through the subjects of the photos of the
selected spots/scenes in their respective places.

Warm Up

Look at and study the following pictures carefully then answer the question below.

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What objects do you see?
Is there a particular emotion conveyed?
Is there a story behind the images?
What do you think does the painter intend to say through the images?

Subject, Sources and Content

Subject Type

Subject is a term used for whatever is represented in a work of art. It refers to any
identifiable object, individual, thing, place or event illustrated in a work of art. A subject
answers the question “what is it?”

Anything could be used as a subject of art but is not limited only to physical objects.
Subjects could be derived from imagination, dreams and other experiences. However, it
should be noted that not all arts have subjects. Some arts do not have any. Those arts with
subjects are called objective or representational art, while those that do not are called non-
objective or non-representational art. They are what they are without reference to anything in
the natural world.

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Content
While subject asks for what is seen in an artwork content answers "what is it about?"
It tries to analyze the meaning of an artwork. Meanings could be Factual, Conventional, and
Subjective.
Factual meaning analyzes an artwork solely on what is presented and seen. It is the
literal statement or the narrative content in the work which can be directly apprehended
because the objects presented are easily recognized. Conventional meaning centers on what
is already an accepted meaning: a custom or standard. It also refers to the special meaning
that a certain object or color has to a particular culture or group of people. Subjective
meaning comes from the viewer of the art: what the artwork implies; the emotions
transmitted and received by the viewer; or a story that an artwork might narrate to the
viewer. In addition, it is any personal meaning, consciously or unconsciously conveyed by
the artist using a private symbolism of certain objects, actions or colors with past
experiences.

Kinds and Sources of Subjects

There are a variety of the kinds and sources of subjects. These subjects could be seen
in many of the different kinds of art – visual, auditory, performing, or combined arts.

Landscape, seascape, cityscape (Nature). These are subjects of paintings derived

from nature, which is a very rich source of art subjects. Landscapes are land formation, with
or without people or animals. Examples of these are painting of mountain, volcano, field,
parks, gardens, etc. Seascapes are water forms, with or without people or animals. This
subject includes seas, lakes, rivers, streams and other water formations whether natural or
artificial. Cityscapes, on the other hand, are scenes in the cities such as tall buildings, or
highways).

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 landscape seascape

Animals. This is a subject used in many art forms. It is oftentimes represented to

show its importance or use to people or used as a symbol. Animal, as a subject of art may be
derived from nature, legend or mythology and folklore.

Portrait, bust or human figures. A portrait can be any representation of a person

whether it be a sculpture, a painting or photography, in which the face is the main theme. It
usually depicts the sitter head-and-shoulders, half-length, or full-body. Several varieties of
portraits include: a portrait of an individual, a group portrait, or a self portrait. In most cases,
a portrait is made to portray the character and unique attributes of the subject. In the ancient

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days, portraitures were designed to decorate public areas and reflect the morals and religious
values of the day.

Human figure, on the other hand, focuses on the human body, nude or clothed, while
emphasis is given on grace and proportion of the human form.

Portrait—Girl with a Pearl Earring Figure—The Thinker

Bust—Nefertiti
Source: Google.com

Everyday life. Also known as genre, it is a representation of people going about

their usual ways, performing their usual tasks. Artists have always had a keen eye on the
things and occurrences on their surroundings. For this reason, they made depictions of

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people engaged in everyday activities. It depicts various observations on mundane tasks,
daily struggles, and an assortment of emotional and life concerns.

A mother who cleans the hair of her child, known as 'Mother Task'
Pieter de Hooch, c. 1658 - c. 1660
oil on canvas

Characters and scenes/events from Legends. This kind of subject is derived from
imaginary accounts. These stories are used in art forms to convey and impart values attached
to these stories.

Mythological and Religious characters, scenes/events (Mythology and Religion).

Faith, beliefs, religious icons, gods and goddesses, all these are utilized as subjects of art. It
could be used to show beliefs and practices of religious organizations or practices that have
been handed down from generation to generation.

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 The Birth of Venus
Lorenzo de Medici, 1486
Uffizi Gallery, Italy

Historical events (History). These include memorable and significant events in

history.

American Civil War Philippine Revolution (google.com)

Still Life. These are inanimate objects arranged in an indoor setting like flower and
fruits arrangement, dishes on a dining table, pots and pans on a kitchen table, or musical
instruments and music sheets.

Aside from nature, everyday activities, religion, legend, mythology, and history as
sources of art subjects, artists also derive their subjects from the lives of saints, culture and
tradition, the Bible, dreams, and another works of art.