Lesson 5:

Subject and
Content in Art
“Sleeping
Venus”
Giorgione and
Titian (1510)

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 SUBJECT
❖ In almost all art forms– painting, sculpture,
photography, music, literature, theater, or dance.
❖ This serves as the foundation of the creation of the
work of art.
❖ Subject matter- most obvious aspect of an artwork. It
is what the work of art depicts or represents. It may
be a person/object/scene/event.
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 SUBJECT
❖ The subject matter of art should not be the basis for
judging works of art. It doesn’t mean that
representational arts are superior to non-
representational arts.
❖ What matters most in art is not the subject matter, but
how well the artist handles or presents that subject
matter in his/her work.
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 SUBJECT vs. CONTENT
❖ Subject matter- the literal, visible image in a work. It
is the subject of the artwork, (e.g., still life, portrait,
landscape
❖ Content- includes the connotative, symbolic, and
suggestive aspects of the image. It is not subject or
things in the work of art, but the communication of
ideas, feelings, and reactions connected with the
subject. 5
 “ Types of Visual Art According to
❖ There
Subject
are two basic types of Visual Art according to
the subject matter. These types are
REPRESENTATIONAL or FIGURATIVE ART and
NON-REPRESENTATIONAL or NON-OBJECTIVE ART.

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Representational / Figurative Art
• This aims to present actual objects or subjects from reality. They
are artworks which are based on images which can be found in the
objective world, or at least in the artist’s imagination.
• Subcategories under representational art include Realism,
Impressionism, Idealism and Stylization.
• All these represent actual subjects from reality.
• It is the oldest type of art; also the easiest to identify from a
viewer’s perspective.
• (e.g., Painting, sculpture, graphic arts, literature, and theater arts)
“Landscape with
The Fall of
Icarus”
Landscape with
The Fall of
Icarus(1555)

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Non-Representational/Non-Objective
Art
• Essentially, the artwork does not represent or depict a person,
place, or thing in a natural world.
• Usually, the content of the work is its color, shapes, brushstrokes,
size, scale, and process.
• The difference between abstract and non-objective art lies in the
subject matter chosen.
• If the artist begins with a subject from reality, the artwork is
considered to be abstract; if the artist is creating with no reference
to reality, then it is considered non-objective.
List of National Artists of the Philippines
Year Awardee Category
1972 Fernando C. Amorsolo Visual Arts -- Painting
1973 Francesca Reyes Aquino Dance
Carlos “Botong” V. Francisco Visual-Arts – Painting
Amado V. Hernandez Literature
Antonio J. Molina Music
Juan F. Nakpil Architecture
Guillermo E. Tolentino Visual Arts– Sculpture
Jose Garcia Villa Literature
1976 Napoleon V. Abueva Visual Arts– Sculpture
Leonor Orosa-Goquingco Dance
Lamberto V. Avellana Film and Theater
Nick Joaquin Literature
Jovita Fuentes Music
Victorio C. Edades Visual-Arts – Painting
Pablo Antonio Architecture
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List of National Artists of the Philippines
Year Awardee Category
1981 Vicente S. Manansala Visual Arts -- Painting
1982 Gerardo de Leon Film
Carlos P. Romulo Literature
1987 Honorata “Atang” de la Rama Theater and Music
1988 Antonino R. Buenaventura Music
Lucrecia Reyes Urtula Dance
1989 Lucrecia R. Kasilag Music
1990 Francisco Arcellana Literature
Cesar Legaspi Visual Arts -- Painting
Leandro V. Locsin Architecture
1991 Hernando R. Ocampo Visual Arts – Painting
Lucio D. San Pedro Music
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List of National Artists of the Philippines
Year Awardee Category
1997 Lino Brocka Film
Felipe Padilla de Leon Music
Wilfrido Ma. Guerrero Theater
Rolando S. Tinio Theater and Literature
N.V.M. Gonzalez Literature
Levi Celerio Music and Literature
Arturo R. Luz Visual Arts – Painting
Jose Maceda Music
Carlos Quirino Historical Literature
1999 J. Elizabeth Navarro Visual Arts – Painting
Ernani Joson Cuenco Music
Andrea O. Veneracion Music
Edith L. Tiempo Literature
Daisy Avellana Theater

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Thank you! ☺
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