ART AS AHUMANISTIC

DISCIPLINE

ALAN C. DENATE
History of Art as a Humanistic Discipline
The history of the concept (‘Humanitas’ -
Humanism - Humanities)
II. The object of study & steps (humanities /
natural sciences)
III. The material of study (natural
phenomena / works of art)
IV. Methods of interpretation / explanation
(humanities / natural sciences)
V. Why humanities?
‘Humanitas’ - Humanism - Humanities
‘humanitas’ has had two clearly distinguishable
meanings:
1. Man and what is less than man (animality)

2. Man and what is more than man (divinity)

‘humanism’: ambivalence bow rationality / freedom
and fallibility / frailty results in the humanistic
postulate of responsibility and tolerance as human
values
History of Art as a Humanistic Discipline (II)
I.The history of the concept
II.The object of study and steps
humanities
tradition, records of the past, historical facts
(documents, structures)
examination of records
“the cosmos of culture”
II.The object of study and steps
humanities
tradition, records of the past, historical facts
(documents, structures)
examination of records
“the cosmos of culture”
III. The material of study (What is a work of art?)
–Issue of artistic / authorial ‘intention’ and its rootedness in a particular historical
period (objects are conditioned by the standards of their period and
environment)
–Our interpretation of intentions are biased by our own attitude which is based
on our own individual experiences and historical situation
History of Art as a Humanistic Discipline (IV)
IV. Methods of interpretation / explanation
humanities / natural sciences
–Scientists deal with natural phenomena (explanation in terms of objective,
repeatable examination of physical reality)
–Humanists deal with human actions and creations (explanation is intuitive
aesthetic re-creation + reconstruction; mentally needs to re-enact the actions and
re-create the creations )
History of Art as a Humanistic Discipline (V)
V. Why humanities?
–If humanities are not practical, because they concern themselves with the past,
why should we engage in such impractical investigations, and why should we be
interested in the past?
–Because: It is impossible to conceive of our world in terms of action alone:
reality involves interpretation of reality the moment one thinks it; contemplation
of reality not at the surface
OBJECTIVES:
•Recognize and describe humanistic, historical, or artistic works
within problems and patterns of the human experience.
• Distinguish, demonstrate competency, and apply terminologies,
methodologies, processes, epistemologies, and traditions specific to
the discipline(s).
•Perceive and understand formal, conceptual, and technical
elements specific to the discipline.
• Analyze, evaluate, and interpret texts, objects, events, or ideas in
their cultural, intellectual, linguistic, or historical contexts.
• Interpret artistic and/or humanistic works through the creation of
art or performance.
• Develop critical perspectives or arguments about the subject
matter, grounded in evidence-based analysis.
• Demonstrate self-reflection, intellectual elasticity, widened
perspective, and respect for diverse viewpoints
ACTIVITIES/ ASSESSMENT:
The approach to this situation is not going to be one-size-
fits-all. Every single art teacher has a unique situation
and different student body they are trying to reach.
Keeping that in mind, you, as the educator, will have to
develop ways to plan and facilitate learning in a way
that meets your specific situation. To help ease the pain
of trying to figure out what to teach to your students at
home, we’ve created a list of ideas to help inspire your
planning. As you look at these ideas, keep in mind the
circumstances of your students, and make adaptations to
serve your students best.
 Alternate Paint Ideas

Unfortunately, many students will not have access to paint at home. Consider
using this as a time for exploration to introduce students to new types of
paint. Challenge students to think about what natural materials they might
have, much like the people creating cave art might have used.  Try some of
these homemade paint options:
•Painting with coffee
•Fruit and vegetable paint
•Paint made with spices
•Food coloring water colors
•Found Object Color Wheel: Using the objects found throughout one’s home,
have students collect as many colored objects as they can to create a color
wheel. It will become a fun challenge to see how many different objects in
different hues one can find at their home.
 In one of your encounters with art through museums visits, musicals, and
plays, among others, have you ever felt disconnected from an artwork? Was there
a point in time when you did not understand what message the art was trying to
convey ? If yes, write the name of the artwork in the box and attach an image of
the artwork, If possible. Explain why you did not understand the art using the
space provided on the next page.