Functions of Art

miss Luz Leal Ildefonso

Function: …. What is it for?

•The answer…

• … gives the function.

 Decorations are
related to the
The Saltcellar function of the
vessel

Woman
symbolizes
land & man Benvenuto Cellini
the sea (1500-1572)
(Neptune Saliera or
God of the Saltcellar,
sea) Kunsthistorisches
symbolizes Museum, Vienna
salt.
• The Cellini Salt Cellar is a part-enameled gold table sculpture by
Benvenuto Cellini. It was completed in 1543 for Francis I, King of
France, from models that had been prepared many years earlier for
Cardinal Ippolito d'Este.
• Artist: Benvenuto Cellini, Italian sculpture and goldsmith
• Created: 1543
• Period: Mannerism
• Genre: Kinetic art
• Location: Kunsthistorisches Museum, Vienna
• Dimensions: 26 cm × 33.5 cm (10 in × 13.2 in)
Stonehenge is a prehistoric monument
Stonehenge was with astronomical calculations and was used
1500BC.

The place
had some
ceremonial
or other
religious
purpose.
Stonehenge walkway
Stonehenge is located in Wiltshire, England, 2 miles
west of Amesbury and 8 miles north of Salisbury

Address: Amesbury, Salisbury SP4 7DE, UK

Construction started: 3100 BC
Height: Each standing stone was around 4.1 metres (13
ft) high
Materials: Sarsen, Bluestone
Art Functions can be classified into:

• 1. Functional (Motivated)
• e.g. Architecture, weaving and furniture
• making
• 2. Non Functional (Non- Motivated)
e.g. painting, sculpture, literature, music and
the theater arts.
Functional and Non-Functional Art

• Function plays a larger part in some arts than

in others.
• Metalwork such as gates, lamps, grills, Chinese
ritual bronzes, Christian religious objects,
armor, weapons, tools, and coins; ceramics;
glassware; stained glass; mosaic and tilework;
textiles; enamelwork; furniture; and books are
among the many types of applied arts.
Saint Mary’s University

Architecture
is directly
and almost
entirely
functional:
buildings
always built
for some
special
It is “a school” rather function.
than saying “a
building”
Stained glass

Intended
for
religious
instruction
Armor (Henry II of France weapon (XM-25)
Use as wall décor or divider
Mosaic Art
Ceramics

What
are
these
for?
Ceramic animal ceramics
• Applied arts (e.g. architecture), the function is
so important than the name of art
• It is used to identify individual works.
• Applied arts are known for their direct function;
like in painting, a poem, or a statue. We do not
speak of a building or a piece of ceramics or
metalwork; instead we say: “a school”, “a
Church” “a plate”, “a saucer”, “a suit of armor”.
Applied arts (e.g. architecture)
 Amorsolo:
Fruit
Pickers
under
the Mango
Tree

Painting is
least
functional
 Juan
Luna:
Spoliarium
Juan Luna’s Spoliarium
Picasso’s Guernica

Paintings
protest
against
abuses of
their
time.

Many paintings are with definite

purpose.
Daumier’s Rue Transnonain

Paintings
protest
against
abuses of
their time
Uncle Tom’s Cabin

purposely
written to
fight
slavery
and did
arouse
slavery
sentiment
before
the Civil
War.
• Oliver Wendell Holmes’
short poem ”Old Ironsides”
was written to protest a
naval order that the frigate
Constitution be destroyed.
• The ship was famous for its
exploits during the War in
1812.
“Aye, tear her
tattered ensign down!”
• Expository and argumentative writing is
indirectly functional insofar as it is designed to
accomplish some definite end.
• Newspaper stories and pictures are also
indirectly functional; they want to make the news
clear.
• All advertisements, whether in words or line and
color are functional and are designed to influence
people.
Function in Music
Music is Early
functional: people
dance and invoked
religion their
gods by
beating
a drum
and
singing

Music has been of paramount

importance in worship
Dance is also very ancient
Dance is …
Dance is …
Dance is …
Dance is …
Kalinga dance & costume
Ceremonial
dance
Function in Sculpture

Take a look at
Sculpture Michelangelo's
is much sculpture of
more David.
functional
than in
painting
or
literature
“Gates of Paradise” (Lorenzo Ghiberti)
 Religion has for ages
made great functional use
of Sculpture

Lorenzo Ghiberti
(1378-1455)
goldsmith,
sculpture and
painter East
Door “the Gate
of Paradise”
1425-1452
(Bronze, height
of door 16½ ft.
Florence
Baptistery,
The bronze doors are examples of photograph by
magnificent and faultless as Alnari/Scala)
claimed by Michaelangelo
 For commemoration

Functions of art …

Eero
Saarinen
(1910-1961)
American
architect,
“Gateway
Arch” 1965,
St Louis,
Missouri
(stainless For
steel plate commemorati
“skin” over
structural on purposes
steel
skeleton.
Height 630ft
at ground
level
 Functions of art …

The
Lincoln
Memorial
in
Washingt
on D.C.
 Functions of art …

• Factors Influencing Function in Architecture:

• 1. Climate
• 2. Social factors – those elements in
architecture determined by the people in
contrast to the forces of nature.
 Function influences and
Form Follows Function often determines the form
e.g. spoon, door keys, coin
Function and Beauty

The value of any work of art depends on

the work itself and being functional and
nonfunctional.

Architecture is always functional but may

not be superior or inferior to painting or
poetry, which are usually non functional.
In the evaluation of the two works of art, the
presence or absence of function, just like the
presence and absence of a subject, is a matter of no
consequence.

e.g. plays have subject but no function;

Cathedrals have function but no subject; symphonies
have neither subject nor function.
Functions of art …

Physiological
expression of art is a
state of consciousness
 Vincent Van
Gogh’s
paintings are
good sources
of
psychological
expression

The café terrace

place du Forum The Church at Auvers
Red Poppies
and Daisies

Vase with 15
Sunflowers
1. Personal Functions of Art

Take a look at
Michelangelo's
sculpture of
David.

Nude but not erotic

Hubert & Jan Van Eyck (1400 AD)

Nude
but
not
erotic

The crucifixion The Last Judgment

Functions of art …

Aesthetic expression
is either abstract
sum-based in nature,
or non-objective
where you can’t
make anything out
Functions of art …

Spiritual concern is spiritual

art.
The religious paintings usually
have a historical connection
and spirituality always
questions history.
Leonardo Da Vinci’s Last Supper
Functions of art …

Death and morbidity is

self explanatory.
This painting also
reminds us the
inevitability or is going
to happen.
Functions of art …

Love, sex and

relationships are not
always the nude
paintings in art, but
can also be the
mother’s love for her
son.
2. The Social Functions of Art

• Art has a social function when it

addresses aspects of (collective) life, as
opposed to one person's point of view or
experience.
2. The Social Functions of Art

• Social function - 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.
The Social Functions of Art

• Arts are intended or used for public display

and celebration.

• Arts are used to affect the collective

behavior.
 3. The Physical ​Functions of Art
(Utilitarian)

Paintings and buildings can both be

symbols, but buildings also serve a
physical function. Many objects have
both physical and aesthetic duties.
Memorial
Women
gleaners