LECTURE 2

Art Appreciation and

the Human Faculties

DR. ALLAN C. ORATE, UE

DR. ALLAN C. ORATE, UE
OBJECTIVES
a. Define art appreciation.
b. Relate the study of art to the fields of philosophy and psychology.
c. Examine the human faculties as basis for the appreciation of art.
d. Analyze works of art according to four levels: perceptual elements,
representations, emotional suggestions, and intellectual meaning.
e. Make an artwork that shows the four levels of analysis.
f. Evaluate the merit or demerit of works of art based on the concept
of art as reality.
g. Apply the concept of art as reality to the Renaissance style of art,
cubism, de stilj, and ready-made art.

DR. ALLAN C. ORATE, UE

READINGS
2.1 Gombrich, Ernest (1960). “Pygmalion’s Power,” excerpt
from Art and Illusion: A Study on the Psychology of Pictorial
Representation, pp. 80-83.
2.2. Orate, Allan (2000). “Art and Perception of the World,” in UE
Today, Vol. 12, No. 2., pp. 7-8 & 14.

VIDEOS
2.1. “What is art for? Alain de Botton’s Animated Guide,” (2015).
In https:// www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZVlQOyt FCRI.
2.2. “What is the Treachery of Images,” in https:// www.you
tube.com/watch? v=atH QpANmHCE.

DR. ALLAN C. ORATE, UE

LECTURES

2.1. Art and the Human Faculties

2.2. The Process of Art Appreciation

2.3. Art and the Perception of Reality

DR. ALLAN C. ORATE, UE

 LECTURE 2.1
Art and the
Human Essence

DR. ALLAN C. ORATE, UE

DR. ALLAN C. ORATE, UE
 Who am I?
THE BASIC QUESTION
IN THE HUMANITIES
 Who am I?
“I am a human being.”
 What is a
human being?
 THE
HUMAN
ESSENCE

Leonardo, Vitruvian Man, 1490

???
DR. ALLAN C. ORATE, UE
THREE HUMAN FACULTIES

MIND REASON THINKING

WILL EMOTION FEELING

SENSES PERCEPTION SENSING

Eyes Sensation Seeing
Ears Hearing
Nose Smelling
Tongue Tasting
Skin Touching
Imagination Imagining

Plato admits three parts, forms, or powers of the soul, perhaps

even three distinct souls: the intellect (noûs), the nobler
affections (thumós), and the appetites or passions
(epithumetikón).
DR. ALLAN C. ORATE, UE
ANALYSIS OF ART BASED ON THE
THREE HUMAN FACULTIES

LEVEL OF THE SENSES

1. PERCEPTUAL ELEMENTS
Sense-Data: Lines, Color, Shapes, etc.
2. REPRESENTATIONS
Things, People, Objects, Events

LEVEL OF THE WILL

3. EMOTIONAL SUGGESTIONS
Happy, Sad, Afraid etc.

LEVEL OF THE MIND

4. INTELLECTUAL MEANING
Ideas, Concepts, Symbolism
DR. ALLAN C
Art It came from the Latin word “ars/artis” which means to do or
man made;

It is a medium of expression because through arts we express

our ideas, emotions, feelings, without using words;

Creative activity which involves skill or expertness in

handling materials and organizing them into a new.
Different classifications of Art
I. By the Audience
- focus on how audience classified arts

1. Performing Arts- something an artist used body as a medium.

An art form that is moving from one place to another.

Example: play, movies, live music, movies/TV, operas,

mime, puppetry, acrobatic, dance, and ballet

2. Visual Arts- usually exist in two dimensional form and stay in

one place. Something that we see and hear.

Example: painting, photography, drawing, films,

sculpture, engraving, wooden materials, silk screen,
cartoon, stained glass, mosaic, and stage setting.
 Elements of Art
I. Color (Hue) - gives meaning, value, intensity and saturation to
an object. It has series of wave lengths which strikes our retina.
Example of Color and its meaning
Color Meaning
Black - Death, despair, gloom, sorrow,
Blue - Infinity, Freedom, Calmness,
Brown - Humility
Green - Nature, Freshness, Prosperity, Hope, Money
Orange - Sweetness, Cheerfulness,
Pink - Feminity, love,
Red - Bravery, Energy, Passion, War, Warm
Violet - Royalty, Dull
White - Purity, Clarity, Simplicity, Virginity, Peace
Yellow - Joyful, Life, Vibrant, Sunshine, Happiness
II. Line - one or two dimensional art that indicates direction,
orientation, movement, and energy. It is considered as the oldest,
simplest, universal element.

Direction of Line
a. Vertical line- basic framework of all forms, power & delimination,
strength, stability, simplicity, and efficiency.
b. Horizontal line- creates an impression of serenity and perfect
stability. Rest, calmness, peace, and reposed.
c. Diagonal line- it shows movement and instability. Portrays
movement action.
d. Jog line- it shows violence, zigzag, confusion, and conflict.
e. Curve line- it shows a gradual change of direction and
fluidity. It signifies subtle form.
III. Medium - it denotes the means of artists to express his ideas, it
pertains to materials used to express feelings through art.

IV. Rhythm- pattern, arrangement of lines, color, synchronization

or connection of path that suggest gracefulness.

V. Style- the typical expressing and training of artist and outlook

in life.

VI. Structure- surface and quality of object either real or made to

be appeared real. It gives variety and beauty on art.

VI. Shape - the enclosed space defined by other elements of

art. shapes may take on the appearance of two-d or
three- objects.
 Principles of Art

• Emphasis – the composition refers to developing points of interest to

pull the viewer's eye to important parts of the body of the work.

• Balance – it is a sense of stability in the body of work. It can be

created by repeating same shapes and by creating a feeling of equal
weight.

• Harmony – achieved in a body of work by using similar elements

throughout the work, harmony gives an uncomplicated look to your
work.

• Variety – refers to the differences in the work, you can

achieve variety by using difference shapes, textures, colors
and values in your work.
• Movement – adds excitement to your work by showing action and
directing the viewers eye throughout the picture plane.

• Rhythm – a type of movement in drawing and painting. It is seen in

repeating of shapes and colors. Alternating lights and darks also give
a sense of rhythm.

• Proportion or scale – refers to the relationships of the size of objects

in a body of work. Proportions give a sense of size seen as a
relationship of objects. such as smallness or largeness.

• Unity – is seen in a painting or drawing when all the parts

equal a whole. Your work should not appear disjointed or
confusing.
 Mondrian,
Composition with
Red, Yellow and
Blue, 1924

VISUAL ELEMENTS
COLORS: Red, Yellow,
Blue, White, Black

SHAPES: Rectangles,
Square

LINES: Straight,
Horizontal and Vertical

DR. ALLAN C. ORATE, UE

Amorsolo
Winnowing VISUAL ELEMENTS
Rice, 1957 COLOR
SHAPES
LINES

REPRESENTATIONS
PEOPLE:
Woman
Farmers
ANIMALS:
Chicken
Carabao
THINGS:
Trees
Nipa Hut
Sky
Clouds
Mountain
EVENTS
Winnowing
Planting
DR. ALLAN C. Cooking
ORATE, UE
 Munch
The Scream
1893

VISUAL ELEMENTS
COLORS, SHAPES, LINES

REPRESENTATIONS
PEOPLE, THINGS, EVENTS

EMOTIONAL SUGGESTION
FEAR OR TERROR: Shown by the
facial expression of the woman,
and by the curving lines of red,
yellow, orange of the sky
DR.
DR. ALLAN
ALLAN C.
C. ORATE,
ORATE, UE
UE
 Steenweck,
The Vanities
of Human
Life 1645

VISUAL ELEMENTS
COLORS, etc.

REPRESENTATIONS
THINGS, etc.

EMOTIONS SUGGESTIONS
SADNESS

INTELLECTUAL MEANINGS
CONCEPTS, IDEAS, SYMBOLS
 VISUAL ELEMENTS COLORS, etc.

REPRESENTATIONS
THINGS, etc.

EMOTIONS SUGGESTIONS
SADNESS

INTELLECTUAL MEANINGS
CONCEPTS, IDEAS, SYMBOLS

Allegory of the Vanities of

Human Life
(1640) National Gallery, London.
By Harmen van Steenwyck, who
specialized in vanitas painting,
a form of Christian art that used
symbols to convey a moral
message.
 INTELLECTUAL MEANING: Ideas, Concepts and Symbols in Art

From the Book

of Ecclesiastes
in the Bible

MEMENTO MORI
Reflecting about
Death

Stynweck
The Vanities
of Human Life
1645
 Each item in the painting has a symbolic meaning. The
Skull is a memento mori - a cautionary reminder that even for
the wealthiest citizen, there is no escaping the inevitability of
death, and heavenly judgment. The chronometer also signifies
the passing of time. The shell, being a rare collector's item, is a
symbol of earthly wealth (as is the purple silk fabric), while the
books and the musical instruments symbolize human
knowledge. All these elements symbolize futile quests for
earthly riches or the vanity of knowledge. The Samurai sword,
representing military power, is included to show that even the
might of arms cannot defeat death. Steenwyck (Harmen Evertz
Steenwyck) also employs a striking compositional device to
reinforce the symbolic meaning of the painting and enhance
the dramatic tone of the work: he depicts a beam of light (a
Christian symbol of the eternal) falling onto the skull (the
principal reminder of human mortality), thus emphasizing the
gulf between earthly decay and the eternity of heaven.
LIGHT Optimism SHELL Wealth SKULL Death DARK Pessimism
Hope
God MUSICAL CLOCK Time
INSTRUMENTS
Beauty LAMP End of Life

HELMET Power SAMURAI Suicide

JAR Celebration

BOOK Knowledge
 "Do not store up for
yourselves treasures on
earth, where moth and
rust destroy... [instead]
...store up for yourselves
treasures in heaven,
where moth and rust do
not destroy." (Gospel of
Matthew 6:18-21)
DR. ALLAN C. ORATE, UE
 DUST IN THE WIND
Composed by Kerry Livgren
Sung by The Kansas, 1977
The meaning of
the lyrics is based I close my eyes, only for a moment and the moment's gone.
on the verse from All my dreams pass before my eyes, a curiosity.
the Bible, Genesis
Dust in the wind, all they are is dust in the wind.
3:19: “You are
from dust, and
into dust you Same old song, just a drop of water in an endless sea.
shall return.” All we do crumbles to the ground though we refuse to see.
Dust in the wind ,all we are is dust in the wind.

Now, don't hang on, nothing lasts forever but the earth and sky.
It slips away, and all your money won't another minute buy.
Dust in the wind, all we are is dust in the wind.
Dust in the wind, everything is dust in the wind.
.

DR. ALLAN C. ORATE, UE

 LESSON 2.2
The Process of
Art Appreciation

DR. ALLAN C. ORATE, UE

DR. ALLAN C. ORATE, UE
 Video 2.1

What is
art for?
 ART
APPRECIATION
 ART APPRECIATION

APPRECIATION

PERSON as WORK OF ART

spectator/viewer as object
 ART APPRECIATION
Positive Wow!
perceptual Sense-Data and Representation

emotional Feelings
intellectual Meanings

response to Communication and Reaction

the beauty Value that delights

of artworks Painting, Sculpture, Music

Wow!
or
Yak!
Which art do you appreciate most?
 LECTURE 2.3
Art and the
Perception of Reality

DR. ALLAN C. ORATE, UE

DR. ALLAN C. ORATE, UE
ART is . . .
 talent
skill
passion
emotion
idea

ART is . . .
truth
reality
goodness
beauty
form
expression
representation
power
 Art is
reality.
What is
this?
Who is
this?

zack efron
Who is
this?

ariana grande
 Leonardo,
The Mona Lisa,
1501

RENAISSANCE ART

Does this
art look real?
 Picasso,
The Weeping
Woman,
1924

CUBISM

Does this
art look real?
Which art looks more real?
You see only
the front view
of the woman.
You see many
views of the
woman.
Which art looks more real?
 Mondrian,
Composition
with Red,
Yellow and Blue,
1924

CONCRETISM

Does this
art look real?
You see red,
yellow and blue.
Which art looks most real?
 Malevich,
White on
White,
1917

SUPREMATISM

Does this art

look real?
You see
white on
white.
Which art looks most real?
 Fajardo,
From Rags
to Riches
1984

READY
MADE
ART

Does this
art look real?
Judy Sibayan, Rags to Riches
 You the
Judy Sibayan, Rags to Riches object itself.
 Duchamp,
The Fountain
(Urinal), 1917
Which art looks most real of all?
 Art seen as
representational image

Art seen as abstract image

but still representational

ART AND
Art seen as form composed
REALITY of shapes, colors etc.

Art seen as
pure form

Art seen as the

object itself
 Matisse,
Portrait of
Mrs. Matisse

This is not a
blue woman!
This is a blue
painting!
What is
this?

This is not a chair.

This is a painting!

Van Gogh,
Chair with
a Pipe
 Cover of Screen
Magazine, 2012.

Who is
this?

This is not Zack Efron.

This is a picture!
Picasso, Marie Therese Picasso, Dora Maar Picasso, Jacqueline with
Walter 1937 with Cat, 1941 Crossed Hands 1941
 Burnt-Jones
Pygmalion
1878

“A moment of complete
happiness never occurs in the
creation of a work of art. The
promise of it is felt in the act of
creation, but disappears towards
the completion of the work. For
it is then that the painter realizes
that it is only a picture he is
painting. Until then he has
almost dared to hope that the
painting might spring into life.”
Lucian Freud, from Gombrich
(1960), Art and Illusion, p. 80.
 Rene Magritte
The Treachery
of Images

Video 2.2

THIS IS NOT A PIPE

ACTIVITY AND
ASSESMENT

DR. ALLAN C. ORATE, UE

DR. ALLAN C. ORATE, UE
a. Group activity: Make an artwork out of the given materials, according to
the following instructions:

Group 1. Cut the yellow art paper, making a rectangle 1 x 1.5 inches. Paste
this yellow rectangle in the black cartolina, in landscape orientation, exactly
in the position 6 inches from the top side and 8 inches from the right side.
Group 2. In landscape orientation, cut the yellow cartolina horizontally
measuring 8 inches from the top side. Paste the yellow cartolina on top of the
black cartolina.
Group 3. Cut the brown art paper making a rectangle measuring 1 x 2 inches.
Paste the brown rectangle at the center of blue cartolina in landscape
orientation.
Group 4. In landscape orientation, cut the yellow cartolina in half. Paste the
yellow cartolina on top of the orange cartolina. Cut the brown art paper,
making an isosceles triangle measuring 2 inches on each side. Paste the
brown triangle along the line of yellow and orange cartolina 10 inches from
the left.
b. Analyze the visual elements, the representation, the emotional suggestions
DR. ALLAN
and the intellectual meanings of the artwork. Write your analysis onC. ORATE,
your pad
DR.
UE ALLAN C. ORATE, UE
paper.
 RUBRICS FOR ACTIVITY 2
Needs
Excellent Good Fair
CRITERIA Improvement
(10-12 points) (7-9 points) (4-6 points)
(1-3)

All members actively All members Some members did The group does
Group
participated in the participated in the not participate in not show any
Participation
activity, and the activity, but the group the activity, and the collaboration and
and
group collaborated does not show a group collaboration participation
Collaboration
harmoniously. unified collaboration. is not harmonious at all

The artwork is not The artwork is

The artwork is very The artwork looks
Aesthetic pleasing to look not pleasing to
pleasing to see, and pleasing, but does
Value and at, and many see, and all
it abides with all the not follow some
instructions instructions are instruction are
instructions. instructions.
not followed. not followed

The group analyzes The group analyzes The group analyzes The group
the artwork the artwork the artwork analyzes the
Analysis
correctly in all correctly in only correctly in only
DR. ALLAN C. artwork
ORATE,correctly
UE
four levels. three levels. two levels. in only one level.