CHAPTER 1

ART APPRECIATION

Learning Outcomes
1. State the importance of art;
2. Differentiate art history from art appreciation;
3. Clarify misconceptions about art; differentiate art from nature;
4. Characterize the assumptions of art; and
5. Categorize works of art citing personal experiences.

This chapter introduces the importance of arts as part or component of our dynamic civilization and art as an
essential form of expression and communication in our daily existence. The meaning of art covers its etymological
to modern definition and how man sees it variably and relatively from person, time, and place. The assumptions
tackle the principles and sources of appreciating art and establish the margin and boundary of the responsibility
and duty in fulfilling what man is capable of doing.

THE IMPORTANCE OF ART

The art is indescribable to define and difficult to gather into a conceptual net, but we would probably agree
that the arts enhance daily experiences. Art is all around us, being universal as it can be found in all cultures. We
are certain that we do not want to be without the arts, yet we are pushed to define them and sometimes even to
understand them. Art has particular that we receive through our senses have a purpose, as well as expression; they
occupy some place in our judgement.
These days, art plays a vital part in developing the intellect of the younger generation to build up a positive
character and appreciate natural aesthetics. An artistically tending student has a constructive turn of mind and
artistic ways in every work he or she performs. Above all, such a student steadily developed unbiased, responsive
and inventive mind full of creativity and dormant talent.
In this period of advanced technology know-how and modernization, art is of vital magnitude. We fight
back to stabilize our lives while trying to maintain the swiftness of the frenzied pace of living. Students who rise
up with artistic awareness perceive the world from diverse viewpoints. This understanding shapes their behaviors,
interpersonal and intrapersonal communication and performances. The artistic awareness is above any
methodologies or approaches. The milieu in which each child dwells, grows up, and functions is distinctive and
cannot be comprehensive. Creative sensibilities are to be developed and encourages at home, at school, in society,
and finally, in the world, which plays a major role.
In general, there is no debating the belief that the arts have never been more important to our society and
should be fully integrated into our lives, our community and education as a whole.
MEANING OF ARTS
The word “art” is rooted in the 13th century French word art, which means skill as a result of learning or
practice and the word ars, meaning ability or practical skills.
The word art covers many meanings including ability, process, and product. As ability, art is the human
capacity to make things of beauty and things that stir us; it is creativity. As process with art encompasses acts,
such as drawings, painting, sculpting, designing buildings, singing, dancing, and using the camera to create images
and memorable works. As product, art is completed work an etching, sculpture, structure, a musical composition,
choreography, or a tapestry.
Art concerns itself with the communication of certain ideas and feelings by means of sensuous medium
color, sound, bronze, body, words, and film. This medium is fashion into a symbolic language mark by beauty of
the design and coherence of form. It appears to our mind, arouses our emotions, kindles imagination and chance
our senses. (Machlis, 1963).
Many known personalities define art in a various ways. According to Plato, “Art is that which brings life in
harmony with beauty of the world”. For John Dewey, “Art is an attitude of spirit, a state of mind – one that
demands for its own satisfaction and fulfilling, a shaping of matter to new and more significant form”. For Oscar
Wilde, “Art is the most intense mode of individualism that the world has known”, and for Elbert Hubbard, “Art is
not a thing- it is a way”. From the various definition above, art has for essentials.
Four (4) Common Essential of Arts:
1. Art has to be manmade.
2. Art must be creative not imitative.
3. Art must benefit and satisfy man.
4. Art is expressed thru a certain medium or material by which the artist communicates himself to his
audiences.
ART HISTORY
It is the study of objects or works of art in their historical development and stylistic contexts, i.e., genre,
design, format, and style. This includes the “major” arts of painting, sculpture, and architecture, as well as the
“minor” arts of ceramics, furniture, and any other decorative objects. It is in the study of objects of arts in their
historical development and stylistic contents, formats, and design that we may able to understand the purpose of
the work of art and appreciate it.
The humanities course is anchored on a strong foundation in the arts and sciences which aims to promote
an awareness of the inter relationships of old fields of knowledge (Encyclopedia Americana, 1986). Today, we
know of the humanities as a loosely defined group of cultural subject areas, which we refer to us the arts. It is in
the study of the humanities where appreciation of the art is given emphasis. Artists, convey their thoughts, beliefs,
values, feelings and relations through the various fields of art which can be visual, popular, literary, gustatory,
decorative and performing. The humanities and art appreciation over the basic knowledge of each students need,
be it an academic requirement or merely an experience of life.
Just like the artist we also communicate through our paintings, songs, body movements, films and drama to
highlight and enhance certain events and keep them memorable and pleasurable. We also build monuments and
statues to remind us of the heroic deeds of great men.
 Artworks are valuable, sources of inspiration, and aesthetic and delightful experiences. We can be
mesmerized by the dance we watched, delighted by the books we read, and move by the music with heir. We also
get deep satisfaction from them. We may enjoy the masterpiece of a painting, a sculpture or a play because it may
capture our attention. We are inspired to plan and construct stunning houses when we are inspired by modern
architectural design.
Creativity is an artist trait developed in the course of once life to solve the problems or express his feelings.
His continuing reactions the emerging conditions of the nature and social life gives birth to new idea and new
methods. These in turn he uses to overcome difficulties, which in the process of confrontation with reality, give
the solution to a vision create art and activate social transformation.
The method of creativeness is composed of the artist, being the prime mover, his thoughts, communicated
through the performer, and the audience as his judge. Each participates dynamically in the artistic process.
Through exposure to the artists’ works, we get a glimpse of the thoughts, feelings, beliefs and relations of
the people in their time and the events that happened in their environment that may have influenced their artworks.
Our encounter with the arts, may also result in our valuing and appreciation of beautiful things. Out of the
aesthetic experiences we derived from the arts, we may be influenced to change our habits and behaviors. They
may transform into highly cultured, dignified and upright human beings. The arts may beautify our humanity.
This explains the modern definition of the humanities, which refers to the Arts that bring out the good and
noble in us. Through the arts, we come to know and understand the changing image of man as he journeys across
time, searches of the reality, and strives achieved the ideals that create the meaning of life.
Appreciation in the humanities is being able to look at a work of art and form a wise opinion of the work.
It is also having the knowledge, background, and understanding of the universal and timeless qualities that
comprise all works of art. Art appreciation, therefore, deals with the learning or understanding and creating
artworks and enjoying them.
ASSUMPTIONS OF ART
There are principles and bases of appreciating a work of art since it is in art that man can communicate ones
individuality and way of life.
ART IS UNIVERSAL
Art is everywhere; wherever men have lived together, art is sprung up among them as a language charge with
feelings and significance. The desire to create this language appears to be general, and art as a cultural force can be
pervasive and potent. Arts has no limit, and it rises above cultures, races, and civilization. It is timeless because it
goes beyond the time of our existence.
ART IS NOT NATURE.
Art is manmade; it is a creation of man utilizing his thoughtful skill and artistry, which undergoes process and
planning. Art is artificial because it is just an imitation or even appropriation of reality and nature. It is
representation of ideas, thoughts, and feelings that are communicated in creative and artistic ways. Art is created
by God is divine, and arts is created by man is superficial or temporary. Works of arts is made by artists to adore
the wonders of life and the beauty of God’s creation.
Art can never be natural because it is momentary in the constant transformation of change; I does not change by
itself unless manipulated by its creator, which is man. Artists could make aby work of art. But they definitely
could not form nature. From man’s experiences, we cannot even compare Art with Nature because it is something
mysterious, and it is made by the Divine Providence whose depth and mystery is beyond human understanding.
ART INVOLVES EXPERIENCE.
Art is depiction of our experiences. It demands taking part. Art involves laying of pigments, moldings of clay,
chipping of marble, casting of bronze, constructing of building, signing of songs, playing roles on stage, acting
and going through rhythmic movements in a dance. Every art does something with some physical material, the
body or something outside the body; thus, the only way to find conviction and assertion is through immersion in
the Arts. We can only appreciate art if we spend time to look at it, listen to it, touch it, and feel its presence.

FUNCTIONS OF ART
1. Personal
It is being used to provide comfort, happiness, and convenience to human beings. The artist tries to
express his personal feelings through the artwork.

Artists paint a mural along Session Road in Baguio City

(Philippine Star, 2021)

2. Social
Art is used for public display and celebration; it is used to affect collective behavior. It bridges
connection among people. Art conveys sense of family, community, or civilization.

Attending the Panagbenga Festival (Turista Boy, 2023)

https://turistaboy.com/panagbenga-2023-schedule-of-activities/
 3. Cultural Function
Art helps preserve, share and transmit culture of people from one generation to another.

https://www.baguiomidlandcourier.com.ph/rebirth-of-panagbenga-grandeur-seen-in-2023/

Panagbenga Cultural Parade 2023

4. Aesthetic Function
Art becomes influential for man to be aware of the beauty of nature. Aesthetic is when there is the real
feelings of appreciation to nature’s beauty and are manifested through appreciation and enjoyment when in
contact with the artwork.

Panagbenga Float Parade 2023 (Carlito Dar, 2023)

https://pia.gov.ph/news/2023/02/23/panagbenga-2023-grand-street-dancing-float-parades-all-set-on-feb-25-26

5. Spiritual Function
An artist may create a work of art to reinforce the religious or spiritual support of a culture.

BASIC PHILOSOPHICSAL PERSPECTIVE OF ART

1. Art as mimesis (Plato) – According to him, art is an imitation of the real that was an imitation of the ideal.
Art is an imitation of an imitation.

2. Art as representation (Aristotle) – According to him, the aim of art is not to represent the outward
appearance of things but their inward significance.
 3. Art for art’s sake (Kant) – that art has its own reason for being. It implies that an art object is best
understood as an autonomous creation to be valued only for its success as it organizes color and line into a
formally satisfying and beautiful whole.

4. Art as an escape – The ceremony of doing or creating art touches the deepest realms of the mind and the
sacred dimension of the artistic creative process. The sacred level of art not only transforms something into
art but also transforms the artist at the very core of his or her being.

5. Art as functional – Art serves a function. Art is meant to be used, to enrich lives to be spiritually potent to
educate, to support or protest existing power structures, to entertain, and so on.

CATEGORIES / CLASSIFICATIONS OF ART

1. Visual Arts (2D, 3D)
a. Painting – it is the application of pigment (color) on any flat two-dimensional surfaces.
b. Sculpture – it is the carving, modelling, casting, constructing, and assembling of materials and
objects into primarily three-dimensional works of art
c. Architecture – it is the art and science of planning, designing, and constructing buildings and
nonbuilding structures of human shelter or use (3D).

2. Performing/ Combined Arts

a. Music – is n art form and cultural activity whose medium is sound organized in time.
b. Dance – is the movement of the body in a rhythmic way, usually to music and within a given
space for the purpose of expressing an idea or emotion.
c. Film – is also called movie or motion picture, is a series of still images that when shown on a
screen creates an illusion of moving images.
d. Theater – is a collaborative form of art that uses live performers, typically actors or actresses,
to present the experience of a real or imagined event before a live audience in a specific place,
often a stage.
e. Literary – is concentrating the writing, study or content of literature, especially of the kind
valued for quality of form.
f. Performance poetry – is poetry specifically composed for or during a performance before an
audience rather than on print mostly open to improvisation.
3. Digital Art
It is the art that is made with the assistance of electronic devices, or intended be displayed on a
computer, which is the most important element in digital art.
4. Applied Arts
Are the application of design and decoration to everyday objects to make them aesthetically
pleasing.
a. Fashion design – is the art of applying design, aesthetics, and natural beauty to clothing and its
accessories.
b. Furniture design – is a specialized field where function and fashion collide.
c. Interior design – is enhancing the interior of a building to achieve a healthier and more
aesthetically pleasing environment for the people using the space.
d. Graphic design – it is an artistic process of effective communication. Designers combine
words, images, and symbols to create a visual representation of ideas.