Fine Arts and Functional Art

Introduction
Historical background for these categories
A single glance at the art historical development from
Prehistoric Period till the advent of Modern period will
make it clear that art has been an integral part of the
understanding of the world and development of religion,
culture, process of nation formation in human history. It
was never considered as separate then the other aspect
of life. Art in those times was considered to be more a
skilled work and thus the appreciation of those art forms
was related to the other aspect of the life. So there was
no distinction between arts, fine art, functional art,
design and so on.
It is only with advent of industrialization when
every labour was valued in money that the
distinction between something which can be valued
and something which is beyond the capacity of
monetary value was discussed. Aestheticians like
Immanuel Kant, Hegel (18th Century A.D.) were
among the first ones who stressed that the beauty
of art is related to ‘disinterested pleasure’, genius,
mind, Idea, freedom of expression, creativity,
originality.
There the art is not created for any monetary purpose
but it is an expression of the human being’s basic
existence. Therefore it is Fine Art. Kant was the first one
who distinguished Fine Art from Craft, Fine Arts from
Science.

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In later period the categories of art got more specified in
relation with the skill, presence and absence of human
figure, Ideation, progressive approach and glorification of
the art and artist. Thus it established the whole concept
of Modern art and in turn modernism in cultural field.
This distinction was very much Eurocentric only with the
spread of western education system this distinction was
introduced in the other countries like India, China, Japan,
Africa, West Asia, Latin American countries.

What is Fine Arts

Oxford Dictionary definition of Fine Arts is “ [mass
noun] (also fine arts) creative art, especially visual
art whose products are to be appreciated primarily
or solely for their imaginative, aesthetic, or
intellectual content.”

From 17th century onward this definition of fine arts has

been in vogue. Fine arts was always related to the
aesthetical quality in Modern Period, as it was strongly
believed that the perception of aesthetic qualities
required a refined judgment usually referred to as having
good taste, which differentiated fine art from popular art
and entertainment.

Meaning of the word ‘Fine’ fine arts has more

relation to the purity of the art practice not to the
quality of the art work. The term ‘fine’ in fine arts is
related more to the ‘final purpose’ which all the
aesthetician has argued that is the ‘Object of Art’ itself. It
is that object which is the end product of the aesthetic

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experience which is presented to the world only for the
appreciation.

In education system ‘Fine Arts’ means a study of

professional field of art. Under which a student will
learn about the professional artists, advanced skills,
execution of these skills through the conceptual
understanding of art in general. This they will attend
through the rigorous practice and understanding of the
History of art and development of faculty of appreciation
of their own field.

Different types of Fine Arts

The term first appeared in 1767 as a translation of the
French word ‘Beaux Art’ which included the limited art
forms, mainly visual arts like painting, sculpture, and
printmaking. In France, in the mid-seventeenth century,
the term “beaux art” was first used by writers such as
Charles Perrault and Abbé Batteaux, while it was not until
1880 when the word “art” made its first appearance in an
English dictionary. Historically Fine Arts included
broadly five forms of art “Painting, Sculpture,
Architecture, Music and Poetry” including the dance
and theatre also. Dance and theatre were considered to
be the extension of the music and poetry only.
Hegel was the philosopher who first time divided these
art forms in relation to the concept of ‘Space and Time’.
He particularly mentions that Painting, architecture,
sculpture mainly visual art forms exist in space where as
the art form like music, poetry exist in time. After Hegel
this concept the Fine Arts in divided into two
categories i.e. Visual Arts and Performing Arts.

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Later with the advent of psychology and gestalt
theories the field of Fine Arts got connected to the
three types of Memories i.e. visual memory, word
memory and sound memory. Thus the categories
formed are:
Visual Art – Visual Memory
Literature – Word Memory
Music – Sound Memory
Dance/ theatre – Synthesis of all these memories
With technical development and other conceptual
developments in arts now Fine Arts include various forms
of art, these are:
1. Painting
2. Drawing
3. Sculpture
4. Printmaking
5. Mosaics
6. Calligraphy
7. Pottery
8. Photography
9. Art History
10. Art Education
11. Digital Art
12. Video Art

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 13. Performance Art
14. Music
15. Dance
16. Theatre
17. Architecture

Characteristics of Fine Arts

Creativity
As above discussed the basic quality of Fine Arts has
to be creativity, that is the basic requirement which
helps a person to perceive and direct them towards
expression. Creativity helps artists to generate new
idea, and develop a new language to express
oneself. Creativity is also related to uniqueness of
the expression and originality of the idea. Therefore
creativity is discussed as an act, idea or product that
changes an existing value system.

Imagination
As the field of fine arts is related to the creation of
an image thus imagination becomes the basic
aspect of fine arts. In Fine arts image is created
through words, sound, body movements, lines, colours
and so on. For this one has to have a capacity to imagine
and develop a language beyond the imitation of the
nature. Thus here the meaning of Imagination is the
process of image creation, selection and execution.

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It is best said by Wordsworth (famous British
Romantic Poet) that, “Poetry is the spontaneous
overflow of powerful Imagination” while describing
poetry.

Expression
Definition of Fine arts is very much based on the idea
that human being has faculty to feel and express abstract
ideas which are beyond the basic needs of survival. Thus
the need to express and create art became the basic
human trait. In the field of fine arts the artist
expresses his/her own emotions in a unique
manner which has an individualistic interpretations
and observations.
In Fine Arts emotions are expressed through the
gestures, postures, facial expressions, colours, change of
pitch in volume and colours, movement of lines, use of
space and through the manipulation of the medium also.

Originality
Originality basically means a kind of work which is
neither copied from anywhere, nor based on any other
work. Originality is a prerequisite quality for calling
any object as work of art.
Expressed Idea in any form of art has to be an original
idea than only it is considered as an artistic expression.
In fine arts originality is related to the personal
expression, stylistic aspect of each individual and

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extension of the meaning of an idea beyond the
existing interpretations.
Earlier originality was also related to the creation of
original images but in present time when one is
bombarded with so many of images it is very difficult
therefore it is now shifted to the originality of the
personal interpretations of those images.

Purpose of Fine Arts

The purpose of the fine arts is in first place to
create an object of art itself. That is what is related
to the purity of the field of art and the meaning of
‘Fine’ in fine arts. This aspect only developed after 18th
Century before than that the purpose of art was in
spreading of the different aspects of religions, to portray
the Imperial power, to decorate the palaces, religious
places and so on.
After 18th Century the purpose of fine arts became
to create an art object which will enhance
aesthetical and philosophical faculties of the
audience. With the advent of museum the purpose
of art became to elevate the cultural aesthetics.
After the advent of modernism in art artist’s personal
expression on the different aspects of the world is also
considered as the purpose of art that’s why the idea of
‘avant garde’ came in vogue. Avant Garde refers to
the people or works of art which represents
experimentation, innovation and pushing off the
boundaries and reject the accepted norms. It is also
related to the forceful social or political edge.

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As the definitions of the artists got related to the
concepts like ‘flaneur’, dandy, the purpose of fine
arts got related to the question that why one artist
wants to paint certain issues and what are the
purpose of those art works. Therefore the two
types of thinking developed in the field of art and
art history i.e.
1. Art for Art Sake : that means the only purpose
of art is to create a work of art.
2. Art for Social Cause: that means art has to have
a role in changing the society. Thus the
purpose of art is here related to the
sociological development.
In 19th century with advent of utilitarianism,
psychology, pedagogy the purpose of art also got
related to the field of education. The field of art
education or art integrated education started
stressing on the concept of education related with
‘multiple intelligence’. With this developed the concept
of education beyond logic and linguistic knowledge
system and concentrating more on the problem solving
capacity through different knowledge domains like
rhythm, spatial and kinesthetic.
In recent the time the purpose of fine arts has shifted to
the expression of identity of an artist, interpretation of
the space in which fine arts is presented, critique on the
knowledge transmitted from social institutions, cultural
institutions, and art institutions and so on. This has also
developed the critique on the basic distinction between
Fine Arts and functional arts.

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Fine Arts and Visual Culture
In recent times in educational field various
institutions have opted for study of visual culture
than the study of art. This has developed a serious
discussion on the interpretation of images, creation
of images and its difference with decoding of the
meaning of an image. Because the study of fine arts
involves the depictive and expressive qualities of a work
of art and the visual cultural studies decode the images
through other literary, pictorial, informative and symbolic
references.
Relationship between fine arts and visual culture is also
related to the development of the concept of art as ‘text’
in Postmodernist discourse. Where it is considered that in
this time of visual media a possibility to create an
‘original’ image and to maintain a purity of the fine arts
has reduced tremendously. So a work of art can only
become a reading of the existing visual images in the
society. But this does not take in consideration the
expressive manipulations of the material, colour, image,
space, line and many other visual elements.
Fine Arts and its Market
Even though the field of fine arts is only related to
the pure aspect of the creation of an art object
slowly the valuation of the art object and its
market developed in 19th Century Europe and has
flourished into a huge field of marketing, art
dealing, auction, patronization, collection, and so
on.

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The basic criteria for the valuation of the work of
art was set as the aesthetical and charismatic
power a work of art would create on the person
who will possess it. It is more related to the emotional
belonging of the possessor with the work of art and the
artist. Thus it is more based on the cultural and historical
value of a work of art not on the material, skill, time used
in the creation of a work of art.
This has given rise to the other related field of studies
like, curatorial practice, art management, art dealing and
so on.

What is Functional Art

Functional art is basically considered as an art with
utilitarian purpose. So it includes the functional
objects that are of high artistic value and great
craftsmanship. While the terms "fine" or "high" art
typically apply to works that carry an intellectual and
emotional sensibility, functional art infuses these
aesthetic ideals into things that you might never have
expected to view as art like knife, locks and so on.
The functional art object creates aesthetical beauty
in the simple day to day life as it involves highest
quality of craftsmanship. The functional art make us to
rethink the way we look at the ordinary things by using
the different material, different design, different
utilitarian purpose.
Many time applied art and functional art is used as
synonymously. As in both cases the design and

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aesthetical qualities are applied to the everyday objects.
The other term is also used is decorative art.
Different types of Functional Art
As functionality and aesthetical beauty is the basis of
functional art it will include any functional object which is
beautiful and have the perfect balance of functional
purpose and aesthetical appeal.
Functional art will include:
1. Jewellery
2. Craft
3. Furniture
4. Knitting
5. Stitching
6. Fashion
7. Flower decoration
8. Automobile design
9. Pottery
10. Ceramics
11. Dress designing
12. Illustration
13. Advertisement
14. Book designing
15. Puppets

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 16. Shoes Design
17. Bag Designing
18. Weaving
19. Toy Designing
20. Textile
21. Wood work
22. Batik
23. Block print
24. Tie and dye

Characteristics of Functional Art

Utilitarian
Every manmade object has a purpose behind it as it is
created by someone who has put his/her energy, time
and expertise in its creation. This purpose is either
related to the ‘applied’, ‘utilitarian’ or ‘theoretical’,
‘conceptual’. Utilitarian or applied purpose of any
functional art object is the basic criteria to
recognize it as functional art object.
Here the design is dependent on the utilitarian
value of the particular object. Issues like when it is
used, why it is used, who will use it, for what purpose it
will be used become necessary enquiries in creating the
aesthetical quality of the functional art object.
Participatory act of a Culture

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As every object of function art is related to the
socio-cultural activities of human being therefore it
involves in the participatory act of culture. It helps
us to keep our memories alive and create new
meaning for the coming generation. Let us look at
the use of certain functional arts like pottery in the
socialization, rituals, sacraments, daily life and so on.
Even if with the introduction of the studio pottery it has
become a part of home decorations then also we take out
the pride possessions at the special occasions. Different
rituals have different pots of clay, metal or ceramics. On
day to day basis we use different pots different cooking
purposes. These are the aspects which express the
cultural values as well as create new meanings to those
values.
Detailed understanding of material
Detailed understanding of material is the most
important aspect of functional art as its creator has
to know the possibilities and limitations particular
material. This only will help a creator to decide
upon the form and design of the object. Like in
fashion design a designer has to be aware of the texture
of the fabric, fall of the fabric to design a dress.
Understanding of a material also includes the social,
economic and cultural meaning of the material also.
Because in every culture each material has some
symbolic meaning attached to it.
Mastery in technical skill
While designing a particular functional art object
artist has to well aware of the technical aspect

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involved in that particular medium. That’s the main
reason that most design curriculum stress on the hand on
technical experience for the students either in studio or in
different places.
Purpose of Functional Art
Basic purpose of functional art is to create a formal
beauty in a commonplace object. Functional art
object always co relates with the needs of the
society and therefore they work on the unification
form and function in their art objects.
Functional art objects also infuse the artistic quality in
the industrialized, mass produced objects. Thus it also
helps to create an ‘aesthetic taste’ in daily life. That’s the
main reason why after independence Pandit Jawaharlal
Nehru concentrated more on establishment of
‘Indianness’ or ‘National Identity’ in design and craft.
That culminated into establishment National Institute of
Design, Crafts Museum, Cottage Industry and many more
institutions.
Many of the design scholars stress that the functional art
is the major aspect of a society to maintain the values
hold important for ‘good life’. Thus create a ‘quality of
life’ beyond day to day survival issues.
Historical Development in the meaning and field of
Functional Art
As above discussed the whole discussion about
functional art started from 18th Century onward
with the development of modern art, crafts
movement, and the field of design. In due course the
meaning, concept and the field of functional art changed

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continuously and the drastic change happened with the
development of post modernism and the field of visual
studies.
In Britain about 1840 the disastrous effects of industrial
manufacture and unregulated trade had been recognised
by the 1860s and 1870s that architects, designers and
artists began to pioneer new approaches to design and
the decorative arts. These, in turn, led to the foundation
of the Arts and Crafts Movement.
The two most influential figures were the theorist
and critic John Ruskin and the designer, writer and
activist William Morris. Ruskin examined the
relationship between art, society and labour. Morris
put Ruskin's philosophies into practice, placing great
value on work, the joy of craftsmanship and the natural
beauty of materials. William Morris stressed that the
‘The artist should be a craftsman-designer’.
Art and Craft movement grew out of a concern for the
effects of industrialisation: on design, on traditional skills
and on the lives of ordinary people. In response, it
established a new set of principles for living and working.
It advocated the reform of art at every level and across a
broad social spectrum, and it turned the home into a
work of art.
So after this movement the art and craft got directly
related to the life of people in the form of design.
This got more pronounced in 20th century after the
establishment of Bauhaus School in Germany. The
Bauhaus school was founded by Walter Gropius in
Weimar. The Bauhaus style became one of the most
influential currents in Modernist architecture and modern

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design. The Bauhaus had a profound influence upon
subsequent developments in art, architecture, graphic
design, interior design, industrial design, and typography.
The design innovations commonly associated
with Gropius and the Bauhaus—the radically
simplified forms, the rationality and functionality,
and the idea that mass-production was reconcilable
with the individual artistic spirit.
Many fundamental questions of craftsmanship vs.
mass production, the relationship of usefulness and
beauty, the practical purpose of formal beauty in a
commonplace object, and whether or not a single
proper form could exist, were discussed and became the
focal point of the design education from the Bauhaus
School onward.
Even if the concept of functional art developed from craft
to the field of design in modern period and became a part
and parcel of the study on what we call ‘Modern Culture’
the basic hierarchical relation between art, design and
craft respectively existed. It was only questioned and
critically rejected by the feminist artists like Judy
Chicago, Miriam Schapiro ( who incorporated craft
techniques in their art works), feminist scholar Linda
Nochlin through her article ‘Why there have been no
Great Women Artists?’ and the artists from Africa, India,
Australia and other cultures whose traditional art works
were categorized as craft.
These all scholars defined this hierarchical relationship of
art, design and crafts and thoroughly brought out the art
field politics involved in these aspects. These studies
clearly pointed out that how in Modernism the skill,

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repetition, pattern making as the key aspects of craft and
innovation, intellectualization, conceptualization became
the key aspects of art and design and in turn the former
become the feminine/ other culture’s art form and the
later become masculine/ center culture’s art form.
Therefore to question this categorization they started
incorporating craft in the art works as well as the design
and blurred these hierarchical relationships.

Functional Arts and Kitsch

In general terms Kitsch is defined as a form of art
which has popular taste and is often of poor
quality. The main quality of kitsch is considered to
be the gaudiness and sentimentality.
Kitsch art has also been defined in 19th and 20th century
art critical writing in connection to define what is ‘Art’. It
was also pitted against the ‘Art’ as it was catering to the
popular taste not the aesthetic and philosophical
demands fulfilled by ‘Art’, ‘Fine Art’. Therefore in this
context many of the scholars use functional art and
Kitsch art as one and same. But every functional art form
is not a Kitsch art just because it fulfills the popular taste.
Functional Art and the field of Design
Field of Design is a very new development in the field of
art and it developed in the starting of modernism when
the things were mass produced. With the development
of Art Nouveau and Art Deco in 19th Century the
field of design got its quality and character. It
started in the field of architecture and interior design but
later on developed in the field of dressing, vessels, textile

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designing, automobile designing, book designing and so
on.
Design is widely termed as applied art also that means
applied aspect of the art in other field. Bauhaus School
of Design also established a concept that the
‘mass-production was reconcilable with the
individual artistic spirit’ and assigned creative aspect
to the field of Design. Later on design became
synonymous with functional art and sidelined its relation
with the craft tradition. Functional art got divided into
‘machine made designed objects’ and ‘handmade
craft objects’.
Functional Art and its Market
Functional Art has a wide range of market as it is
related with concept of ‘good Living’ where
aesthetics sense in everyday utilitarian objects is
important. This market involves various range of craft
based markets, designer outlets, Co-operative societies
those promote local traditional objects, cottage industries
and so on.
Market of functional art also defines the cultural
aspect of particular section of the society.
Therefore it is an integral part of the ‘Creative
Industry’.

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