1: What is Art?
- Page ID
- 10107
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\(\newcommand{\avec}{\mathbf a}\) \(\newcommand{\bvec}{\mathbf b}\) \(\newcommand{\cvec}{\mathbf c}\) \(\newcommand{\dvec}{\mathbf d}\) \(\newcommand{\dtil}{\widetilde{\mathbf d}}\) \(\newcommand{\evec}{\mathbf e}\) \(\newcommand{\fvec}{\mathbf f}\) \(\newcommand{\nvec}{\mathbf n}\) \(\newcommand{\pvec}{\mathbf p}\) \(\newcommand{\qvec}{\mathbf q}\) \(\newcommand{\svec}{\mathbf s}\) \(\newcommand{\tvec}{\mathbf t}\) \(\newcommand{\uvec}{\mathbf u}\) \(\newcommand{\vvec}{\mathbf v}\) \(\newcommand{\wvec}{\mathbf w}\) \(\newcommand{\xvec}{\mathbf x}\) \(\newcommand{\yvec}{\mathbf y}\) \(\newcommand{\zvec}{\mathbf z}\) \(\newcommand{\rvec}{\mathbf r}\) \(\newcommand{\mvec}{\mathbf m}\) \(\newcommand{\zerovec}{\mathbf 0}\) \(\newcommand{\onevec}{\mathbf 1}\) \(\newcommand{\real}{\mathbb R}\) \(\newcommand{\twovec}[2]{\left[\begin{array}{r}#1 \\ #2 \end{array}\right]}\) \(\newcommand{\ctwovec}[2]{\left[\begin{array}{c}#1 \\ #2 \end{array}\right]}\) \(\newcommand{\threevec}[3]{\left[\begin{array}{r}#1 \\ #2 \\ #3 \end{array}\right]}\) \(\newcommand{\cthreevec}[3]{\left[\begin{array}{c}#1 \\ #2 \\ #3 \end{array}\right]}\) \(\newcommand{\fourvec}[4]{\left[\begin{array}{r}#1 \\ #2 \\ #3 \\ #4 \end{array}\right]}\) \(\newcommand{\cfourvec}[4]{\left[\begin{array}{c}#1 \\ #2 \\ #3 \\ #4 \end{array}\right]}\) \(\newcommand{\fivevec}[5]{\left[\begin{array}{r}#1 \\ #2 \\ #3 \\ #4 \\ #5 \\ \end{array}\right]}\) \(\newcommand{\cfivevec}[5]{\left[\begin{array}{c}#1 \\ #2 \\ #3 \\ #4 \\ #5 \\ \end{array}\right]}\) \(\newcommand{\mattwo}[4]{\left[\begin{array}{rr}#1 \amp #2 \\ #3 \amp #4 \\ \end{array}\right]}\) \(\newcommand{\laspan}[1]{\text{Span}\{#1\}}\) \(\newcommand{\bcal}{\cal B}\) \(\newcommand{\ccal}{\cal C}\) \(\newcommand{\scal}{\cal S}\) \(\newcommand{\wcal}{\cal W}\) \(\newcommand{\ecal}{\cal E}\) \(\newcommand{\coords}[2]{\left\{#1\right\}_{#2}}\) \(\newcommand{\gray}[1]{\color{gray}{#1}}\) \(\newcommand{\lgray}[1]{\color{lightgray}{#1}}\) \(\newcommand{\rank}{\operatorname{rank}}\) \(\newcommand{\row}{\text{Row}}\) \(\newcommand{\col}{\text{Col}}\) \(\renewcommand{\row}{\text{Row}}\) \(\newcommand{\nul}{\text{Nul}}\) \(\newcommand{\var}{\text{Var}}\) \(\newcommand{\corr}{\text{corr}}\) \(\newcommand{\len}[1]{\left|#1\right|}\) \(\newcommand{\bbar}{\overline{\bvec}}\) \(\newcommand{\bhat}{\widehat{\bvec}}\) \(\newcommand{\bperp}{\bvec^\perp}\) \(\newcommand{\xhat}{\widehat{\xvec}}\) \(\newcommand{\vhat}{\widehat{\vvec}}\) \(\newcommand{\uhat}{\widehat{\uvec}}\) \(\newcommand{\what}{\widehat{\wvec}}\) \(\newcommand{\Sighat}{\widehat{\Sigma}}\) \(\newcommand{\lt}{<}\) \(\newcommand{\gt}{>}\) \(\newcommand{\amp}{&}\) \(\definecolor{fillinmathshade}{gray}{0.9}\)After completing this chapter, you should be able to:
- Recognize various historical arguments about the definition of art and who is an artist.
- Engage arguments that distinguish between art and craft.
- Critically evaluate claims about whether an object is or is not art from multiple points of view.
- Engage questions about who is considered an artist and the role of the viewer.
- Productively speculate about various reasons why people have made and continue to make art.
- Recognize your intuitive understanding of art, and potentially build a broader, more comprehensive view of the nature and definition of visual art, one which incorporates historically and culturally diverse art objects and answers conceptual challenges.
- 1.1: Introduction
- This page explores the significance of images in contemporary society, emphasizing their persistence alongside technological growth. Using Bouguereau's 1875 painting "Blind Homer and His Guide" as a reference, it underscores the importance of cultural preservation and the duty of younger generations to uphold artistic values.
- 1.2: What is Visual Art?
- This page examines the evolving definition of art, highlighting its transition from mimesis to expressions of communication and societal designation. It emphasizes the subjective nature of art appreciation and the significance of both art and science in human experience.
- 1.3: Who is Considered an Artist? What Does it Mean to be an Artist?
- This page examines the differences between artists and artisans, highlighting their changing roles throughout history. It illustrates how artists are celebrated for originality, while artisans often remain anonymous, using examples like the Seated Statue of Gudea. The emergence of scholar-painters in thirteenth-century China, particularly Qian Xuan, exemplifies the blend of art and personal expression.
- 1.4: The Role of the Viewer
- This page explores the dynamic between artists and audiences, noting how artists create with specific viewers in mind, even if the audience remains unidentified. It discusses prehistoric cave paintings' universal themes despite vague meanings and delves into labyrinths as spiritual routes in Chartres Cathedral. Additionally, it illustrates John Haberle's trompe l'oeil work, "A Bachelor’s Drawer," which prompts viewers to reflect on everyday objects and the artist's ironic perspective on art.
- 1.5: Why do We Make Art?
- This page explores the relationship between art and culture, highlighting early creations and the motivations behind art-making. It examines how various cultures, including Aboriginal and Buddhist, use art for personal expression and community cohesion. The discussion extends to monuments and murals that commemorate virtues and figures, contrasting traditional and modern works, while emphasizing their educational roles.
- 1.6: Concepts Explored in Later Chapters
- This page discusses fundamental concepts of art, including form, design, and materials. It emphasizes formal analysis and socio-cultural contexts in art interpretation. Additionally, it examines the relationship between art and personal/collective identities, the influence of power dynamics in art, and the ethical and ritualistic aspects of expression. Overall, the content aims to enhance appreciation for art's significance in personal and societal contexts.
- 1.S: What is Art? (Summary)
- This page examines the complexities in defining art through four historical theories that proved inadequate. It proposes a new working definition of art and stresses its significance in meeting individual and communal human needs. The content encourages appreciation of diverse visual forms and underscores the importance of context, symbolism, and historical changes in the architectural representation of public monuments and spaces.
Thumbnail: Burghers of Calais, Artist: Auguste Rodin, (CC BY 3.0, "Razimantv”)