3: Analyzing_Art
- Page ID
- 374999
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By the end of this chapter, you will be able to:
- Identify characteristics of a given period of art.
- Identify selected works of various artists.
- Identify and analyze the role of art in various cultures.
- Identify and understand current events in visual art.
- Express thoughts clearly after analyzing a work of art using terminology appropriate to the subject.
The analysis of art extends beyond determining whether an image is aesthetically pleasing. An objective approach requires breaking down the visual components of a work into identifiable categories that can be examined and reassembled into a coherent evaluation. This process involves viewing artwork as a system of visual information. The goal of this lesson is to promote closer observation and to clarify how individual elements of art contribute to the overall composition. It also emphasizes examining the relationships among these elements, which form the principles that create unity within the work. After completing a formal analysis, the observer can then move toward interpreting the artwork’s meaning.
- 3.1: Formal and Art Historical Analysis
- This page outlines methods for analyzing art through formal analysis and art historical research. Formal analysis examines visual properties and design choices, while historical research situates artwork within cultural contexts using various resources. Combining these methods deepens understanding of art's meaning and influences.
- 3.2: Iconography and Iconographic Analysis
- This page delves into iconography and its analytical methods in art history, focusing on culturally constructed symbols for subject identification. It outlines Erwin Panofsky's iconographic method, consisting of identifying subject matter, associated texts, and intrinsic meanings. Examples include Wonder Woman and the Crucifixion. The limitations of iconographic analysis are also discussed, such as reliance on texts and challenges in interpreting art lacking written records.
- 3.3: Questions to Consider
- This page examines the changing perception and value of art from the Middle Ages and Renaissance to modern times. It highlights the differences between art and craft, the idea of "old masters," and the role of realism. Historically, artists were seen as skilled laborers working under commissions, but the focus has shifted to the artist's identity, culminating in the high status of contemporary artists like Picasso.