LECTURE 2

Art Appreciation and

the Human Faculties
UE. DR. ALLAN C. ORATE

DR. ALLAN C. ORATE, UE

UE. DR. ALLAN C. ORATE 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

UE. DR. ALLAN C. ORATE
 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

UE. DR. ALLAN C. ORATE
 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

UE. DR. ALLAN C. ORATE
 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).
UE. DR. ALLAN C. ORATE 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
UE. DR. ALLAN C. ORATE 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, Peace
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. Zigzag line- it shows violence, 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

UE. DR. ALLAN C. ORATE 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
UE. DR. ALLAN C. ORATE DR. ALLAN Cooking
C. 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
UE. DR. ALLAN C. ORATE DR. ALLAN C. ORATE, UE
 Steenweck,
The Vanities
of Human
Life 1645

VISUAL ELEMENTS
COLORS, etc.

REPRESENTATIONS
THINGS, etc.

EMOTIONS SUGGESTIONS
SADNESS

INTELLECTUAL MEANINGS
CONCEPTS, IDEAS, SYMBOLS
UE. DR. ALLAN C. ORATE
 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.
UE. DR. ALLAN C. ORATE
 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

UE. DR. ALLAN C. ORATE

 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

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 "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)

UE. DR. ALLAN C. ORATE 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 shall Same old song, just a drop of water in an endless sea.
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.

UE. DR. ALLAN C. ORATE

 LESSON 2.2
The Process of
Art Appreciation

DR. ALLAN C. ORATE, UE

UE. DR. ALLAN C. ORATE DR. ALLAN C. ORATE, UE
 ART APPRECIATION

APPRECIATION

PERSON as WORK OF ART

spectator/viewer as object
UE. DR. ALLAN C. ORATE
 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

UE. DR. ALLAN C. ORATE
 Wow!
or
Yak!

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 Which art do you appreciate most?

UE. DR. ALLAN C. ORATE

 LECTURE 2.3
Art and the
Perception of Reality

DR. ALLAN C. ORATE, UE

UE. DR. ALLAN C. ORATE DR. ALLAN C. ORATE, UE
 ART is . . .
?
UE. DR. ALLAN C. ORATE
 talent
skill
passion
emotion
idea
truth
ART is . . . reality
goodness
beauty
form
expression
representation
power
UE. DR. ALLAN C. ORATE
 Art is
reality.
UE. DR. ALLAN C. ORATE
 What is
this?

UE. DR. ALLAN C. ORATE

 Who is
this?

zack efron

UE. DR. ALLAN C. ORATE

 Who is
this?

ariana grande

UE. DR. ALLAN C. ORATE

 Leonardo,
The Mona Lisa,
1501

RENAISSANCE ART

Does this
art look real?
UE. DR. ALLAN C. ORATE
 Picasso,
The Weeping
Woman,
1924

CUBISM

Does this
art look real?
UE. DR. ALLAN C. ORATE
 Which art looks more real?

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 You see only
the front view
of the woman.
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 You see many
views of the
woman.
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 Which art looks more real?

UE. DR. ALLAN C. ORATE

 Mondrian,
Composition
with Red,
Yellow and Blue,
1924

CONCRETISM

Does this
art look real?
UE. DR. ALLAN C. ORATE
 You see red,
yellow and blue.
UE. DR. ALLAN C. ORATE
 Which art looks most real?

UE. DR. ALLAN C. ORATE

 Malevich,
White on
White,
1917

SUPREMATISM

Does this art

look real?
UE. DR. ALLAN C. ORATE
 You see
white on
white.
UE. DR. ALLAN C. ORATE
 Which art looks most real?

UE. DR. ALLAN C. ORATE

 Fajardo,
From Rags
to Riches
1984

READY
MADE
ART

Does this
art look real?
Judy Sibayan, Rags to Riches
UE. DR. ALLAN C. ORATE
 You the object
Judy Sibayan, Rags to Riches itself.
UE. DR. ALLAN C. ORATE
 Duchamp,
The Fountain
(Urinal), 1917

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 Which art looks most real of all?

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 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

UE. DR. ALLAN C. ORATE object itself
 Matisse,
Portrait of
Mrs. Matisse

This is not a
blue woman!
This is a blue
painting!

UE. DR. ALLAN C. ORATE

 What is
this?

This is not a chair.

This is a painting!

Van Gogh,
Chair with
a Pipe
UE. DR. ALLAN C. ORATE
 Cover of Screen
Magazine, 2012.

Who is
this?

This is not Zack Efron.

This is his picture!

UE. DR. ALLAN C. ORATE

 Picasso, Marie Therese Picasso, Dora Maar Picasso, Jacqueline with
Walter 1937 with Cat, 1941 Crossed Hands 1941
UE. DR. ALLAN C. ORATE
 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.

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 Rene Magritte
The Treachery
of Images

Video 2.2

THIS IS NOT A PIPE

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