CHAPTER 1

THE STUDY OF THE

HUMANITIES AND THE ARTS
 WHAT ARE THE HUMANITIES?
Humanities comes from the latin word humanus
Which means, human, cultured, refined
They are the branches of learning based on the philosophy and ethical
perspective of humanism
It emphasizes the value and agency of human beings, individually and
collectively, and generally prefers individual thought and evidence over
established doctrine of faith
 AND.
They are non-scientific, have nothing to do, at least directly, with business or
economics, and they are not part of physical education or sports.
These are parts of education, of knowledge , that make for a more refined
sense of knowing, thinking, and finer feeling.
In short, it is an ocean of all humanitys deeper, inward awareness,
knowledge, and sensitivity.
It is the collective pooling together of the legacy of a given cultures values,
ambitions, and beliefs
 IN ADDITION TO THAT
Poetry, painting, philosophy, and music are not, generally speaking,
products of unstructured leisure or indulgent individuality, rather, they are
tangible expressions of the human quest for the good life
Throughout history, these fork of expression have served the domains of the
sacred, the ceremonial, and the communal.
Even in the early days of the twenty-first century, as many time-honored
traditions come under assault, the arts retain their power to awaken our
imagination in the quest for survival, commonality and self-knowledge
 SUBJECTS COVERED IN HUMANITIES COURSES
Painting
Sculpture
Architecture Visual arts
Photography
Literature
Music Auditory
Theatre
arts
Dance
film Combined arts
 HERE ARE FEW EXAMPLES OF HOW ONE CAN
ACTUALLY ENGAGE IN A PURSUIT OF THE
HUMANITIES
Visit a park, library, college campus, a craftsmans workbench, and an artists studio
Watch a film, a concert, a parade, and a dance performance
Sing a song, dance to a beat, play musical instrument, recite a poem from memory, attend a festival
Attend a symphony, lecture, gallery exhibit and festival.
Look at piece of art, study it
Stop outside the building you pass by. Look at its design.
Listen to a band, debate, to a photographer describing a photo
Read a novel, a poem, directions on a shampoo bottle
See a play, view the stage from different angles, listen to reactions.
 WHY STUDY THE HUMANITIES?
Because.its
Make us more human
Understand what other men and women have believed, created and
also become better human beings
We can learn more about ourselves, about other people and about the
world around us
We can realize our own potentials, and the potentials of others
 AS A CONSEQUENCE OF OUR
ENCOUNTER WITH THE ARTS.
We value and appreciate beautiful things.
Out of the aesthetic experiences we derive from the arts, we may be
influenced to change our behavior.
It brings out the decent and the noble in us because the arts has enriched
our definition of self by rescuing us from morbid self-attention and by
immersing us in the rich plurality of selves
We come to know the changing image of mankind as s/he journeys across
time, sifts through layers of reality, and strives to achieve the ideas that make
for meaningfulness of life.
 HOW TO STUDY THE HUMANITIES
To study humanities is to engage in a dialogue with the past, one that
brings us to face to face with the values of our ancestors, and ultimately
with our town.
This dialogue is a source of personal revelation and delight
There are no shortcuts to the study of humanistic discipline, but there are
some techniques that may be useful
 AND THESE ARE
Text any primary source refers to its medium (that is, what is made of,) its
form (its outward shape), and its content ( the subject it describes )
Whether intended to be spoken or lead, literature depends on the
medium of words
(poetry, music, dance rhythmic
The visual arts
Paintings, sculpture, architecture, and photography
 Context we use the word context to describe the historical and cultural
background or environment of the artwork.
To determine the context, we ask:
1. In what time and place did the artefact?
2. How did it function within the society in which it was created
3. Was the purpose of the piece decorative, didactic, magical,
progandistic?
4. Did it serve the religious or political needs of the community or both.
 Subtext- refers to its secondary and implied meanings
It embraces the emotional or intellectual messages embedded in, or
implied by, a work of art
Examples:
Epic poems from Greece, the state portraits of napoleon Bonaparte,
coca cola bottles
 BEYOND THE HUMANISTIC
DISCIPLINES

Lets work
 THE VALUES OF ART
Aesthetic Value it refers to that which causes an object to be a work of
art. This is a quality which appeals to our sense of beauty

Intellectual value an artwork stimulates thought. It enriches our mental life

by making us realize fundamental truths about ourselves, about other
human beings, and about the world around us.

Suggestiveness this is the quality associated with the emotional power of

art. Great works of art move us deeply and stir feeling and imagination,
giving and evoking visions above beyond the plain of ordinary life and
experience.
Spiritual value art elevates the spirit by bringing out moral values which
make us a better person. The capacity to inspire is part of the spiritual value
of art.
Permanence a great work of art endures. It can be viewed again and
again as each encounter gives fresh delight and new insights and opens
new worlds of meaning and experience. Its appeal is lasting
Universality great art is timeless and timely. It is forever relevant and
appeals to one and all, anytime, anywhere because it deals with
elemental feelings, fundamental truths, and universal conditions.
Style this is the peculiar way in which an artist sees his subject , forms his
ideas, and expresses them. Great artworks are marked as much by their
memorable substance as well as by their distinctive style.
Form artistic forms are skeletal structures or conceptual frameworks
designed to support or enclose parts of works of arts.
 THE FOUR COORDINATES OF ART
CRITICISM
Every work of art, such as a poem , a novel, an essay, a musical piece, a
painting, etc., has four basic coordinates:
The subject matter
The artist
The audience
Its own form
 SUBJECT MATTER
Based on the subject matter mimetic
art is an imitation of an reality plato
art is a reflection or a mirror of reality - Aristotle
With respect to subject matter, art is an imitation , depiction, or
representation of some aspect of nature or life. That which is imitated,
depicted, or represented in art is its subject matter
 ACCORDING TO SUBJECT MATTER,
ART MAT BE CLASSIFIED INTO 2 TYPES
1. representational or figurative art portrays or depicts something other
than its own form, examples are venus de milo, da vincis monalisa. Literature
is principally representational
2. non representational or non-objective art represents nothing except its
own form. Examples pyramids of egypt, Mondrians non-figurative paintings,
the symphonies of mozart
 THE ARTIST, WRITER, OR CREATOR
he who touches this book, touches the man ( walt Whitman, an
American poet, leaves of grass)
From the point of view of the artist ( poet, essayist, fiction writer, dramatist,
composer, painter, sculptor or architect), art is a means of expression, a
medium for communicating an idea, an emotion or some other human
experience, an impression of life, a vision of beauty.
The individuality of the creator is revealed to us through his creation.
However, the degree to which the artist has revealed himself varies from
one form of art to another, from one particular work of art to another
 AUDIENCE OR READERS
literature, to be of importance, must be simple and direct and must have a
clear moral purpose ( leo Tolstoy, Russian novelist and short story writer)
The purpose of literature is to teach, to moralize, to instruct.. ( George
Bernard shaw, anglo-irish and playwright)
From the viewpoint of the audience ( readers in the case of literature,
viewers in the case of the visual arts, listeners in the case of music), art is
experience.
Art has always has an audience, even if the audience is none other that the
artist himself.
 FORM
there are no moral or immoral books; they are either well written or badly
written.
( Oscar wilde, anglo-irish wit and playwright. Preface to his book, the picture
of dorian gray)
With respect to form (the manner of imitation , how the subject matter is
handled and presented), art is a composition, a whole consisting of various
parts or elements; the selection, organization, and integration of these
elements according to certain formal principles and employing certain
techniques constitute that which we call the form of art.
 EXAMPLES
In music the rhythm, harmony, tempo, melody, and dynamics
In a film screenplay, acting, direction, cinematography, pacing, editing,
set design, music costume, make-up, casting and the like.
 HOW TO CRITIQUE ARTWORKS
An art critique is an evaluation of a work of art.
While it is true that artistic taste is relative, there are certain characteristics
of artwork that can be assessed as a means of measuring the artists
success conveying the intended message or meaning of the work of
question.
Art criticism is considered by some to be an art within itself, but, although
each art critique may approach a work of art uniquely, there is a defined
protocol for the discipline of critiquing a work of art
You dont have to be an art history buff or museum curator to learn how
to critique artwork.
Just follow the steps.
 1. DESCRIBE WHAT YOU SEE
This the objective portion of the art critique
It involves a technical description nothing more. It should include things like:
A. artists name
The title of the work
Type of artwork
The subject of the painting (scene)
Objects in the painting
First impression. Note the characteristics of the artwork that first jump out at you
Colors used.
 DESCRIBE WHAT YOU SEE
Shapes, lines, and texture
Light saturation
Sensory qualities. Identify the predominant mood and visual effect
 ANALYZE THE ARTWORK
Evolve the art criticism from a technical description to an in-depth
examination of how technical elements were utilized by the artist to create
overall impression conveyed by the artwork.
Technical elements you need to analyze when you critique artwork include:
Color
Shapes, forms, and lines
Texture
Light and shadow
How each technical element contributes to the mood , meaning, and
aesthetic sensation of the artwork
 INTERPRET THE ARTWORK
This part of an art critiquing is more subjective than the others, as you are
expected to use your analysis of the technical aspects of the piece of art to
apply your own supposition to the artists intended purpose for the artwork.
Try to accomplish the following things when formulating your interpretation:
A. communicate the artists statement. Describe what you think the artist Is trying
to say through the work of art.
B. expound on the feeling conveyed by the artwork. Describe what the artwork
means to you, and why.
Explain what you feel is the artists intended purpose for creating that particular
work of art. Examine why the artist made the choices in technique, materials,
and subject matter and how they relate to intended purposes
Identify symbols in the artwork and describe how they relate to the artists
technical choices and contribute to the artists execution of the intended
purposes
 EVALUATE THE ARTWORK
This is a summation of the art criticism process leading up to this point.
Use your analysis and interpretation to draw conclusions and reach
judgements about the artwork.
A. state what you think the artworks value is. Its value may be evoke to
incite anger or to impart beauty. Explain why you feel this way.
B. Describe the artworks relevance to the art community and to people as a
whole.
C. explain where you feel the artwork has a strong value and where you
think it falls short.
 USE ART VOCABULARY IN YOUR
ART CRITIQUE
Remember , there are no incorrect description when you critique artwork
Your goal is not to say whether or not the art is good, but rather to impart as
best you can visceral response the artwork incites.
 CONTEMPORARY PHILIPPINE ART
What makes Philippine Art Filipino?
To what extent is Philippine art derivative of Western art?
How about the paintings of Fernando Amorsolo, Carlos Francisco, and
Hemado R. Ocampo, all of whom have been identified in a big way with the
native sensibility?
 Genre used to be a ajor consideration