GE 6 ART APPRECIATION

UNIT II
SUBJECT
AND
CONTENT OF
ART

PREPARED BY: COLLEGE OF ARTS AND SCIENCES-SOCIAL AND BEHAVIORAL SCIENCES DEPARTMENT
 SUBJECT OF ART
The term subject in art refers to the main
idea that is represented in the artwork. It is
the essence of the piece.
• It is the matter to be described or to be
portrayed by the artist.
• This may refer to any person, object, scene or
event.
 SUBJECT OF ART
To determine subject matter in a particular
piece of art, ask yourself:
• What is actually depicted in this artwork?
• What is the artist trying to express to the world?
• What is his or her message?
• And how are they conveying that message?
TWO KINDS OF ARTS
AS TO SUBJECT
 REPRESENTATIONAL OR
OBJECTIVE ART
❑Depicts objects that are
commonly recognized by
most people
Two Kinds ❑Attempt to copy what is real
of Arts or portray the subject as it is.
as to ❑Uses “form” and are
Subject concerned with “what” is to
be depicted
 NON-REPRESENTATIONAL
OR NON-OBJECTIVE ART
❑Without any reference or
recognizable objects
❑Abstract; does not represent
Two Kinds real objects
of Arts ❑Uses “content” and is
as to concerned with “how” the
Subject artwork is depicted
The artist and his choice
Everything under the sun is raw material
01 for the artist to draw his subject.

The artist’s choice of subject is

02 usually affected by his medium.

The piece of art depends largely

03 upon the time in which he lived.
 Sources of Subject of Art
Greek and Sacred
1 2 Roman 3 4 Oriental 5
Nature History Mythology Religion Text

Most Historical Myths or Anything Sacred texts of

common people, Definite that Hinduism,
inspiration events, parts of represents Buddhism,
and subject. Taoism,
periods. inheritance spiritual
Confucianism,
beliefs and Zoroastrianism,
E.g. animals,
doctrines. Jainism, and
people,
activities, Islam.
landscape…
Subject
of Art may be:

Landscape, seascapes,
cityscapes
Subject
of Art may be:

Still life
inanimate objects arranged in indoor
setting
Subject
of Art may be:

Animals
Subject
of Art may be:

Portraits
the realistic likeness of a person.
Attire, accessories are very much exp
ressive because they reveal so much
of the person and his time.
Subject
Figures
of Art may be: nude/ clothed

GREEKS – physical beauty

was the symbol of m
oral and spiritual
perfection.
Subject
of Art may be:

Everyday Life
life around the artist, or the actual setting.

E.g. children playing, life at the park

Subject
of Art may be:

History and Legends

HISTORY – consist of verifiable facts
LEGENDS – unverifiable but they have be
en accepted as true
Subject
of Art may be:

Religion and Mythology

used to preach and teach

Art – handmaid of religion

Subject
of Art may be:

Dreams and Fantasy

mostly used by surrealist painters
WAYS OF PRESENTING
THE SUBJECT
 This often refers to
the artistic movement
that began in France
in the 1850s.

REALISM
 Realism's popularity
increased with the
advent of the
photography-a new
visual medium that
generated people's
desire to develop
"objectively real" things
REALISM
 Through abstract art,
the artist presents the
subject in no way as an
objective fact, but just
his idea or his feeling
(exaggerated
emotionalism) about it.

ABSTRACTION
 It's all about what the
artists are thinking and
what mood they may
want to reflect.

ABSTRACTION
 A symbol is a clear
indication that
anything like an idea
or a standard is
invisible.

SYMBOLISM
 Symbolism uses
symbols to
systematically focus or
amplify meaning,
rendering the artwork
more subjective (rather
than objective) and
traditional.
SYMBOLISM
It is derived from the
French "les fauves,"
which means
"the wild beasts."

FAUVISM
It is the last part of the
19th-century artistic
movement that
stressed spontaneity
and the use of
excessively bright
colors

FAUVISM
 The word "dada" is a
French word which
means “hobby-horse”.
A hobby-horse is the
children's pet toy made
of a wooden horse mo
unted on a stick.

DADAISM
 We may claim it with
this etymology dadaism
is a "nonsensical" art
movement. Some
would say it is not art
since it appears to have
absolutely no sense

DADAISM
 Described as a
modernist movement
embracing the future
age of technology.

FUTURISM
 The automobile, the
aircraft, the industrial
town reflected the
development of urban
life and the
technological success of
A Man beyond Nature.

FUTURISM
 It is an offshoot or a
dada boy. Sometimes
known as
"super realism”, which
revolves around the
process of making
things look ordinary
exceptional
SURREALISM
 It focuses on actual
objects found in
imagination or fantasy,
or it has realistic
subjects found in the
subconsciousness;
illustrating the inner
mind's dreamlike images
SURREALISM
It's also often called optical
realism because of its
interest in the actual visual
experience, including
things such as the
influence of color, light and
motion on the nature of the
objects portrayed in the
works of art.

IMPRESSIONISM
 Impressionism
centered on explaining
the visual stimuli
originating from nature,
directly.

IMPRESSIONISM
 CONTENT OF ART

It is the meaning, message

and/or feeling imparted by a work
of art.
 CONTENT OF ART
It is the mass of ideas associated with
each artwork and communicated through
the following:
• The Arts’ imagery
• The symbolic meaning
• Its surroundings where it is used or displayed
• The customs, beliefs and values of the culture
that uses it
• Writings that help explain the work
 THREE LEVELS OF MEANING
ACCORDING TO CLEAVER (1966):
FACTUAL MEANING
Literal statement or the
narrative content in the work
which can be directly understood
because the objects presented
are easily recognized.
CONVENTIONAL MEANING

Special meaning that a certain

object or color has for a
particular culture or a group of
people.
SUBJECTIVE MEANING
Any personal meaning
consciously or unconsciously
conveyed by the artist using
private symbolism which stems
from his own associations of
certain objects, actions, or colors
from past experiences.