GEC 126 ART APPRECIATION *The Fine Arts would come to mean "not delicate or
highly skilled arts, but "beautiful arts' . "The humanities
ART: Introduction & Assumptions constitute one of the oldest and the most important
means of expression developed by man" (Dudley et al,
What Is Art? 1960)
Art is something that is perennially around us. Some
people may deny having to do with the arts but it is ASSUMPTIONS OF ART
indisputable that life presents us with many forms and • Art is Universal
opportunities for communion with the arts. Despite the Art links the past to the present. It gives us
seemingly overflowing instances of arts around people, views on significant events that happened before that
one still finds the need to see more and experience could be a great factor of what we have today. What
more, whether consciously or unconsciously. Plato had makes art universal is its ability or its sense to
the sharpest foresight when he discussed in Symposium 'communicate. Works of Literature and History are the
that beauty, the object of any love, truly progresses. As best examples that exhibits the universality of art. Art is
one moves through life, one locates better, more present in every part of the globe and in every period of
beautiful objects of desire (Scott, 2000). One can never time. "Art is not good because its is old, it is old because
be totally contented with what is just before him. Human it is good" (Dudley et al, 1960)
beings are drawn toward what is good and ultimately
beautiful. The first assumption then about humanities is that art has
been crafted by all people regardless of origin, time,
HUMANITIES place, and that it stayed on because It is liked and
- A branch of learning or an academic discipline that enjoyed by people continuously. A great piece of work
studies the aspects ofhuman society and culture will never be obsolete. Art will always be present
- This discipline includes Philosophy, Mistry, Religion, because human beings will always express themselves
Literature, and the arts. and delight in these expressions.
- Takes the larger form, while the arts in general can be
subsumed as part of the large spectrum of humanities Art is not Nature
which includes visual, architecture, drama, literature, Art is mar's expression of his reception of
photography, and film. nature. Art is man's way of interpreting nature. Art is not
"Humanities are those significant achievements of the nature. Art is made by man, whereas nature is already
human race which illuminate and illustrate the distinctive given around us.
characteristics of man as a rational and spiritual
being.(De Leon, 2000) Art involves Experiences
Art is just experience. By experience, we
"Arts areprocesses,products, and experiences mean the "actual doing of something" (Dudley et al,
thatcommunicateaspects of humanlivinginavariety of 1960). When one says that he has an experience of
ways, many of which do notuse word. " something, he often means that he knows what that
(Alexander Sporre, 2000) something is about.
A work of art then cannot be abstracted from
ART actual doing. In order to know what an artwork is, we
• Comes from the Ancient Latin word 'ARS' which means have to sense it, we need to see or hear it. An important
"craft or specialized from of skill, like carpentry or aspect of experiencing art is its being highly personal,
smithying or surgery" (Collingwood, 1938) individual, and subjective. In philosophical terms,
• ARS in Medieval Latin came to mean something perception of art is always a value of judgment. Degust
different. It meant any special form of book-learning such bus non disputandum est (Matters of taste are not
as grammar or logic, magic or astrology" (Collingwood, matters of dispute), One cannot argue with another
1938) person's valuation of art because one's experience can
•During the Renaissance Period the word ARS never be known by another.
reacquired its original meaning from the Ancient Loti
Period. *Early renaissance artists coined/ call all their ART APPRECIATION: CREATIVITY, IMAGINATION,
artistic activities and product merely as "craftsmanship" AND EXPRESSION
• During the 17th Century, the problem and idea of
'Aestheties' , the study of beauty began to unfold It takes an artist to make an art. One may perceived
distinctly from the original notion and conception of art beauty on a daily basis. However, not every beautiful
which is 'Technical Workmanship' thing that can be seen or experienced may truly be called
• It was on the 18th Century when the issue on aesthetics a work of art. Art is a product of man's creativity,
was resolved. It was this period when the word Art has imagination and his expression. No matter how perfectly
evolved to distinguish between (a) Fine Arts and (b) blended the colors of a sunset are and no matter how
useful Arts, extraordinarily formed mountains are, nature is not
considered art simply because it is not made by man. Not
highly skilled arts, but "beautiful arts' . "The humanities
ART: Introduction & Assumptions constitute one of the oldest and the most important
means of expression developed by man" (Dudley et al,
What Is Art? 1960)
Art is something that is perennially around us. Some
people may deny having to do with the arts but it is ASSUMPTIONS OF ART
indisputable that life presents us with many forms and • Art is Universal
opportunities for communion with the arts. Despite the Art links the past to the present. It gives us
seemingly overflowing instances of arts around people, views on significant events that happened before that
one still finds the need to see more and experience could be a great factor of what we have today. What
more, whether consciously or unconsciously. Plato had makes art universal is its ability or its sense to
the sharpest foresight when he discussed in Symposium 'communicate. Works of Literature and History are the
that beauty, the object of any love, truly progresses. As best examples that exhibits the universality of art. Art is
one moves through life, one locates better, more present in every part of the globe and in every period of
beautiful objects of desire (Scott, 2000). One can never time. "Art is not good because its is old, it is old because
be totally contented with what is just before him. Human it is good" (Dudley et al, 1960)
beings are drawn toward what is good and ultimately
beautiful. The first assumption then about humanities is that art has
been crafted by all people regardless of origin, time,
HUMANITIES place, and that it stayed on because It is liked and
- A branch of learning or an academic discipline that enjoyed by people continuously. A great piece of work
studies the aspects ofhuman society and culture will never be obsolete. Art will always be present
- This discipline includes Philosophy, Mistry, Religion, because human beings will always express themselves
Literature, and the arts. and delight in these expressions.
- Takes the larger form, while the arts in general can be
subsumed as part of the large spectrum of humanities Art is not Nature
which includes visual, architecture, drama, literature, Art is mar's expression of his reception of
photography, and film. nature. Art is man's way of interpreting nature. Art is not
"Humanities are those significant achievements of the nature. Art is made by man, whereas nature is already
human race which illuminate and illustrate the distinctive given around us.
characteristics of man as a rational and spiritual
being.(De Leon, 2000) Art involves Experiences
Art is just experience. By experience, we
"Arts areprocesses,products, and experiences mean the "actual doing of something" (Dudley et al,
thatcommunicateaspects of humanlivinginavariety of 1960). When one says that he has an experience of
ways, many of which do notuse word. " something, he often means that he knows what that
(Alexander Sporre, 2000) something is about.
A work of art then cannot be abstracted from
ART actual doing. In order to know what an artwork is, we
• Comes from the Ancient Latin word 'ARS' which means have to sense it, we need to see or hear it. An important
"craft or specialized from of skill, like carpentry or aspect of experiencing art is its being highly personal,
smithying or surgery" (Collingwood, 1938) individual, and subjective. In philosophical terms,
• ARS in Medieval Latin came to mean something perception of art is always a value of judgment. Degust
different. It meant any special form of book-learning such bus non disputandum est (Matters of taste are not
as grammar or logic, magic or astrology" (Collingwood, matters of dispute), One cannot argue with another
1938) person's valuation of art because one's experience can
•During the Renaissance Period the word ARS never be known by another.
reacquired its original meaning from the Ancient Loti
Period. *Early renaissance artists coined/ call all their ART APPRECIATION: CREATIVITY, IMAGINATION,
artistic activities and product merely as "craftsmanship" AND EXPRESSION
• During the 17th Century, the problem and idea of
'Aestheties' , the study of beauty began to unfold It takes an artist to make an art. One may perceived
distinctly from the original notion and conception of art beauty on a daily basis. However, not every beautiful
which is 'Technical Workmanship' thing that can be seen or experienced may truly be called
• It was on the 18th Century when the issue on aesthetics a work of art. Art is a product of man's creativity,
was resolved. It was this period when the word Art has imagination and his expression. No matter how perfectly
evolved to distinguish between (a) Fine Arts and (b) blended the colors of a sunset are and no matter how
useful Arts, extraordinarily formed mountains are, nature is not
considered art simply because it is not made by man. Not
