Unit 1: Introduction to Art & Art History

What is art?

A way of expressing ideas, emotiions, experiences, and imagination

Is there one universal definition of art?

No. What is considered arecan depend on culture, time, and context

According to Dante Alighieri, what does art do?

Art imitates nature, like a student learning from a teacher

According to Giorgio de Chirico, what can art go beyond?

Art can go beyond logic and common sense and enter the realm of dreams and imagination

Why can it be difficult to determine what is or isn’t art?

Because an object’t meaning can change depending on its contect, purpose, and interpretation

What is art history?

The study of objects, architecture, and visual culture created by humans across time and geography

Why is art history considered subjective?

Because historians interpret evidence from their own time and place

What are the three major types of art historical analysis?

Visual analysis, stylistic analysis, and contextual analysis

What is visual analysis?

Studying what you can see in an artwork, such as line, color, texture, and composition

What is stylistic analysis?

Studying how an artwork fits into a particular style

What is contextual analysis?

Studying the historical, social, cultural, and political circumstances surrounding an artwork

What is line?

A basic visual element that can define shapes and communicate emotion or movement

What is a contour line?

A line that defines that edges of an object

What is an implied line?

A line that is suggested rather than actually drawn

What is shape?

A 2D area defined by an outline or change in color

What is form?

A 3D shape or the illusion of three dimensions

What is positive space?

The space occupied by an object

What is negative space?

The empty space around or between objects

What is hue?

The name of a color

What are the primary colors?

Red, yellow and blue

What are secondary colors?

Colors created by missing two primary colors

What is value?

The lightness or darkness of a color

What is value

The purity or strength of a color

What is space in art?

The area an object takes up or the illusion of depth in an artwork

What is texture?

The quality of a surface

What is actual/tactical texture?

Texture that can be physically felt

What is illusionistic texture?

Texture that is represented visually but cannot actually be felt

What is composition?

How an artist organizes that elements and forms in an artwork

What is balance?

The distribution of visual weight in an artwork

What are two types of balance?

Symmetrical and asymmetrical

What is emphasis?

Making an area of an artwork stand out or attract attention

What is movement in art?

The way an artwork created or suggests visual movement

What is proportion?

The relationship between the sizes of parts to each other

What is scale?

The relationship between the size of an object and something else in the artwork

What is hierarchical scale?

Making important figures or objects larger to show their importance

What are patter, repetition, and rhythm?

They use repeated elements to create organization or a sense of movement

What is variety?

The use of differences between elements

What is unity?

What the elements of an artwork work together as a whole

What is period style?

Characteristics associated with a particular historical period

What is regional style?

Characteristics associated with a particular geographic area

What is representational art?

Art that shows recognized subject matter

What is realism/naturalism?

An attempt to represent subjects realistically

What is illusionism?

Creating a conviction illusion of reality

What is abstract art?

Art that moves away from realistic representation

What is expressionism?

A style that uses exaggeration to express feelings or emotions

What does “painterly” mean?

A painting style where visible, energetic brushstrokes are noticable

What does contectual analysis examine?

The historical, social, cultural, and political setting of an artwork

What are common types of subject matter in art?

Narratives, genre scenes, landscapes, still lifes, and portraits

What is attribution?

Determining who created an artwork

How can an artwork be attributed if it isn’t signed?

By examining its style, school, or personal style

What is a patron?

A person or organization that supports or commissions and artist

Why are patrons important?

They can influence what and artist creates and why

What is material?

The substance and tools used to create and artwork

What is technique?

The process an artist use to work with materials and tools

What are the three main types of relief sculpture?

High, low, and sunken