Art History All Modules (in progress)

humanism

a philosophical stance and a non-religious worldview that emphasizes the value, potential, and dignity of human beings, placing humans at the center of moral and philosophical concerns. It advocates for reason, scientific inquiry, and critical thinking over supernatural or divine beliefs, promoting human welfare, dignity, freedom, and the development of human potential to create a more just and equitable society.

abstract, abstraction

Art that departs significantly from natural appearances. Forms are modified by the simplification and/or rearrangement of the image

addition

a sculptural term that means building up, assembling, or putting on material

aesthetics

sensitive to art or beauty. “Aesthetically pleasing" implies intellectual or visual beauty. 

analogous colors

Colors that are next to each other on the color wheel, and therefore are similar (i.e. red, red-orange, orange)

arbitrary color

the use of color not based on objective reality but on the individual choice of the artist

art

"The formal expression of a conceived image or imagined conception in terms of a given medium." (Sheldon Cheney)

assemblage

A three-dimensional artistic form made by combining various found objects, materials, or elements, which are often displayed in situ—that is, in a natural position or in the middle of the room rather than on a wall.

asymmetry

having unequal parts; a kind of design balance that is not the same on both sides

avant-garde

new or unusual experimental ideas, especially in the arts, or the people introducing them

balance

a sense of equilibrium between areas of implied weight, attention, attraction, or moments of force; one of the principles of organization

casting

a sculptural technique in which liquid material are shaped by being poured into a mold. The technique is also known as substitution.

color

the value or tonality of a color is the degree of its lightness or darkness

complementary colors

colors that are opposite on the color wheel (i.e. red and green)

composition

the arranging/structuring of all the art elements, according to principles of organization, that achieves a unified whole; often used interchangeably with the term design

concept

a comprehensive idea or generalization. An idea that brings diverse elements into a basic relationship; on the idea, or “concept,” of the work

content

the meaning or message contained and communicated by a work of art; the expression, essential meaning, significance, or aesthetic value of a work of art

contextualism

a methodological approach in art history that focuses on the cultural background of an art object. [_] utilizes the literature, history, economics, and social developments (among other things) of a period, as well as the object itself, to explain the meaning of an artwork

craftsmanship

aptitude, skill, or quality workmanship in the use of tools and materials

decorative (art)

The two-dimensional nature of an artwork or any of its elements, which emphasizes the essential flatness of a surface; also has generically referred to the ornamentation or enrichment of a surface.

descriptive (art)

a type of art that is based on adherence to actual appearances

design

the organizing process or underlying plan on which artists base their total work. In a broader sense, [_] may be considered synonymous with the terms form and composition

elements of design

line, space, color, texture, pattern, value, shape, silhouette, and motion — the basic ingredients the artist uses separately or in combination to produce artistic imagery

expression

the manifestation through artistic form of thought, emotion, or quality of meaning

expressionism

In general, art that sacrifices naturalism to focus on the emotional qualities. It often has a raw quality and uses arbitrary or symbolic color.

form

the total appearance, organization, or inventive arrangement of all the visual elements according to the principles that will develop unity in the artwork; composition

formalism

an approach to understanding, appreciation, and valuation of art based almost solely on considerations of form

golden section

1. Golden mean—"perfect" harmonious proportions that avoid extremes; the moderation between extremes.

2. Golden section—a traditional proportional system for visual harmony expressed when a line or area is divided into two sections so that the smaller part is to the larger as the larger is to the whole.

graphic (art)

2D art processes such as drawing, painting, photography, printmaking, and so on that generally exist on a flat surface and can create the illusion of depth

harmony

a principle of organization in which parts of a composition are made to relate through commonality — repeated or shared characteristics, elements, or visual units

hue

Color or shade. The attribute of a color that makes it recognizable as red, green, etc., which is based on its dominant wavelength.

iconography

Greek, the “writing of images.” The term refers both to the content, or subject, of an artwork and to the study of content in art. It also includes the study of the symbolic, often religious, meaning of objects, persons, or events depicted in works of art.

illusionism

painting that is made to resemble real objects and present believable space, through perspective

kinetic (art)

from the Greek word kinesis, meaning “motion”; art that involves an element of random or mechanical movement

linear perspective

a system for creating an illusion of depth or 3D space on a 2D surface, which is based on the fact that parallel lines or edges will appear to converge on the horizon

medium

(plural, media) the material of the work of art, and the techniques associated with it (i.e. oil paint, watercolor, fresco, graphite)

motif

a designed unit or pattern that is repeated often enough in the total composition to make it a significant or dominant feature

naturalism

a style of depiction in which the physical appearance of the rendered image in nature is the primary inspiration. A naturalistic work appears to record the visible world.

non-objective

Art that does not attempt to reproduce the appearance of objects, figures, or scenes in the natural world. Also, called non-representational art.

patron

patronage; the person or group who commissions or supports a work of art

radial balance

a kind of design balance, based on the radii of a circle, which radiates from the center of the composition (i.e, starburst)

saturation

intensity; the relative purity or saturation of a hue (color), on a scale from bright (pure) to dull (mixed with another hue)

style

the artistic traits characteristic of a particular period, place, person, or movement

stylized

based on design rather than nature; presented in a certain style

subject

the topic dealt with or the subject represented in a work of art

symmetry

a kind of design balance where the composition is identical on both sides of the central axis

What are the rudimentary reasons for studying art and art history?

Art History is the study of human expression – visual, but also tactile, spatial and sometimes aural – through history.  A central aim of art history is to determine the original context of artworks. Art historians seek to achieve a full understanding not only of why these “persisting events” of human history look the way they do but also of why the artistic events happened at all. What unique set of circumstances gave rise to the construction of a particular building or led an individual patron to commission a certain artist to fashion a singular artwork for a specific place? Artists and architects can affect history by reinforcing or challenging cultural values and practices through the objects they create and the structures they build.
By looking at a work of art's symbolism, colors, and materials, we can learn about the culture that produced it. Studying the history of art is one way of exploring human cultures – both ancient and modern.
We study the arts and their history because they teach us about our own creative expressions and those of our past. When we make or study our own art, we come to a fuller understanding of our personal thoughts, feelings, and values. When we study works of art made by others, we are better able to see how each of us is unique, but also connected with other people and cultures through similar human concerns and experiences. Many times, we are only knowledgeable of a people’s existence because of the discovery of their art.

The Questions Art Historians Ask: How Old Is It?

An indispensable subject of art historical inquiry is chronology, the dating of art objects and buildings. If researchers cannot determine a monument’s age, they cannot place the work in its historical context. Art historians have developed many ways to establish, or at least approximate, the date of an artwork:

• Physical evidence: use of materials that were invented after a certain period, study of tree rings in wood statues, etc

• Documentary evidence: official records for ex

• Internal evidence: an era-specific hairstyle or dress depicted in a painting

The Questions Art Historians Ask: What Is Its Style?

• period style

• personal style

The Questions Art Historians Ask: What Is Its Subject?

Subject matter encompasses the story or narrative; the persons involved; and the environment and its details.
Iconography, referring to both the content, or subject, of an artwork, and to the study of content in art. By extension, this also includes the study of symbols.

The Questions Art Historians Ask: Who Paid for It?

The role of patrons in dictating the content and shaping the form of artworks is also an important subject of art historical inquiry. In the art of portraiture, to name only one category of painting and sculpture, the patron has often played a dominant role in deciding how the artist represented the subject.

Abstract Expressionism

Type of art in which the artist expresses himself purely through the use of form and color. It non-representational, or non-objective, art, which means that there are no actual objects represented. The “subject” is the artwork itself—its colors, textures, composition, and size.

What is art?

The quality, production, or expression of what is beautiful, appealing, or of more than ordinary significance. Art is an expression of human values, beliefs, hope and faith.
In order correctly to define art, it is necessary, first of all, to cease to consider it as a means to pleasure and to consider it as one of the conditions of human life.
People that perceive art, much like with speech, enter into a relationship where they receive the intended message and emotion of that who created it

Classical meaning of art (art v craft)

The original classical definition is derived from the Latin word "ars" (meaning "skill" or "craft"). This broad approach leads to art being defined as: "the product of a body of knowledge, most often using a set of skills." Thus Renaissance painters and sculptors were viewed merely as highly skilled artisans.

Definition of Art is Limited by Era and Culture

Another thing to be aware of, is the fact that art reflects and belongs to the period and culture from which it is spawned. Political events are the most obvious era-factors that influence art: for example, art styles like Expressionism, Dada, and Surrealism were products of political uncertainty and upheavals.
Cultural differences also act as natural borders. After all, Western draughtsmanship is light years away from Chinese calligraphy; and what Western artform compares with the art of origami paper folding from Japan? Religion is a major cultural variable that alters the shape of the artistic envelope. The Baroque style was strongly influenced by the Catholic Counter-Reformation, while Islamic art (like Orthodox Christianity), forbids certain types of artistic iconography.

Post-Renaissance Meaning of Art

The emergence of the great European academies of art reflected the gradual upgrading of the subject. New and enlightened branches of philosophy also contributed to this change of image. By the mid-18th century, the mere demonstration of technical skills was insufficient to qualify as art - it now needed an "aesthetic" component - it had to be seen as something "beautiful.“

At the same time, the concept of "utilitarianism" (functionality or usefulness) was used to distinguish the more noble "fine arts" (art for art's sake), like painting and sculpture, from the lesser forms of "applied art", such as crafts and commercial design work, and the ornamental "decorative arts", like textile design and interior design

Meaning of Art Post-World War II