Notes: 3rd Week Reading Visual Arts (Module 3)

Unit overview: Subjects and Uses of Arts throughout History

• This module (Unit 3, Lesson 3.1) focuses on the subjects used in art across different periods and locations, how subjects function as representations, and the characteristics of art and the artist’s style.
• Essential questions focus on: (1) common representations used as subjects of art from different eras, (2) how art subjects and representations evolve over time, and (3) the meaning and significance of iconography.
• Intended learning outcomes:
  • To know what Iconography and its significance is
  • Compare and contrast the arts for the different eras in relation to the various subjects used
  • Analyze the important characteristics of the different periods and their effects on arts
• Core terms introduced: subject (the representation of what an artwork is about) and iconography (the containment of deeper meanings in simple representations).

Iconography: definition, scope, and scholarly framework

• Iconography is the containment of deeper meanings in simple representations; it is a type of image used to convey a particular meaning.
• It involves conventional images or symbols with a subject, often religious or legendary.
• It can also describe a depiction in terms of image content, including the number of figures, their placement, and gestures.
• Key scholarly formulation: Panofsky’s three-part method for iconography (widely applied to Italian and Northern Renaissance works; also used in archaeology and 20th-century iconography studies):
  1) Pre-iconographic description: identify the components in a picture; it is the "sphere of practical experience" and may require research for unfamiliar elements. $ext{Pre-iconographic description}$
  2) Iconographical analysis: use the pre-iconographic description to identify symbolic elements (personifications, allegories, symbols, attributes, emblems) and consult external resources (books, myths, standard practices) to interpret these elements. $ext{Iconographical analysis}$
  3) Iconological interpretation: synthesize the materials from the iconographical analysis with knowledge of the period of creation; check the interpretation against the general and essential tendencies of human mind. $ext{Iconological interpretation}$
• Drainville (2018) summarizes iconography as a method of examining, categorizing, and interpreting imagery.
• Iconography is a common approach for viewers of visual arts to interpret images by examining visible parts and symbols.
• Example to illustrate iconography in practice: Jan van Eyck, Arnolfini Portrait (painted in $1434$, oil on canvas; public domain).
  • The painting is often understood as a symbolic image communicating a betrothal contract rather than a mere scene of a moment.

Iconography in action: Arnolfini Portrait (Jan van Eyck, 1434)

• Each object has a specific symbolic meaning beyond its surface appearance; the work is framed as an image constructed to communicate particular messages.
• Symbolic elements highlighted in typical analyses:
  1) The bride holding her garment in front of her belly suggests pregnancy; she is not actually pregnant at the time but this is a symbolic depiction of future fertility.
  2) A small dog at her feet symbolizes fidelity; dogs often appear in portraits of women married for wealth or status.
  3) Discarded shoes symbolize the sanctity of marriage.
  4) The single candle lit in daylight (visible via the chandelier) represents the bridal candle—a devotional candle to burn through the first night of marriage; some interpret it as the presence of God.
  5) The chair back features a carving of St. Margaret, patron saint of childbirth.
  6) An orange on the windowsill and the rich clothing symbolize future material wealth and fertility (in $1434$, oranges were expensive as they were imported from India).
  7) The circular mirror at the back reflects the artist and another man; the artist’s inscription, "Jan van Eyck was present," identifies witnesses to the betrothal; the circular forms around the mirror are tiny depictions of the Stations of the Cross, linking the scene to religious narrative.
• Takeaway: the painting is not a literal scene but a designed image meant to communicate the betrothal contract and social/legal implications of marriage at the time.

Types of Subject in Arts (11 major kinds, with examples and characteristics)

• 1) Narrative Art
  • Purpose: tells a story as a sequence of events or a moment in an ongoing story.
  • Historical note: very evident in medieval Christian art; Byzantine artists and church programs depicted biblical scenes as narrative.
  • Example in the course visuals: Diana and Callisto by Peter Paul Rubens (Figure 11).
• 2) Nudism (Nude art)
  • Definition: works whose primary subject is the unclothed human body.
  • Historical arc: from Upper Paleolithic fertility deities to Greek classical sculpture emphasizing the nude.
  • Modern/contemporary emphasis: emphasizes sexuality, aesthetic form, and can provoke discomfort or critique; judgment of “artistic” vs. “pornographic” is subjective and historically variable.
  • Example in course visuals: Nude-related discussion leading to exploration of Adam and Eve by Albrecht Dürer (Figure 12).
• 3) Religious Art
  • Purpose: use art for worship, teaching, rituals, and inspiring devotion across religions.
  • Common modes: murals, paintings, mosaics, stained glass; sculpture; architecture in churches, mosques, basilicas, monasteries.
  • Example in course visuals: Christ of St. John of the Cross by Salvador Dalí (Figure 13).
• 4) Personification and Allegory
  • Personification: attributing human qualities to non-human objects.
  • Allegory: the subject or composition elements symbolize spiritual or moral meanings (e.g., love, life, death).
  • Historical usage: Greco-Roman gods embodied ideals like love, desire, violence; used broadly in Western art as symbolic language.
• 5) Genre
  • Definition: scenes from everyday life, often depicted in naturalistic-realistic terms.
  • Focus: everyday activities and rural life; aims to depict realistic social or domestic scenes.
• 6) Portraiture
  • Definition: paintings of individuals or groups, focusing on face, bust, or full figure; used to mark milestones (baptisms, weddings, graduations).
  • Example: Mona Lisa by Leonardo da Vinci (Figure 17).
• 7) Nature (Seascapes, Landscapes, Cityscapes)
  • Seascape: marine life, water forms, ships.
  • Landscape: natural scenery such as mountains, forests, fields.
  • Cityscape: urban environments and streets.
  • Representative artwork: Bridge in the Autumn Forest by Olha Vyacheslavovna Darchuk (Figure 18).
• 8) Still Life
  • Definition: inanimate objects arranged purposefully indoors (fruit baskets, flowers, dishes, musical instruments).
  • Purpose: demonstrates organizational capability and can reflect human interests and activities.
  • Example: Basket of Fruit by Caravaggio (Figure 19).
• 9) Protest Art
  • Purpose: conveys critique, dissent, or political/social messages (often satirical or polemical).
  • Historical arc: used to challenge tyranny (early medieval Christian contexts) and, in modern times, protest through effigies, placards, and banners.
  • Example: Protest Art by Emory Douglas (Figure 20).
• 10) Fantasy Art
  • Definition: art of imagination, depicting strange, irrational, or absurd subjects beyond ordinary reality.
  • Characteristic: no practical limits on imagination; emphasizes the extraordinary or unreal.
  • Example: Fantasy Art by Nestor Ossandon (Figure 21).
• 11) Abstract and Non-Objective Art
  • Definition: art that does not present identifiable objects or symbols; relies on visual elements like lines, shapes, and colors to convey feelings or concepts.
  • Relationship: abstract vs. non-objective are treated as closely related, with emphasis on form over recognizable subject.
  • Example: Squares with Concentric Circle by Wassily Kandinsky (Figure 22).

Iconography as a method: significance, scope, and practice

• Iconography provides a structured way to interpret images by identifying symbolic content and its cultural context.
• It supports viewers in recognizing how symbols communicate values, beliefs, and social norms across periods.
• It is especially useful for understanding religious imagery, mythological references, and culturally specific conventions in art history.

Practice prompts and assessment cues

• A. Identify the kind of subject depicted from the given pictures (as provided in the module’s visual prompts).
• B. Explain why abstract art is considered non-objective art: discuss how abstract/non-objective works emphasize form (lines, shapes, colors) and feelings rather than recognizable objects or scenes, and how this departs from visible, concrete references.

Related references and resources cited in the module

• Core textbooks and humanistic resources used by the course:
  • Caslib, Jr., B.N., et al (2018), Art Appreciation, Rex Bookstore, Manila, Philippines.
  • Ariola, M.M. (2014), Introduction to Art Appreciation: A Textbook in Humanities, 2nd Ed., C & E Publishing Inc., Quezon City.
  • Datuin, F.M. et al (2016), Contemporary Philippine Arts from the Regions, Rex Bookstore, Manila, Philippines.
  • Javellana, SJ. R.B. (2018), Understanding, Valuing and Living Art, Vibal Group, Inc., Quezon City.
  • Lamucho, V.S. et al (2003), Introduction to Humanities: A Humane Experience, Mutya Publishing House, Valenzuela City.
  • Menoy, J.Z. (2014), Introduction to the Humanities: A Holistic Approach, Books ATBP. Publishing Corp., Mandaluyong City.
  • Ortiz, M.A. et al (1976), Art: Perception and Appreciation, University of the East, Manila.
  • Ramirez, V.E. (2016), Contemporary Philippine Arts from the Regions, Vibal Group, Inc., Quezon City.
  • Zulueta, F.M. (2003), The Humanities Revised Ed., National Bookstore, Mandaluyong City.
• Online resources and e-books listed for iconography and art terms:
  • https://www.infoplease.com/encyclopedia/arts/visual/general/iconography/themeaning- and-significance-of-iconography
  • https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nude_(art)
  • https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Personification
  • https://www.britannica.com/art/allegory-art-and-literature
  • https://www.tate.org.uk/art/art-terms/d/digital-art
• Project note: “SCRIBBLING SOUL or gesture drawing” (1/8) with illustration board (visual prompts).