PART 1: ARTS APPRECIATION  Individuals are free and are capable of making choices.

 Human potential for growth and development is virtually

INTRODUCTION unlimited.
 Self-concept plays an important role in growth and
Humanities and the Arts development.
 Individuals have an urge for self - actualization.
"Man is the measure of all things, according to  Reality is defined by each person.
Protagoras (481-411 BCE), an ancient Greek philosopher. This  Individuals have a responsibility to both themselves and
creature man has never ceased to amaze philosophers,scholars to others.
and scientists for over two millennia. And still the amazement
never stops. From the rudimentary tools of the Stone Age man to Nature of the Arts
the never-ending upgrades in software technology, man continues
to evolve in knowledge and technology thus leaving an indelible The word art etymologically comes from the Aryan root
mark of his legacy. ar, which means 'to join,' or 'put together.' The Latin term sars,
artis, mean everything that is artificially made or composed by
Are you aware of the message conveyed by the image of man. Art constitutes one of one of the oldest and most important
Da Vinci's Vitruvian Man? means of expression developed by man. Art particularly refers to
the skillful arrangement or composition of some common but
significant qualities of nature such as sounds, colors, lines,
Why Study Humanities? movements, words, stone, and wood to express feelings, thoughts,
imaginations, and dreams in an amazing, meaningful and
When one hears the word Humanities, one would enjoyable way (Adams, 2002).
generally think of the arts i.e. painting, sculpture, architecture,
literature, music, dance and theatre. These are areas in which Humanities through the arts deals with man's internal
human subjectivity is emphasized and individual expressiveness is world, his personality and experiences, matters that cannot directly
celebrated. Art, however, is just one part of the world of the be measured, classified or controlled. Art is subjective: it employs
Humanities. the use of perception, insights, feelings and intuition. It is man's
expression of himself as an individual and how he views his
Etymologically, Humanities came from the Latin word existence. It is the heightened expression of human dignity and
"humanus" which weaknesses felt and shared so powerfully in a world increasingly
means, human, cultured and refined. To be human is to show aware of its successes and failures. Art provides enjoyment and
characteristics of stimulation, particularly when people try to understand them. Art
rationality, benevolence and care; to be cultured and refined is to provides people with an image of themselves to enable them to
show good tastes and.manners indicative of good, proper further understand their nature and provide them with a way to
education. These are manitested in all the thoughts and actions showcase their passions and desires, their potentials and their
that center on human interests and ideals, values and sentiments. relationship with other people.

Generally, Humanities contains the records of man's Functions of Art

quest for answers to the fundamental questions he often asks
about himself and about the world he lives in. Put simply, When art is compared to other human activities, the
Humanities studies man and the manner in which he conducts uncultured will generally regard it as impractical, i.e.it isnot
himself from the time of his existence to the present (Martin meantto meet the requirements of day to day living. To a lay
&Jacobus, 2004). person, deprived of a formal education, a painting or a sculpture
have very little survival function. However, other forms of arts like
In the realm of knowledge, Humanities is composed of architecture, weaving, and furniture-making serve functions that
academic disciplines that make it distinctive in both content and make man's life better. Thus, they are classified as functional art
method from the physical and biological sciences and from the forms.
social sciences: The study of Humanities is devoted to
understanding the different phenomena within the human cultural Painting, sculpture, literature, music, dance and theatre,
contexts. though non-functional, AM serve purposes far beyond mundane
survival functions. The human need for beauty and aesthetics
Humanities studies how people process and document transcends sensual amusement and to the cultured elevates
the human experience using philosophy, literature, religion,art, and human expression, bringing it closer to the divine. Beethoven's
history as their way of understanding and recording their world. Moonlight Sonata, for instance, may not BEETHOVEN provide the
The Humanities studies how individuals'. manner of expression person that much needed Moonighl Sonata- nourishment but
varies as they record human experiences and how the way of listening to it does something to the human spirit, giving him hope
documenting these forms a connection between and among and making him realize how amazing it is just to be alive.
humans of the past, present and future (Foxx, 2014).
All art forms generally have the following functions:
Fundamental Principles of the Humanities
• The human need for expression. This seems to be
In the expressions of humanism are principles that give built-in the human psyche: this need to express, to show, to exhibit
the Humanities a unique character that shaped its development. what is hidden in man's inner world. His thoughts, emotions,
Humanism is associated with beliefs about freedom and that imaginations, dreams and aspirations are expressed in his art.
human beings are capable of making significant personal choices
within the constraints imposed by heredity, personal history and • The social need for display, celebration and
environment (merriam-webster.com/dictionary/humanism). communication. It is not enough for man to express his inner
Principles of the Humanities stress the importance of the individual world through his art, he needs to share and convey it to others
and specific human needs. Among the major principles underlying too. In this way, others may know, may empathize and may realize
Humanism are the following: that people are intercónnected.

 Human nature is inherently good.

 • The physical needs for functional objects. All art is action. Poetry, music and dance, according to Aristotle, imitates
man-made. In the effort to make human lite better, objects are some aspects of human nature through rhythm, narmony, melody
created (like the wheel) which is also classified as art. All of and vocal sound. Certain kinds of music are successful in caiming
technologý is art. It is a careful combination of form and function. wild excitement and that tragedies are effective in stirring up
This is based on the premise that if an object is to perform its emotions.
function, its form (design) should also allow it to do so
His emphasis was on poetry. He stated that poetry was
Art: As Viewed by Philosophy more philosophic and serious than philosophy itself. Poets,
according to Aristotle, imitated three things:
Philosophy as a field of discipline has
attempted to explain almost all aspects of human existence. 1) Things and events which have been or still are
Aesthetics is the philosophical study of beauty and taste. It is
concerned with the nature of art and used as basis for interpreting 2) Things which are said to be seen and are probable;
and evaluating individual works of art ("Aesthetics",n.d.). In order and
for the arts to be completely understood, views of three famous
philosophers are here undertaken, from Plato to Aristotle and 3) Things which essentially are.
lastly, Immanuel Kant.
Paintings and sculptures were seen by Aristotle as
Plato (428 347 BCE) representation/ imitation of ideas, imagination and reality
("Aesthetics",n.d.).
Plato was a philosopher of Ancient Greece. He is known
for his famous Dialogues that includes his equally famous teacher, Immanuel Kant (1724 -1804)
Socrates. Plato was said to have loved and hated the arts at the
same time. Using his Dialogues as basis (e.g. The Republic), Plato Immanuel Kant was a German, Enlightenment
was seen as a good literary stylist and a great story teller. Philosopher. In 1763, he wrote a treatise on Aesthetics entitled,
Endowed with these artistic abilities, he is considered the arts as Observations on the Feelings of the Beautiful and the Sublime. His
threatening. He saw how powerful the arts can be in shaping a main interest was not in art itself but on beauty. Kant thought that
person's character. As such, Plato contended that although the beauty does not rest on the properties of the objects or things but
arts can be used to train citizens to have an ideal society, using rather on the manner in which people respond to these objects oor
arts to accomplish this should be strictly controlled. things. In other words, beauty is a matter of taste.

As premise to his two theories of art, Plato explained that Kant further explained that taste can both be subjective and
the physical world is a copy of a perfect, rational, eternal and universal:
changeless original. The originals are called the Forms. Beauty,
justice and even a circle are examples of these Forms or Ideas. • Subjective taste does not focus on the properties of the
Using this as basis, Plato presented his two ideas of the arts: object itself but rather on the pleasure one experiences as he
responds to it. For example: when looking at a painting, what
1. Art is imitation. Plato explained that art is an imitation matters is not what the painting is all about or how it is organized
of physical things which in turn are imitations of the Forms. To put but rather on the emotions that the painting is able to successfully
it simply, art is a copy of a copy which leads people farther from arouse.
away the truth (or the Forms). At best, works of art are great for
entertainment. • Universal taste is non-aesthetic and does not consider
the beauty of the work or the mastery of the artist, but rather, the
2. Art is dangerous. According to Plato, art has power artwork Is appreciated for what it is. For example: the painting of
to stir emotions. So the arts should not go uncensored (as the Mona Lisa is admired because of its popularity and because it
mentioned in The Republic). was createo by Leonardo Da Vinci. For Immanuel Kant, beauty is
a question of form and color is not important. Color, for him has
Artist are people who have the ability to make a better nothing to do with the properties of the object but is only used for
copy of the true Form. As compared to other people, Plato saw the its decorative function. What is important in beauty is the design
artists as having the skills, imagination and creativity that would and the composition. In Kant's philosophy, there are two kinds of
enable them to make an almost perfect copy of the Forms aesthetic responses: 1) beauty results in pleasure if there is order,
(Hospers, n.d.). harmony and symmetry and 2) beauty leads to a response of awe
that overwhelms the viewers of the art ("Aesthetics",n.d.).
Aristotle (384-322 BCE)
Artists and Artisans
Aristotle was also a famous philosopher of Ancient
Greece. He was a student of Plato. Regarding the arts, Aristotle An artist is a person who exhibits exceptional skills in the
first distinguished between what is good and what is beautiful. He visual and/or the performing arts. Unlike other people, artists are
stated that the good always presents itself in some action while a more sensitive, very perceptive and more creative. They have the
thing of beauty may exist even in motionless objects or things. In knack of interpreting ideas into an artistic form using as their
certain.conditions, however, the good may also be considered as medium the words, pigments, clay, stone, musical notes or any
beautiful. combination that may best represent his message.

According to Aristotle, universal elements of beauty are What an artist creates has been defined as a formal
manifested by order, symmetry and definiteness. In his Poetics, he expression of the considered human experience This definition
stated that physical manifestation of beauty is likewise affected by focuses attention on two important components of the work, which
its size i.e. it should not be too big nor too smal. The arts aim was are: form and substance. The artwork potrays the artist's
to give pleasure and in giving pleasure, the arts presented itself as experience as subject matter, but it uses it after it has passed the
an activity. artist's sensibilities and has been carefully analyzed, felt and
thought.
Aristotle considered art as imitation or a representation or
nature. in esenting nature, arts demonstrated knowledge and The artist then gives this experience (substance) form
discovery, for objects of the art show disposition, passion and using a skilltul composition or the media (paint, stone, movements
for example) selected. The arrangement he imposes on his media novel, short story, essay, epic and legends to mention a few.
fits the nature of the materials chosen so as to give the work Examples are Homers liad and Nick Joaquin's Woman Who Had
spontaneity and perfect harmony. Two Navels.

An artisan, on the other hand, is a person who is in a • Theatre. The performance of drama. Typically, actors
skilled trade that involves making things by hand. He isa craft perform on stage in tront of a live audience. Dialoques may be
worker who makes or creates objects of great beauty by just using recited, sang or eliminated pantomimes). Theatre may be referred
his hands. His creations may be tunctional or decorative like an to as combined or pertorming drtS. It may include music, dance,
earthen pot or 'palayok' for cooking or vase tor decoration. Other and literature. Examples are Phantom of the Opera and Noli me
examples of artisans' crafts are furniture, sculpture, glass figurines, Tangere
metalwork, clothing, jewelry, food items, and handicrafts. Artisans
focus particularly on the technique and medium of the craft and In the contemporary society, art forms have evolved to
through experience hone their skills enabling them to reach the include photography, digital arts, and installations. The type of
expressive levels of an artist. medium that is used have also evolved for artists today are bolder
and are likely to experiment more on the use of different mediums
Handmade products of skilled artisans are priced more of expressions.
than commercial (factory-made) products. Artisans were the
dominant producers of consumer products prior to the Industrial
Revolution. Locally, in places outside the urban areas, many The art forms may be further classified into the visual arts
artisans abound. Some of the well-known are the woodcarvers of and the pertorming arts.
Paete, Laguna, the ceramic makers of Tiwi, Albay, the basket
weavers of Pangasinan and the piña weavers of Kalibo, Aklan. Visual arts include painting, sculpture and architecture
These local artisans have created products that are recognized while music, dance and theatre are considered as performing arts.
and sought after around the world, making the Philippines a nation Literature may be included under performing arts especially when
of highly skilled artisans. stories and poems are converted into scripts for a drama or a play.
The Art Forms Appreciating the Arts
Human expression through the arts may take several After the overview of the Arts given in the previous
forms depending on the talent and creativity of the artist. Artistic pages, how then does one when looking at a painting or a
skills and creativity may be for it a particular art form like painting sculpture, after watching a play or dance or when listening to
or dance or for two or more art forms. Artistic abilities may be an music, can these artistic expressions be appreciated at a deeper,
inborn talent or may have resulted from inspiration and years of more informed level?
training from an art master. Whatever is the source of the artist's
creativity, he may express it through his chosen art form. Art is This study of the arts is aimed at engaging the
basically expressed through the following art forms: audience/learners to have a relationship with the work that would
make them understand art not only for itself but from the view of
• Painting. This is best described as the application of the artist, the period, the culture, and the society in which it was
pigment to a surface. The various ways in which the paint is created. Courses designed for appreciating art (learn.saylor.org/
applied to create beautiful effects would depend on the unique course) aims for learners to have good art awareness that when
technique employed by the artist and the kind of medium that was they look at or experience a piece of art they would be able to:
used. Painting is a two-dimensional art form. Examples are Luna's
Spoliarium and Botticelli's Inferno. • Give a good physical description of the artwork based
on their knowledge of art elements and materials.
• Sculpture. This is an art form that is best described as • Analyze the artwork in terms of what the artist wants his
three-dimensional. The sculptor creates a solid form using work to represent and their (learners) subjective reaction to the
molding, carving, welding, casting and assembling. Some of the works which includes their thoughts and feelings.
popular medium are clay, wood, stone, metal, ice, glass and • Perceive the artwork in the context of its history. This
plastic. Examples are Tolentino's Bonifacio Monument and would enlighten the learners of the artist's intention in doing the
Michelangelo's David. work and add to the understanding of the meaning the work is
supposed to convey.
• Architecture. This is the most functional of all the art • Give meaning to the artwork based on its description,
forms. It involves creating designs for buildings and infrastructures. analysis and context.
Architecture to be functional involves using the design to build the • Judge the artwork as to whether it is good or bad based
structure through the help of engineers, contractors and skilled on the learner's perception of it and its aesthetic and cultural value.
workers. It is only after the structure is built will the art form be fully
appreciated. Examples are The Cultural Center of the Philippines Appreciating art is essential to man's understanding of
in Manila and BurjKhalifa in Dubai. himself and his psychic need to seek expression. Art expression
transcends time and space. Artworks of old still impact extant
• Music. This is the art of sound expressed through a human societies, and world cultures. As man continues to create
song, througgh the use of instruments or a combination of both. It and seek avenues of expression, such creations will have its
should express rhythm, harmony and melody that is soothing or impact not only on the cultures and societies of today but also of
appeals to the taste of its audience. Examples are Philippine's the future.
Kundiman and Beethoven's Symphony No.5.
Art is here to stay. It is man's legacy. It is the proof that
• Dance. The art of body movements that is attuned to a he together with others have sought to express the workings of his
musical piece. Body movements should be graceful and in rhythm mind and achieve immortality
with the accompanying musical piece. In the ancient times, adance
is used as a form of worship. Examples are Philippine folkdances
like Tinikling, Singkil and the ballet.

• Literature. The art of using words to express thoughts,

ideas, and Teelings. Literature make take the form of poetry,