LESSON ONE: Definition and Purpose of Art

Learning Outcomes

1. Trace how art was defined in different periods of time

2. Identify the different purposes of art
3. Relate how art was perceived in the Western world to how it was in our country
4. Categorize works of art based on personal experiences
5. Demonstrate an understanding and appreciation of arts in general, including their function,
value, and historical significance

Discussion

Art is indeed a paradox. It is a word which everybody knows yet nobody is capable of defining
substantially. Great thinkers across continents and time frames had tried to set the boundaries of this
term using their own words, but they ended up struggling to find the right ones that could be deemed
universal, or acceptable even. It seems that coming
up with a concrete definition of art is way more than
herculean and almost near impossible. That is why
this book is not at all aimed at defining art, but
instead at opening one’s mind to how art was
perceived through time, and in turn at
understanding the complexities that art offers,
which eventually leads to appreciating all of its
types and forms.

If there is one undebatable thing that can be said

about art, it would be that it expresses human
values and desires. This notion is highly observable
in the Venus of Willendorf (PICTURE 1) which was
created around 30,000 years ago (30,000 Years of
Art, Phaidon Press, 2007).

The size and shape of the Venus of Willendorf shed

some clues on how it played an important role
during the pre-historic times. The sculpture is not
more than four inches tall, and so archaeologists
and art experts agreed that this was carried by our
nomadic ancestors wherever they go. In addition,
some parts of the sculpture’s body are more
PICTURE 1, The Venus of Willendorf, housed at the Natural emphasized than others. The breasts, genitals,
History Museum in Vienna, Austria. Photo downloaded buttocks, and the abdomen are more pronounced
from the website of the Natural History Musuem
than other parts like the hands and the face which
is almost non-existent. It can be surmised that the emphasized parts were deemed most useful and
most desired by our nomadic ancestors. Indeed, the Venus of Willendorf is significant not only
because it is one of the earliest manifestations of man’s creativity, but more importantly because it
proved that art is a way to channel what human beings deem valuable and desirable.

The world we live in is also a huge factor on how art can be perceived. Because of the change in
climate, our ancestors who were once nomadic were forced to find a place that can sustain their lives—
and the uncertain and ever-changing ways of nomadic life transformed into a consistent pattern of
existence. This change brought about a new civilization—one that started along the banks of the river
Nile.

The Nile river not only boasts of being the longest, but also of being consistent in terms of its tide. This
consistency made it possible for the settlers to learn something about irrigation, thus enhancing their
knowledge on agriculture which resulted to the formation of communities that are stable, sustainable,
and organized. During that time, our ancestors stopped wandering around to find food because they
now have the knowledge and ability to
plant and harvest their own crops.

This system worked for the Egyptians and

so they developed an obsession with
consistency—one thing that is very evident
in the art pieces produced during those
times. It is amazing to note that Egyptian
civilization lasted almost 30 centuries
(www.history.com/topics/ancient-history),
and yet the way art represented this era
never changed. One good evidence is how
the way the human body was depicted.

In most reliefs found on walls (PICTURE 2),

constancy and precision were conspicuous.
Because of this, Archaeologists and
Egyptologists agreed that the depictions
never changed because the Egyptians PICTURE 2, Egyptian Relief, housed at the Metropolitan Museum of
never really want them to (How Art Made Art in New York, United States of America. Photo was taken by
the World Episode 1: More Human than Edward John Padilla in 2018
Human, BBC 2005). In this case, art not only
recorded the values and desires of human beings, but it also served as a preserver of culture.
 The Egyptians produced some of the most
monumental pieces of art. From the larger
than life size of the sphinx, to the wondrous
pyramids of Giza (PICTURE 3), it cannot be
denied that they wanted the world to know
about their achievements. They erected
temples and carved thousands of intricate
images on walls for posterity, and we can say
that they won their battle against oblivion as
evidenced by the survival of their artistic
masterpieces.

If the Egyptians were content on preserving

what they have, another civilization was more
focused on discovering and experimenting
more—the Greeks. Inspired by the

PICTURE 3, The Pyramids of Giza. Photo was taken by Lulette Ann breathtaking art of the Egyptians, the Greeks
Africa in the year 2014 followed this kind of tradition until they

began to depict human bodies in a more realistic and

dynamic way. This can be seen in the sculpture Kouros
or “young boy” (PICTURE 4).

It can be observed that the sculpture took a step

forward which brought dynamism in it. In addition, the
attempt to create a more realistic human-like figure is
also very visible. Because of this, it can be said that art
also represents reality and imitates life.

The creation of the Krition Boy (PICTURE 5) can be

considered as the height of the Greek artistic revolution
which highlights the attempt of representing and
imitating life as realistic as possible. Unlike the Egyptian
reliefs and sculptures, this marble masterpiece presents
an undeniable and unmistakable verisimilitude to a
young man.

PICTURE 4, The Kouros, housed at the Metropolitan

Museum of Art in New York, United States of America.
Photo was taken by Edward John Padilla in 2018.
 After the creation of the Krition Boy, one might think
that there is nothing more to be done, but
contentment doesn’t seem to be part of human nature.
Soon enough, the Greek’s quest to achieve realism was
overshadowed by a great “wanting” to have something
more than what reality has to offer. Contrary to what
Plato has said about art, his student, Aristotle posited
in his book “The Poetics” that art does way more than
to imitate life, he further added that it completes what
nature failed to finish (further discussion is on the next
lesson). Aristotle was able to put art into a higher
position by elevating it from mere “imitation” to a
tangible and at the same time, an intangible source of
inspiration and awe.

The realism of the Greek sculptures brought about a

lot of issues about art—in one spectrum, it was received
well and the artists were admired for successfully
copying nature; on the other hand it also bored the
spectators and the artists were criticised for not being
able to produce art that inspires.
PICTURE 5, The Krition Boy, housed at the Acropolis
Museum in Athens, Greece. Photo downloaded from In the year 1972, a chemist named Stefano Mariottini,
The Acropolis Museum Website who was snorkelling along the coast of Riace (Italy),
(www.acropolismuseum.gr)
discovered two bronze statues now known as the Riace
Warriors (PICTURE 6). After stringent examination on
the statues, experts posited that these were made
around 460-450 BCE.

If we are to compare the Krition Boy (PICTURE 5) to the

Riace Warriors (PICTURE 6), the difference can never
be more downright. The most obvious difference
would have to be the way the bodies were
represented. As stipulated in the paragraphs above,
the Krition Boy’s body is “realistic”, on the other hand,
this cannot be said about the bodies of the Riace
Warriors. Upon close examination, we would realize
that even if they look like human beings, there are
some parts that are anatomically impossible to
achieve. The legs of the warriors are extra ordinarily
long; there is a very defined looping muscle on the

PICTURE 6, The Riace Warriors, housed at the Museo waist; the muscles are all flexed even though the
Nazionale della Magna Grecia Reggio Calabria in
Italy. The photo was downloaded from
MadeinSouthItaly.com
sculptures seem to be in a relaxed state—these are few of the things that make the Riace Warriors
beautiful, and yet unreal. One may surmise that the “unrealistic” qualities of the warrior statues will put
off the audience from appreciating them, but the truth is otherwise. Everyone who saw the Riace
Warriors couldn’t help but to be inspired by its overwhelming beauty, therefore it can be said that art
does not only imitate life, but it can be a source of inspiration, as well.

Greek and Roman art dominated the

scene until the dawning of the
middle ages. The medieval times
drastically changed the western
world by rerouting the focus of art
(its subjects and themes) and by
changing the socio-political and
religious landscape. During these
times, Christianity was quickly
spreading, thus overshadowing the
belief systems in ancient Greece and
Rome.

Christianity became even more

popular when the Roman Emperor
PICTURE 7, Byzantine painting, housed at the Metropolitan Museum in New
York, United States of America. Photo was taken by Edward John Padilla in
Constantine legalized it in 313 CE
2018 (The Short Story of Art by Susie
Hodge, 2017) and in turn, transferred the capital of the Holy Roman Empire from Rome to Byzantine
(was renamed Constantinople, and is present day Istanbul). Because of this, depictions of Greek
deities were considered pagan which resulted to the massive production of art pieces that feature
Christian characters and saints.

There is also one very obvious change in the way human bodies were depicted in the middle ages.
The figures are very unrealistic to a point of appearing abstracted (PICTURE 7). It can be observed in
the example given that the Christian images don’t resemble real persons. They have unusually long
necks, elongated fingers, exaggerated facial features, and unnatural skin tones, to mention a few. In
addition, there is an undeniable eastern feel to it as observed in the draperies and patterns found in
the painting. Giorgio Vasari, a renowned biographer of Renaissance artists, even remarked that all of
the achievements in art in the classical period were eradicated in Byzantine tradition.

It may be difficult to understand the reason behind this change, but all leads up to propaganda. It was
posited that the Roman Empire wanted to extend its influence to the East by using religion and
employing “art” as the vehicle. The Eastern world, which was predominantly Muslim, was known to be
iconoclasts, and so Christianity will be faced with harsh criticisms if they will encourage veneration of
holy Christian images. As a result, Christian artists made it certain that the religious images must be far
removed from reality to separate the human from the divine. They also employed other techniques in
art to unrealistically depict Christian saints, and the most popular is the mosaic.

Another great example of the East and West

merger is the monumental structure, the Haglia
Sophia (PICTURE 8). At first glance, one might
think that this building is an Islamic mosque
because of the domes and the pointed towers,
but in reality, it was commissioned by another
Catholic Roman Emperor named Justinian.
Designed by Isidore Miletus in 532 CE, this
magnificent structure gives character to Istanbul
as being the crossroad of two worlds—the East
and the West. This architectural wonder was also
a very effective way to propagate the Christian
faith to the Eastern world. Indeed, the Haglia
Sophia is a tangible proof of the conglomeration
of two cultures, and at the same time, it is a

surviving testament on how art can be used as an PICTURE 8, The Haglia Sophia in Istanbul, Turkey. The photo
effective propaganda. was taken by Edward John Padilla in 2017

The medieval times experienced the height of Catholic power, and that is why most of the art pieces
produced were highly influenced by the church. But as time passes, some artists tried to break away
from the Byzantine tradition by slowly rediscovering the achievements of the Greco-Roman period.
This particular effort of rediscovering the antiquity can be attributed to the works of the Italian poet
Francesco Petrarca when he surveyed some ancient Greek and Roman documents, and in turn,
thought of a new era called “revival of the classics” (History of Art 6th Edition Volume II, H.W. Janson
and Anthony F. Janson, 2001) which we now call “Renaissance”. This movement did not only center in
literature, but to the other art forms, as well. Painters like Duccio, Cimabue, Giotto, Masaccio, and the
sculptor Donatello employed in their works the ingenuity of the classical masters which inspired all the
artists that followed their footsteps.
Though the subjects were still predominantly religious, the style was very different from the Byzantine
tradition. Artists worked on masterpieces that are awe-inspiring and these pieces attracted the
attention not only of the church but rich families as
well. During that time, Rome and Florence
became the key cities of artistic productions
because the Catholic church and the Medici family
were two of the most lavish patrons of art. They
offered artists great remunerations for art
commissions. Because of this, competition among
artists were heightened and as a result, most of
the painters and sculptors pushed themselves to
the limits and in turn produced unparalleled
masterpieces that are unequalled even up to this
day. This period also gave birth to three of the
greatest artists of all time—Leonardo,
Michelangelo, and Raphael.

The Renaissance indeed was a wonderful time for

art and most especially for artists. Because of the
high demand for “good” art, the career prospects
of painters and sculptors reached new heights. In
this period, more than any of the periods in the
past and even at present time, artists were put on
a pedestal and received much adulation. Art also became a symbol of fortune and power.
Michelangelo’s “David” (PICTURE 9) is one great example of how art can help build the image of a
place. The sculpture “David” was once placed on a public square in front of Palazzo Vecchio (the seat
of civic government) to give the on lookers the impression that the place is like no other.

It can be surmised that during the Renaissance, the most powerful and influential must have the best
art pieces by the best artists, thus art is not only used as a propaganda but as a status symbol as well.

From the Renaissance through the Baroque and Neo-classical periods, subjects of art remained the
same; and in France, a distinguished academy was in charge of cultivating the tradition of excellence
PICTURE 9, David by Michelangelo, housed at the Galleria in the field of art. Portraits of leaders, aristocrats,
dell’ Academia in Florence, Italy. The photo was taken by
mythological characters, and religious personas
Paul Ericson Carillo in 2016
were considered as standard subjects, until one
artist rebelled against the movement—Gustave Courbet. He painted subjects that were rarely depicted
in art like workers, ordinary townspeople, and rural and agricultural landscape.

Most of Courbet’s works were rejected by the Academy of Fine Arts, but he gained support from the
public and some other artists like Edouard Manet, Claude Monet, and Pierre August Renoir. Courbet,
together with his supporters wanted to change the tradition, thus Realism and Impressionism became
the next trends in art. Artists in this tradition no longer dwell with the heavenly and the divine, instead
they focused on what is real, apparent, and present. One example is Manet’s painting entitled, “Claude
Monet and His Family” (PICTURE 10).

It can be
observed in the
picture that the
subject is very
different from the
past artistic
traditions. The
subjects are not
deities, nor
important societal
and political
figures, but
regular folks; and
the scene was not
taken from a

PICTURE 10, Claude Monet and His Family by Edouard Manet, housed at the Metropolitan Museum glorious
of Art in New York, United States of America. The Photo was taken by Edward John Padilla in 2018 revolution, nor a
scene in the Bible, but a typical afternoon scenario. Therefore, art became not only a status symbol for
the rich and powerful, but also a way to depict realities and experiences of the common individual—
steering away from the metaphorical and the figurative.

Impressionism gained widespread success in the art world,

but the emerging popularity of the camera challenged this
artistic movement. Since the camera can capture moments
more accurately, painters needed to do something
different—something better than what the camera can do.
Soon enough a group of artists started creating pieces of art
that the camera can never capture—things inside the human
mind.

Artists like De Chirico, Magritte, Ernst, and Dali painted

dreamlike (deeply inspired by Sigmund Freud’s theories)
images that are “beyond real”, and in time the movement
Surrealism surfaced. In the painting “The Lovers” by Rene
Magritte (PICTURE 11), it is very evident that the image is not
real and nothing but just a figment of the imagination. The
same can be said about Salvador Dali’s most famous work,

PICTURE 11, The Lovers by Rene Magritte,

housed at the Museum of Modern Art in New
York City, United States of America. Photo was
taken by Edward John C. Padilla in 2018
“Persistence of Memory” (PICTURE 12). If
we are to look closely, we would realize
that the painting cannot exist in the real
world. The objects don’t seem to have
logical connections with each other, and
there are some items that unrecognizable.
Being true to the movement Dali and
Magritte belong to, their works resemble
a dream, and to some extent, a
nightmare. Indeed, the Surrealists
painters proved that art doesn’t only
depict the realities around us, but it can
concretize intangible things like ideas and
dreams, as well.
PICTURE 12, Persistence of Memory by Salvador Dali, housed at the
Museum of Modern Art in New York City, United States of America.
It can be posited that the “Realism” Photo was taken by Edward John Padilla in 2015
fostered by Gustave Courbet paved the
way for modern and contemporary art. Artists are now more free in choosing what subjects to depict
and what themes to employ. Contemporary artists like Andy Warhol, Mark Rothko, and Jackson
Pollock created works that were so different from what was established hundreds of years ago.

In Jackson Pollock’s painting

(PICTURE 13), one can easily
observe that he did not follow the
art traditions of the past, rather he
made his own style. Just like Pollock,
contemporary artists believe that art
is a powerful medium of self-
expression. Therefore, art is not only
capable of concretizing the
intangible and the unseen, but
ultimately it is a channel where an
individual can express
himself/herself.

This lesson was able to trace how art

PICTURE 13, Autumn Rhythm by Jackson Pollock, housed at the Museum of was perceived through time, but the
Modern Art in New York City, United States of America. The photo was taken most important thing is your own
by Edward John Padilla in 2015
perception about it. Hopefully, by
surveying the past, you were able to gather enough information for you to come up with your own
ideas about art en route to learning and appreciating art more.
DISCUSSION QUESTIONS

1. If you were given the chance to come up with your own definition of art, how will you define it?
Do you agree with the things that were said about art in the discussion? Why? Why not?
2. What are the purposes of art discussed in the text? Can you think of other purposes?
3. Based on the text, it can be surmised that art is very important in the western world. In your
opinion, do you think our country has the same ideas about art? Do you think Filipinos value
art in the same way the western world values it?
4. Do you think art also played a significant role in our society? Discuss your answer.

ENRICHMENT ACTIVITIES

Art and the Philippine Society

Using online sources, search for works of the following Filipino artists and try to explain their
significance to the Philippine society.

Filipino Title of Significance to

Artists Works Philippine Society

Juan Luna
(1857-1899)

Victorio Edades
(1895-1985)

Fernando Amorsolo
(1892-1972)

Vicente Manansala
(1910-1981)

Benedicto Cabrera
(1942-Present)

Art Definitions and Samples

Choose an art sample that represents how art was defined by the following philosophers and writers.
 Philosopher/Writer Definition of Art
Aristotle Art completes what nature failed to finish.
Plato Art is an imperfect imitation of an imitation.
Longinus Art is perfect when it seems to be nature, and nature hits the mark
when she contains art within her.
Immanuel Kant Art is a kind of representation that is purposive in itself and, though
without and end, nevertheless promotes the cultivation of the
mental powers for sociable communication.
Jose Garcia Villa Art is never a means; it is an end itself

ASSESSMENT

Give your own definition of art and choose an art piece by a Filipino artist that best represents your
definition. Explain your definition by relating it to the art sample you have chosen. Use the space
provided below.

Your own definition of art

Title of the art work you have chosen

Discussion:
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VIEWING
“How Art Made the World Episode 1: More Human than Human”
BBC Documentary hosted by Nigel Spivey
Produced by Kim Thomas and Mark Hedgecoe
2005

Guide Questions:
1. What is the importance of the “Herring Gull” experiment in explaining the odd shape of the
 Venus of Willendorf? Do you think the “Herring Gull” experiment is still applicable to our
present time?
2. What is the secret of the Egyptians in producing consistently shaped and proportioned body
depictions?
3. How do the ancient Greeks perceive beauty? Do you think their definition of beauty is still true
today?
4. Why do you think human beings are obsessed with unrealistic body depictions?

SOURCES

1. 30,000 Years of Art, Phaidon Press. October 22, 2007

2. The Short Story of Art by Susie Hodge, Laurence King Publishing Ltd. 2017
3. The Essential Dialogues of Plato, translated by Benjamin Jowett, Barnes and Noble. 2005
4. Aristotle’s Theory of Poetry and Fine Art, translated by S.H. Butcher, Dover Publications. 1951
5. The History of Art Volume 2 Sixth Edition by H.W. Janson and Anthony F. Janson, Prentice Hall.
2001
6. A Short Guide to Writing about Art by Sylvan Barnet, Scott, Foresman and Company. 1989
7. www.history.com/topics/ancient-history
8. www.encyclopediabritnnica.com
9. www.madeinsouthitaly.com
10. www.theacropolismuseum.gr