AED: Art Appreciation
Module I
Unit I: An Overview of ART
Topics: The Meaning and Importance of ART
Overview: This module is design and written in consideration of you and your level of
knowledge as well as your capacity to learn and apply the necessary skills needed. It is made to train
your mind appreciating different kinds of Arts. To further your ideas and imagination in relation to
the topic, this module offers various activities that are contextualized and simplified.
At the start of the module, you are to take the pre-assessment test to see how much
background information and knowledge you have about the topic. This module is self-instructional.
You can read, analyze the concepts and ideas presented and reflect on them. The activity help you
assess how you expected progress as you go through the module. Remember you are to work on this
module independently. It is that you will make the most of this module and grow academically.
This module is intended for MWF schedule. After studying and scrutinizing this module,
print the material and answer the following activities. The deadline of submission will be on
February 10, 2023.
Learning Objectives:
What Should You Learn?
At the end of this module, you should able to:
a. Analyze the meaning, nature, and importance of arts in our lives;
b. Identify the subject of Art and its functions; and
c. Reflect on the functions of Art about their contributions to the development of Art.
Pre – Assessment
Challenge Yourself!
My Personal Definition of Art
Directions: The American writer and comedian Groucho Marx
once declared, “Well, art is art, isn't it? Still on the other hand,
water is water! And east is east and west is west and if you take
cranberries and stew them like applesauce they taste much more
like prunes than rubarb does. Now, uh... now you tell me what
you know.” So, what makes art, “Art"? What is “Art” to
you? How do you know if something is an “Art”?
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Fill in the box below and share your personal definition of art
My Own Definition of Art in one sentence or less.
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Lesson Opening:
Let’s Start!
Art is very important in our life. It constitutes one of the oldest and most important means of
expression developed by men. Art has been existence since men have lived together. In fact, nearly every
country can be found in primitive societies. Art has been created by all people at all times. It has live because
it is like and enjoy, a true work of Art is made by man himself not immediately but creatively. A true artist
does not imitate nature but rather interprets it in his own way by selecting the essential features of the
subject and rejecting the minor ones.
Guiding Questions:
Questions To Ponder
1. What is Art?
2. What are the different subjects of Art?
3. Why must Art be creative, not imitative?
Discussion/Lesson Proper:
Read Up, Absorb and Discover
The meaning and importance of Art
THE NATURE OF ART
Art has been defined in various ways. Hereunder are some of the definitions given by various
authors:
Artis derived from the Latin word ars, meaning “ability or skill.” J-V. Estolas
Art is taken from the Italian word artis, which means craftsmanship, skill, mastery of form, inventiveness,
and the associations that exist between form and ideas, between material and technique. - A. Tan
Art is a product of man’s need to express himself. F. Zulueta
Art is concerned with the communication of certain ideas and feelings by means of sensuous medium, color,
sound, bronze, marble, words, and film. - C. Sanchez
Art is that which brings life in harmony with the beauty of the world. Plato
Artisan attitude of spirit, a state of mind-one which demands for its own satisfaction and fulfilling, a shaping
of matter to new and more significant form. John Dewey
Art is the skillful arrangement or composition of some common but significant qualities of nature
such as colors, sounds, lines, movements, words, stones, wood, etc. to express human feelings,
emotions, or thoughts in a perfect meaningful and enjoyable way. ~ Panizo and Rustia .
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4 COMMON ESSENTIALS OF ART
(1) art must be man-made;
(2) art must be creative, not imitative;
(3) art must benefit and satisfy man and man must make use of Art in practical terms; and
(4) art is expressed through a certain medium or material by which the artist communicates himself
to his fellows.
▹ Art has a particular importance in our lives. All the Art that we see
and hear have a purpose; they occupy some place in our judgment.
▹ Artworks are also valuable sources of inspiration
▹ Through an artist’s work, we get a glimpse of the thoughts,
feelings, and beliefs of the people who lived in the period the
artwork was produced and the external factors that
influenced the artwork
▹ This explains why the arts is called the humanities. It brings out
the good and the noble in us.
▹ Art appreciation is the ability to interpret or understand man-made
arts and enjoy them
THE SUBJECT OF ART
In any art form-painting, music, sculpture, architecture, or dance-there is always a subject that serves
as the foundation of the creation of the work of Art.
Artworks that depict something easily recognized by most people are called representational
or objective arts
Artworks that have no resemblance to any real subject are called non-representational or
non-objective arts.
Some contemporary painters have shifted their interest to the work of Art as an object in itself, an
exciting combination of shapes and colors that fulfills the aesthetic need without having to represent images
or tell a story. On the contrary, traditional sculptures and paintings have subjects. When looking at a
traditional painting or a statue, one expects to recognize the subject
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6 MAIN SUBJECT OF ARTS
1. STILL LIFE - A drawing or painting of an arrangement of nonmoving, nonliving objects, such as
fruit, flowers, or bottles.
2. SELF-PORTRAIT - A painting, drawing, or sculpture or other work of Art showing the artist himself
3. RELIGIOUS THEME - Art which the subject is of religious matter.
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4. NONOBJECTIVE SUBJECT - Art which the visual signs are entirely imaginative and not from
anything seen by the artist. No recognizable subject
5. LANDSCAPE - A picture of natural outdoor scenery, such as mountains, rivers, fields, or forests
6. GENRE (zhan-ra) - Art that has a subject matter that concerns with everyday life, domestic scenes,
sentimental family Relationships
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7. VISIONARY EXPRESSION - Art that involves simplification and/or rearrangement of natural
objects to meet the needs of Artistic expression.
THE FUNCTION OF ART
The four main functions of Art
1. Aesthetic function - Through Art, man becomes conscious of the beauty of nature, He benefits from
his own work and from those done by his fellowmen
2. Utilitarian function - With the creation of the various forms of Art, man now lives in comfort and
happiness. Through Art, man is provided with its needs. Art not only enriches man’s life but also
improves nature
3. Cultural function - Through the printed matter, Art transmits and preserves skills and knowledge
from one generation to another
4. Social function - Through civic and graphic arts, man learns to love and help each other
THE SCOPE OF ARTS
Various authors classify arts in different ways.
According to Manaois, there are two (2) general dimensions of arts, namely
fine arts or independent arts and
practical arts or useful or utilitarian arts.
According to Custodiosa Sanchez (2002), arts consist of visual arts, Literature, drama and theatre, music,
and dance. Visual arts are those that we perceive with our eyes. They may be classified into two groups, namely:
(1) graphic arts; and (2) plastic arts
Josefina Estolas (1995) grouped arts into major and minor arts. She also grouped arts into:
visual arts (graphic arts, plastic arts);
performing arts (theatre, play, dance, music); literary arts (short story, novel, poetry, drama);
popular arts (film, newspaper, magazine, radio, television);
gustatory Art of the cuisine (food preparation, beverage preparation); and
decorative arts or applied arts (beautification of houses, offices, cars, and other structures).
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Panizo and Rustia (1995) classified arts into two (2) major divisions: according to purpose and
according to media and forms:
Arts that are classified according to purpose fall into categories: practical arts or useful arts, liberal arts, fine
arts, major arts, and minor arts.
Practical or useful arts are directed to produce artifacts and utensils for the satisfaction of human
needs.
Liberal arts are directed toward intellectual growth, such as in the study of philosophy, psychology,
literature, mathematics, and sciences.
The origin of Art
The history of Art began with that of humanity. Art dates back to the time when superstitions
and beliefs in the spirits are still very common in every culture. Tribalist cultures often wore body
paintings during ceremonies. Cave paintings and drawings are believed to reflect ancient religious
beliefs and visions. Most sculptures from the early periods are also associated with religion, with
gods and goddesses as most common subjects. Artworks made from the more durable materials like
metal, stone, clay, bone, and glass survive longer than those made from materials that are more
prone to decay like wood. This is why most of sculptures made in wood had been lost through time.
The temples of the East and West bear evidences of arts that pertain to gods, goddesses, religious
animals, demons, priests, kings, and queens.
POST – ASSESSMENT
It’s Your Time to Shine
Evaluation Activities:
In 2-3 sentences, answer the following questions.
1. What is your definition of Art? and art appreciation?
2. How can Art be aid to better citizenship?
3. Why are music, paintings, and sculpture called fine arts?
4. In what ways does Art contributes to the physical, social, and spiritual well-being of man?
5. What are the function of Art in the context of enhancing your personality?
GENERALIZATION/SUMMARY:
KNOW What You Learned!
I learned that ____________________________________________________________________
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FEEDBACK:
What’s on your Mind?
Congratulations for finishing this module! You can share your thoughts and insights about the meaning
and importance of Art by leaving a message below.
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See you on your next adventure!
REFERENCES:
Ariola, M. M. (2014). Introduction to Art Appreciation. Quezon City: C & E Publishing, Inc.
Solmerano, E. T. (2019). Art Appreciation. Mandaluyong City: Books Atbp. Publishing Corporation.
