Art History

2. Art History • Using Art History • Art Criticism • Aesthetics Learning how to use the Art History and Art Criticism method to investigate a piece of art

3. How to Learn About a Picture Using • Art Criticism: • Learning fromworks of Art Art History: • Learning about works of Art And/Or

4. A Sequence of Art-Criticism and Art-History Operations * PRINT THIS FOR REFERENCE.

5. Art HistoryArt CriticismBoth use the same operations, but in different ways • External cues: learn about the artist, and other works that they have done. Consult three or more books about the artist. • Description, analysis, interpretation, judgment • Internal cues:learn from the art work itself carefully study the work of art itself • Description, analysis,interpretation judgment

6. For this lesson use: • View of Salisbury Cathedral By John Constable

8. Using the Art Criticism Method Always do this method first, before you read anything About the work of art

9. Description Carefully observe the work of art, and write down everything that you see: include - things, colors, textures, elements….

10. Description • Cathedral • Trees • Clouds • Dappled sunlight • You do lots more!

11. Analysis Use the design chart to see how the principles of art have been used to arrange the elements of art. Start with #1,( what do you see first?) then #2, and so on until you do four. Describe under each what you see and why.

12. * PRINT THIS FOR WORKING. Design Chart Principlesof art Elements of Art If you can’t remember what each thing is consult your book

13. Design Chart These are a few of my Choices for “View of Salisbury Cathedral” Principlesof art Elements of Art

14. Descriptions of my Analysis • #1: there are a variety of textures. Look at the trees, the church, the dappled sunlight. Each is described beautifully. • #2: there is an emphasis in the shape/form of the church. It pulls your eye right into the picture. • And so on…….

15. Interpretation • Moods, feelings and ideas communicated by the work

16. Theories of Art Aesthetic qualities Choose one or more that pertains to your piece of art

17. I chose Imitationalism • Next, present your reason for choosing that theory of art. • I chose Imitationalismbecause it is a pretty picture. He isn’t trying to tell me anything,(as in emotionalism) and the formal structure or design quality is successful, but not as important (as in formalism) it is just a soothing picture of an English country side

18. Judgment • Decision making about the work’s artistic merit During the description step, I was impressed by the literal qualities of the work. I was impressed also with the authentic look or the English country side. The church, the small figures and the dappled sunlight coming through the trees. The clouds made it look like a beautiful summer day. The textures depicted in the painting were very real. Clearly, considering all of the steps taken in examining This piece of art, I would consider this is a excellent piece of art

19. Using the Art History Method • Be sure to consult at least three books, you are looking now for external cues. And there are web sites that review works of art! • Remember that you are doing the art history on not only • the art work, but also the artist. So you must do your • research on the artist. • We will use the same 4 methods that you used in • Art Criticism, but in different ways.: Description, • Analysis, Interpretation, and Judgment

20. Description • Determine: When, Where, and by • Whom the Work was done. • This information can usually be found by the • Photograph of the picture. However it won’t tell • Where it was painted, only where it is now.

21. “A View of Salisbury Cathedral”: was painted in 1825 by John Constable. By investigating his history, I was able to find out that he painted it in Salisbury, England

22. Analysis • Discovering the Unique Features of a • Work of Art:identify the unique features to determine artistic style-go through lots of books and read about the artist to see where he developed his style, and what his style is.

23. Unique Features:John Constable formed his own way of looking at things among the trees and meadows of the English countryside. He wanted to paint the sky, meadows, hills and streams as the eye actually sees them. He wanted to capture the light and warmth of the sun, motion of the clouds and rains. During walks, he would carry a sketch book, and draw his landscapes from different angles, and refer often to his notes when he was painting inside.Lots more can be said!His Style:John Constable was an English Landscape painter.

24. Interpretation:Learn how time and place influenced the artist-Find out who he studied with, who influenced him, and who his contemporaries were. Consult more books!

25. Constable did not become a serious art student until 1799, and was in his fifties before he won a gold medal at the Paris Salon in 1854. In his own land, however, very few people appreciated his work, and had to supplement his work with portraits. One of his best supporters was his wife, who encouraged him.Contemporaries were Friedrich, Allston, and Turner(only Turner was English ) He greatly influenced Delacroix. And on, and on.

26. Judgment Make a decision about the work’s importance in the history of art.

27. Besides the intrinsic merit of his work, he also historically important for the effect he had on both the Romantic and Impressionist groups. The spontaneity of such painters as Delacroix may be traced partly to Constable: and the Impressionist search for momentary effects through broken colors, etc. owes much to this British painter.

28. Now it’s your turn.Select works &analyze as describedThank you!