Notes: Art Criticism
INSTRUCTIONS: Please copy these notes onto a piece of notebook paper. The title for these notes is “Notes: Art Criticism. The date is “9/20/12”. Copy all the words and definitions that are shown in blue and/or underlined. Skip a line between definitions.
The learner will be able to… name and define the four steps used in art criticism. identify three aesthetic views. apply art criticism to a work of art. read and interpret an art credit line.
Art Criticism "We all look at the same things, yet see different things." -Claude Monet
Art Criticism is gathering facts and information from works of art in order to make intelligent judgments about them.
Describe
1. Describe Use your own words to describe what you see. Write the caption information, if available (title, artist, year, etc.). What objects, colors, shapes do you recognize? Are there any you do not recognize? If yes, describe them.
Analyze
2. Analyze Look at how the artwork is put together. How do different parts relate to one another? How does it make you feel? Does it remind you of anything? How did the artist use the elements and principles of design?
Interpret
3. Interpret Form an opinion of what the artist is trying to say or communicate. Why do you think the artist chose to use the elements and principles in the way he/she did? How do you think the artist feels about the work? Why? Do you think any objects/images were intentionally left out? Explain.
Judge
4. Judge Decide whether you think the work has value and if the artist successfully communicated his/her ideas. Consider title of the work. Consider information you know about artist, if any. What, if anything, would you change? Why? What is your overall opinion of the artwork?
4. Judge Judgments of success are based on two views: Personal views Aesthetic views
Aesthetic views Aesthetic views – your ideas or opinions about what is most important in an artwork. View 1 – Subject View 2 – Composition View 3 – Content
Aesthetic views View 1 – Subject In this view, a successful work of art must have a subject that is easy to identify. It is important for the artwork to imitate reality.
Aesthetic views View 2 – Composition In this view, the focus is on the organization of the elements and principles of art. It is important for the artwork to be unified and balanced.
Aesthetic views View 3 – Content In this view, a successful work must communicate an idea, feeling or mood. It is important for the artwork to have a clear message.
How to read an Art Credit Line An art credit line gives basic information about a work of art.
Source: http://www.metmuseum.org/toah/works-of-art/
Red Cross Nurses Handing out Wool for Knitting ca. 1942 William H. Johnson Born: Florence, South Carolina 1901 Died: Central Islip, New York 1970 gouache and pen and ink with pencil on paper 17 3/8 x 21 7/8 in. (44.2 x 55.6 cm) Smithsonian American Art Museum Gift of the Harmon Foundation 1967.59.168R
Red Cross Nurses Handing out Wool for Knitting
TITLE Titles appear in bold and/or italics.
ca. 1942 DATE OF PRODUCTION Titles are usually followed by a date or date range that tells you when the artwork was made.
William H. Johnson
ARTIST NAME The name of the artist/maker(s) of the work of art are given, if known.
COUNTRY or CULTURE OF ORIGIN The country or culture of origin indicates the geographic area where the artist is from. Born: Florence, South Carolina 1901 Died: Central Islip, New York 1970
It may also be a specific city or region where the work of art was made or found.
MEDIUM and SIZE The medium describes the material(s) that the work of art is made of.
gouache and pen and ink with pencil on paper 17 3/8 x 21 7/8 in. (44.2 x 55.6 cm)
Dimensions of the work of art are given in inches and/or centimeters.
LOCATION and OTHER INFORMATION This section includes information about the location of the artwork (the gallery, museum, or collection where the work is housed). It may also contain information about artwork donors, catalogue number, copyright information, etc. Smithsonian American Art Museum. Gift of the Harmon Foundation 1967.59.168R
Art Criticism Practice
Animals. 1941. Rufino Tamayo. Oil on canvas. 76.5 x 101.6 cm (30 1/8 x 40”) Museum of Modern Art, New York, New York.
Girl with a Flowered Background. 1962. Richard Diebenkorn. Oil on canvas. 101.6 x 86.4 cm (40 x 34”) The Modern Art Museum of Fort Worth, Fort Worth, Texas. Museum purchase, Sid W. Richardson Foundation Endowment Fund.
August, Rue Daguerre. 1957. Joan Mitchell. Oil on canvas. 208.3 x 175.3 cm (82 x 69”) The Phillips Collection, Washington D.C.
The learner will be able to… name and define the four steps used in art criticism. identify three aesthetic views. apply art criticism to a work of art. read and interpret an art credit line.
Art Criticism "We all look at the same things, yet see different things." -Claude Monet
Art Criticism is gathering facts and information from works of art in order to make intelligent judgments about them.
Describe
1. Describe Use your own words to describe what you see. Write the caption information, if available (title, artist, year, etc.). What objects, colors, shapes do you recognize? Are there any you do not recognize? If yes, describe them.
Analyze
2. Analyze Look at how the artwork is put together. How do different parts relate to one another? How does it make you feel? Does it remind you of anything? How did the artist use the elements and principles of design?
Interpret
3. Interpret Form an opinion of what the artist is trying to say or communicate. Why do you think the artist chose to use the elements and principles in the way he/she did? How do you think the artist feels about the work? Why? Do you think any objects/images were intentionally left out? Explain.
Judge
4. Judge Decide whether you think the work has value and if the artist successfully communicated his/her ideas. Consider title of the work. Consider information you know about artist, if any. What, if anything, would you change? Why? What is your overall opinion of the artwork?
4. Judge Judgments of success are based on two views: Personal views Aesthetic views
Aesthetic views Aesthetic views – your ideas or opinions about what is most important in an artwork. View 1 – Subject View 2 – Composition View 3 – Content
Aesthetic views View 1 – Subject In this view, a successful work of art must have a subject that is easy to identify. It is important for the artwork to imitate reality.
Aesthetic views View 2 – Composition In this view, the focus is on the organization of the elements and principles of art. It is important for the artwork to be unified and balanced.
Aesthetic views View 3 – Content In this view, a successful work must communicate an idea, feeling or mood. It is important for the artwork to have a clear message.
How to read an Art Credit Line An art credit line gives basic information about a work of art.
Source: http://www.metmuseum.org/toah/works-of-art/
Red Cross Nurses Handing out Wool for Knitting ca. 1942 William H. Johnson Born: Florence, South Carolina 1901 Died: Central Islip, New York 1970 gouache and pen and ink with pencil on paper 17 3/8 x 21 7/8 in. (44.2 x 55.6 cm) Smithsonian American Art Museum Gift of the Harmon Foundation 1967.59.168R
Red Cross Nurses Handing out Wool for Knitting
TITLE Titles appear in bold and/or italics.
ca. 1942 DATE OF PRODUCTION Titles are usually followed by a date or date range that tells you when the artwork was made.
William H. Johnson
ARTIST NAME The name of the artist/maker(s) of the work of art are given, if known.
COUNTRY or CULTURE OF ORIGIN The country or culture of origin indicates the geographic area where the artist is from. Born: Florence, South Carolina 1901 Died: Central Islip, New York 1970
It may also be a specific city or region where the work of art was made or found.
MEDIUM and SIZE The medium describes the material(s) that the work of art is made of.
gouache and pen and ink with pencil on paper 17 3/8 x 21 7/8 in. (44.2 x 55.6 cm)
Dimensions of the work of art are given in inches and/or centimeters.
LOCATION and OTHER INFORMATION This section includes information about the location of the artwork (the gallery, museum, or collection where the work is housed). It may also contain information about artwork donors, catalogue number, copyright information, etc. Smithsonian American Art Museum. Gift of the Harmon Foundation 1967.59.168R
Art Criticism Practice
Animals. 1941. Rufino Tamayo. Oil on canvas. 76.5 x 101.6 cm (30 1/8 x 40”) Museum of Modern Art, New York, New York.
Girl with a Flowered Background. 1962. Richard Diebenkorn. Oil on canvas. 101.6 x 86.4 cm (40 x 34”) The Modern Art Museum of Fort Worth, Fort Worth, Texas. Museum purchase, Sid W. Richardson Foundation Endowment Fund.
August, Rue Daguerre. 1957. Joan Mitchell. Oil on canvas. 208.3 x 175.3 cm (82 x 69”) The Phillips Collection, Washington D.C.
