Subject and
Content of Art
Learning Outcomes
At the end of the lesson, the students should be able to:
differentiate content from subject
classify artworks according to subject
analyze how artists present their subject in relation to the real subject
characterize sources and kinds of art
Self-portrait with Vanitas Symbols
by David Bailly
Meaning of Subject of Art
In any art from-painting, music, sculpture, architecture, or dance-there is
always a subject that serves as the foundation of the creation of the work of
art. A subject of art is usually anything that is presented in the artwork. It is
varied-it may be a person, object, scene, or event.
SOURCES OF
SUBJECT OF ART
Sources of Subject of Art
Nature History
Greek and
Roman Religion
Mythology
Sacred Oriental
Tradition
Nature
Most common inspiration and subject
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History
-consists of verifiable facts
-Historical people, events, periods
Greek and Roman
Mythology
-they were also ripe with references: from episodes that transport the
viewer to heroic encounters of Achilles and Aeneas; warnings about
man’s folly like the vanity of Icarus; the wit and cunning Odysseus; the
beauty of Aphrodite.
Religion
used to preach and teach
Judeo-Christian Sources of Art
The Bible. The Protestant Bible, as is commonly recognized, is not a single book but a library. The books of the Bible may be
grouped as folllows:
1. Old Testament (39 books)
a. History (Genesis through Esther)
b. Poetry 9Job through the Song of Songs)
c. Prophecy (isaiah through Malachi
2. New Testament (27 books)
a. History. the four Gospels: Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John; the Acts of the Apostles
b. Letter. The epistles written by Paul and others to the Christian churches that were just starting in the various parts of the world
c. Apocalypse. The Revelation of S. John
The Sistine Ceiling
Down the center of the ceiling is a series of nine
rectangle telling the story of the Creation
through the time of Noah
1. Separation of Light from Darkness
2. Creation of Sun and Moon
3. Creation of Land and Water
4. Creation of Adam
5. Creation of Eve
6. Temptation and Expulsion
7. Sacrifice of Noah
8. The Deluge
9. The Drunkenness of Noah
Oriental Sacred Texts
The countries of the Orient, especially China, Japan, and
India, have all produced sacred texts of one kind of
another, and these have various kinds of art.
Most fruitful have been the texts and traditions of
Hinduism and Buddhism.
Among the principal deities of the Hindu System are
Vishnu, Siva and the goddess Devi.
TYPES OF SUBJECTS
Representational or Non-Representational or
Objective Arts Non-Objective Arts
Representational or
Objective Arts
There are artworks that depict something easily
recognized by most people. Painting, sculpture, graphic arts,
literature and theater arts are generally classified as representational
arts, although some paintings and sculptures are without subjects.
Music and dance may or may not have subjects.
Traditional sculptures and paintings have subjects.
When looking at a traditional painting or a statue, one expects to
recognize the subject-a man, animals, a landscape, a waterfall,
figures, dreams, fantasies, seascape, still life, etc.
Non-Representational or
Non-Objective Arts
There are artworks that have no resemblance to any
real subject. They do not represent anything and they are what they
are. They rather appeal directly to the senses primarily because of
the satisfying organization of their elements.
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 fulfill the aesthetic need without having to
represent image or tell a story. Many modern paintings have a
purely visual appeal, so difficult that literal-oriented spectators
cannot appreciate them.
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CONTENT OF ART
Content in art refers to the meaning or significance,
and/or feeling imparted by a work of art. This is not the same thing
as the subject matter the work depicts. Content of art is inextricably
linked with form. Form refers to the pictorial aspects of art such as
word, design, and choice, about shapes, sizes, colors, contrast,
medium, soft, or hard edges, and many other decisions.
Content in art may be classified as factual,
conventional and subjective.
FACTUAL
This pertains to the most rudimentary
level of meaning for it may be extracted from the
identifiable or recognizable forms in the artwork and
understanding how these elements relate to one
another.
CONVENTIONAL
It pertains to the acknowledged
interpretation of the artwork using motifs, signs,
symbols and other cyphers as bases of its
meaning.These conventions are established through
time, strengthened by recurrent use and wide
acceptance by its viewers or audience and scholars
who study them.
SUBJECTIVE
When subjectivities are consulted, a variety of
meaning may arise when a particular work of art is read.
These meanings stem from the viewer’s or audience’s
circumstances that come into play when engaging with
art. When looking at a particular painting for example,
perception and meaning are always informed (and even
colored) by a manifold of contexts: what we know; what
we learned; what we experienced; and the values we
stand for. It is therefore expected that meaning may not
be singular; rather, a painting may communicate multiple
meanings to its many viewers. This is what we call
subjective meaning of art.
References
Ariola, M. (2018). Art appreciation. Manila: Unlimited Books
Library Sevices and Publishing, Inc.
Caslib, B. (2018). Art appreciation Manila: Rex Book Store.
Dudley, L. et al. (1978). The humanities. Manila: Goodwill Bookstore
