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Unit 2 - Subject and Content

The document discusses different types of subjects that can be depicted in artworks, including nature, people, history, religion, mythology, technology and more. It also describes styles of artistic representation such as realism, abstraction, symbolism, fauvism, dadaism, futurism and surrealism.

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Michelle Pacheco
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15 views14 pages

Unit 2 - Subject and Content

The document discusses different types of subjects that can be depicted in artworks, including nature, people, history, religion, mythology, technology and more. It also describes styles of artistic representation such as realism, abstraction, symbolism, fauvism, dadaism, futurism and surrealism.

Uploaded by

Michelle Pacheco
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
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Download as PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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Unit 2

Subject and Content


Subject – refers to what the work represents, could be a person,
object, scene or event
Representational or objective art vs. Non-representational or non
objective
Artworks with subject - artworks without subjects
Sources of Subject:
Nature – most popular source of objective art

(google images)

People – the most interesting subject

(google images)
History – depicts real events which are verifiable facts that occurred in the
past, purpose may be to commemorate or teach history to the viewers

(google images)

Legends – present to viewers of the art something tangible even when


unverified, “life” is brought in this source of subject

(google images)
Religion – based on the sacred texts(Bible, Quran, Torah), art
is the handmaid of religion

(google images)

Mythology – based from the stories of gods and goddesses of


ancient Greece, Rome, Celts, Norse and the Egyptians
(google images)
Dreams and Fantasy – the Technology – the modern era
intrigue of the unconscious

(google images)

(google images)
Naturalism – subject is made to appear and behave like human
beings, always depicted in idealized human form

(google images)

Realism – depicts the artist’s attempt of portraying the subject as it


is, try to be as objective as possible, the most popular way of
presenting art subjects

(google images)
Abstraction – “ move away or separate from”, subject representation
moves away from reality and involves the process of simplifying or
reorganizing characteristics and elements of the work to adhere to
the artist’s level of artistic expression
Forms of Abstraction:
a. Distortion – subject of misshapen or twisted out, done to
dramatize the shape of a figure or to create a dramatic, emotional
effect
(google images)
b. Elongation – subject is stretched vertically and/or lengthened to
give the impression of thinness
c. Mangling – subject is shown as cut, lacerated, mutilated or hacked
with repeated blows.
Mangling (google images)

Elongation (google images)


d. Cubism – abstract form is presented through the use of figures: cone,
cylinder, sphere, triangle, square, cube and circle in place or real pictorial
elements

Cubism (google images)

Symbolism – subject is presented as visible sign of something invisible such as


an idea or quality, involves studying the background and personality of the
artist and his relationship to the societal period that inspired the
symbolisms ingrained in his art
(google images)
Fauvism – began in France and was the first organized
movement in painting of the 1900’s led by Henri Matisse, the
term literally means “wild beasts”, the FAUVES did not
express ethical, philosophical or psychological themes but
painted pictures of comfort, joy and pleasure, used bright
colors that did not reflect reality ( leaves as orange and the
sky as bright yellow

Dadaism – Dada is French for “hobby horse”, an art


movement that doesn’t follow the traditions and principles
in art, a revolt against tradition and aims to show the
wickedness of society, tries to shock society and provoke the
public with outrageous pieces of writing, poetry recitals and
art exhibits
Fauvism art (google images) Dadaism art (google images)
Futurism – art movement that began in Italy which aims at making
their works capture the speed and force of the modern industrial
society

Surrealism – invented term for super realism, the art movement


began in Paris in 1924 by the French poet Andre Breton,
emphasized the activities of the unconscious mind, subjects
attempt to show man’s inner mind and how he may perceive his
outside world, themes are mostly violent and cruel which reveals
the deep, true and ugly part of human nature

Expressionism – occurred during the first decade of the 20th


century in Germany, believe that man needs spiritual rebirth for
him to correct defects that ruin the society, subjects presented
involve chaos, sadness, tragedy and defeat
Source: google images
Futurism Art

Surrealism
Art

Expressionism

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