Lesson 4 - Representation, Subject, and Content in Art Judeo-Christian tradition

Introduction  A basic understanding of this source of subject refers to the doctrines

People cease to be human beings if they fail to feel, evoke emotions and of Judaism and Christianity.
feelings, and understand what others feel.  When used as subject in art, they could pertain to God’s creation,
God’s covenant with Abraham, God’s issuance of commandments, and
In the course of a person’s journey in life, the need to express life God’s promise to send a messiah.
experiences, dreams, and aspiration is inevitable.
Sacred Oriental Texts
In expressing ourselves, human beings have thought of creative ways to  Include Vedas able and the Upanishads, and also the Bhagavad Gita.
communicate ideas and thoughts.  These texts are holy writing that contains Hindu teachings, law, and
philosophies.
In this manner, arts have become a tool for self-expression, a vehicle to vent
out feelings and emotions, and share experiences with others that are Artworks According to Subject
portrayed as subjects in an art form. 1. Representational Art or Objective Art
 Refers to art works that show objects existing in reality.
Understanding Content from Subject
Art works may be appreciated through its basic components.  These subjects in an art work are in fact representations of what one
see in real life.
Subject and content are art components that must be understood, not only
by the artist but also by the onlooker  These art works are easily identified or recognized because of its
ability to copy imitate objects from the real world.
An artist chooses a subject to portray and must understand why such subject
is being portrayed or being depicted in the artwork.  Arts that describe or depict a person, object, scene, or situation.

An onlooker or a spectator of an art work may transition to become an  Art works that depict something easily identified by most people.
aesthete if he or she fully understands the components of an art work.
 Arts with subject
Subject
Object than an onlook sees in the artwork.  E.g. painting, sculpture, literature, and theater arts, etc.

Object or objects being represented. Self-portrait of Rembrandt - Artist: Rembrandt

The most recognizable or identifiable image in the work of art. Mona Lisa - Arist Leonardo Da Vinci

Whatever that represented in a body of art work. Apollo and Daphne - Gian Lorenzo Bernini

The foundation of the creation of the work of art. Fur Traders Descending the Missouri - Artist: George Caleb Bingham

A subject could be: Fur Animal Acrylic Painting - Artist: F Tonning

- Person
- Thing Kinds of Art Subject
- Event
1. Portrait
- Situation as depicted by the artist
 Self-portrait of Rembrandt - Artist: Rembrandt
Content
 Refers to the representation of a particular person.
The meaning that the image/s portray or depict in a work of art.
 A likeness of a person in a painting, photograph, drawing, sculpture,
It is the message that the artwork wants to convey through the use of the
etc.
subject.
 A portrayal or depiction of a person’s appearance whether in painting,
Note:
photograph, or sculptural work or other medium.
One’s interpretation of a message may vary according to one’s cultural
understanding or upbringing or a subject may give a universal meaning.
 An art work that aims to portray the likeness of a person in a detailed
manner.
Sources of Subject
There is no dearth or scarcity in subjects.
 This manner of representation because it tries to show the societal
background of a person or the intense feelings or emotion of the
Subjects can come from many sources and artists have the freedom to use
subject at the time it was portrayed.
and depict them according to their interpretation.
 PORTRAITURE
Nature - the manner of creating portraits
 Anything around us can be used as subjects.
 Seascape, landscape, the trees in the forest, the animals, etc.
2. Daily life/Everyday life
 Fur Traders Descending the Missouri - Artist: George Caleb Bingham
History
 Some time is immemorial, past events that were relevant part of  Shows the anecdotal and familiar scenes of daily life.
history have become sources of subjects for artists.
 Art history, people are able to understand, appreciate, and come to  It could be indoor or outdoor depiction and representation of
terms with humanity’s past which connects important awareness and everyday life.
knowledge to the present.
 The things that we normally see in our daily life.
Mythology
 Myths are stories that explain why the world is the way it is. 3. Still Life
 All cultures have them.  Still Life with Ham, Lobster, and Fruit - Artist: Artist: Jan Davidsz de
 Throughout history, artists have been inspired by myths and legends Heem
and have been given them visual form.
 The subjects are still and they do not move.
 Depicts inanimate objects that are either natural (flower, plants, rocks, 2. Non- Representational Art or Non-Objective Art
etc.) or man-made (cup, ball, etc.) Refers to any work of art that does not portray any recognizable object from
the real world.
 Artists have used techniques to make art works using still life come to
life. Simply shows elements of arts such as color, line, or shapes. It does not
show a picture or an image that may be linked to reality or a copy of what is
 Mundane things around us become special or unique when they are seen in nature.
depicted in paintings or photographs.
Arts that do not have subjects
 When captured using the appropriate medium, the once ordinary
object comes to life. Art works that have no resemblance to any real subject; do not represent
anything.
4. Animals
 Love Story in Nature - Photographer; Yve They rather appeal to the senses because of the satisfying organization of
 The subject for this kind of art is obviously animals. their elements.

5. Figures Arts that do not present identifiable objects or symbols

 Untitled Photographer: Alan Schaller
 Figurative art E.g. architecture and musical pieces
 A strong reference to the human figure and to the real world
Content in Art
Content in art refers to the meaning or significance, and / or feeling
6. Scape(s)
imparted by a work of art.
 Cityscape - Artist: Po Pi Lin
 Mont Sainte-Victoire and Viaduct of the Arc River Valley - Artist: Paul
It is the meaning that is derived from the interpretation of the onlooker.
Cezanne
 Seascape - Artist: Joaquin Sorolla
Levels of Content
 A view or a picture of a scene. 1. Factual
Literal representation
 It could be (1) landscape; means a portion of land or territory
including all the objects it contains,(2) seascape; depicts the sea or Rudimentary level of meaning
shoreline or simply the appearance of the sea, (3) cityscape; portrays
the skylines and the sceneries in an urban environment. Extracted by identifiable or recognizable forms in the artwork.

Image that one sees on the art form

7. History
 Liberty Leading the People - Artist: Eugene Delacroix
Identifiable subject in the work of art.
 The subject is usually drawn to history.
 Historical subjects and are inspired by
2. Conventional
Special meaning related to religion or culture.
8. Legend
 Si Malakas at Si Maganda - Artist: Mariliza Reyes-Bulaong
The acknowledged interpretation of the artwork using motifs, signs and
 The subject of the artwork depicts and/or inspired by the legend (a
symbols, and other cyphers as bases of its meaning.
traditional story sometimes popularly regarded as historical but
unauthenticated)
These conventions are established through time, strengthened by current
use and wide acceptance by viewers or audience and scholars who study
9. Religion
them.
 The Last Supper - Artist: Leonardo Da Vinci
 The subject of the artwork depicts and/or inspired by the religion Refers to the universal or special meaning that is attached by a group to a
(religious figures and icons) Subject.

10. Mythology The level of meaning is conventional when a group, community or nation has
 The Birth of Venus - Artist: Sandro Boticelli a collective association or interpretation to such a subject.
 The subject of the artwork depicts and/or inspired by mythology (the
myths dealing with the gods, demigods, and legendary heroes of a
particular people) 3. Subjective
A variety of meanings may arise when a particular art work is read.
11. Dreams
 The Persistence of Memory - Artist: Salvador Dali Meanings stem from the viewer’s circumstances that come into play when
 The subject of the artwork depicts and/or inspired by dreams. engaging with art (knowledge, experiences, values, etc.)

12. Fantasy Meanings may be multiple and varied.

 Worlds within Worlds - Artist: Miller James
Refers to the artist’s personal interpretation of the subject.
 The subject of the artwork depicts and/or inspired by fantasy or
dreamland. May come from personal associations as a result of past experiences.

 A mixture of imagination and direct observation of reality.

 It takes reality and adds a fanciful, unrealistic, fantastic, dreamy,

wistful feeling to it. Essentially the result of artists with wild
imaginations (Art History Archive)