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3 Art Appreciation

UNIT 3: WESTERN ART HISTORY

3.0 Learning Objectives
a. Classify the various art movements by citing their important
characteristics;
b. Present the history and movements of arts;
c. Cite important characteristics in an artwork based on the
era/movement (document and annotate works); and
d. Develop a sense of art appreciation through engagement with
various arts activities such as creating artworks out of one’s
own self-expressions, critiquing and analyzing artworks.

3.1 Introduction
Western art is the portrayal, in two or three dimensions of the history,
people, landscape and wildlife of the area confined to the Western regions
of North America in a highly realistic impressionist style and is inextricably
linked to the culture of the America West.
This unit will discuss the various arts that emerged during early
civilizations. This unit will also present the history and movements of art
including its important characteristics. It will specifically tackle the three
periods that emerged during ancient Egypt civilization as well the different
contributions of ancient Egyptian culture on Arts. Also, it will tackle the
various art movements originated in the classical world known by the
emergence of Greek and Roman civilizations during ancient Europe. The
modern and contemporary art will also be discussed including its different
art movements.
The activities in this unit will help the students appreciate art by
exploring the aesthetic value and practical values of arts that emerged
during ancient Egypt civilization most especially the different art
movements during Greek and Roman civilizations in ancient Europe. The
students will also learn the different art contributions of early civilization
in Europe towards arts and the different art movements in modern and
contemporary art.

Pre-test!
From the choices below, identify the pictures on the Eras where they
should belong.
A. B.

C.

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D.

E. F.

3.2 Art in Early Civilization

Pre-historic art is classified into three periods such as; Paleolithic
(Old Stone Age), Mesolithic (Middle Stone Age) and Neolithic (New Stone
Age) Eras.

Paintings from the pre-historic Era

Their painting was found inside the caves which may have been
their way of communicating with each other. It may also be for religious or
ceremonial purposes. These paintings may be more an artifact of the
archeological evidence than a true picture of human’s first created art.

Pre- historic

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Sculptures
Materials used in sculptures vary according to region and locality.
Archaeologists believed that their sculpture is a result of natural erosion
and not of human artistry. Frequently carving may have mythological or
religious significance.

Pre-historic Sculptures
Man has developed a form of architecture based on megaliths (a big
rock) from Greek word lithos (stone) and megas (big). This architecture is
made of huge stone blocks which were probably intended for burial.
Megalithic monuments have always ignited man’s imagination. They
provided plenty of legends and superstitions. During this era, stones and
rocks were associated with divinity.
Pre-historic Architecture
There are three main types of Megalith Stones.
1. Menhir – a huge stone standing vertically on
the ground, usually standing in the middle of
the field or arranged in rows.

2. Dolmens – these structures are in a form of

table consisting of two huge standing stone
supporting a horizontal giant stone. It believed
that it served as grave or as an altar.

3. Cromlech – a Brythonic word where crom

means “bent” or “curved” and llech which
means “slab” or “flagstones. Literally it is a
circle of standing stones.

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Egyptian civilization was one of the early civilizations that have
greatly contributed in the development of art, religion, science and
technology of the world. Egyptian art is primarily religious in nature.
Paintings from Ancient Egypt
The purpose of Egyptian paintings is to
make the deceased afterlife place pleasant.
With this mind, themes include journey to the
underworld introducing the deceased to the
gods of the underworld by their protective
deities. It emphasizes the importance of life
after death and the preservation of the
knowledge of the past.
Sculptures from the Egyptian Era
Symbolic elements such as forms, hieroglyphics, relative size,
location, materials, color, actions and gestures were widely used. Their
tombs required the most extensive use of sculpture. The most common
materials used for sculptures are
wood, ivory and stones.

Egyptian Architecture
This architectural style was developed during the pre-dynastic
period 4,000 BC. The pyramids of Giza are the most substantial ancient
structures of the world. The three pyramids are the funerary structures of
the three kings of the fourth dynasty (2575 to 2465 BC) namely:
Khufu (Cheops) whom the Great pyramid was attributed to:
Khafa (Chepren) whom the pyramid next to the Great pyramid; and
the smallest is attributed to Menkaura (Mycerinus).

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Activity:

Create a miniature of artwork from any era that was

mentioned above based on your own self-expression. Show how
you critique and analyze your work through a rubric that you
made and send your VIDEO direct to my messenger account.
This will serve as your project for FINALS.

3.2.1 Art of Emerging Europe

Ancient Greek art depicts naturalism. They portray human forms in
a realistic and anatomically correct manner. Their art has a conservative
form with a very complex detail.

Paintings from Classical Greek Era

Paintings during the classical era were most commonly found in
vases, panels and tomb. They depict natural figures with dynamic
compositions. Most of the subjects were battle scenes, mythological
figures and everyday scenes.

Most common methods of Greek

Painting
1. Fresco – method of painting water-based pigments on a freshly
applied plaster usually on wall surfaces. Colors are made of ground
powder pigments mixed in pure water, dried and set with plaster to
become a permanent part of the wall.
2. Encaustic – developed by Greek ship builders who used hot wax to
fill cracks of the ship

Sculptures from the Classical Greek Era

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Every Greek sculptures were tensed and stiff; their bodies were
hidden within enfolding robes. After three centuries of experiments, Greek
sculptures had finally evolved and showed all the points of human
anatomy and proportion. One of the most popular styles of the Greek
sculptures was Hellenistic style.

Greek Architecture
Temples considered of a central shrine
or room in an aisle surrounded by rows of
columns. These buildings were designed in
one of three architectural style or orders.

Temple of Poseidon
- The greatest temple, ingeniously engineered to correct optical
illusion.

Roman art developed as new source of artistic creativity much more

progressive than the conservative Greek art. The diversity of its form and
its variety inspired the modern attitude of art.
Paintings from the Roman Era
Most of the paintings in the era were
copied or imitated from the Hellenic Greek
paintings. Fresco technique was used in
brightly colored backgrounds; division of the
wall into a multiple rectangular area; and
multi-point perspective. Roman paintings have
a wide variety of subjects, animals, everyday

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life, still life, mythological subjects, portraits and landscapes. The
development of landscape painting is the main innovation of Roman
painting from Greek painting.
 Mosaic
- Is an art process where an image is created using an
assemblage of small pieces of colored glass, stones or the
materials. This technique is used for decorative art or
interior decorations.

Sculptures from the Classical Roman Era

Most Roman sculptures are made of monumental terra-cotta. They
did not attempt to compete with the free-standing Greek works of history
or mythology but rather they produced reliefs in the Great Roman
triumphal columns with continuous narrative reliefs around.

Roman Architecture
They built sturdy stone structures
both for use and to perpetuate their glory.
The emperors erected huge halls and
arenas for public games, baths and
procession. They built them gigantic
arches of stones, bricks and concrete or
with barrel vaults.

Medieval Art
Art during medieval ages is strongly manifested in its most inspiring
buildings – the churches. Toward the end of the 11 th century, a style of
church building called Romanesque was prevalent. Beginning in the mid-
12th century and becoming more and more popular in the next few
centuries followed the style called Gothic.
The focus of art and learning was no longer on the individual world,
but on religion. Italian scholars called this time the Middle Ages to

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separate the years between the ancient cultures and the Renaissance that
revived them. The Middle Ages also called Medieval period lasted from
about 400CE to about 1300 CE.

Byzantine art was purposely made to glorify the Christian religion

and to express its mystery. It filled with spiritual symbolism, illustrates a
love of splendor. It was a combination of Eastern (decorative art forms)
and Western art (naturalistic art).

Byzantine Painting
The lively styles of paintings which had been invented in Greek and
Rome lived on in Byzantium but this time for Christian subjects.

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Byzantine Sculpture
The dominant themes in Byzantine sculpture are religious, everyday
life scenes and motifs from nature. Animals were used as symbols (dove,
deer, peafowl) while some had acrostic signs that contained a great
theological significance.
Byzantine Architecture
It has a lot in common with the early
Christian architecture. Mosaic decoration was
perfected by the Byzantines, as was the use of
clerestory to bring light in from high windows.
Byzantine’s advancement in developing the
dome created a new style in global architecture.

Romanesque art was characterized by its

very vigorous style in painting and sculpture, lavishly decorated
manuscripts and retained many basic features of
Roman architectural styles. It was also greatly
influenced by Byzantine art with a highly
innovative and coherent style.
Romanesque Painting
There are largely placed mosaics on the
walls of the churches that follow a strict frontal
pose. Some paintings were of Classical inspiration
while others show a new, highly charged,
energetic drawing.

Romanesque Sculpture
Some of the famous sculptural pieces are
reliquaries, altar frontals, crucifixes and devotional
images. Small individuals works of art were
generally made of costly materials for royal and
aristocratic patrons. These lightweight devotional
images were usually carried during processions
both inside and outside the churches.

Romanesque Architecture
The doorways of Romanesque’s churches
are often grand sculptural portals. Wood or
metal doors are surrounded by elaborate stone
sculptures arranged in zones to fit architectural

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elements.

The basic characteristics of Gothic art styles reinforce symbolic

meanings. The church symbolizes the transcendence of the soul, and the
underlying philosophy is to create buildings of height and light.
Paintings from Gothic Era
Painting have been confined in the illumination of manuscript pages
and the painting of frescoes on the walls of churches in cosmopolitan
style, elegant mannered and sophisticated. Stained glass windows were
created to transform the vast stone interiors with warm and glowing color
at the same time to construct Christmas in their faith.

Gothic Sculptures
Gothic sculptures have a greater
freedom of style. They no longer lay closely
against the wall, but begun to project outward.
Figures were given their own particular

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attitudes instead of being set into particular patterns and are more lively
and realistic.

Gothic Architecture
This design included two new devices:
pointed arch which enabled builders to
construct much higher ceiling vaults and stone
vaulting borne on a network of stone ribs
supported by piers and clustered pillars.

3.2.2 Caught in Between: Modern and Contemporary Art

The term “modern” and “contemporary are considered synonymous
but in the case of arts, these terms refer to two different periods with
different approaches to artmaking and the functions that art served.
Modern art was created between 1860s and 1970s and the arts made
thereafter that periods is considered contemporary. The modern art did
not rely on the past conventions or traditions instead it depicted the
scenes of a modern life like the works of Edouard Manet.
The modern art saw the heavy production of goods, along with
encouraging environment made possible by industrialization, new
technology, urbanization and the rise of commercially driven culture.
While the contemporary art, heavily driven by ideas, theories and notions
about what can be considered as an art with the involvement of television,
photography, cinema, digital technology, performance, and even objects
or materials of everyday life.
The following were several art movements that were caught in between
the succession of modern and contemporary art:
Abstract Expressionism
Minimalism
Pop Art
Postmodernism

Abstract Expressionism
 The characteristics of this art movement are that it is difficult to
define since it has an unrecognizable focus.
 The art is usually expressed in a non-representational kind of
artwork with lines, color and size with aggressive mingling of colors,
shapes and forms that creates a painting of pure thought and
emotion.

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 This movement is known as action painting as it includes intense, 11
rapid brushstrokes and dripped and splattered paints on to a large
canvas.
Minimalism
 This art movement was developed in the late 1950s. It focuses
on basic elements.
 This does not make any reference to the landscapes, people, and
still-life scenes found in the real world.
 It conveyed multiple meanings of intense emotions and ideas.
Pop Art

 This art movement drew inspiration, sources and materials from

commercial culture.
 It is designed for mass audience. This aims to elevate popular
culture with fine arts.
 The features define the hierarchy of high culture and low culture;
fine art and low art.
Postmodernism
 This art movement uses text as a central artistic element,
collage, simplification and other recycling of past styles and
these in a modern context.
 It is a period of conceptual art and multimedia arts.

Other Contemporary Art Movements

Neo-Pop Art
Photorealism
Conceptualism
Performance Art
Installation Art
Earth Art
Street Art
Neo-Pop Art
It made some of the ideas of Dada an art movement that was
very much against the value of the bourgeois, the colonial and
the national.
 It does not only base on popular culture but also uses popular
cultural icons such as Marilyn Monroe, Madonna and Michael
Jackson.
Photorealism
 It does not assert on artist’s personal style.
 The drawing and paintings are realistic in precision which made it
look like a photo without a direct reference to the artist who
created it.
Conceptualism

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 This art movement was shaped by pop art.
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 It focuses on the concept of an artwork that is being made by
artists.
Performance Art
 This art movement is related to conceptual art.
 the heart of an artwork is the message or idea of the artist so that
the audience may be able to relate to the artwork.
 This kind of artwork may be planned and done live or recorded.
Installation Art
 This makes use of host objects, materials, conditions, and even light
and aural components.
 The artworks may be considered site-specific and may be temporary
in nature.
Earth Art
 This is considered a kind of installation art but it is known as land
art.
 It is made when the natural environment or a specific site or space
is transformed by the artists.
 It is a kind of human intervention into a specific landscape.
Street Art
 The arts in this movement are not traditional in format but
illustrative with print techniques and a variety of media.
 Some example of street arts are murals, stenciled images, stickers
and sculptural objects.

Activity:
Answer the following questions.
1. After reading the module, what did you feel about the different
artworks of different era?
2. Did it change your perspective in appreciating different artworks?
3. If given the chance to go back to past, which era would you choose
and why?

Evaluation:
Choose the letter and write your answer in a short bond paper.
1. It used animals and acrostic signs that symbolize theological
importance.
a. Gothic c. Egyptian
b. Old Stone Age d. Byzantine

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2. The following are the three architectural style of columns that can
be seen in Greek architecture EXCEPT
a. Iconic c. Doric
b. Corinthian d. Ionic
3. The pyramid of Giza has how many pyramids?
a. 4 c. 2
b. 5 d. 3
4. Refers to the portrayal of two to three dimensions that linked to the
culture of others.
a. Western art c. Southeast Asian art
b. Northwest art d. Eastern art
5. This era was influenced by Byzantine art with an innovative and
coherent style.
a. Medieval c. Greek
b. Romanesque d. Roman
6. It refers to conveying multiple meanings of intense emotions and
ideas.
a. Minimalism c. Sculpture
b. Artwork d. Paintings
7. Refers to a huge stone standing vertically on the ground that stands
in the middle of a field or arranged in rows.
a. Tomb c. Sphinx
b. Menhir d. Bruni
8. She was a queen during the 18 dynasty of Ancient Egypt that is
th

known for religious revolution where she only worshipped one God
only.
a. Queen Hatshepsut c. Queen Nefertiti
b. Queen Cleopatra d. Queen Twosret
9. Their art depicts naturalism and has a conservative form with a
complex detail.
a. Pre-historic c. Roman
b. Gothic d. Greek
10. It focuses on the concept of an artwork that is being made by
artists.
a. Conceptualism c. Pop art
b. Street art d. Expressionism
11. It was developed by Greek ship builders who used hot wax to
fill cracks of the ship.
a. Caucasia c. Encaustic
b. Aesthetic d. None of the above
12. Baths of Caracalla is an example of art from what era?
a. Neolithic c. Byzantine

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b. Roman d. Egyptian
13. In this era, people lived on hunting, fishing and food gathering
while at a later stage they also domesticated animals.
a. Roman c. Mesolithic
b. Khufa d. Romanesque
14. Refers to an art process where an image is made by using
small pieces of stones and pieces of colored glass.
a. Megaliths c. Statue
b. Mosaic d. Neon-pop art
15. The Cruxifixion and Last Judgement diptych was from this era.
a. Paleolithic c. Medieval
b. Greek d. Gothic

Table of Specification
COGNITIVE SKILLS TESTED
No.
Perce Remem Underst App Analy Evalu Crea
of TOT
TOPICS nt ber and ly ze ate te
Hou AL
(%)
rs Item Item Item Item
Item No. Item No.
No. No. No. No.

Western Art 13 1, 3, 4, 15
History 5, 6, 8, 2, 7, 12,
9, 10, 11 13 & 15
& 14

TOTAL 13 10 5

Performance Rubric
Your essay will be graded based on this rubric. Consequently, use
this rubric as a guide when working on your essay and check it again
before you submit it.
Criteria Exception Excellent Good Fair Not
al (5pts) (4pts) (3pts) (2pts) Mastered
(1pt)
Quality of Student Student Good Student Student
information responses responses responses, responses
far exceed exceed Student although are largely
what is what is responses somewhat incorrect.
expected. expected. meet correct, are Although

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Information Information
expectation lacking in some
is not only is factually
s. relevant answers
factually accurate,Information details and come close
accurate, and offers
is factually supporting to the main
but shows extra accurate. examples idea, there
insightful supporting
The student and/or is little
interpretati facts. somewhat interpretati evidence of
on which Responsesresponds on. the
indicates include beyond the required
mastery some basic level amount of
above interpretati
of the mastery for
grade level. on which
question to the topic
indicatesprovide being
mastery. supporting assessed.
details
and/or
interpretati
on.
Quantity of Student Student Student Student Student
information responses responses responses responses responses
exceed the meet the exceed the meet the are below
minimum
upper upper minimum the
quantity of
quantity of quantity of information quantity of minimum
information information requested information quantity of
expected to expected to to show requested information
show show mastery. to show requested
mastery. mastery. mastery. to show
mastery.
Neatness/ Student Student Student Student Student
legibility always responds in responds in does not frequently
responds in complete complete always responds in
sentences
complete sentences. respond in incomplete
most of the
sentences. Sentences time. complete or
Sentences are mostly Sentences sentences. grammatica
vary in grammatica are Sentences lly incorrect
length and lly correct. generally contain sentences,
grammatica
are The paper grammar making the
lly correct,
grammatica is neatly with a few errors that paper
lly correct. and clearly minor sometimes difficult to
The paper written - errors that make the read. The

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is neatly representin do not paper paper may
and clearly g the impact the difficult to contain
written - student's readability read. The excessive
of the
representin personal paper may rips, folds,
essay. The
g the best. paper is contain doodling or
student's neatly and excessive messy
personal clearly rips, folds, corrections.
best. written - doodling or The paper
representin messy does not
g the
student's corrections. meet
personal This does minimum
best. not acceptable
represent standards.
the
student's
personal
best.

3.3 References
Arts Appreciation by Caslib, Caring and Casaul

Online references:
[Link]
[Link]
grade-9

The performance rubric used by the writer was adopted from the
performance rubric of Mr. Raul B. Celmar of Samar State University –
Mercedes Campus.

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The pictures that were used in this Learning Packet was taken from
[Link]

The information on each topic used by the writer was adopted from the
learning packet of Ms. Donita Mabonga and Gillie C. Papauran of Samar
State University – Mercedes Campus.

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3.4 Acknowledgment
The images, tables, figures and information contained in this
module were taken from the references cited above.

For questions and clarifications:

JANNELLE RICA THEA ROSE ROSACAY, LPT
Samar State University-Mercedes Campus

Facebook/Messenger Account: Marissan Molito

Email: gutierrezmolito@[Link]
Contact no: 09481474507

CONGRATULATIONS! You have already finished with your LP 3

See you again at LP 4.

C. M. D. Hamo-ay