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Theories of Art:
Imitationism Aesthetic Hedonism
Representationism Aesthetic Functionalism
Formalism Action Theory
Expressionism Institutional Theory
Raphael,
The School of
Athens
Leonardo as
Plato
Michelangelo
as Aristotle
Imitationism by Plato
It is the philosophy of beauty which answers the questions, “What is beauty?” or “What is the essence of
beautiful things?”, and the philosophy of art which answers the questions, “What is art?” or “What is the essence
of art?”.
The Imitationism by Plato suggests three (3) types of world: World of Being, World of Becoming, and World
of Art.
The world of being is the reality; it is unchanging and eternal. It is the universal form of any idea in metaphysical
form. It is the idea of beauty. A demiurge or philosopher is responsible in the making of the world being and
world of becoming.
The world of becoming believes that the world of being is full of knowledge. It has to do with the appearance,
the changing, and temporal world. It is the appearance of the reality and where beautiful things exist. It is the
material or thing with the physical entity which you can touch or hold. The world of becoming believes in the art
studies which leads to ignorance as artistry are shown in beautiful artworks.
The world of art is the imitation or illusion of what is seen from the physical thing. These could be a painting of
a physical chair, cat, house, or even a drawing of a woman, man, trees, forests, and stars. Artists are
accountable for the creation of the world of art.
Things in this world are beautiful as appearances of the reality or idea of beauty of the universal form of beauty
existing in the world of being. Art is beautiful as imitations of things in this world. Art is the imitation of the
appearance of reality.
Plato
Epistemological – concerns the Nature of Human Knowledge
“Gymnastics is for the body, as music is for the soul.”
The physical body pertains to a strong body and health while the spiritual soul pertains to the intelligent
soul/mind and knowledge.
Michelangelo
Buonarroti, The Last
Judgment
William Shakespeare
“Art is putting mirror up to nature.”
“All the world is a stage, and men and women are merely players.”
Chieh Tzu Yuan
“When painting has reached divinity (shen), there is an end of the
matter.”
Chinese art – the drawing of forms which answer to natural form.
Christian art – Representational Icon of religious images
Fabian de la Rosa and Fernando Amorsolo have shown only the aspect of beauty, idyllic and exotic rural
sceneries, and forms of light and shadow for tourism purposes.
“Yellow is the color of middle C on a brassy trumpet; black is the color of closure, and the
endings; and that combinations of colors produce vibrational frequencies, akin to chords played
on a piano.” – Kandinsky
AESTHETIC HEDONISM
AESTHETIC FUNCTIONALISM
Functionalism – the person’s feeling of need of an object which satisfies his/her needs. It answers the question
“What is it for?”.
The purpose of the use of the building is according to the shape, size, color, texture, and space.
Example: Joern Utzon’s Sydney Opera House
Feminine Beauty
Action theory – style of abstract expressionism by Jackson Pollock. It is the process of putting, dripping, pouring,
and splashing paints on the canvas.
Color Field Painting (Branch of Action Painting) – flat mass of colors on the picture plane (Mark Rothko
and Gus Albor).
Institutional Theory – art is an institution in the society (George Dickie and Arthur Danto).
The Artworld – the people are in the position of power. The artworld are the artists, art critics, art
historians/educators, art patrons/curators, art museums/galleries, schools/clubs, art awards,
recognition/popularity, art journals, and TV/newspapers.
For something to become art is like for someone to become a dentist or an engineer; it must pass all
the standards set by the school as an institution. For someone to become an artist is like for a person
to become a member of the Catholic church and rise to the hierarchy; s/he must go through all the
stages prescribed by the church as an institution.
Reference
Orate, A. (2010). Lecture notes on aesthetics: Theories of art and beauty. Blended Learning Modules. Manila:
University of the East.