Art is a powerful tool that can be used to communicate ideas, express feelings, and create beauty. It is also a source of pride for people who see their cultural heritage represented in works of art, whether these artworks are ancient or contemporary. For these reasons, it is important to teach students about art history, which can help them learn more about the world they live in and about their own cultures.
As students study art, they should be encouraged to look closely at the details of a work. This will allow them to better understand the techniques and skills that were used, as well as determine how they are related to each other. In addition, they should consider how the composition of a work influences the overall impression it makes. Lastly, they should observe how the colors and shape relationships affect the overall meaning of a piece.
In the past, ‘art’ was a term that meant craft; a skill that could be learned and perfected with practice. With Romanticism and the birth of individualism, art came to mean more than just a skill; it became a way to express oneself and to be original. With the emergence of Modernism, art began to question what it could mean to be an artist and to explore new methods of expression (Cubism, Futurism).
The idea that an object can be considered art is based on a number of different criteria, but the most common one is that the work shows excellence of skill and achievement in realizing significant aesthetic goals, or, as Steven Davies puts it, “something may be called art if it is intended to be a work of art and achieves that intention.”
Using primary sources from the time period your class is studying helps bring history to life and can increase student engagement with art. This can be done with photos, advertisements, short fiction, music, or even other works of art. Then, ask your students to compare these sources with the art that they have been looking at.
While some people argue that art has no purpose, other scholars believe that it is essential to society because it is a vehicle for communication across generations and across cultures. Art allows us to understand the complexity of a culture by providing insight into the values and beliefs of its people. Additionally, it can act as a bridge between disparate communities by communicating across language and time. By engaging with a wide variety of artistic traditions, we can discover our shared humanity and build tolerance and respect for other cultures.