RELS 257 Midterm Exam Questions Answered Correctly
nude v. nakedness: - Answers nude: sexualizing/ objectifying a person; geared toward the
spectator
nakedness: not objectification, woman in painting not looking at spectator, openness +
vulnerability
in nude paintings, women are typically _______ and the spectator is usually a ______: - Answers
hairless; man
correlation between oil painting + nudity: - Answers during the renaissance, wealthy people
displayed their wealth by ownership of nude oil paintings (this gave men a form of distinction)
examples of nudity paintings: - Answers Venus admired by men, Eve
example of a painting that displays nakedness: - Answers Virgin Mary (was never objectified)
advertising + nudity: - Answers creates a desire that may or may not be attainable. oil paintings
were owned & attained by only the wealthy while advertisements are geared toward the
commoner.
advertising is geared toward: - Answers the future (if you buy this, you will become that)
dewey's art theory: - Answers -believes art is whatever you have an esthetic experience
(beginning, middle, and end) with
- everything can be art, but not everything is art
- if the artist has an experience with the piece, it is art
why does dewey argue that an esthetic experience must have a beginning, middle, and end? -
Answers because in order to define all aspects of an experience, one must be able to recall the
beginning, middle, and end of it!
esthetic: - Answers artistically pleasing and beautiful
is dewey's art theory subjective or objective: - Answers subjective
according to dewey, when does art become universal: - Answers when people continue having
experiences with art despite cultural and generational changes
firth's method: - Answers A method of unpacking the meaning behind an image
steps in firth's method: - Answers 1. surface meaning (what you see and hear, i.e. "red flower")
2. intended meaning (the artist's intended method, very focused on the work)
, 3. cultural meaning (culturally specific references, not just referencing the culture but also
creating it)
plato's theory of forms: - Answers belief that every object on earth has an ideal form that
transcends time & space
therefore, art is simply an imperfect copy of an imperfect copy
- art as techne (skilled craft)
- mimesis: art as an imitation of life
why plato criticizes tragedy: - Answers plato believes that art glorifies tragedy
tragedy suggested that good people were not always rewarded, which plato disagreed with
berger's view of art: - Answers the more an artwork is reproduced, the more value and meaning
it loses
Aristotle's view of art: - Answers -art is catharsis ("release of emotions")
-expression theory: about the relationship between art and emotions and what you do with the
emotions (release/sublimation)
Aristotle's outlook on tragedy: - Answers -he glorifies tragedies
-only likes tragedies where people make mistakes rather than conscious immoral decisions
-believes tragedy serves a purpose because we learn from it
how light, allegory, and geometry reflect morality: - Answers (Aquinas)
light: represents God as the light of the world
allegory: cathedral as an allegory for 'place of God,' tells God's stories
geometry: proportions represent an orderly world
Kant's view of art: - Answers -beauty=disinterest
-beauty is inherent in the object being viewed whether seen by the spectator or not
-"purposiveness without purpose"
-esthetic experience with a piece is independent of function
what does "purposiveness without purpose" mean: - Answers art causes play of the imagination
without serving a utilitarian purpose
nude v. nakedness: - Answers nude: sexualizing/ objectifying a person; geared toward the
spectator
nakedness: not objectification, woman in painting not looking at spectator, openness +
vulnerability
in nude paintings, women are typically _______ and the spectator is usually a ______: - Answers
hairless; man
correlation between oil painting + nudity: - Answers during the renaissance, wealthy people
displayed their wealth by ownership of nude oil paintings (this gave men a form of distinction)
examples of nudity paintings: - Answers Venus admired by men, Eve
example of a painting that displays nakedness: - Answers Virgin Mary (was never objectified)
advertising + nudity: - Answers creates a desire that may or may not be attainable. oil paintings
were owned & attained by only the wealthy while advertisements are geared toward the
commoner.
advertising is geared toward: - Answers the future (if you buy this, you will become that)
dewey's art theory: - Answers -believes art is whatever you have an esthetic experience
(beginning, middle, and end) with
- everything can be art, but not everything is art
- if the artist has an experience with the piece, it is art
why does dewey argue that an esthetic experience must have a beginning, middle, and end? -
Answers because in order to define all aspects of an experience, one must be able to recall the
beginning, middle, and end of it!
esthetic: - Answers artistically pleasing and beautiful
is dewey's art theory subjective or objective: - Answers subjective
according to dewey, when does art become universal: - Answers when people continue having
experiences with art despite cultural and generational changes
firth's method: - Answers A method of unpacking the meaning behind an image
steps in firth's method: - Answers 1. surface meaning (what you see and hear, i.e. "red flower")
2. intended meaning (the artist's intended method, very focused on the work)
, 3. cultural meaning (culturally specific references, not just referencing the culture but also
creating it)
plato's theory of forms: - Answers belief that every object on earth has an ideal form that
transcends time & space
therefore, art is simply an imperfect copy of an imperfect copy
- art as techne (skilled craft)
- mimesis: art as an imitation of life
why plato criticizes tragedy: - Answers plato believes that art glorifies tragedy
tragedy suggested that good people were not always rewarded, which plato disagreed with
berger's view of art: - Answers the more an artwork is reproduced, the more value and meaning
it loses
Aristotle's view of art: - Answers -art is catharsis ("release of emotions")
-expression theory: about the relationship between art and emotions and what you do with the
emotions (release/sublimation)
Aristotle's outlook on tragedy: - Answers -he glorifies tragedies
-only likes tragedies where people make mistakes rather than conscious immoral decisions
-believes tragedy serves a purpose because we learn from it
how light, allegory, and geometry reflect morality: - Answers (Aquinas)
light: represents God as the light of the world
allegory: cathedral as an allegory for 'place of God,' tells God's stories
geometry: proportions represent an orderly world
Kant's view of art: - Answers -beauty=disinterest
-beauty is inherent in the object being viewed whether seen by the spectator or not
-"purposiveness without purpose"
-esthetic experience with a piece is independent of function
what does "purposiveness without purpose" mean: - Answers art causes play of the imagination
without serving a utilitarian purpose
