Table of Contents
Introduce the idea that perspective is everything when it comes to art
It is important to note that perspective is not inherently influential with the evaluation of the piece of art. Rather, the context in which the art is viewed dictates whether or not its effects are visible. In other words, since all art has a unique meaning based on its context and purpose, whether or not it draws out a strong emotional response depends on other factors as well. One of the most important factors is perspective. Perspective is a person’s position from which they view an item or event. The importance of perspective can not only be seen in art, but also in everyday life.
Talk about how different people can look at the same piece of art and see completely different things
Some people are more drawn to a piece of art than others. This is often because they have a higher level of self-awareness and/or an inclination towards being analytical. For example, one person might see a painting being composed solely with the colours in mind while another sees it as an expression of pain. The point is that context plays into how we perceive things, whether or not it’s something that is visible to the naked eye. This idea permeates into all aspects of life, including art.
For people who are not afraid of expressing themselves, some of their greatest artworks comes from a place of emotional instability. In an artist’s mind, s/he is already aware that the piece may not be appreciated, but this does nothing to curb their desire for self-expression in the moment. This is what separates an artist from everyone else, who typically has a fear of being misunderstood. It is natural for most people to express their creativity through ways in which others can relate or through art that requires at least some technical skill. An artist’s creative energy is not always channeled in the same way.
Discuss how perspective influences not just what someone sees in a work of art, but also its value and perceived qualities
Since art transcends mere aesthetics, people generally tend to value the fact that it elicits an emotional response. That being said, the same art piece can be valued differently depending on who’s evaluating it. This can be attributed to the aforementioned idea of perspective playing such a major role in how we perceive things. It seems that, in many cases, we tend to place more emphasis on certain areas of a work (i.e., how it looks) than others (i.e., the idea behind it).
This, in turn, can lead to a great disparity between artist and critic. For instance, one artist’s work may be praised as “sophisticated” while another’s is criticized as “clumsily rendered”. As such, how we look at art is also determined by personal taste and our own perception. However, it should be strongly noted that not all artworks are looked at in the same way by everyone.
That being said, whenever you evaluate something purely based on its appearance (i.e. with absolutely no regard for its deeper meaning), you are more than likely taking on a very “Western” perspective.
In this sense, a very important thing to note is that art created by other cultures is often viewed from an external “Western” perspective.
Give examples of how perspective has changed the way people have looked at famous works of art throughout history
For example, for centuries, people looked at the Mona Lisa and saw a beautiful woman who was waiting to be admired. However, over time, this perception has been changed to one of a lady with questionable morals. This is because most of us have become more accustomed to art through the ages. In this context, we expect to see certain characteristics in our works of art based on previous works that we have seen throughout history. Consequently, we value pieces of art differently depending on how much they compare to past works.
Another example is the painting of The Last Supper, by Da Vinci. Throughout history, people saw this painting as our Lord Jesus Christ and his apostles dining together the night he was betrayed by one of them. However, during the 1500s, with the introduction of Dutch perspective, people began to see the piece much differently. The three dimensional qualities presented in most Dutch artwork made works such as The Last Supper more relatable to a viewer. As a result, people began to see Jesus Christ as the viewer. This is because viewers could see the perspective of Christ and the apostles from a front view. Consequently, the painting became much more accessible to those who viewed it.
Conclude by saying that, while it’s important to be aware of multiple perspectives, it’s also important to remember that there is always one correct interpretation of a work of art
While it may seem as though there are many ways to interpret a particular work of art, this is only because we are unable to read the artist’s mind. Unfortunately, if this were possible, there would only be one way to interpret a work of art. Luckily, artists tend to leave clues behind as to what they intended their works of art to mean and why they painted them in the first place. However, the best way to decipher meaning behind a piece of art is by looking at it from a variety of perspectives.
“Perspective influences how a person looks at a piece of art and its qualities. By being aware of different perspectives, you can better understand a work of art, both as an artistic piece and as a part of history.” By being aware of different perspectives, you can better understand a work of art, both as an artistic piece and as a part of history.
“For example, looking at the painting “The Birth of Venus,” which was created by Renaissance artist Sandro Botticelli in 1509 and 1510, we can see that it depicts the story of Venus emerging from the sea. However, if we look at it from another perspective, we can see that the work is about the introduction of humanism into Renaissance Italy. In this context, Botticelli painted a nude Venus coming ashore on a rocky shoreline to illustrate the importance of human beauty and intellect as it came to Italy with scholars who were returning from Greece.”
