1. Art as an Area of Knowledge
Beauty & Perspective

2. Can experts determine what is the nature of the beautiful?
How does one determine aesthetic judgement?
Can experts determine what is the nature of the beautiful?
Activity: Scavenger Hunt
* Find something beautiful
* Criteria:
~ Must be an object or a picture
~ Cannot contain a human face
~ Be prepared to discuss the most important quality which makes the object beautiful

3. Can experts determine what is the nature of the beautiful?
Activity: Scavenger Hunt
Can experts determine what is the nature of the beautiful?
As a group you must reduce the list of beautiful objects to what can be agreed upon by “experts”
~ Determine what are the five most beautiful objects brought back.

4. Solution? Be disinterested (Kant)
‘I like this painting’
‘This painting is beautiful’
How are these two statements different?
The first is clearly a judgement of taste (subjective), which the second is an aesthetic judgement (objective).
According to philosopher Immanuel Kent ( ), we must delineate between these two types of judgement. Making an aesthetic judgement requires us to be disinterested. In other words, we should try to go beyond our individual tastes and preferences so that we can appreciate art from a universal standpoint.
Source:

5. The Importance of Perspective
As the audience of the arts, it is important to view artwork from different perspectives to gain a greater understanding. This will allow you to
* reveal features of the artwork you might have missed
* reveal features for yourself
* reveal features of the context in which your artwork is set

6. Perspective vs. Opinion
By perspective, we don’t mean merely a different opinion, we mean something more fundamental. This could include the following:
* Gender
* Race
* Geographical location
* Religions/philosophical position
* Historical era
* Language
* Cultural tradition
* Socio-economic position
* Educational Experiences

7. Twlight Zone Episode: Eye of the Beholder
What message does the movie convey about beauty?
What is ironic about the way the woman (Janet Tyler) looks after the bandages are taken off?
How does the movie relate to the topic of “perspective”? Give two examples of how perspective plays a role in the movie.
What areas of knowledge are related to this film? Explain.
Using the idea of ethics and morality, is there or should there be a limit to how far an individual will go to attain beauty? Explain.

8. Definition of Sexy around the World

9. Pierre Auguste Renoir “Luncheon of the Boating Party” tells a story that doesn’t add up.  ​
Study the painting for a moment.​
What sort of day are the boaters having?​
Is it a warm or cold day?​
Are these people formal or informal with each other?​
What is the mood of the painting?​
Look at the man with his back to us in the center of the picture. At whom does he appear to be looking?  At whom is his companion looking?​
Continue following the path of looks of the people in the picture.  Where does this path end up?​
Only two characters are actually looking at each other.  Who are they?​
FOLLOW THE EYES