1. Art Aesthetics & Criticism
How to “Read” Art

2. 4 steps of art criticism Description Analysis Interpretation Judgment
Paul Klee. Ad Parnassum Oil on canvas. (39 x 49 in.).

3. step 1: description Gathering Facts... What is the name of the artist?
What kind of artwork is it?
What is the name of the artwork?
When was it created?
Name some other major events in history that occurred at the same time as the artwork.
Hughie Lee-Smith. The Piper Oil on canvas. (22 x 35 1/4 in.).

4. step 1: description Line Shape Form Space
List the literal objects in the painting (trees, people, animals, mountains, rivers, etc.)
Consider the significant art elements that are present in the artwork and describe them.
Line
Shape
Form
Space
Texture
Color
Value
Hughie Lee-Smith. The Piper Oil on canvas. (22 x 35 1/4 in.).

5. Vincent Van Gogh. The Starry Night. 1889. Oil on canvas
Vincent Van Gogh. The Starry Night Oil on canvas. (29 x 36 1/4 in.).

6. step 2: analysis
How are the principles of art used to organize the art elements?
Rhythm
Movement
Pattern
Balance
Proportion
Emphasis
Variety
Unity
Hughie Lee-Smith. The Piper Oil on canvas. (22 x 35 1/4 in.).

7. step 2: analysis
Which of the following Qualities did the artist give to the artwork?
Imitationalism (Literal Quality): focuses on a realistic representation.
Formalism (Formal Quality): Places emphasis on the arrangement of the elements of art using the principles of art.
Emotionalism (Expressive Qualities): Requires that an artwork must evoke a response of feelings, moods, or emotions in the viewer.

8. Vincent Van Gogh. The Starry Night. 1889. Oil on canvas
Vincent Van Gogh. The Starry Night Oil on canvas. (29 x 36 1/4 in.).

9. step 3: interpretation
Based on what you have learned so far about the artwork, what do you think the artist is trying to say?
Why did the artist create this artwork?
What do you think it means?
What feelings do you have when looking at this artwork?
Do you think there are things in the artwork that represent other things - symbols?
Hughie Lee-Smith. The Piper Oil on canvas. (22 x 35 1/4 in.).

10. Vincent Van Gogh. The Starry Night. 1889. Oil on canvas
Vincent Van Gogh. The Starry Night Oil on canvas. (29 x 36 1/4 in.).

11. step 4: judgment Do you like the artwork?
Do you think it is an important artwork?
Would you display it at home?
Is it “good” enough for a museum?
Justify your opinion! Explain your opinion using observations from the previous three steps.
Hughie Lee-Smith. The Piper Oil on canvas. (22 x 35 1/4 in.).

12. Vincent Van Gogh. The Starry Night. 1889. Oil on canvas
Vincent Van Gogh. The Starry Night Oil on canvas. (29 x 36 1/4 in.).

13. Now you try it...
Write a DESCRIPTION for the following slide.

14. Pablo Picasso. Guernica. 1889. Oil on canvas. (11 x 23 ft.).

15. Guernica History
Spanish Dictator, Francisco Franco granted Adolf Hitler permission to practice his new war strategy of bombing cities on a small Basque village in Northern Spain.
On April 27, market day - Hitler’s air force bombed Guernica for three hours killing over 1600 people.
Picasso began making sketches for the mural one week after the bombing and completed the canvas on June 6, 1937.

16. Analysis: Which principles of design did Picasso use?
Visual Movement
Variety
Proportion
Balance
Unity
Emphasis

17. Interpretation: What was Picasso trying to say?
What is the bull a symbol of?
Why does the texture on the horse look like newspaper?
Why does all this happen in a room?
Why are there two “lights”?
Why does the warrior have a flower and a broken sword?

18. Judgment: Do you like it, or not - and why?