Student 6 Final Exam Fall 1999

What is art? Please discuss/explain the five major aesthetic theories that we have studied this semester, and give at least two examples of art, literature, or other art forms we have studied this semester in support of your explication of each theory. You must explain the aesthetic theory itself, and then explain the symbolism, construction, or other relevant facts of each work of art mentioned, and clearly explain how that piece of art reflects that particular theory. In addition, you must use different disciplinary resources in your responses; for example, use paintings, sculpture, architectural works, and literature.

*note: this exam was transcribed exactly as the student wrote it on the final; nothing has been altered. The student has some sound factual information, and does relatively well with functionalism and realism. The essay is weak on formalism and expressionism, but it does show an attempt to use various disciplinary perspectives to address the question.

Functionalism describes all works of art that have a purpose besides that of art. The best examples that I can think of are the chapels of the 16th century. In particular, the Chartres chapel in France. It was decorated elaborately with stained glass windows and sculptures. The exact architect is not known, and because it was rebuilt and remodeled so many instances due to fires, it is hard to know who to contribute its construction to. The design of the chapel uses many of the divine numbers and shapes associated with Christianity. The chapel consists of 3 doors which represents the trinity. On one door the disciplines are depicted in 3 groups of four which also symbolized an aspect of Christianity. Another door depicted the teachings of the time triviuum (art, rhetoric, dialectic) and quadrivium (music, astronomy, geology, math). The glass windows detected various occurrences in the Bible. The judgment window depicted Christ passing final judgment upon all individuals. I think that it was also surrounded by 12 circles, each illustrating a disciple of God. The chapel at Chartres is a symbol of functionalism because it had a function other than art, and that was that Chartres was used as a house of prayer. It also served the function of housing the Sancta Camisa, which was said to be the garment that Mary was wearing when she gave birth to Jesus. Chartres is considered special because despite the numerous fires it has experienced, the Sancta Camisa has always been unharmed. This chapel was said to have been built in the honor of Mary, and she protects the chapel.

Realism is achieved when your work of art depicts who a person really is. It is more in terms with nature and matter. Leonardo da Vinci was a realist painter who felt that this was the best method of art expression, which he illustrates very well in The Last Supper. This painting depicts the precise point in the Bible when Christ reveals to his disciples that one of them would betray him. What's so real about it is that Christ is not depicted as heavenly with a halo above his head. He is illustrated as his disciples are with no super human qualities. Leonardo also makes use of the heavenly numbers, illustrating the disciples in four groups of three, each group showing contrasting displays of emotion. Da Vinci's use of perspective gives the painting depth and although he did not illustrate Christ with a halo, the angle at which he drew the background windows, illuminating right upon him, gave a spiritual feel. This painting marks the turning point in Christ's life because soon after he was crucified. This art is a good example of realism because it is modeled after man more than ideas or perspectives. He gives an easy understanding and visual interpretation of something that we all know and helps you build a reality-based perspective of things.

Idealism consists of art that does not go along the lines of reality. It concerns with the ideal aspect of art rather than the real. Michelangelo is the best example of idealism we have studied this semester. His works were not centered in the material beings of the world, but the spiritual aspects. The ceiling of the Sistine Chapel is evidence of this. He did not conform to a Christian view when he portrayed the book of Genesis, but the Neoplatonic view, which believed highly in the use of forms. In the Neoplatonic view you started at the one and worked your way down and eventually rose back up to the one. So Michelangelo started with the fall of man first and worked his way back to creation. Throughout this fresco he used triangles, squares, and circles, which are call considered spiritual. This were symbolized the Neoplatonism idea of the one, the soul and nous. The illustration of the fall first symbolized the preoccupation with matter and the lowest level of the cycle Neoplatonists believed in. This is the turning point in this cycle because it was thought when you free yourself from matter, you'll rise again to the state with God and then repeat the cycle again.

Art and self-expression deals with the identification of who you are and what you believe in. Buddhism dealt with this in all aspects. The main goal of Buddhist was to achieve oneness with nature. One structure they considered helpful to this goal was the stupa. This was a domelike structure with paths around it. Followers would go there and walk around these paths meditating. As they came closer to oneness, they progressed up the stupa to higher paths to further mediate. When they reached the top, they were at the highest level of meditation and had probably achieved the goal of oneness.

Art and the cosmos relied heavily upon nature. Most of the art from this area had a basis of nature. Their art also illustrated stories. Northern Sung and Southern dynasties both utilized scrolls to do their artwork, but they had contrasting ways of illustrating their art. Northern Sung used hanging scrolls which told a story about nature or struggles in nature. They were always completely covered with color. Southern Sung used the scroll horizontally. Their artworks had lots of places without color and did not illustrate a story as the Northern Sung did.

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