HUMANITIES: What is it?

The term Humanities comes from the Latin word, humanitas

It generally refers to art, literature, music, architecture, dance and the theatrein
which human subjectivity is emphasized and individual expressiveness is dramatized.
HOW IMPORTANT IS HUMANITIES
The fields of knowledge and study falling under humanities are dedicated to the pursuit
of discovering and understanding the nature of man.
The humanities deal with man as a being of purpose, of values, loves, hates, ideas and
sometimes as s seer, or prophet with divine inspiration.
The humanities aim at educating.
THE ARTS: What is it?
The word art usually refers to the so-called fine arts (e.g.pictorial, plastic, and building)
and to the so-called minor arts (everyday, useful, applied, and decorative arts)
The word art is derived from arti, which denotes craftmanship, skill,mastery of form,
inventiveness.
Art serves as a technical and creative record of human needs and achievements.
*Some definitions of art according to philosophers:
Art is that which brings life in harmony with the beauty of the world.-Plato
Art is the whole spirit of man.-Ruskin
Art is the medium by which the artist communicates himself to his fellows.-Charleton Noyes
Art is anything made or done by man that affects or moves us so that we see or feel beauty
in it.-Collins and Riley
MAJOR AREAS OF ART
~Literary Arts
are those presented in the written mode and intended to be read. These include
prose and poetry. (e.g. novels, short stories, sonnet, ballad, epic, essay)
~Visual Art
are those forms perceived by the eyes. These include painting, sculpture, and
architecture
~Audio Visual Art
Are those forms perceived by both ears (audio) and eyes (visual).
They are called performing arts in as much as the artists render a performance in front
of an audience.
FUNCTIONS OF THE ART
Personal/Individual Function
Social Function
Economic Function
Political Function
Historical Function

Cultural Function
Religious Function
Physical Function
Aesthetic Function
METHODS OF PRESENTING ART SUBJECTS
Introduction
Certain methods of presenting arts are employed in order for it to be effective.
In presenting his subject, the artists uses different methods to express the idea he wants to
make clear. The following are the commonly used methods in presenting the subjects of arts:
Realism
It is the attempt to portray the subject as is. The artist selects, changes, and arranges details to
express the idea he wants to make clear.
The artist main function is to describe accurately what is observed through the senses.
Examples of realism ARTS
Giora Eshkol (Daydreaming)
Willem ClaeszHeda (Banquet Piece with Mince Pie)
symbolism
The presentation of an invisible sign such as an idea or a quality into something visible.
Sample of Symbolism
Author Unknown (Memento Mori)
fauvism
Themes are either ethical, philosophical or psychological. Subjects express comfort, joy or
happiness.
Sample of Fauvist Art work
Japanese Propaganda poster during ww II
Dadaism
A protest movement formed in 1916 by a group of artist in Zurich, Switzerland. They try to
provoke the public with outrageous forms of arts.
Came from the French word dada meaning hobby horse.
Futurism
Its works aims to capture the speed and force of modern industrial society and to glorify the
mechanical energy of modern life.
surrealism
Founded in Paris in 1924 by French poet Andre Breton.
It tries to reveal a new and higher reality than that of daily life. They claim to create a magical
world more beautiful than the real one through art.
It came from the slang of super realism.