SUBJECT

AND
CONTENT
These clues are the three basic components of a
work of art:
Subject
– the visual focus or the image that may
be extracted from examining the
artwork; the “what”

Content
– the meaning that is communicated by
the artist or the artwork; the “why”

Form
– the development and configuration of
the art work – how the elements and the
medium or material are put together;
the “how”
Types of subject
 T A N experimentation
In the sciences, ONG RETO R Ikey
is the K AtoLproving a
hypothesis or a larger theory. In the arts, there are observable
qualities that the artwork holds that will point to its subject, and
sometimes even to its content.
 REPRESENTATIONAL ART

have subjects
Also
that termed
refer to
figurative art
objects or
because the
events
figures depicted
occurring in
are easy to make
theand
out realdecipher.
world

Mona Lisa Leonardo da Vinci (1503)

 It is stripped down to
visual
Art formselements,
that dosuch
not
as shapes,
make lines, and
a reference to
colors
the realthat are
world,
employedit to
whether is atranslate
person,
a particular
place, thing, orfeeling,
even a
emotion, andevent.
particular even
concept.
Head of a Woman, Mougins Pablo
Picasso (1962)
Sources and Kinds of subject
NON- REPRESENTATIONAL
REPRESENTATIONAL ART
ART
have subjects
that refer to
objects or
a higher, level of perceptiveness and
insight might be required to fully
events
grasped the feeling, emotion, or occurring in
concept behind the work. the real world
 Sources of subject

Nature
History
Greek and Roman mythology
Judeo-Christian tradition
Sacred oriental texts
Other works of art
 kinds of subject

History Seascape
Still life Cityscape
Animals Mythology
Figures Myth
Nature Dreams
Landscape Fantasies