Introduction
The word Art has several explanations and conceptions. One may not be aware, but almost every activity one gets involved in every day constitutes some aspect of art in it. Authors have come up with definitions of tern art. Tolstoy (1996) says:
Not only enormous labor is spent on this activity, but in it, as in war, the very lives of men are sacrificed. Hundreds of thousands of people devote their lives from childhood to learning to twirl their legs rapidly (dancers), or to touch notes and strings and very rapidly (musicians) or to draw with paint and represent what they see (artists), or to turn every phrase inside out and find a rhyme to every word. These people often very kind and clever, and capable of all sorts of useful labor, grow savage over their specialized and stupefying occupations, and become one-sided and self-complacent specialists, dull to all the serious phenomena of life and skillful only at rapidly twisting their legs, their tongues, or their fingers. (Tolstoy on art n.d.)
From the above explanation, it is clear that art covers several areas including dancing, the music industry, and artists. Henry (2007) states that:
- Art, when really understood is the province of every human being. It is simply a question of doing things, anything, well. It is not an outside, extra thing (p.11)
Types of art
Painting. The crucifixion; the last judgment by Jan van Eyck and Workshop Assistant (The Metropolitan Museum of Art, 2010). This famous painting illustrates the last scene of Christ while on the cross during his crucifixion to save the world from sin. Art is all about the expression of one’s inner feelings and the representation of something tangible. This is what Jan van Eyck achieves in this painting. The painting, with its in-depth features, offers a glance at the happenings of the crucifixion and judgment day (Music of Yesterday 1917).
Sculpture. Pygmalion and Galatea by Jean-Léon Gérôme (The Metropolitan Museum of Art, 2010). A sculpture can be considered to be a three-dimensional drawing. The aforementioned sculpture represents the theme of Pygmalion and Galatea. Artists usually have a way of carving or modeling sculptures out of real-life situations. This is exactly what Gérôme does in this painting. The sculpture of Galatea was destroyed by the goddess Venus, and the work of Gérôme only fulfills Pygmalion’s wish for a wife as stunning as the above painting.
Architecture. The Birth of the Virgin by Fra Carnevale (The Metropolitan Museum of Art, 2010). This is a picture of the church of Santa Maria Della Bella at Urbino. Architecture is about drawing and design of real objects on paper. This is precisely what Fra Carnevale archives. The picture is an artistic representation of the ducal palace at Urbino hence giving art its true meaning.
Photography. The Terminal by Alfred Stieglitz (American, Hoboken, New Jersey 1864–1946 New York City) (The Metropolitan Museum of Art, 2010). Photography is about taking pictures, and this is what Alfred Stieglitz does. Though taken several decades ago using a primitive camera, the terminal still stands out today, and it is a prediction of the transformation of the painting to photography; an exact definition of the word art.
Printmaking. Beacons of Defense by Raymond Steth (The Metropolitan Museum of Art, 2010). Printmaking is simply the process of creating pieces of art through printing usually on a piece of paper. Beacon of Defense is the work of Steth using printmaker Dox Thrash. It is a representation of America’s preparation for war. The Beacons of light in this printmaking give a picture of the outstanding contribution made by African Americans during the Second World War. Art contains hidden meanings to life issues and this is exactly what Steth brings out in printmaking.
Conceptual art. The White Flag by Jasper Johns (American, born Augusta, Georgia, 1930) (The Metropolitan Museum of Art, 2010). Conceptual art aims at stressing the distinction of the concepts and ideas of works over traditional and material concerns. The White Flag is a piece of art in which Jasper drains the color from the picture leaving only faint shade in tone. In doing this, the artist achieves drawing one’s attention from the real image to the way in which it was made.
Installation Art. The Triumph of Henry IV by Peter Paul Rubens (The Metropolitan Museum of Art, 2010). Installation art is three-dimensional art, but it is a bit site-specific. The Triumph of Henry IV is one of the series celebrating the victory of Henry IV. It also describes the triumphal entry of Henry IV into Paris.
Performance Art. The French Comedians by Antoine Watteau (The Metropolitan Museum of Art, 2010). Performance art involves the process of expounding on any type or piece of art to a gathering. The painting is a depiction of French comedians playing tragic-comedy. From the definition of performance art, this piece of art gives art its true meaning since the subjects in this case are brought out while dancing. From the definition of art, Antoine succeeds in defining performance art.
References
Henry, R., & Ryerson, M. (2007). The art spirit: Notes, articles, fragments of letters and talks to students, bearing on the concept and technique of picture making, the study of art generally, and on appreciation. New York: Basic Books.
Music of Yesterday. (1917). Tolstoy Throws a Bomb into Art and Music. Web.
The metropolitan museum of art. (2000). Web.
Tolstoy, L., & Maude, A. (1996). What is art? Indianapolis: Hackett Pub. Co. Tolstoy on art. (n.d.). Internet Archive. Web.