What is the value of a piece of art?

How can you determine the value of a particular piece of art? Carl Matheson, head of the department of philosophy at the University of Manitoba, believes that originality is a big contribution to the value of a piece of art, along with originality. If a man copies a piece of art, should it still have the same value? I think not, I personally feel the value should be determined by the thought and originality that went in to the painting. Many people have the ability to copy a particular piece of art, but few have the ability to concieve an entirely new, ground breaking idea. 

Art History

1.)    What do you think we can learn from studying works of art from the past?

By studying past works of art, I think we can learn of past cultures and the emotions of the people who lived during those times. This can benefit mankind in the fact that we can learn about our ancestors and how they coped with life in times of great prosperity or great hardship. Art is a very important aspect of our history that we can benefit greatly from.

2.)    Explain the truth of the adage “a picture is worth a thousand words.”

“a picture is worth a thousand words”, an adage that in my opinion is if anything an understatement. A picture can explain so much, not only can it tell a fictional story, but a picture has the ability to portray the characteristics of its creator. An artist’s painting or any piece of arts can communicate his/her emotions at the time of the piece’s conception. This also allows for many different interpretations of the emotions of the piece that are unique to each viewer. If you ask me a picture is worth a thousand+ words.

3.)    What kinds of careers could someone go in to with a degree in art history?

Someone with a degree in art history has a few options for their career. A degree in art history can amplify the quality of any particular artist by having the knowledge of many past styles. Also a person with this degree could go in to anthropology or archaeology and study the cultures of the people living during the conception of each work of art and study old paintings.

4.)    What is critical thinking and how is it applied to the study of visual art?

Critical thinking is looking in depth in to something and looking even further than the ordinary eye can see. This is applied in the study of visual art because there can be many different representations of each piece of art and critical thinking can help you see what the artist may have seen, felt or thought at the time of the painting’s creation.

5.)    Of the arts we will be studying, sculpture, painting, architecture, photography, film and fashion, which are you most interested in and why?

 I am most interested in architecture and how the sorrows or prosperities are represented in each work. I am most interested in this because I want to study archaeology and anthropology in high school because it absolutely fascinates me. I feel like architecture is the most interesting of all of these when it comes to the study of human culture, though they all apply there.

Sonnet

Love is what makes us who we are

The burning flame never dying

It has brought humanity thus far

Without this we would stop trying

With the passion so immense

These souls shall forever be bonded

The fire will forever be so intense

This feeling that is always wanted

The flame of love will never fade

The flame of love is always bright

Like the petals of a jade

Nothing will ever feel so right

Renaissance

                The Renaissance,  taking place from the 14^th century to the 17^th century, was a time of

great advancements in many of the arts as well as many technological advancements. This time

period has earned its many different titles due to how much we humans as a species progressed

and grew culturally. We began developing many different types and forms of government to better

comply with people of the working class instead of only attending to the needs of the rich while the

poor starve. Through these many different achievements as well as new discoveries in science led to

this time in our history being well respected as a true turning point in us as a species, well deserving

its names such as the golden age.

                The contrast between the renaissance and the middle ages are quite drastic. The middle

ages were a time of great peril and many suffered. The middle ages were a time when war was

inevitable and the serfs starved to feed the nobles behind their great walls. This was also a time

where education was extremely lacking, yet through the use of the arts and many scientific

advancements we were able to pull ourselves out and begin anew. In doing so the plague was

ended and finally a time of great note had begun, this time of course being the renaissance or the

golden age. In this new era education began being a more important part in people’s lives. There

also began the rise of the middle class, working men who were able to live comfortably in decent

homes. Many people had the ability to rise above their position through hard work, instead of being

damned to an awful and unrewarding life just because of the roof they were born under. The

difference between these two eras is immense and the transition in to the golden age was exactly

what we needed to survive.

                The renaissance was a great turning point in the arts due to its help in bringing a small

amount of entertainment to the common man during the dark ages. During that time the arts were

one of the few small pleasures these people could enjoy helping them progress in to a much better

era, the renaissance. This era was known as “The Golden Age of the Arts” because during this time

the arts were extremely influential and the great queen Elizabeth highly supported the arts. The arts

allowed many people to express their opinions, feelings and ideas, broadening the spectrum in

which people think and helping to open their minds to many new possibilities. This age had such a

significant impact on the arts one of the nicknames it has received is due to its great influence on

this particular aspect of the humanities.

           

               Queen Elizabeth had a great impact on the Renaissance due to her great support for

education and the arts. Queen Elizabeth had a spectacular education growing up according to the

Wikipedia page about her and thus making her a strong believer in education. She was also a strong

supporter of William Shakespeare, one of the greatest writers of all time, who inspired many people

and continues to do so even to this day. She was successfully able to avoid the invasion of the

Spanish whilst helping to enrich the minds of her people with the power of knowledge. Without this

woman the renaissance may have not have had such a powerful effect on humanity, let alone even

happen at all.

          

           Othello, a story of a Moorish general who fell in love with the daughter of a Venetian senator

who is betrayed by many of his most trusted comrades due to this forbidden love ending with his

tragic death. This play shows the ignorance of people, and how social stature or race does not

matter, the only thing that truly matters is love. This tale appeals to people’s emotions by touching

a very sensitive place in people’s hearts, and for its time was a very forbidden love affair between

two interracial lovers at different ends of the political structure. Shakespeare was able to show that

love has no limits or boundaries, love is love, even when rejected by society, making Othello forever

and always one of the most influential plays to the humanities.