1. Art Criticism Theories

2. Art Criticism Theories
(Frank, 2014b, slide 48)
Refer to art critics making discriminating judgments
Help viewers understand and analyze art
Help categorize artwork

3. Formal Theory Composition is most important Innovation in style
(Frank, 2014b, slide 50)

4. (Frank, 2014a, slide 44)
Formal Theory
Did the artist successfully use the Visual Elements and Principles of Design?

5. Contextual Theories
(Frank, 2014d, slide 8)
(Frank, 2014c, slide 6)
Contextual theories focus on the environment at the time the artwork was created.
What was going on when the artist made the artwork?
What were the social influences?

6. Expressive Theory Focused on artist
(Frank, 2014c, slide 62)
Focused on artist
Theory looks for personal meanings and how they’re communicated

7. Expressive Theory How does the artwork make you feel?
What do you think the artist is trying to communicate?
(Frank, 2014b, slide 48)

8. Evaluation Quality is relative
(Frank, 2014a, slide 23)
Quality is relative
Once you decide whether you like a piece or not, you need to ask yourself why you like or dislike it.
What are you looking for in a work of art?
What do you find valuable in art?
Evaluation

9. References
Frank, P. (2014a). Chapter 3: The Visual Elements [PowerPoint slides]. Boston, MA: Pearson Education.
Frank, P. (2014b). Chapter 17: Renaissance and Baroque Europe [PowerPoint slides]. Boston, MA: Pearson Education.
Frank, P. (2014c). Chapter 21: Late Eighteenth and Nineteenth Centuries [PowerPoint slides]. Boston, MA: Pearson Education.
Frank, P. (2014d). Chapter 24: Postwar Modern Movements [PowerPoint slides]. Boston, MA: Pearson Education.