Book Report – How to look at and understand Great Art.
Begin: 7/31/2023
Finish: 9/22/2023
Title: How to look at and understand Great Art.
Instructor: Professor Sharon Latchaw Hirsh
Rosemont College
Why I chose to read this book:
This book teaches us how to look at and understand great art. This is a subject that has always intrigue me. I like to be able to enjoy art and learn to appreciate it.
What I learned form this book:
Art enriches our lives every day. We see it in the decor in our homes, in the architecture and design of the building and monuments, and in museums and galleries we visit. But art can be intimidation, even overwhelming, subject, especially without a good foundation on which to base our views.
Half of the course is devoted to an introduction to the most essential features of every work of art, including color, line, perspective, composition, and shape, as well as less understood elements such as point of view, time and motion, light and texture. Delving into each topic reveals both secrets that artist have used for centuries and more recent innovations.
WE study different media, from drawings and prints to painting and sculpture, difference between oil, tempera, glazes, and acrylic paint and between engraving, etching, aquatint, silkscreen, lithography and other printing methods. After studying subjects and symbolism in art and discussing the various types of art, including landscape, still lives, portraits, and genre paintings. We use these knowledge and apply it as we examine the great styles of western art from 13th Century to the art of today.
Featuring over 600 works by hundred of artists, it will enable us to better know and understand the work of familiar artist: Michelangelo, Rodin, Monet, Picasso, Pollock and other artists. This book will equip us with tools to help answer the art-related questions: Why did one artist paint the sky red and another yellow and another blue? How did the sculptor manage to balance the figure? Why Does one painting make me feel happy and another make me feel sad or anxious or confused? Why do seemingly random objects appear in a painting and what do they mean? And what are those drips and blops in modern art all about? The more we understand that change and its results, the more we will understand and enjoy those drips and blops.
Reading a work of art is like reading a book. Once you learn the visual vocabulary, you will become a confident viewer. No matter what our background and experience with art, no matter where you next see it, in a museum, studio, church, college gallery or on the internet. This book is our pathway to better understand and enjoy the amazing world of art.
How will this book contribute to my success upon release:
The knowledge gained form this book will allow me to better understand and enjoy art. Art is an important topic to the Geriatric community and its applications are endless.
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