education for art appreciation

A detailed Summary of education for art appreciation

Art is the reflection of a painter's perception. It is not what physically exists in the space that the artist is painting, but the way in which the artist sees that space which is actually painted into an image. For the same reasons each individual person views a piece of artwork differently. When looking at a piece of art, observers are actually seeing what they perceive and not necessarily what the artist intended. Personal influences and experiences change what a piece of art means to each individual. So art is very personal in nature. Does this mean that its history or the original perception that the artist painted becomes irrelevant? By all means an original perception is important and should be included in an observer's mind when viewing a piece of artwork. It is not essential that the observer's personal perception of the art be changed, yet it is essential that an appreciation for the art's original perception be grasped.

As I stepped in the door of the Museum of Fine Arts in Boston, MA I was immediately surrounded by the feeling of scholarship and intellect. The air was so thick with intelligence and creativity that I could taste it in the air. The smell was not quite like

The particular painting that attracted me to it the most was entitled Nocturne in Blue and Silver: The Lagoon Venice by James Abbott McNeill Whistler. Before reading the little caption next to the painting I was reminded of my home city, the city of three rivers, Pittsburgh. The painting was full of pure blue, navy blue, the kind of navy blue that only appears at night during a new moon. A slight fog lingered across the water, yet in the distance I could see some buildings. It was not until I noticed these dark rectangular buildings that I figured out how this painting broke out of its mold. Along what appeared to be the shore line were random speckles of light ranging from yellow to white. They even appeared to reflect off of the water and just jump right out of the painting. It was no longer a dark gloomy night on the waterfront, but suddenly there were rays of hope shooting through the darkness.

was Whistler's finest work because it was the only with the small rays of hope.

Much to his detriment, James McNeill Whistler was born in Lowell, MA. Whistler despised the fact that he was American, and as a matter of fact he attempted to make people believe that he was Russian. Despite his ego and anti-patriotism Whistler was "extraordinarily gifted and innovative" (Guide). However, the combination of his ego and his abilities proved to be an unfortunate combination. He was known as a very cruel person who sought out enemies. Before painting one landscape Whistler even shot a dog because it "placed itself badly in relation to the landscape" (Shenker). Whistler painted many nocturne scenes that only contained a dark blue and another color. Perhaps this was the way he saw the world, dark and dreary. Nocturne in Blue and Silver: The Lagoon Venice was "possibly the most peace-bringing of Jimmy's p

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Approximate Word count = 1227
Approximate Pages = 5 (250 words per page double spaced)

Category: Arts