Humanities and Art: An Introduction

HUMANITIES: What is it?

            •The term Humanities comes from the Latin word, “humanitas”

            •It generally refers to art, literature, music, architecture, dance and the theatre—in which human subjectivity is emphasized and individual expressiveness is dramatized.

         HOW IMPORTANT IS HUMANITIES

 
•The fields of knowledge and study falling under humanities are dedicated to the pursuit of discovering and understanding the nature of man.

•The humanities deal with man as a being of purpose, of values, loves, hates, ideas and sometimes as s seer, or prophet with divine inspiration.

•The humanities aim at educating.

THE ARTS: What is it?

•The word “art” usually refers to the so-called “fine arts” (e.g.pictorial, plastic, and building)– and to the so-called “minor arts” (everyday, useful, applied, and decorative arts)

•The word “art” is derived from arti,  which denotes craftmanship, skill,mastery of form, inventiveness.

•Art serves as a technical and creative record of human needs and achievements.

*Some definitions of art according to philosophers:

•Art is that which brings life in harmony with the beauty of the world.-Plato

•Art is the whole spirit of man.-Ruskin

•Art is the medium by which the artist communicates himself to his fellows.-Charleton  Noyes

•Art is anything made or done by man that affects or moves us so that we see or feel beauty in it.-Collins and Riley

MAJOR AREAS OF ART

            ~Literary Arts

        –are those presented in the written mode and intended to be read.  These include prose and poetry. (e.g. novels, short stories, sonnet, ballad, epic, essay)

           ~Visual Art

                   –are those forms perceived by the eyes.  These include painting, sculpture,  and  architecture 

~Audio Visual Art

      –Are those forms perceived by both ears (audio) and eyes (visual).  

      –They are called performing arts in as much as the artists render a performance in front of an audience.

FUNCTIONS OF THE ART 

•Personal/Individual Function

•Social Function

•Economic Function

•Political Function

•Historical Function

•Cultural Function

•Religious Function

•Physical Function

•Aesthetic Function

source: Menoy, Jesus Z. Introduction to the Humanities A Holistic Approach.
          Mandaluyong City: Books Atbp. Publishing Corp., 2009. 

photos: http://www.lunet.edu/lib/humanities.jpg
    http://give.literary-arts.org/wp-content/uploads/2009/11  /IMG_9666_3.jpg