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33
APPENDIX 4.
Study the following text.
The Nature of Art
A postage stamp, the overture to the Magic Flute, a suburban villa,
Guerlain's
1
latest perfume, Leonardo's "Last Supper", an innings
2
by Don
Bradman
3
, Shakespeare's "Hamlet", a performance of "Sylphides"
4
, St Paul's
Cathedral, a Walt Disney cartoon – all these are (or can be) works of art.
There are other things that are not works of art. Niagara Falls is not a
work of art, nor is the afterglow of the snows of Monte Rosa
5
, nor the sound
of breakers against a cliff, nor the dance executed by washing hanging on a
clothes line in a stiff breeze, nor the scent
6
of a pine wood on a summer day.
These two classes of phenomena are different in kind. The first are
man-made and man-designed. They had to be conceived
7
in the mind of a
man (or group of men) and then made communicable
8
to other men by the
skill of the designer, working in some medium that could be perceived
9
by
the senses of other men – the eye, the ear, the nose, the palate.
The other set of phenomena – Niagara Falls, the sound of breakers
and so on – are not man-made or man-designed.
They may be equally beautiful or equally pleasurable. They may even
be the result of a design by God or the Laws of Nature or what you will, but
they were not imagined first and then made manifest through the medium of
visible materials, visible movements, audible sounds, perceptible smells.
If the story of art is to be told it is necessary to know what art is, and
if I define it briefly as a human conception made manifest
10
by the use of a
medium; and if I define good art as a noble (or arresting, or interesting, or
valuable) conception made manifest by the skilful use of a medium, I can
then have done with definitions.
(From European Painting and Sculpture by Eric Newton
11
, Penguin 1951.)
Notes:
1
Guerlain – name of a French firm which produces perfume.
2
Innings – the time during which a cricket player is batting.
3
Don Bradman – former captain of the Australian national cricket team.
4
Les Sylphides [sil'fid] – ballet to the music of Frédéric Chopin (1810-1849).
5
Monte Rosa – highest mountain in Switzerland (4 638 m).
6
Scent – pleasant smell.
7
To be conceived – to be formed in the mind.
8
Communicable – that can be communicated, made understood.
34
9
To perceive (adj. perceptible) – to become aware of (trough the senses).
10
To make manifest – to show.
11
Eric Newton (1893-1965) – was a distinguished English art critic and a
regular contributor to The Guardian and The New York Times.
Answer the following questions using the information from the text.
1. What do the things listed in the first paragraph have in common?
2. What do all the items in the second paragraph have in common?
3. What similarities are there between the two types of phenomena concern-
ing their effect upon us?
4. What are the various stages in the process of creating a work of art?
5. What makes a work of art "good art", according to Eric Newton?
Discuss the following points.
1. Discuss whether a particular postage stamp is a) a work of art, b) good
art, by applying Eric Newton's definitions.
2. If Niagara Falls is not a work of art, what about a) a photograph of Niag-
ara Falls, b) a painting of Niagara Falls and c) a painting of some imaginary
waterfall?
3. Make a list of Eric Newton's criteria for classifying something as (good)
art. Then arrange them in a list of priorities to clarify what you expect of a
work of art. You may strike off any of Newton's criteria and/or add new
ones. Give reasons for your choice – and concrete examples.
9
APPENDIX 4. To perceive (adj. perceptible) – to become aware of (trough the senses).
10
Study the following text. To make manifest – to show.
11
Eric Newton (1893-1965) – was a distinguished English art critic and a
The Nature of Art regular contributor to The Guardian and The New York Times.
A postage stamp, the overture to the Magic Flute, a suburban villa,
Guerlain's1 latest perfume, Leonardo's "Last Supper", an innings2 by Don Answer the following questions using the information from the text.
Bradman3, Shakespeare's "Hamlet", a performance of "Sylphides"4, St Paul's 1. What do the things listed in the first paragraph have in common?
Cathedral, a Walt Disney cartoon – all these are (or can be) works of art. 2. What do all the items in the second paragraph have in common?
There are other things that are not works of art. Niagara Falls is not a 3. What similarities are there between the two types of phenomena concern-
work of art, nor is the afterglow of the snows of Monte Rosa5, nor the sound ing their effect upon us?
of breakers against a cliff, nor the dance executed by washing hanging on a 4. What are the various stages in the process of creating a work of art?
clothes line in a stiff breeze, nor the scent6 of a pine wood on a summer day. 5. What makes a work of art "good art", according to Eric Newton?
These two classes of phenomena are different in kind. The first are
man-made and man-designed. They had to be conceived7 in the mind of a Discuss the following points.
man (or group of men) and then made communicable8 to other men by the 1. Discuss whether a particular postage stamp is a) a work of art, b) good
skill of the designer, working in some medium that could be perceived9 by art, by applying Eric Newton's definitions.
the senses of other men – the eye, the ear, the nose, the palate. 2. If Niagara Falls is not a work of art, what about a) a photograph of Niag-
The other set of phenomena – Niagara Falls, the sound of breakers ara Falls, b) a painting of Niagara Falls and c) a painting of some imaginary
and so on – are not man-made or man-designed. waterfall?
They may be equally beautiful or equally pleasurable. They may even 3. Make a list of Eric Newton's criteria for classifying something as (good)
be the result of a design by God or the Laws of Nature or what you will, but art. Then arrange them in a list of priorities to clarify what you expect of a
they were not imagined first and then made manifest through the medium of work of art. You may strike off any of Newton's criteria and/or add new
visible materials, visible movements, audible sounds, perceptible smells. ones. Give reasons for your choice – and concrete examples.
If the story of art is to be told it is necessary to know what art is, and
if I define it briefly as a human conception made manifest10 by the use of a
medium; and if I define good art as a noble (or arresting, or interesting, or
valuable) conception made manifest by the skilful use of a medium, I can
then have done with definitions.
(From European Painting and Sculpture by Eric Newton11, Penguin 1951.)
Notes:
1
Guerlain – name of a French firm which produces perfume.
2
Innings – the time during which a cricket player is batting.
3
Don Bradman – former captain of the Australian national cricket team.
4
Les Sylphides [sil'fid] – ballet to the music of Frédéric Chopin (1810-1849).
5
Monte Rosa – highest mountain in Switzerland (4 638 m).
6
Scent – pleasant smell.
7
To be conceived – to be formed in the mind.
8
Communicable – that can be communicated, made understood.
33 34
