The Subject of Art

What Subject Is

            When people look at a painting or a sculpture for the first time, the initial question that they usually ask is “What is it?” or “What does it show?” Somehow, they expect to see recognizable images in these works of art.
            To majority of people, the appeal of most works of art lies in the representation of familiar objects. Their enjoyment of painting, sculpture, and literature comes not from their perception of the meaning or composition but from the satisfaction they get out of recognizing the subject of understanding the narrative content.

Subject of art – any person, object, scene or event described or represented in a work of art.

• According to subject, arts can be classified into:
  • representational or objective art – arts  that have subject
    • Painting, sculpture, the graphic arts, literature and the theatre are generally classified as representational, although a good deal of paintings,  prints and sculpture are without subject.
    • Some musical compositions have subjects. They are referred to as program music. On the contrary,  there is also a great deal of musical compositions which do not have subject.
  • non-representational or non-objective art - those which do not have any subject.  
    • They do not present descriptions, stories or references to identifiable objects or symbols. Rather, they appeal directly to the senses primarily because of the satisfying organization of their sensuous and expressive elements.

             Because not all artworks have subject, it is clear that subject is not essential in art (Dudley, Faricy, Rice, 1978). 

Subject and Content

 References:

Dudley, L., Faricy, A. and Rice, J. (1978). The Humanities. New York: McGRAW -HILL BOOK, Co.

Ortiz, M. A., et al. (1976). Art: Perception and Appreciation. Manila: University of the East.