General Overview

of Humanities
  What is Humanities?
 Why study Humanities?

 What is Arts?
• Legitimate forms of Art
• Classifications of Art.
• Nature of Art
 What is Humanities?
• Humanities came from
the Latin word
“Humanus”, it is the
study of how humans
have expressed
themselves through the
arts throughout the
history.
( Dr. Daniel Yagyagan)
 What is Humanities?

• Humanities also means human, cultured

and refined. (Van de Bogart, 1970)

• Humanities emphasize the dignity of man

and recognize creative expressions.
(Estolas , 1995)
 What is Humanities?
• Humanities are records of
Man’s experiences, his
values, his sentiments, his
ideals and his goals.
• They are ultimately the
expression of man’s
feelings and thoughts.
( Zulueta,1994)
 Why Study Humanities?
1. It helps us recognize fundamental values
and principles such as beauty, truth,
love, and faith.

2. It develops our capacity for critical

thinking and appreciation for cultural
heritage.
 Why Study Humanities?
3. It fosters understanding across barriers
of race, class, gender, or ethnicity.
4. It introduces us to people we have never
met, places we have never visited, and
ideas that never crossed our minds.
5. To appraise the value of creativity.
Arts
 What is Arts?
• The term arts is derived from the Latin,
“ars” meaning ability or skill.

• Arts may also be defined as the process

and product of a skillful making.

• It is the result of man’s manipulation of

talents and materials.
 What they say art is?
• Art has been defined in different ways since the time of the
ancient Greeks.
• Hippocrates (c. 460-400 BC), Greek philosopher says,
“ Life is short, art endures.”
• Man indeed does not live forever but the work of art that he
leaves behind lives on to communicate something to the
people who view the artwork at different spaces and time.
Albert Einstein (1879-1955), German mathematician and
physicist, asserts,
• ” True art is characterized by an irresistible urge in the creative
artist.”
How do humanist themselves define art?

• Pablo Picasso (1881-1973), a Spanish artist

and father of modern art says,

“ Art washes away from the soul the dust of

everyday life.”
• According to Oscar Wilde (1854-1900),
English poet and playwright,
“It is through art, and through art only, that we
can realize our perfection; through art and art
only that we can shield ourselves from the sordid
perils of actual existence.”
• If you compare the last 2(two) definitions of
art, which comes from an artist and a poet, you
will notice how the individual person holds on
to art as if it were a protective shield in all its
might and power that can save man from
destruction.
• The above definitions of art show us how important
art is and how it can aid man in his pursuit of higher
goals and perfection.
Humanities students can also define art intelligently. To
aid them in defining art, we can describe it here as …
“ the creative representation of ideas and
emotions, dreams and reality, and everything
human that can be shared to peoples at different
spaces and time.”
 Legitimate forms of Art
The arts are generally grouped into:
1. Major Arts. These include
architecture, painting, sculpture, music,
dance, theater, literature and cinema.
 Legitimate forms of Art
The arts are generally grouped into:
2. Minor Arts. These include decorative
arts, popular arts, graphic arts, plastic
arts and industrial arts.
 Classification of Arts
1. Visual Arts- Artworks that are perceived
by our eyes, which may be
classified into graphic and
plastic arts.
 Classification of Visual Art
a. Graphic arts- have two-flat dimensional
surface, such as painting, drawing,
photography and other products of printing
industry.
 Classification of Visual Art
b. Plastic Arts - have three- dimensional
forms. Examples are architectural designs
and construction of buildings and other
structures: landscape of gardens,
furnishing designs etc.
 Classification of Arts
2. Performing Arts- These include the theater,
play, dance, and music. It involves
movement, speaking and gestures.
 Classification of Arts
3. Literary Arts- These include the short stories,
novels, poetry, drama and essays.
 Classification of Arts
4. Popular Arts- This group is characterized as
gay and lively. It includes film, newspaper,
magazine, radio and television.
 Classification of Arts
5. Gustatory Art of the Cuisine. - This involves
skill in food preparation.
 Classification of Arts

6. Decorative Arts – They are visual objects

produces for beautifying houses, offices,
offices, cars, and other structures.
 The Nature of Art
• Art is Timeless
People created art at all times. It is as old
as man.
 Art is not nature
Man , no matter how close it is to nature,
makes art.
 Art is always an Experience
Art is a product of man’s need to express
himself.
 The Nature of Art
• Art is Timeless
People created art at all times. It is as old
as man.
 Art is not nature
Man , no matter how close it is to nature,
makes art.
 Art is always an Experience
Art is a product of man’s need to express
himself.
 Assignment:
• Bring a picture next meeting in US paper size 8.5 x 11
inches ( printed in coupon bond) of any painting style and
explain. (graded recitation)
• Ex: Expressionism
• Cubism
• Abstract
• Impressionism
• Dadaism
• Baroque
• Art Noveau
• Rennaisance
• Realism