Introduction and Assumptions of Art

A tourist visiting France is struck by the stained-glass windows of Notre Dame Cathedral. She feels the same awe she once felt looking at ancient cave paintings in Spain. What core assumption about art does this situation illustrate?

• Art is a form of magic

• Art is universal

• Art is Perennial

• Art is not nature

A student compares a photograph of a tree with Vincent van Gogh’s painting of the same tree. She notices that van Gogh’s brushstrokes distort reality to emphasize mood. This best demonstrates which assumption?

• Art is universal

• Art is nature itself

• Art is not nature

• Art is always abstract

During an art appreciation class, students are asked to visit a local museum and write about how the artworks made them feel, rather than memorizing facts. This activity highlights which assumption?

• Art is universal

• Art involves experience

• Art is not nature

• None of the Above

An indigenous tribe creates body paintings during rituals. A modern audience at an art exhibit in Manila views these designs and finds them equally meaningful. What principle does this confirm?

• Art is not nature

• Art is universal

• Art involves experience

• None of the Above

A farmer looks at Cézanne’s painting of apples and remarks, “They don’t look like real apples, but they remind me of my harvest.” What does this reaction illustrate?

• Art is universal

• Art is not nature

• Art involves experience

• None of the Above

A teacher insists that her students must personally attend a live theater performance to truly appreciate the play. This insistence shows which assumption?

• Art involves experience

• Art is not nature

• Art is universal

• None of the Above

Despite coming from different religions, people admire the beauty of the Taj Mahal. This situation emphasizes which assumption?

• Art is not nature

• Art involves experience

• Art is universal

• None of the Above

A child sketches the family dog, but instead of drawing realistic fur, she uses bright colors to show her love for the pet. What does this reveal?

• Art is universal

• Art involves experience

• Art is not nature

• None of the Above

A group of tourists from five different countries gather around a single painting in a museum, each interpreting it differently but all feeling moved. Which assumption explains this?

• Art involves experience

• Art is not nature

• Art is perennial

• None of the Above

A photographer manipulates colors in his photo of a sunset to intensify its emotional impact. This act demonstrates that—

• Art is universal

• Art is not nature

• Art involves experience

• None of the Above