During the eighteenth century, amateurs as well as philosophers ventured critical commentary on the arts. Talk concerning taste or beauty or the sublime was so much a part of general discourse that even novelists of that era incorporated such subjects in their work. So it would not be surprising to find that perspectives on aesthetics are…

The author writes that the point made in this article is a simple, twofold one. First, if the test of time is a reliable, viable mechanism for assessing the value of works of art, and if the integrity of this test can be maintained even when indexed to a particular person, then it makes sense that this person should want to possess those works…

Since the early nineties, David Novitz and the author have been engaged in an ongoing debate about mass art. The latest installment in that exchange is Novitz's article "The Difficulty with Difficulty" which represents a sustained attack on the conception of mass art advanced in the author's book "A Philosophy of Mass Art." In this article, the…

Contends that art educators should work toward an educational practice that works to change discriminatory practices, encourages students to reflect about how and why art is produced in all cultures, and recognizes human commonalities in art. States that an art program grounded in feminist views will focus on diverse artistic traditions. (CMK)

Recent work examining and expanding traditional accounts of a virtue has been used as the foundation for a virtue-based approach to epistemology. A similar approach to aesthetics yields some striking features, which coincide with contemporary philosophical concerns about the nature and definition of art. Those writing on virtue-based epistemology…

Describes an attempt to use two theories of literary criticism as a research strategy for interpreting art. Paul Ricoeur's interpretation theory and Northrup Frye's Anatomy of Criticism were adopted as approaches to the problem of understanding religious or mystical paintings by Norman Adams. (AM)

The author describes how the true principles of the scientific inductive method are not opposed to the principles of teaching visual art criticism, and suggests that the inductive method of teaching visual art criticism strips it of its mystique in order to make clear its vital role in intellectual development. (KC)

The characteristics necessary to looking at art thoughtfully also characterize reflective thinking. Reflective thinking directs and manages experiential thinking. Reflective art viewing counters negative thinking dispositions of hasty, narrow, fuzzy, and sprawling thought by cultivating four habits: (1) taking time to look; (2) looking and…

Today's thriving art museums--and the various processes that deliver both their overt and covert missions--are likely to have a greater impact on society than ever before. With such potential, it seems especially important at this juncture to examine critically the art museum as process; to deconstruct that which has been "constructed as a symbol…

In this paper, the author asserts that current efforts to transform art education into visual culture studies (VCS) constitute a deeply disturbing educational trend. She asserts that, much like the now largely discredited developments in literary studies of recent decades (whose bankruptcy it apparently ignores), this movement aims quite…

What are the moral limits of artistic license? A strong case can be made for the view that there are none; that in viewing works of art people should resist ethical criticism, and, "a fortiori," resist moral strictures on the artist's inventiveness. This view has recently been defended by Richard Posner, who argues that people should not expect…

Discusses the differences and goals of four areas: (1) art appreciation; (2) art history; (3) art aesthetics; and (4) art criticism. Offers a definition of art appreciation and information on how the view of art appreciation in education has changed over time. (CMK)

In an introductory section by Michael D. Harris, this resource presents a discussion of aspects and problems in the WEstern study of African Art. This is followed by six lesson plans based on art works from the Fred and Rita Richman Collection of Sub-Saharan Art in the High Museum. The handbook follows Georgia's Quality Core Curriculum and the Ten…

Establishes a link between the themes of Golding's fiction and the paintings of the Brueghel. Traces their use of the grotesque to impress a message on the mind of the reader or viewer. (CRH)

Addresses the issue of the fame of Leonardo da Vinci's "Mona Lisa." Describes several kitsch objects that have been created about the painting. Maintains that students need to address this issue otherwise such exploitation will depreciate the value of the art work. (KM)