seem to come up with an answer. Just what makes "great art?" Norman Rockwell is considered by all to be "great," but, at least as far as I know, he is not considered to be a "great artist." Why do we ---- and me too ----- love paintings that show figures somewhat distroted? So, what is "great art?" I know it when I see it, but don't know WHY I think it is "great art." Any thoughts on this Christmas day?
2006-12-25 01:24:11 · 8 answers · asked by Bluebeard 1 in Arts & Humanities ➔ Visual Arts ➔ Painting
It goes back to the question, Buttermilk, of what the artist's role in society is. Great art is that which fills the role the best. My theory of the role of an artist is the guy who points out things in life you might otherwise miss. Sounds simple but that's it in a nutshell. He's the guy in the hiking party who says,"Hey, People, look at that!" and you see something because of him that you would not have seen on your own. That's why 'great art' makes you think and helps you see thinks with a wider vision and that's why your question, Buttermilk, is also a work of art.
2006-12-25 03:08:49 · answer #1 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
Great art by definition doesn't mean beautiful art, it is not necessary stuff you want to hang in your living room. It could be shocking, sad or just ugly, but it is still good art.
Good painting consists of good composition and good color relationship. Most people don't understand that painting is a process of translating a three dimensional colorful object into two dimensional canvas and pigment. When an artist starts a painting there has to be a purpose why the painting was painted, and also there has to be a punchline in the painting.
A piece of art has to have that punchline, something that is stricking and is the reason the painting was painted. In Picasso's Les Demoiselles d'Avignon is a nerve shattering and unpleasant image which has flat image of raw color for the bodies, with african masks. it is not pretty. But it has good composition and it has a punchline the pink nakedness of the bodies. You can add to this Mona Lisa's smile. Look at a painting by Goya, The Third of May, Everything in that painting is blurred accept for that guys shirt and face, you know where the pnchline is right away and what hte artist is trying to show.
Great Art happens when the artists has something to show a purpose to his/ hers painting, and can translate it into his media effectively.
good luck
2006-12-25 12:05:51 · answer #2 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
Most of what I know about so called great art, is really someones opinion. Some of this famous art is really crap in my opinion, especially Picasso, just my opinion, Van Gogh on the other hand made some masterpieces with slightly distorted figures. A lot of this fame related to paintings in not what they painted but how they painted, the technique, the color combinations. Norman Rockwell was famous in his lifetime and some of his works are masterpieces to someone. If you want to see some great art, go to the Getty in Los Angles! If you want to see some non famous great art, go to Fisherman's wharf in San Francisco and pop into the art stores near the pier, pretty awesome!
2006-12-25 23:45:17 · answer #3 · answered by Robert D 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
What makes a piece of art great is not just an interesting creation but also knowing the artist who created it...the more we know about the artist's inspiration, motivation, life experiences etc. gives us a better understanding of the artistic process involved in creating that piece resulting in a great piece of art. Norman Rockwell was successful at visualizing stories with his drawings. Oftentimes it is the concept behind the finished piece along with the artist's biography that makes it great.
2006-12-25 23:08:35 · answer #4 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
a really good question that makes a person think.
i consider Rocwell a great artist, as well...of course i suppose that is up to "them" that hidden jury that decides these things...
Klimt, VanGough, Picasso...the likes of those guys...their work considered great art and they are considered great artists, dunno much about Klimpt as a person, but his work is certainly striking isn't it? Van Gough was a crazy man, self taught. Picasso seemed to be arrogant and full of himself as a person. and his art i truly don't understand why people think it is "great", Georgia O'Keef, now there is some great art by a great artist, she was a person with a very strong personality and it comes out in her work...i suppose it is pretty much up to the individual in the end as to what is great art and who is a great artist. and this jury of "they" who decide these things...well, i think we can disagree with them if we see things differently.
2006-12-25 10:29:14 · answer #5 · answered by captsnuf 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
teaching art history to lots of other majors in a university setting brings about encounters with that questin all of the time. What makes anything great? If so and so scored so many touchdowns in football do that make him great? Not to me... I just yawn and go on because I have little or no interest in a drug infested overpaid bunch of egotist guys in spandex outfits being made into social heroes. .....When you walk into a home or a gallery or a museum and you see somethingt hat breathes life into your soul, makes you want to look at it for a long time, feels as though you are having a conversation on a very sublte level with it then it has become great art but only to you and maybe only for that moment. If you remember it and eventually buy a postero f it or have a photo of it and it still does it for you on lots of levels then it is something that you can say moved you in some way and stuck with you so it could be called great but again only by you we are obsessed with rating things from one to ten, as with women,which is disgusting and demeaning, to rating every other aspect in our lives. this is encouraged to make yuu feel inferiour so that you will want to buy more garbage and feel good about yourself.... as to the so called greats in history they were made that way by history nothing else. Learnr about what you have an interest in and pick what does it for you from what you know and feel .....the rest is just an expensive art history book wirtten by someone who likely never did an artistic activity in their lives. just go learn, look, and enjoy and forget the ratings. enjoy looking...and feeling your brain and heart will love you for it and your soul will collect its own private gallery of greats that you can one day attempt to pass on to your grand kids
2006-12-25 20:31:55 · answer #6 · answered by doc 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
American culture is obsessed by the Great artist hero whose name is known to all. Look at some other cultures and you will find great art but the artist is unknown. Forget about the artist and look at the work.......you decide for yourself what is great.
2006-12-25 11:13:56 · answer #7 · answered by mali 2 · 1⤊ 0⤋
you are going nowhere with this one as it's an emotive thing and like martin amis i consider all the greats of english lit to be utter drivel-enjoy yourself and leave your brains at the door
2006-12-25 14:20:06 · answer #8 · answered by p9trick 1 · 0⤊ 3⤋