Chapter 7 The Arts

Raphael, Transfiguration, 1517. Vatican museums, Rome.

Lesson 1 There is an Immensity of Knowledge in Art.

Art often problematic in TOK

• How can knowledge be found in such a subjective experience like art?
• Art is often viewed as being such a subjective experience that objective knowledge cannot be gained from it
• It is argued that art is only a personal experience which has no bearing or importance away from the person doing the actual perceiving

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However

• It is important to remember when considering art is that one must not rigidly define the term “knowledge”
• What is knowledge anyway?

If there is anything to learn from TOK, it is that knowledge does not have only one definition

• Knowledge is subjective and objective
• Knowledge is personal and cultural
• Knowledge is physical and metaphysical and existential
• So, is someone claims that there is no knowledge to be had in art because the experience of art is subjective, what this person is actually saying is that he or she has discovered the true definition of knowledge

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Art as an Entry Point into Cultural Understanding

• Art is like a hole in the ice. A portal into another world
• Upon diving into the hole though, an entire world is revealed
• Actual knowledge is gained about this world by entering the hole

The Oba head is an entry point into an entirely different world

• Why was it created?
• What does it mean?
• What does it represent?
• What is it?
• Who is it?
• Why the necklaces?
• Why the marks on the forehead?

Head of an Oba. 18th Century. Kingdom of Benin

Artwork is the expression of a culture

• Every culture produces some type of artwork
• What does artwork say about the people that created it? It does say something.
• Artwork is like a fingerprint of the psyche and mentality of a culture
• Each culture’s artwork is distinct and unique, like the cultures themselves
• The artwork is the outwards expression of the things that are significant and central to the culture
• By examining artwork then and focusing on these elements there is knowledge to be gained

Knowledge to be found in Raphael’s Disputa

Raphael, Disputa (Debate on the Holy Sacrament),

1509-1511. Fresco, Stanza della Segnatura, Vatican, Rome

Activity Questions

• What can Disputa tell you about the cosmological views [view of the universal order] of the culture from which the painting emerged?
• What historical knowledge can Disputa give us about the culture from which it emerged?
• For what reasons do you think this piece of artwork was created? What motivated the creation? What can this process tell you about the value system of the culture from which this artwork emerged?

Question 1: What can Disputa tell you about the cosmological views of the culture from which the painting emerged?

• Taken from the Christian belief system
• In this world view, God, is the beginning and creator of all. He is the all powerful
• This position is reflected in the artwork by the physical position that God has in the painting. He is at top in the centre, above everything and everyone else
• He is also in a position where he can see everything that is taking place. In the Christian belief system God is all-knowing and all-seeing

Question 1: What can Disputa tell you about the cosmological views of the culture from which the painting emerged? (Contd.)

• Another interesting aspect of the painting is the clear representation of the three spheres of existence which, at the time, were commonly believed to exist.
• The highest realm is the realm of God. In his sphere, are the angels and other spiritual beings which reside with him
• The sphere below God is the sphere of Saints and others who have been elevated to the divine or at least semi-divine level
• The third sphere is the sphere of man; the material world consisting of mortal beings and houses and landscapes

Question 1: What can Disputa tell you about the cosmological views of the culture from which the painting emerged? (Contd.)

• the imagery in the painting reinforces the understanding that the Church is established as being in a direct line from God and is therefore ordained as being the mediator between people and God
• The Church was the power and authority in all aspects of life. It represented knowledge itself, because generally only the members of the Church had the ability to read and write and understand the spiritual order of things

Question 1: What can Disputa tell you about the cosmological views of the culture from which the painting emerged? (Contd.)

• A fourth way that the cosmological order is revealed in the painting is that Jesus has such a prominent central position in the painting
• He is the central figure in the painting, as he is in the Christian belief system
• Jesus is even physically larger than God

Question 2: What historical knowledge can Disputa give us about the culture from which it emerged?

• Firstly, the painting can tell the viewer about the prominence of the Church in society
• Painters such as Raphael and others were hired for years to paint masterpieces like these
• No other institution in society had the means or ability to do such spectacular work

Question 2: What historical knowledge can Disputa give us about the culture from which it emerged? (Contd.)

• A second interesting bit of historical knowledge that can be gained from the painting is the importance of and respect to Greek thought and philosophy
• After the “dark ages” in Europe, the knowledge of the Greeks was rediscovered and the effects the discoveries had on the culture of Europe at the time was revolutionary
• Focusing on Disputa again then, the painting gets the viewer in tune with the psyche of the time

Question 2: What historical knowledge can Disputa give us about the culture from which it emerged? (Contd.)

• The clothing on most of the people is clearly Greek and not Italian or medieval European
• Books inundate the entire painting representing and showing respect for the knowledge to be gained from them
• God himself is seen as a scholarly figure (notice the hat)
• Greek philosophy and thought were “in”

Question 3: For what reasons do you think this piece of artwork was created? What motivated the creation? What can this tell you about the value system of the culture from which this artwork emerged?

• Beauty: It was important for the people to adorn the “house of God” with beauty.
• They wanted to honour and respect God with the most beautiful creations thinkable.
• No cost was too high, no effort too grandiose
• This emphasis tells the viewer something about the value system at the time of the creation and the prominent role art played in society

Question 3: For what reasons do you think this piece of artwork was created? What motivated the creation? What can this tell you about the value system of the culture from which this artwork emerged? (Contd.)

• As a sermon and reminder: The message of the painting is clear. Jesus leads to salvation
• The painting is not only a work of art, but it also serves as a sermon
• The viewer is reminded of the sacrifice Jesus made and the reason there is sin in the world in the first place
• Through the painting, the viewer is also reminded of the entire structure of the cosmos and their individual place in it
• They are reminded that they need to be humble and subservient not only to God but also the Church

Final thoughts about Raphael’s Disputa

• Not only was this painting knowledge of all these things for people at the time, but still today, for those who are Christians
• It represents knowledge and structure
• It represents security and faith
• It represents tradition, family value, and stability
• It represents love and equality
• Art is about knowledge; and in a clear sense, art is knowledge.

Lesson 2 Themes from which Artwork can be examined to gain Knowledge

Adoration of the Magi. 1423. Uffizi

Cosmological Order (How the Universe is Ordered)

• Artwork from around the world contains a wealth of knowledge about the order of the universe
• Art represents knowledge about the structure of the universe: good, bad, beginnings, ends, and so on
• Art represents knowledge about how people view the universe and how they believe it functions
• As the saying goes, “every picture says a thousand words”

Hindu Art and Cosmological Order�

• The universe is made up of an eternal substance called Maya
• Maya is likened to an ocean
• Only Maya is eternal

Vishnu emerging from the Ocean of Maya

The universe is cyclical

• The existence of the universe and everything in it goes in cycles
• Everything, even the universe, is born, it lives, it dies, and it is reborn again
• What this belief systems means for humankind is that everything, even the greatest deeds, has been done again and again

Shiva dancing on Aspmara

Dharma, the essence of good

• Even the richest and most successful of human beings is but a short-lived, temporary creature that has only succeeded in doing what has been done an infinite number of times in the past and will be done an infinite number of times in the future
• Unenlightened people will strive for riches and wealth and fame as if these things were the true key to personal happiness, but the attempts wil not bring true happiness
• Instead focus can be put on living a good life in accordance with dharma, or the essence of good, which all people inherently know

Examining the knowledge in the artwork

Omkarananda Kamakshi-Devi Mandir Temple. Muni-ki-reti , India.

Vishnu’s four arms

• The four arms represent the four stages of existence found in the universe, namely birth-life-death-and formlessness found in Maya
• The four directions of space (thus absolute power)
• The four stages of human development and the four aims of life (pleasure, success, righteousness, and liberation)

Vishnu emerging from the Ocean of Maya

Vishnu’s Dark Color

• Darkness is representative of the formless Maya before light or anything has come into existence
• There is a balance between light and dark. They are inseparable from one another because that is the nature of existence

Vishnu emerging from the Ocean of Maya

Vishnu’s Conch

• The shell Vishnu holds in his hand is a symbol to do with the creation of everything
• A symbol of water; the eternal ocean—Maya
• The conch is the symbol of the origin of existence

Vishnu emerging from the Ocean of Maya

Shiva’s flame in hand

• Shiva is associated with the bringing to a close the cycle of the universe
• The cycle ends with Shiva. In this sense he is the destroyer of all things
• The fire is a symbol of the destructive tendencies and reminder to the viewer of the way things are

Shiva dancing

on Aspmara

Flame represents the

end of the cycle

Shiva dancing on Aspmara

• The funny little figure Shiva dances upon is Aspmara, the dwarf of ignorance
• Only by defeating ignorance about the way of the universe can one attain happiness

Aspmara the dwarf of ignorance

Shiva’s Drum

• The drum, like Vishnu’s conch, and is a symbol of the origin of existence
• Even though Shiva is associated with the disintegrating tendencies of the universe, he is still part of everything
• The concept of existence is only one thing and cannot actually be separated into distinct aspects of creation, existence, and destruction

Shiva

Art and Knowledge about Social Structure: Kingdom of Benin

The Oba was the main man

• Oba was the name given to the king of the Edo people in the Kingdom of Benin
• Direct descendent from Osanobua, the creator of the universe
• Divine right to rule the Edo people
• Political and magical spiritual leader

When an Oba died

• The new Oba’s most important task was to make a Bronze casting of the previous Oba’s head
• If not honoured properly the old Oba would wreak havoc from beyond the grave

The Oba owned everything

• All of the people
• All of the land
• All of the resources, and especially all of the metal
• If something was made of metal (bronze) it was immediately seen as being royal

Knowledge about Social Structure through artwork�

• Artwork was a sign of power
• If it was made in metal, it was made by decree of the Oba
• Anyone that was pictured in the artwork must have been very important in society

Size matters: The Oba is

• The biggest
• Most fully clothed
• Adorned with important political and spiritual symbols

Symbol of ultimate power: The Ada

• The royal ceremonial sword is known as the Ada
• Only the Oba or someone on royal business decreed by the Oba was allowed to carry or even touch the Ada
• The Ada was the symbol of royal order and military might
• The Ada meant status

A plaque showing a member of

the Benin military

To the Edo (the people of Benin)

• The artwork was knowledge about society and social structure
• The artwork told people how things were
• The artwork told the Edo which buildings were important and which people needed to be respected

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To people today

• An examination of the artwork can give a great amount of knowledge about Benin society
• The artwork is a testament to a long-standing dynasty of rulers and people which existed for centuries before any European contact
• It is a testament to a way of life and world view
• It is also a testament to how another culture chose to express itself creatively
• There is indeed a wealth of knowledge to be found in the artwork

Relationship to the body�

• The representation of the human body in artwork is an indicator as to many of the values a given society holds
• A direct reflection of ethical values and moral codes
• Linked to the underlying ideals of beauty that a culture holds dear
• In this sense artwork is a window into the “soul” of a culture. It is a way to get into contact with the realities of other cultures.

What can the image reveal?

• The reproductive capabilities significant to the culture
• Reproduction must have been important, perhaps even mystical
• The plump female body was not something to be ashamed of
• The body was not shameful or dirty. Nudity was not culturally unacceptable

The Willendorf Woman 30,000-25,000 BC

Naturhistorisches Museum, Vienna

What differences about the cultural values can the images reveal? (image set 1)

Dome and minaret of the Madrasa-I Shah. Ifahan, Iran

Masjid-I-Jami (tile work); Islamic,

Safavid Dynasty, Isfahan, Iran

What differences about the cultural values can the images reveal? (image set 2)

Fra Bartolommeo

Reims Cathedral. Reims, France

Christ with four evangelists . 1517

What differences about the cultural values can the images reveal?

• No bodies pictured at all in the Islamic artwork
• Representing the body in Islam was/is a form of iconography or image worship
• This act is considered ethically wrong because it diverts worship from Allah

What differences about the cultural values can the images reveal? (Contd.)

• In the Catholic tradition, it would be unthinkable to have a 12th 16th century church or cathedral unadorned with imagery
• The cathedral would not be considered a thing of beauty
• God would not be respected to the degree he deserved
• God was to be honoured with beauty. Imagery was considered beautiful

Final thoughts concerning relationship to the body

• important knowledge resides in how a culture represents the human body in its artwork
• The representation gets at the very heart of a culture’s belief systems and its ethical way of life
• This is a form of knowledge

Lesson 3 Poetry and Knowledge

An in class lesson

• This lesson is an in-class discussion lesson which focuses on three poems.

Discussion questions for The Stolen Child

• What knowledge is being relayed in this poem?
• What is being said about the world?
• Is anything being said about childhood or children? If so what?
• Are there any ideals in the poem which are being contrasted against the world?
• What role does nature play in the poem?
• What does the last line in the poem mean? Is it knowledge? Why or why not?
• Is “real” knowledge being generated in this poem? Why do you answer this way?
• Some people may interpret this poem in different ways. What do you think this means in regards to knowledge about the poem?

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William Butler Yeats in Dublin in 1908

Discussion questions for Surprised by Joy

• Does Wordsworth relay knowledge in the poem? If so, what kind of knowledge? If not, why not?
• What emotion is relayed in the poem? Is this knowledge?
• The title of the poem is Surprised by joy. Given the background information, do you know what he means by the title?
• Why does the reader who has never lost a child or another loved one understand this poem?

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William Wordsworth. 1770-1850

Discussion questions for Surprised by Joy (contd.)

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• Some would say that we all possess a type of knowledge which allows us to inherently understand human emotion. This understanding is not based on words or culture. Is this a type of knowledge?
• Is “real” knowledge being generated in this poem? Why do you answer this way?
• Some people may interpret this poem in different ways. What do you think this means in regards to knowledge about the poem?
• Even if someone considers the poem to be subjective knowledge (meaning it is only knowledge on the part of the author or an individual reader), does this mean that the knowledge here is any less valid as knowledge? Why or why not?
• Many in the class have likely interpreted the main ideas in the poem in similar ways. Explain this phenomenon

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Discussion questions for �Dulce Et Decorum Est

• What can be known from reading this poem?
• Can something about war be known from reading this poem? Something about history? What?
• What does the Latin text at the end of the poem mean? (Let the students have a go at this before giving them the translation). The ideas about what the Latin text means are likely rather similar. Why is this? Does this mean there is some type underlying knowledge?
• Is “real” knowledge being generated in this poem? Why do you answer this way?

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Wilfred Owen 1893-1918.

Killed in action in France one week

before the end of the First World War.

Discussion questions for �Dulce Et Decorum Est (contd.)

• Dulce et decorum est / Pro patria mori is a line taken from Roman lyrical poet Horace’s odes. Translated, into English it means something similar to: "It is sweet and fitting to die for one's country." What does Owen mean by this? Is his statement knowledge? Why or why not?
• Some people may interpret this poem in different ways. What do you think this means in regards to knowledge about the poem?
• Even if someone considers the poem to be subjective knowledge (meaning it is only knowledge on the part of the author or an individual reader), does this mean that the knowledge here is any less valid as knowledge? Why or why not?
• Many in the class have likely interpreted the main ideas in the poem in similar ways. Explain this phenomenon.

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Lesson 4 Interpretation

• This lesson consists of a story which will be told to the class and then interpreted. The main points of the story will follow.

This seems like a nice place to have our story

Once upon a time:

• A young prince. Handsome, rich, heir to kingdom. Has the ring of kings on his finger.
• Will only be king upon marrying. His mother the queen is now ruling.
• Prince is in love with common peasant girl from town. He plans to marry her.
• Mother (widow queen) does not like the town’s girl. She hates the girl’s poverty. The prince should marry a princess—the perfect princess—who is impossible to find.
• Also, when the prince marries, he will be king and the mother loses her power.

“You will never have my son. Put your peasant clothes back on and return to your village!”

Sir Tristram and Queen Yseult by Marie Spartali Stillman

The Story (contd.)

• Prince respects and loves the mother, but also loves the girl
• The widow queen is having an affair with a wizard. She commands the wizard to put a spell on the prince to make him fall out of love
• Wizard also has eyes on throne. Decides to kill the prince, and marry mother
• While the prince is with the peasant girl the wizard comes to kill the prince
• They fight. The mother and peasant girl watch
• Prince nearly kills wizard, but a desperation spell by wizard changes prince to a dragon
• Ring of king’s falls from finger (only way to break spell is to replace ring on finger)

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Fairly well clothed for a dragon,

but he is missing his favourite ring

The Story (contd. again)

• The prince/dragon flies away promising vengeance
• The girl sees ring. Takes it. Escapes. Steals horse and rides to village in the hills
• The queen is now furious and demands the girl and ring from village
• Only by having the ring in her control can she keep her power. She decides her son shall remain a dragon for all eternity
• The villagers refuse the queen’s demands. They refuse to bow to the yoke of an evil and unjust monarch
• The queen orders her commander-in-chief of her army, who is also one of her lovers, to find and kill or capture the dragon and raze the village

More of The Story

• He is to kill the girl and bring the ring
• The dragon meanwhile meets a mystical forest nymph. Falls in love with her. She is a shape changer and takes on any form to fit his desire. For a brief time he forgets about peasant girl
• The general raises and army and attacks the village
• The villagers make a stand and fight off the rich queen’s army. There are many of them and they want to have the same opportunities as the wealthy. Other villages join in the fight
• The town leader suddenly becomes a general

The general rides off to battle.

The Story yet again

• The queen will not give up
• She commands the wizard to put a love spell on the town leader. She seduces the leader, and makes him promise to give up the girl and ring
• The queen tricks the leader into letting a garrison of her troops in the village
• The girl sees this and flees. She does not trust the queen’s intentions
• By surprise the garrison takes the village and enslaves population
• The peasant girl searches for the dragon prince
• The dragon hears the girl’s cries and remembers his love for her. He leaves the mystical forest nymph who cries and returns to the forest, taking the shape of a butterfly and disappearing into the sunset
• The dragon is now healthy again. Flies to the castle to fight his mother’s three lovers. He wants to take his place at the throne and they are in his way. He must fight the general, the wizard, and the town’s leader

Even more

• The fight begins
• The town’s leader has nothing and is easily killed by the dragon’s fire
• The general unveils his huge, thick dragon killing arrows. He does not want to give up his place at queen’s side. Arrows shot. One pierces dragon’s shoulder
• Nevertheless, the dragon stamps the general to death
• It is the wizard’s turn now
• The Wizard takes out powerful wand and uses ice spell. Dragon partially frozen but thaws himself with breath
• Wizard flees into tallest tower but the dragon tears the roof off and bites the wizard in half
• The dragon prince now faces his mother
• Meanwhile the townspeople begin surrounding the castle
• The queen creams “All is lost!” and jabs a sword into her stomach and expires dramatically

The Final Act

• Suddenly, the town’s girl comes riding up on a white horse (the horse is the forest nymph but no one knows this)
• The Town’s girl presents the ring to the dragon
• He magically becomes prince again
• The ring reminds him of the town people’s sacrifices and he immediately frees them and gives them some of the riches the queen had stolen
• Everyone is happy; except for the forest nymph who somehow wants to seduce the prince and get him back again
• The End

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A broken hearted forest nymph or a sneaky lady?

Forest Nymph by Eric Gooch

Lesson 5 Problems of Knowledge �in Art

Laura Adams OM, 2004. Bronze

What is Art?

• What makes something art?
• Does hanging it in a gallery make it art?
• Come up with a definition of art.
• Does the definition of art have to do with what one understands the word “art” to mean?
• Is pornography art?

Subjectivity

• People perceive and understand artwork differently depending on who they are and the experiences they have had
• The objects of art themselves do not contain knowledge. The experience of artwork is an interaction between the object and the perceiver
• If there were no perceivers there would be no meaning

Subjectivity (contd.)

• However, people are very different in different places
• Because of this perhaps there is no real knowledge in art itself since what art means depends very much on what someone feels or believes it means
• Were the Buddha statues art? What did they mean?
• Does it depend on who you ask?

One of the Bamiyan Buddhas before

and after the Taliban destroyed it in 2001.

Subjectivity (contd.)

• Meaning in art is a form of subjective knowledge
• Knowledge in art comes subjectively and individually
• Subjectivity is only a problem for knowledge if knowledge is defined in a pragmatic sense
• Once again what knowledge is depends to a large degree on how one defines it

Changing meanings

• Meaning in art changes with time
• Unlike math where the meaning of formulas and theorems stay constant
• If there was any real knowledge and meaning in art shouldn’t it stay the same?

Akenaten and Nefretiti

Is there a real meaning to know?

• Does the intention of the artist or author have any significance?
• Does any meaning and knowledge have to do with how the perceiver experiences the artwork
• Perhaps artwork is a reaction between the perceiver and the object, and there is no A-priori reason as to why the author’s or artist’s original meaning is necessarily more valid than any perceivers subsequent interpretation of the meaning.
• If so, what does this mean for knowledge?

Cultural differences

• Cultural differences interfere with understanding the knowledge contained in artwork
• Perceivers from other cultures or times will not be able to understand the knowledge in the artwork
• The knowledge is not accessible for everyone
• Artwork is often a code or a system of signals or symbols for communication. Not everyone will be able to speak the specific “language” of that art.
• means that knowledge in art can not be objective knowledge since everyone can not partake of it