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PRAXIS II Art: Content, Traditions, Criticism, and Aesthetics Exam

The Art: Content, Traditions, Criticism, and Aesthetics exam is taken by prospective art teachers who have bachelor's degrees in art or art education. This exam assesses the capacity of future art teachers to analyze, critique, and discuss pieces of art and architecture. The exam is composed of three essay questions that take approximately 20 minutes each to complete. The topics of each essay are as follows:

The Content of Works of Art
Global Traditions in Art, Architecture, and Design
Criticism and Aesthetics

The Content of Works of Art essay question will require the examinee to describe how the components of art work are used to express meaning in a piece of art and how the components convey the artist's intent.

For the Global Traditions in Art, Architecture, and Design essay, examinees will be asked to identify and examine pieces of art or architecture, focusing on the historical and social aspects of the art piece. Recognition must be demonstrated of the influence of different art movements on the themes and styles of artists in other periods, as well as the representation of cultural beliefs and societal positions of artists in art.

The final essay, on Criticism and Aesthetics, will require the examinee to show comprehension of art criticism by discussing standard elements of criticism and to interpret and analyze a piece of art by using elements such as imagery and symbolism. All three essays will be scored on the same scale, from 0-5, with a score of 5 being the highest score. A score of 5 will be given for essays in which the examinee shows in depth understanding of the questions and gives thorough and detailed responses for each part of the question with liberal use of art vocabulary. Essays that receive a score of 4 demonstrate adequate knowledge and understanding of art and of the questions, and use correct examples and vocabulary, but not as extensively as essays that would receive a score of 5.

Essays that receive a score of 3, demonstrate a simple understanding art and the questions, though the responses are considered accurate. A score of 2 is given for minimal knowledge and inaccurate responses and examples. Essays score a 1 for demonstrating no knowledge of art, using no art vocabulary, and not answering each part of the question. For questions that are left blank or answered off-topic, the essay will receive a 0.

PRAXIS II Art: Content, Traditions, Criticism, And Aesthetics Practice Questions

1. Discuss the concept of aesthetic perception.

2. Explain the term creative expression.

3. Define the four basic themes used in all fine art.

4. Discuss the importance of the four themes used in fine art.

5. Define and discuss an art movement.

Answer Key For Art: Content, Traditions, Criticism, And Aesthetics

1. Aesthetics is the area of philosophy that studies the nature and expression of beauty and people's instinctive reaction to the fine arts. In Kantian philosophy, aesthetics is the part of metaphysics that studies the laws of perception. Perception is the memory of an awareness and interpretation previously learned through the senses, especially sight and sound. Perception is knowledge gained through insight and intuition. Aesthetic perception is the ability to appreciate and understand the nature, beauty, and validity of the fine arts including music, painting, sculpture, theater, drama, comedy, and literature.

A person who is especially sensitive to beauty and consistently exhibits good taste as defined by the prevailing concept of the fine arts is said to have aesthetic perception. The English philosopher Alfred North Whitehead observed, "Art is the imposing of a pattern on experience, and our aesthetic enjoyment is recognition of the pattern." Dialogues, June 10, 1943.

2. Being creative means the ability to produce or bring into existence a work of art (music, painting, sculpture, comedy, drama, literature) that is original and imaginative. To express something is to convey an idea, an emotion, or an opinion or to depict a direct or indirect representation of an idea, an emotion, or an opinion. The idea, emotion, or opinion can shown be in words, pictures, gestures, signs, and symbols.

A person with creative expression has the burning need to bring forth a unique manifestation of his or her understanding and interpretation of mankind's primal desires. A soaring music score by Beethoven, a memorable scene by Grandma Moses, a gentle poem by Emily Dickinson, a moving performance by Sir Laurence Olivier-these are all examples of individual creative expression by artists of uncompromising vision.

3. The creative ideas presented in any type of media (visual, oral, written) can be summarized in four basic themes. Through the ages, all fine art has used a variation of one of these themes and expounded and expanded on the ideas contained within each one. The themes are:

Universal themes encompass feelings, situations, and characters that all people everywhere experience. It doesn't matter what country, culture, or age, every human being understands and relates.
Timely themes are feelings, situations, and characters that people have experienced throughout recorded history. Inhabitants of Medieval Times, as well as Elizabethan England and the ancient Greek and Roman emperors, would relate to these themes in much the same way as the current population does.
Broad themes are supported by specific examples of feelings, situations, and characters that affect cultures, countries, and governments.
Shared themes connect diverse elements into an intricate mosaic that touches people everywhere, in every culture and every age.

4. The four themes-universal, timely, broad, shared-are important in all forms of art. Themes help the artist, musician, writer, sculptor, or architect organize ideas and concepts into a coherent whole. They present a perspective beyond the individual and his cultural experiences and help him connect with people in other parts of the globe who have a different worldview. It encourages recognition of and understanding for the similarity of circumstances the human family experiences worldwide.

Themes connect current events to historic happenings and enable readers and viewers to relate to and learn from the past. Since art's function is to communicate, studying earlier works of art along with the history of the era in which it was created helps current society not only understand past civilizations but encourages a wise community to apply lessons learned long ago to contemporary issues.

5. The American Heritage Dictionary defines art as a "human effort to imitate the work of nature" which "arises from the exercise of intuitive facilities" and uses a "high quality of conception and execution." Art is also a "system of principles and methods." The dictionary defines movement as a "tendency or trend" that is an "organized effort by supporters of a common goal" whose actions grow and develop into a principle.

Using these guidelines, an art movement is a conceptual system of principles and methods developed by a group of artists using their intuition and talent-their "human efforts"-to create a thing of beauty that mirrored Mother Nature in all her beauty and complexity.

An art movement usually reflects the events and activities of the era in which it developed. It can also be a reaction to a previous style. For example, postimpressionism not only came into being as an extension of impressionism, but also from a sense of dissatisfaction with the restrictions of that style.