Art Criticism
Art criticism is studying, understanding, and judging works of art.
Henri Matisse, Harmony in Red, 1908, Hermitage Museum, St. Petersburg, Russia
What if you don’t know what an
artwork is communicating?
How can you figure it out?
Follow the steps of art criticism to help you
discover clues to better understand a work of
art
The Steps of Art Criticism
1. Description (Literal Qualities): What do I see? (Size, media,
process, subject)
2. Analysis (Design Qualities): How is the work organized?
(elements and principles)
3. Interpretation (Expressive Qualities): What is the artist
trying to communicate? Meaning? Mood?
4. Judgment: Is this a successful work of art?
1. Description
What do you see?
• Red room
• Wallpaper
• Chairs, wooden
• Table, table cloth
• Woman
• Fruit & wine
• Cut flowers in vase
• Window
• Landscape
• Trees, bushes, flowers, building
• Colours- red, blue, green,
yellow, white, black
2. Analysis
How is the work arranged?
Break down the
painting into its
composition, or the
way the art principles
are used to organize
the art elements.
ELEMENTS OF
ART/DESIGN
•Colour=
•Line=
•Shape=
•Form=
•Space=
•Texture=
•Value=
ELEMENTS OF ART/DESIGN
•Colour = red, blue, yellow,
green, black, white
•Line = straight-outline table,
chairs / curvy- flower
pattern / horizontal,
vertical
•Shape = geometric / organic
•Form = flattened, table blends in
with background
•Space = crowded space,
flattened plane
•Texture = patterns
•Value = flat, so shading
PRINCIPLES OF
ART/DESIGN
•Unity=
•Balance=
•Emphasis=
•Movement/Rhythm=
•Proportion=
•Variety=
PRINCIPLES OF
ART/DESIGN
•Unity= color, shape & line,
everything belongs
•Balance= woman-chair, roomwindow, asymmetrical
•Emphasis= woman arranging
fruit, colour red, contrast
between red and green, black
and white, straight vs curvy
lines
•Proportion= perspective is off
•Variety = lines, colours, shapes,
•Movement/Rhythm=
diagonal bottom right to top
left, curved lines of pattern &
trees, repeated curved pattern
in wallpaper, cloth, trees, dots
of colour in lemons and flowers
3. Interpretation
What do you think Matisse is trying to communicate?
Give your opinion based
on the clues you have
collected.
What ideas, moods,
emotions, and stories do
you think the artwork
communicates?
In Matisse's Harmony in
Red, red is the
predominant colour in
the painting.
How does the
predominant redness
make you feel?
The colour red usually makes one feel warmth because it is
associated with fire, but also because the colour red has a
physiological effect that excites and stimulates.
More energy is reflected from warm colours than from the cooler
ones. "Warm" colours - red, yellow and orange - traditionally are
thought to evoke feelings of heat, whether psychological or real.
4. Judgment Do you think this work is successful? Why or why not?
What reasons can you
give for your idea of
why this is a
successful or
unsuccessful
artwork?
Now look at the painting by Marc Chagall called Paris Through
the Window and answer each of the art criticism questions on
your own:
Description: What do I see?
Analysis: How are elements and principles of art used?
Interpretation: What is the artist trying to communicate?
Judgment: Is this a successful work of art?
Description: What do I see?
Analysis:
How are elements and principles of art used?
Interpretation:
What is the artist trying to communicate?
Judgment: Is this a successful work of art?
TEST YOUR UNDERSTANDING!
Look at the painting by Marc Chagall called Paris Through the
Window and choose the Art Criticism step that each statement
belongs in.
1. This painting was
includes a colourful
window with a cat on
the window sill.
a. description
b. analysis
c. interpretation
d. judgment
2. This seems like a very
happy time for the
artist.
a. description
b. analysis
c. interpretation
d. judgment
3. The artist uses the element of colour to add
visual interest to the painting.
a. description
b. analysis
c. interpretation
d. judgment
4. The artist is depicting his vision of Paris.
a. description
b. analysis
c. interpretation
d. judgment
5. The artist uses a variety of shapes and colours.
a. description
b. analysis
c. interpretation
d. judgment
6. The artist successfully uses surrealistic imagery.
a. description
b. analysis
c. interpretation
d. judgment
7. The cat represents the artist looking out at Paris.
a. description
b. analysis
c. interpretation
d. judgment