The purpose of this research was to conceptualize an art criticism format appropriate for extracting aesthetic meanings from works of art. Two tasks required doing: (a) the determination of an adequate framework for understanding the development of visual art concepts in an educative context; and (b) the determination of an appropriate art criticism format to structure that development. / The theoretical underpinnings of the research draw from (a) the phenomenological aesthetics of Eugene Kaelin (1968, 1986); (b) John Dewey's (1933) model of reflective thinking; (c) Lev Vygotsky's (1962) cultural-historical theory of conceptual development; and (d) an understanding of artistic symbols and aesthetic meanings deriving primarily from the writing of Philip Phenix (1966), Benedetto Croce (1909), Marylou Kuhn (1980, 1984), Harold Osborne (1966, 1982), and Philip Smith (1966a, 1966b). / It was established that we comprehend a language of art forms through the expressiveness of art symbols. Further, it was established that aesthetic meanings are found in works of art through a type of semiotic analysis; in instances of visual art such analyses seek to point out the isomorphic structural similarity between paintings, say, and their 'meanings'. As such, isomorphisms may be considered to result at intersections of analytic and analogic modes of knowing. / A format for visual art criticism, titled Critical Art Reflection, was devised to parallel Dewey's model of reflective thinking and to incorporate Kaelin's aesthetics. The criticism format evolved in classroom use, as a dialectic of theory instructed by practice. The model includes instructional aspects that attend to the development of students' language about aesthetic qualities. Methodology includes format as approach, questioning strategies on three levels, and selected art criticism activities intended to parallel visual and verbal expression. / The theoretical portion of the research is informed by and illustrated with material from a piloted demonstration of its working. Using reproductions of works of art in classroom art criticism, transcribed excerpts of classroom dialogue are presented to exemplify the aspects and components of Critical Art Reflection. / Source: Dissertation Abstracts International, Volume: 50-01, Section: A, page: 0056. / Major Professor: Marylou Kuhn. / Thesis (Ph.D.)--The Florida State University, 1988.
| Identifer | oai:union.ndltd.org:fsu.edu/oai:fsu.digital.flvc.org:fsu_77925 |
| Contributors | Johnson, Margaret Hess., Florida State University |
| Source Sets | Florida State University |
| Language | English |
| Detected Language | English |
| Type | Text |
| Format | 263 p. |
| Rights | On campus use only. |
| Relation | Dissertation Abstracts International |
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