The psychological makeup, genetic predisposition, education, and religious background of a viewer can all influence the relationship between perception and art. Many cultures have developed systematized methods of creating art in the past, making it easier for viewers to understand works of art. The postmodern art movement and the proliferation of mass media have complicated the relationship between perception and art.
A person’s psychological makeup may have an impact on how he or she perceives art. Some of Francisco de Goya’s gloomy, tortured paintings of monsters eating people are unlikely to appeal to someone with a generally sunny, upbeat personality. He or she might have a stronger affinity for Goya’s portrait paintings.
Color blindness and other visual abnormalities are examples of genetic predispositions that can affect perception and art. A person who is colorblind may not be able to see all of the colors in a painting. A person with poor depth perception will perceive a painting differently than someone with normal vision.
Perception and art may be influenced education and previous exposure to visual art. A person with an art history background might go to the Louvre in Paris to see the Mona Lisa and appreciate the artistic skill and patience required to depict skin tones in the manner that Leonardo da Vinci did. A person unfamiliar with art history, on the other hand, might think, “Gosh, that’s an awfully small, dark painting all those people are crowded around.” “What’s the big deal?” says the narrator.
Even a person’s religion can influence how they perceive a work of art. If a devout Catholic dislikes the color red and sees an upside down red crucifix on a black background, he or she is likely to consider the painting sacrilegious and not understand or agree with the artist’s intentions. That viewer’s opinion would not be swayed the painting’s price tag or the artist’s reputation.
Many cultures have developed systematized aesthetics, or principles of beauty, as well as standard subject matter that has simplified the perception of art throughout history. The Egyptians painted people in a very specific style that was familiar to viewers. Renaissance paintings and sculptures almost always depicted religious stories that the majority of people were familiar with. Aesthetic principles such as unity, repetition, and balance were also used Renaissance artists to create pleasing compositions that the human brain liked to see.
Following the Renaissance, many Western painting academies, such as those in France, relied on aesthetics as the foundation for creating beautiful paintings. The rise of modern art in the early twentieth century ushered in a major shift in how people thought about art and perception. Picasso, who developed the abstract art style known as Cubism with Georges Braque, is one of the most well-known modern painters. Despite the fact that Picasso’s work was abstract, he adhered to systematized aesthetic principles.
Aesthetics, perception, and art have all changed dramatically as a result of postmodern theory and easy Internet access. Some postmodern artists create digital art specifically for the Internet, while others create fine art computer games. Low-tech methods of creating art, such as writing on tobacco leaves with a black pen or sculpting with tampons, are, on the other hand, considered art. These diverse art forms coexist with traditional art forms such as painting and sculpture, and have sparked debate about the perception and definition of art.