Description, analysis and interpretation of works of arts and crafts

Abstract

The article presents different pedagogical tools such as description, analysis and interpretation of the work of decorative and applied arts in studying the course “History of Decorative and Applied Art” in college. The recent researches of contemporary artistic pedagogy on organizing perception and discussion of works of fine arts with pupils of different age categories have been analyzed. Moreover, the author demonstrates the stages, teaching methods and techniques of analysis and interpretation of works of fine arts, in particular decorative and applied arts, by schoolchildren, students of colleges and students of higher educational institutions of artistic specialties.

The essence of the methods of studying works of fine art (description, analysis interpretation) and differences between them have been explained. The author proposes the following algorithm of research: description that contains objective information about the work; analysis which involves the allocation of separate structural parts of the work and their qualities in order to study their specificity. The essence of such methods as formal, stylistic, iconographic, semiotic, as well as the possibility how to use these methods and how to combine them in analysing of works of arts and crafts have been revealed. The peculiarities of interpretation as an activity aimed at creative comprehension of the author’s idea, understanding the internal content of the work through the study of its external manifestations, interpretation of the semantic side, the individual perception of the work of art have been considered.

Some examples of the application of the above methods to the study of works of various types of decorative arts are presented, which will facilitate the formation of skills for the search and creative use of information about the work, its comprehension and interpretation in the research activity.

The material is useful for teachers of art of general education institutions in organizing the activity of perceiving and interpreting works of art by students of primary and secondary schools, teachers of colleges and universities.