IB DP Theory of knowledge class: What makes an iconic painting? The National Gallery’s top 12 works
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Specification:
IB DP TOK Links The arts
Relevant Big Question Experts
Key terms and ideas Familiar, Reflect our own experience
Integration Visual arts, other Group 6 subjects
Click to read the article below and then answer the questions:
What makes an iconic painting? The National Gallery’s top 12 works
Get students to start by offering thoughts on what characteristics a painting (or other work of art) requires to make it ‘great’. Try to get them to support their ideas with reference to actual examples; you could also discuss the difficulties of this issue. Then offer the article.
What do people tend to gravitate to when it comes to art?
Is this ‘consensus’ truth test a valid way of assessing the arts?
How important is it for art to reflect our own experiences?
Finally, do you agree with the quote by Van Gogh that the purpose of art “is to console those who are broken by life”?
Going further Check out the primary Exploration Points document here, and investigate this issue here.
Michael Dunn, theoryofknowledge.net
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