How a Work of Art is Evaluated Varies

How a Work of Art is Evaluated Varies

Different people evaluate art in different ways, making it more subjective in nature. Whether it is a painting or a sculpture, a number of factors need to be considered in order to evaluate a work of art and identify its actual worth.

Evaluation does not always mean deciding whether you like a certain piece of art or not. The reasons are what matter in this scenario. Why do you like a certain piece of art? What was the thing about it that caught your attention? For this, you need to have some knowledge. You need to have different perspectives and standards of evaluation when evaluating different art.

For instance, your view on a drawing by a kid would be different than that when compared to a 30-year-old painting. Also, a realist portrait can be evaluated in the same way as an expressionist portrait. The most important factors to consider are the context of the piece and the piece itself.

The first question that should come to your mind while analyzing an artwork is that what was the idea behind this portrait? What was the artist thinking? The context. Other things to consider are mentioned below.

Authentication

The portrait should be authentic. It should be officially authenticated and this depends on the period of creation of the piece. Authentication comes from the artist him or herself. It becomes a difficult task if the writer is no more. In this case, documentations are required for verification. 

Popular Artists

The worth of artwork also depends on the artist him or herself. Most commonly, the artworks of popular and well-known artists are considered to be more worthy and thus priced at a premium than those of local and lesser-known artists. For example, artists such as Jackson Pollock and Frida Kahlo will be more valued.

The Story

Behind every work of art lies an interesting story that the artist wants to tell. That’s the beauty of art, everyone perceives a piece differently, only few are able to figure out the real story and concept behind an artwork. People usually use experts to figure out the meaning of a portrait. The artworks having meaning or relating to an important event or time period tend to be given more value than other artworks.

There are some final questions that one should ask when evaluating an artwork:

  • What was going on in the mind of the artist? What’s the story?
  • How do you feel when seeing this art?
  • Would you want it hanging on your wall?
  • How does it affect your mind?

The task of evaluating any work of art, whether it’s a sculpture or a painting, requires a blend of subjective opinion and objective information. The aim of evaluating art is more than just liking or disliking it. There are various elements that require consideration. For instance, if you’re evaluating a painting, you need to ask yourself questions like: Is the painting representational or abstract? This is how the evaluation works.

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