Posted for Erik (I forgot) Blog 4

The question of Artist or Artisan addressed in this chapter is interesting to me. Before I knew much about art and art history, I always wondered why medieval and classical art - art from those eras - was so “picture” like; even the sculpture was limited in its thought provoking weight. Later I learned, as this chapter explains, that art from those days was not done for individual pleasure – most of it anyway. The socially accepted, displayed and revered art was done for reasons that the commissioner demanded. At that time in history, the two entities that had the money - more so the dominant dictation – to commission works of art were the church or the state (king), with a few scattered pieces done by rich citizens which mostly consisted of portraits. Political and spiritual propaganda was the overwhelming force behind the art in that time period, possible one of the most creatively restrictive times in human art history. Artists at this time are very appropriately called artisans because they had rules to follow and bounds that were not to be crossed; bounds that were broken could be punished by death.
\n\n\u003cbr\>\nIt was not until the modern art era, which democracy gave birth to, did we begin to see artist express without fear of death, expulsion or humiliation. Even so, modern artists are not exempt from public outcry and ridicule, however, that is what some artist see as a successful endeavor. Art that evokes emotion, whether that emotion is rage, is what some artists seek. Our nation and other nations that have the right to free speech drawl artist from all over the world just so they can create without fear and in freedom. An artisan is not free in their work, an artist is.

It was not until the modern art era, which democracy gave birth to, did we begin to see artist express without fear of death, expulsion or humiliation. Even so, modern artists are not exempt from public outcry and ridicule, however, that is what some artist see as a successful endeavor. Art that evokes emotion, whether that emotion is rage, is what some artists seek. Our nation and other nations that have the right to free speech drawl artist from all over the world just so they can create without fear and in freedom. An artisan is not free in their work, an artist is.