Fine Arts

Fine Arts: definition, seventh & ninth art.

It is rather a difficult task to fully get to know the meaning and reaches of the "fine art" conception. Dictionary tells us that it is the "expression of beautiful things", and gives us the examples of painting, drawing, and sculpture, but that is only a part of what fine art really means. Here follows a much wider meaning anchored in its history and its development over time.

circle of the fine arts »

fine arts sculpture

History of the Fine Arts

In Ancient Greece, the arts were divided into superior and minor arts. By definition, "superior arts" were those which could be appreciated by the "superior senses" (vision and audition); the touch was not considered a "must" for the purpose of beauty appreciation. At that time, the Fine Arts were six:

Architecture
Sculpture
Painting
Music
Declamation (including literature)
Dance (including drama theater)

Later on in time, the motion picture was introduced to the world;, that is, sort of speaking, the possibility of recording the dramatic pieces performed once, but played --virtually-- for ever; that is why the motion pictures were righteously called the seventh art.

The first reference known to the term Fine Art came by the hand of Charles Batteaux (in the year 1474). The term seventh art was introduced by Ricciotto Canudo (year 1911), and the term was widely spread with the pass of time.
The minor arts are those which positively impress the other senses. Minor arts include: gastronomy for the sense of taste; Perfums for the sense of smell; Strokingness for the sense of touch (comes from the word "stroke" as if we were given a gently stroke when something with a pleasant surface gets in contact with our skin). Later tendencies suggested the photography as the eightieth art, and the comics as the ninth. These new attempts, however, have not been widely spread as in the case of the seventh art of motion pictures.
Nowadays, it is also called "fine art" to a faculty course (in countries as Spain, Mexico, Chile and Argentina) where the art of restoring, storing and appraizing art work is learnt.

motion pictures - the seventh art

Description of the six Fine Arts

architecture
fine arts dance

dance

music

painting

Music: Extension of sounds in time and space which give form to an harmonic system sweet to the ear. Music has indeed been an essential part of the history of mankind since man is man. It presents many different styles and scales along the different places of the planet.

Dance: From Terpsichore, the Greek dance muse, to this very day, "dance" is the name of a routine of body movements that are guided by a sound patron. It is a meaningful way of expression and communication used by man since day one.

Painting: It is the art of representing things and feelings, real or abstract, over a surface using pigments mixed with oils or water. This surface varies from stone wall caves to cloth, skin, paper, metals, etc.

Sculpture: Such is the name given to the art of creating shapes and forms from any proper material. These forms can be real and natural, abstract and geometrical, and the material used varies from mud to ceramic, wood, marble, ivory, bone, rock, etc. The product obtained is always a 3D shape. Renascence artists, as in the case of Miguel Angelo, are the historical experts in this subject.

Architecture: It is the art of designing and developing any lasting building or structure. It follows certain morphologic rules in order to create shapes that become sweet and beautiful to the eye when being watched.

Declamation: As mentioned above, declamation includes all literature forms. It is the art that uses a combination of words to obtain a message that can induce feelings and thoughts to the reader or listener, who obtains pleasure and a sense of beauty from this art.

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