For a long time it was thought that an artwork had to be something created or designed by a trained artist (whether painter, sculptor, photographer or draughtsman). This idea has been dispelled by various artistic movements such as the readymades and conceptual art. The last few decades have seen a growth in performance art, installations and other ephemeral artworks.
Often an artwork is related to a particular style or movement of art and this can provide some useful insight into its meaning and message. For example, paintings by Claude Monet or Gustav Klimt are associated with the Impressionism art movement and can help us understand how the artists worked within that particular philosophy of art.
Another way to explore an artwork is to consider the emotional response it evokes in you. It may be uplifting, exciting or serene. Or it may be tense, foreboding or melancholic. You can try to capture these feelings by sketching the artwork or taking photos of it.
A final way to explore an artwork is to think about the historical and cultural context in which it was created. You can do this by researching the social, political and economic conditions in which the work was produced. You can also learn about the artists who created the piece and look at their other works to get an understanding of the themes that run through their work.
The history of an artwork is important because it can reveal what kind of social world the work belongs to. For example, if a painting depicts a war or battle it can tell you that the artist is interested in the way people experience conflict and struggle. Artworks can also be an allegory and this can be helpful in communicating abstract ideas in a concrete form.
Lastly, an artwork can have symbolic and ritualistic functions in the context of a particular culture. This is often the case for sculptural objects and can be seen in the use of sacred images to represent deities, ancestors or other spiritual figures. Similarly, dances and performances that incorporate visual elements are often used as a way of celebrating life or commemorating death.
Whether or not an artwork is an allegory can also be determined by considering the way it is constructed. You can do this by looking at the composition of the work and considering how the parts are arranged, whether the layout is balanced or asymmetrical, whether it is simple or complex and whether it uses motifs or patterns to create rhythm. In addition, you can consider how the work is framed and hung and what effect this has on its overall aesthetics. This can be done by assessing the frame’s material, colour and style as well as its shape.