Keeping in mind your thoughts from the Lesson 4 Discussion Board about what separates "art" from "non-art", I'd like you to think about different styles of art and discuss how various artistic styles can serve distinct purposes.
As we've read, during the 15th and 16th centuries, great value was placed on the ability to draw realistically and to represent nature accurately.
Why do you think this style of drawing and painting was so highly prized?
What purpose did art serve during this time, and how did this style support that purpose? On the other hand, how might more abstract or less-realistic styles of drawing, painting, or sculpture help later artists communicate different ideas?
Additionally, photography (and later, film) is often taken by some to be "realistic"; i.e., to represent an accurate version of reality. Do you think that photography is truly realistic? Why or why not?
Can film be considered to be realistic - and are some genres of film more or less realistic than others (e.g., documentary, biography, fantasy, action, etc.)?