Art novelists Alice Elizabeth Chase and John Berger discuss in their respective novels, which share similar and different opinions, the idea of viewing art and the artist’s and viewer’s perspective when observing art. In Looking at Art, Alice Elizabeth Chase describes the idea that artists must confine what they see to the limits of his or her own canvas and the artist’s purpose in painting. John Berger states in Ways of Seeing his feelings on the impact of photography on appreciation of art from the past and the viewer’s understanding when looking at art.
Alice Elizabeth Chase details in her novel, Looking at Art, the ideals of viewing art and the artist’s perspective when transcribing his art. In her book, Chase describes the concept that artists must confine what they see to the limits of his or her own canvas. The artist must then use his eyes to see and convert his observation into man’s feelings and thoughts about the subject. Such artists the author delved into, such as the Egyptians, Chinese, and Ancient Romans, used their art medium as a way to document how the world exists at the present moment, in their own eyes. For example, an artist paints a landscape and details the aspects of the entire scenery to what he deems necessary for his artwork to be a success.
John Berger states in Ways of Seeing his feelings on the impact of photography on appreciation of art from the past. He regards the meaning of art as how viewers perceive it at the present time. The author feels that the introduction of new technology, such as the camera, and the capability to mass produce a piece of artwork, takes away from the original meaning and value behind the creation of the piece art. Berger discusses that photography of artwork prevents the audience from seeing the true nature and meaning of the original piece of artwork for it is merely a copy and not the original.
Alice Elizabeth Chase and John Berger regard perception of art differently, in that they believe the meaning or perception of art comes from different eras. Berger does not view the idea of perspective as confined in time as Chase does. Chase follows the notion that the meaning of a piece of artwork is in the eye of the creator when the painting was first completed. Berger deems the thoughts about and main purpose of a piece of work now lies with the beholder at any given time, such as the viewer at present day.
In their respective novels, both artists do see eye to eye regarding perception of multiple individuals and space. Berger understands whether it be observing a photograph of a piece of artwork or viewing a painting in person, each individual focuses his or her attention on one aspect of a painting. From that, a person may interpret the meaning of piece of art differently than someone else. Chase grasps that in painting landscape artists capture a large span of scenery and viewers still hone in on specific aspects. The two also notice a parallel between time and place. As Chase points out in Looking a Art, landscape painting was very popular in early art done by the Romans, Egyptians, and Chinese. And so in this era, artists become very scenery oriented. Berger finds a parallel when discussing the 15th century and the sudden importance in the tradition of celebrating personal possessions in artwork.
