Cognition and Visual Art

Abstract

Cognitive and other scientifically informed approaches to the visual arts and aesthetics have the potential to explain the emergence, development, and cross‐cultural distribution of art forms. Neuroaesthetics explores the neural underpinnings of art appreciation and how the architecture of the brain may constrain the cross‐cultural success of art forms. Approaches in evolutionary psychology focus on the ultimate causes of artistic behavior and explain the emergence of art as either an adaptation or a by‐product of other evolved adaptations. Interdisciplinary work has attempted to address the limitations of these approaches by taking into account cultural differences and the role of context and history, with the aim of developing an integrative science of art.

Facial icons as indexes of emotions and intentions

“…They portray various expressions that can be characterized as intense and appealing. As articulated by De Smedt and Jucker (2018) “Successful visual art appeals to us because it exaggerates or appropriates features that human perception is attuned to (e.g., color contrasts, contours).” This prompts consideration that the appeal of facial icons lies not in the essence of the representation itself but in its relevance to humans. If an artifact depicting the human form, particularly facial expressions, appears highly expressive to us, it is likely due to its capacity to convey not only a narrative through representation but also the narrative of our own interaction with each other.…”

“…In this article, we will introduce a transitional step, connecting an anthropological framework to a cognitive psychology perspective through the lens of semiotics. Earlier studies endeavored to establish connections between cognitive processing and the cultural evolution of portraits ( Morin, 2013 ), or sought to elucidate the saliency of representations of the human face, such as in masks, portraits, and busts, by invoking cognitive processes ( De Smedt and De Cruz, 2010 , 2011 ; De Smedt and Jucker, 2018 ). Our contribution may serve as complementary building blocks that could offer insights into the robust and sustained portrayal of facial expressions from a cognitive perspective.…”

“…cognitive processing and the cultural evolution of portraits (Morin, 2013), or sought to elucidate the saliency of representations of the human face, such as in masks, portraits, and busts, by invoking cognitive processes De Cruz, 2010, 2011;De Smedt and Jucker, 2018). Our contribution may serve as complementary building blocks that could offer insights into the robust and sustained portrayal of facial expressions from a cognitive perspective.…”