In this research, it is aimed to examine the perceptions of artwork of middle school 5th, 6th, 7th and 8th grade students within the scope of Art Criticism and Aesthetics learning field acquisitions in the Visual Arts Curriculum. This research is a qualitative research and was designed in the general survey model, which is one of the descriptive research types. Middle school students in the study group of the research were selected according to the easily accessible sample type from the purposeful sampling strategy. Accordingly, the study group of the research consists of 100 students studying in the 5th, 6th, 7th and 8th grades of a middle school in the 2020-2021 academic year. The data were collected through a form consisting of 11 questions prepared to determine the students' perceptions of artwork. Descriptive analysis method was used to analyse the data of the research. The data obtained were analysed in two stages; determining the frequency and percentage values according to the number of students choosing the pictures which are artwork or non-artwork, the density of the sentences in which the students stated the reasons for choosing the pictures, and the determination of categories and themes according to the answers given in accordance with the purpose of the research. Among the results of the research, it is seen that especially colour, perspective, composition and realism are effective in the selection of some works. While the sentences stating the reasons for the preference of the students who chose the work of art mostly developed in line with the field of art criticism and aesthetic learning, it was observed that the answers of some students were not conscious.