In this article we will address the question of what is art history and why is it important.
What is art history ? Who writes it and why is it important? This is the set of questions that this text seeks to answer.
What is Art History
Before proceeding to an analysis of what is Art History, I propose a brief approach to the basis of the subject, Art.
what is art
Art is a vehicle for communicating and expressing ideas, feelings or aesthetic emotions, the result of an exclusive and intimate human ability.
The objects or actions that result from this ability arise from a creative inspiration, derived from intellectual aptitude. They have purely aesthetic purposes, but can also have a practical purpose, and are always considered works of art as long as they fulfill the effect of communicating, a fundamental part of this creative intention.
originality
A fundamental characteristic of a work of art is its originality. That is, its unrepeatable character, far different from another extraordinarily well-executed object, such as a piece of handicraft, which may win the admiration of the public, but whose purpose was not to convey, in aesthetic form, the idea, intention or feeling of its executor.
plurality of meanings
Another essential characteristic is the plurality of meanings of the artistic object, which, independent of the primary intention of its author, acquire their own meanings in the minds of those who perceive it.
Thus, the work of art exists independently of its creator, becoming an instrument for the emission and reception of meanings, with universal value, in addition to its relative value, which places it in a particular era and characterizes it as a cultural product.
Art, its production and appreciation, is a fundamental part of being human. It is a spontaneous and necessary activity for man’s intellect which, despite not being essential to his survival, has accompanied him in his evolution since the earliest times, leaving multiple testimonies over time.
What is Art History – Art History is concerned with the study of these artistic testimonies.
About the concept of art, read the article What is art? A reflection based on some ideas from scholars and philosophers.
what is art history | art in history
Art in history is an object of communication and study that offers insights into the mentality, intellect and social and individual reality of human beings.
what it is to “do” art history
Moving on to the process of “doing” Art History, it is appropriate to begin this presentation with a brief characterization of the researcher’s work.
Their tasks and the breadth of their scope are distinct and diverse. The art historian is responsible for investigating and researching information that contributes to a scientific and rigorous analysis of the work itself, namely its materials, techniques, forms, themes, contents, meanings, functions, identity of the author, artistic personality, social and cultural context, and the historical period from which it comes.
The work will be methodical and objective, as it will focus on sources, documents and other resources that need to be analyzed and explained.
This branch of the humanities also draws on the knowledge of other disciplines to complement itself, namely archaeology, anthropology, history, sociology and philosophy.
what is art history | interpretation
Back in the mid-20th century, Marc Bloch called on new historians to cross-reference and discuss knowledge in an interdisciplinary way. Today it is a practice that cuts across all trends in history, as well as all other sciences, and is responsible for expanding its reach and development.
The specific attribute of the art historian refers to their ability to interpret and criticize their object of study from an artistic point of view and relate it to all the information gathered about its cultural, social and historical circumstances.
In this sense, it demonstrates that the function of Art History is to transform the aesthetics of works into objects that reflect and express real historical contexts and facts.
What is Art History – It is a way of decoding the thoughts, feelings and emotions of human beings in the past.
Works of art are forms of expression made up of technical solutions from their time, but also intellectual, cultural and social solutions.
To find out more about interpreting works of art, read the article what is a work of art | how to interpret it?
what is art history | interdisciplinarity
To conclude the reflection on what Art History is, we should once again highlight the wide range of subjects it can cover, including biography, the history of styles, the history of masterpieces, the history of artists, the history of genres, the history of the avant-garde, the history of meanings, or even the history of non-existent works of art (crypto-Art History).
These dimensions have their own languages that present new challenges to the art historian, contributing to the notion of the globalization of knowledge, relationships and human phenomena, interdisciplinarity, attention to subjectivity, and the need to rethink and readapt responses in a reality such as the 21st century, which is constantly changing.
in short: what is art history?
In short, Art History takes place in the past and in the present, and its role in the construction of identity and human communication should not be undervalued, as it seeks to preserve its knowledge in order to safeguard cultural and artistic heritage as much as it seeks to expand it.
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Diana Carvalho
Mestre em História e Património, membro do Conselho Científico da Revista Herança e colunista em a Pátria. Está actualmente integrada como técnica nas escavações arqueológicas do Castelo de Leiria. É também autora de artigos científicos na vertente do Património Cultural e da História.
Text based on the introductory chapter of:
Pinto, A. L., Meireles, F., Cambotas, M. C., (2014). Introduction. In Pinto, A. L., Meireles, F., Cambotas, M. C., A arte no ocidente (pp.8-20). Porto: Portoeditora.
Complementary bibliography:
Serrão, V. (2009). The History of Art in Portugal and the awareness of the study and safeguarding of historical and cultural heritage. In O património como oportunidade e desígnio. ciência, sociedade e cultura conference 1: Património e História da Arte, Coimbra, Portugal, April 18, 2009 (pp. 1-5). Coimbra: University of Coimbra.
Article published in the newspaper of the Portuguese-speaking scientific community – A Pátria.