It is the study of the visual arts. Art Historians research the context of an artwork. In doing so, they study the historical events that occurred within a specific time frame in relation to the work.

Some questions they ask are, “How did this event or theory affect the artist and/or style?”; “Did these historical events or theories affect the artist/style?”

What is Art History?

physical evidence (material)

documentary evidence (records)

visual evidence (how does it look?)

Stylistic evidence (how does the style fit into this specific time period or stylistic category?)

What do Art Historians research?

Art History is Interdisciplinary

Art History is not the same as art appreciation because art appreciation does not research historical context

How is Art History Different?

Why do We study Art History?

Teaches us about creative expressionWe learn about artistic impulseWe learn about other culturesWe identify different stylesGain a new appreciation for art and

history

Material value Intrinsic valueReligious ValueNationalistic ValuePsychological Value

Why is Art Valued?

The Mona Lisa, by Leonardo da Vinci, 1503-1506

iconography- study of symbols or content; closely related to narrative

 material and technique 1) material- what is used in composition 2) technique- how they use material

Texture- quality of surface Mass and volume 1) Only 3d works have mass, 2d has illusion of mass 

Vocabulary

Vocabulary continued…..

Line- basic building block of visual design 1) hatching and cross-hatching- superimposed lines that give illusion of mass and volume Color/Hue 1) chromatic versus achromatic (color versus no color) 2) intensity- degree of purity of hue 3) value-relationship to blacks and white

Picture Plane- objects that occupy the physical space of the picture

Juxtaposition- placement of things side by side

representational versus nonrepresentational- depicts recognizable forms, (figurative) or does not represent recognizable forms (abstract)

illusionism (trompe l’oiel)– attempts to be real, and attempts to make us believe an object exists in a three dimensional space

Foreground- area of the picture, typically at the bottom, that is nearest to viewer

 

  

Vocabulary Continued…………

Perspective- tool for indicating spatial relationships 1) Foreshortening- use of perspective to represent a single object extending back into space 2) linear perspective- creation of the illusion of distance in a 2d work with the use of line and foreshortening. 3) Atmospheric Perspective- indicates distance through use of light and atmosphere

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Vocabulary Continued….

Masaccio, The Tribute Money, 1426-1427

Stylized- distortion of an image to conform to artistic conventions (standards of beauty)

Vocabularies Continued……..

Statues from the Abu Temple at Tell Asmar, c. 2700-2500 B.C., Ancient Near Eastern Art

Idealized- depicting an object according to a specific standard of beauty

Doryphoros (Spear Bearer),

by Polykleitos, c. 440 B.C. Classical Style

Vocabularies Continued……

Formalism - Concentrates on formal elements (line, color)

Iconography and Iconology - Studies objects of paintings as symbols

Marxism - Studies art in relation to economic factors operating within a social context

Methodologies: How we frame our interpretations (these are a few of the most common methodologies)

Feminism- Assumes the making of art and its iconography and reception are all influenced By gender

Biography/Autobiographical- Interprets art as expressions of the artists’ lives and personality. This methodology is related to Contextual Methodology, which explores how art is influenced by outside factors like historical events, trends, social norms, etc.

Psychoanalytic- Reconstructs past and interprets it in relevance to present

Methodologies Continued……