1. The Discipline of Art History
A STUDY OF OBJECTS IN THEIR CONTEXTS IN ORDER
TO UNDERSTAND THE WORLDVIEW, THE CULTURE,
THE HISTORY OF A PARTICULAR PERIOD, REGION,
ARTIST, AND/OR PATRON
AN ARDUOUS SURVEY OF OBJECTS, RELIGIOUS
VIEWS, ICONOGRAPHY, POLITICAL AGENDAS, AND
SCIENTIFIC DISCOVERIES

2. “Art history takes
every object as a
symptom of what
produced it…In
the hands of the
art historian, the
work seems to
pass from opacity
to transparency;
from silence to
speech.” We may only be able to understand the objective
--Donald Preziosi of a piece by understanding the culture in which
it was made.
The magic word is CONTEXT.

3. The definition of “Art” changes
 Until the last 100 years, people commissioned works that
would show an identified public a desired identity.
 “Art” had an agenda. In many periods, artists were more
like construction workers than divinely inspired geniuses.
 So, Art History is often the study of patrons’ presented
identities.
 It doesn’t matter what WE think about past works; we
study these works to see how PATRONS wanted to be
viewed.

4. The predominant questions are “How do we get
from one period to another?”

5. And why do different periods privilege
different images and styles?

6. And what are
we expected to What are
know and we
recognize expected
from the past to know
in our own and
culture today? recogniz
e from
the past
in our
Television,
own
Movies,
Advertising,, culture
Videos, today?
Cartoons, etc…

7. So we study history and culture to understand
people’s objects.
 In order to achieve that goal, Art History studies the
relationship a work has to the culture in which it
was made by exploring:
 Contemporary Historical Events
 Literature
 Philosophy
 Scientific Discoveries
 Music
Art History is Interdisciplinary

8. The Language of Art History
ART HISTORY REQUIRES A NEW
VOCABULARY SURROUNDING:
CHRONOLOGY
STYLE
SUBJECT
FORMAL ANALYSIS
AND BIAS

9. Chronology
 When was the work created?
 What other facets of culture—music, philosophy,
politics, literature, religion, science—influenced the
creation of the work?
 What can the piece tell us about the status of women in a
particular year?
 What did people believe the role of the gods were in a
particular generation?

10. Artist and Patron
 Who created the work? What is her/his story?
◦ Biographical Analysis
 Who commissioned/purchased the work? For what
agenda?
◦ Political Propaganda?
◦ To promote a reputation of wealth or power?
◦ To sustain life after death?
◦ Criticism of respective culture
◦ Self-expression
 What other facets of culture—music, philosophy,
politics, literature, religion, science—influenced the
commissioning of the work?

11. Style
 Period Style—those characteristics particular to a specific
time and a specific culture
◦ Greco-Roman
◦ Islamic
 Regional—those characteristics particular to a specific
provenance
◦ Egyptian
◦ Mesoamerican
 Personal Style—those characteristics particular to an
individual artist and his/her techniques
 MICHELANGELO as different from CARAVAGGIO
 In 101 we will know fewer artists than in 102
 How are these styles determined by the cultures in
which they arise?

12. What stylistic clues help us recognize these
regions or periods?
EGYPT: Upright pose, Diorite ANCIENT GREECE: Marble,
material, eternally youthful visage, Contrapposto, Nudity, rational
Horus on Neck proportions

13. Subject
 Iconography—the writing of images
 VISUAL CONTENT
 SYMBOLS
 ATTRIBUTES
 PERSONIFICATIONS
 Helps us “read” the image presented
 HINT: Don’t Ignore the Obvious.

14. What iconography
helps us recognize
this subject?
SUBJECT: Maesta
ICNOGRAPHY:
Man-Child on her Lap
(Jesus)
Throne
Surrounded by Angels
Red and Blue Robes
Mantle
Halo
Inscription below (but
most people would have
been illiterate)

15. Formal Analysis
 These elements will often help us understand why we
react to a particular piece the way we do
 Composition
 Medium/Technique
 Line, Color, Texture
 Mass, Volume
 Perspective
 Linear, Atmospheric Perspective and Foreshortening
 Proportion/Disproportion
 Hierarchy of Scale

16. Bias
 How we interpret meaning is directly influenced by how
we identify ourselves and what we (unconsciously) assume
about others
◦ Gender identity
◦ Age
◦ Ethnicity
◦ Socio-Economic Class
◦ Education
◦ Religious Creed
◦ Sexual Orientation
 Being aware of our biases (we all have many), we can be
more informed about what we see
 REMEMBER, bias is neither good nor bad; it just is.

17. Which is the “correct” portrait?
Te Pehi Kupe, Self Portrait , John Sylvester, Portrait of Te
1826 Pehi Kupe, 1826
It depends on what we privilege--self-identification or « naturalism. »

18. IN SUMMARY
 Art History is an  We are going to use the
uncovering of historical tools of:
changes as seen in works  Chronology
of art  Artist and Patron
 Art History is  Style
interdisciplinary  Iconography
 Formal Analysis
 And we are going to be as
conscious as we can of
our biases

19. The Discipline of Art History
A STUDY OF OBJECTS IN THEIR CONTEXTS IN ORDER
TO UNDERSTAND THE WORLDVIEW, THE CULTURE,
THE HISTORY OF A PARTICULAR PERIOD, REGION,
ARTIST, AND/OR PATRON
AN ARDUOUS SURVEY OF OBJECTS, RELIGIOUS
VIEWS, ICONOGRAPHY, POLITICAL AGENDAS, AND
SCIENTIFIC DISCOVERIES