Giorgio Vasari, a painter and sculptor from Tuscany, authored the first comprehensive art history in the 17th century. His seminal work, Lives of the Most Excellent Painters, Sculptors, and Architects, was a watershed moment in the history of the field when it was first published in 1550.Aclassic that continues to be used as a foundational text in the field of art history.
The aesthetic qualities of paintings, sculptures, and other works of art were the focus of study for art historians in the 18th and 19th centuries. Philosophy, which emphasized the idea that art should be attractive and agreeable to the eye, inspired this emphasis Art historians started using theories like object theory and actor-network theory to examine artworks in the 20th century.
These days, lots of academics are thinking about the wider cultural, political, economic, and social settings of art making and display. To give only one example, modern art historians frequently delve into the study of nationalism Furthermore, some artists are driven to create by a desire to show their allegiance to their country or culture.
It's no secret that non-Western art history is making strides in the field Africa, China, India, Japan, and Southeast Asia can now all be represented in the classroom because of the proliferation of photography and the internet
Art history is commonly subdivided into areas of focus based on time periods, geographical areas, and even different types of media studied To provide just two examples, one may focus on "19th-century German architecture," while another could focus on "16th-century Tuscan sculpture."
Aby Warburg and Fritz Saxl are just two examples of the persons who contributed to the expansion of our lexicon for the study of symbols The terms "iconography" and "iconology" were coined to characterize works of art that drew inspiration from mythology and the Bible, respectively.