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What is Aesthetics?
Aesthetics is the branch of philosophy that addresses the nature of beauty, especially in art.
Art Appreciation vs Art History
Art appreciation does not require knowledge of the historical context of an artwork. Art history does require knowledge of historical context of an artwork.
What is the aim of art history
The aim of art history is to determine the original context of artworks. Art historians seek to achieve a full understanding not only of why these “persisting events” of human history look the way they do, but also of why these artistic events happened at all.
What do art historians study?
Art historians study the visual and tangible objects that humans make and the structures they build.
How do artists affect history?
Artists can affect history by reinforcing or challenging cultural values and practices through the objects they create.
Did the makers of all pieces of art consider their craft an art?
No, for example, coin manufacturers.
What five questions do art historians ask?
1- How old is it?
2- What is its style?
3- What is its subject?
4- Who made it?
5- Who paid for it?
What are some ways to establish an approximate date of an artwork?
Physical evidence, documentary evidence, internal evidence, and stylistic evidence.
What is chronology?
The dating of artworks and buildings.
Referring to the question “How old is it”, what is physical evidence?
Materials used were only used in or were discovered at a certain date.
Referring to the question “How old is it”, what is documentary evidence?
When a dated written document mentions an artwork.
Referring to the question “How old is it”, what is internal evidence?
A painter or sculptor might have depicted an identifiable person or kind of hairstyle or garment fashionable only at a certain time.
Referring to the question “How old is it”, what is stylistic evidence?
The analysis of the artwork’s style.
What is style?
An artist’s distinctive manner of producing an object.
What are the three kinds of artistic styles?
1- Period style
2- Regional style
3- Personal style
Referring to the question “What is it’s style”, what is period style?
The artistic manner of a specific era or span of years, usually within a specific culture. Example: Archaic Greek or High Renaissance
Referring to the question “What is it’s style”, what is regional style?
Variations in style tied to geography.
Referring to the question “What is it’s style”, what is personal style?
The distinctive manner of individual artists or architects.
What is subject matter?
It encompasses the story or narrative, the scene presented, the action’s time and place, the people involved, and the environment.
Iconography
“writing in images” - Example: the christian cross/ a balance symbolizing justice.
Referring to the question “Who made it”, what is a school?
A school is when a group of artists work in the same style at the same time and place.
What is a connoisseur?
An expert in assigning artworks to “the hand” of one artist rather than another.
Patrons
those who paid for artworks.
