Art History is a field of study that focuses on the history of art, from its origins to the present day. It is a discipline that looks at how art has evolved over time and how it has been interpreted and understood. Art historians attempt to understand the meaning behind works of art, as well as their historical context.
In order to analyze and interpret works of art, art historians use a range of methods including formal analysis, iconography, and contextual analysis. Formal analysis looks at the visual elements of a work of art such as line, shape, color, texture and composition.
Iconography examines the symbols and imagery used in a work of art to determine its meaning. Contextual analysis looks at the social, political and cultural contexts in which a work was created in order to gain an understanding of why it was made.
Art history also includes the study of other forms of visual culture such as film, photography, performance arts, architecture and design. Art historians may look at how these forms have been used to communicate ideas and meanings throughout history. They may also explore how these forms have been used as tools for social or political change or to convey specific messages or themes.
Art history can be divided into several different parts or periods. These periods typically correspond with major historical events or eras such as ancient Egypt or classical Greece.
Other divisions are based on artistic movements such as Impressionism or Modernism. Art historians will often focus on one particular period or movement in order to gain a better understanding of it’s evolution over time and its effects on other areas of culture.
Finally, art history also includes theories about aesthetics and interpretation. These theories attempt to explain what makes some works more successful than others and why certain pieces resonate more deeply with viewers than others do. These theories can be applied to all forms of visual culture in order to gain insight into how people perceive works of art differently depending on their own perspectives.
In conclusion, Art History is an expansive field that attempts to understand both the evolution of art over time as well as its impact on culture today. It includes formal analysis, iconography, contextual analysis, other forms of visual culture such as film or photography and theories about interpretation and aesthetics so that we can gain greater insight into how people perceive works differently depending on their own perspectives