What Is the Difference Between Art History and History of Art?

Art|Art History

The two terms are often used interchangeably, but they actually refer to different ways to study the visual arts.

Art history is a branch of the humanities that deals with the study of art and its development over time. It looks at the works of art in their historical, social, and cultural context. Art historians try to understand how art has changed over time and how it has been interpreted by different cultures. They also research how art has been used as a form of communication or expression throughout history.

History of Art is a more recent field that emerged in the 19th century. It focuses on studying works of art from an aesthetic perspective, attempting to understand why an artist created a particular artwork, what it symbolizes, and how it fits into its era’s aesthetics. History of Art looks at works of art from a more objective point of view, examining aspects such as composition, symbolism, color theory and more.

The major difference between Art History and History of Art is that the former focuses on examining artwork within its social and historical context while the latter looks at artwork from an aesthetic viewpoint. Both disciplines are important for understanding the visual arts since they both provide different perspectives that can lead to greater insights into understanding why certain works were created in certain ways.

Conclusion:
In conclusion, while both Art History and History of Art focus on examining works of art, they do so in different ways – Art History examines them within their social and historical context while History of Art looks at them from an aesthetic perspective. Both disciplines are important for gaining an understanding into why certain artwork was created in certain ways.