The study of art history has long been a part of human culture, but only recently has it become an established academic field. As art historians seek to understand the development of art and its relationship to culture, they use a variety of methods to gain insight. The first method used in the study of art history is the close examination and analysis of individual works.
By studying individual works, art historians can gain an understanding of the context in which they were produced and identify their place in a larger artistic tradition. This method involves careful analysis of the physical characteristics of a work – such as its materials, techniques, and style – as well as its iconography, or symbolic content. Through this process, art historians are able to trace the evolution of a particular artist’s style or gain insight into a particular time period or culture.
The second method used in the study of art history is comparison and contrast. By comparing different works from different periods or cultures, art historians can identify similarities and differences between them and draw conclusions about how various factors such as geography or religion may have influenced their production. Comparisons also allow scholars to place an individual work within its historical context and assess its importance relative to other works from that period.
Finally, art historians often look beyond individual works in order to gain insight into broader issues such as patronage or public opinion. Through archival research or interviews with contemporary witnesses, they can explore how works were received by audiences at the time they were created and how they have been interpreted since then. This type of research provides valuable information about the social meaning behind works that would otherwise remain unknown.
In conclusion, while there are several methods used in the study of art history, the first is close examination and analysis of individual works. By analyzing physical characteristics such as materials and style as well as iconography, scholars can trace artistic development across time periods or cultures. In addition, comparison between different works allow for greater understanding about how geography or religion may have impacted production while archival research provides insight into broader social issues.