What Is the Goal of Art History?

Art|Art History

What Is the Goal of Art History?

The goal of art history is to understand the development, meaning, and significance of art as it has evolved over time. It is a broad field that encompasses many different forms and genres of art from across the globe. Art history seeks to explain why certain works were created, how they were made, how they evolved over time, and their impact on the culture in which they were produced.

Art historians study a variety of works, including painting, sculpture, photography, architecture, ceramics, textiles, metalwork and furniture. They use a variety of methods to analyze artwork including formal analysis (the study of structure and form), iconography (the study of symbols and representational images), iconology (the study of symbols in relation to their social context), material culture (the study of objects used in everyday life) and stylistic analysis (the study of style).

In addition to analyzing works of art themselves, art historians often look at historical documents such as letters and diaries that may shed light on an artist’s creative process or the context surrounding a work’s production. They may also examine archaeological evidence or archival material related to a particular work or artist. In some cases, art historians draw upon other disciplines such as anthropology or sociology in order to gain a better understanding of the cultural context in which a work was created.

The ultimate goal for art historians is not only to understand individual pieces of artwork but also how those works fit into larger cultural patterns over time. By looking at how different works interact with each other throughout history we can gain insight into how cultures evolve over time and how individuals are affected by those changes. Art history helps us understand our own place within the world by providing us with an understanding of past cultures and their creative expressions.

Conclusion: The goal of art history is to understand the development, meaning and significance of artwork as it has evolved over time. It seeks to explain why certain works were created, how they were made and their impact on the culture that produced them.

Art historians use a variety of methods such as formal analysis and iconography to analyze works while also looking at historical documents for clues about an artist’s creative process or the context surrounding its production. Ultimately, through examining artwork from various cultures over time we can gain insight into how cultures evolve over time and our place within them.