When Did Art History Become a Discipline?
The emergence of art history as an academic discipline can be traced back to the 18th century. During this period, the study of art became increasingly rigorous and organized.
Previously, art had been studied in a more casual manner, with no formalized structure or curriculum. The development of art history as an academic discipline was closely linked to the increased interest in the study of classical antiquity during this period.
In 1750, German scholar Johann Joachim Winckelmann wrote his influential Geschichte der Kunst des Altertums (History of Ancient Art). This book was one of the first comprehensive studies on ancient art and sparked a renewed interest in classical antiquity among scholars. In 1765, he published his Reflections on the Painting and Sculpture of the Greeks, which provided an analysis of Greek sculpture that would become foundational to later scholars.
Winckelmann’s work had a major influence on subsequent generations of academics who sought to create an organized system for studying art history. In 1803, French artist and writer Antoine-Chrysostome Quatremère de Quincy published his influential Histoire de l’Académie Royale des Beaux-Arts (History of the Royal Academy of Fine Arts). This four-volume work was one of the earliest attempts to provide a systematic overview of Western art from ancient times up to its own time period.
By the mid-19th century, universities across Europe began offering specialized courses in their departments devoted to researching and studying fine arts and architecture. The establishment of these courses marked a major milestone in the development of art history as an academic discipline. During this period, writers such as John Ruskin and Jacob Burckhardt began producing works which sought to analyze works from all historical periods from both an aesthetic and psychological standpoint.
The early 20th century saw further developments in art history with scholars such as Ernst Gombrich publishing works which sought to establish new frameworks for understanding and interpreting works from different eras. This period also saw the emergence of new fields such as iconography and semiotics which looked at how symbols were used in different periods and cultures. By the mid 20th century, art history had become established as an academic discipline with its own set curricula, methods for research and analysis, and journals dedicated to its study.
Today, art history is taught at universities around the world with courses covering topics such as aesthetics, iconography, visual culture studies, gender studies in relation to artistic production, etc., demonstrating its evolution into a multifaceted field with growing importance among modern academics.
In conclusion, it is clear that art history has evolved over time into a well-established academic discipline beginning with Johann Joachim Winckelmann’s groundbreaking studies during the 18th century up until today where it is taught at universities around the world with its own specific methodologies for studying artistic production from different eras and cultures.