Who Said History Is an Art Not Science?

Art|Art History

History is an incredibly complex subject, and it is one of the most important disciplines that help us understand our world today. It has been studied and taught for centuries, but who said history is an art not science?

The phrase “History is an art, not a science” has been attributed to many notable people throughout history. The most commonly credited source of this phrase is the 19th century American historian and philosopher Henry Adams. Adams believed that the study of history should be approached with a creative, imaginative approach rather than an analytical one.

Adams was a strong proponent of the idea that history could be seen as an art form because it involves “the selection, arrangement, and interpretation of facts to construct a narrative or story” which he believed was similar to how artistic works were created.

Adams’ views on history were quite revolutionary for his time as many historians had previously viewed the discipline as a straightforward collection of facts. But Adams argued that this approach could lead to an incomplete understanding of the past, as it does not fully capture the context in which those facts exist.

Adams’ views on history have been adopted by many modern historians who argue that while historical analysis requires careful examination of evidence and rigorous analysis, it also requires creativity and imagination in order to construct meaningful narratives about our past. History is thus both an art and a science; we must use both approaches in order to gain a deeper understanding.

Conclusion:

Henry Adams famously said “History is an art, not a science” in order to emphasize the importance of creativity and imagination when studying history. While modern historians agree that historical analysis requires careful examination of evidence and rigorous analysis, they also recognize that creativity and imagination are necessary for constructing meaningful stories about our past.

Thus, who said history is an art not science? Henry Adams did – but modern historians agree!