Art History and Art Art History and Art CriticismCriticism

Week 7Week 7Chapter 4 Thinking about Art HistorChapter 4 Thinking about Art Histor

yyIris TuanIris Tuan

The Ideas Interacted with the The Ideas Interacted with the VisualVisual

• Chapter 1—distinction between art history and art appChapter 1—distinction between art history and art appreciation and art criticism reciation and art criticism

• Primary evidence—the work of art (p. 76)Primary evidence—the work of art (p. 76)• Issues such as class and gender (p. 77)Issues such as class and gender (p. 77)• The term “aesthetics” (p. 77)The term “aesthetics” (p. 77)• Alexander Gottlieb Baumgarten: TasteAlexander Gottlieb Baumgarten: Taste• Challenge the idea that the purpose of art is to imitate Challenge the idea that the purpose of art is to imitate

nature (p. 77)nature (p. 77)• An individual’s judgment or taste about aesthetics coAn individual’s judgment or taste about aesthetics co

uld mean something to other people (p. 78)uld mean something to other people (p. 78)•

Kant vs. HegelKant vs. Hegel

• Kant’s Kant’s Critique of JudgmentCritique of Judgment• Underpin the concept of `genius’ (p. 78)Underpin the concept of `genius’ (p. 78)• Kant’s idea of the aesthetic was refuted by G. Kant’s idea of the aesthetic was refuted by G.

W. F. Hegel (p. 78)W. F. Hegel (p. 78)• VolksgeistVolksgeist, the spirit of the nation, the spirit of the nation• ZeitgeistZeitgeist, the spirit of the age, the spirit of the age• The history of the apirit can be broken up into The history of the apirit can be broken up into

three periods—1. the symbolic, 2. the classical,three periods—1. the symbolic, 2. the classical, and 3. the romantic (p. 78-79) and 3. the romantic (p. 78-79)

Art History as a Systematic Art History as a Systematic EnquiryEnquiry

• E.g. Reynold’s E.g. Reynold’s Three Ladies Adorning a TThree Ladies Adorning a Term of Hymen erm of Hymen (1773)(1773)

• Reflects the later 18Reflects the later 18thth century preoccupati century preoccupation with antiquity (p. 80)on with antiquity (p. 80)

• Karl Marx: Historical Materialism (p. 80)Karl Marx: Historical Materialism (p. 80)• The base—the economic basis for society The base—the economic basis for society • The superstructure—the artThe superstructure—the art

IdeologyIdeology

• The Manipulation of powerThe Manipulation of power• Two social groups: the exploited and the Two social groups: the exploited and the

exploiters (p. 80)exploiters (p. 80)• The group is based on wealth (p. 81)The group is based on wealth (p. 81)• E.g. John Constable’s E.g. John Constable’s The CornfieldThe Cornfield

(1826)(1826)• An idyllic representation of the English An idyllic representation of the English

countrysidecountryside• Question: Who is looking at it?Question: Who is looking at it?

TheoriesTheories

Semiotics (p. 82)Semiotics (p. 82)

Michel Foucault’s Michel Foucault’s What Is an Author What Is an Author

Authenticity and authorship (p. 83)Authenticity and authorship (p. 83)

Deconstruction: E.g. Jacques Derrida (p. 83)Deconstruction: E.g. Jacques Derrida (p. 83)

Decode (p. 85)Decode (p. 85)

The “inside” and the “outside” of a work of The “inside” and the “outside” of a work of artart

E.g. Monet’s E.g. Monet’s Rouen Cathedral Rouen Cathedral (1894)(1894)

Psychoanalysis and Psychoanalysis and FeminismFeminism

• The study of the unconscious mindThe study of the unconscious mind• Sigmund Freud (p. 86)Sigmund Freud (p. 86)• The representation of womenThe representation of women• Relationship between the sexes (p. 87)Relationship between the sexes (p. 87)• Art indeed has a history (p. 89)Art indeed has a history (p. 89)