Art History is a fascinating and exciting subject that enables you to look at an artwork and understand it on many different levels. It can teach you about the world in which an artwork was created, and what conscious or unconscious decisions made by artists were reflected in the form of the work. It can also tell you how an artwork has been perceived in the past, and how it has changed over time. Art History can be an extremely rewarding and fulfilling experience, as you will develop analytical skills that you can apply to any visual material.
Art historians study art from all over the world, and from ancient to present day, in a wide variety of media, including paintings, sculpture, drawing, prints, photographs, architecture, design, ceramics, video, and even performance art. When you study art, you will learn about the cultural context in which it was created, and how it reflects and challenges societies in a dynamic way. You will learn how to identify key formal elements, such as line, shape, color, value, and composition, which are used to create the expressive power of a work. You will also learn about the historical context in which an artwork was created, and what impact it had when it was first exhibited.
It is important to note that the definition of what makes something art has been debated since ancient times. For example, a philosopher named Arthur Danto suggested that art is an activity that transcends mere real things and requires a particular attitude or point of view. Moreover, Danto said that the definition of what is artistic can only be defined by experts (Danto 1981).
Despite this debate, many art historians agree that there are certain features of an artwork that make it artistic. For example, they agree that an artwork must be intentionally framed in some way, and that it should express an attitude or point of view about life. They also agree that an artwork must be able to capture a moment in time and communicate emotions, which are considered to be the essence of art.
Another approach to defining art is to take an institutionalist approach, which defines it as an activity that takes place within a specific universe of discourse. This type of definition focuses on the context in which an object is produced, and how it has been received over time by art critics and historians.
When studying an artwork, it is essential to consider how it has been framed by the art world and its critics, and how these factors influence our interpretation of it. For instance, if an artwork is being framed by gallery owners, collectors, auctioneers, or curators, it will have been deemed to be an acceptable art object because it has the potential for monetary value. This will influence how long you will look at the artwork and what your responses will be to it. Then, you should analyze the work in terms of its specific esthetic qualities, such as contrasts of contrasting lines, shapes, or colors, and whether a work uses proportion to create expressive spatial effects.