Introduction to the History of Art

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Introduction to the History of Art

This website explores the history of art. It is not a list of artists and their works but a guided tour of the art history. But what is art history? The first point to make is that it is not art appreciation but about the history of the period when the art object was made, the artist, the culture of the time and the work of art itself.

This website is also about seeing. The easiest thing in the world or the hardest thing. How are we meant to look at a work of art? What type of object is it? What questions do we ask about it?

As art history is concerned with objects produced by people we need to look at all the ways such objects have been produced as this determines the form of the object and limits the artist. It may seem a strange place to start but first consider the ways of producing objects as each opens up opportunities and introduces limitations.

Visual Analysis

Painting
Sculpture
Architecture
Photography
Carving
Casting
Mural Painting

Materials and Techniques

Easel Painting
Easel Painting 2
Drawing
Printmaking
Memorials
Photography
Digital Reproduction
Institutions of Art
Building Materials
Installations

Architecture
Romanesque, Gothic and Renaissance Architecture