1/30/2017 HistoryofartWikipedia

Historyofart
FromWikipedia,thefreeencyclopedia

Thehistoryofartisthehistoryofanyactivityorproductmade
byhumansinavisualformforaestheticalorcommunicative
purposes,expressingideas,emotionsor,ingeneral,aworldview.
Overtimevisualarthasbeenclassifiedindiverseways,fromthe
medievaldistinctionbetweenliberalartsandmechanicalarts,to
themoderndistinctionbetweenfineartsandappliedarts,orto
themanycontemporarydefinitions,whichdefineartasa
manifestationofhumancreativity.Thesubsequentexpansionof
thelistofprincipalartsinthe20thcenturyreachedtonine:
architecture,dance,sculpture,music,painting,poetry(described
broadlyasaformofliteraturewithaestheticpurposeorfunction, TheCreationofAdam(15081512),by
whichalsoincludesthedistinctgenresoftheatreandnarrative), Michelangelo,intheSistineChapel(Vatican)
film,photographyandgraphicarts.Inadditiontotheoldforms
ofartisticexpressionsuchasfashionandgastronomy,new
modesofexpressionarebeingconsideredasartssuchasvideo,computerart,performance,advertising,
animation,televisionandvideogames.

Thehistoryofartisamultidisciplinarybranchoftheartsandsciences,seekinganobjectiveexaminationofart
throughouttime,classifyingcultures,establishingperiodizations,andobservingthedistinctiveandinfluential
characteristicsofart.[1]ThestudyofthehistoryofartwasinitiallydevelopedduringtheRenaissance,withits
limitedscopebeingtheartisticproductionofWesterncivilization.However,astimehaspassed,ithasimposed
abroaderviewofartistichistory,seekingacomprehensiveoverviewofallthecivilizationsandanalysisof
theirartisticproductionintermsoftheirownculturalvalues(culturalrelativism),andnotjustwesternart
history.

Today,artenjoysawidenetworkofstudy,disseminationandpreservationofalltheartisticlegacyofmankind
throughouthistory.The20thcenturyhasseentheproliferationofinstitutions,foundations,artmuseumsand
galleries,inboththepublicandprivatesectors,dedicatedtotheanalysisandcatalogingofworksofartaswell
asexhibitionsaimedatamainstreamaudience.Theriseofmediahasbeencrucialinimprovingthestudyand
disseminationofart.InternationaleventsandexhibitionsliketheWhitneyBiennialandbiennalesofVenice
andSoPauloortheDocumentaofKasselhavehelpedthedevelopmentofnewstylesandtrends.Prizessuch
astheTurneroftheTateGallery,theWolfPrizeinArts,thePritzkerPrizeofarchitecture,thePulitzerof
photographyandtheOscarofcinemaalsopromotethebestcreativeworkonaninternationallevel.Institutions
likeUNESCO,withtheestablishmentoftheWorldHeritageSitelists,alsohelptheconservationofthemajor
monumentsoftheplanet.[2]

Contents
1 Historicaldevelopment
2 Prehistoryandancienthistory
2.1 Globalprehistory
2.1.1 Paleolithic
2.1.2 Neolithic
2.1.3 MetalAge
2.2 AncientMediterraneanart
2.2.1 Mesopotamia
2.2.2 Egypt
2.2.3 GreeceandEtruria
2.2.4 Rome
3 Medievaltocontemporaryeras
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3 Medievaltocontemporaryeras
3.1 Medieval
3.2 RenaissanceandBaroque
3.3 NeoclassicalismtoRealism
3.4 ModernandContemporary
4 TheAmericas
4.1 Preclassic
4.2 Classic
4.3 Postclassic
4.4 Colonial
4.5 Modern
5 WesternAsia
6 Central/Southern/EasternAsian
7 Africa
8 Oceania
9 Artmuseums
10 Artmarket
11 Nationalistarthistory
12 Academicarthistory
13 Sacredarthistory
14 Seealso
15 References
16 Furtherreading
17 Externallinks
17.1 Timelines

Historicaldevelopment
Thefieldof"arthistory"wasdevelopedintheWest,andoriginally
dealtexclusivelywithEuropeanarthistory,withtheHighRenaissance
(anditsGreekprecedent)asthedefiningstandard.Gradually,overthe
courseofthe20thcentury,awidervisionofarthistoryhasdeveloped.
Thisexpandedversionincludessocietiesfromacrosstheglobe,andit
usuallyattemptstoanalyzeartifactsintermsoftheculturalvaluesin
whichtheywerecreated.Thus,arthistoryisnowseentoencompass
allvisualart,fromthemegalithsofWesternEuropetothepaintingsof
theTangDynastyinChina.

Thehistoryofartisoftentoldasachronologyofmasterpiecescreated
ineachcivilization.Itcanthusbeframedasastoryofhighculture, TheSakyamuniBuddha,byZhang
epitomizedbytheWondersoftheWorld.Ontheotherhand, Shengwen,c.11731176CE,Chinese
vernacularartexpressionscanalsobeintegratedintoarthistorical SongDynastyperiod
narratives,inwhichcasetheyareusuallyreferredtoasfolkartsor
craft.Themorecloselythatanarthistorianengageswiththeselatter
formsoflowculture,themorelikelyitisthattheywillidentifytheirworkasexaminingvisualcultureor
materialculture,orascontributingtofieldsrelatedtoarthistory,suchasanthropologyorarcheology.Inthe
lattercasesartobjectsmaybereferredtoasarcheologicalartifacts.

Prehistoryandancienthistory
Onewaytoexaminehowarthistoryisorganizedisbyexaminingthemajorsurveytextbooks,whichreflectan
encyclopedicviewofwhatexpertsviewasart.FrequentlyconsultedtextbookspublishedinEnglishareErnst
GombrichsStoryofArt,MarilynStokstadsArtHistory,AnthonyJansonsHistoryofArt,DavidWilkins,
BernardSchultz,andKatherynM.LinduffsArtPast,ArtPresent,HelenGardnersArtThroughtheAges,
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HughHonourandJohnFlemmingsAWorldHistoryofArt,andLaurieSchneiderAdamssArtAcrossTime.
InformationoncanonicalarthistoryisalsofoundintheHeilbrunnTimelineofArtHistory,[3]whichis
sponsoredbytheMetropolitanMuseumofArtinNewYorkCity.

Globalprehistory

Thefirsttangibleartifactsofhumanart
thathavebeenfoundarefromtheStone
Age(UpperPaleolithic,Mesolithicand
Neolithic),periodswhenthefirst
demonstrationsthatcanbeconsideredto
LudovisiBattlesarcophagus(250260 beartbyhumansappeared.Duringthe
CE),withbattlebetweenRoman Paleolithic(25,0008,000BCE),humans
soldiersandbarbarians.Thegeneral practicedhuntingandgatheringand
maybeHostilian,EmperorDecius' livedincaves,wherecavepaintingwas
son(died252CE). developed.[4]Afteratransitionalperiod
(Mesolithic,8,0006,000BCE),inthe
Neolithicperiod(60003000BCE),whenhumansengagedinagricultureand
builtincreasinglycomplexsocieties,religionbecamemoreimportantandthe
productionofhandicraftscommenced.IntheBronzeAge(c.3,000
1,000BCE),thefirstprotohistoriccivilizationsarose.
VenusofWillendorf,
Paleolithic NaturhistorischesMuseum

ThePaleolithichaditsfirstartisticmanifestationin25,000BCE,reachingits
peakintheMagdalenianperiod(15,0008,000BCE).Thefirsttracesofhumanmadeobjectsappearedin
southernAfrica,theWesternMediterranean,CentralandEasternEurope(AdriaticSea),Siberia(BaikalLake),
IndiaandAustralia.Thesefirsttracesaregenerallyworkedstone(flint,obsidian),woodorbonetools.Topaint
inred,ironoxidewasused,inblack,manganeseoxideandinochre,clay.[5]Survivingartfromthisperiod
includessmallcarvingsinstoneorboneandcavepainting.CavepaintingshavebeenfoundintheFranco
Cantabrianregion.Therearepictureswithmagicalreligiouscharacterandalsopictureswithanaturalistic
sense,whichdepictanimals,notablythecavesofAltamira,TroisFrres,ChauvetandLascaux.Sculptureis
representedbythesocalledVenusfigurines,femininefigureswhichwereprobablyusedinfertilitycults,such
astheVenusofWillendorf.[6]OtherrepresentativeworksofthisperiodaretheManfromBrno[7]andtheVenus
ofBrassempouy.[8]

Neolithic

Thisperiodfromc.8,000BCEintheNearEastwasaprofound
changefortheancienthumans,whobecamemoresedentaryand
settledastheybegantoengageinagricultureandanimal
husbandry.Alongwiththesechanges,newformsofsocial
coexistenceandreligiondeveloped.[9]TherockartoftheIberian
MediterraneanBasindatedbetweentheMesolithicandNeolithic
erascontainedsmall,schematicpaintingsofhumanfigures,with
notableexamplesinElCogul,Valltorta,AlperaandMinateda.

Thiskindofpaintingwasalsosimilartopaintingsfoundin
CavepaintingatRocadelsMoros,inEl northernAfrica(Atlas,Sahara)andintheareaofmodern
Cogul Zimbabwe.Neolithicpaintingwasschematic,reducedtobasic
strokes(menintheformofacrossandwomeninatriangular
shape).TherearealsocavepaintingsinPinturasRiverin
Argentina,especiallytheCuevadelasManos.Inportableart,astylecalledCardiumPotterywasproduced,
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decoratedwithimprintsofseashells.Newmaterialswereusedinart,suchasamber,crystalsfoundinrock,
quartzandjasper.Inthisperiod,thefirsttracesofurbanisticplanimetryappeared,suchastheremainsinTell
asSultan(Jericho),Jarmo(Iraq)andatalhyk(Anatolia).[10]

MetalAge

ThelastprehistoricphaseistheMetalAge,astheuseofelements
suchascopper,bronzeandironprovedtobeagreatmaterial
transformationfortheseancientsocieties.Whenhumanscould
smeltmetalandforgemetalimplements,thisenabledthemtomake
newtoolsandweapons.IntheChalcolithic(alsocalledCopper
Age)theMegalithemerged,massivemonumentsofstonewere
built.ExamplesincludethedolmenandmenhirortheEnglish
cromlech,ascanbeseeninthecomplexesatNewgrangeand
Stonehenge.[9]InSpaintheLosMillaresculturewasformed,
characterizedbytheBeakerculture,whichpicturedhumanfigures
withbigeyes.InMalta,thetemplecomplexesofaarQim,
MegalithiccomplexofStonehenge
Mnajdra,Tarxienandgantijawerebuilt.IntheBalearicIslands
notablemegalithicculturesdeveloped,withdifferenttypesof
monuments:thenaveta,atombshapedlikeatruncatedpyramid,withanelongatedburialchamberthetaula,
twolargestones,oneputverticallyandtheotherhorizontallyaboveeachotherandthetalaiot,atowerwitha
coveredchamberandafalsedome.[11]

IntheIronAgetheculturesofHallstatt(Austria)andLaTene(Switzerland)markthesignificantphasesin
Europe.Thefirstwasdevelopedbetweenthe7thand5thcenturyBCEbythenecropoleiswithtumulartombs
andawoodenburialchamberintheformofahouse,oftenaccompaniedbyafourwheeledcart.Thepottery
waspolychromic,withgeometricdecorationsandapplicationsofmetallicornaments.LaTenewasdeveloped
betweenthe5thand4thcenturyBCE,andismorepopularlyknownasearlyCelticart.Itproducedmanyiron
objectssuchasswordsandspears,whichhavenotsurvivedwelltothe2000sduetorust.Bronzecontinuedto
beusedforhighlydecoratedshields,fibulas,andotherobjects,withdifferentstagesofevolutionofthestyle.
DecorationwasinfluencedbyGreek,EtruscanandScythianart.[12]InmostoftheEuropeancontinent,
conquestbytheRomanEmpirebroughtthestyletoanend.

Venusof Menhirintheregionof Circulartalaiotinthe Solarcartof

Brassempouy,Muse Brittany(France) islandofMallorca Trundholm(Denmark)
desAntiquits (Spain)
Nationales,Saint
GermainenLaye

AncientMediterraneanart

Inthefirstperiodofrecordedhistory,artbeganalongsidetheinventionofwriting,foundedbythegreat
civilizationsofNearEast:EgyptandMesopotamia.Thisperiodalsodifferedfromothersbecauseartistic
manifestationsoccurredineverycultureofallthecontinents.Inthisperiod,thefirstgreatcitiesappearednear
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majorrivers:Nile,TigrisandEuphrates,IndusandYellowRiver.

Oneofthegreatadvancesofthisperiodwaswriting,generated
primarilybytheneedtokeeptaxandcommercialrecords.Thefirst
writingcodewasthecuneiformscript,whichemergedinMesopotamia
c.3500BCE,writtenonclaytablets.Itwasbasedonpictographicand
ideographicelements,whilelaterSumeriansdevelopedsyllablesfor
writing,reflectingthephonologyandsyntaxoftheSumerianlanguage.
InEgypthieroglyphicwritingwasdeveloped,withthefirstsample
beingtheNarmerPalette(3,100BCE).TheHebrewlanguagewasone
ofthefirstlanguagestoutilizethemethodofwritingwithanalphabet
(Abjad,c.1,800BCE),whichrelatesauniquesymbolforeach
phonemetheGreekandtheLatinalphabetderivefromit.[13]

Mesopotamia SplintonFloodmyth,oftheEpicof
Gilgamesh
Mesopotamianartwasdevelopedinthe
areabetweenTigrisandEuphrates(moderndaySyriaandIraq),wherefromthe
4thmillenniumBCEmanydifferentculturesexistedsuchasSumer,Akkad,
AmoriteandChaldea.Mesopotamianarchitecturewascharacterizedbytheuseof
brick,lintelandtheintroductionofconstructionelementslikearcandvault.
Notablearetheziggurats,largetempleswiththeformofaterracedsteppyramid,
fromwhichwehavepracticallynotracesleftexcepttheirbases.Thetombwas
usuallyacorridor,withacoveredchamberandafalsedome,asinsomeexamples
foundinUr.Therewerealsopalaceswalledwithaterraceintheformofa
ziggurat,wheregardenswereanimportantfeature.TheHangingGardensof
BabylonwasoneoftheSevenWondersoftheAncientWorld.

Sculpturewasdevelopedthroughwoodcarvingandrelief.Sculpturewasusedin
DioriteStatueI,patesiofreligious,militaryandhuntingscenes,depictingbothhumanandanimalfigures,
Lagash(2120BCE), includingdepictionsofrealandmythologicalfigures.IntheSumerianperiod,
LouvreMuseum,Paris smallstatuesofpeoplewereproduced.Thesestatueshadanangularformandthey
wereproducedwithcoloredstone.Thefigurestypicallyhadbaldheadwithhands
foldedonthechest.IntheAkkadianperiod,statuesdepictedfigureswithlonghairandbeards,thesteleof
NaramSin.IntheAmoriteperiod(orNeosumerian),statuesrepresentedkingGudeaofLagash,withhismantle
andaturbanonhisheadandhishandsonhischest.DuringBabylonianrule,thesteleofHammurabiwas
important.Assyriansculptureisnotableforitsanthropomorphismofcattleandthewingedgenie,whichis
depictedflyinginmanyreliefsdepictingwarandhuntingscenes,suchasintheBlackObeliskofShalmaneser
III.[14]

Storytellingusingtheoraltraditionprobablyexistedsinceprehistory.However,withtheadventofwriting,
writtenstories(literature)aroseasameansofexpressinghumancreativity.TheSumerianliteratureis
representedbytheEpicofGilgamesh,writteninthe17thcenturyBCE.Itcontainsthirtymythsaboutthemost
importantSumerianandAkkadiandeities,whichare:Innana'sdescenttohellandthegodsEnkiandTammuz.
AnotherexampleisthepoemLugaludmelambiNirpal(ThehardshipofNinurta),whichhasmoraland
didactic(instructional)messages.DuringAkkadianperiod,Atrahasiswaswritten,whichincludestheflood
myth.InBabylonianliterature,thepoemEnmaElidescribesthecreationoftheworld.[15]

Musicwasdevelopedinthisregionbetween4thand3rdmillenniumBCEforuseinSumeriantemples,where
priestssanghymnsandpsalms(ersemma)tothegods.Theliturgicchantwascomposedofresponsoriessong
alternatingbetweenthepriestsandchoirandantiphonssongalternatingbetweentwochoirs.Theyhad
severalinstrumentsliketigi(relatedtotheflute),balag(drum),lilis(predecessoroftimpani,alarge,deep
drum),algar(lyre,apluckedstringinstrument),zagsal(harp)andadapa(pandeiro).[16]

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Egypt

InEgypt,oneofthefirstgreatcivilizationsarose,which
hadelaborateandcomplexworksofartwhichwere
producedbyprofessionalartistsandcraftspeople,who
developedspecializedskills.Egypt'sartwasreligiousand
symbolic.Giventhattheculturehadahighlycentralized
powerstructureandhierarchy,agreatdealofartwas
createdtohonourthepharaoh,includinggreatmonuments.
TheEgyptiancultureemphasizedthereligiousconceptof
immortality.TheEgyptianarteraspansfrom3,000BCE
untiltheconquestofEgyptbyAlexandertheGreat.
HoweveritsinfluencepersistedintheCopticartand
Byzantineart. ThepyramidsofGiza

Thearchitectureischaracterizedbyitsmonumental
structures,builtwithlargestoneblocks,lintelsandsolidcolumns.Funerarymonumentsincludedmastaba,
tombsofrectangularformpyramids,whichincludedsteppyramids(Saqqarah)orsmoothsidedpyramids
(Giza)andthehypogeum,undergroundtombs(ValleyoftheKings).Theothergreatbuildingswerethe
temple,whichweremonumentalcomplexesprecededbyanavenueofsphinxesandobelisks.Thetemplesused
pylonsandtrapezoidwallsusinghypaethrosandhypostylehallsandshrines.ThetemplesofKarnak,Luxor,
PhilaeandEdfuaregoodexamples.Anothertypeoftempleistherocktemple,whichwereintheform
hypogeum,whichcanbefoundinAbuSimbelandDeirelBahari.

PaintingoftheEgyptianerausedajuxtapositionofoverlappingplanes.Theimageswererepresented
hierarchically,i.e.,thePharaohislargerthanthecommonsubjectsorenemiesdepictedathisside.Egyptians
paintedtheheadandlimbsinprofile,whiletheshouldersandeyesinfront.Appliedartsweredevelopedin
Egypt,inparticularwoodworkandmetalwork.Therearesuperbexamplessuchascedarfurnitureinlaidwith
ebonyandivorywhichcanbeseeninthetombsattheEgyptianMuseum.Anotherexampleisthepiecesfound
inTutankhamun'stomb,whichareofgreatartisticquality.[17]

GreeceandEtruria

GreekandEtruscanartistsbuiltontheartisticfoundationsofEgypt,
furtherdevelopingtheartsofsculpture,painting,architecture,and
ceramics.Thebodybecamerepresentedinamorerepresentational
manner,andpatronageofartthrived.

Rome

RomanartissometimesviewedasderivedfromGreekprecedents,but Aurochsonacavepaintingin
alsohasitsowndistinguishingfeatures.Romansculptureisoftenless Lascaux,France
idealizedthantheGreekprecedents.Romanarchitectureoftenused
concrete,andfeaturessuchastheroundarchanddomewereinvented.

Medievaltocontemporaryeras
Medieval

WiththedeclineoftheRomanEmpire,thenarrativeshiftstoMedievalart,whichlastedforamillennium.
EarlyChristianartbeginstheperiod,followedbyByzantineart,AngloSaxonart,Vikingart,Ottonianart,
RomanesqueartandGothicart,withIslamicartdominatingtheeasternMediterraneanandbeyond.The
MedievaleraendedwiththeRenaissance,followedbyMannerism,theBaroqueandRococo.InByzantineand
GothicartoftheMiddleAges,thedominanceofthechurchinsistedontheexpressionofbiblicaltruths.There
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wasnoneedtodepicttherealityofthematerialworld,inwhichmanwasborn
ina"stateofsin",especiallythroughtheextensiveuseofgoldinpaintings,
whichalsopresentedfiguresinidealised,patterned(i.e."flat")forms.

RenaissanceandBaroque

TheRenaissanceisthereturnyetagaintovaluationofthematerialworld,and
thisparadigmshiftisreflectedinartforms,whichshowthecorporealityofthe
humanbody,andthethreedimensionalrealityoflandscape.Although
textbooksperiodizeWesternartbymovements,asdescribedabove,theyalso
dosobycentury,especiallyinItalianart.Manyarthistoriansgiveanodtothe
historicalimportanceofItalianRenaissanceandBaroqueartbyreferringto
centuriesinwhichitwasprominentwiththeItalianterms:trecentoforthe
fourteenthcentury,quattrocentoforthefifteenth,cinquecentoforthesixteenth,
seicentofortheseventeenth,andsettecentofortheeighteenth.
TheinterioroftheHagia
SophiainIstanbul,Turkey
NeoclassicalismtoRealism

The18thand19thcenturiesincludedNeoclassicism,Romanticart,Academicart,andRealisminart.Art
historiansdisagreewhenModernartbegan,sometracingitasfarbackasFranciscoGoyaintheNapoleonic
period,themid19thcenturywiththeindustrialrevolutionorthelate19thcenturywiththeadventof
Impressionism.Theartmovementsofthelate19ththroughtheearly21stcenturiesaretoonumeroustodetail
here,butcanbebroadlydividedintotwocategories:ModernismandContemporaryart.Thelatterissometimes
referredtowithanotherterm,whichhasasubtlydifferentconnotation,Postmodernart.

ModernandContemporary

Inthe20thcentury,thephysicalandrationalcertaintiesofthe
"clockworkuniverse"depictedbythe18thcenturyEnlightenment
wereshatterednotonlybynewdiscoveriesofrelativityby
physicistAlbertEinstein[18]andofunseenpsychologybySigmund
Freud,[19]butalsobyunprecedentedtechnologicaldevelopment
acceleratedbytwoworldwars(WorldWarI(19141918)and
WorldWarII(19391945)).DuringWWII,greatpressureon
scientiststodevelopnewtechnologiesforthewareffortledto
manynewinventions.InthedecadesafterWWII,someofthese
newtechnologicaldevelopmentswereappliedtopeacetime
purposes,leadingtothedevelopmentofwidelyavailabletelevision HenriMatisse,190506,Lebonheurde
(whichwasamediumforentertainmentsuchastelevisiondramas vivre,oiloncanvas,175x241cm,Barnes
andmusicanddancevarietyshows)andnewelectronic Foundation
instrumentssuchasthesynthesizer.

Thehistoryof20thcenturyartisanarrativeofendlesspossibilitiesandthesearchfornewstandards,each
beingtorndowninsuccessionbythenext.TheartmovementsofImpressionism,Expressionism,Fauvism,
Cubism,DadaismandSurrealismledtomanyexplorationsofnewcreativestylesandmannersofexpression.
IncreasingglobalinteractionduringthistimesawanequivalentinfluenceofotherculturesintoWesternart,
suchasPabloPicassobeinginfluencedbyIberiansculpture,AfricansculptureandPrimitivism.Japonism,and
Japanesewoodcuts(whichhadthemselvesbeeninfluencedbyWesternRenaissancedraftsmanship)hadan
immenseinfluenceonImpressionismandsubsequentartisticdevelopments.Theinfluentialexamplesetby
PaulGauguin'sinterestinOceanicartandthesuddenpopularityamongthecognoscentiinearly20thcentury
ParisofnewlydiscoveredAfricanfetishsculpturesandotherworksfromnonEuropeanculturesweretakenup
byPicasso,HenriMatisse,andbymanyoftheircolleagues.

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Modernism,initsresponsetotheidealistic19thcentury"searchfortruth",andthe20thcentury'stechnological
progressgavewayinthelastdecadesofthe20thcenturytoarealizationofthattheidealistvisionsofthe19th
centurymayhavebeenunattainable.RapidadvancesinscienceandtechnologyledtothelateModernand
Postmodernperiod.Intheseperiods,theartandculturesoftheworldwentthroughmanychanges,andthere
wasagreatdealofintermixturebetweencultures,asnewcommunicationstechnologiesfacilitatedthenational
andevenglobaldisseminationofmusic,artandstyle.Theseparationofregionalculturesthathadmarkedthe
19thcenturywasreplacedbyaglobalculture.

TheAmericas
ThehistoryofartintheAmericasbeginsinpreColumbiantimeswithIndigenouscultures.Arthistorianshave
focusedparticularlycloselyonMesoamericaduringthisearlyera,becauseaseriesofstratifiedculturesarose
therethaterectedgrandarchitectureandproducedobjectsoffineworkmanshipthatarecomparabletothearts
ofWesternEurope.OnetextbookabouttheartofthiseraisMaryEllenMiller'sTheArtofMesoamerica.

Preclassic

TheartmakingtraditionofMesoamericanpeoplebeginswiththeOlmecaround1400BCE,duringthe
Preclassicera.Thesepeoplearebestknownformakingcolossalheadsbutalsocarvedjade,erected
monumentalarchitecture,madesmallscalesculpture,anddesignedmosaicfloors.Twoofthemostwell
studiedsitesartisticallyareSanLorenzoTenochtitlnandLaVenta.AftertheOlmecculturedeclined,the
Mayacivilizationbecameprominentintheregion.SometimesatransitionalEpiOlmecperiodisdescribed,
whichisahybridofOlmecandMaya.AparticularlywellstudiedEpiOlmecsiteisLaMojarra,which
includeshieroglyphiccarvingsthathavebeenpartiallydeciphered.

Classic

BythelatepreClassicera,beginningaround400BCE,theOlmecculturehaddeclinedbutbothCentral
MexicanandMayapeopleswerethriving.ThroughoutmuchoftheClassicperiodinCentralMexico,thecity
ofTeotihuacanwasthriving,aswereXochicalcoandElTajin.Thesesitesboastedgrandsculptureand
architecture.OtherCentralMexicanpeoplesincludedtheMixtecs,theZapotecs,andpeopleintheValleyof
Oaxaca.MayaartwasatitsheightduringtheClassicperiodanamethatmirrorsthatofClassicalEuropean
antiquityandwhichbeganaround200CE.MajorMayasitesfromthiseraincludeCopan,wherenumerous
stelaewerecarved,andQuiriguawherethelargeststelaeofMesoamericaarelocatedalongwithzoomorphic
altars.Acomplexwritingsystemwasdeveloped,andMayailluminatedmanuscriptswereproducedinlarge
numbersonpapermadefromtreebark.AlthoughsomeMayacitieshaveexistedtothe2000s,severalsites
collapsedaround1000AD.

Postclassic

AtthetimeoftheSpanishconquestofYucatnduringthe16thand17thcenturies,theMayawerestill
powerful,butmanycommunitieswerepayingtributetoAztecsociety.Thelatterculturewasthriving,andit
includedartssuchassculpture,painting,andfeathermosaics.PerhapsthemostwellknownworkofAztecart
isthecalendarstone,whichbecameanationalsymbolofthestateofMexico.DuringtheSpanishconquestof
theAztecEmpire,manyoftheseartisticobjectsweresenttoEurope,wheretheywereplacedincabinetsof
curiosities,andlaterredistributedtoWestermartmuseums.TheAztecempirewasbasedinthecityof
Tenochtitlanwhichwaslargelydestroyedduringthecolonialera.Whatremainsofitwasburiedbeneath
MexicoCity.Afewbuildings,suchasthefoundationoftheTemploMayorhavesincebeenunearthedby
archaeologists,buttheyareinpoorcondition.

Colonial

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ArtintheAmericassincetheconquesthasbeenamixtureofindigenousandforeigntraditions,includingthat
oftheEuropean,African,andAsiansettlers.Thus,booksaboutthevisualartsoftheUnitedStates,suchas
FrancisPohlsFramingAmerica,startwiththeconquestandreconstructmanifoldtraditions.Numerous
indigenoustraditionsthrivedaftertheconquest.Forexample,thePlainsIndianscreatedquillwork,beadwork,
wintercounts,ledgerart,andtipisintheprereservationera,andafterwardsbecameassimilatedintotheworld
ofModernandContemporaryartthroughinstitutionssuchastheSantaFeIndianSchoolwhichencouraged
studentstodevelopauniqueNativeAmericanstyle.Manypaintingsfromthatschool,nowcalledtheStudio
Style,wereexhibitedatthePhilbrookMuseumofArtduringitsIndianannualheldfrom1946to1979.

Modern

Intertwinedwiththisstoryofindigenousart,aremovementsofpainting,sculpture,andarchitecturesuchasthe
HudsonRiverSchoolandtheAshcanSchoolofthe19thcentury,andPopArtandAbstractExpressionismof
the20th.SomeofthemostcelebratedimageswereproducedbyartistsoftheAmericanWest,featuring
CowboysandIndians,andsomeofthemostvisuallycomplexobjectswerecreatedbyAfricanAmericans.

WesternAsia
ReligiousIslamicartoftenforbidsdepictionsofpeople,astheymaybemisusedasidols.Religiousideasare
thusoftenrepresentedthroughgeometricdesignsinstead.However,therearemanyIslamicpaintingswhich
displayreligiousthemesandscenesofstoriescommonamongthethreemainmonotheisticfaithsofIslam,
Christianity,andJudaism.

Central/Southern/EasternAsian
EasterncivilizationbroadlyincludesAsia,anditalsoincludesa
complextraditionofartmaking.OneEasternarthistorysurvey
textbookisJohnLaplantesAsianArt.Itdividesthefieldbynation,
withunitsonIndia,China,andJapan.

EasternarthasgenerallyworkedinastyleakintoWesternmedievalart,
namelyaconcentrationonsurfacepatterningandlocalcolour(meaning
theplaincolourofanobject,suchasbasicredforaredrobe,ratherthan
themodulationsofthatcolourbroughtaboutbylight,shadeand
reflection).Acharacteristicofthisstyleisthatthelocalcolourisoften TheGreatWaveoffKanagawaby
definedbyanoutline(acontemporaryequivalentisthecartoon).Thisis Hokusai
evidentin,forexample,theartofIndia,TibetandJapan.

Africa
ThelongstoryofAfricanArtincludesbothhighsculpture,perhapstypifiedbythebrasscastingsoftheBenin
people,aswellasfolkart.Intheancientworld,Egyptisoftenthoughtofasthegreatestartisticcultureof
Africa,butitisalsorivaledbyNubia,whichwaslocatedinpresentdaySudan.ConcurrentwiththeEuropean
MiddleAges,intheeleventhcenturyCEanationthatmadegrandarchitecture,goldsculpture,andintricate
jewelrywasfoundedinGreatZimbabwe.Impressivesculpturewasconcurrentlybeingcastfrombrassbythe
YorubapeopleofwhatisnowNigeria.Suchaculturegrewandwasultimatelytransformedtobecomethe
BeninKingdom,whereelegantaltartusks,brassheads,plaquesofbrass,andpalatialarchitecturewascreated.
TheBeninKingdomwasendedbytheBritishin1897,andlittleofthehistoricalartnowremainsinNigeria.
Today,themostsignificantartsvenueinAfricaistheJohannesburgBiennale.

Oceania

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TheArtofOceaniaincludesthe
geographicareasofMicronesia,
Polynesia,Australia,NewZealand,and
Melanesia.NicholasThomasstextbook
OceanicArttreatstheareathematically,
withessaysonancestry,warfare,the
body,gender,trade,religion,and
tourism.Unfortunately,littleancientart
survivesfromOceania.Scholarsbelieve
thatthisislikelybecauseartistsused
perishablematerials,suchaswoodand
feathers,whichdidnotsurviveinthe
tropicalclimate,andthereareno
historicalrecordstorefertomostofthis
material.Theunderstandingof
Oceania'sartisticculturesthusbegins
OneofmanyancientYoruba withthedocumentationofitby
sculpturesdiscoveredatIfe Westerners,suchasCaptainJamesCook
intheeighteenthcentury.Attheturnof FrescofromAjantacaves,c.450500
thetwentiethcenturytheFrenchartist
PaulGauguinspentsignificantamountsoftimeinTahiti,livingwith
localpeopleandmakingmodernartafactthathasbecomeintertwinedwithTahitianvisualculturetothe
presentday.TheindigenousartofAustraliaoftenlookslikeabstractmodernart,butithasdeeprootsinlocal
culture.

Artmuseums
Theexperienceofarthistory,asconveyedbyartmuseums,tendsto
beorganizeddifferentlyfromthatoftextbooksduetothenatureof
collectionsandtheinstitutionsthemselves.Ratherthanafullmarch
throughtime,museumsemploycuratorswhoassembleobjectsinto
exhibitions,oftenwithuniquecommentarythatislaterreinterpreted
bydocents.Becausetheyhavetheresponsibilitytostoreobjects,
museumsdeveloptaxonomiesfortheircollections,using
conventionsofclassificationauthorityforthesakeofconsistency. TheGuggenheimMuseuminBilbao,
Thismaybeundertakenwiththemuseumsarchivist.Theresultisto Spain
occasionallyfindastrongemphasisonthehistoryofmediain
conjunctionwiththehistoryofculture.

Suchanemphasisonmediaisanaturaloutgrowthoftheinternalclassificationsystemsusedinartmuseums,
whichusuallyincludedepartmentsofpainting,sculpture,decorativearts,andworksonpaper.Paintingitself
includesseveralmedia,suchasoilpainting,Temperapainting,watercolor.Sculpturecanbedividedinto
carvingandcasting.Thedecorativeartsareperhapsthemostdiverse,astheyinclude:textilesandneedlework,
whichincludesweaving,lace,shibori,andotherworkwithfabricMurals,ofwhichfrescoesareoneformand
objectsofadornmentsuchassilver,ceramics,lacquerware,stainedglass,andfurniture.Museumsgenerally
cannotcollectfullbuildings,buttheymayacquirepiecesofarchitecturalornamentation,whichalsofallunder
thedecorativeartsdepartment.Worksonpaperincludesprintmaking,photography,andthebookartssuchas
illuminatedmanuscripts.Museumsmayalsoincludeadepartmentofappliedarts,whichincludesobjectsof
gooddesignalongwiththegraphicart,illustration,andotherformsofcommercialart.

Artmarket

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Theartmarketcanalsobeusedtounderstandwhatcountsaspartofarthistory.Artdealersandauctioneers
organizematerialfordistributiontocollectors.Twoofthelargest,andoldest,artauctionhousesareSotheby's
andChristie's,andeachholdfrequentsalesofgreatantiquitiesandartobjects.

Inadditiontoupstandingpractices,ablackmarketexistsforgreatart,whichiscloselytiedtoarttheftandart
forgery.Noauctionhousesordealersadmitopenlytoparticipatingintheblackmarketbecauseofitsillegality,
butexposssuggestwidespreadproblemsinthefield.Becausedemandforartobjectsishigh,andsecurityin
manypartsoftheworldislow,athrivingtradeinillicitantiquitiesacquiredthroughlootingalsoexists.
Althoughtheartcommunitynearlyuniversallycondemnslootingbecauseitresultsindestructionof
archeologicalsites,lootedartparadoxicallyremainsomnipresent.Warfareiscorrelatedwithsuchlooting,asis
demonstratedbytherecentarchaeologicallootinginIraq.

Nationalistarthistory
Boththemakingofart,theacademichistoryofart,andthehistoryofartmuseumsarecloselyintertwinedwith
theriseofnationalism.Artcreatedinthemodernera,infact,hasoftenbeenanattempttogeneratefeelingsof
nationalsuperiorityorloveofonescountry.Russianartisanespeciallygoodexampleofthis,astheRussian
avantgardeandlaterSovietartwereattemptstodefinethatcountrysidentity.

Mostarthistoriansworkingtodayidentifytheirspecialtyastheartofaparticularcultureandtimeperiod,and
oftensuchculturesarealsonations.Forexample,someonemightspecializeinthe19thcenturyGermanor
contemporaryChinesearthistory.Afocusonnationhoodhasdeeprootsinthediscipline.Indeed,Vasari's
LivesoftheArtistsisanattempttoshowthesuperiorityofFlorentineartisticculture,andHeinrichWlfflin's
writings(especiallyhismonographonAlbrechtDrer)attempttodistinguishItalianfromGermanstylesofart.

Manyofthelargestandmostwellfundedartmuseumsoftheworld,suchastheLouvre,theVictoriaand
AlbertMuseum,andtheNationalGalleryofArtinWashingtonarestateowned.Mostcountries,indeedhavea
nationalgallery,withanexplicitmissionofpreservingtheculturalpatrimonyownedbythegovernment
regardlessofwhatculturescreatedtheartandanoftenimplicitmissiontobolsterthatcountrysowncultural
heritage.TheNationalGalleryofArtthusshowcasesartmadeintheUnitedStates,butalsoownsobjectsfrom
acrosstheworld.

Academicarthistory
LaoconandhisSons,Greek,(Late
Hellenistic),c.160BCEand20BCE,
Whitemarble,VaticanMuseum
Thestudyofthehistoryofartisarelativelyrecentphenomenonprior
totheRenaissance,themodernconceptof"art"didnotexist.Overtime,
arthistorianshavechangedtheirviewsaboutwhatartisworthyof
scrutiny.Forexample,duringtheearlyVictorianera,the15thcentury
Italianartistswereconsideredinferiortothoseof16thcenturyHigh
Renaissance.SuchanotionwaschallengedbythePreRaphaelite
movement.Therehassincebeenatrend,dominantinarthistoryofthe
21stcentury,totreatallculturesandperiodsneutrally.Thus,Australian
AboriginalartwouldnotbedeemedbetterorworsethanRenaissance
artitisjustdifferent.Arthistoricalanalysishasalsoevolvedinto
studyingthesocialandpoliticaluseofart,ratherthanfocusingsolely
ontheaestheticappreciationofitscraftsmanship(beauty).Whatmay
oncehavebeenviewedsimplyasamasterpieceisnowunderstoodasan
economic,social,philosophical,andculturalmanifestationoftheartist's
worldview,philosophy,intentionsandbackground.

Sacredarthistory

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Whilesecularapproachestoarthistoryoftenemphasizeindividualcreativity,thehistoryofsacredartoften
emphasizesthewaysthatbeautifulobjectsareusedtoconveysymbolicmeaninginritualcontexts.Theten
largestorganizedreligionsoftheworldeachhaveimagemakingtraditions.TheyareConfucianism,Buddhism,
Hinduism,Judaism,Christianity,Islam,Sikhism,Bah',Jainism,andShinto.

Seealso
Westernarthistory
Easternarthistory

References
1.Gardner,p.xlvi
2.Onians(2008),p.316317.
3.http://www.metmuseum.org/toah/
4.Gardner,p.2
5.Gardner,p.6
6.Gardner,pp.34
7.Honour,H.Fleming,J.(2005).AWorldHistoryofArt.LaurenceKing.ISBN9781856694513.Retrieved
20151120.
8.HonourFleming(2002),p.3644.
9.Gardner,p.12
10.Onians(2008),p.2025.
11.Azcrate(1983),p.2428.
12.Onians(2008),p.3031.
13."HistoriadelaEscrituraDelaescrituraalaimprentaEntornoGraficoWindows".portalplanetasedna.com.ar.
Retrieved20160313.
14.Azcrate(1983),p.3644.
15.Margueron,JeanClaude(2002)."Laliteraturasumeria".Losmesopotmicos.Madrid:Ctedra.8437614775.
16.RobertsonStevens(2000),p.1320.
17.Azcrate(1983),p.2934.
18."Doestimefly?PeterGalison'sEmpiresofTime,ahistoricalsurveyofEinsteinandPoincare,intriguesJonTurney"
(http://books.guardian.co.uk/review/story/0,,1035752,00.html)(SaturdaySeptember6,2003),TheGuardian
19."ContradictionsoftheEnlightenment:Darwin,Freud,EinsteinandModernArt".fordham.edu.Retrieved
20151120.

Furtherreading
Adams,Laurie.ArtacrossTime.3rded.Boston:McGrawHill,2007.
Gardner,Helen,andFredS.Kleiner.Gardner'sArtthroughtheAges:AGlobalHistory.13thed.
Australia:Thomson/Wadsworth,2009.
Gombrich,E.H.TheStoryofArt.15thed.EnglewoodCliffs,N.J.:PrenticeHall,1990.
Honour,Hugh,andJohnFleming.TheVisualArts:AHistory.5thed.NewYork:HenryN.Abrams,
1999.
Honour,Hugh,andJohnFleming.AWorldHistoryofArt.7thed.LaurenceKingPublishing,2005,
ISBN1856694518,ISBN9781856694513
Janson,H.W.,andPenelopeJ.E.Davies.Janson'sHistoryofArt:TheWesternTradition.7thed.Upper
SaddleRiver,NJ:PearsonPrenticeHall,2007.
OliverGrau(Ed.):MediaArtHistories,Cambridge/Mass.:MITPress,2007.
LaPlante,JohnD.AsianArt.3rded.Dubuque,IA:Wm.C.Brown,1992.
Miller,MaryEllen.TheArtofMesoamerica:FromOlmectoAztec.4thed,WorldofArt.London:
Thames&Hudson,2006.
Pierce,JamesSmith,andH.W.Janson.FromAbacustoZeus:AHandbookofArtHistory.7thed.Upper
SaddleRiver,NJ:PearsonPrenticeHall,2004.
Pohl,FrancesK.FramingAmerica:ASocialHistoryofAmericanArt.NewYork,NY:Thames&
Hudson,2002.
Stokstad,Marilyn.ArtHistory.3rded.UpperSaddleRiver,NJ:PearsonEducation,2008.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/History_of_art 12/13
1/30/2017 HistoryofartWikipedia

Thomas,Nicholas.OceanicArt,WorldofArt.NewYork,N.Y.:ThamesandHudson,1995.
Thuillier,Jacques,Histoiredel'art,Paris,Flammarion,2002.ISBN2080125354
Thuillier,Jacques,HistoryofArt,Paris,Flammarion,2002.ISBN2080108751
Wilkins,DavidG.,BernardSchultz,andKatherynM.Linduff.ArtPast,ArtPresent.6thed.Upper
SaddleRiver,NJ:PearsonEducation,2008.

Externallinks
"HistoryofArt:FromPaleolithicAgetoContemporaryArt"(htt
p://www.allart.org)allart.org Wikibookshasabookon
thetopicof:ArtHistory
"Art:Thehistoryofideasinliteratureandtheartsinaesthetic
theoryandliterarycriticism"(http://etext.lib.virginia.edu/DicHist/
analytic/anaIII.html)TheDictionaryoftheHistoryofIdeas
ArtHistoryresources(http://witcombe.sbc.edu/ARTHLinks.html)
ArsSummumProject(http://www.arssummum.es/)
Smarthistory.org,TheOpenArtProject(http://smarthistory.org/)

Timelines
ArtHistoryTimeline(http://www.historyexplorer.net/?Art_History_Timeline)historyexplorer.net
TimelineofArtHistory(http://metmuseum.org/toah/)fromMetropolitanMuseumofArt

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