📝History of Art Criticism Unit 2 – Art Criticism: Historical Foundations

Key Concepts and Terminology

• Art criticism involves analyzing, interpreting, and evaluating works of art based on various criteria such as form, content, and context
• Aesthetic judgment refers to the assessment of beauty, taste, and artistic merit in art criticism
• Formalism emphasizes the analysis of visual elements (line, color, shape, texture) and principles of design (balance, contrast, emphasis) in art
• Iconography studies the identification, description, and interpretation of subject matter and symbols in art
• Hermeneutics is the theory and methodology of interpretation, often applied to the meaning and significance of art
• Semiotics examines signs, symbols, and signification in art and how they communicate meaning
• Canon refers to the established list of works considered to be of the highest quality and significance in art history
• Discourse encompasses the ways in which art is discussed, debated, and understood within specific social and historical contexts

Historical Context and Origins

• Art criticism has ancient roots, with early forms of art analysis and appreciation found in classical texts (Plato's Republic, Aristotle's Poetics)
• Renaissance humanists (Giorgio Vasari) laid the foundation for modern art criticism through biographical accounts of artists and assessments of their works
• Enlightenment thinkers (Denis Diderot, Johann Joachim Winckelmann) contributed to the development of art criticism as a distinct discipline
• The rise of public exhibitions and salons in the 18th and 19th centuries created a platform for art criticism to flourish
• Romanticism and the concept of the artist as a genius shifted the focus of art criticism towards individual expression and emotion
• The emergence of photography and other technological innovations in the 19th century challenged traditional notions of art and prompted new critical approaches

Major Figures and Their Contributions

• Giorgio Vasari (1511-1574) wrote "Lives of the Most Excellent Painters, Sculptors, and Architects," providing a biographical model for art criticism
• Denis Diderot (1713-1784) wrote extensive art criticism for the Encyclopédie, emphasizing the moral and social functions of art
• Johann Joachim Winckelmann (1717-1768) pioneered the study of art history and the neoclassical ideal of beauty in his writings
• John Ruskin (1819-1900) championed the Pre-Raphaelite movement and wrote influential works on art and architecture (Modern Painters, The Seven Lamps of Architecture)
• Charles Baudelaire (1821-1867) wrote critical essays on art and modernity, advocating for the autonomy of art and the role of the critic as an interpreter
• Clement Greenberg (1909-1994) was a prominent champion of abstract expressionism and formulated the concept of medium specificity in art criticism
• Harold Rosenberg (1906-1978) coined the term "action painting" and emphasized the existential and gestural aspects of abstract expressionism
• Susan Sontag (1933-2004) wrote influential essays on photography, film, and the intersection of art and politics (On Photography, Against Interpretation)

Philosophical Underpinnings

• Platonic idealism and the concept of mimesis influenced early art criticism, emphasizing art as an imitation of reality
• Aristotelian aesthetics and the notion of catharsis shaped the understanding of art's emotional and moral impact
• Kantian aesthetics introduced the idea of disinterested pleasure and the subjective nature of aesthetic judgments
• Hegelian dialectics and the concept of art as a manifestation of the Zeitgeist informed the historical and contextual approach to art criticism
• Marxist aesthetics and the notion of art as a reflection of socioeconomic conditions influenced the development of social art history and criticism
• Poststructuralism and deconstruction challenged traditional notions of authorship, meaning, and interpretation in art criticism
• Feminist theory and gender studies shed light on the representation and marginalization of women in art and art criticism
• Postcolonial theory and cultural studies examined the power dynamics and cultural identities in art production and reception

Evolution of Critical Approaches

• Biographical criticism focused on the life and personality of the artist as a key to understanding their work (Giorgio Vasari)
• Formalist criticism emphasized the analysis of visual elements and compositional principles in art (Roger Fry, Clive Bell)
• Iconographic criticism explored the symbolic and allegorical meanings of art (Erwin Panofsky)
• Sociological criticism examined the social, political, and economic contexts of art production and reception (Arnold Hauser, T.J. Clark)
• Psychoanalytic criticism applied Freudian and Jungian theories to the interpretation of art and the artist's psyche (Meyer Schapiro, Ernst Kris)
• Semiotic criticism analyzed the signs, codes, and communication systems in art (Roland Barthes, Umberto Eco)
• Feminist criticism challenged the male-dominated canon and explored issues of gender, sexuality, and identity in art (Linda Nochlin, Griselda Pollock)
• Postcolonial criticism examined the power relations, cultural hybridity, and marginalization in art from a global perspective (Edward Said, Homi Bhabha)

Influential Texts and Writings

• Giorgio Vasari's "Lives of the Most Excellent Painters, Sculptors, and Architects" (1550) set the standard for biographical art criticism
• Denis Diderot's "Salons" (1759-1781) provided a model for art criticism as a literary genre and a vehicle for public discourse
• Johann Joachim Winckelmann's "History of Ancient Art" (1764) established the neoclassical ideal and the periodization of art history
• John Ruskin's "Modern Painters" (1843-1860) championed the Pre-Raphaelite movement and the moral and spiritual dimensions of art
• Charles Baudelaire's "The Painter of Modern Life" (1863) defined the role of the art critic and the aesthetics of modernity
• Clement Greenberg's "Avant-Garde and Kitsch" (1939) and "Modernist Painting" (1960) articulated the formalist theory of medium specificity
• Walter Benjamin's "The Work of Art in the Age of Mechanical Reproduction" (1936) explored the impact of technology on art and aura
• Susan Sontag's "Against Interpretation" (1966) challenged the hermeneutic tradition and advocated for an erotics of art

Impact on Art and Society

• Art criticism has shaped public taste and opinion, influencing the reception and valuation of art works
• Critics have played a crucial role in the promotion and legitimization of new artistic movements (impressionism, cubism, abstract expressionism)
• Art criticism has contributed to the formation and revision of the art historical canon, determining which works and artists are considered significant
• Critical debates have sparked public controversies and censorship battles over the moral, political, and aesthetic dimensions of art (Robert Mapplethorpe, Richard Serra)
• Art criticism has intersected with broader social and political issues, such as class, race, gender, and sexuality (Guerrilla Girls, AIDS activism)
• The rise of mass media and digital technologies has transformed the production, dissemination, and consumption of art criticism (blogs, social media)
• Art criticism has played a role in the commodification and marketization of art, influencing prices and investment trends (art fairs, auctions)
• The globalization of the art world has challenged Western-centric models of art criticism and called for more diverse and inclusive perspectives

Contemporary Relevance and Applications

• Art criticism continues to evolve in response to new artistic practices, technologies, and social contexts (digital art, performance art, street art)
• The rise of interdisciplinary approaches (visual culture studies, material culture studies) has expanded the scope and methods of art criticism
• The proliferation of online platforms and social media has democratized art criticism, allowing for more diverse voices and perspectives
• The increasing importance of the art market and the commodification of art has raised questions about the role and independence of art critics
• The globalization of the art world has challenged the Western canon and called for more inclusive and culturally sensitive approaches to art criticism
• The growing concern with social justice, identity politics, and representation has informed new critical frameworks (critical race theory, queer theory, disability studies)
• The environmental crisis and the Anthropocene have prompted eco-critical and posthumanist approaches to art and criticism
• The ongoing debates about the definition, value, and future of art criticism reflect its enduring significance in shaping our understanding and appreciation of art