The End of Art History? A Reader in the Philosophy of Contemporary Western Art History

Author: (German) Hans Belting et al
Publisher:
Publish Date: 2004-01-01
Features: Since the 1980s, under the influence of the contemporary Western academic background, the development of the discipline of Western art history has undergone some new changes. This is primarily reflected in three aspects: the research objects of art history are no longer limited to "high art" but have expanded to include "low art"; the research scope of art history is no longer limited to Western art but has extended to non-Western art; the research methods of art history are no longer limited to the theories and methods of the discipline itself but have expanded to incorporate methods and theoretical systems from other related humanities disciplines, such as hermeneutics, semiotics, feminism, etc. This means that traditional art history research will come to an end, and a new "pan-culture" art history is taking shape. This book compiles reflections by 20 contemporary prominent Western and European art historians on the history and current state of the discipline of art history, as well as their prospects for future developments.