art history

br art history Art History

The history of modern art would appear to be comprised of revolution and counter-revolution , with dominant modes and aesthetics giving way to radically differing criteria and methods . For some observers , modern art comprises an evolution from the primitivism of '93cave art '94 and prehistoric art to the technical efficiency of Photorealism and Impressionism for others , the evolution is one of thought rather than technique . The former belief : that the history of art represents an upward evolution from primitivism to modern technical proficiency shows itself as

specious when tested against the very real responses of both artists and audiences to the aesthetic and technical identities at hand . In point of fact , the evolution of artistic styles and modes relies more heavily upon popular and sociological relevancies than upon critical or theoretical considerations . '93Throughout the history of modern art , whether demarcated from the onset of Romanticism Impressionism , or early twentieth-century movements , the identity of art practice has been intimately bound up with that of mass culture '94 (Drucker , 1999 ,

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In the case of a well-documented and self-aware movement such as the Pre-Raphaelite Brotherhood , changes in technique and theme emerged from theoretical and moral ideals quite outside of the mainstream of art-criticism , and comprised a dual-function of modernism and classicism . To wit : a painter like Millais shined brilliantly in painting a classical theme such as his '93Ophelia '94 however , the execution of the painting relied on painterly techniques that can only be described as '93avant garde '94 in the context then-contemporary standards . Similarly , the evolution of Impressionism , Fauvism , and ultimately Cubism and Expressionism emerged from specific psychological moral , and spiritual beliefs of its practitioners , rather than any conscious evolution (or revolution ) of or against traditional methods or modes . Though it is tempting to view the history of modern art as a succession of theses /antitheses , accommodations for such visionaries as Whistler , Gauguin , or DuChamp have less to do with conscious revolution than personal expression and popular sentiment . Artists , like any purveyors of mass or popular culture , remain as dependant upon their subjective predilections and popular acceptance as they are upon interpretations of a linear , historical evolution of techniques and themes References Drucker , J (1999 . Who 's Afraid of Visual Culture . Art Journal , 58 (4 37...