Writing About Visual Art (Aesthetics Today)

For as long as there have been artists creating art, there have been writers creating a running narrative: what does art say about our world?; what does it say about artists?; what does it mean? This is a comprehensive examination of the history and practice of writing about art, from simple criticisms to encyclopaedic histories. It seeks to reveal art's importance to the art museum, the art gallery, and general aesthetic theory. Paying special attention to the historical and social frameworks of the writers, the guide studies the evolution and significance of art writing. With examples taken from virtually all eras of history, author David Carrier explains how many individuals' interpretations of artworks are inspired as much by what has been written about the work and the artist as by the artwork itself. He presents an in-depth comparison of the writing of critics against that of historians and puts forward a solid defence of the literature of art as a means for both understanding art and for promoting visual thinking. The text ultimately embraces writing about art not only as a tool for creating an interpretative community, but also as a key for promoting and supporting visual thinking.