Pete &  Poker

Poker: Intrinsic - inside the painting. Extrinsic - outside the painting. I think I've got it! Pete: You did a good job of analyzing the painting. Now it's my turn to be a detective and find out when, where and why the artist made this painting. Poker: I think I'll wait here and cheer on my new historian friend. You'll do a great job of checking out the context of the painting. Pete: You're coming with me! Do you think I'm going to do an interview on my own?

What is Art History? Who is an artist?

In the formal sense, art history is inquiry about an artist, the art object, and other related information. Some art history is contextual and includes an investigation of the creation process and art work in its social and cultural setting.

What do art historians do?

Art historians search for information by inquiry-asking questions and making good guesses. They use two methods of historical inquiry: intrinsic and extrinsic. Intrinsic methods focus on clues located in the art work itself and include subject and theme, composition, expressive qualities, and the physical (size of the work, dating and analysis of the materials used) and technical (procedures) characteristics of the work. They question what is actually observed in the art work. This method is similar to art criticism.

Extrinsic methods question the external context of an artwork. They seek information about the artwork and artist in his or her culture. This includes functions of the art work, the history of its ownership, the artist's educational art training, his or her patronage, and economic and political influences. Finally religious, philosophical and other cultural concerns that may have affected the artist are considered. These elements illuminate the artwork's creation process and hidden influences. Art historians study such changes over time and group them by subject, form, time, place, artist, and style. You can display this process as a time line as well.

Who is an artist?

Some people think an artist is someone born with talent. Others think that an artist is one who grows to be a master by practicing hard everyday. We have young artists who are expressing their ideas everyday and we have older folk artists that start painting in their 60's, such as Grandma Moses. Other artists are technicians--good at making one type of art, and some are great thinkers. In the animation and film world, the people who make the most money are the directors or writers. An artist may need an audience or an art world to promote his or her work. Many cultures believe that an artist needs to be a mature and experienced person. Some people even think that an artist is just a middleman (or woman) between the paint medium and the paper receptacle. In this "Zen" sense, the art becomes what it wants to be. This happens when the artist is in deep concentration.

What is Oral Art History?

All history at one time was oral. History is story. All history was, at one time oral. Oral history is the recording of someone's (with first hand knowledge) report or views. It is the history of ordinary people. The purpose is to preserve a cultural heritage and add a personal dimension to our so-called "objective history." The interviewer must preplan a series of questions. If the interview is to become a permanent record, an audio or videotape should be made, the words transcribed, then edited for a final report.