Art history and art criticism take different approaches to evaluating works of art. Art history relies on external cues like the time, place, and artist to provide context. It describes the work, analyzes artistic style, interprets influences, and judges importance. Art criticism relies on internal cues within the work. It describes subject and elements, analyzes design principles, interprets moods and ideas, and judges artistic merit. Both use description, analysis, interpretation and judgment but focus on different aspects of the work.

1. Evaluating Works of Art Historical vs. Critical Approaches

2. A r t H i s t o r y Seeking answers to these types of questions: When was it done? Where was it done? What style of art does it represent? What artists or works of art influenced the artist? What impact did the artist or the work have upon artists and works that followed? ART HISTORY relies on External Cues

3. Description Determine when, where, and by whom the work was done.

4. Analysis Identify unique features to determine artistic style.

5. Interpretation Learn how time and place influenced the artist.

6. Judgment Use information to make a decision about a work’s importance in the history of art.

7. Guernica , Picasso, 1937 Determine when, where, and by whom the work was done. Identify unique features to determine artistic style. Learn how time and place influenced the artist.

8. Use information to make a decision about a work’s importance in the history of art .

9. A r t C r i t i c i s m Seeking answers to these types of questions: What is in the artwork? How is the artwork designed or put together? What does it mean? Is it a successful work of art? ART CRITICISM relies on Internal Cues

10. Description Focus: Subject matter and/or Elements of Art

11. Analysis Focus: Organization – how Principles of Design have been used to arrange the elements of art

12. Interpretation Focus: Moods, feelings and ideas communicated by the work

13. Judgment Focus: Decision-making about the work’s artistic merit

14. L'Absinthe , Degas, 1876 Focus: Subject matter and/or Elements of Art Focus: Organization – how Principles of Design have been used to arrange the elements of art Focus: Moods, feelings and ideas communicated by the work

15. Focus: Decision-making about the work’s artistic merit