What is art history and where does it go? II

History: Making sense of the past
Like definitions of art and beauty, concepts about history have changed over time. It may seem that written history should be simple: everything is based on facts, isn't it? In theory, yes, but the evidence that survives the test of time is vast, fragmented and confusing. Historians must make decisions about what to include and exclude, how to organize the material, and what to say about it. In doing so, they create narratives that explain the past so that it makes sense in the present. Inevitably, as the present changes, such narratives are updated, rewritten, or discarded altogether and replaced by new narratives. All history, then, is subjective, as much a product of the time and place in which it was written as the evidence of the past that it interprets.

The discipline of art history developed in Europe during the colonial period (roughly the 15th century until the mid-20th century). Early art historians emphasized European tradition, celebrating its Greek and Roman origins and the ideals of academic art. In the mid-20th century a standard narrative for "Western art" was established that traced its development from prehistoric, ancient, and medieval Mediterranean art to that of modern Europe and the United States. Art from the rest of the world, labeled "non-Western art", has typically been treated only marginally and from a colonialist perspective.

The immense sociocultural changes that occurred in the 20th century led art historians to correct such narratives. Accounts of Western art that featured only white men were revised to include black artists and women. The traditional focus on painting, sculpture, and architecture has expanded to include the so-called minor arts, such as ceramics and textiles, and contemporary media, such as video and performance art. Interest in non-Western art has increased, growing dramatically in recent years.

Pendant Mask of the Queen Mother (Iyoba), 16th century, Edo ethnic group, Court of Benin, Nigeria, ivory, iron, copper, 23.8 x 12.7 x 8.3 cm (Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York) (photo : Steven Zucker, CC BY-NC-SA 2.0)
Today, the biggest social development facing art history is globalization. As our world becomes increasingly interconnected, familiarity with different cultures and diversity is essential. Art history, as the history of exceptional artifacts from a wide range of cultures, has a role to play in developing these skills. Now art historians can ponder and debate how to reconcile Europe's intellectual origins with its problematic colonialist legacy, with contemporary multiculturalism, and how to write art history in a global age.

Smarthistory videos and articles reflect this art history story. Since the site was originally created to support a Western art and history course, the content initially focused on the most celebrated works in the Western canon. With the major periods and civilizations of this tradition now well represented and an increasing number of contributing scholars, the range of objects and themes has increased in recent years. Most importantly, substantial coverage of traditions from the world outside the West has been added. As the site continues to expand, the works and perspectives presented will evolve with contemporary trends in art history. Indeed, as innovators in the use of digital media and the internet to create, disseminate, and interrogate historical art knowledge, Smarthistory and its users have the potential to help shape the future of the discipline.