Aesthetics in Art History: A French Critique
A 1993 article in artpress critiques the state of art history education in France, arguing it remains dominated by positivism and attributionism that stifle speculative thought. Authors Paul Ardenne, Claire Brunet, and Dominique Baqué examine the system, with Brunet specifically analyzing the marginal role of aesthetics within art history. She notes that rarely republished or hard-to-access texts on aesthetics are used to fill gaps in art history courses, creating a 'communicating vessels' dynamic where the discipline's lacunae become the substance of aesthetics teaching. The piece reflects on how connections to other fields like humanities and semiotics have been viewed with suspicion by a discipline obsessed with its own identity.
Key facts
- Art history education in France is criticized for positivism and attributionism.
- Speculative thought is paralyzed by these dominant approaches.
- Connections to other disciplines like humanities and semiology are viewed with suspicion.
- Paul Ardenne, Claire Brunet, and Dominique Baqué authored the dossier.
- Claire Brunet analyzes the place of aesthetics in art history.
- Rarely republished or inaccessible aesthetic texts are used in teaching.
- The 'communicating vessels' principle describes how art history gaps feed aesthetics courses.
- The article was published in artpress in July 1993.
Entities
Artists
- Paul Ardenne
- Claire Brunet
- Dominique Baqué
Institutions
- artpress
Locations
- France