Principles of Art History Writing

by David Carrier

Principles of Art History Writing traces the changes in the way in which writers about art represent the same works. These differ in such deep ways as to raise the question of whether those at the beginning of the process even saw the same things as those at the end did. Carrier uses four case studies to identify and explain changing styles of restorations and the history of interpretations of selected works by Piero, Caravaggio, and van Eyck.

Genres: Art

264 pages, Paperback

First published May 1, 1991

Reviews

[Alex · Rating 4 out of 5]

I highly recommend this to my fellow art historians. Carrier tackles some tricky questions in an original and convincing way. For example, what are we supposed to make of older and sometimes conflicting interpretations by art historians? Is it simply that the newest interpretations are inherently the best, or is there still value in reading from older art historical traditions? The questions and solutions presented in this book are sure to stick with me as I go about my own reading and writing.