Art Criticism Quiz

Art Criticism: The Discussion and Evaluation of Visual Art

• Art criticism is the evaluation and discussion of visual art.

• It aims to provide a rational basis for art appreciation, but this can be influenced by socio-political circumstances.

• There are different disciplines within art criticism, including historical and contemporary criticism.

• Art critics have made mistakes in the past, dismissing artists who are now celebrated and movements that were once ridiculed.

• Artists often need positive reviews from critics to gain recognition and sales.

• Art can be subjective or objective, based on personal preferences, elements and principles of design, and social and cultural acceptance.

• Art criticism has many subjective viewpoints, but it involves the interpretation and discussion of art and its value.

• There are different methods of art criticism, from simply describing the work to using technical knowledge and aesthetic theory.

• Art criticism has a long history, with critiques of art dating back to the origins of art itself.

• The 18th century saw the emergence of art criticism as a genre of writing, with the introduction of an objective system for ranking works of art.

• The 19th century saw the profession of art criticism develop, with critics such as William Hazlitt, John Ruskin, and Charles Baudelaire.

• In the 20th century, art criticism became more philosophical, with the formalist approach of Roger Fry and Clive Bell, and the championing of modern British artists by Herbert Read.A Brief History of Art Criticism

• Art criticism has existed as long as art itself

• The Greeks wrote about art

• In the 17th century, the French philosopher Michel de Montaigne wrote a short essay on the art of painting

• In the 18th and 19th centuries, Enlightenment ideas and Romanticism led to a more subjective and emotional approach to art criticism

• In the 20th century, art criticism became more professionalized and specialized with the rise of art magazines and academic programs in art history and criticism

• Clement Greenberg was a key figure in promoting Abstract Expressionism

• Feminist art criticism emerged in the 1970s and continues to be a major field of art criticism

• Today, art critics work in print media, online, on TV and radio, and in museums and galleries

• Art critics curate exhibitions and write exhibition catalogues

• The International Association of Art Critics is an organization for art critics

• Online art critical websites and art blogs have emerged in the 21st century

• Social media is often used by art critics to share their opinions and ideas about art