The Invention of Art History in Ancient Greece by Jeremy Tanner

The Invention of Art History in Ancient Greece by Jeremy Tanner

The ancient Greeks developed their own very specific ethos of art appreciation, advocating a rational involvement with art. This book explores why the ancient Greeks started to write art history and how the writing of art history transformed the social functions of art in the Greek world. It looks at the invention of the genre of portraiture and the social uses to which portraits were put in the city state. Later chapters explore how artists sought to enhance their status by writing theoretical treatises and producing works of art intended for purely aesthetic contemplation, which ultimately gave rise to the writing of art history and to the development of art collecting. The study, which is illustrated throughout and draws on contemporary perspectives in the sociology of art, will prompt the student of classical art to rethink fundamental assumptions about Greek art and its cultural and social implications.

'.. the book is on the whole thouroughly interesting and stimulating ... [it will] futher the discussion about role and status of art and artists in ancient Greece. The book is beautifully produced and illustrated ...' Bryn Mawr Classical Review
'… precise, concrete and nuanced. … rich and complex …' Cambridge Archaeological Journal

Jeremy Tanner is Lecturer in Greek and Roman Art at the Institute of Archaeology, University College London. He is the author of The Sociology of Art: A Reader (2003).

SKU	Unavailable
ISBN 13	9780521846141
ISBN 10	0521846145
Title	The Invention of Art History in Ancient Greece
Author	Jeremy Tanner
Series	Cambridge Classical Studies
Condition	Unavailable
Binding Type	Hardback
Publisher	Cambridge University Press
Year published	2006-03-23
Number of pages	348
Cover note	Book picture is for illustrative purposes only, actual binding, cover or edition may vary.