Museum Skepticism by David Carrier
Traces the birth, evolution, and decline of the public art museum as an institution meant to spark democratic debate and discussion.
“Museum Skepticism is a fascinating study, original, brilliant, and eruditeI absolutely loved reading this book.”—Ellen Handler Spitz, author of The Brightening Glance: Imagination and Childhood
“David Carrier is one of only a handful of scholars who inhabit with ease the diverse worlds of philosophy, art history, art criticism, and now museology. His philosophical acuity probes the responsibilities, shortcomings, and achievements of art museums, and the responses of their academic critics. Carrier’s provocative reflections on the successive metamorphoses of these irreplaceable yet infuriating institutions are sure to be a stimulus to the democratic conversation about their future that he so warmly advocates. Reading Carrier is like reading Montaigne: no one could be a more thoughtful, witty, or erudite imaginary interlocutor for the fortunate reader of this impassionedly personal yet highly disciplined book.”—Ivan Gaskell, Harvard University
“Museum Skepticism certainly delivers, what it promises-a valid and convincing theory that answers the question: "What is it to lead the life of a work of art?" It offers a glimpse into the lives of several iconic public art museums and the personalities that contributed to the development of these institutions and their collections. . . . With its passionate tone and accessible language, it should be part of any art student’s library.” -- Alise Piebalga * Leonardo Reviews *
“David Carrier is one of only a handful of scholars who inhabit with ease the diverse worlds of philosophy, art history, art criticism, and now museology. His philosophical acuity probes the responsibilities, shortcomings, and achievements of art museums, and the responses of their academic critics. Carrier’s provocative reflections on the successive metamorphoses of these irreplaceable yet infuriating institutions are sure to be a stimulus to the democratic conversation about their future that he so warmly advocates. Reading Carrier is like reading Montaigne: no one could be a more thoughtful, witty, or erudite imaginary interlocutor for the fortunate reader of this impassionedly personal yet highly disciplined book.”—Ivan Gaskell, Harvard University
“Museum Skepticism certainly delivers, what it promises-a valid and convincing theory that answers the question: "What is it to lead the life of a work of art?" It offers a glimpse into the lives of several iconic public art museums and the personalities that contributed to the development of these institutions and their collections. . . . With its passionate tone and accessible language, it should be part of any art student’s library.” -- Alise Piebalga * Leonardo Reviews *
David Carrier is the Champney Family Professor of Art History at Case Western Reserve University and the Cleveland Institute of Art. His books include Sean Scully; Writing about Visual Art; The Aesthetics of Comics; High Art: Charles Baudelaire and the Origins of Modernist Painting; Principles of Art History Writing; and Poussin’s Paintings.
| SKU | Unavailable |
| ISBN 13 | 9780822336945 |
| ISBN 10 | 0822336944 |
| Title | Museum Skepticism |
| Author | David Carrier |
| Condition | Unavailable |
| Binding Type | Paperback |
| Publisher | Duke University Press |
| Year published | 2006-05-31 |
| Number of pages | 328 |
| Cover note | Book picture is for illustrative purposes only, actual binding, cover or edition may vary. |
| Note | Unavailable |