Art History - How important is it to have knowledge of Art history?

How important is it to have knowledge of Art history?

I see that they have art history classes in school, at least they did in my schools, but my hand is in the actual art...painting, sketching, sculpting and more...I just don't have much knowledge of the History of artists like Da Vinci. Is it important to know for an artist who wishes to have a career in the art field?

Public Comments

Yes
eeh, it makes you look like your know your shit, exaamle this painting i did here resembles the stlye Vincent Van Gough in his ____ period...yea i like art myself i dont know half of what i should, but im not a serious artist...it might help you in the long run if that will be whats putting food on the table one day...
yes, art history is always a help to further understanding art and all global cultures. it can give you inspiration on color, shape, light, perspective and much more.
If you want to have a career in the art field you should learn about art history. It should give you new ideas, for ideally you won't learn only about western art history, but art history of all over the world. It will also expose you to a lot of different ideas of what art is. If you want to be a professional artist you also have to be able to talk and evaluate other people's art. A knowledge of art history will allow you to understand many art pieces done by others better. In addition it will help you to understand how different art styles arise and become obsolete. Ideally it also will help you to understand why you make art like you do, and help you improve or find new exiting directions. Not the last it will tell you what has already been done. If you think you have come up with an exiting new way of doing something, nobody else will get exited with you if somebody else already came up with it a hundred years ago. So you better know your field.
Would you really want a doctor that didn't know any history of medicine? It's very important that you have knowledge of art history -- otherwise you will look like an idiot when trying to carry on conversations with those in the art world.