Fine Arts, UBC Library
Winckelmann, the first modern art historian
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Johann
Winckelmann (1717-1768) is often credited with being the first modern
art historian. In 1764 he published Geschichte der Kunst des Altertums (History of Ancient Art) which is likely the first time that the words art and history appear together. Librarian and scholar, he was also the Superintendent of Antiquities in Rome and supervised the excavations at Pompeii and Herculaneum. |
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Illustration
from The History of Ancient Art. V.1.
(London: Low, Marston, Searle, & Rivington, 1881), facing title page.
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Winckelmann's
writings anticipated neo-classicism and historicism in the nineteenth
century and continue to have an influence to this day. Winckelmann's
descriptions of ancient art indicated that Roman art was derivative
of Greek art. He believed that the Renaissance had its origin in
Greece rather than in Rome, thereby changing the prevailing scholarly
view of the time.
*Johann Winckelmann, Gedanken uber die Nachahmung der griechischen Werke in der Malerei und Bildhauerkunst. Originally published in (1755; reprint, Heilbronn: Verlag von Gebr. Henninger, 1855), 24 (page citation is to the reprint edition).
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Title page of Monumenti antichi inediti spiegati
ed illustrati da Giovanni Winckelmann. V. 2. (Roma: a spese dell' autore, 1767). |
Bibliography:Winckelmann, Johann Joachim. Monumenti antichi inediti spiegati ed illustrati da Giovanni Winckelmann. Roma: a spese dell' autore, 1767. N5333 W7 v.1-2. Fine Arts Rare 2Winckelmann, Johann Joachim. The History of Ancient Art. Translated from the German of John Winckelmann, by G. Henry Lodge. London: Low, Marston, Searle & Rivington, 1881. N5330 W75 1881 v.1-2 Main Library Winckelmann, Johann Joachim. Gedanken uber die Nachahmung der griechischen Werke in der Malerei und Bildhauerkunst. 1755. Reprint, Heilbronn: Verlag von Gebr. Henninger, 1885. N7428 W9 Main Library |
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