Art historian

Who is an art historian and what do they do?

An art historian is a specialist concerned with the study, research and interpretation of the visual arts in their historical and cultural context. They are a key authority for establishing the authenticity and context of works — that is, for answering whether a work is genuine and where it belongs. Using comparative analysis and a knowledge of technique, they establish exactly who made a work and when. It is also the art historian who stands behind catalogues raisonnés, the listings of an artist's entire documented output.

What training does an art historian have and where do they work?

Art historians come out of academia, where they study and research the field. They work in museums and galleries, in heritage conservation, in auction houses and at universities. They take part in cataloguing collections, and their remit may also include documenting and overseeing monuments so that these survive for future generations in the best possible condition. It is a profession, then, that bridges scholarship and the marketplace.

How does an art historian influence the value of a work and the art market?

An art historian's opinion on authenticity can significantly affect a work's market value, because the market needs certainty that what it is buying is genuine. Inclusion in a catalogue raisonné, which art historians stand behind, is for collectors a fundamental confirmation of authenticity and origin. It is fair to say that without their work the art market would not function at all. For who else would establish that a painting really is what it claims to be?

How do art historians fare in the Czech context?

Art history has a strong academic tradition in the Czech Republic, with specialists working at universities and in museums. In our context they often stand in for curators as well, so one person frequently both researches and prepares exhibitions. Without their work there would be no continuity of knowledge — no thread connecting what we know about art and pass on. It is thanks to them that our knowledge of Czech art stays alive and documented.

— Anna Pulkertová, founder of Art Part Club