The use of art descriptions and explanations—especially written ones—has a deep history, but the formal practice developed over time in stages, especially as art moved into public institutions and became part of intellectual discourse.
1. Early Religious and Royal Patronage (before the 1500s):
No written descriptions were common, but symbolic meaning was built into the artwork itself—especially in religious art.
In churches, priests or scholars explained artwork to the public orally, especially since most people were illiterate.
In royal courts, court artists or patrons might include inscriptions or heraldic symbols to convey identity or meaning.
2. Renaissance (1400s–1600s):
Artists began signing their work and sometimes included Latin inscriptions or visual clues to indicate meaning.
Thinkers like Vasari (in Lives of the Artists, 1550) began writing biographies and interpretations of artists’ works—this was an early form of art writing and interpretation.
Patrons also began commissioning works with specific meanings or allegories, often recorded in letters or contracts.
3. Baroque & Enlightenment (1600s–1700s):
Art academies emerged (like the French Académie des Beaux-Arts), and with them came formal rules and rationales for what art should do.
Exhibition catalogues started to appear, offering short descriptions of artworks shown in salons or royal collections.
Paintings were often described in terms of themes, moral lessons, or classical references.
4. Romanticism & Realism (1800s):
As artists sought to express personal emotion or social truth, art critics like Baudelaire began to write about art in newspapers and books.
Artists started writing manifestos or letters explaining their intentions (e.g., Courbet’s political realism).
Public museums like the Louvre or British Museum began offering labels and guided tours—bringing written description to mass audiences.
5. Modernism (1900s):
As art became more abstract, the need for explanation grew—leading to manifestos (e.g., Futurism, Dada, Surrealism).
Art critics and theorists like Greenberg, Benjamin, and Berger began interpreting and contextualizing work for readers.
Museums introduced more sophisticated wall texts, catalogues, and artist statements.
6. Contemporary Art (1970s–present):
Art description has become nearly standardized—most galleries and museums now include:
Artist statements
Curatorial essays
Wall labels with conceptual and historical context
Conceptual and installation art especially requires explanation, as the idea is often not visible in the object.
So, while symbolic and oral explanation existed in ancient and medieval times, formal art descriptions as we know them today really took off during the Renaissance, then institutionalized in the Enlightenment, and became essential in Modern and Contemporary art.
One study of just this concept found that nearly half of people surveyed would rather make $50,000 in a world where the average salary is $25,000 than make $100,000 in a world where the average is $200,000; that is, they prioritized making more relative to other people rather than having a higher overall income. As the saying goes, “If you and I are being chased by a bear, I don’t have to outrun the bear; I just have to outrun you.”
“René Magritte’s painting The Rape (1934) is a disturbing and provocative surrealist work. It depicts a woman’s face replaced by the elements of her naked body—breasts where her eyes should be, a navel as a nose, and a vulva in place of the mouth. The image is intentionally jarring and unsettling.
Interpretation: Magritte is often exploring the relationship between images, meaning, and perception. In The Rape, many art critics see a commentary on how women are objectified—reduced to their sexual parts, even in how they’re visually “read” or perceived. By literally substituting a woman’s facial features with sexualized body parts, Magritte confronts viewers with the violence of that objectification. The title “The Rape” reinforces the idea of violation—not necessarily a literal act, but a psychological or visual one.
It’s meant to provoke discomfort and reflection, especially on how women’s identities can be erased or overridden by the gaze of others.”
René Magritte The Rape 1966 graphite on wove paper 14 1/8 x 10 5/8 in.
“Your time is limited, so don’t waste it living someone else’s life. Don’t be trapped by dogma—which is living with the results of other people’s thinking. Don’t let the noise of others’ opinions drown out your own inner voice. And most important, have the courage to follow your heart and intuition.”
We lie to ourselves to protect our self-images, which allows us to act immorally while maintaining a clear conscience. According to the very latest research, self-deception may have even evolved to help us to persuade others; if we start believing our own lies, it’s much easier to get other people to believe them, too.
“It is important to ask yourself whether your thoughts are consistent with facts or logic. There could be another explanation for a situation that is truer than your interpretation. Sometimes it is hard to break from long-held beliefs that have become part of your reality. Understand that it can take time and patience to overcome any negative preconceived notions toward your life that you’ve built up.”
