A Fulbright scholarship spent in Paris under Jean Wahl served as a primary catalyst for the academic trajectory of Arthur Coleman Danto. Born in Ann Arbor in 1924, Danto emerged as a central figure in 20th-century aesthetics, bridging the divide between analytical philosophy and the evolving social institutions that categorize contemporary artistic production.
Academic Foundation
Raised in Detroit within a Reform Jewish household, Danto completed his undergraduate studies at Wayne University. His early professional aspirations were focused on the visual arts; he produced prints in an Expressionist style starting in 1947. He later transitioned to graduate studies at Columbia University, where he would spend the remainder of his professional career. Upon his retirement in 1992, the institution appointed him as the Johnsonian Professor Emeritus of Philosophy.
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Danto challenged traditional aesthetic theories that prioritized formal or expressive qualities. He proposed an institutional definition of art, arguing that an object achieves the status of art through its recognition within an atmosphere of theory, which he labeled the 'artworld.' In his seminal 1964 essay, he established that art is defined by its social and historical context. His work, most notably in Transfiguration of the Commonplace, posited that art is essentially a meaning given embodiment.
The Post-Historical Era
Applying a Hegelian framework to the trajectory of Western art, Danto argued that the medium had transitioned through an era of imitation and an era of ideology. He suggested that the 20th century marked the arrival of a post-historical era, where traditional stylistic constraints no longer apply. This theory, characterized as the 'end of art,' does not signal the cessation of artistic creation, but rather the removal of the master narrative that previously dictated artistic progression.
Critical Reception
Beyond his tenure as an academic philosopher, Danto maintained a prominent role as an art critic, notably writing for The Nation starting in 1984. His contributions to the field were recognized through multiple awards, including the George Polk Award in 1985 and the National Book Critics Circle Award in Criticism in 1990. He was an elected member of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences.
Fast facts
- Born: 1924, Ann Arbor, United States
- Died: 2013, Manhattan, New York City
- Primary Employer: Columbia University
- Education: Wayne State University, Columbia University
- Major Recognition: National Book Critics Circle Award, 1990
- Professional Role: Art Critic for The Nation
- Fellowships: Guggenheim Fellowship (1969)
Questions readers ask
What is the 'artworld' according to Danto?
It refers to the cultural context or atmosphere of art theory necessary to confer the status of art upon an object.
Did Danto believe art had stopped being created?
No, he argued that the traditional history of Western art based on imitation and stylistic constraints had reached its conclusion, leading to a period where anything can be art.
Achievements
- Held posts at Columbia University
- Fields: philosophy
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