THE INVENTION OF ART; A CULTURAL HISTORY by Larry ShinerReview by: Terrie L. WilsonArt Documentation: Journal of the Art Libraries Society of North America, Vol. 21, No. 1(Spring 2002), p. 46Published by: The University of Chicago Press on behalf of the Art Libraries Society of NorthAmericaStable URL: http://www.jstor.org/stable/27949182 .

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virtual overview of the catalog II Genio e le Passioni: Leonardo e il Cenacolo: Precedenti, Innovazioni, Riflessi di un Capolavoro (Milan, Italy: Skira, 2001) see <http: / /www.artificioskira.it/cenaco lo2 /catalogo.htmx These three important works complement Steinberg's.

The well-designed book's shape and size were clearly deter mined by the horizontality of the painting. The welcome

gatefold color plate of the post-conservation Last Supper, with

facing identification diagram of the Apostles, will see frequent consultation by readers. Reinforcement of the fold may be advis able. The book was printed on acid-free paper, sewn in

signatures, and clothbound. The 201 black-and-white illustra

tions, plans and diagrams, and the footnotes, appendices, bibliography, index, illustration list, and photography credits are all that one would wish for in a scholarly publication. Although the prose is usually very readable and often jaunty ?see the pas sage on St. Thomas in Chapter 4? one longs for scholars to take a tip from Orwell and avoid obscure terms such as vatic and rin

gent. The subject is complex enough without sending the average reader to a dictionary.

Given the enduring popular appeal of the subject, the pub lication's modest price, and its user-friendly organization, Leonardo's Incessant Last Supper is not only essential for academic and museum libraries for its thorough scholarship but appropri ate for large public libraries as well.

Patricia T. Thompson University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill

Fine Art's Roots

Invention of Art

THE INVENTION OF ART; A CUL TURAL HISTORY / Larry Shiner. ?

Chicago, IL: The University of

Chicago Press, October 2001. ? 381 p.: ill. ? ISBN 0-226-75342-5 (cl., alk.

paper): $35.00. Historians and critics of the arts

have been busy reviewing and ques tioning the traditional, Euro-centric notion of 'fine art.' New methodolo

gies have come and gone (some with more impact than others), issues of multiculturalism and gender have been addressed, and even the subject

of the death of art has been raised. Far less attention, however, has been paid to how the modern concept of fine art came into existence. Critics evaluate the contents of museums and the per formances in concert halls and theatres, but few concern themselves with the overarching theme of the modern art sys tem. For example, most individuals are aware that the concept of an art museum dates back only to the mid-eighteenth or early nineteenth century, but how did the invention of the museum

impact the way the public considers art? What factors came about to create the way in which we view and appreciate art?

In The Invention of Art: a Cultural History, Larry Shiner has taken the concept of "fine art" and traced its roots back to the

eighteenth century. Shiner not only addresses painting, but also

music, literature, and architecture, drawing parallels between

developments in each. The inclusion of more than just the visual arts provides a holistic overview of the evolution of the

modern fine art system. Shiner argues that, "The modern sys tem of art is not an essence or a fate but something we have

made. Art as we have generally understood it is a European invention barely two hundred years old."

The book is divided into five parts, the first of which describes the concept of art in western culture prior to the eigh teenth century. Discussion centers on the ancient Greek,

Medieval, and Renaissance concepts of art. Parts two through four focus on the critical period of 1680 to 1830, in which major changes occurred to bring about our modern idea of art. Shiner devotes an entire chapter to the writings of Hogarth, Rousseau, and Wollstonecraft, and also emphasizes the impact the French Revolution had on the perception and function of art. The final

part of the book focuses on changes in the arts from the devel

opment of photography onward and offers a concise summary of the author's thesis. Shiner hints that we may be witnessing the evolution of a third art system, one in which art complete ly dissolves into life, moving out of the private institutions and back into the world of everyday people.

Central to Shiner's argument is the development of an art versus-craft polarity. Contending that no such separation existed prior to the end of the seventeenth century, the author

points to socio-economic, institutional, and intellectual shifts as the impetus for change. By separating art into categories of 'fine art' and 'mere craft,' audiences began to take painting, lit

erature, and music out of their original (generally functional) context and elevate them to a higher level. Art museums

sprang up, music moved into concert halls, and literature formed a canon.

With a background in philosophy, the author supports his

theory by looking at the development of aesthetics and the

writings of philosophers and critics ranging from Kant to Derrida. Primary focus is on the cultural climate of Great

Britain, France, Germany, and the United States. Consistent mention is made of gender roles and the effect gender had in the development of the modern art system. The book's contents

may generate discussion among critics and art historians, and it will be up to them to decide if Shiner's theories are solid. Even if fault is found, the book is well written and logically organized. Numerous black-and- white photographs accompa

ny the text, and an extensive list of references and a

bibliography are included. The Invention of Art is enjoyable to read and provides a welcome addition to the history and phi losophy of art. It is recommended for all art libraries.

Terrie L. Wilson

Michigan State University

46 Art Documentation ? Voiume 21, Number 1 ? 2002

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