From Philosophy to Art History

[surlefil]

Hi! I would like to apply to a Ph.D. in Philosophy, but as my AOI is Aesthetics and I'm interested in "continental" philosophy, I do not have a great deal of options, especially if I want to apply to a top school. I'm considering the possibility of applying to a Ph.D. in Art History/Art Criticism/Art Theory, but I want my research, thesis and everything to be philosophical.

 

Is it possible to do so in a program in Art History? Are professors (in general) interested in more theoretical issues? Do they study philosophical texts deeply?

 

And is it possible to be accepted? What should my background be to be accepted in a good Ph.D. program in Art History? 

 

Any opinions would be extremely useful.

Thanks!!

[ArtHistoryandMuseum]

I took an undergrad course at an Ivy League university in Aesthetics (analytic). The authors we read in that class never came up in my art history courses in undergrad. As for the continental tradition - I think you'll find a better connection - what are the subjects or theorists you are interested specifically? I think identifying, say, "Kant" or "feminist theory", will help you discover fitting art history departments, or POIs.

[ArtHistoryandMuseum]

Hi! I would like to apply to a Ph.D. in Philosophy, but as my AOI is Aesthetics and I'm interested in "continental" philosophy, I do not have a great deal of options, especially if I want to apply to a top school. I'm considering the possibility of applying to a Ph.D. in Art History/Art Criticism/Art Theory, but I want my research, thesis and everything to be philosophical.

 

Is it possible to do so in a program in Art History? Are professors (in general) interested in more theoretical issues? Do they study philosophical texts deeply?

 

And is it possible to be accepted? What should my background be to be accepted in a good Ph.D. program in Art History? 

 

Any opinions would be extremely useful.

Thanks!!

As for your rigor of training to write well (during your studes of philosophy), sure that's useful for any PhD program. As for the question is your background appropriate and you'd get in - I'd read through this site, as a start.

You'll hear things, like, no one can adequately predict your chances of admission. You won't actually know until you try. Good luck!

[apotheosis]

I second fullofpink in saying that if you do not have a lot of coursework in traditional art history, be prepared to show your competency in other ways, or make sure that your recommenders can testify to your art historical knowledge. I did not major or minor in art history in college, but did a large independent research project on aesthetics and the Frankfurt School, which inevitably had to do with lots of modern art history which I had to learn by myself, and I made sure to highlight that in my SOP. I've received pretty good feedback in the interviews I've conducted so far, and it seems that most faculty do not have major problems with my lack of art historical expertise, as long as I am willing to acquire it independently during graduate school alongside other coursework.

 

You might also be interested in more interdisciplinary programs (UC Berkeley's Rhetoric, Stanford's MTL, Duke's Literature, etc.) where you will be able to pursue art theory, aesthetics, and continental philosophy without having to worry about fulfilling art history area / period requirements as you would have in traditional programs.

 

Off the top of my head, here are some art history professors w/ strong interest in continental philosophy you might want to check out: Sebastian Zeidler (Yale), Branden Joseph (Columbia), Matthew Biro (Michigan).

Edited February 20, 2013 by apotheosis

[Shelley Burian]

I wouldn't think that art history is the way to go, at least in the US and Canada. You might be able to write a dissertation on theory but you are going to spend most if not all of your time taking courses which are not theoretically based at all. I also have theoretical interests alongside my main focus in Andean textiles (which is very unusual for an ancient specialist) and am having trouble finding support for these interests in my coursework. Apart from a methods course, most art history courses do not read the philosophic primary texts except maybe for a few modern and contemporary ones.

[surlefil]

Thanks a lot for answering! A few things:

 

I took an undergrad course at an Ivy League university in Aesthetics (analytic). The authors we read in that class never came up in my art history courses in undergrad. As for the continental tradition - I think you'll find a better connection - what are the subjects or theorists you are interested specifically? I think identifying, say, "Kant" or "feminist theory", will help you discover fitting art history departments, or POIs.

I’ve studied a lot of modern philosophy, and I’m really interested in it. Let’s say Spinoza, Kant, Schelling, Diderot, Nietzsche (not so modern but anyway).

 

I'm unsure of what your motives for studying art history are (I suppose... to study aesthetics in the realm of art? Even then, that's philosophy...), and if it is solely to get into a "top school" then I think you might find that very difficult, especially if you lack a substantial art historical background. 

 

One of my undergraduate advisors, who is definitely not at a top school, does study continental aesthetic theory in art historiography, but this individual applies that information to its contemporary context (18th-19th century German art historical pedagogy) and rarely needs to address art. Is this similar to what you are thinking of?  

I’m studying aesthetics theories in philosophy but I don’t want to make it so far from... well, art. So I’m trying to reach a middle way betweeen studying philosophy and studying all the things I need to know to be sure I know what I am talking about.

 

I second fullofpink in saying that if you do not have a lot of coursework in traditional art history, be prepared to show your competency in other ways, or make sure that your recommenders can testify to your art historical knowledge. I did not major or minor in art history in college, but did a large independent research project on aesthetics and the Frankfurt School, which inevitably had to do with lots of modern art history which I had to learn by myself, and I made sure to highlight that in my SOP. I've received pretty good feedback in the interviews I've conducted so far, and it seems that most faculty do not have major problems with my lack of art historical expertise, as long as I am willing to acquire it independently during graduate school alongside other coursework.

Thank you for all your suggestions. As I’ve said some lines above, I want my research not to be detached from art history. My main experience in art is that I am an editor (among three other editors) in an art magazine. But I don't think that could be enough.

 

 

Thanks in general for your advice!

[ArtHistoryandMuseum]

While I am unable to recommend any professor personally, I hope the following list is of help to you, or for anyone else searching.

 

Spinoza -- Daniel Schwartz in GWU's History dept 

 

Kant -- Mark A. Cheetham in Toronto's Fine Art dept  (he wrote Kant, Art, and Art History: Moments of Discipline)

 

Schelling -- Unfortunately, I was not able to find a professor with publications/work on the 19th c. philosopher. Doesn't mean, of course, a program supporting the study of Friedrich von Schelling does not exist....

 

Diderot -- Kristel Smentek in MIT's Architecture dept (she's an art historian)

 

Nietzsche -- Ara Merjian in NYU's Art History dept

[ProspectStu8735]

If you want to do continental with an art historical influence, then what you're actually looking for is a visual studies program.  They place much greater emphasis on theory.  Also, some schools (UCLA comes to mind) have professors in Art History departments who are also involved in critical theory institutes.  Irvine, Santa Cruz and Rochester are great visual studies programs.  But, just a heads up, there are some departments with visual studies in the name that don't really practice visual studies (Duke, which seems to be a somewhat traditional art history department and Harvard, whose visual studies has a cinematographic bent).  You might also consider the recent proliferation of interdisciplinary PhDs, if any have a willingness to work with visual material.  For example, Stanford's program in Modern Thought and Literature, Santa Cruz's History of Consciousness or Princeton's Interdisciplinary Doctoral Program.  All of the programs I've listed are very highly regarded and have strong placement records, from what I've been able to uncover.

Edited February 24, 2013 by ProspectStu8735