A Humanist Approach to Teaching Art History in Art Education

Abstract

This article stresses the importance of a consciousness of history in acquiring a sense of cultural identity. It goes on to stress the place of the history of art in the history of civilisation and the importance of the Art History teacher, within a humanist context, in the way culture and history are dealt with in our country. For there is a humanist aspect to every human creation reflecting the value in itself. Art education provides an opporunity for free expression of this aspect and teaching the history art as part of this education brings with it a number of problems. In looking at how to achieve the aims of art history education properly these issues are considered at length from a variety of angles. In conclusion, in the same way as history of art teachers in today’s conditions should continually develop themselves, modernise and prepare appropriate teaching situations, they should also espouse a humanist approach to education in order to establish the conditions in a sound manner.