Questions of Modernity
The unprecedented growth in the eighteenth century of art criticism and aesthetics further empowered an
art public already made assertive through an expanding art market. Writers used a range of tones, from the
gravely philosophical to the comic, to encourage the development of enlightened, critical and reflective
taste. They disseminated an acquaintance with technical issues and with canonical religious and
mythological narratives. Eighteenthcentury critics often followed templates for the analysis and
evaluation of art established in the preceding century, but the emphases on “nature” and feeling were new.
If we think of change in terms of momentum, the period stands out for the increasing power of an art
public encouraged to be reflective, critical and even irreverent about art.
Further Reading
Harrison, Charles, Paul Wood and Jason Gaiger, eds. 2000. Art in Theory 1648–1815: An Anthology of
Changing Ideas. Oxford: Blackwell.
Wrigley, Richard. 1993. The Origins of French Art Criticism: From the Ancien Régime to the
Restoration. Oxford: Clarendon Press.