Periodic Reporting for period 2 - ArtHistCEE (Art Historiographies in Central and Eastern EuropeAn Inquiry from the Perspective of Entangled Histories)
Reporting period: 2020-04-01 to 2021-07-31
ArtHistCEE: Art Historiographies in Central and Eastern Europe, an Inquiry from the Perspective of Entangled Histories brings together a team of six art historians from Romania, Poland, Russia and the UK.
The project is coordinated by New Europe College, Bucharest, and led by Dr Ada Hajdu.
The aim of our research is to address the art histories produced between 1850 and 1950 in the territories of present-day Poland, Hungary, Slovakia, Romania, Bulgaria and Serbia, from the perspective of ‘entangled histories’. The project explores how the discipline contributed to nation-building discourses by nationalising the past. It examines relationships between the art histories produced in Central and Eastern Europe and those produced in the West. But more importantly, it investigates how the art histories of Central and Eastern Europe resonate with each other, often proposing conflicting interpretations of the past or ignoring uncomfortable competing discourses.
Our methodological approach stems from recent theories regarding the writing of art histories in ways that emphasise non-hierarchical relations, horizontal geographies, and comparative and overlapping processes. This allows us to place the art historians we study in context, while avoiding the centre-periphery paradigm that we criticise.
The historiographies we deal with are often unknown outside their country of origin and have not been studied in their entanglements before, partly due to the difficulties of access to literature in many languages. Our project thus aims to challenge not only received knowledge about Central and Eastern European art historians, but also the foundations of art historical studies in the region.
The project is articulated around three key concepts: ‘periodisation’, ‘style’ and ‘influence’. It argues that these are neither neutral nor strictly descriptive terms and that their use in art history needs to be reconsidered. Its overall objectives are to:
1. Examine how Central and Eastern European art historians adopted, adapted and responded to theoretical and methodological issues developed elsewhere.
2. Identify the periodisations of art that were produced in Central and Eastern Europe.
3. Examine the theoretical and methodological strategies that were developed to conceptualise local styles.
4. Explore how the concept of ‘influence’ was used to establish hierarchical relationships
The project is coordinated by New Europe College, Bucharest, and led by Dr Ada Hajdu.
The aim of our research is to address the art histories produced between 1850 and 1950 in the territories of present-day Poland, Hungary, Slovakia, Romania, Bulgaria and Serbia, from the perspective of ‘entangled histories’. The project explores how the discipline contributed to nation-building discourses by nationalising the past. It examines relationships between the art histories produced in Central and Eastern Europe and those produced in the West. But more importantly, it investigates how the art histories of Central and Eastern Europe resonate with each other, often proposing conflicting interpretations of the past or ignoring uncomfortable competing discourses.
Our methodological approach stems from recent theories regarding the writing of art histories in ways that emphasise non-hierarchical relations, horizontal geographies, and comparative and overlapping processes. This allows us to place the art historians we study in context, while avoiding the centre-periphery paradigm that we criticise.
The historiographies we deal with are often unknown outside their country of origin and have not been studied in their entanglements before, partly due to the difficulties of access to literature in many languages. Our project thus aims to challenge not only received knowledge about Central and Eastern European art historians, but also the foundations of art historical studies in the region.
The project is articulated around three key concepts: ‘periodisation’, ‘style’ and ‘influence’. It argues that these are neither neutral nor strictly descriptive terms and that their use in art history needs to be reconsidered. Its overall objectives are to:
1. Examine how Central and Eastern European art historians adopted, adapted and responded to theoretical and methodological issues developed elsewhere.
2. Identify the periodisations of art that were produced in Central and Eastern Europe.
3. Examine the theoretical and methodological strategies that were developed to conceptualise local styles.
4. Explore how the concept of ‘influence’ was used to establish hierarchical relationships
The early stages of the project laid the basis of future research: the development of theoretical and methodological frameworks and core bibliographies and the construction of an online platform (https://arthist.ro/(opens in new window)). The main research achievement of this period was the major international conference organised at New Europe College, Bucharest, in late 2019: ‘Questions of Periodisation in the Art Historiographies of Central and Eastern Europe’, which welcomed twenty-two speakers and three keynotes from fifteen countries, and a wider audience of over eighty people. The team also contributed to an international seminar series on Periodisation organised at New Europe College and supported by the Getty Foundation, and participated in a range of international conferences. Until the pandemic restricted travel and access to libraries and archives, the team carried out a number of planned research trips. Two postdoctoral fellows were also appointed.
In July 2020, less than two years into the project, its Principal Investigator Dr Ada Hajdu sadly passed away. Her team were given twelve months to phase out the actions already initiated. These included the preparation of an edited volume for Routledge entitled Periodisation in the Art Historiographies of Central and Eastern Europe. This contains an introduction and essays by the team members, with further chapters by a range of international scholars. Team members also completed a number of other book chapters and articles and gave papers at online conferences. While further planned workshops in Bucharest were prevented by the pandemic, the team did present the final results of the project at an online event hosted by the HI, New Europe College.
In July 2020, less than two years into the project, its Principal Investigator Dr Ada Hajdu sadly passed away. Her team were given twelve months to phase out the actions already initiated. These included the preparation of an edited volume for Routledge entitled Periodisation in the Art Historiographies of Central and Eastern Europe. This contains an introduction and essays by the team members, with further chapters by a range of international scholars. Team members also completed a number of other book chapters and articles and gave papers at online conferences. While further planned workshops in Bucharest were prevented by the pandemic, the team did present the final results of the project at an online event hosted by the HI, New Europe College.
Although the project could not be completed due to the death of its PI, it has begun to reposition knowledge about art historiography in Central and Eastern Europe in relation both to Western discourses around art history and to how the discipline is perceived in the region itself. By offering new thinking about the under-researched history of art history in the region, it has addressed certain ‘blind spots’ in the ways that those studying the writing of art history have prioritised certain discourses and overlooked others. It has challenged the sometimes nationalistic, descriptive and uncritical bent of the region’s art historiographies by engaging a comparative transnational approach and encouraging self-reflexivity.
In addition to investigating relationships to art historical scholarship produced in Western Europe the project has, more importantly, begun to identify resonances and competing discourses between the art historiographies of the region itself. In so doing, it has intensified critical scrutiny of the centre-periphery paradigm that still lies at the heart of many of the structural problems encountered in Central and Eastern European art historiographies. Its transnational approach has also allowed a bypassing of the nationalist traps that are often encountered when dealing with national historiographies.
Reconsidering the usefulness of the three key concepts of ‘periodisation’, ‘style’ and ‘influence’ has further demonstrated the relevance of approaches inspired by ‘horizontal art history’. The theoretical frameworks built by Central and Eastern European art historians are thus studied in their own right, and not just as Eastern European versions of Western schools of thought. While not claiming that ‘periodisation’, ‘style’ and ‘influence’ should be jettisoned altogether, the project believes that these concepts should be questioned and criticised; it therefore hopes to encourage other art historians to reflect on their adequacy for their own studies.
By exploring the interdisciplinary value of an ‘entangled histories’ approach, the project has also facilitated new insights into the dialogue between art history and other disciplines, opening up discussion with scholars in other fields and addressing intersections between art history, ethnography and museology in particular.
In addition to investigating relationships to art historical scholarship produced in Western Europe the project has, more importantly, begun to identify resonances and competing discourses between the art historiographies of the region itself. In so doing, it has intensified critical scrutiny of the centre-periphery paradigm that still lies at the heart of many of the structural problems encountered in Central and Eastern European art historiographies. Its transnational approach has also allowed a bypassing of the nationalist traps that are often encountered when dealing with national historiographies.
Reconsidering the usefulness of the three key concepts of ‘periodisation’, ‘style’ and ‘influence’ has further demonstrated the relevance of approaches inspired by ‘horizontal art history’. The theoretical frameworks built by Central and Eastern European art historians are thus studied in their own right, and not just as Eastern European versions of Western schools of thought. While not claiming that ‘periodisation’, ‘style’ and ‘influence’ should be jettisoned altogether, the project believes that these concepts should be questioned and criticised; it therefore hopes to encourage other art historians to reflect on their adequacy for their own studies.
By exploring the interdisciplinary value of an ‘entangled histories’ approach, the project has also facilitated new insights into the dialogue between art history and other disciplines, opening up discussion with scholars in other fields and addressing intersections between art history, ethnography and museology in particular.