1. Chapter 4: Primitive Art
1.1. "An underlying assumption of early anthropologists was that small societites represented earlier, more or less primitive, stages of human development. Some explained exotic character in terms of primitive mentality or racial inferiority; others preferred fantasies of primal instincts..." (Burt, 55).
1.1.1. Primitive art was a gateway into many new ways of understanding art for anthropologists. Seeing as early societies showed increasing knowledge of understanding humanity, society, and the way they were portrayed by others, it allows anthropologists to connect their art to the mentality of the early civilizations at the time.
1.1.2. invention of the "primitive man" was the contrast of "civilized" societies (European ethnocentric and colonial self-interest)
1.2. primitive art became categorized and lumped together by Europeans
2. Chapter 5: Prehistoric Art
2.1. "When archaeologists deal with artefacts that have survived their makers and users too long for a cultural legacy to be identified...interpretation depends upon drawing analogies with more familiar and better documented cultural traditions, including archaeologists' own" (Burt, 70).
2.1.1. This connects to origins of art as well, like cave art, where in ways the origins of art could be left up to interpretation and inferences from findings of other cultures and art elsewhere.
2.1.2. Franz Boas- mapped out culture complexes/cultural areas which were traits that coincided with each other in certain regional environments
2.2. Diffusionism is the spread of practices from one culture to another, an attempt to understand cultures.
3. Chapter 1: The Origins of Art
3.1. "The British Museum has long been a monument to British national identity and pride, and other countries have sought to establish similar institutions for themselves" (Burt, 19)
3.1.1. British art has showcased its art in its museums, often also showcasing art from other cultures. They also tried to influence others through establishing these institutions of praise.
3.2. Westerners believed that art began in Paleolithic caves which was the residue of 500 years where institutionalism, categorizing came about
4. Chapter 2: Classical Art
4.1. "Paintings began to include everyday scenes, still life, and landscapes, as artists worked fir a growing market of wealthy art connoisseurs" (Burt, 32).
4.1.1. Classical art ensembles the idea of observation in everyday life. It brings a new idea of admiration for life as it is in the European way, and also brings light to capitalist views and how collecting art was valuable.
4.2. Greeks were heavily influenced by the Egyptians and Phoenicians during this time, although there was no interest in cultural relativism.
5. Chapter 3: Oriental Art
5.1. "'It is neither a periods nor a style, it is not restricted to one country or region, and it studies things not normally considered art' (2003:55)" (Burt, 43).
5.2. This analysis by Blair and Bloom showcases how Islamic and Western art were shunned by European ways of art. They were seen as inferior and weren't considered art at all. This connections shows how Oriental Art was viewed amongst a lot of people.
5.2.1. "Europeans were not the only people with an ancient tradition of wealthy connosseurs collecting fine artefacts according to a sophisticated philosophy of artistic value; the Chinese had been doing this for hundreds of years longer" (Burt, 47)
5.2.2. Oriental Art has a longer history than that of European art and has been discredited by them. It conveys how they use their cultural values to create art through religion and the building of pyramids that inspire their people.