SITE NOTES and FAQs

The below notes deal with miscellaneous topics related to this website and The Art Story Foundation as a whole.

A note on simplifying art history

Although the creators of TheArtStory.org understand that breaking down movements and influences into simple statements is a form of simplification, we believe that this step is a required one to make the complex concepts in Modern art palatable for the larger audience that this website is trying to accommodate. Users with advanced understanding of Modern art may find the breakdowns too general, but for those people the website offers further in-depth analysis and references to original sources.

A note on viewing reproductions online

Whenever we look at web images of artworks, it is important to remember that much of the effect that these images have is completely lost when viewed on our computer monitor. This is invariably the case with Abstract Expressionist works where the size, color and surface are key to the appreciation and the experience. Please do not forget this at any point while using this site.

Why is TheArtStory.org not written more academically, with citations, bibliographies, etc?

The goal of our organization is to introduce the arts, and art history to a broad audience. We believe that technical writing, including extra terms and citations take away from the reader's experience. We attempt to be as friendly and as aesthetically pleasing as possible. The problem in maintaining interested readers is further amplified on the internet, where our audience's ability to read off the screen and overall length of attention span is generally limited.

How are The Art Story articles written and maintained?

Each page is first written/compiled by a Masters-level art historian, and subsequently edited by a PhD-level specialist in the field. Multiple other editors and proofreaders review the page before and after publication on the website.
Often, errors and mistakes continue to be found. For that reason The Art Story updates and corrects content on a weekly basis. Many of the corrections come from the thousands of passionate readers and art professionals that enjoy our content. Thus, The Art Story continues to improve and evolve.

Is The Art Story an Academic or a non-Academic Resource?

Though our content is written and edited by art historians with Doctorate degrees, our primary audience is the general public. With our work, we hope to connect a much broader audience beyond the academy to the richness and depth of art history. While we summarize and analyze movements and artists, we do not use scholarly citations so as to simplify the reading experience, although all of our essays are checked for facts and content. For those looking for more academic sources, each of our pages has a "Further Resources" section to point the reader to both popular and more traditionally academic essays, articles, videos, and books.