Art History

Art history and the health sciences are disciplines that are uniquely positioned to enrich each other. Traditionally, careful observation of anatomy led to more realistic art, while anatomic drawings allowed medical practitioners to learn about the human body. Art history and health practices share a relationship bound by the need to both observe and understand the particularities of a given text, body, or object in light of environment and context. This chapter introduces a system of inquiry for scholars in health humanities using the art history methods of close looking, art in context, formal analysis, and critical thinking. Such methods are critical in any situation where one is expected to interpret, understand, and construct meaning from a text, object, body, or image. These skills are valuable and practical tools necessary for all fields of study in order to negotiate and interpret the images that dominate our modern world.