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Is there a difference between art and craft? - Laura Morelli
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Is there a difference between art and craft? - Laura Morelli

What Defines Art?

The Complexity of Art vs. Craft

  • The concept of art is often associated with traditional forms like paintings and sculptures, but it also includes items like vases, quilts, and musical instruments.
  • Distinguishing between art and craft is historically complex; the notion of an "artist" as a unique creator emerged only around the 1400s.

Historical Context

  • In medieval Europe, craftsmen worked under guild systems where collective production was valued over individual creativity.
  • Patrons were credited for commissioned works rather than the artisans who created them, reflecting a societal view that prioritized status over artistic merit.

Renaissance Shift

  • The Renaissance brought about a cultural shift in Florence, emphasizing individual creativity and leading to a new appreciation for artists as unique creators.
  • Giorgio Vasari's 1550 publication elevated painters and sculptors to celebrity status, solidifying the distinction between "artists" and "artisans."

Global Perspectives on Art

  • Non-Western cultures often do not differentiate between art and craft; many objects considered crafts in Western contexts are revered as high art elsewhere.
  • The historical classification of non-Western art as "primitive" overlooked the value placed on tradition rather than innovation by these cultures.

Reevaluating Definitions

Video description

View full lesson: http://ed.ted.com/lessons/is-there-a-difference-between-art-and-craft-laura-morelli Was da Vinci an artistic genius? Sure, but he was also born in the right place at the right time -- pre-Renaissance, Western artists got little individual credit for their work. And in many non-Western cultures, traditional forms have always been prized over innovation. So, where do we get our notions of art vs. craft? Laura Morelli traces the history of how we assign value to the visual arts. Lesson by Laura Morelli, animation by Sandro Katamashvili.