Why Is Art History Relevant?

How many times have you walked into a museum just to tick off a bucket list item, like the Mona Lisa, without really knowing how to look at art? How many times has art made you feel excluded, or maybe even a little pretentious? And how often have you said something like, “I just hang what I like. I don’t really care that much about art”?

Chances are, you’ve seen The Devil Wears Prada (and if you haven’t, what is wrong with you?). You probably remember the scene where Miranda Priestly scolds Andrea for laughing at a blue sweater. She explains that Andrea’s “choice” was actually made for her by a chain of tastemakers, starting with haute couture designers and eventually filtering down to the clearance bin. The same process happens in art. The prints and pieces we see in homeware stores are there because experts, curators, and collectors decided they were worthy of attention.

Art, like fashion, can feel exclusive. I have felt that too. Recently, while reading Creation: Art Since the Beginning by John-Paul Stonard, I fell into a happy little art-nerd bubble. It reminded me how much I love this world, and how much I enjoy writing about it. As Stonard puts it, “...writing and drawing [are] simply different sides of the same creative act.”

So, let’s start at the beginning.

Before diving into timelines and movements, it is worth thinking about how we engage with art. Stonard encourages readers not just to look at the object, but to ask why it was made. Art began, and still functions, as a record of the human encounter with nature. That is a beautiful idea, because it reminds us that art is not just decoration. It is memory, intention, and reflection. So when you hear about a banana duct-taped to a wall that originally sold for $120,000 and later resold for $6.24 million, do not jump to the conclusion that the art world is lost. Art is commentary, and nothing meaningful exists in isolation.

Also, follow the money. That might be my background in anti-money laundering speaking, but it matters. The people spending on art today often made their wealth in tech, crypto, and blockchain-based industries. Many of them feel disconnected from the traditional art world, which tends to be exclusive, elitist, and slow to evolve. So why would they spend in spaces that did not include them? Instead, they buy what reflects their values and priorities. They choose statement pieces, digital art, or disruptive work that goes against conventional ideas of value and beauty.

If we look at the earliest examples of art, like cave paintings and carved figurines, we see that they were not made for decoration. They were made to record, remember, and imagine. Early art often focused on animals, which points to the deep spiritual and emotional connection humans have always had with them. That understanding gave me a new appreciation for pet portraits. They are not just sentimental keepsakes, they are part of one of the oldest traditions in art history.

I did not set out to write an art history lecture, so I will leave it there. But next time you see a mass-produced print or a piece of commercial decor, pause and ask yourself why. Why this image? Why now? Why am I drawn to it?

Ask with curiosity, not criticism. The art we choose, even casually, reveals something real about how we see the world and ourselves. Even if you do not care about art history, or art in general, remember this: the art you live with reflects your unique human experience.

Make it meaningful.