I know my title may seem a bit generalized but after reading "The Art Historian's Lens" I find my self baffled at Art History's scandalous beginnings. Who would have thought?
On one hand we have Heinrich Schliemann, who, if this was a movie would play, "good cop gone bad." While Heinrich is presumed to have destructive excavation techniques throughout his life he managed to master 15 languages. Is he a genius? Well that would surely explain his motivation to go to the dark side. The side where he lies to publication organizations, and takes on this grave robber image. What truely happened over time is his growing recognition of his own potential. His potential for a wealthy future and for his name to go down in history despite its connotations.
And on the other we have Mr. Arthur Evans who is the innocent serial killer that not to many people notice. Evans unlike, Schliemann may have had better excavation techniques with his close research in the field of stratigraphy, the process of using layers that allow for time relativity of information, but he never understood his true potential. The potential that detours archaeological ethics and morals.
It was pretty interesting reading through the "ART HISTORIAN'S LENS." I wish my glasses were as cool.
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