Un’idea di storia dell’arte. La metodologia storico-artistica di Max Dvořák (1874-1921) attraverso le lezioni di storia dell’arte barocca all’Università di Vienna

The Vienna School of Art History has played a pivotal role in shaping art history as a scientific discipline and in proposing new areas of analysis. One of its members, Max Dvořák (1874-1921), has contributed significantly to the development of a new scientific methodology, particularly in describing the metamorphosis this methodology underwent from the beginning of the 19th century to the 20th. This aspect of his thought has been overlooked by Italian historiography, which has concentrated more on his contributions to the history of heritage conservation and restoration, and has only rarely explored the scholar’s contributions to the theory of art. Dvořák’s contribution to art history as a discipline is undeniably represented by his reflections on methodology. These reflections are the result of constant attention to previous historiography, primarily due to the excellent care the scholar dedicated to university teaching, as well as the challenge faced through the application to the study of Baroque art, and the influence of cultural and aesthetic factors. The current study aims to thoroughly investigate all these aspects. The first section is dedicated to assessing the general state of art history as an academic discipline. The establishment of dedicated university chairs serves as proof of the academic recognition achieved since the mid-19th century. A general overview of the history of art in the German-speaking world is achieved through the examination of six representative universities (Bonn, Berlin, Heidelberg, Munich, Prague, and Vienna). The thesis presented in the first part of this work is that the German-speaking world itself represents a notable place for advancement in the scientific consideration of art history. This hypothesis is tested in the second part through the investigation of the application of new scientific methods in art history to the study of the Baroque, an artistic period that has long been overlooked by historiography or was a victim of taste prejudice. The German-language historiography proves to be particularly early in the critical reevaluation of this artistic phenomenon, also thanks to some crucial influences derived from the revival of Late Antique art, the constant presence of Neo-Baroque in the visual landscape, and the new interpretive stimuli offered by Modernist currents. The final part of the research focuses on two methodological changes identified through a careful examination of Dvořák’s preparatory material for his courses, now held in the Archive of the Institut für Kunstgeschichte at the University of Vienna. The first change occurred at the end of the 19th century and was influenced by the application of Cultural Darwinism to the history of styles. While the second metamorphosis was initiated at the beginning of the 20th century, it aimed to overcome the naturalistic view and to include the historical subjectivity and interiority of the artistic experience in art historical research.