Gombrich, Danto, and the Question of Artistic Progress

Abstract

The question Iam concerned with is the relevance of the notionof progress in the artistic \ufb01eld.Does the notion of artistic progress apply to art and,in the case it does,in what sense and how?In order to answerthis question Iwill discuss Ernst Gombrich and Arthur Danto\u2019s view of artistic progress (\ua7\ua7 2-3).Then,following the objections that the Spanishphilosopher Gerard Vilar recently raised against Danto\u2019s ideas on the endof art (\ua7 4),Iwill suggest a modest view concerning the requirements a theory of artistic progress must satisfy (\ua7 5)