Arthur C. Danto

Date of Birth: January 1, 1924

Zodiac Sign: Capricorn

Date of Death: October 25, 2013

Biography

Arthur C. Danto was a prominent American art critic, philosopher, and professor. Born in Ann Arbor, Michigan, Danto grew up in Detroit and initially pursued a career in art before shifting his focus to philosophy. He earned his degree from Wayne State University and later completed his Ph.D. at Columbia University, where he would go on to become a respected professor. Danto is best known for his work in aesthetics and his influential theories on the nature of art, particularly his concept of the “artworld” and the “end of art.” Throughout his career, Danto contributed extensively to both academic and popular discourse, writing numerous books and serving as the art critic for The Nation magazine. He passed away on October 25, 2013, leaving behind a rich legacy in the fields of art criticism and philosophy.

5 Interesting Facts about Arthur C. Danto

1. Arthur Danto served in the United States Army during World War II.

2. He initially trained as an artist and only later transitioned to philosophy.

3. Danto’s influential book “After the End of Art” explores the idea that art history has reached a point of liberation from historical constraints.

4. He was awarded the prestigious Frank Jewett Mather Award for art criticism by the College Art Association in 1990.

5. Danto’s concept of the “artworld” has become a fundamental idea in contemporary aesthetics, shaping the way art is understood in a cultural context.

5 Most Interesting Quotes from Arthur C. Danto

1. “Art is the objectification of feeling.”

2. “To see something as art requires something the eye cannot descry—an atmosphere of artistic theory, a knowledge of the history of art: an artworld.”

3. “Nothing is an artwork without an interpretation that constitutes it as such.”

4. “Art is not about itself, but the attention we bring to it.”

5. “It is the role of artists to make the world strange, to create new perceptions.”

Highest Net Worth Achieved

Arthur C. Danto’s net worth is not well-documented, as academic and critical roles typically do not result in significant financial wealth. His contributions were more intellectual and cultural than monetary.

Children

Arthur C. Danto had two children: Ginger Danto and Elisabeth Danto. Both have pursued their own careers, with Ginger working as a writer and Elisabeth as a psychoanalyst and historian.