| Art historians employ a number of methods in their research into the ontology and history of objects. |
艺术史学家在研究对象的本体论和历史时，采用了多种方法。 |
| Art historians often examine work in the context of its time. |
艺术史学家经常在时代背景下审视作品。 |
| At best, this is done in a manner which respects its creator's motivations and imperatives; with consideration of the desires and prejudices of its patrons and sponsors; with a comparative analysis of themes and approaches of the creator's colleagues and teachers; and with consideration of iconography and symbolism. |
最好的情况是，这是在尊重创造者的动机和要求的情况下完成的;考虑到其顾客和赞助者的意愿和偏见;比较分析了创作者的同事和老师的创作主题和创作手法;并考虑到肖像学和象征主义。 |
| In short, this approach examines the work of art in the context of the world within which it was created. |
简而言之，这种方法将艺术作品置于其创作的世界中进行考察。 |
| Art historians also often examine work through an analysis of form; that is, the creator's use of line, shape, color, texture, and composition. |
艺术史学家也经常通过对形式的分析来审视作品; 即创作者对线条，形状，颜色，纹理和构图的运用。 |
| This approach examines how the artist uses a two-dimensional picture plane or the three dimensions of sculptural or architectural space to create his or her art. |
这种方法考察了艺术家是如何利用二维的显像面或三维的雕塑或建筑空间来创造他或她的艺术。 |
| The way these individual elements are employed results in representational or non-representational art. |
这些独立元素的使用方式形成了具象或非具象艺术的分别。 |
| Is the artist imitating an object or image found in nature? |
艺术家是在临摹自然界中的物体或图像吗? |
| If so, it is representational. |
如果是的话，它是具象的。 |
| The closer the art hews to perfect imitation, the more the art is realistic. |
临摹越接近完美，艺术就越具现实性。
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| Is the artist not imitating, but instead relying on symbolism, or in an important way striving to capture nature's essence, rather than copy it directly? |
难道艺术家不是在临摹，而是依赖象征主义，以一种重要的方式努力捕捉自然的本质，而不是直接复制它? |
| If so the art is non-representational—also called abstract. |
如果是这样，艺术就是非具象的，也被称为抽象。 |
| Realism and abstraction exist on a continuum. |
现实主义和抽象存在于一个连续体上。 |
| Impressionism is an example of a representational style that was not directly imitative, but strove to create an "impression" of nature. |
印象主义是一种表现形式的例子。这种表现形式不是直接临摹的，而是努力创造自然的“印象”。 |
| If the work is not representational and is an expression of the artist's feelings, longings and aspirations, or is a search for ideals of beauty and form, the work is non-representational or a work of expressionism. |
如果作品不是具象的，而不是艺术家的情感，渴望和抱负的表达，或者是对美和形式理想的追求，那么该作品就是抽象的或表现主义的作品。 |
| An iconographical analysis is one which focuses on particular design elements of an object. |
图像分析是一种侧重于某一物体的特定设计元素的分析。 |
| Through a close reading of such elements, it is possible to trace their lineage, and with it draw conclusions regarding the origins and trajectory of these motifs. |
通过对这些元素的仔细阅读，我们可以追踪其谱系，并由此得出关于这些主题的起源和轨迹的结论。 |
| In turn, it is possible to make any number of observations regarding the social, cultural, economic, and aesthetic values of those responsible for producing the object. |
反之，我们也可以对这些物品的生产者的社会、文化、经济和美学价值进行许多观察。 |
