Art over Time
Because the genre is an academic piece of cultural criticism, Benjamin provides little imagery in his argument, despite arguing about the nature and function of art. Instead, Benjamin traces different art forms throughout history, from cave drawings to painted portraits to absurdist installations crafted by Dadaists. He argues that photography had a major role in transforming art and that it was, in some ways, the precursor to film, which Benjamin sees as the ultimate exemplar of mechanical reproduction at work in contemporary society. This history of art helps elucidate Benjamin's points about how art is produced and consumed, and the meaning behind the nuanced notion of artistic "value."
