From Print to Paint: Analyzing the Influence of Print Culture in Art Museums

Collections of printed images often make up the largest part of an art museum’s inventory of objects. These images are connected to a history of printing innovation that allowed images to be designed, printed, and sent between cities and countries. As a means of visual communication, print has had a profound impact on art and culture. However, their artistic influence is not often recognized. Prints are looked at as ‘copies,’ contrasted with the rare and unique objects that are celebrated in art museums. This thesis was inspired by the lack of scholarship focusing on the place and purpose of print collections. While there is significant scholarship focusing on prints in the history of art, little has been written about what happens when printed images are institutionalized in art museums. An analysis of print collections exposes much larger issues with curatorial practices and how culture is valued in museums, suggesting a reevaluation of modes of museum display.M.M.St