Art History Narrative and the Theory of Temporal Hierarchy

Objective - This article examines the relationship between art history writing and the theory of temporal hierarchy, specifically the application of historical time in art historical research. The article draws on several representative viewpoints of historical time, such as the theory of historical cycles, the diversity of historical time, the temporalization of history, and the narrative of historical time. Methodology/Technique - Combining the method of historical hermeneutics, this analysis examines the significance of the temporal hierarchy of history for the development of art history writing. The study explores the relationship and contemporary significance between art, history, and time perspectives from the perspectives of experiential space and expectancy. It explains how these concepts influence the writing of global art history. Findings – This study will start with the three main concepts of time view in art history: cyclical view, linear development view, and art history periodization, attempting to discover the three-layer structure of "art history consciousness time view," exploring the construction process of art history view from the perspective of time, exploring and excavating people's potential cognitive consciousness, and explaining the relationship between history and time from a new perspective of relevance, further elaborating on the latest trend of art history writing under the guidance of the theory of time hierarchy. Through in-depth analysis of artistic works, the profound influence of time hierarchy on the evolution of art schools and artists' creative practices has been revealed. The continuity and correlation of art history are more critical than systematicity and wholeness. Originality - Art history should be regarded as a part of the broader history of art, prompting us to pay closer attention to the interaction between art and society, as well as the emergence and development of artworks within their social and cultural context, when studying. The theory of time hierarchy offers a new perspective on writing art history by analyzing different temporal levels and exploring the connotations, values, and relationships between artworks and history, culture, and society profoundly. Type of Paper: Empirical/ Review JEL Classification: B1, B19. Keywords: Time Hierarchy Theory, Historical Time, Art History Writing, Historical Time Perspective, Art History Periodization Reference to this paper should be made as follows: Tao, D.H; Xi, W. (2025). Art History Narrative and the Theory of Temporal Hierarchy, J. Mgt. Mkt. Review, 10(1), 55 – 64. https://doi.org/10.35609/jmmr.2025.10.1(4)