>>7868826
> do you look at / study art history
yes
> is it pointless
no

>>7868826
From time to time but not in depth. Maybe the occasional YouTube video. It is indeed very important though

>>7868826
I wouldn't say it's important, and I'm assuming by "important" you mean crucial to getting better at art, but I wouldn't say that's the case. You can be inspired by art pieces and have no care for their historical context, and be completely oblivious to any art movement.

That said, I can't imagine many such people existing, because if you like art, surely you'd be curious about its history, or want to know more about your favourite artists, or paintings, etc.
So I think most hobbyists, and of course professionals, have at least a little art history understanding - but is it important to their development? Nah.

>>7868826

"art history" is more about the cultural dynamics surrounding art. it's good to know what terms like "modernist" and "post-modernist" mean in their original context, but it's not a field of study that will directly help your art skills if you're only interested in drawing.

i'd say, learn it if it interests you, but it's not a prerequisite for drawing.

>>7868826
I know one reasonably successful artist well. He is technically adept, but I can't often see that in the drawings and paintings he sells. He is a complete wizard when it comes to history of art and the history of the philosophy of art. He can speak knowledgeably about artists and their works, including their artists' lives, their contemporaries and influences at the time of the work, when and how the work was accepted, who then followed them, the techniques and specific materials used, etc. Many modern artists can blather about art, but what this fella says is always rooted in something factual. It makes him interesting and far more credible than other artists, to the point where collectors invite him to their homes to talk. Also, when it comes to his own work, he can be very clear about his intentions.

A familiarity with historical techniques and materials can help make you a bit better technically. Primarily, though, his historical background absolutely paves the way when it comes to selling his art (commissions, grants, residencies, etc.)

So if you have an interest in the history, it can certainly be very useful to you.

>>7868826

If you are an artist / creative person, I'd say it is very helpful to at least have basic knowledge of art history of a variety of different cultures.

This is not necessarily to 'educate and improve yourself', or to apply it directly in your work, but more to have at least some understanding of the world around you and the things you see. To have a basic visual library and an ability to add labels and to describe the things you see. To avoid asking questions like 'what is this style called', without grasping if it is a style at all or something different.

When you know what you're looking at, you can break it down, reference it, find out more about it, understand it, and then ultimately use it if you want to, in a purposeful way.