Page 129 - Razvoj kompetenc prihodnosti v pedagoških študijskih programih

Reconsidering Contemporary Approaches to Teaching Art History

most functions as a theatrical scene.’ In the AI generated image, there is no
understanding of an illusionistic ceiling painting since the optical shorten-
ings are not adapted to upward vision perspective; but on the other hand,
Metzinger himself did not consider them either. Describing the image as
a theatrical scene should be understood in terms of the Baroque theatrum
sacrum, in which figures engage in mutual communication through dynamic
bodily movements, dramatic gestures, and almost heightened facial expres-
sions, designed to evoke a strong, emotionally charged response from the
viewer.
In Metzinger’s original painting, St Francis establishes direct eye contact
with Virgin Mary; by contrast, the AI-generated image depicts him turning
away from her in order to engage directly with the viewer. A similar effect
occurs in the depiction of the angels: in Metzinger’s depiction, they focus on
the pivotal encounter between the saint and the Virgin, whereas the gener-
ated scene presents them as isolated figures, wandering among the clouds.
These inconsistencies may seem minor at first, yet they are crucial for expos-
ing the limitations of AI and for fostering critical thinking, a core competence
in the study of art history.
The results of the activity finally suggest that digitalisation should not
overshadow the sensory and interpretative aspects intrinsic to art-historical
study. Even so, the digital tools can assess understanding of stylistic char-
acteristics on a non-discursive level (cf. Martikainen, 2017), while simultane-
ously fostering the development of formal analysis competence, which is an
essential skill for any art-historical examination. AI-generated images hold
significant educational potential, as they allow students to ‘test whether the
images in their minds are correct by creating accurate images from what
they write’ (Aktay, 2022, p. 61). This process also works in reverse: by gen-
erating new images based on written formal analyses of existing artworks,
students assess their ability to articulate systematic visual observations. In
this context, AI has a clear cognitive purpose, which is the ultimate plea for
its conscientious use in teaching art history. Therefore, artificial intelligence
and digital platforms can augment observation, visualisation, and collabo-
ration, yet they must remain subordinate to human judgement and critical
reflection.

Conclusion
The study demonstrates that art history didactics can benefit substantially
from integrating contemporary teaching methods grounded in sensory en-
gagement, reflection, and digital literacy. The combination of theoretical and

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