Description: (German Art Historian, Archaeologist and One of the Leading Proponents of Neoclassicism)
Johann Joachim Winckelmann is recognized as a pioneering German art historian and archaeologist who made significant contributions to the fields of Hellenistic, Greek, Greco-Roman, and Roman art. Considered the father of art history, Winckelmann systematically applied stylistic categories to define periods and classifications within Greek art. His work greatly influenced the Neoclassical movement and had a lasting impact on Western painting, sculpture, literature, and philosophy. Winckelmann's writings, particularly his "History of Ancient Art," are regarded as classics of European literature.