Final answer:
Karl Marx's influence extends to art history, where his economic theories relate to how art is made and its iconography, notably during the rise of the Realist movement with artists like Honore Daumier. Marx believed the connection between workers and their labor was lost with the advent of industrialization, a theme reflected in Realist art, which attempted to depict the true conditions of all social classes, often focusing on the working class.
Step-by-step explanation:
Karl Marx, a revolutionary German economist, profoundly influenced various fields, including art history. Marx's view on art history encompasses both the creation and the iconography of art in relation to social, political, and financial circumstances. Arguably, the real-world representations within art, particularly during the rise of Realism, correlate with Marx's ideology of societal structures and class struggles. The connection between the worker and his labor, as seen in agricultural societies, was, in Marx's view, lost during the Industrial Revolution. This led to the dehumanization of labor, as workers were reduced to wage-earners, disconnected from the fruits of their endeavors.
The Realist art movement, exemplified by artists such as Honore Daumier, Gustave Courbet, and Jean-Francois Millet, sought to accurately portray the conditions of all social classes, often highlighting the plights of the working class. Daumier's painting The Third Class Carriage is a prime example, demonstrating a clear insight into class distinctions and their human impacts. Like Marx's theories, Realism presented a stark contrast to previous artistic movements by depicting the ordinary and at times sordid aspects of life, challenging the idealized representations of the past. The movement's emergence coincided with the rise of socialism in France, influenced by Marx's theories.
Ultimately, Marx, alongside his colleague Friedrich Engels, posited that historical change is propelled by class struggles, particularly between the bourgeois, owners of production means, and the proletariat. This struggle was seen as the eventual downfall of capitalism, leading to a classless society—a core aspect of Marxism and socialism.