The CIHA

The CIHA (Comité International d'Histoire de l'Art) is the oldest international organization of art history in the world. It was in fact as early as 1873 that the actors and institutions of the discipline in different countries began a dialogue that was to continue thereafter. This dialogue did not immediately take place with the regularity and publicity that we know today and which has led to it being colloquially referred to as the "Art History Olympiad". The construction of the international discussion of art history, which would give birth half a century later to Comité International d’Histoire de l’Art, is that of a slow process, particularly sensitive to the vagaries of history and politics.

For almost a century, every four years, the CIHA has organized a major International Congress on Art History that represented the state of art history throughout the world and which were and are open to all nationalities. The 2024 Congress will take place in Lyon.

The Comité International d'Histoire de l'Art (CIHA) has as its aims:
• To develop the historical and methodological study of artistic activities and productions.
• To ensure permanent links between art historians of all countries.
• To stimulate international meetings of art historians.
• To stimulate and co-ordinate the dissemination of information about research undertaken under the aegis of CIHA.
• To disseminate information and publicity about art historical activities world-wide: conferences, publications, research projects etc.
• To study means of improving methods of teaching and research, and of increasing the research resources available to art historians: data bases, bibliographies, photographic and iconographical documentation, etc.
• To serve international co-operation in the sense defined by the CIPSH.

To learn more about the CIHA and the CFHA (Comité Français d’Histoire de l’Art) :
Comité International d’Histoire de l’Art (CIHA)
Comité Français d’Histoire de l’Art (CFHA)