ABSTRACT
As the Series Preface states, contemporary writing on the visual arts is not “a wilderness; in fact it is well-posted with signs and directions. Want to find Lacan? Read him through …” and it proceeds with a series of names. They are strong suggestions, almost impositions for art historians interested in fostering their academic careers. The problem is to know who posted those signs and directions and how they were chosen. Why a psychoanalytical approach? Why Lacan? Should we use Lacan for the study of the Middle Ages, Precolumbian art, and prehistory?
