ABSTRACT
Admittedly, in the twentieth century, Conceptualism challenged the 'object-centred' notion of the work of art, but all ancient sculptures, medieval illuminated manuscripts, early modern portraits, modern buildings and even contemporary installations are material objects. However, the practice of art history usually proves focused not so much on objects, as on humans involved in the processes of production and reception of art: artists, patrons and beholders. Building on the importance of 'schools', iconology opened new research possibilities for deciphering the 'disguised' meanings in a work of art. This method put an emphasis on a single artistic or patron's intention to convey in a work of art a culturally specific message. The theory of agency of things came about as a result of various shifts in Western humanities which have occurred since the late 1970s. The 'material turn' allowed complex definitions of agency to be devised, insisting on the active role of artefacts in the forging and functioning of social structures.
