Arthur C. Danto

Arthur C. Danto (1924–2013) was an American philosopher, art critic, and professor at Columbia University, renowned for his contributions to philosophical aesthetics, particularly after his transformative encounter with Andy Warhol's Brillo Boxes in 1964, which inspired his influential essay 'The Artworld' and the theory of the 'end of art.' Initially focused on the philosophy of history and action theory, he shifted to art philosophy, authoring over 30 books including 'After the End of Art' and serving as art critic for The Nation from 1984 to 2009. A World War II Army veteran, he studied at Wayne State and Columbia Universities, later becoming Johnsonian Professor of Philosophy.