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Why do critics compare new artworks with earlier works in the same tradition?

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Painting by Gustave Courbet showing the artist at his easel in a crowded studio, surrounded by figures including a nude model, onlookers, and a child with a white dog. — Art criticism *The Painter's Studio*, oil on canvas by Gustave Courbet, 1854–55, in the Musée d'Orsay, Paris, France.

In the context of art criticism, comparing new artworks with earlier works in the same tradition is essential because the critic must possess a sound knowledge of art history to progress from mere connoisseurship to informed judgment.1

Because new art is often unfamiliar, its aesthetic and cultural value is initially uncertain. By situating a work within a historical tradition, critics can evaluate how it conforms to or departs from established norms, conventions, and "horizons of expectation". This comparison allows the critic to determine whether an artist is upholding traditional values or subverting them to introduce new possibilities.1

Furthermore, art criticism is inherently interpretive; it seeks to understand a work's significance by establishing its place within the broader history of art. Critics use these historical benchmarks to analyze stylistic development, identify influences, and provide a rationale for how a work contributes to or challenges the evolution of its medium. Ultimately, this practice helps critics define the canon, name new movements, and provide a framework for the public to understand unconventional or ostensibly incomprehensible art.213