What are the three principle theories of art criticism?

There are many artists in the world who claim their art work to be valuable and worth the time and money of the viewers. But not all of them are telling the truth. Experts use three principle theories that help them define the worth of the art works. These theories are called theories of art criticism (Frank, 2013, p.88). They are defined in the following.

Formal Theories

Artists may be influenced by other artists or their work. This influence may be depicted in their work. Formal theories evaluate art work in the light of these influences.

Contextual Theories

Artists are part of different societies and cultures. They may work according to these or other social or cultural contexts. Social norms and cultural values may be depicted in their art work. This depiction can be utilized to evaluate their work.

Expressive Theories

Art work may be a product of self-expression of the artists. Expressive theories tend to focus on different forms of artist expression to evaluate their work.