Art history (also referred to as visual culture) is a field of study in which the information and methodologies of many fields come together. The discipline involves the analysis of the work of art itself understanding its form, and why and how we make use of it. It is also the investigation of its historical context and mode of production.These inquiries can lead in many different directions involving economic, social, and gender issues; problems of patronage and taste; and questions of exchange, reception, conservation, and restoration.