The establishment in 1917 of the Ukrainian art academy became the precondition of the organisation of education of art critics in Ukraine. The basic initiators of the creation of the Ukrainian art academy, besides a number of the outstanding artists, were D.Antonovych, M.Bilyashivsky, G.Pavlutsky - outstanding scientists, which stood at the sources of the Ukrainian science of art criticism. But in 1922 the academy was reorganised and renamed into the Institute of plastic arts. The Kyiv archaeological institute carried out the preparation of art critics for the certain time.
     Since 1926 in the Kiev art institute (so since 1924 it was called the Institute of plastic arts, nowadays NAFAA) there was only scientific-research faculty led by the academician G.K.Pavlutsky. The post graduate course of the art criticism specialization worked in its structure. Till 1934 there was also museum-excursion department at the faculty of art propagation, where the workers for art museums were prepared.
     Well-known art critics S. Gilyarov, M. Makarenko, M. Pavlenko, Ye. Perlin, P.M.Popov, M. Prakhov were among the teachers who taught the history of art in 1920th - the beginning of the 1930-th. The activity of the professor F. Ernst, the outstanding researcher of the Ukrainian art of the XIXth - the beginning of the XXth century is also connected with the art institute.
     The chair of the history of art was created under the direction of the professor S. Gilyarov in the second half of 1930-th. In the post war years the chair of the theory and history of art worked at the institute. It was headed by the art critic B.I.Brodsky, and since 1953 - by P. Govdya, the graduate of the faculty of the theory and history of art of the Institute of painting, sculpture and architecture named by I.Yu.Repin (St.-Petersburg). He was replaced on this post by the professor Yu. Aseev (1964-1974). Then the professor Yu. Belichko managed the chair till 1985. The academician of the Academy of arts of Ukraine, professor M. Kryvolapov has been headed the chair since 1987.
     Nowadays the chair of the theory and history of art is included into the structure of the faculty of the theory and history of art being a structural division of NAFAA. The purpose of the chair's activity is preparation of experts - art critics of wide specialization which get fundamental knowledge in the field of the history and theory of art and adjacent sciences, skills of research, museum, pedagogical, publishing, organisational work and etc. during training. Besides the teachers of the chair teach the history of art and adjacent disciplines at the departments of the faculty of fine art and at the architectural faculty.
     The powerful collective of the teachers - scientists worked at the chair for many years. The lectures on the history of art gave well-known art critics Yu.S.Aseev, P.O.Biletsky, L.V.Vladych, I.I.Vrona, S.O.Gilyarov, P.I.Govdya, P.N.Musienko, L.M.Sak, M.P.Tyshchenko, O.R.Tyshchenko and others. The academician of the Academy of arts of Ukraine L.S.Milyayeva, professor Yu.V.Belichko, senior teacher O.M.Govdya fruitfully work together with their former graduates: the academician M.O.Kryvolapov; the doctor in art criticism, professor V.M.Fomenko; the candidates in art criticism: the professor G.V.Zavarova, senior lecturers V.V.Dzhuly, O.A.Lagutenko, L.O.Lysenko, O.I.Maslenkova, V.Yu.Mogylevsky; the senior teacher V.M.Klevayev.
     The teachers have developed and use in practice of training both classical and modern techniques of teaching. Great attention is given to seminar studies with the students, course and degree works, and also supervision over writing of the candidate dissertations.
     The teachers of the chair carry out the large scientific-research work. Their scientific active is formed by a significant amount of educational-methodical works, articles, monographies, " The History of the Ukrainian art " in six volumes, where the present and former teachers of the chair took part: Yu.S.Aseev, Yu.V.Belichko, P.O.Biletsky, L.V.Vladych, I.I.Vrona, P.N.Musiyenko, L.M.Sak, O.R.Tyshchenko, A.P.Shpakov, V.A.Shcherbak. The scientific work by Yu.S.Aseev - section to the first volume of "The history of the Ukrainian art " is marked by the State premium of the Ukrainian SSR in the field of a science and engineering, the works by P.O.Biletsky " The Ukrainian portrait painting of XVII-XVIII centuries. ", " The Ukrainian art of the second half of XVII-XVIII centuries. " and " Art of the Soviet Ukraine " - with the National premium of Ukraine named by Taras Shevchenko. L.V.Vladych, L.M.Sak, O.R.Tyshchenko have brought the considerable contribution to a science; Yu.V.Belichko, V.V.Dzhulay, G.V.Zavarova, V.M.Klevayev, M.O.Kryvolapov, O.A.Lagutenko, L.O.Lysenko, L.S.Milyayeva, V.Yu.Mogylevsky actively continue scientific work. The scientists take part in the scale art projects. The names of some of them are well - known in the international circle of art critics.