a skill at doing a specified thing, typically one acquired through practice.
This is a definition that I don’t necessarily disagree with but rather a definition that doesn’t encompass art as a whole. In my opinion, art is found everywhere and doesn’t necessarily require skill or the label of “artist” to be created. It can simply occur.
I suppose any definition of art can be up for debate and ultimately requires a human to define or recognize.
the expression or application of human creative skill and imagination, typically in a visual form such as painting or sculpture, producing works to be appreciated primarily for their beauty or emotional power.
This definition comes closer to my own definition, recognizing that imagination and appreciation of beauty are really the only way that art can exist.
Art history is the study of how society has defined and recognized art in the past. It is important, I think because it shows human brain development, our ability to find beauty and also pays respect to the artists of the past.