Winckelmann, Johann Joachim, VIHNG kuhl mahn, YOH hahn YOH ah kihm (1717-1768), was a German scholar who has been called the father of both archaeology and art history. His work was the first systematic study of ancient Greek and Roman art. Winckelmann showed that art objects can reveal as much important information about the history of a culture as writings do. His belief in Greek art as an ideal greatly influenced many writers and artists of his time.