he defines anti-formalist thinkers as those who "think that no works of art have formal aesthetic properties." The third type which Zangwill identifies as representing the transition of the philosophy of aesthetics into the 21st century is that of moderate formalism, where its principal exponents defend the principle "that all the aesthetic properties of works of art in a select class are formal, and second, that although many works of art outside that class have nonformal aesthetic properties, many of those works also have important formal aesthetic properties that must not be ignored." Uses in art history A formal analysis is an academic method in art history and criticism for analyzing works of art: "In order to perceive style, and understand it, art historians use 'formal analysis'. This means they describe things very carefully. These descriptions, which may include subjective vocabulary, are always accompanied by illustrations, so that there can be no doubt about what exists objectively". See also Formalism (literature) Formalism (music) Progressive music Abstract expressionism Josef Albers Hard-edge painting Color field painting Minimalism Lyrical Abstraction Post-modernism Geometric abstraction Op Art Elements of art Notes and references Sources Bell, Clive. Art. London: 1914. Denis, Maurice. 'Definition of Neo-Traditionism.' Art and Criticism. August 1890. Greenberg, Clement. 'Towards a Newer Laocoon.' Partisan Review. 1940. External links Theories of aesthetics Visual arts theory Art history Modern art Formalism (aesthetics)