"[3] Neil Genzlinger of The New York Times called the premise "tediously obvious".

[4] Michelle Orange of The Village Voice complimented the lighting and mood, which she said do not make up for the lack of story or character development.

[6] Erik Kohn of Indiewire described it as "essentially Swanberg's version of Zack and Miri Make a Porno, and, within the larger context of his career, just as inconsequential".

[7] Jesse Cataldo of Slant Magazine rated it 3/4 stars and wrote, "Art History stands out as one of his most visually and conceptually accomplished experiments.

"[8] Christopher Bourne of Twitch Film called it "a complex and unsettling examination of the creative process" and its psychological pressures.