The Institute of Art History (IHA) of the Faculty of Philosophy and Letters at the National University of Cuyo was founded in 1956 by Dr. Carlos Massini Correas, who served as its first director. Since then, it has given rise to a series of scholarly research publications within the university.

Five years after its creation, in 1961, its first publication was launched: Cuadernos de Historia del Arte (CHA). The journal was created in response to the need to direct scholarly production towards the study of the various local forms of artistic expression within the National University of Cuyo.

As stipulated by its founder, a survey and cataloguing of the artistic material produced began immediately, thereby creating a space devoted to epistemological discussions within the field of art history. From the outset, scholarly research focused on national art and later expanded to address historical and aesthetic issues in international art.

Between 1961 and 1972, eleven consecutive issues were published. From its inception, CHA provided a space in which prominent figures and thinkers from the Faculty of Philosophy and Letters, together with leading members of the National University of Cuyo, published their work. Notable local researchers included Carlos Massini Correas, Diego Pró, Adolfo Ruíz Díaz, Ladislao Boda, Víctor Delhez, Herberto Hualpa, Blanca Romera de Zumel, Marta Gómez de Rodríguez Britos, Delia Villalobos, Alberto Musso, Graciela Verdaguer, and Mirta Scokin de Portnoy. CHA also featured contributions from distinguished external researchers such as Mario Buschiazzo, Damián Bayón, José Emilio Burucúa, J. M. Taverna Yrigoyen, and Daniel Schavelzon.

Following the death of Massini Correas, the IHA underwent a period of change. Publication resumed in 1987. Subsequently, between 1995/1996 and 2015, a new editorial structure was consolidated in terms of both layout and format. From that point onwards, the journal changed from annual to biannual publication.

In 2016, to mark its 60th anniversary, the Institute planned a special edition entitled IHA: 60 Años de investigación sobre el Arte Argentino desde lo Regional, published in two volumes. These changes responded to the need to transform and update the publications in accordance with new editorial guidelines.

Beginning in 2017, in response to the need to incorporate technological advances and pursue the indexation of CHA, a new digital phase was launched through the implementation of Open Journal Systems (OJS), open-source software for managing scholarly journals. This system optimizes editorial processes, ensures double-anonymous peer review, increases international visibility, and strengthens scholarly quality, while maintaining publication in its traditional print format. Finally, in 2026, the journal changed from biannual to continuous publication.

CHA forms part of the sustained and ongoing research publication policy of the Institute of Art History and constitutes an essential means of communicating and disseminating the scholarly output of its researchers.