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30,000 Years of Art
Following on from The Art Book published in 1994, 30,000 Years of Artoffers an original and accessible introduction to art for a general readership. Unlike The Art Book,it organises the work in chronological order (rather than alphabetical), it covers all cultures (not only western) and, as the title suggests, it covers 30,000 years of art (rather than art since the Renaissance). The book contains over 1000 works of art from all periods and regions in the world and breaks through the usual geographical and cultural boundaries of art history to celebrate the vast range of human artistry across time and space. Each work is accompanied by key caption information (date, title, place of origin, style or culture, medium, dimensions etc.), and a text that provides more information on the work and its art historical context. The book presents art in a way very different from other art history compendia, revealing the huge diversity, or in many cases, similarity, of man's artistic achievements through time and around the globe. Ordered chronologically, the resulting timeline of works will lead to compelling browsing: surprising juxtapositions will offer intellectual pleasure and a sense of wonder and discovery.
Annotated Art
Your eyes will indeed be opened, and what you see in works of art will come newly alive when you have Robert Cumming, the former chairman of Christie's International Art Studies, as your guide. With tremendous erudition and tart, provocative opinions, Cumming zeroes in on the essential characteristics of more than 770 painters, showing us, for example, what it was that made Rembrandt's art unique. He explains the conventions of narrative and iconography in Western art, such as the representation of St. Lawrence, who is always seen lying on a hot griddle. And Cumming defines several hundred terms-- both technical (gouache, sfumato, craquelure) and critical/historical (Expressionism, Mannerism, the Hudson River School)-- that so often mystify a viewer. Cumming's no-nonsense guide is enlightening and entertaining; lavishly illustrated with the key works of hundreds of artists; concise and portable enough to use in the "field" (museums and galleries); and so substantial you will refer to it often at home. There is nothing like ART.
Art: A Visual History
Art: A Visual History is the complete visual guide to Western art, now updated and repackaged in a themed slipcase. How to tell Impressionism from Expressionism, a Degas from a Monet, early Medieval art from early Christian? Art: A Visual History explains it all -- painting, sculpture, great artists, styles, and schools -- and will help you answer the question, "What makes great art?" Art: A Visual History includes: * More than 650 artists and all the major schools and movements, all arranged chronologically. * Close-up focus on 22 masterpieces, from Ancient Greek sculpture to 1960s Pop Art. * Well-known icons along with lesser-known gems -- carefully chosen to illuminate the points made in the text. * Features on major schools and movements to explore and explain their stylistic trademarks, characteristics, and favored subjects. Art: A Visual History is a knowledgeable, thought-provoking, and accessible tour of the creators of Western art.
Art History for Dummies
Art history is more than just a collection of dates and foreign-sounding names, obscure movements and arcane isms. Every age, for the last 50,000 years has left its unique imprint on the world, and from the first cave paintings to the ceiling of the Sistine Chapel, from the Byzantine mosaics of the Hagia Sophia, to the graffiti-inspired paintings of Jean-Michel Basquiat, art history tells the story of our evolving notions of who and what we are and our place in the universe. Whether you?re an art enthusiast who?d like to know more about the history behind your favorite works and artists, or somebody who couldn?t tell a Titian and a De Kooning?but would like to?Art History For Dummies is for you. It takes you on a tour of thirty millennia of artistic expression, covering the artistic movements, major artists, and indispensable masterworks, and the world events and cultural trends that helped spawn them. With the help of stunning black-and-white photos throughout, and a sixteen-page gallery of color images, it covers: The rise and fall of classical art in Greece and Rome The differences between Renaissance art and Mannerism How the industrial revolution spawned Romanticism How and why Post-Impression branched off from Impressionism Constructivism, Dadaism, Surrealism and other 20th century isms What?s up with today?s eclectic art scene Art History For Dummies is an unbeatable reference for anyone who wants to understand art in its historical context.
Degree in a Book: Art History
A concise and fascinating guide to the areas covered by a first degree in art history. Fully illustrated with works of art throughout the ages. Handy timelines, information boxes, feature spreads and margin annotations will aid the reader in understanding terms and concepts easily and quickly. The Degree in a Book series has sold over 118,000 copies worldwide and has been published in 10 different languages.
Famous Works of Art - And How They Got That Way
In a world filled with great museums and great paintings, Leonardo da Vinci's Mona Lisa is the reigning queen. Her portrait rules over a carefully designed salon, one that was made especially for her in a museum that may seem intended for no other purpose than to showcase her virtues. What has made this portrait so renowned, commanding such adoration? And what of other works of art that continue to enthrall spectators: What makes the Great Sphinx so great? Why do iterations of The Scream and American Gothic permeate nearly all aspects of popular culture? Is it because of the mastery of the artists who created them? Or can something else account for their popularity? In Famous Works of Art--And How They Got That Way, John B. Nici looks at twenty well-known paintings, sculptures, and photographs that have left lasting impressions on the general public. As Nici notes, there are many reasons why works of art become famous; few have anything to do with quality. The author explains why the reputations of some creations have grown over the years, some disproportionate to their artistic value. Written in a style that is both entertaining and informative, this book explains how fame is achieved, and ultimately how a work either retains that fame, or passes from the public consciousness. From ancient artifacts to a can of soup, this book raises the question: Did the talent to promote and publicize a work exceed the skills employed to create that object of worship? Or are some masterpieces truly worth the admiration they receive? The creations covered in this book include the Tomb of Tutankhamun, Botticelli's Birth of Venus, Raphael's Sistine Madonna, El Greco's The Burial of Count Orgaz, Rodin's The Thinker, Van Gogh's Starry Night, and Picasso's Guernica. Featuring more than sixty images, including color reproductions, Famous Works of Art--And How They Got That Way will appeal to anyone who has ever wondered if a great painting, sculpture, or photograph, really deserves to be called "great."
Gardner's Art Through the Ages: A Global History
The 13TH ENHANCED EDITION of GARDNER'S ART THROUGH THE AGES: A GLOBAL HISTORY takes this brilliant bestseller to new heights in addressing the challenges of today's classroom. Over 300 additional new images are integrated into the text, and appear online as full size digital images with discussions written by the author. These bonus images are complimented complemented by groundbreaking media support for students including video study tools and a robust eBook.
Glittering Images: A Journey Through Art From Egypt to Star Wars
WIth full-color illustrations throughout From the best-selling author of Sexual Personae and Break, Blow, Burn and one of our most acclaimed cultural critics, here is an enthralling journey through Western art's defining moments, from the ancient Egyptian tomb of Queen Nefertari to George Lucas's volcano planet duel in Revenge of the Sith. America's premier intellectual provocateur returns to the subject that brought her fame, the great themes of Western art. Passionately argued, brilliantly written, and filled with Paglia's trademark audacity, Glittering Images takes us on a tour through more than two dozen seminal images, some famous and some obscure or unknown--paintings, sculptures, architectural styles, performance pieces, and digital art that have defined and transformed our visual world. She combines close analysis with background information that situates each artist and image within its historical context--from the stone idols of the Cyclades to an elegant French rococo interior to Jackson Pollock's abstract Green Silver to Renée Cox's daring performance piece Chillin' with Liberty. And in a stunning conclusion, she declares that the avant-garde tradition is dead and that digital pioneer George Lucas is the world's greatest living artist. Written with energy, erudition, and wit, Glittering Images is destined to change the way we think about our high-tech visual environment.
The Handy Art History Answer Book
The major art pieces, most important artists, and significant artistic movements from 35,000 BCE to today are collected together in this easy-to-read resource on art history. It leads you on a tour from the basics and beginnings of art to the various directions that art is heading today. You'll not only learn about paintings, but also every other medium imaginable, including sculpture, architecture, pottery, photography, installation art, and even film and video games. The nearly 150color images illustrate artistic concepts and highlight important and memorable artworks. Loaded with 800 questions and answers on art principles, techniques, materials, forms, colors and styles, movements, schools of thoughts, evolution and meaning,The Handy Art History Answer Book is a fascinating journey around the world and through the ages.Why do Egyptian figures have two left feet? What is the difference between weaving and tapestry? What happened to the Venus de Milo's arms? What is considered beautiful in Islamic art? How can you recognize "a Michelangelo"? What is the significance of the Aztec eagle-man? How did Cezanne "astonish Paris with apples"? What is the difference between Art Nouveau and Art Deco? Why do Jeff Koons's balloon animals sell for millions of dollars?
The History of Graphic Design. Vol. 1. 1890-1959
History is a complex business. Fortunes boom and bust, empires wax and wane, and change-whether social, political, or technological-has its winners, its losers, its advocates, and its enemies. Through all the turbulent passage of time, graphic design-with its vivid, neat synthesis of image and idea-has distilled the spirit of each age. This book is an in-depth history of graphic design from the end of the 19th century to the '50s. It traces the evolution of this creative field from its beginning as poster design to its further development into advertising, corporate identity, packaging, and editorial design. Organized chronologically, the volume features over 2,500 seminal designs from all over the world, 71 of which are profiled in detail besides 61 leaders in the field, including Alphonse Mucha (chocolate advertisements), Edward Johnston (London Underground logo and typeface), El Lissitzky (constructivist graphics), Herbert Matter (photomontage travel posters from Switzerland), Saul Bass (animated opening titles), and A. M. Cassandre (art deco posters). With his sweeping knowledge of the field, author Jens Müller curates the standout designs for each year alongside a running sequence of design milestones. Meanwhile, in his introductory essay, David Jury situates graphic design from its point of origin in early printing, engraving, and lithography to striking creative developments in the 19th century. Each consecutive decade is then prefaced by a succinct overview as well as a stunning visual timeline, offering a vivid display of the variety of graphic production in each decade as well as the global landscape which it at once described and defined. As we move on from and reflect upon the 20th century, this first volume examines the foundations of what would influence some of the fastest-changing creative fields. Combined with Volume Two-which spans from the 1960s until today-the tomes offer the most comprehensive exploration of graphic design to date and a long-overdue recognition of its enormous contribution to economics, politics, social causes, the arts, media, and the way we see the world.
The History of Graphic Design. Vol. 2. 1960-Today
Through the turbulent passage of time, graphic design-with its vivid, neat synthesis of image and idea-has distilled the spirit of each age. Surrounding us every minute of every day, from minimalist packaging to colorful adverts, smart environmental graphics to sleek interfaces: graphic design is as much about transmitting information as it is about reflecting society's cultural aspirations and values. This second volume rounds off our in-depth exploration of graphic design, spanning from the 1960s until today. About 3,500 seminal designs from across the globe guide us in this visual map through contemporary history, from the establishment of the International Style to the rise of the groundbreaking digital age. Around 80 key pieces go under the microscope in detailed analyses besides 118 biographies of the era's most important designers, including Massimo Vignelli (New York subway wayfinding system), Otl Aicher (Lufthansa identity), Paula Scher (Citibank brand identity), Neville Brody (The Face magazine), Kashiwa Sato (Uniqlo brand identity), and Stefan Sagmeister (handwriting posters). With his sweeping knowledge of the field, author Jens Müller curates the standout designs for each year alongside a running sequence of design milestones. Organized chronologically, each decade is prefaced by a succinct overview as well as a stunning visual timeline, offering a vivid display of the variety of graphic production in each decade as well as the global landscape which it at once described and defined. This collection of important graphic works represents a long-overdue reflection on the development of a creative field constantly changing and challenging itself. These key pieces act as coordinates through contemporary history, helping us trace the sheer influence of graphic design on our daily lives. Combined with Volume One-which spans from the field's very beginnings until 1959-the tomes offer the most comprehensive exploration of graphic design to date.
Publication Date: 2018-11-02
The Oxford History of Western Art
The Oxford History of Western Art is the new authority on the development of visual culture in the West over the last 2700 years, from the classical period to the end of the twentieth century. OHWA is an innovative and challenging reappraisal of how the history of art can be presented and understood. None of the currently available general histories of art offers the wealth of perspectives and cross-media references of this book. Through a carefully devised modular structure, readersare given insights not only into how and why works of art were created, but also how works in different media relate to each other across time. Here - uniquely - is not the simple, linear 'story' of art, but a rich series of stories, told from varying viewpoints. The founding principle of the book has been to use carefully selected groupings of pictures to give readers a sense of the visual 'texture' of the various periods and episodes covered. The 167 illustration groups, supported by explanatory text and picture captions, create a sequence of 'visualtours' - not merely a procession of individually 'great' works viewed in isolation, but juxtapositions of significant images that powerfully convey a sense of the visual environments in which works of art need to be viewed in order to be understood and appreciated. The aim throughout has been tomake the shape and nature of these visual presentations a stimulating and rewarding experience, allowing readers to become active participants in the process of interpretation and synthesis. Another key feature of the narrative is the re-definition of traditional period boundaries. Rather than relying on conventional labels such as Medieval, Renaissance, Baroque, etc., five major phases of significant historical change are established that unlock longer and more meaningfulcontinuities: * The art of classical antiquity, from c.600 BC to the fall of Rome in AD 410 * The establishment of visual culture in Europe from 410 to 1527 (the sack of papal Rome) * European visual regimes from 1527 to 1770 * The era of revolutions 1770 to 1914 * Modernism and after, 1914 to 2000 This new framework shows how the major religious and secular functions of art have been forged, sustained, transformed, revived, and revolutionized over the ages; how the institutions of Church and State have consistently aspired to make art in their own image; and how the rise of art historyitself has come to provide the dominant conceptual framework within which artists create, patrons patronize, collectors collect, galleries exhibit, dealers deal, and art historians write. The text has been written by a team of 50 specialist authors working under the direction of Professor Martin Kemp, one of the UK's most distinguished art historians. Whilst bringing their own expertise and vision to their sections, each author was also asked to relate their text to a number ofunifying themes and issues, including written evidence, physical contexts, patronage, viewing and reception, techniques, gender and racial issues, centres and peripheries, media and condition, the notion of 'art', and current presentations. Though the coverage of topics focuses on European notions of art and their transplantation and transformation in North America, space is also given to cross-fertilizations with other traditions - including the art of Latin America, the Soviet Union, India, Africa (and Afro-Caribbean), Australia,and Canada. Professor Kemp and his team similarly deal generously with the applied arts and reproductive media such as photography and prints. The result is a vibrant, vigorous, and revolutionary account of Western art serving both as an inspirational introduction for the general reader and an authoritative source of reference and guidance for students.
Reading Graphic Design History
Reading Graphic Design History uses a series of key artifacts from the history of print culture in light of their specific historical contexts. It encourages the reader to look carefully and critically at print advertising, illustration, posters, magazine art direction and typography, often addressing issues of class, race and gender. David Raizman's innovative approach intentionally challenges the canon of graphic design history and various traditional understandings of graphic design. He re-examines 'icons' of graphic design in light of their local contexts, avoiding generalisation to explore underlying attitudes about various social issues. He encourages new ways of reading graphic design that take into account a broader context for graphic design activity, rather than broad views that discourage the understanding of difference and the means by which graphic design communicates cultural values. With a foreword by Steven Heller.
The Yale Dictionary of Art and Artists
The Yale Dictionary of Art and Artists is a superb reference work dealing with all aspects of Western art from 1300 to the present day. It provides information on painters, sculptors, and graphic artists, technical processes, terminology, theory, schools, movements, patrons and collecting, and much more. There are also extended conceptual entries ranging over such subjects as abstraction, allegory, genres, iconography, illusionism, minimalism, realism, and symbolism. Written by Erika Langmuir and Norbert Lynton, the 3,000 entries are unusually readable and lucid, providing vivid characterizations of artistic styles and artists. Entries vary between short and encyclopedic; major artists and artists whose careers or talents have recently been reassessed or who seem to merit reassessment are given a fuller treatment. There is extensive cross-referencing between entries.