Art History & the History of Art - Resources for Art Lovers

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Learn about Art History - and the History of Art

This is about (1) Art History - the study of art over time and how this can be approached (2) The History of Art - the history of visual arts over time as seen through different artists, art periods and art movements.

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Art History on Wikipedia 

Category: File - :Venus de Milo Louvre Ma399 n4.jpg|thumb|250px|right|Venus de Milo on display at the Louvre

Art history has historically been understood as the academic study of objects of art in their historical development and stylistic contexts, i.e. genre, design, format, and look."Art History". WordNet Search - 3.0, princeton.edu This includes the "major" arts of painting, sculpture, and architecture as well as the "minor" arts of ceramics, furniture, and other decorative objects. The historical backbone of the discipline is a celebratory chronology of beautiful creations funded by upper class men in western Europe. Such a "canon" remains prominent, as indicated by the selection of objects present in art history textbooks. Nonetheless, since the mid-20th century there has been an effort to re-define the discipline to be more inclusive of non-Western art, art made by women, and vernacular creativity.

As a term, Art history (also history of art) encompasses several methods of studying the visual arts; in common usage referring to works of art and architecture. Aspects of the discipline overlap. As the art historian Ernst Gombrich once observed, "the field of art history is much like Caesar's Gaul, divided in three parts inhabited by three different, though not necessarily hostile tribes: (i) the connoisseurs, (ii) the critics, and (iii) the academic art historians".Ernst Gombrich (1996). The Essential Gombrich, p. 7. London: Phaidon Press

As a discipline, art history is distinguished from art criticism, which is concerned with establishing a relative artistic value upon individual works with respect to others of comparable style, or sanctioning an entire style or movement; and art theory or "philosophy of art", which is concerned with the fundamental nature of art. One branch of this area of study is aesthetics, which includes investigating the enigma of the sublime and determining the essence of beauty. Technically, art history is not these things, because the art historian uses historical method to answer the questions: How did the artist come to create the work?, Who were the patrons?, Who were his or her teachers?, Who was the audience?, Who were his or her disciples?, What historical forces shaped the artists oeuvre, and How did he or she and the creation, in turn, affect the course of artistic, political, and social events?

This is not to say that art history is only a biographical endeavor. In fact, art historians often root their studies in the close scrutiny of individual objects. They thus attempt to answer in historically specific ways, questions such as: What are key features of this style?, What meaning did this object convey?, How does it function visually?, Did the artist meet their goals well?, What symbols are involved?, and Does it function discursively?''

History of Art on Wikipedia 

The history of art refers to the history of the visual arts of painting, sculpture and architecture. It is the history of one of the fine arts, others of which are the performing arts and literature. It is also one of the humanities. The term sometimes encompasses theory of the visual arts, including aesthetics.

Considered encyclopedically, the history of art is an attempt to survey art throughout human history, classifying cultures and periods by their distinguishing features. This is undertaken by people and institutions with diverging goals, but whose efforts interrelate, including: academic art historians, museum curators, auction house personnel, private collectors, and religious adherents. Given these agendas, it is unsurprising that there are many ways of structuring a history of art, as will be outlined below.

Glossaries of art terms used in the history of art 

This module contains a mix of glossaries compiled by official bodies and enthusiasts.
Tate Museum | Glossary
The Tate Glossary online is designed to explain and illuminate some of the art terminology you will find in the collection pages. It contains definitions, most with illustrations, of nearly 300 terms including artist groups and art movements, techniques, media and other art jargon.

Terms are listed alphabetically - to browse the glossary choose a letter from A to Z above.

Most definitions are illustrated by example images
Multilingual Glossary for Art Librarians - Section of Art Libraries
A multilingual glossary designed for Art Librarians by the International Federation of Library Associations and Institutions
Gossary is organised alphabetically - with multilingual indices. All English terms contain their Dutch, French, German, Italian, Spanish, Swedish equivalent.
ArtLex Art Dictionary
Great reference material in art, art history, art criticism, aesthetics, and art education. Definitions of thousands of terms, illustrations, quotations, and links to other resources.
Greek artists - Greek fine art - art glossary
A glossary of art terms on a personal website
University of British Columbia - Words of Art
Creative Studies at UBC Okanagan, Kelowna, B.C., CANADA
Glossary of Visual Art Terms - Nancy Doyle Fine Art
Definitions of visual art terms, including drawing, painting, art history, design, space, color, techniques, and more.

Amazon Spotlight 

The World's Most Influential Painters...and the Artists They Inspired: The Stories and Hidden Connections Between Great Works of Western Art

Amazon Price: $19.79 (as of 11/11/2009)Buy Now

Read my review of this book in MUST READ: The world's most influential painters

In summary:

  • a sort of Rock Family Trees for painters.
  • written by David Gariff, an art historian and lecturer in the Education Division of the National Gallery of Art in Washington
  • focuses on 50 artists in 7 major art movements in western art
  • identifies the connections - the inheritances and the legacies
  • relates each artist and art movement to timelines of events in their lives and in the world around them
  • provides an overview of how art develops and grows over time - it's not made in isolation or in boxes!
  • Art Historians 

    An art historian is a person who seeks to understand the world through the history of its art. Implicit in this definition is the art historian's desire to preserve art as a source for understanding.
    Dictionary of Art Historians
    The Dictionary of Art Historians
    A Biographical Dictionary of Historic Scholars, Museum Professionals and Academic Historians of Art
    AAH | Association of Art Historians
    The Association of Art Historians (AAH) was formed in 1974 to support and promote the study of art history. We are the national organisation for professional art and design historians, researchers or students who are involved in education, galleries, museums and art-related publishing, or any other activity linked with art and design history.

    The AAH represents the interests of those involved in all aspects of the discipline, including art, design, visual culture, architecture, film, photography, conservation and museum studies.
    Category:Art historians - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
    Art Historians on Wikipedia

    BOOKS: Overviews of the history of art 

    books on Amazon

    The Story of Art: Pocket Edition

    This is widely regarded as one of the most influential books in the history of art. It's small and easy to read.

    Gombrich's was specifically created for newcomers to art. He presents the whole of art history in a chronological order. It's a narrative and Gombrich has a view of art - most of all he believes that that the love of art, not the love of history, is the appropriate basis for its study.

    This book is both accessible and informative.

    Amazon Price: $13.57 (as of 11/11/2009) Buy Now
    List Price: $19.95

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    30,000 Years of Art

    This book is ENORMOUS. It has 1,000 colour plates which demonstrate how art has changed over 30,000 years in different cultures by reference to specific examples which are explained in detail.

    Amazon Price: $32.97 (as of 11/11/2009) Buy Now
    List Price: $49.95

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    The Power of Art

    Produced to go with the BBC series - now being shown around the world.

    Release Date: 11/07/2006

    Amazon Price: $33.75 (as of 11/11/2009) Buy Now
    List Price: $50.00

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    Art History For Dummies (For Dummies (Lifestyles Paperback))

    An alternative for people who find those big old art history books intimidating

    Amazon Price: $16.49 (as of 11/11/2009) Buy Now
    List Price: $24.99

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    Art History Resource sites 

    None of these are comprehensive but all provide great lists of links to a variety of art history websites
    ART HISTORY RESOURCES ON THE WEB: Contents
    Christopher L. C. E. Witcombe Professor, Dept of Art HistorySweet Briar College, Virginia. Online since 24 October 1995

    "Art history in just a minute"
    Best of History Web Sites: Art History
    Visit Best of History Web Sites for the best Art History sites -- reviewed and rated

    An excellent list although somewhat biased towards the USA
    ArtLex Art Dictionary
    Great reference material in art, art history, art criticism, aesthetics, and art education. Definitions of thousands of terms, illustrations, quotations, and links to other resources.
    ART HISTORY RESOURCES ON THE WEB: Research Resources
    Christopher L. C. E. Witcombe Professor, Dept of Art HistorySweet Briar College, Virginia
    Online since 24 October 1995.
    Research Resources - Last updated January 2008
    WWW Virtual Library: Art History
    The History of Art Virtual Library is a collection of links relating to Art History and computer applications in Art History. The site is sponsored by CHArt, the Computers and History of Art Group.

    This site is aimed at everybody interested in art, but it has a special focus on the academic study of Art History. If you think we should add a site to our listings, or if you experience any problems with the links listed here, please follow this link to email us.

    If you are looking for art galleries or museums, go to the Museums Virtual Library.

    There are also extensive resources at specialised Virtual Libraries covering e.g. Chinese and Japanese Art History and Art and Archaeology of Africa, Burmese Art, and Indian Traditional Arts. Search for 'art' at VLsearch.

    Last revision May 2007

    Also relevant to those with a general interest n art history and who would like to find images online or learn more about particular artists.(Note specialist suppliers sell books, prints and posters and the online teaching section also includes some material suitable for younger children.)
    Mother of all Art and Art History Links Page
    Sponsored by the School of Art and Design at the University of Michigan
    Resource Library: America's Representational Art Publication
    Resource Library is an online publication of Traditional Fine Arts Organization devoted to American representational art, including aspects of both a scholarly journal and a popular magazine. It maintains a balance between both emphases, while building an interconnected body of knowledge including the relationships of American artists to their teachers in foreign nations and America, the history of American art centers, schools, ateliers and museums, the evolution of methods and styles of artistic expression, and changing cultural emphases over time within its field of interest.
    Art Renewal International
    The Art Renewal Center website. Here you can see the largest online museum in the world, articles, and additional materials. For the main ARC page, see http://www.artrenewal.org/
    Geographic Tour of American Representational Art History
    Geographic Tour of American Representational Art History
    The Hudson River School is the earliest thematic community
    of American artists. The Cape Ann art colony is the oldest, most continuously
    active art colony in America
    Museum Syndicate: Experience Art and History
    Welcome to the World's Greatest Virtual Museum!Featuring the largest collections by artists like Grant Wood, Andrew Wyeth, Richard Feynman, Rembrandt, Edward Hopper, and Others at No Cost!
    Statistics:Exhibit Items: 21310 Artists: 575
    Website designed and maintained by Jonathan Dunder
    Irish Art | Encyclopedia of Visual Arts in Ireland | History of Painting, Sculpture, Printmaking
    Irish Art Encyclopedia: Painting, Sculpture, Printmaking: History of Visual Arts in Ireland: Famous Artists: Museums, Galleries, Exhibitions, Schools
    19th Century France - A Visual Resource - Painting
    An overview of different styles of painting in 19th century France

    Online Art History Sites 

    ART HISTORY RESOURCES ON THE WEB: Museums & Galleries
    Christopher L. C. E. Witcombe Professor, Dept of Art HistorySweet Briar College, Virginia
    Online since 24 October 1995
    Museums & GalleriesLast updated September 2007

    SITE INDEX for Museums & Galleries in various countries around the world
    Welcome to The Athenaeum
    Best site I know for tracking down good quality images of different works
    The Athenaeum is building a set of online tools for studying the humanities.
    Art cyclopedia: The Fine Art Search Engine
    The Artcyclopedia is an index of online museums and image archives: find out where the works of over 8,000 different fine artists can be viewed online.

    Excellent for tracking down where the works are of a particular artist.
    Mark Harden's Artchive
    Worth exploring for the parts most people don't realise are there
    Smarthistory: a multimedia web-book about art and art history
    Created in 2005 - this is a different sort of art history website.
    Smarthistory.org is a free multi-media web-book designed as a dynamic enhancement (or even substitute) for the traditional art history textbook.
    Smarthistory's pages have been viewed over 750,000 times by faculty and students, museum professionals and visitors, artists and other creatives. Numerous institutions list it as a resource
    WebMuseum: Bienvenue! (Welcome from the curator)
    Nicholas Pioch's website - Online since 1994
    Web Gallery of Art, image collection, virtual museum, searchable database of European fine arts (1100-1850)
    The Web Gallery of Art is a virtual museum and searchable database of European painting and sculpture of the Gothic, Renaissance, Baroque, Neoclassicism and Romanticism periods (1100-1850), currently containing over 18,400 reproductions.

    Biographies, commentaries, guided tours, free postcar
    Distinguished Artists / American Art History
    Online catalogs and links to
    works of notable American painters and sculptors.
    Allpaintings - Art Portal
    Allpaintings, the art portal with the information of the best painters and the most important art works. Currently there are available in our server more than 33,000 images.
    Open Directory - Arts: Art History
    dmoz open directory project
    Art History  (2,345)
    Art in the Picture.com - An introduction to art history
    An introduction to art history
    Artinthepicture.com blog
    Artinthepicture.com blog - Official weblog of Artinthepicture.com

    Western Art History on Wikipedia 

    Also see articles: History of painting, Western painting

    'Western Art redirects here, see also Artists of the American West

    Western art is the art of European Countries, and works created in the high art forms accepted by those countries.

    Written histories of Western art often begin with the art of the Ancient Middle East, Ancient Egypt and the Ancient Aegean civilisations, dating from the 3rd millennium BC. Parallel with these significant cultures, art of one form or another existed all over Europe, wherever there were people, leaving signs such as carvings, decorated artifacts and huge standing stones. However a consistent pattern of artistic development within Europe becomes clear only with the art of Ancient Greece, adopted and transformed by Rome and carried; with the Empire, across much of Europe, North Africa and the Middle East.

    The influence of the art of the Classical period waxed and waned throughout the next two thousand years, seeming to slip into a distant memory in parts of the Medieval period, to re-emerge in the Renaissance, suffer a period of what some early art historians viewed as "decay" during the Baroque period,Banister Fletcher excluded nearly all Baroque buildings from his mammoth tome A History of Architecture on the Comparative Method''. The publishers eventually rectified this. to reappear in a refined form in Neo-Classicism and to be re-born in Post-Modernism.

    The other major influence upon Western art has been Christianity, the commissions of the Church, architectural, painterly and sculptural, providing the major source of work for artists for about 1400 years, from 300 AD to about 1700 AD. The history of the Church was very much reflected in the history of art, during this period.

    Secularism has influenced Western art since the Classical period, while most art of the last 200 years has been produced without reference to religion and often with no particular ideology at all. On the other hand, Western art has often been influenced by politics of one kind or another, of the state, of the patron and of the artist.

    Western art is arranged into a number of stylistic periods, which, historically, overlap each other as different styles flourished in different areas. Broadly the periods are, Classical, Byzantine, Medieval, Renaissance, Baroque, Modern. Each of these is further subdivided.

    Stylistic Periods in Western Art - on Wikipedia 

    Within each of the stylistic periods there are various art movements - refer to the articles for more detail
    Medieval art - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
    Medieval art From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia This article is about art. See also medieval architecture.

    Medieval art covers a vast scope of time and place, over 1000 years of art history in Europe, the Middle East and North Africa. It includes major art movements and periods, national and regional art, genres, revivals, the artists crafts, and the artists themselves.

    Art historians classify Medieval art into major periods and movements. They are Early Christian art, Migration Period art, Celtic art, Pre-Romanesque and Romanesque art, Gothic art, Byzantine art and Islamic art. In addition each "nation" or culture in the Middle Ages had its own distinct artistic style and these are looked at individually, such as Anglo-Saxon art or Viking art. Medieval art includes many mediums, and was especially strong in sculpture, Illuminated manuscripts and mosaics. There were many unique genres of art, such as Crusade art or animal style.
    Renaissance - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
    Renaissance From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
    This article is about the European Renaissance of the 14th-17th centuries. For the earlier European Renaissance, see Renaissance of the 12th century.

    The Renaissance (from French Renaissance, meaning "rebirth"; Italian: Rinascimento, from re- "again" and nascere "be born"[1]) was a cultural movement that spanned roughly the 14th through the 17th century, beginning in Italy in the late Middle Ages and later spreading to the rest of western Europe. It encompassed a revival of learning based on classical sources, the development of linear perspective in painting, and educational reform. The Renaissance saw developments in most intellectual pursuits, but is perhaps best known for its artistic aspect and the contributions of such polymaths as Leonardo da Vinci and Michelangelo, who have inspired the term "Renaissance men".
    Mannerism - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
    Mannerism From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia Mannerism is a period of European painting, sculpture, architecture and decorative arts lasting from the later years of the Italian High Renaissance around 1520 until the arrival of the Baroque around 1600. Stylistically, it identifies a variety of individual approaches influenced by, and reacting to, the harmonious ideals associated with Leonardo da Vinci, Raphael, and early Michelangelo. Mannerism is notable for its intellectual as well as its artificial (as opposed to naturalistic) qualities.
    Baroque - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
    Baroque From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

    In the arts, the Baroque was a Western cultural epoch, commencing roughly at the turn of the 17th century in Rome. It was exemplified by drama and grandeur in sculpture, painting, literature, dance, and music

    The popularity and success of the Baroque style was encouraged by the Roman Catholic Church which had decided at the time of the Council of Trent that the arts should communicate religious themes in direct and emotional involvement. The aristocracy also saw the dramatic style of Baroque architecture and art as a means of impressing visitors and expressing triumphant power and control.

    Some traits and aspects of Baroque paintings that differentiate this style from others are the abundant amount of details, often bright polychromy, less realistic faces of subjects, and an overall sense of awe, which was one of the goals in Baroque art.
    Neoclassicism - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
    Neoclassicism From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
    Neoclassicism (sometimes rendered as Neo-Classicism or Neo-classicism) is the name given to quite distinct movements in the decorative and visual arts, literature, theatre, music, and architecture that draw upon Western classical art and culture (usually that of Ancient Greece or Ancient Rome). These movements were dominant during the mid 18th to the end of the 19th century. This article addresses what these "neoclassicisms" have in common.

    In the visual arts the European movement called "neoclassicism" began after ca 1765, as a reaction against both the surviving Baroque and Rococo styles, and as a desire to return to the perceived "purity" of the arts of Rome, the more vague perception ("ideal") of Ancient Greek arts (where almost no western artist had actually been) and, to a lesser extent, 16th century Renaissance Classicism.

    Contrasting with the Baroque and the Rococo, Neo-classical paintings are devoid of pastel colors and haziness; instead, they have sharp colors with Chiaroscuro.
    Romanticism - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
    Romanticism From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

    Romanticism is a complex artistic, literary, and intellectual movement that originated in the second half of the 18th century in Western Europe, and gained strength during the Industrial Revolution.[1] It was partly a revolt against aristocratic social and political norms of the Age of Enlightenment and a reaction against the scientific rationalization of nature, and was embodied most strongly in the visual arts, music, and literature.

    The movement stressed strong emotion as a source of aesthetic experience, placing new emphasis on such emotions as trepidation, horror, and the awe experienced in confronting the sublimity in untamed nature and its qualities that are "picturesque", both new aesthetic categories. It elevated folk art and custom, as well as arguing for a "natural" epistemology of human activities as conditioned by nature in the form of language, custom and usage.
    Realism (visual arts) - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
    Realism (visual arts) From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

    Realism is a visual art style that depicts the actuality of what the eyes can see. Realists render everyday characters, situations, dilemmas, and objects, all in verisimilitude. They tend to discard theatrical drama, lofty subjects and classical forms in favor of commonplace themes.

    Gustave Courbet is credited with coining the term.

    A fondness for humble subjects and homely details characterizes much of Dutch art, and Rembrandt is an outstanding realist in his renunciation of the ideal and his embrace of the life around him. In the 19th century a group of French landscape artists known as the Barbizon School emphasized close observation of nature, paving the way for the Impressionists. In England the Pre-Raphaelite Brotherhood rejected what they saw as the formulaic idealism of the followers of Raphael, which led some of them to an art of intense realism.

    Trompe l'oeil (literally, "fool the eye"), a technique which creates the illusion that the objects depicted actually exist, is an extreme example of artistic realism.
    Modern art - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
    Modern art From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

    Modern art is a general term used for most of the artistic work reckoned anywhere from the early 17th century until the present time.[1] (Recent art production is often called Contemporary art or Postmodern art). Modern art refers to the new approach to art which placed emphasis on representing emotions, themes, and various abstractions. Artists experimented with new ways of seeing, with fresh ideas about the nature of materials and functions of art, often moving further toward abstraction.

    The notion of modern art is closely related to Modernism.
    Contemporary art - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
    Contemporary art From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

    Contemporary art can be defined variously as art produced at this present point in time or art produced since World War II. The definition of the word contemporary would support the first view, but museums of contemporary art commonly define their collections as consisting of art produced since World War II.

    This article includes links to the various art movements in every decade since WWII

    Western Painting on Wikipedia 

    Western painting - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
    Western painting From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

    The history of Western painting represents a continuous, though disrupted, tradition from Antiquity.[1] Until the early 20th century it relied primarily on representational and Classical motifs, after which time more purely abstract and conceptual modes gained favor.

    Developments in Western painting historically parallel those in Eastern painting, in general a few centuries later.[2] African art, Islamic art, Indian art,[3] Chinese art, and Japanese art[4] each had significant influence on Western art, and, eventually, vice-versa.[5]

    Initially serving religious patronage, Western painting later found audiences in the aristocracy and the middle class. From the Middle Ages through the Renaissance painters worked for the church and a wealthy aristocracy. Beginning with the Baroque era artists received private commissions from a more educated and prosperous middle class. By the 19th century painters became liberated from the demands of their patronage to only depict scenes from religion, mythology, portraiture or history. The idea "art for art's sake" began to find expression in the work of painters like Francisco de Goya, John Constable, and J.M.W. Turner.

    Western painting's zenith takes place in Europe, during the Renaissance in conjunction with the refinement of drawing, use of perspective, ambitious architecture, tapestry, stained glass, sculpture, and the period before and after the advent of the printing press.[6] Following the depth of discovery and the complexity of innovations of the Renaissance the rich heritage of Western painting (from the Baroque to Contemporary art) continues into the 21st century.

    Eastern Art History on Wikipedia 

    Eastern art history is devoted to the arts of the Far East and includes a vast range of influences from various cultures and religions. The emphasis is on art history amongst many diverse cultures in Asia. Developments in Eastern art historically parallel those in Western art, in general a few centuries earlier.The Meeting of Eastern and Western Art, Revised and Expanded edition (Hardcover)by Michael Sullivan, African art, Islamic art, Indian art,[http://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=9...

    Timelines 

    Timelines/Regions, 500-1000 A.D. | Timeline of Art History | The Metropolitan Museum of Art
    Timelines/Regions, 500-1000 A.D. SubjectArtistTimelines/RegionsThematic EssaysAccession NumberLists of RulersUseful LinksSelected Readings site map, outline, timelines, maps, geography, world regions, country, continent, chronology What is th
    Heilbrunn Timeline of Art History | The Metropolitan Museum of Art
    The Heilbrunn Timeline of Art History provides an overview of the history of art as illustrated and represented in the Museum's collection. The material presented here has been researched, written, and reviewed by the Museum's curatorial staff. It serves as an important reference and research tool
    National Gallery of Australia - Paris Salons
    Paris salons

    Salon is the name given to the official exhibition of members' work of the French Academy, the Académie royale de peinture et de sculpture. The Academy was founded in 1648, and its statues of 1663 also required academicians to submit work for an annual public exhibition of painting and sculpture.

    A listing of catalogues held in the National Gallery of Australia Research Library

    * Chronology
    * Traps and idiosyncrasies
    * Formats
    * Exclusions and scope of list
    * Paris Salons - tips & suggestions for usage in National Gallery of Australia
    * Arrangement of Salons
    * Links of interest
    * Salon dictionary listing
    * Bibliography of Paris salon materials in NGA Research Library, in chronological order
    * Chronological Listing

    Recommended reading lists 

    Essential art history texts for budding art historians - Times Online
    From John Berger's "Ways of Seeing" to Vasari's "Lives of the Artists"

    BOOKS: Overviews of Art History 

    books on Amazon

    Mirror of the World: A New History of Art

    A vivid and compelling history of human artistic achievements, from the first stone fashioned into a figure by a hunter-gatherer to the latest new media and installation work.

    With remarkable clarity, Julian Bell tells the story of how art has evolved through the millennia and across the world. He follows the changing trends in the making and significance of art in different cultures, and explains why the art of the day looked and functioned as it did. Key images and objects-some of them familiar works of art; others, less known but equally crucial to the story-act as landmarks on the journey, focal points around which the discussion always centers. Along the way, Bell answers fundamental questions such as "What is art and where does it start?" and "Why do humans make it and how does it serve them?"

    Previous histories tended to focus only on the masterpieces of Western art, in the process excluding the work of women or non-Western artists, or else considering developments around the world as separate, unrelated phenomena. Bell's achievement is to take a global perspective, bringing the distinct stories together in one convincing narrative. He draws insightful and inspired connections between different continents and cultures and across the millennia, which results in a rich and seamless introduction to the world of visual creativity.

    Hundreds of carefully selected illustrations show how artists from different ages and societies often shared the same formal, technical, and aesthetic concerns, while others took divergent paths when their vision dictated it. 460 illustrations, 300 in color.

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    History of Modern Art

    Comprehensive and insightful, History of Modern Art: Painting, Sculpture, Architecture, Photography is the definitive source of information on the art of the modern era.

    This Fourth Edition is a freshly retold story of the art and artists of the last 150 years from modernism's mid-nineteenth-century European beginnings to today's divergent art trends. In the decade that has passed since the publication of the previous edition, art historians have come to recognize that works of art, whether sublimely beautiful or provocatively repelling, are artistic responses made by individuals to life in the real world. In her thoughtful reworking of H. H. Arnason's classic text, Marla Prather poses critical questions -- Why did Cubist painters and sculptors refract their subject matter in the way they did? Why did Abstract Expressionism take hold in America? Why did Postmodern architects reject the clean lines of the International Style? What does it mean that artworks of the late 1990s defy categorization? -- and provides insightful and thought-provoking answers. Almost 500 of the nearly 1,500 illustrations are new to this edition, a reflection of Prather's thorough rethinking and updating of the content. The final section of the book presents thirty-seven artists representative of today's decentralized art scene who are working in mediums ranging from conventional painting and photography to video and performance art. With its fully revised bibliography, History of Modern Art, Fourth Edition, is an essential volume for anyone with a curiosity about modern art and culture.

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    Janson's History of Art: The Western Tradition

    This four-part volume uses an exceptional art program-with sumptuous color pictures-to introduce readers to a succession of art styles from prehistoric times and ancient Egypt, to the vast world of Western painting, sculpture, architecture, photography, and the minor arts. Elegantly written, it contains a balanced and interesting narrative that increases ones ability to understand art.

    Parts I and II cover The Ancient World and The Middle Ages, with a look at prehistoric; Egyptian; ancient near eastern; Aegean; Greek; Etruscan; Roman; early Christian, Byzantine, and Medieval; Romanesque; and Gothic art.

    Part III looks at the Renaissance through the Rococo-with a focus on the early and high renaissance in Italy; mannerism and other trends; "Late Gothic" painting, sculpture, and the graphic arts; and the Baroque in Italy, Spain, Flanders, Holland, France and England.

    Part IV is a treatment on the modern world, including Neoclassicism and Romanticism; Realism and Impressionism; Post-impressionism, Symbolism, and Art Nouveau; Twentieth-Century painting, sculpture, architecture, and photography; and Postmodernism. For those who appreciate art as individual works, rather than a mere collection of data.

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    The 20th Century Art Book (Phaidon)

    The 20th Century Art Book was hailed upon its release as an exciting celebration of the myriad forms assumed by art over the last century. Complementing the phenomenally successful Art Book, and most recently The American Art Book, it presents a new and original way of bringing art alive.

    This new mini edition has all the visual energy and compelling insights of the original but in a light and highly portable format, making it ideal both for dipping into and for using as a serious sourcebook. Covering the truly international nature of the modern art scene, it encompasses established, iconic works of art and the classics of the future. 500 artists are placed in alphabetical order, each represented by a full-page colour plate of a definitive work and an incisive text which sheds light on both image and creator. This book is above all easy to use: cross-references help the reader make connections between artists; there is a jargon-free glossary of artistic terms and movements; and an international directory of museums and galleries lists the works on view to the public. Ideal for those approaching the subject for the first time, it is a fun and unintimidating look at the ever-expanding boundaries of art.

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    The Art Atlas

    This is the first work to treat the art of the whole world from prehistory to the present day through the extensive use of maps. Covering painting, sculpture and architecture as well as other arts and artefacts, The Art Atlas provides an entirely new vision of the history of the world's art by showing how physical and political geography has shaped its developments. Instead of simply showing where and when great artists lived and worked, or where major styles developed, the atlas also tries to show why these phenomena occurred. This requires not only giving information on their political, religious, economic and cultural contexts, but on the natural circumstances surrounding their emergence as well. It involves charting the availability of raw materials, such as pigments for colouring. Organized in seven chronological periods and with contributions from 67 internationally renowned art historians, The Art Atlas is original, comprehensive and up-to-date enough to make it a benchmark reference work for many years to come.

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    Art for Art's sake 

    The origins of the idea
    Dictionary of the History of Ideas
    ART FOR ART'S SAKE
    The phrase ?art for art's sake? expresses both a battle cry and a creed; it is an appeal to emotion as well as to mind. Time after time, when artists have felt
    themselves threatened from one direction or another, and have had to justify themselves and their activities, they have done this by insisting that art serves no
    ulterior purposes but is purely an end in itself.
    Art for art's sake - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
    Art for art's sake From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
      
    "Art for art's sake" is the usual English rendition of a French slogan, from the early 19th century, ''l'art pour l'art'', and expresses a philosophy that the intrinsic value of art, and the only "true" art, is divorced from any didactic, moral or utilitarian function. Such works are sometimes described as "autotelic", from the Greek autoteles, ?complete in itself?, a concept that has been expanded to embrace "inner-directed" or "self-motivated" human beings.
    Modernism: Art for Art's Sake
    Christopher L. C. E. Witcombe1. Roots of Modernism2. Art for Art's Sake

    Art for Art's Sake, however, was a ploy that backfired. The same bourgeois whose tastes and ideas and prescriptions Whistler was confronting through his art, quickly turned the call of "Art for Art's Sake" into a tool to further neutralize the content and noxious effects of progressive modernist art.

    Museums and Art Galleries in the UK 

    The National Gallery, London
    The National Gallery, London, houses one of the greatest collections of European painting in the world. These pictures belong to the public and entrance to see them is free.
    National Galleries of Scotland
    National Galleries of Scotland is comprised of the National Gallery of Scotland, the Scottish National Gallery of Modern Art, the Dean Gallery and the Scottish National Portrait Gallery.
    Tate Online: British and international modern and contemporary art
    Tate is a family of four art galleries housing the UK's collection of British art from 1500 and of international modern art.
    National Portrait Gallery
    The National Portrait Gallery was established with the criteria that the Gallery was to be about history, not about art, and about the status of the sitter, rather than the quality or character of a particular image considered as a work of art. This criterion is still used by the Gallery today when deciding which works enter the National Portrait Gallery's collection.

    Originally, it was decided by the Trustees that "No portrait of any person still living, or deceased less that 10 years, shall be admitted by purchase, donation, or bequest, except only in the case of the reigning Sovereign, and of his or her Consort". This rule changed in 1969 in order to encourage a policy of admitting living sitters.
    Royal Academy Home - Royal Academy of Arts
    This is the website of the Royal Academy of Arts, London. The Royal Academy has free exhibitions and paid-entry exhibitions all year round in its historic galleries on Piccadilly in London's West End. On this site you can buy tickets for our exhibitions and read more about the Royal Academy of Arts,
    The Courtauld Gallery : Homepage
    The Courtauld Gallery is one of the finest small museums in the world. Its collection stretches from the early Renaissance into the 20th century and is particularly renowned for the unrivalled collection of Impressionist and Post-Impressionist paintings. The Gallery also holds an outstanding collection of drawings and prints and fine example of sculpture and decorative arts
    Christ Church Website - Picture Gallery
    Christ Church is unique among the Oxford and Cambridge colleges in possessing an important collection of Old Master paintings and drawings, housed in a purpose-built Gallery of considerable architectural interest in itself.
    British Museum - Welcome to the British Museum
    Welcome to the British Museum website. The Museum houses a vast collection of world art and artefacts and is free to all visitors. Search highlight objects of the collection and view current research projects. Find information about visiting, including admission and opening times, events and exhibit
    Estorick Collection of Modern Italian Art
    The Estorick Collection of Modern Italian Art opened in Islington, London in 1998. Its new home - a Grade II listed Georgian building - was restored with support from the Heritage Lottery Fund and contains six galleries, an art library, cafe and bookshop.

    Museums and Art Galleries in Europe 

    Museo Nacional del Prado, Madrid (International access)
    International gateway for different languages
    Museo Nacional del Prado, Madrid (English)
    The Prado in Madrid houses some great paintings

    Opening hours of the museum
    From 9am to 8pm: Tuesday to Sunday and public holidays.
    From 9am to 2pm: 24 December, 31 December and 6 January.
    Prado - 15 Masterpieces
    15 Masterpieces in the Prado - image and narrative
    The Royal Museums of Fine Arts of Belgium,
    The Royal Museums of Fine Arts of Belgium, Brussels, de Koninklijke Musea voor Schone Kunsten van Belgi%uFFFD,
    Centre Pompidou
    Centre Pompidou
    In a unique location under one roof, the Centre Pompidou houses one of the most important museums in the world, featuring the leading collection of modern and contemporary art in Europe, a vast public reference library with facilities for over 2,000 readers, general documentation on 20th century art, a cinema and performance halls, a music research institute, educational activity areas, bookshops, a restaurant and a café.
    Inicio | Museo Guggenheim Bilbao
    Guggenheim Museum Bilbao website.
    The Guggenheim Museum Bilbao, designed by North American architect Frank O. Gehry, is a magnificent example of the most groundbreaking architecture to have come out of the 20th century. The building itself is an innovatively designed architectural landmark that creates a seductive backdrop for the exhibition of contemporary art.
    The State Hermitage Museum
    The State Hermitage Museum: English Home Page

    The State Hermitage occupies six magnificent buildings situated along the embankment of the River Neva, right in the heart of St Petersburg. The leading role in this unique architectural ensemble is played by the Winter Palace, the residence of the Russian tsars
    The State Hermitage Museum: Virtual Tour
    Virtual Tour of the Hermitage
    State Hermitage Museum Unofficial
    State Hermitage Museum is a museum of art in Saint Petersburg, Russia. The Hermitage is the largest public museum in Russia and home to one of the greatest art collections in the world. Russian empress Catherine the Great founded the Hermitage in 1764 as a museum for the royal court. The holdings originally consisted of Western European works of art that she purchased http://static.squidoo.com/images/icon-reorder.giffrom private collections.
    Louvre Museum Official Website
    The official site of the Louvre Museum (Paris, France) : Collection & Departments, Exhibitions, Guided Tours, Virtual Tours, Calendar, History of the Louvre, Gardens, Concerts, Lectures & Symposia, Readings & Performances, Opening Hours

    Art Museums and Galleries 

    Museums and Art Galleries in the USA 

    The Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York: metmuseum.org
    The Metropolitan Museum of Art Web site features information on upcoming museum events, fine art exhibits, special exhibitions, the Met collection and art galleries online.
    The Art Institute of Chicago: Home:
    The Art Institute of Chicago, founded in 1879 as both a museum and school, first stood on the southwest corner of State and Monroe Streets. It opened on its present site at Michigan Avenue and Adams Street in 1893. Built on rubble from the 1871 Chicago fire, the museum housed a collection of plaster casts and had a visionary purpose: to acquire and exhibit art of all kinds and to conduct programs of education. The collection now encompasses more than 5,000 years of human expression from cultures around the world, and the school's graduate program is continually ranked as one of the best in the country. Within the next decade, a new complex will continue this process of growth.
    MoMA | The Museum of Modern Art
    The Museum of Modern Art's Web site provides information on current and upcoming art, film and media, and online exhibitions; highlights from MoMA's ...
    MFA Boston: Home
    Museum of Fine Art in Boston

    The original MFA opened its doors to the public on July 4, 1876, the nation's centennial. Built in Copley Square, the MFA was then home to 5,600 works of art. Over the next several years, the collection and number of visitors grew exponentially, and in 1909 the Museum moved to its current home on Huntington Avenue.

    Today the MFA is one of the most comprehensive art museums in the world; the collection encompasses nearly 450,000 works of art. It welcome welcome more than one million visitors each year to experience art from ancient Egyptian to contemporary, special exhibitions, and innovative educational programs.
    National Gallery of Art
    The mission of the National Gallery of Art is to serve the United States of America in a national role by preserving, collecting, exhibiting, and fostering the understanding of works of art, at the highest possible museum and scholarly standards.

    The National Gallery of Art was created in 1937 for the people of the United States of America by a joint resolution of Congress, accepting the gift of financier and art collector Andrew W. Mellon. During the 1920s, Mr. Mellon began collecting with the intention of forming a gallery of art for the nation in Washington. In 1937, the year of his death, he promised his collection to the United States. Funds for the construction of the West Building were provided by The A. W. Mellon Educational and Charitable Trust. On March 17, 1941, President Franklin D. Roosevelt accepted the completed building and the collections on behalf of the people of the United States of America.

    The paintings and works of sculpture given by Andrew Mellon have formed a nucleus of high quality around which the collections have grown.

    The NGA is open 363 days of the year at no charge to visitors.
    Fine Arts Museums of San Francisco - de Young - Legion of Honor
    The Fine Arts Museums of San Francisco (FAMSF) is the city's largest public arts institution. Comprising the de Young Museum and the Legion of Honor, FAMSF is also the city's most successful public/private partnership. Although a designated city department, most of the Museums' operational funding and all funding for art acquisitions and exhibitions are raised privately.
    MFAH: The Museum of Fine Arts, Houston
    The Museum of Fine Arts, Houston, is the largest art museum in America south of Chicago, west of Washington, D.C., and east of Los Angeles.

    There are two major museum buildings, the Caroline Wiess Law Building and the Audrey Jones Beck Building; two facilities for the Glassell School of Art, the Studio School for Adults and the Glassell Junior School; two house museums that exhibit decorative arts, Bayou Bend Collection and Gardens and Rienzi; the Lillie and Hugh Roy Cullen Sculpture Garden; and 18 acres of public gardens.

    A total of 300,000 square feet of space is dedicated to the display of art. The Hirsch Library is one of the largest art libraries in the Southwest.

    More than 2.5 million people visit the MFAH each year. Community outreach programs touch the lives of more than 670,000 people each year.
    The Barnes Foundation
    The Barnes Foundation - Home
    The Barnes Foundation was established by Albert C. Barnes in 1922 to "promote the advancement of education and the appreciation of the fine arts." Located in a twelve-acre arboretum, the Foundation is home to one of the world's largest collections of Impressionist, Post-Impressionist and early Modern paintings, with extensive holdings by Picasso, Matisse, Cézanne, Renoir and Modigliani, as well as important examples of African sculpture. The Gallery and Arboretum are open to the public ( reservations are required), and courses in aesthetics and horticulture are available through the education department.
    Harvard University Art Museums
    The Harvard University Art Museums-a leading center for research and teaching in the visual arts comprised of three museums and four research centers-today announced that it is changing its name to the Harvard Art Museum, effective April 30, 2008. The new name, selected because it better expresses the institution's mission, grows out of an initiative to further unify and integrate the museum's collections and programs.

    The Harvard Art Museum will maintain the identity of its three museums, the Fogg Museum, the Busch-Reisinger Museum, and the Arthur M. Sackler Museum, as well as its research centers, among them the Straus Center for Conservation.
    The Getty
    The official Web site of the J. Paul Getty Trust in Los Angeles, California.
    Guggenheim Museum - New York

    Museums and Art Galleries in Australasia & Pacific 

    Art Gallery of New South Wales
    The Art Gallery of New South Wales is the leading museum of art in New South Wales and Sydney, and one of Australia's foremost cultural institutions. It holds significant collections of Australian, European and Asian art, and presents nearly 40 exhibitions annually.
    National Gallery of Australia
    Parkes Place
    Parkes, Canberra ACT 2601
    AUSTRALIA
    Queensland Art Gallery - Home Page
    The Queensland Art Gallery is Queensland's premier visual arts institution and a leading art museum nationally. Established in 1895, since 1982, it has had a permanent home in an architecturally acclaimed building on Brisbane's south bank.
    Welcome to The Art Gallery of South Australia
    The Art Gallery of South Australia
    Art Gallery of Western Australia Website
    Welcome to the Art Gallery of Western Australia | Perth Cultural Centre

    Gallery Resources for Education and Learning 

    National Gallery London/Education/Adult Learners
    Every day, there are free talks and tours for adult visitors. Debates, discussion groups, short courses and study days offer the chance to engage with and explore National Gallery paintings in more depth.

    If you're feeling creative, there are practical sessions ranging from free lunchtime Talk and Draw activities to one-day life-drawing, print-making, sculpture, movement and writing workshops.

    Group Visits: You can organise a tailor-made tour or learning session for any group of between 10 and 25 adults.

    Provenance 

    provenance noun the place of origin (of a work of art, archaeological find, etc).
    ETYMOLOGY: 18c: French, from Latin provenire to come forth.
    Provenance - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
    Provenance, from the French provenir, "to come from", means the origin, or the source, of something, or the history of the ownership or location of an object,[1] The term was originally mostly used of works of art.

    The provenance of works of fine art, antiques and antiquities often assumes great importance. Documented evidence of provenance for an object can help to establish that it has not been altered and is not a forgery, reproduction, stolen or looted art. Knowledge of provenance can help to assign the work to a known artist and a documented history can be of use in helping to prove ownership.

    The quality of provenance of an important work of art can make a considerable difference to its selling price in the market; this is affected by the degree of certainty of the provenance, the status of past owners as collectors, and in many cases by the strength of evidence that an object has not been illegally excavated or exported from another country. The provenance of a work of art may be recorded in various forms depending on context or the amount that is known, from a single name to an entry in a full scholarly catalogue several thousand words long.
    Harvard University - Provenance
    "Provenance" is a list of the previous owners of a work of art, tracing it from its present location and owner back to the hand of the artist. Provenance has many uses: It can help to determine the authenticity of a work, to establish the historical importance of a work by suggesting other artists who might have seen and been influenced by it, and to determine the legitimacy of current ownership.
    Provenance Research - Princeton Art Museum
    Research on provenance, or the history of ownership of a work of art, is a traditional part of museum practice.

    Recently, however, particular attention is being paid to provenance research in keeping with the principles and guidelines issued in 1998 by the Association of Art Museum Directors (AAMD) and in 1999 by the American Association of Museums (AAM), according to which museums should, to the best of their ability, determine and disclose the provenance for works of art in their collections that changed hands during the World War II era (1933-1945).
    Art Provenance - Fake or Real? Identification Tips and Pointers
    Numerous works of art are offered for sale with fake or questionable signatures or attributions at online auction sites like eBay. Problem art can also be found at fixed-price "gallery" websites and bricks-and-mortar establishments, but nowhere is it more pervasive than at online auctions. In order to fool novice buyers, unscrupulous sellers often claim to have "provenance" or documented ownership histories that confirm the authenticity of their art.

    BOOKS: Provenance 

    Provenance: How a Con Man and a Forger Rewrote the History of Modern Art

    Provenance is the extraordinary narrative of one of the most far-reaching and elaborate deceptions in art history. Investigative reporters Laney Salisbury and Aly Sujo brilliantly recount the tale of a great con man and unforgettable villain, John Drewe, and his sometimes unwitting accomplices.

    Chief among those was the struggling artist John Myatt, a vulnerable single father who was manipulated by Drewe into becoming a prolific art forger. Once Myatt had painted the pieces, the real fraud began. Drewe managed to infiltrate the archives of the upper echelons of the British art world in order to fake the provenance of Myatt's forged pieces, hoping to irrevocably legitimize the fakes while effectively rewriting art history.

    The story stretches from London to Paris to New York, from tony Manhattan art galleries to the esteemed Giacometti and Dubuffet associations, to the archives at the Tate Gallery. This enormous swindle resulted in the introduction of at least two hundred forged paintings, some of them breathtakingly good and most of them selling for hundreds of thousands of dollars. Many of these fakes are still out in the world, considered genuine and hung prominently in private houses, large galleries, and prestigious museums. And the sacred archives, undermined by John Drewe, remain tainted to this day.

    Provenance reads like a well-plotted thriller, filled with unforgettable characters and told at a breakneck pace. But this is most certainly not fiction; Provenance is the meticulously researched and captivating account of one of the greatest cons in the history of art forgery.

    Amazon Price: $17.79 (as of 11/11/2009) Buy Now

    AAM Guide to Provenance Research

    The first of its kind, this is a comprehensive and authoritative resource for tracing the ownership history of works of art. Focused on cultural property looted by the Nazis and others during WWII, it is divided into three parts:
    - Basic Provenance Research and Principles,
    - Holocaust-Era Provenance Research, and
    - Appendices, which include bibliographies of collections, dealer archives, and "red-flag" names compiled by the Office of Strategic Services.
    Includes an index and reproductions of artworks and relevant documents. Written by leading provenance researchers, this title is a must for any collecting institution.

    Amazon Price: $51.28 (as of 11/11/2009) Buy Now

    Art Libraries 

    artlibraries.net VIRTUAL CATALOGUE FOR ART HISTORY
    artlibraries.net ? Virtual Catalogue for Art History (http://www.artlibraries.net/), formerly the VKK, is a European specialized meta catalogue allowing the integrated retrieval of bibliographic records and, should the occasion arise, other objects of distinctive art historical databases.
    Currently, artlibraries.net gives access to more than 8 million records (as of June 2008), including a high percentage of records for articles in periodicals, conference papers, festschriften, exhibition catalogues and exhibition books, etc., and an increasing percentage of records for archival and photographic materials as well as for online resources.

    Art History: Approaches to studying the history of art 

    Cambridge Pre-U Certificate in Art History - Teacher Guide
    Course outline and guidance for teachers
    Humanities C1121 - Fine Arts F1121 Syllabus
    Department of Art History and Archaeology
    Columbia University
    Humanities C1121 - Fine Arts F1121
    SYLLABUS
    Masterpieces of Western art (also known as Art Humanities) has been an integral part of the core curriculum of Columbia College since 1947. Structured along the lines of Humanities C1001
    smarthistory
    mARThistory.org is a free multi-media web-book designed as a dynamic enhancement (or even substitute) for the traditional and static art history textbook. Dr. Beth Harris and Dr. Steven Zucker began smARThistory in 2005 by creating a blog featuring free audio guides in the form of podcasts for use in The Museum of Modern Art and the Metropolitan Museum of Art.

    Soon after, we embedded the audio files in our online survey courses. The response from our students was so positive that we decided to create a multi-media survey of art history web-book. We created audios and videos about works of art found in standard art history survey texts, organized the files stylistically and chronologically, and added text and still images.

    600 B.C.E. - 400 C.E.Antiquity
    400 -1300Medieval Era
    1300 - 1400 Proto-Renaissance
    1400 - 1500Renaissance in Italy & the North
    1500 - 1600End of the Renaissance and the Reformation
    1600 - 1700The Baroqu

    BOOKS: An introduction to studying art history 

    Methods and Theories of Art History

    This book provides an introduction for the art history student to the range of theoretical perspectives used in looking at and analysing art.

    It covers a broad range of approaches, presenting individual arguments, controversies and divergent perspectives. The book opens with the concept of theory and explains why it is important to the practice of art history. Each of the six chapters that form the core of the book presents a group of related approaches that are then discussed in turn and applied to one or more works of art. The book ends with some practical ideas about writing theory-based art history essays.

    Amazon Price: $12.89 (as of 11/11/2009) Buy Now

    Art History and Its Methods

    'Approaches' are probably more varied -- and more debated -- in the history of art than in any other branch of history, and a study of different historical approaches is becoming an increasingly important component of many student courses. In this anthology of art-historical writings from the Renaissance to the present day, key texts have been chosen in which the authors reflect on the nature of their subject and on their own methods of inquiry. Included are texts by Vasari, Winckelmann, Burckhardt, Wolfflin, Panofsky, Gombrich and Pollock, among others.

    The introduction gives a lucid and readable summary of art-historical methods, and each of the texts is accompanied by a commentary that places it in context and discusses the issues it raises.

    Also provided is a critical glossary of terms and a select bibliography.

    Amazon Price: (as of 11/11/2009) Buy Now

    Look! The Fundamentals of Art History

    Written in a casual, personable, and unassuming style, this handbook introduces readers to the basic methods of art history and the visual and contextual analysis of works of art, and teaches them how to use these types of analysis in writing about art.

    Features a balanced selection of examples drawn from the arts of Europe, the United States, Asia, Africa, the Pacific and the Americas. Provides a comprehensive bibliography of art history periodicals, general guides and reference works, websites, history of art history, as well as writings by period and theme. Art History as a Discipline. The Fundamentals of Interpretation: Formal and Contextual Analysis. Writing Art History Papers. Navigating Art History Examinations.

    For those, particularly novices, interested in the contextual analysis of works of art.

    Amazon Price: $25.25 (as of 11/11/2009) Buy Now

    How to write about art history 

    What you will NOT find here - customised essay writing services!

    Links to various perspectives gathered from a variety of sites at different levels
    The Writing Center, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill: Art History
    What this handout is about

    This handout discusses several common types of art history assigments, and talks about various strategies and resources that will help you write your art history papers.
    Dartmouth College: Materials for Students: Writing in the Humanities: Writing the Art History paper
    What distinguishes Art History papers from the papers you might be asked to write in other courses?

    Perhaps the biggest difference creates the biggest challenge: in Art History papers, you must be able to create an argument about what you see. In short, you have to translate the visual into the verbal. To do this you must first understand the "language" of the discipline - that is, you need to familiarize yourself with the terms and concepts necessary to describe a work of art.

    Second you need to learn not only to describe what you see, but to craft your description so that it delivers some argument or point of view.

    In short, you must master the art of simultaneously analyzing and describing the work of art you have chosen to discuss.

    Written by Karen Gocsik / Last modified: Tuesday, 12-Jul-2005 11:30:03 EDT / Copyright © 2004 Dartmouth College
    A Guide to Writing About Art
    A Guide to Writing about Art
    "When you analyze, you are seeking to account for your experience of the work."
    "An unanswered question is an essay topic in disguise."
    We write about art to clarify and to account for our responses to works that interest, excite, or frustrate us

    The information in this handout is excerpted from A Short Guide to Writing about Art (8th ed.), by Sylvan Barnet.
    Art Theory and Criticism: Writing about Art
    Sources for writing about art: criticism, methodology, etc., located at the WWU Libraries.

    BOOKS: How to write about art history 

    How to Write Art History

    An invaluable handbook, How to Write Art History enables students to get the most from their art history course. In a clear and engaging style, Anne D'Alleva empowers readers to approach their coursework with confidence and energy. The book introduces two basic art historical methods - formal analysis and contextual analysis - revealing how to use these methods in writing papers and in class discussion. The common strengths and weaknesses of an art history essay are highlighted by using real examples of written work, and at each stage of the writing process D'Alleva offers valuable advice on developing an argument convincingly. In addition, she explains the most effective methods of note-taking and outlines strategies for reviewing images - essential tools when preparing for an exam. Providing a fascinating view of the study of art history within its historical context, this book will be particularly helpful for those considering a career in this rewarding discipline.

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    Learning to Look at Modern Art

    This companion volume to the author's Learning to Look at Paintings addresses some of the questions most commonly asked about modern art:
    * why does it appear so different from the art of the past?
    * Why is it so difficult to understand?
    * How should we approach it?

    Mary Acton suggests that the best way to understand modern art is to look closely at it, and to consider the different elements that make up each art work - composition, space and form, light and color and subject matter. Her engaging and beautifully-written guide to art of the modern and postmodern period covers key art movements including Expressionism, Constructivism, the Bauhaus, Surrealism, Pop Art, Conceptual Art and Young British Art, and artistic forms such as architecture and design, sculpture and installation as well as works on canvas. The book is richly illustrated with color and black and white images by the artists, designers and architects discussed, ranging from Picasso and Matisse to Le Corbusier, Andy Warhol and Rachel Whiteread.

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    A Short Guide to Writing About Art

    9th edition
    A Short Guide to Writing About Art is the best-selling text of its kind.

    It encourages students to form their own opinions about art, and then equips them with the tools they need to write effective essays. This handy guide addresses a wealth of fundamental matters, including description versus analysis; the value of peer review; documenting sources; and editing the final essay.

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    Making A Mark on the History of Art 

    blog post from Making A Mark about art history and th history of art

    MUST READ: The world's most influential painters
    Have you ever felt that you needed to learn more about the history of art and painting but didn't know quite where to start? If you have then I very much doubt if you're alone. One of the problems with the history of art is it's just so BIG!

    However recently I came across a book which is extremely helpful to anybody else who is on a similar journey.

    Art History Fans and their websites and blogs 

    Haber Arts
    Reviews by John Haber of New York City art galleries and museums

    Making A Mark 

    Katherine Tyrrell's blog about: - Making marks with pastels, pencils and pen and ink - Creating new drawings and paintings - Influences on developing both artwork and art careers - Interviews with artists - Information about resources for artists and art

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    Comments and Suggestions 

    I'm always interested to hear what you think

    Please note:
    * Anybody can comment BUT
    * All comments are moderated before publication
    * All html is stripped out of comments. Spam is not published.
    * All suggestions about the inclusion of websites relating to the history of art will be reviewed but will only be published if the website is added.
    * Please do not ask me to rate your lens (see Squidoo FAQs)

    eytans_art wrote...

    WOW!!
    What a BIG lense...
    You can actually use it to write a seminar about the history of art :-)

    Very helpful! Very well edited!
    Thank you:-)

    Eytans Art - Unique Art

    ReplyPosted October 06, 2009

    KarateKatGraphics wrote...

    5* and lensrolling this to squidoo.com/odilon-redon

    ReplyPosted September 23, 2009

    Jen_m wrote...

    This is fantastic! I'm a recent graduate in Art History and I want to see more popularly accessible resources for all people who with all levels of interest in and intimacy with Art History. Beautiful!

    ReplyPosted March 16, 2009

    Sheona wrote...

    Another very informative lens. I have sent 5 shining *( lens rolled) and bookmarked many of the links. A great big thank you!

    ReplyPosted October 16, 2008

    mrssnowy wrote...

    Back to give your lens 5 stars - I seem to have created a lens for myself in the process. When I work out what I'm doing I'll add your lens to it.

    ReplyPosted April 12, 2008

    view all 7 comments

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