The Age of Insight by
A brilliant book by a Nobel Prize winner, "The Age of Insight" takes readers to Vienna in 1900, where leaders in science, medicine, and art began a revolution that changed forever how we think about the human mind--our conscious and unconscious thoughts and emotions--and how mind and brain relate to art.
The Art Book by
Explores the ideas behind one hundred iconic works of art while examining their historical context.
Culture or Trash? by
National Review art critic Gardner analyzes the contemporary art scene, explaining how the art market works, what the reigning critical doctrines are, and how contemporary art differs from all previous artistic practice. Annotation c. by Book News, Inc., Portland, Or.
Discovering the Great Masters by
Discover the secret symbols and meaning behind 62 featured paintings in this unique volume. Ranging from Giotto's 14th-century painting of the Last Judgment to the 19th-century symbolist Gustave Moreau's depiction of Jupiter and Semele, each work has been selected for its own symbolic enigma. This book's innovative design pairs each painting with a page of die-cut windows that help the reader focus on specific aspects of each painting and features captions that highlight the most important symbols. Other works in this unique and fascinating book include Renaissance masterpieces such as Botticelli's Primavera and The Birth of Venus, Da Vinci's Mona Lisa and The Last Supper, and Michelangelo's The Last Judgment.
How to Look at a Painting by
Which of us, when finding ourselves in the presence of a painting, has not sensed that we lack the keys to decipher it? We feel an emotional response, but the work still seems to evade our understanding.
Francoise Barbe-Gall combines a nuanced understanding of the way viewers respond to paintings with a rich knowledge of their context and circumstances of their creation. The result is like a tour of a dazzlingly eclectic museum in the company of a gentle yet authoritative guide.
She takes as her point of departure the impressions that we all feel when confronted by a canvas and takes us on a voyage of discovery fired by her own passionate enthusiasm for the subject. What is the painting's relationship with the real world? Has the artist idealized nature, or distorted it? Did they want to shock the viewer, or provide consolation? With a clear approach and straightforward yet subtle analysis, the meaning of each work slowly becomes clear.
From Raphael's penetrating character study of Castiglione, through Hopper's cinematic take on the wee small hours of the morning Barbe-Gall begins by covering a number of ostensibly realistic works, made from the stuff of everyday life. Going in quite the other direction, she looks at the way paintings can express moments of heightened reality, from the perfection of Boticelli's Primavera to the arresting glance of Vermeer's girl with the Pearl Earring. She discusses paintings that distort the visible world (Parmigianino's Madonna with an improbably long neck to Dali's melting clocks) and those that sow confusion to make us more vigilant and pay closer attention to the real world (Cezanne's depiction of a forest glade, or a mysterious fifteenth century altarpiece). Questions of history, style, iconography and composition are not neglected and are dealt in context of the paintings she discusses.
How to Look at Modern Art by
This introductory volume supplies a clear, informative overview of the major developments in art from the late 19th century to the present. In the process, Yenawine provides accessible guidelines for deriving meaning from an artwork without knowing any biographical or philosophical data about its creator. Focusing primarily "on paintings and other two-dimensional art," the author breaks the act of observation down into five categories: "physical properties, subject, illusionary and formal properties, and viewer perspectives," giving examples relevant to each category. About the physical properties of Robert Rauschenberg's First Landing Jump, for instance, we learn that the work's tire, plank, tarpaulin and license plate point toward an "on the road" theme. Generously illustrated with works by such artists as Giorgio De Chirico, Salvador Dali, Georgia O'Keeffe, Piet Mondrian, Jasper Johns, Cindy Sherman and Eric Fischl, this volume offers art neophytes an engaging entry to the fundamental methods of perceiving. Yenawine is director of education at the Museum of Modern Art in New York. QPB alternate.
Copyright 1991 Reed Business Information, Inc.
How to See by
How does art work? How does it move us, inform us, challenge us? Internationally renowned painter David Salle's incisive essay collection illuminates the work of many of the most influential artists of the twentieth century. Engaging with a wide range of Salle's friends and contemporaries-from painters to conceptual artists such as Jeff Koons, John Baldessari, Roy Lichtenstein, and Alex Katz, among others- 'How to See' explores not only the multilayered personalities of the artists themselves but also the distinctive character of their oeuvres. Salle writes with humor and verve, replacing the jargon of art theory with precise and evocative descriptions that help the reader develop a personal and intuitive engagement with art. The result: a master class on 'how to see' with an artist's eye.
The Informed Eye: understanding masterpieces of western art by
Illustrated throughout, this work will help readers better understand the nature, methods and meaning of great art.'
In My View: personal reflections on art by today's leading artists by
More than seventy-five of today’s leading international artists write about an individual artist whose work has influenced, moved, or inspired them
Behind the closed door of the contemporary artist’s studio is a hidden world of images―those artworks from the distant or near past that have animated, troubled, consoled, or inspired the artists of today. This book reveals that hidden world, presenting an intimate guide to the imaginations of today’s leading practitioners through the works they love best. Artworks ranging from the fifteenth to the mid-twentieth centuries are featured, often supplemented by reproductions of work by the selecting artists. Intimate and evocative, the stories speak of the challenges, provocations, revelations, and delights that can be found when one artist looks closely at the work of another. Some artist-contributors provide unusual perspectives on familiar figures from art history―including Thomas Demand on Paolo Uccello, Miroslaw Balka on Michelangelo, Vik Muniz on Peter Paul Rubens, Juliao Sarmento on Eugene Delacroix, Joan Fontcuberta on Louis Daguerre, and Eija- Liisa Ahtila on Pablo Picasso. Others select lesser-known artists, from Jean-Marc Bustamante on Pieter Saenredam, Francesco Clemente on Henry Fuseli, and Tomma Abts on It―o Jakuch―u to Erwin Wurm on Poul Gernes, Do Ho Suh on Kim Keong-Hui, and John Bock on Armand Schulthess. 152 illustrations, 135 in color
Keeping an Eye Open by
As Julian Barnes notes: “Flaubert believed that it was impossible to explain one art form in terms of another, and that great paintings required no words of explanation. Braque thought the ideal state would be reached when we said nothing at all in front of a painting . . . But it is a rare picture that stuns, or argues, us into silence. And if one does, it is only a short time before we want to explain and understand the very silence into which we have been plunged.”
This is the exact dynamic that informs his new book. In his 1989 novel A History of the World in 10½ Chapters, Barnes had a chapter on Géricault’s The Raft of the Medusa, and since then he has written about many great masters of nineteenth- and twentieth-century art, including Delacroix, Manet, Fantin-Latour, Cézanne, Degas, Redon, Bonnard, Vuillard, Vallotton, Braque, Magritte, Oldenburg, Lucian Freud and Howard Hodgkin. The seventeen essays gathered here help trace the arc from Romanticism to Realism and into Modernism; they are adroit, insightful and, above all, a true pleasure to read.
Looking at the Overlooked by
Historically and culturally, the societies that produced still life painting could hardly be more diverse. What is it, then, that allows us to place such different types of image in a single category? Norman Bryson argues that the family resemblances between the different types of still life stem from their common portrayal of a level of material culture that retains its fundamental outlines through long spans of time and across the boundaries and divisions of national culture: the culture of domestic routine and the rituals of hospitality. How this 'low plane reality' is historically viewed and inflected by the 'higher' levels and discourses of the surrounding culture is the fundamental subject of this book.
Unlikely Pairs: fun with famous works of art by
Museums have very logical ways of displaying works of art. Usually they group works by artist, by movement, or by time period, so that impressionist works or classical works can be viewed together. And many museums are devoted to displaying only a certain type of art. In Unlikely Pairs, Bob Raczka offers us an exhibit like no others, organized solely for fun. The painting of a seventeenth-century Dutch artist sits next to that of a twentieth-century American. Classical sculpture is paired with modern painting. The result is a rollicking romp through a most unusual exhibit. The reader is challenged to figure out the relationship between the various unlikely pairs and in so doing will look very carefully and perhaps even learn something new about different artists and styles along they way.
What Are You Looking At?: the surprising, shocking, and sometimes strange story of 150 years of modern art by
For skeptics, art lovers, and the millions of us who visit art galleries every year—and are confused—What Are You Looking At? by former director of London’s Tate Gallery Will Gompertz is a wonderfully lively, accessible narrative history of Modern Art, from Impressionism to the present day.
What Is Modern Painting? by 
What Is Painting?: representation and modern art by
A study and explanation of modern art and the nature of painting
Why a Painting Is Like a Pizza: a guide to understanding and enjoying modern art by
The first time she made a pizza from scratch, art historian Nancy Heller made the observation that led her to write this entertaining guide to contemporary art. Comparing modern art not only to pizzas but also to traditional and children's art, Heller shows us how we can refine analytical tools we already possess to understand and enjoy even the most unfamiliar paintings and sculptures.
How is a painting like a pizza? Both depend on visual balance for much of their overall appeal and, though both can be judged by a set of established standards, pizzas and paintings must ultimately be evaluated in terms of individual taste. By using such commonsense examples and making unexpected connections, this book helps even the most skeptical viewers feel comfortable around contemporary art and see aspects of it they would otherwise miss. Heller discusses how nontraditional works of art are made--and thus how to talk about their composition and formal elements. She also considers why such art is made and what it "means."
At the same time, Heller reassures those of us who have felt uncomfortable around avant-garde art that we don't have to like all--or even any--of it. Yet, if we can relax, we can use the aesthetic awareness developed in everyday life to analyze almost any painting, sculpture, or installation. Heller also gives concise answers to the eight questions she is most frequently asked about contemporary art--from how to tell when an abstract painting is right side up to which works of art belong in a museum.
This book is for anyone who agrees with art critic Clement Greenberg that "All profoundly original art looks ugly at first." It's also for anyone who disagrees. It is for anyone who wants to get more out of a museum or gallery visit and would like to be able to say something more than just "yes" or "no" when asked if they like an artist's work.
Picture This by
Everyone knows that a picture tells a thousand words. But what about the elements that make up a picture? Using the tale of Little Red Riding Hood as an example, Molly Bang uses boldly graphic artwork to explain how images--and their individual components--work to tell a story that engages the emotions: Why are diagonals dramatic? Why are curves calming? Why does red feel hot and blue feel cold? First published in 1991, Picture This fans will welcome the new edition's striking redesign and introduce its insights to many other artists and art appreciators alike.
Art in Context by
The various lenses―ethical, political, sexual, religious, and so forth―through which we may view art are often instrumental in giving us an appreciation of the work. In Art in Context: Understanding Aesthetic Value, philosopher David Fenner presents a straightforward, accessible overview of the arguments about the importance of considering the relevant context in determining the true merit of a work of art.
The Blackwell Guide to Aesthetics by
The Blackwell Guide to Aesthetics is the most authoritative survey of the central issues in contemporary aesthetics available. The volume features eighteen newly commissioned papers on the evaluation of art, the interpretation of art, and many other forms of art such as literature, movies, and music. Provides a guide to the central traditional and cutting edge issues in aesthetics today. Written by a distinguished cast of contributors, including Peter Kivy, George Dickie, No#65533;l Carroll, Paul Guyer, Ted Cohen, Marcia Eaton, Joseph Margolis, Berys Gaut, Nicholas Wolterstrorff, Susan Feagin, Peter Lamarque, Stein Olsen, Francis Sparshott, Alan Goldman, Jenefer Robinson, Mary Mothersill, Donald Crawford, Philip Alperson, Laurent Stern and Amie Thomasson. Functions as the ideal text for undergraduate and graduate courses in aesthetics, art theory, and philosophy of art.
Introducing Philosophy of Art by
Derek Matravers introduces students to the philosophy of art through a close examination of eight famous works of twentieth-century art. Each work has been selected in order to best illustrate and illuminate a particular problem in aesthetics. Each artwork forms a basis for a single chapter and readers are introduced to such issues as artistic value, intention, interpretation, and expression through a careful analysis of the artwork. Questions considered include what does art mean in contemporary art practice? Is the artistic value of a painting the same as how much you like it? If a painting isn't of anything, then how do we understand it? Can art be immoral? By grounding abstract and theoretical discussion in real examples the book provides an excellent way into the subject for readers new to the philosophical dimension of art appreciation.
Marvelous Images by
The twelve essays by Kendall Walton in this volume address a broad range of theoretical issues concerning the arts. Many of them apply to the arts generally-to literature, theater, film, music, and the visual arts-but several focus primarily on pictorial representation or photography. In''How Marvelous!': Toward a Theory of Aesthetic Value'Walton introduces an innovative account of aesthetic value, and in this and other essays he explores relations between aesthetic value and values of other kinds, especially moral values. Two of the essays take on what has come to be called imaginative resistance-a cluster of puzzles that arise when works of fiction ask us to imagine or to accept as true in a fiction moral propositions that we find reprehensible in real life.'Transparent Pictures', Walton's classic and controversial account of what is special about photographic pictures, is included, along with a new essay on a curious but rarely noticed feature of photographs and other still pictures-the fact that a depiction of a momentary state of an object in motion allows viewers to observe that state, in imagination, for an extended period of time. Two older essays round out the collection-another classic,'Categories of Art', and a less well known essay,'Style and the Products and Processes of Art', which examines the role of appreciators'impressions of how a work of art came about, in understanding and appreciation. None of the reprinted essays is abridged, and new postscripts have been added to several of them.
New Philosophy for New Media by
In New Philosophy for New Media, Mark Hansen defines the image in digital art in terms that go beyond the merely visual. Arguing that the "digital image" encompasses the entire process by which information is made perceivable, he places the body in a privileged position -- as the agent that filters information in order to create images. By doing so, he counters prevailing notions of technological transcendence and argues for the indispensability of the human in the digital era.Hansen examines new media art and theory in light of Henri Bergson's argument that affection and memory render perception impure -- that we select only those images precisely relevant to our singular form of embodiment. Hansen updates this argument for the digital age, arguing that we filter the information we receive to create images rather than simply receiving images as preexisting technical forms. This framing function yields what Hansen calls the "digital image." He argues that this new "embodied" status of the frame corresponds directly to the digital revolution: a digitized image is not a fixed representation of reality, but is defined by its complete flexibility and accessibility. It is not just that the interactivity of new media turns viewers into users; the image itself has become the body's process of perceiving it. To illustrate his account of how the body filters information in order to create images, Hansen focuses on new media artists who follow a "Bergsonist vocation"; through concrete engagement with the work of artists like Jeffrey Shaw, Douglas Gordon, and Bill Viola, Hansen explores the contemporary aesthetic investment in the affective, bodily basis of vision. The book includes over 70 illustrations (in both black and white and color) from the works of these and many other new media artists.
Teaching Art with Books Kids Love: Art Elements, Appreciation, and Design with Award-Winning Books by
Using award-winning books, Frohardt teaches realism, surrealism, expressionism, naive, and cartoon. Complete directions, enhanced by liberal illustrations, make this a user-friendly resource for grades 3-6.