Review by Booklist Review
What must a big book of art contain to make it a great big book of art? Many color reproductions, including close-ups. A fluid mix of art history and interpretation set against the larger panorama of world history. Lots of brief artist bios. Clear and concise explanations of media, techniques, aesthetics, styles, and intent. A sense of continuity and stories of radical departures and infamous scandals. Works and artists the reader has never encountered before. A jump-starting foreword by an eloquent art historian, such as Ross King, who opens this exemplary volume, one that surpasses all the criteria above, by declaring, Great art, more than anything else, is the benchmark of human achievement. From the genuinely informative introductory primer, Looking at Art, to in-depth scrutiny of seminal works to overviews of universal and timeless themes, and a phenomenal array of artists past and present, this grand and exciting survey of the art of Europe and the U.S. with forays into Africa, Asia, India, South America, and Australia, should be the anchor for art collections of all sizes.--Seaman, Donna Copyright 2008 Booklist
From Booklist, Copyright (c) American Library Association. Used with permission.
Review by Library Journal Review
This instructive and inspirational reference work takes readers on a voyage through the visual arts of the many different cultures that have inhabited Earth from primeval times to the present day. After a helpful introductory section dedicated to explaining how to look at and talk about art, the book does just that-it looks critically at and discusses the history, key features, and cultural contexts of specific works of art, artistic movements, and artistic themes. Easy to read and use, the book is divided into six sections arranged chronologically from Ancient Egypt to North American art today. For example, the first section, titled "Prehistory to 1400 C.E.," covers Ancient Egypt (c.3000-300 B.C.E.) through the end of the Khmer Empire (802-1431 C.E.) and everything in between. The sections are color coded on the fore edge of the book's text block, which makes skipping around easy, and each section begins with a time line. The book ends with a practical glossary of terms and a comprehensive index. While there are other art reference books, such as Phaidon's recent 30,000 Years of Art and The Collins Big Book of Art, none features as many high-quality images of as many works as this effort. Both newcomers to art and art connoisseurs will enjoy this picturesque work.-Jennifer Pollock, Yale Ctr. for British Art Lib., New Haven, CT (c) Copyright 2010. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
(c) Copyright Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
