History of Art

I first read the book while I was an exchange student at USA. I took History of Art as a subject (my major was Business) for pleasure and I can say that I have never seen such a book in my whole life. It is writen in an easy language so you can read it without a dictionary; when you read it, you will know that you do not have to be an art expert, the book is writen to teach. It is not based only on technical art terms, it also has deep explanations about history moments, cultural changes and customs. I really recommend this book, not only to fanatics of art or people with majors in this field, this is a book that almost everybody should have in order to understand the way humans have projected themselves through history.

If you want a great general book on art in your library, this is the book for you. It covers all the great eras and great works with beautiful plates, and the accompanying text is detailed enough to satisfy the most curious reader. It is particularly valuable for its sections on sculpture.However, if you are looking for an in depth analysis of an artist or style, this is not the book for you. This is not to say that it skips over the subject matter - this is definitely not the case, but there is not the detail needed for in depth scholarly analysis.But as a general reference book on a complex and fascinating topic, it is a gem. Every household with a half serious library should own a copy.

Janson provides most students with their first exposure to the history of art, and I can't think of a better volume to do so. As I high school student, I lived and breathed Janson's; this volume provided the basics of art history. Today, as an art history major, Janson's provides an invaluable reference tool. Janson presents the reader with an exquisite history of art, from start to finish. Included in this tome are not only the basic artists and periods of art, but historical and political backgrounds and influences, as wells as anecdotes from the artist's lives. Janson teaches us how to identify characteristic styles of the artists, and how to identify the influences of the various styles and artists. The color plates alone are worth owning the book; the text is just as beautiful. Included are illustrated timelines, as well as cultural histories, and an interesting section with poetry, essays, etc., on or about the artists. (Ever read any of Michelangelo's poetry?) Anyone interested in the history of art, whether just starting, or looking to learn more, should consider Janson's. It is not without fault: it is, for the most part, a history of white male art. Yet, Janson's has been the bible of art history for decades, and continues to hold that title. Nothing can compare.

As an art history major, I found the fourth edition of History of Art an invaluable tool in learning and understanding the evolution of the history of art. The fifth edition, however, is sublime! The fifth edition has several additions that put History of Art ahead of the other surveys (Stokstad and Gardner) on the market. The first and best inclusion in the updated version of History of Art is that of primary sources at the end of the sections. Abrams (the publisher) solicited some of the finest art historians (including Dale Kinney, an exceptional medievalist) to choose and edit texts from the time period of the section. This addition is incredibly beneficial for an art history instructor or TA (almost all the work is already done in terms of supplemental readings). Further, for the amateur reading for pleasure, the texts are an invaluable addition. Not only do the Jansons provide their own stellar modern view, but the book also provides a more historically acurate way to understand and view the art. It is phenomenally beneficial to be able to read texts written at the same time as the art. It helps to moderate an inevitable anachronistic interpretation/viewing of the art. This inclusion of primary texts is what allows this edition of Janson to trump the Stokstad survey. While Stokstad's Art History includes some fantastic charts and iconographical aides, History of Art's inclusion of primary texts is of greater value. The amateur art historian could create a chart comparing the art historical developments in different countries, but would not necessarily be able to pick helpful primary texts. The second major difference in this latest edition of History of Art is the modernization of the subject matter included. The fifth edition is markedly different from the fourth by including more women artists and more non-western art. While this is a fantastic improvement on early editions, it does not necessarily make History of Art distinguishable. In keeping with current trends in academia, almost all recently published surveys contain these types of updates. In sum, the fabulous and myriad colour plates, the wonderful modern text, the inclusion of traditionally under-represented art and artists, and the inclusion of fantastic primary texts makes this art historical survey the best on the market.