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Gardner's Art through the Ages: The Western Perspective, Volume II
In its acclaimed tenth edition, the most successful art history every written is now made available to the book trade and the consumer market for the first time. The history of art has been, successively, a history of artists and their works, of styles and stylistic change, of images--and now, of context and cultures. Art history at its best makes use of all these. 530 color illustrations. 782 b&w.
832 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 2002
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About the author
Helen Gardner
54 books74 followersHelen Gardner (1878–1946) was an American art historian and educator. Her Art Through the Ages remains a standard text for American art history classes.
Gardner was born in Manchester, New Hampshire and attended school in the Hyde Park neighborhood of Chicago. In 1901 she graduated with a degree in classics from the University of Chicago. After an interval as a teacher, she returned to the same university to study art history, and received a master's degree in 1918. In 1920 she began lecturing at the School of the Art Institute of Chicago, where she would spend the rest of her career, with the exception of short appointments at UCLA and the University of Chicago.
Her major work, Art Through the Ages, was the first single-volume textbook to cover the entire range of art history from a global perspective. Frequently revised, it remains a standard textbook at American schools and universities. In 1932 she also published Understanding the Arts, an art appreciation text directed toward educators.
Gardner was born in Manchester, New Hampshire and attended school in the Hyde Park neighborhood of Chicago. In 1901 she graduated with a degree in classics from the University of Chicago. After an interval as a teacher, she returned to the same university to study art history, and received a master's degree in 1918. In 1920 she began lecturing at the School of the Art Institute of Chicago, where she would spend the rest of her career, with the exception of short appointments at UCLA and the University of Chicago.
Her major work, Art Through the Ages, was the first single-volume textbook to cover the entire range of art history from a global perspective. Frequently revised, it remains a standard textbook at American schools and universities. In 1932 she also published Understanding the Arts, an art appreciation text directed toward educators.
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Displaying 1 - 9 of 9 reviews
September 28, 2017
This is a later edition the book we used in High School AP Art History around 1988. This book was so inspiring to me that I ended up majoring in art history in college. The ultimate "useless" major perhaps, but I have a secure job and a real appreciation for mankind after learning the beauty they are capable of, so maybe not so useless?
Anyway the book is wonderful because it so so well-written. For example, in the chapters on the quattrocento in Florence, you learn about Donatello's and Verrocchio's rivaling equestrian sculptures. The author describes the origin of the sculptures, the history of their commissions, and a comparison of their formal qualities, but then goes on to relate them to The Prince by Machiavelli, all in just a few paragraphs. You end up seeing them in a whole new way.
Good storytelling is found throughout this book. You won't find much social commentary about past eras compared to now. Instead the author sticks with the facts surrounding the creation of the art works, patrons, provenance, etc. I have studied many art history books, including Janson's History of Art, which we used at the university. Although Janson's color plates are larger, the writing in Gardner's is more interesting, and the pictures aren't bad. Get this book if you can. I have 11th edition.
I recommend the 11th edition which is called "The Western Perspective" and published in 2000, or the 12th edition published in 2004. There are a lot of used copies on Amazon and ebay for about $20 right now, but I've seen much higher prices on earlier editions. You just can't replace paper for art books.
Anyway the book is wonderful because it so so well-written. For example, in the chapters on the quattrocento in Florence, you learn about Donatello's and Verrocchio's rivaling equestrian sculptures. The author describes the origin of the sculptures, the history of their commissions, and a comparison of their formal qualities, but then goes on to relate them to The Prince by Machiavelli, all in just a few paragraphs. You end up seeing them in a whole new way.
Good storytelling is found throughout this book. You won't find much social commentary about past eras compared to now. Instead the author sticks with the facts surrounding the creation of the art works, patrons, provenance, etc. I have studied many art history books, including Janson's History of Art, which we used at the university. Although Janson's color plates are larger, the writing in Gardner's is more interesting, and the pictures aren't bad. Get this book if you can. I have 11th edition.
I recommend the 11th edition which is called "The Western Perspective" and published in 2000, or the 12th edition published in 2004. There are a lot of used copies on Amazon and ebay for about $20 right now, but I've seen much higher prices on earlier editions. You just can't replace paper for art books.
January 9, 2016
Very informative, has shown me a whole new perspective on art after I thought I knew what it was about. I have always loved art history but only a specific genre, Impressionism (aside from Jackson Pollock). This textbook helped me discover new areas of art that I thought I would never have interest in and has changed what I believed about it.
August 23, 2018
Good coverage of informatio. And captured transitions from industrial to modern through the arts.
May 13, 2020
Inspiring, interesting and makes me long to travel and see these works.
October 24, 2022
Read it for school. Was straightforward and engaging.
May 9, 2008
I love the text in the Gardner's books, I just wish I had the time to wade through them more thoroughly. These books are dense, but also incredibly informative and thorough. Even better, all of the illustrations are in color!
September 20, 2008
let's be honest: i didn't read this for the fun of it. but i learned a lot i didn't know before i picked it up. was the writing good? i could hardly tell you. nice pictures, though. some of them, anyway. i prefer Volume I, to be honest.
March 3, 2010
Not actually on p.700 -- I have no idea what's on that page of the 13th Edition. I have the 8th Edition, which goes up to p.975 of actual text, and in this edition I'm approximately on p. 862, studying the Post-Impressionists through the German Expressionists.
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May 13, 2014Read Chapters 14 (which is actually the first chapter)-17, & 19-23
Displaying 1 - 9 of 9 reviews