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Art That Changed the World: Transformative Art Movements and the Paintings That Inspired Them
"Art That Changed the World" tells the story of every major art style, movement by movement, giving art lovers a visual timeline showing key paintings that sparked each transition and explaining major events that shaped their evolution.
Each section features a lavish double-page image of an influential painting that defines each artistic style. Seminal works of genius are portrayed in their historical context, with attention paid to the culture of the time and the lives of their creators.
Each section features a lavish double-page image of an influential painting that defines each artistic style. Seminal works of genius are portrayed in their historical context, with attention paid to the culture of the time and the lives of their creators.
400 pages, Hardcover
First published August 19, 2013
227 people are currently reading
1023 people want to read
About the author
D.K. Publishing
9,126 books2,070 followersDorling Kindersley (DK) is a British multinational publishing company specializing in illustrated reference books for adults and children in 62 languages. It is part of Penguin Random House, a consumer publishing company jointly owned by Bertelsmann SE & Co. KGaA and Pearson PLC. Bertelsmann owns 53% of the company and Pearson owns 47%.
Established in 1974, DK publishes a range of titles in genres including travel (including Eyewitness Travel Guides), arts and crafts, business, history, cooking, gaming, gardening, health and fitness, natural history, parenting, science and reference. They also publish books for children, toddlers and babies, covering such topics as history, the human body, animals and activities, as well as licensed properties such as LEGO, Disney and DeLiSo, licensor of the toy Sophie la Girafe. DK has offices in New York, London, Munich, New Delhi, Toronto and Melbourne.
Source: Wikipedia.
Established in 1974, DK publishes a range of titles in genres including travel (including Eyewitness Travel Guides), arts and crafts, business, history, cooking, gaming, gardening, health and fitness, natural history, parenting, science and reference. They also publish books for children, toddlers and babies, covering such topics as history, the human body, animals and activities, as well as licensed properties such as LEGO, Disney and DeLiSo, licensor of the toy Sophie la Girafe. DK has offices in New York, London, Munich, New Delhi, Toronto and Melbourne.
Source: Wikipedia.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 40 reviews
December 7, 2015
I've been reading this for months - I'm somewhat sad it's come to an end. I will miss having it around enriching my life and mind with wonderful paintings. The only thing I would change is the title and its reference to "the world"; it was really about Europe and the West. No mention of Eastern art except in how it inspired artists like Van Gogh.
March 5, 2014
It's a book about paintings ("art" in the title is suuuuper misleading) that "changed the world" (a thesis that the authors don't even attempt to defend or explain) but the publishers weren't able to acquire rights to some of the most famous paintings in the world (Edward Hopper's The Night Hawk, for example) which made certain certain passages a bit awkward (e.g. "There's this amazing painter named Peter Bruegel who absolutely murdered canvas like it was going out of style but we can't actually show you any of his good paintings so you'll just have to take our word for it."). Nevertheless it's a pretty decent sequential history of Western painting. Don't treat it as gospel and supplement it with other materials.
December 8, 2016
This book provides a really good overview of art history and how events in history helped to shape certain artistic movements. If you're interested in gaining a better perspective on the history of painting or just want a starting point for exploration into the medium of paint this book does a fine job.
October 11, 2020
This is a comprehensive overview of paintings from the cavemen to the abstract works from such as Jackson Pollack. Art obviously will often defy pigeonholing, but by and large, the book creates a nice framework to understand and appreciate a lot of the work. For every movement, there will be rough timeframe of its beginning; a “turning point” work (which sort of marks the beginning of the movement); its historical influence from other works; a timeline going over notable pieces meshed with short bio of individual artists; and a final “Masterwork” that epitomize the movement (e.g., Primavera for Renaissance; The Waterlily Pond Green Harmony for Impressionism).
The book is filled with beautiful reproduction of hundreds of paintings with relatively concise textual discussion. In the time of pandemic, this would have to do as a half-substitute for museum hopping.
The book is filled with beautiful reproduction of hundreds of paintings with relatively concise textual discussion. In the time of pandemic, this would have to do as a half-substitute for museum hopping.
January 16, 2016
Art lovers and connoisseurs will absolutely love this detailed and fully illustrated book. It references back as far as possible and showcases the best, worst and otherwise. Art really suits each person differently as well all interpret art in our own way. I appreciate taking time reading each page and digging deep into the history of art, its many different forms and eras.
My favorite artist is Salvador Dali. I wish he had been featured more in this book. The surrealism part of the book I enjoyed but felt it wasn't as large as the other genres, such as impressionism. It didn't hold back from making it a great book for reference and visual stimulation though, and that is what counts.
If you have an interest in art o you already have a keen interest, you will enjoy this work of art.
My favorite artist is Salvador Dali. I wish he had been featured more in this book. The surrealism part of the book I enjoyed but felt it wasn't as large as the other genres, such as impressionism. It didn't hold back from making it a great book for reference and visual stimulation though, and that is what counts.
If you have an interest in art o you already have a keen interest, you will enjoy this work of art.
April 1, 2022
Quick survey of western art
Starts with cave painting and then our historical heritage. The best for me was once we got to schools or movements of art. It was fun to survey major works from each major period.
Starts with cave painting and then our historical heritage. The best for me was once we got to schools or movements of art. It was fun to survey major works from each major period.
November 15, 2022
Good primer (or refresher) on the major artistic movements and some of the key figures and works.
February 4, 2024
This book is an encyclopedia of art that summarizes the history and sculptures and paintings of ancient Egypt and ancient Greece, as well as famous artists such as Michelangelo and Picasso.
Of the over 2,000 works of art I saw, the one that caught my attention the most was The Arnolfini Portrait (1434), Jan van Eyck 1434 National Gallery, London, UK.
The work is relatively compact at approximately 80 x 60 cm, it is a masterpiece drawn using an extremely detailed technique, depiction as if shooting with a single-lens reflex camera.
Highlights
・There are two other people standing in the mirror in the back.
・A picture of the Passion of Christ is drawn in a 1cm to 2cm frame around the mirror.
・The man on the left of the painting, Italian merchant Giovanni di Nicolao Arnolfini, is greeting the two men.
The author, Jan van Eyck, always draws self-portraits wearing a red turban, so the man in the red hat in the mirror is thought to be the artist himself.
Another work by Jan van Eyck,”Madonna of Chancellor Rolin” also features a small figure of the person wearing a red cloth in the center.
And the blue person in the mirror is believed to be Jan van Eyck's wife.
Dogs are a symbol of loyalty and are likely at weddings.
The two people in the mirror were probably witnesses to the marriage. And on the wall above the mirror is an inscription that reads "Jan van Eyck was here in 1434.
However, I have one question.
It turned out that this marriage took place after Jan van Eyck's death. In fact, Giovanni di Nicolao Arnolfini had a cousin with the same name.
His wife died one year before the painting was painted. Therefore, art experts believe that this work is Giovanni di Nicolao Arnolfini's memorial to his late wife. It is said that.
You can see cherries that are out of season on the left side of the painting. Although the two are dressed in winter clothes, it is thought that the reason the cherries that bloom in early summer are depicted is because it is a memory of their marriage.
There is a candle lit only on the man's side, meaning he is alive, but there is no candle on the woman's side, which could represent death.
Of the over 2,000 works of art I saw, the one that caught my attention the most was The Arnolfini Portrait (1434), Jan van Eyck 1434 National Gallery, London, UK.
The work is relatively compact at approximately 80 x 60 cm, it is a masterpiece drawn using an extremely detailed technique, depiction as if shooting with a single-lens reflex camera.
Highlights
・There are two other people standing in the mirror in the back.
・A picture of the Passion of Christ is drawn in a 1cm to 2cm frame around the mirror.
・The man on the left of the painting, Italian merchant Giovanni di Nicolao Arnolfini, is greeting the two men.
The author, Jan van Eyck, always draws self-portraits wearing a red turban, so the man in the red hat in the mirror is thought to be the artist himself.
Another work by Jan van Eyck,”Madonna of Chancellor Rolin” also features a small figure of the person wearing a red cloth in the center.
And the blue person in the mirror is believed to be Jan van Eyck's wife.
Dogs are a symbol of loyalty and are likely at weddings.
The two people in the mirror were probably witnesses to the marriage. And on the wall above the mirror is an inscription that reads "Jan van Eyck was here in 1434.
However, I have one question.
It turned out that this marriage took place after Jan van Eyck's death. In fact, Giovanni di Nicolao Arnolfini had a cousin with the same name.
His wife died one year before the painting was painted. Therefore, art experts believe that this work is Giovanni di Nicolao Arnolfini's memorial to his late wife. It is said that.
You can see cherries that are out of season on the left side of the painting. Although the two are dressed in winter clothes, it is thought that the reason the cherries that bloom in early summer are depicted is because it is a memory of their marriage.
There is a candle lit only on the man's side, meaning he is alive, but there is no candle on the woman's side, which could represent death.
July 7, 2023
An impressive linear look at the history of art that is somewhat selective with some missing pictures. The book is at its worst in the modern age when it misses much and can't show many pictures. Before 1900 it is generally very impressive at helping the novice, aka me, to understand the flow of art across time. The timelines are a very clever device to illustrate the flow of each art movement.
As with all the types of DK books, I'm glad to have a 10 inch screen and wouldn't recommend trying them on anything smaller. The pictures don't 'pop out' so you will need to zoom in to see them. Fortunately, each art movement tends to have two very large pictures, one on the second page and the other on the last page that can easily fill up the screen. Some pictures are rather small even when zoomed in.
For anyone interested in the history of art this is a fine book. It teaches the origins, beginning, timeline history, and the defining work of each movement.
As with all the types of DK books, I'm glad to have a 10 inch screen and wouldn't recommend trying them on anything smaller. The pictures don't 'pop out' so you will need to zoom in to see them. Fortunately, each art movement tends to have two very large pictures, one on the second page and the other on the last page that can easily fill up the screen. Some pictures are rather small even when zoomed in.
For anyone interested in the history of art this is a fine book. It teaches the origins, beginning, timeline history, and the defining work of each movement.
May 26, 2025
I expected to love Surrealism, but didn't realize how much I like Cubism!
Not knowing much of art history, this was very informative. The impact of politics and religion cannot be understated. I'd say this is a good starting point. I now have a grasp on the styles and periods, but could certainly learn much more, and certainly that of different artists. (Starry Night isn't even in here, y'all. It is by no means encyclopedic.)
One disappointment was my own fault: I missed the subheading. >Stress on PAINTINGS.< As a lover of sculpture, I would have liked to see some featured. Additionally, this was very European focused -- despite discussing at several points the significant influence of African, Middle-Eastern and especially Asian art on popular artists.
This had the side effect of brushing me up on some history. So overall a positive experience 🤙🏻
Not knowing much of art history, this was very informative. The impact of politics and religion cannot be understated. I'd say this is a good starting point. I now have a grasp on the styles and periods, but could certainly learn much more, and certainly that of different artists. (Starry Night isn't even in here, y'all. It is by no means encyclopedic.)
One disappointment was my own fault: I missed the subheading. >Stress on PAINTINGS.< As a lover of sculpture, I would have liked to see some featured. Additionally, this was very European focused -- despite discussing at several points the significant influence of African, Middle-Eastern and especially Asian art on popular artists.
This had the side effect of brushing me up on some history. So overall a positive experience 🤙🏻
October 28, 2023
It was interesting
Art is divided into styles, sometimes the time periods of various styles overlap.
I skimmed over the more recent art periods.
The kindle edition consists of images that are a two-page spread.
“Religious texts had to be copied precisely, but there was much more scope for invention in the illustrations.” (Page 55)
“Woman 1” “De Kooning's shifts between abstraction and figuration show that the distinction between them was becoming less important. Featuring his typically aggressive brushwork and dramatic colors, this intimidating image-it measures about 6 x 5ft (190 x 150cm)--reflects eternal male ambivalence between reverence for women and fear of them.” (Page 354)
Art is divided into styles, sometimes the time periods of various styles overlap.
I skimmed over the more recent art periods.
The kindle edition consists of images that are a two-page spread.
“Religious texts had to be copied precisely, but there was much more scope for invention in the illustrations.” (Page 55)
“Woman 1” “De Kooning's shifts between abstraction and figuration show that the distinction between them was becoming less important. Featuring his typically aggressive brushwork and dramatic colors, this intimidating image-it measures about 6 x 5ft (190 x 150cm)--reflects eternal male ambivalence between reverence for women and fear of them.” (Page 354)
December 26, 2022
"Art that Changed the World" is an ideal book for anyone who wants to gain a broad overview of the history of art and the evolution of artistic styles from the cave paintings of hunter-gatherers to the modern art of the 20th century. Through the use of photographs and descriptions, this book provides a visually rich and engaging way to understand the key features, compositions, and techniques of artistic masterpieces, including paintings, sculptures, and frescoes.
October 30, 2024
This book is intended for all who want to have a good overview of the art’s histoy and the steps for it’s develpmet from the cave painting by hunter-gather to the modern 20 century . It gives you a great perspective of artisc view by looking and reading the descriptins.
The great paiting, sculpturesm frescosm etc. Alsoit helps the reader to understerstand the key features, composition, and techniques in art master pieces.
It was an excellent art class for me.
The great paiting, sculpturesm frescosm etc. Alsoit helps the reader to understerstand the key features, composition, and techniques in art master pieces.
It was an excellent art class for me.
May 3, 2020
This is great, I really enjoyed it. One thing though, it's almost exclusively European...only a little from north Africa a few thousand years ago, and then the US in the 20th Century. There's nothing from Asia, not even China or India.
Maybe that's the historical reality. Just FYI, if you want to see great art from around the world, this ain't it.
Maybe that's the historical reality. Just FYI, if you want to see great art from around the world, this ain't it.
May 10, 2021
This is a great guide to the most important art pieces that shaped our world today. It takes the reader through history, highlighting the influential and memorable pieces of work along the way. I personally learned a lot from this book and liked how it contained artists from all over the world and throughout many time periods.
May 14, 2021
Let me begin by stating that this isn't the type of book I would normally read, now that being said, this was incredibly intriguing. This book shows us paintings from every time period and through it we are able to see how art has changed throughout time. It does not have every art work of course but it does contain enough works that represent the time they were created in.
May 12, 2021
This is a book that it nice to keep around to look at from time to time. I enjoy looking through the artwork and information about each piece is always provided for reference nearby. However, it isn't anything revolutionary, and some of the photos are much too tiny to see any details clearly.
July 19, 2021
Interesting combination of art and timelines .. I was more interested to read like a flip book of pictures.. n learnt a bit about the start of art and stories of about some famous artists and their inspiration.
October 4, 2021
Good systematic overview of the development of art over the years, but only includes European art and ignores most of the rest of the world, so therefore is incorrectly titled and should be titled 'Art that changed Europe' instead.
September 26, 2022
I was THRILLED with this book until I realized that it does NOT include Georgia O’Keeffe, the mother of American modernism. It went out of its way to be inclusive of other women artists throughout history. But this is untenable. Needs to be revised and reprinted with an apology in my opinion.
April 22, 2018
Gorgeous and detailed history of Western art.
January 18, 2022
I didn't read every single page, but beautiful prints, and I'll be going through this often!
June 13, 2022
😍😍🤩🤩🥰🥰😘😘❣️❣️❣️
August 7, 2024
I didn’t know anything about art history. Now I know a bit about art history.
August 25, 2024
A very comprehensive timeline.
It should be called « How the world changed the Art » though…
It should be called « How the world changed the Art » though…
March 22, 2025
This room is suddenly too hot with you in it. Maybe we should find a place to cool down... together.
May 5, 2025
Yes. Fuck me up. I love looking at art and learning little tid-bits of information. Fucking loved it.
May 17, 2025
Wonderful for people curious about art!
September 19, 2025
good selection of art works
There are too brief explanation in text to understand cause and effect of those art works emerged as noteworthy and important in our history.
There are too brief explanation in text to understand cause and effect of those art works emerged as noteworthy and important in our history.
May 6, 2023
What a beautiful book! It is arranged in a timeline form. This would make a great addition to an art lover’s or a history buff’s library.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 40 reviews