Encounters and Reflections: Art in the Historical Present

by Arthur C. Danto

Since 1984, when he became art critic for The Nation , Arthur C. Danto, one of America's most inventive and influential philosophers, has also emerged as one of our most important critics of art. As an essayist, Danto's style is at once rigorous, incisive, and playful. Encounters and Reflections brings together many of his recent critical writings—on artists such as Andy Warhol, David Hockney, and Robert Mapplethorpe; and on the significance of issues like the masterpiece and the museum. The result is a spirited brief from the front lines of current aesthetic and philosophical debate.

Genres: Art, Nonfiction, Essays

356 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1990

About the author

Arthur C. Danto was Johnsonian Professor Emeritus of Philosophy at Columbia University and art critic for The Nation. He was the author of numerous books, including Unnatural Wonders: Essays from the Gap Between Art and Life, After the End of Art, and Beyond the Brillo Box: The Visual Arts in Post-Historical Perspective.

Reviews

[Claudia Moscovici · Rating 5 out of 5]

An art historian's job is to show the public why certain works of art made history: what made them exciting, new and worth seeing for their times. If we can come closer to understanding what excited the viewing public then, we will have far more appreciation for that art now. To my mind, nobody brings art history closer to us, to make us feel its importance both then and now, than The Nation's art critic, Arthur C. Danto. If future generations will have any sense, his Encounters and Reflections will be remembered the way we still remember Diderot's Salons. These are lively, knowledgeable and exciting essays about artistic masterpieces which shouldn't be relegated only to the pages of art history, but also enjoyed by the general public today. Arthur Danto's essays help us savor the delectable pleasure of art.

Claudia Moscovici, postromanticism.com

[Kevin Yang · Rating 3 out of 5]

a collection of his reviews on shows for the past decade or more. Really nice, like listening to him talk in a nice cozy rustic room in a rainy day.

[Harrydruzd · Rating 5 out of 5]

a hilarious and thoughtful compilation of art criticism that need not be read chronologically or cover to cover.

[Luca · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great book!