藝術史的一千零一夜

by Michael Bird, 麥可‧博德, 凱特‧伊文斯 (Illustrator)

一本有美感、有感動的藝術史
※英國藝術說書人與水彩插畫家的完美結合※
穿越時空、身歷其境說故事
道出，4萬年藝術史的一千零一夜

一物一時代，從史前到當代，從亞洲、歐洲、中東到非洲的68件作品
小孩、大人都有感，親子共讀最佳讀本！


這本藝術史，起始於四萬年前位於德國的一處洞穴內，結束於2014年北京的人行道上。跳脫藝術史角度，回到時代現場，一件作品反映一個時代，從史前走向文明，展開雄心壯志，引發革命，到用不同方式看待世界，用藝術故事娓娓道出人類四萬年歷史的一千零一夜。

書中沒有大量的風格分析，但有豐富的藝術家故事。為BBC製作藝術節目，英國知名藝術史學者麥可˙博德，比誰都知道故事的力量。這一篇篇既像是訴說著歷史長河，又描繪著藝術家創作心思，宛如一千零一夜，一個故事牽動著下一個故事……

──傳說秦始皇製作真人大小兵馬俑的靈感是來自遙遠西域的旅者，這些人曾經看過一位家喻戶曉的希臘國王銅像，名叫亞歷山大大帝。

即使秦始皇一心一意阻絕任何統治者再籌組一支地下軍團跟他對抗，因此下令將所有工匠與他們製作的兵馬俑一起陪葬。但他絕對不是相信雕像神祕力量的最後一位皇帝。

大約二千二百年前，當時秦始皇正帥領真實的大軍南征北討，在鄰國的土地上開闢出血跡斑斑的大道。遠在義大利的羅馬，也逐漸形成另一個帝國的中心。接下來的二百年裡，戰無不勝的羅馬軍團征服了歐洲廣大的幅員，還擴及北非和地中海東部的土地。羅馬已經變得比雅典、甚至任何希臘城邦都更加富裕，更遼闊，也更強大。

在伊本．巴瓦卜寫完最後一本可蘭經抄本不久，一位名叫范寬的中國畫家，浪跡在翠華山的山林間，尋找一條下山的路。

已經有很長一段時間，法國王室只顧著在宮廷中和貴族階級宴飲作樂，無視子民的生活困頓和挨餓。人民現在已經當家作主了，羅伯斯比和其他領導人會恪遵革命的正確路線。過去的日子裡，國王和貴族付錢給藝術家，僱用藝術家來為他們打理門面，讓他們看起來很強大，藝術家也只能聽命行事，那種日子也已經結束了。大衛想為革命服務，畫家必須說出真相！

誰說畫家就該手握畫筆，面對畫布或坐或站。帕洛克喜歡像美國納瓦荷原住民畫沙畫的方式，直接滴漏在畫布上。這是藝術家艾未未的作品。整個偌大的展場裡沒有別的東西，全部鋪滿了葵花籽。它們其實不是真種子，卻是貨真價實的一億顆，而且都是手工做出來的──每一顆，都是硬白瓷燒製成、手工繪出的。全部葵花籽動用了一千六百名工匠，花了兩年半時間來完成，等於有四千年的時間在製作和繪畫這些種子，每顆種子都獨一無二。每粒小種子本身就是一件藝術品。

「歷史」一詞，聽起來像是一則完成的故事──彷彿過去發生了什麼事、它們究竟意謂著什麼，都已經白紙黑字寫得一清二楚了。但作者對藝術的感覺卻不是這樣，這是為什麼他想透過一系列故事來講藝術史的原因。用故事激發讀者的想像力，重回藝術現場。

有的藝術家在岩石和牆壁上作畫，有的畫在木板、帆布和紙上。他們用石塊、金屬、黏土、鐵絲，甚至麥片粥來做雕塑。他們耐心在灰泥上拼貼數千顆馬賽克顆粒，將彩色玻璃碎片或瓶蓋組合起來，撕碎報紙，拍照攝影。為什麼藝術家想要花費時間和力氣來做這些事？本書裡的每位藝術家，都會給你一個不一樣的答案。

他們的答案取決於他們生活的時代，以及居住在哪裡。歐洲冰河時期做雕刻和繪畫的人會怎麼回答這個問題？他們也許沒有「藝術」之類的字眼來形容自己的行為，但這並不礙事。這些早期人類已經能熟練製作一些在當時看起來必定具有魔力的東西。
能夠將想法、夢想化成摸得到、看得見的物件和形象，變成生活裡的東西，向來就是一種魔法的展現。許多無法（或不容易）以語言表達的事情，藝術就成為我們的語言。只要有生命、有想像的所在，就有它綿延不絕的蹤跡。

Genres: Art, Nonfiction, History, Childrens, Art History, Middle Grade, Picture Books

336 pages, Paperback

First published August 23, 2016

Reviews

[Mairita (Marii grāmatplaukts) · Rating 5 out of 5]

Ļoti interesanti un izglītojoši, bet ne garlaicīgi. Šādus stāstus varētu lasīt vēl un vēl.

[Beth Anne · Rating 5 out of 5]

We spent a month reading aloud through this history of art. The book is laid out in periods of art, with each featured artist building on the previous one to give a wonderful story arch to the creative process through history. Each artist is spotlighted in a three page story with a single featured piece of their work. The story is usually a snapshot of their life at the moment of creating the art, perhaps with background information, insight into art techniques, and historic and geographic information. We really enjoyed this and highly recommend it.

[Anastasia · Rating 4 out of 5]

It took me almost a year to find the mood and read this fiction stories about the artists of famous pieces of art. I liked it, but I now understand that I would love real stories better.

[Jean-Marie · Rating 5 out of 5]

We keep borrowing this one from the library when we want to learn more about artists featured in this book. Admittedly, we haven't gotten through the whole book. However, the parts we have read have been excellent. This is a good selection for a children's home library. In fact, I just ordered a copy from Amazon for $20 for our own home library. No more borrowing.

[Jolanta Sondore · Rating 5 out of 5]

Got inspired while reading this, recommend to artists :)

[Jonathan Gracey · Rating 5 out of 5]

The accounts are fictionalized but the names, dates and places are real. The artworks are real. The art interpretations and commentary create an exciting overarching narrative that covers tens of thousands of years. This book has inspired in me a deeper interest in art history. I also kinda want to move to Paris. Or maybe New York City. Or the next big art hub. These stories brought to life the curiosities, motivations, ideals, etc. of many amazing artists. What will happen next? This book is called a "children's history of art" but I predict more parents than children will enjoy it.

[Neon · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was such a big, heavy book. But it's the kind of book you wanna carry around close to your chest. With beautiful illustrations done by Kate Evans to match Michael Bird's whimsical stories.

There's no better way to read about art history than this. The stories are easy for children and adults to connect with and are full of facts about artists and their famous works.

Would highly recommend as a school or home resource if your children are into art.

[Jessica · Rating 4 out of 5]

PM read-aloud. This was our main art appreciation for the year. It is quite a gentle introduction to major visual artists and movements from prehistory to the present, with an example artwork alongside three pages of context. The context usually takes the form of fictonalized p.o.v by the artist or an observer or craftsman related to the artist or the work. I would not at all call this an in-depth analysis, but it isn't meant to be. It aims to introduce kids to a sampling of artworks humans have produced over time, and give them an introduction into the ways to view and give meaning to art. This it did admirably. I also enjoy that the images chosen were often not the most famous works by an individual famous artist, sometimes referencing more famous works in the text only; to us this encouraged further curiosity and impulse to go look those up. My primary quibble with the book is the quality of the images reproduced, which often seemed fuzzy, making even photographs appearing 'painterly' to my eye. Oh well. I do think my kids are likely on the older end of the age range for this book, but they still found it interesting enough. I'll be looking for something a little more complex next.

[Agris Fakingsons · Rating 3 out of 5]

..iespaidīga mākslas grāmata, caur kuru bērns var iepazīt ļoti dažādu mākslu, no dažādiem laikiem. latviešu versijā gan nav minēts, ka tā ir bērnu grāmata, bet ar šo var sākt iepazīt mākslu no sākta gala līdz mūsdienām. grāmata, protams, ir bagātīgi ilustrēta un tas ir grāmatas lielākais plus.

[Demeter · Rating 4 out of 5]

Príjemné letné čítanie o vizuálnych umelcoch, ktorých práce posúvali vnímanie umenia. Nie všetky príbehy o nich sú zaujímavé, no ako celok je to skvelá kniha nielen pre deti, kniha, brána k poznaniu umenia. #trebacitat!!!

[Elina · Rating 4 out of 5]

زیبایی خالص!

[Sarah · Rating 5 out of 5]

Borrowed this from the library but didn’t finish before we have to return it. Tempting to buy this book; it is a really good book and resource!

[Simone · Rating 5 out of 5]

Krasne cteni. A to doslova.

[Wojciech Szot · Rating 2 out of 5]

Odradzam wam nabycie książki “Gwiaździsta noc Vincenta i inne opowieści. Historia sztuki dla dzieci” Michaela Virda z ilustracjami Kate Evans (tłum. Joanna Wajs). Straszna nuda. Doceniam, że jest perspektywa nie tylko europejska, że dużo ładnych rysunków (choć nie żebym jakoś je miał wychwalać), ale sposób podania w jednolitym, potwornie nudnym tekście czyni to dzieło książką dla nikogo. Dla starych jednak to trochę za proste (i nudne), dla młodszych za mało angażujące. Ponieważ to książka z importu to oczywiście nie ma nic o Polsce (klasyczny problem monografii w stylu “historia sztuki świata” nie tylko w wersji dziecięcej). “Gender balance” próbowano zachować w najnowszych epokach, ale jakoś tak bez przekonania.

[Suzanne · Rating 4 out of 5]

Děti, pro které je kniha určena, ale nejsou kunsthistorici, takže věřím, že Van Goghova hvězdná noc splní svůj účel: Vyvolat v nich zájem a nadšení pro dějiny umění. Myslím, že Van Goghova hvězdná noc to dokáže, protože tohle jsou skutečně jiné dějiny umění. Mnohem zábavnější, čtivější a lidštější. A třeba je to natolik chytne, že se s postupem času k těm erudovaným odborným publikacím o umění dostanou. Kdo ví.

http://www.suzannesworldofbooks.cz/cl...

[Negar · Rating 5 out of 5]

Journey into the World of Art with "The History of Art"
The History of Art by Michael Bird and Kate Owens takes readers on an exciting and imaginative journey through the world of art. With 68 engaging stories and captivating illustrations, the book introduces readers to artists and artworks from around the globe, from early cave paintings to contemporary masterpieces.

Key Features:

Engaging and imaginative stories: The captivating narrative draws readers in and makes learning a fun experience.
Introduction to artists and artworks: The book introduces 68 notable artists and artworks from around the world.
Explanations of artistic creation: Readers gain insight into the creative processes and challenges faced by artists.
Stunning visuals: High-quality images of artworks provide an immersive visual experience.
Comprehensive timeline: A comprehensive timeline helps readers understand the evolution of art history.
Special features: Dedicated sections explore art-related locations such as museums and galleries.
With its beautiful and engaging approach, The History of Art is an excellent introduction to the world of art for any home or school library. It is suitable for children, young adults, and adults who are interested in learning about art history.

Points to Consider:

Suitable for: Children, young adults, and adults
Subject: Art history
Style: Story-based, imaginative, educational
Features: Captivating visuals, comprehensive timeline, special features
If you are looking for an engaging and informative book to learn about art history, The History of Art is an excellent choice.
source:https://www.30book.com/book/131752/%D...

[Christine Turner]

Juv 709 Bir
"An enthralling journey through 40,000 years of art, from prehistoric cave paintings right up to the present day. Discover artists and their art around the world, in exciting and imaginative tales about artists and the way they created their work. Written by educator and art historian Michael Bird, and illustrated by Kate Evans, the book also features reproductions of the famous artworks discussed, a comprehensive timeline of events, and extra feature spreads on places connected with art. This is a beautiful and engaging introduction to art for any home or school library."

Contents: Preface -- Caves to civilizations (40,000- 20 BCE) -- Sacred places (800-1425) -- Great ambitions (1425-1550) -- Life stories (1550-1750) -- Revolution! (1750-1860) -- Seeing it differently (1860-1900) -- War and peace (1900-1950) -- Where it's at (1950-2014) -- Map of the world -- Timeline -- Glossary -- List of artworks -- Index -- Credits -- Acknowledgments.
African artists -- Ai Weiwei -- Ancient Chinese artists -- Ancient Egyptian artists -- Ancient Greek artists -- Ancient Roman artists -- Aztec artists -- Basawan and Dharm Das -- Louise Bourgeois -- Georges Braque -- Pieter Bruegel -- Caravaggio -- Paul Cézanne -- Marc Chagall -- Jean-Siméon Chardin -- Frederic Edwin Church -- Camille Claudel -- Gustave Courbet -- Jacques-Louis David -- Donatello -- Marcel Duchamp -- Albrecht Dürer -- El Anatsui -- Jan van Eyk -- Fan Kuan -- Caspar David Friedrich -- Artemisia Gentileschi -- Giotto -- Vincent van Gogh -- Francisco Goya -- Katsushika Hokusai -- Ibn al-Bawwab -- Frida Kahlo -- Vasily Kandinsky -- Khmer artists -- Anselm Kiefer -- Emily Kame Kngwarreye -- Claude Lorrain -- Henri Matisse -- Medieval European artists -- Michelangelo -- Joan Miró -- Claude Monet -- Henry Moore -- Berthe Morisot -- Eadweard Muybridge -- Pablo Picasso -- Jackson Pollock -- Prehistoric artists -- Raphael -- Rembrandt -- Andrei Rublev -- Kurt Schwitters -- Georges Seurat -- Varvara Stepanova -- William Henry Fox Talbot -- Titian -- J.M.W. Turner -- Diego Velázquez -- Johannes Vermeer -- Leonardo da Vinci.

Notes
Michael Bird is a writer, art historian, and radio broadcaster. His books include100 Ideas that Changed Art (Laurence King, 2012) andThe St Ives Artists: A Biography of Place and Time (2008). He has also published many essays and articles, and lectures widely. He currently holds a Goodison Fellowship at the British Library, where he is researching the oral history of modern British art.

Kate Evans graduated from Falmouth College of Arts with a BA Hons Illustration in 2006. She is now a freelance illustrator with clients including HarperCollins, theGuardian, Macmillan Books,National Geographic, Transport for London, andV&A Magazine. She has had exhibitions in Bristol, Bath, London, and Stockholm. Kate lives and works in Bristol.

[E · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a beautiful way to introduce children (and adults) to the history of art. On the afternoon it arrived in our mailbox I started reading it and I couldn’t put it down. It was enthralling. There is a sense of calm as you read. It’s a lovely book. The short intro/stories for each era are just enough to keep your interest without becoming boring. Which for me, is perfection, as I detest textbooks. This beautiful book is as big and weighs heavy like a textbook but it is no boring textbook. It is a joyful and calming fictional yet educational read. I learned SO much while also enjoying the fictional aspect.

Kate Evans, the Illustrator did an amazing job with the artwork. Her watercolors are gorgeous!

If you can, buy this book for your kids so they can keep going back to it when they want revisit the Artists or timeframe.

I highly recommend AND it gets my great big, HUGGABLE BOOK AWARD.

[Maureen · Rating 5 out of 5]

Love this book... the way it's designed as stories about individual artists, great graphics, a world view... it offers an amazing amount of information and I can guarantee that some of it will stick! Mr. Bird does not talk down to his audience but integrates fairly easy to understand explanations. At the end of the book, the inquisitive reader will find a map of the world, timeline, glossary, list of artworks, and an index as well as credits and acknowledgments. Children's books don't usually offer the same quality of resources as this one does. The one and only fault I have to pick with the book (sorry, book) is that it is euro-centric. There is a wide variety of cultures represented but the book is really organized around the western world, especially Europe. Perhaps Mr. Bird's next book will have an even broader outlook.

[Liubov Terekhova · Rating 3 out of 5]

Ця книга з числа тих, де ідея й форма переважають над змістом. Надто амбітна задача розповісти дітям історію мистецтв навряд чи вдалася. Для дітей то трохи заскладно, й чесно кажучи, нуднувато.
Оповідання з вигаданими діалогами на кшталт, що сказав Едуард Мане Берті Морізо, чи Марк Шагал Беллі іноді просто безпорадні.
Спершу пораділа спробі відійти від вестернізованого підходу й паралельно зобразити розвиток культур ацтеків і йоруба, але відносно Східної Європи там класичний пофігізм: після Шагала, який раптом з Росії, не з Білорусі, й зведення усього радянського до російського мені сумно.


Українському виданню конче бракує редактора. Купол Флорентійського собору раптом "баня" шість разів підряд на одній сторінці.

Ілюстрації й репродукції дещо рятують задум.
Залишаю цю книгу в персональній бібліотеці заради самих творів мистецтва й ретельно оформлених посилань на зображення.

[Pınar Tınaztepe Kaya · Rating 5 out of 5]

Ben, bu kitabın Türkçe'ye çevrilmiş versiyonunu okudum. Orijinal dilinde her ne kadar "Çocuklar İçin Sanat Tarihi" dese de içeriğindeki tüm öyküler, aynı zamanda biz yetişkinlere de hitap etmektedir. 40.000 yıl öncesinden günümüze kadar adeta bir sanat yolculuğuna çıkmakla birlikte, dünya seyahatine de çıkıyorsunuz. Birbirinden farklı yerlerde ve zamanlarda yetişmiş birçok sanatçının yaptığı sanat eserlerinin doğumuna, hayatlarına öykü tadında eşlik ediyorsunuz. Anlatımı çok sürükleyici. Benim gibi Sanat Tarihi ile ilgileniyorsanız kütüphanenizde bulunması gereken bir kitaptır. Tavsiye ederim.

[Kimberly · Rating 4 out of 5]

So I didn't technically read this one but I listened to some while my husband read it to our son (9 yrs) at bedtime and I asked their opinions. As history buffs, they both really enjoyed it. It has shortish stories covering various artists and artistic periods. It seems like a really great way to approach art history with kids. Sometimes it felt like the stories were too short and cut off in the middle of the action, but I think they're supposed to be little snippets to give a taste of the time period, so I guess I get it.

[Heather · Rating 5 out of 5]

Whoa.
I loved this book.

Art historian Michael Bird, does a great job of humanizing his artists and illustrator Kate Evans makes it appealing to the eye (otherwise, what we’ve got is just a nicely written text book). Each artist is no longer than two pages - short and sweet and if you’re really interested, you’re left googling for more.

I think every child’s home library should have this book.

[Angela · Rating 5 out of 5]

Yay! We finally finished this book together (Sam and I) as part of his homeschool art curriculum! We both enjoyed the format and the way the author presented short stories from a first person perspective as the artists themselves throughout history. It's a great overview of many types of art and how the the times the artists lived in influenced their art.

The map and guide in the back of the book are excellent resources for confirming pieces you may have seen in person and/or finding out where they are kept so you can plan an adventure or further study.

[Mrs. Ruigrok · Rating 4 out of 5]

This huge book takes you through the history of art. It is a mix of nonfiction and then fictional stories. It has lovely illustrations and tells about the times and life of each artist. This book would be ideal for a classroom teacher to share with upper elementary students or for a child with a really deep interest in art/art history.

[Julie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Love this book. The chapters and stories are creative, short, sweet, and bring the artist or artwork to life! My kids have enjoyed these snippets of insight every once in awhile, if they're researching an artist or I'm teaching an art lesson.

[Bea · Rating 5 out of 5]

My son and I read this together. It’s such a beautiful and informative book about art throughout human history. In-depth and well written but not so overwhelming that a child would get bored or confused.

[Trish · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a cool book about art.

[Karyn · Rating 5 out of 5]

A lovely narrative introducing children to the great artists. I absolutely loved this book!

[Gennady · Rating 5 out of 5]

Читал с дочкой перед сном.
Интересная подача в виде коротких историй о художниках и их картинах. Сам многое узнал.