The Philosophy of Modern Art

by Herbert Read

Herbert Read, one of the finest critics of modern times, presents in a series of related essays an analysis of the development of modern art from Van Gogh through Picasso to Henry Moore and discusses the meaning of every important movement of modern art, including realism, abstraction, surrealism, and constructivism. In the course of this volume, Mr. Read considers such subjects as the process of artistic creation; the relation of psychology to art; and the fate of modern painting. Mr. Read's discussion of American painting makers the first time he has ventured into this field.

Genres: Art, Philosophy, Nonfiction

300 pages, paperback

First published January 1, 1953

About the author

Sir Herbert Edward Read, (1893 - 1968) was an English art historian, poet, literary critic and philosopher, best known for numerous books on art, which included influential volumes on the role of art in education. Politically, Read considered himself an anarchist, albeit in the English quietist tradition of Edward Carpenter and William Morris.

Read was co-founder of the Institute of Contemporary Art & the publisher and editor-in-chief of Jung's collected works in English.

On 11 November 1985, Read was among 16 Great War poets commemorated on a slate stone unveiled in Westminster Abbey's Poet's Corner.

He was the father of the well-known writer Piers Paul Read, the BBC documentary maker John Read, the BBC producer and executive Tom Read, and the art historian Ben Read.

Reviews

[Aaron Thiel · Rating 4 out of 5]

Stimulating! It's incredible how for any given topic there exist generations of scholars who have already thought about it deeper and debated it more elegantly than you as a layperson could even begin to imagine

[Jordan B Cooper · Rating 5 out of 5]

An excellent series of essays on the ideas behind the art of the first half of the twentieth century.

[Taras Logvin · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great thoughts of a great thinker and critic not only of art, but the whole civilization

[Vera · Rating 3 out of 5]

Hard read, will have to reread later on

[Stefani B. · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent book.