Art History: The Basics [Hardcover]

Grant Pooke (Author), Diana Newall (Author)

Book Description

ISBN-10: 0415373093 | ISBN-13: 978-0415373098 | Publication Date: December 19, 2007 | Edition: 1

Art History: The Basics is a concise and accessible introduction for the general reader and the undergraduate approaching the history of art for the first time at college or university.

It will give you answers to questions like:

• What is art and art history?
• What are the main methodologies used to understand art?
• How have ideas about form, sex and gender shaped representation?
• What connects art with psychoanalysis, semiotics and Marxism?
• How are globalization and postmodernism changing art and art history?

Each chapter introduces key ideas, issues and debates in art history, including information on relevant websites and image archives. Fully illustrated with an international range of artistic examples, Art History: The Basics also includes helpful subject summaries, further ideas for reading in each chapter, and a useful glossary for easy reference.

Editorial Reviews

Review

'Invaluable to the emerging art historian... refreshing and realistic... For those thinking of studying art history in the West today, this guide will serve as an invaluable signpost.' - The Art Book

About the Author

Grant Pooke lectures in the History & Philosophy of Art at the University of Kent. He is co-author of Teach Yourself Art History (2003) and the author of Francis Klingender 1907–1955: An Iconographer Out of Time (2007).

Diana Newall completed her doctoral studies at the Courtauld Institute of Art. Previously an authoring consultant for the Open University’s Teach&Learn project, Diana works as a freelance lecturer and writer.

Product Details

• Hardcover: 288 pages
• Publisher: Routledge; 1 edition (December 19, 2007)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0415373093
• ISBN-13: 978-0415373098
• Product Dimensions: 7.8 x 5.1 x 0.9 inches
• Shipping Weight: 14.1 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (1 customer review)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #4,920,622 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Exceptional and far from basic, February 5, 2011

By 

Luca Graziuso (NYC) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Art History: The Basics (Paperback)

Grant Pooke (History and Philosophy of Art at Kent University) and Diana Newall (previously an authoring consultant for Open University Teach&Learn Project) have put together a concise and intellectually subtle survey of major thinkers and movements. The book starts off on the thin side, expounding in a note format the more basic methodologies that have populated the critical landscape, but it soon proceeds to fashion a veritable journey through ideas and thinkers which have mystified the lot of writers out there who devote themselves to a commercial, democratic project such as this. In other words when the authors discuss semiotics and poststructuralism, post-marxism, T.J. Clark, or representations of gender, they assume the role of a professional teacher that seeks to explain while demanding of himself or herself to impart understanding to its audience. When it is impossible to do justice to a thinker or an artist (such as Adorno or Gerhadt Richter) they give just enough inofrmation to illustrate the relevance they had on Art History, and do so with such penetrating insights as to leave any perplexing questions in its proper perspective and within a responsible vantage point. When they can, and this happens much too often given the space they operate within, they offer exceptional readings that in a nutshell give the full panoply of the impact and wisdom of such art critics as T.J. Clark, Hal Foster, Linda Nochlin, Chasseguet-Smirgel, Baudrillard, Mulvey, Danto and Lyotard (to be honest they leave something to be desired in repsects to the October school of Art critics, but they do incorporate them just enough). They dabble just fine into Charles Sanders Pierce and Lacan - a sucess worth thebook on its own accord.In essence this is an invaluable compendium of theorists and ideas that reads fluidly and may well substitute for thousands of dollars spent on a University Course. And they give a very instructive reading of many artists (such as Smithson, Jago Max Williams, Jacques-Louis David, Judy Chicago, Eduard Manet, Duchamps, Malevich, George Dannatt, Kapoor, Koons amongst others). One should receive credits for reading the book. Yes it is that good. If you haven't the time to devote years to reading all the thinkers and movements they touchupon, do pick this book up and devote a week to it. It will soon lay by your bedside and increase your understanding of the topic exponentially. And this comes from someone who has devoted years to reading most all the critics and artists they discuss. An excellent introduction and an even better survey that gives direction and disseminates possible readings.