Arts and Ideas [Paperback]

William Fleming (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: October 14, 1994 | ISBN-10: 0155011049 | ISBN-13: 978-0155011045 | Edition: 9

Intended for courses in Western Humanities, this best-selling text chronologically explores the major styles as they appear in painting, sculpture, architecture, literature, music, and philosophy from antiquity to present. Using lively anecdotes, Fleming shows how the styles are linked together by common purposes, themes, and ideas.

Editorial Reviews

About the Author

William Fleming became an associate professor of Fine Arts at Syracuse University in 1945. Feeling that the Humanities program at SU did not sufficiently serve the needs of a growing Fine Arts program, Fleming founded the Department of Fine Arts in 1947 and became its first chairman. He held this position until 1969. It was during this time that William Fleming authored ARTS and IDEAS. First published in 1955, this work served as the synthesis of music and art that Fleming had been so desperately seeking. In 1970, Fleming was named Centennial Professor of Fine Arts, for his outstanding leadership and contributions to his field. Upon his retirement from Syracuse University in 1975, he was named Centennial Professor Emeritus of Fine Arts.

Product Details

• Paperback: 722 pages
• Publisher: Wadsworth Publishing; 9 edition (October 14, 1994)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0155011049
• ISBN-13: 978-0155011045
• Product Dimensions: 10.9 x 8.5 x 1.3 inches
• Shipping Weight: 4.3 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 4.6 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (7 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,000,890 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A "textbook" unlike a textbook, December 17, 1997

By A Customer

This review is from: Arts and Ideas (Audio Cassette)

Arts & Ideas was recommended reading when I studied History of Art. I never owned the book myself (having borrowed it from a friend at the time), but in the past ten years, I have constantly wished that I did. Fleming gives one a taste of the Zeitgeist of various eras, showing how the various arts (visual, music, literary) expressed the philosophy of each age. I can REALLY recommend the chapter on Romanticism. It is wonderfully amusing.

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Excellent book for general studies in fine arts, August 29, 2000

By 

James Cho "whopper170" (Loveland, OH) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Arts and Ideas (Paperback)

For anyone who wants to delve into the world of art history and the fine arts, this book is a beautiful introduction. Very extensive, and even rivalling other fine arts books specializing in specific areas of the arts. I've had the good pleasure of being taught by William Fleming in college, and it was truly a life enrichening experience. This book will offer the same. I particularly enjoyed the use of psychological/sociological aspects of the arts through history to show common themes of the human psyche, however common, rare and mundane. All the art reproduced is rich with extemely good DPI, color quality, being printed on high quality paper. This book is well worth its expensive price.

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Student gives two thumbs up!, March 24, 1997

By A Customer

This review is from: Arts and Ideas (Paperback)

ARTS & IDEAS is the text book for my college Humanities course. It is difficult to cover a few hundred thousand years of existence in one book, but Fleming does so quite effectively. Concentrating on themes and main ideas, this book is great for anyone who wants to trace the development of the arts in the world culture. Fleming gets a definite A