"The Story of Art", one of the best-known and best-loved books on art ever written, has been a world bestseller for over half a century. Professor Gombrich's clear and engaging text combines with hundreds of full-colour illustrations to trace the history of art in an unfolding narrative, from primitive cave paintings to controversial art works of the present day.
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Review
'This is a book which, widely read as it will certainly be, may well affect the thought of a generation. Gombrich writes conversationally and intimately. His learning, though very perceptible to any student of the subject, is worn lightly, but he has something new to say on almost every subject. He can illuminate with a few words the whole atmosphere of a period.' T J Boase, Times Literary Supplement, reviewing the 1st edition, 27 January 1950 'The country's bestselling book on art, never out of print, still in demand (and not just by students) and one of the few "gift books" that actually gets read. The work is not so simplistic as the title implies, but it is this very title that rendered the book enormously attractive in 1950 to a new sort of book buyer: the self-educator. This field was set to grow, publishers eagerly wooing punters into buying the one big book on every impossibly massive but key subject. But with Gombrich, art was all sewn up.' The Times
From the Publisher
Renowned not only as the best concise introduction to art history, but also as a classic of art historical literature, this text reflects the vast knowledge, insights, and expertise of one of this century's greatest art historians and thinkers. Extensively illustrated, it treats the history of art -- both chronologically and geographically -- as a continuous unfolding story.
--This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.
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More About the Author
Sir Ernst Hans Josef Gombrich, OM, CBE (30 March 1909 - 3 November 2001) was an Austrian-born art historian who spent most of his working life in the United Kingdom. He is the author of many works of art criticism and art history. (Photograph: Pino Guidolotti)
Customer Reviews
Most Helpful Customer Reviews
71 of 74 people found the following review helpful
By A Customer
Format:Paperback
Gombrich's book has a very specific purpose: he wants to tell the history of art as a continuous story, focusing on Western art and its gradual approach to the visual world. In strong contrast to most other art history texts, Gombrich's book has a thesis, and therefore an argument. In choosing among the various alternates (Janson, Gardner, Stokstad, etc.) it is important to bear this in mind. The size and compression of his book is not its salient feature from a
philosophic standpoint: it is the presence of an authorial voice, and a continuous narrative. Most other survey texts give up the ideal of coherent exposition in favor of a neutral descriptive voice and a fragmented "story" that
continuously interrupts itself in order not to lose any essential historical detail.
philosophic standpoint: it is the presence of an authorial voice, and a continuous narrative. Most other survey texts give up the ideal of coherent exposition in favor of a neutral descriptive voice and a fragmented "story" that
continuously interrupts itself in order not to lose any essential historical detail.
60 of 66 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback|Amazon Verified Purchase
Having already been exposed to art history and criticism, I felt at times that this book was overly simplistic. (It was originally written for "young people" after all...) What was harder for me to appreciate were the frequent passages in which Gombrich gives vent to his own personal opinions (gushing on about Rubens for instance.) He makes a token effort to be objective but his Eurocentric bias toward the superiority of Classically-inspired Renaissance art is clear.
However, as an introduction to Art History and Art Appreciation, you could do a lot worse. Gombrich is easy to read, he states himself clearly, he presents the history of art (in Europe) as a steady evolution of ideas, rather than a compartmentalized series of Eras & Styles as so many academic textbooks do. He selected illustrations that most effectively elucidate his point. Useful as his book is, it would be a mistake to treat him as a final authority on the subject. _The Story of Art_ is merely an INTRODUCTION to art. Once Dr. Gombrich has opened the door for you, you should leave him behind and continue your explorations on your own, or at least with a different guide. Form your own opinions; that's part of the experience of art.
About the Pocket Edition specifically: The text is in the front (printed on very thin "Bible" paper) and the illustrations are in the back. Phaidon has provided two built-in ribbon bookmarks so you can keep your place in both sections. It's an interesting solution for making the book smaller. I can vouch for the fact that it's easy to carry around, since I took it with me on two trips while reading it, but the arrangement does have its drawbacks.... Read more ›
However, as an introduction to Art History and Art Appreciation, you could do a lot worse. Gombrich is easy to read, he states himself clearly, he presents the history of art (in Europe) as a steady evolution of ideas, rather than a compartmentalized series of Eras & Styles as so many academic textbooks do. He selected illustrations that most effectively elucidate his point. Useful as his book is, it would be a mistake to treat him as a final authority on the subject. _The Story of Art_ is merely an INTRODUCTION to art. Once Dr. Gombrich has opened the door for you, you should leave him behind and continue your explorations on your own, or at least with a different guide. Form your own opinions; that's part of the experience of art.
About the Pocket Edition specifically: The text is in the front (printed on very thin "Bible" paper) and the illustrations are in the back. Phaidon has provided two built-in ribbon bookmarks so you can keep your place in both sections. It's an interesting solution for making the book smaller. I can vouch for the fact that it's easy to carry around, since I took it with me on two trips while reading it, but the arrangement does have its drawbacks.... Read more ›
24 of 24 people found the following review helpful
By Ida Kotyuk
Format:Paperback
Originally, Dr. Gombrich intended (in the 1940s) for this book to be read by high school students; or as he writes "young people." Since then, The Story of Art became popular and his book mushroomed into several languages and editions. Because his language is non-fussy and non-scholarly, I have recommended this book to many non-artist friends; none of whom could get beyond the first few pages. So the reader may need some art background. But if you want to know why the Egyptians chose to draw as they did, or why Gothic art and architecture looks as it does (or "what's THAT all about?"), then this is the book for you. I have reread the book three times and may reread it one or two times more before I go to that great studio in the sky.
9 of 9 people found the following review helpful
By Ida Kotyuk
Format:Hardcover
Originally, Dr. Gombrich intended (in the 1940s) for this book to be read by high school students; or as he writes "young people." Since then, The Story of Art became popular and his book mushroomed into several languages and editions. Because his language is non-fussy and non-scholarly, I have recommended this book to many non-artist friends; none of whom could get beyond the first few pages. So the reader may need some art background. But if you want to know why the Egyptians chose to draw as they did, or why Gothic art and architecture looks as it does (or "what's THAT all about?"), then this is the book for you. I have reread the book three times and may reread it one or two times more before I go to that great studio in the sky.
6 of 6 people found the following review helpful
5.0 out of 5 stars
A Lightning Tour of 5,000 Years of Painting, Sculpture, Buildings...
March 24, 2007
Format:Paperback
If you're interested in art but never took an art history course, this book will fill the blanks in your education. From the Stone Age to Picasso, *The Story of Art* is a lively and accessible survey of the products of mankind's urge to create. E.H. Gombrich does a stellar job of selecting those art-works--paintings, sculptures, and architecture--that he feels best exemplify the major movements in art and therefore tell a `story' that continues to unfold so long as artists make art.
This book was supposedly written for young people, but don't let that fool you into thinking *The Story of Art* is not a sophisticated and informative text that practically anyone will find rewarding. Gombrich's insights are easy-to-grasp but surprisingly illuminating. He deftly mixes history, religion, and biographical detail into his discussions which serve to help provide readers with a better understanding of what questions the artists of any given period were trying to answer with their art. For as Gombrich points out, art is a kind of ongoing conversation ((or story)) between the artists of different generations and the problems one group of artists solves creates a whole new set of problems for those who come after. To really understand art beyond the point of simply knowing what paintings you like illustrating your wall calendar, it's important to have some idea where an artwork fits into the grand scheme of things. It is the thread of this story that Gombrich follows in *The Story of Art* and it's his genius to pick out the essential plot-line with such lucidity and relative brevity.
Although he died in 2001, *The Story of Art* effectively ends sometime in the early 1960s.... Read more ›
This book was supposedly written for young people, but don't let that fool you into thinking *The Story of Art* is not a sophisticated and informative text that practically anyone will find rewarding. Gombrich's insights are easy-to-grasp but surprisingly illuminating. He deftly mixes history, religion, and biographical detail into his discussions which serve to help provide readers with a better understanding of what questions the artists of any given period were trying to answer with their art. For as Gombrich points out, art is a kind of ongoing conversation ((or story)) between the artists of different generations and the problems one group of artists solves creates a whole new set of problems for those who come after. To really understand art beyond the point of simply knowing what paintings you like illustrating your wall calendar, it's important to have some idea where an artwork fits into the grand scheme of things. It is the thread of this story that Gombrich follows in *The Story of Art* and it's his genius to pick out the essential plot-line with such lucidity and relative brevity.
Although he died in 2001, *The Story of Art* effectively ends sometime in the early 1960s.... Read more ›
Most Recent Customer Reviews
2.0 out of 5 stars
Poor printing of a classic subject:
This is a presentation of the history of arts. It should have been issued in multiple volumes. As it is, especially in paperback, it's too difficult to enjoy. Read more
Published 12 days ago by Y. El-Naggar
5.0 out of 5 stars
Best of its kind
It creates a unique non-eurocentric methodology for an overview of world art history.
Gombrich's approach is commendable for its freshness and thematic classifications.
Gombrich's approach is commendable for its freshness and thematic classifications.
Published 1 month ago by Tarek Naga
4.0 out of 5 stars
Nice pocket edition of a classic
This is a classic art history book, written in very clear, no-nonsense language, it's a really good starter for someone who has been scared away from museums by some art critics'... Read more
Published 4 months ago by H. P. Chiosso
1.0 out of 5 stars
Hard to recommend
Unless you MUST have a small, light edition of "The Story of Art," you will fare much better with the regular 16th edition.
Why? Read more
Why? Read more
Published 8 months ago by Geoff Puterbaugh
5.0 out of 5 stars
Classic Review of Western Art in One Volume
Perhaps there is a better one-volume overview of the history of art in the West, but I have not seen it yet. Read more
Published 9 months ago by Alex
5.0 out of 5 stars
enjoyable by both adults and children
Appreciate the "personal introduction" type of writing style. Enjoyed it myself, also as a great bed-time story telling choice for young kids.
Published 10 months ago by Yun Ge
5.0 out of 5 stars
USED but amazing
This book was a happy surprise, I bought it used, and It looks like a book well kept by my mother. Its edition is from 1978, but it is in great shape, and having it feels like... Read more
Published 11 months ago by MANDREARTIST
5.0 out of 5 stars
Great, readable art history.
I've read a few "art 101" style histories, and this stands out as by far the best. The problem with most comprehensive histories is that each chapter is usually written by a... Read more
Published 13 months ago by MonsoonKing
5.0 out of 5 stars
very informative and easy to read!
good value and great writer!!! The layout is clear and the colour plates give the visual complement that is needed with such a broad topic.
Published 15 months ago by curtis sonny
4.0 out of 5 stars
Great Book, good condition.
Great read and I have no complaints about the seller. The book is a little bare, but its enough to get you very interested. It focuses a lot on the Italian Renaissance.
Published 21 months ago by A. Ullman
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