You may also consult general Art History survey textbooks.
These are located in the reference section or the Library (or the stacks) in the N5300 section. They include titles such as:
Art History, 2nd ed. by
Engaging, accessible, and, just as important, fun, Art History gives today's readers cultural and social contexts for art along with eloquent visual explanations of art's special qualities and particular vocabularies. Its animated yet clear narrative tells the many-sided story of art, starting with the earliest prehistoric paintings and sculpture through today's wildly varying works in new mediums. THE SECOND EDITION is illustrated with more than 900 color illustrations-including 360 new color pictures of recently cleaned and restored monuments, buildings, and art objects, and also many works that were previously illustrated in black-and-white.
The Paintings That Revolutionized Art by
Beautifully illustrated, delightfully informative collection of one hundred of the world's most significant paintings covers nearly every period, culture, and style. What makes the Book of Kells such an extraordinary example of illuminated manuscript? Why is Dürer's self-portrait so iconic? How did Turner's Rain, Steam, Speed turn the art world on its head? What's so great about Jasper John's Flag? And who was Whistler's mother, anyway? Art history is filled with paintings that shocked, intrigued, enraged, and mystified their audiences--paintings that exemplified the period in which they were created and forever changed the way we think. Here, one hundred examples of these icons of art are presented in beautiful, high-quality reproductions. Each double-page spread features lavish illustrations and details as well as engaging texts that explain why the painting belongs in the pantheon of world changing art.
Or you may search for specific surveys of art history for a particular period or type of art. In these books you will find the context for your work.
Some of these items may be available as ebooks via the Open Library.
This link opens in a new window
This link opens in a new windowThere should be at least one book about or related to each object on the Wall list in the Library's collection. Some of these books have been marked as Non-Circulating. They can be used within the Library; you cannot check them out.
Many of the objects are also discussed in ebooks
The Dinner Party by
"When Judy Chicago's multimedia exhibit The Dinner Party opened in the late 1970s, it was almost as shocking to the art world and to society at large as the first exhibit of Impressionists nearly a century before. And like that art, it stretched the limits of artistic vision and expression, soon becoming a landmark in art history. A symbolically rich and complex visual chronicle of the achievements of more than 1,000 women in Western civilization, The Dinner Party has been seen by nearly a million viewers worldwide."
Symphony by
'Symphony' charts the history of the Walt Disney Concert Hall from its inception through the architect selection process, construction and the completion of the building. Essays by leading architecture historians put the building into its historical perspective in the urban landscape of Los Angeles.
The Discobolus by
A concise and beautifully illustrated book that explores the history and meaning of Myron's Discobolus, one of the most famous images of the ancient world and a masterpiece of Greek art.
Parthenon by
This volume brings together 11 original essays by scholars and writers each offering a different perspective on this cultural monument. Detailed descriptions of the sculpture and architecture are included, as well as discussions of the place of the Parthenon in the history and theory of modern architecture, depictions of the Parthenon in art through the ages, the Parthenon as appreciated by contemporary Greek society and the Parthenon in the consciousness of modern Greek poets and thinkers.
Ai Weiwei: Works Beijing 1993-2003 by
Conceptual artist, publisher and architect Ai Weiwei returned to his native Beijing in 1993, where he set upon creating the daring, surrealist sculptures and performances documented here. From his smashing of a Han dynasty urn to his wonky deconstructions of Qing dynasty tables, Weiwei ruptures notions of historicity and respect. And then there's his 6-meter-high "Chandelier" and his series of snapshots of his own hand (presumably) giving the finger to a world of monuments, from Tiananmen Square to the Eiffel Tower, from the White House to the Reichstag.
Magritte by
This major new book on Rene Magritte offers fresh interpretations of the artist's use of symbols and imagery to articulate his particular brand of surrealism. In this beautiful monograph, a collection of revelatory essays focuses on five common images in Rene Magritte's work--fire, shadows, curtains, words, and the fragmented body.
Velasquez by
This new series examines several highly regarded masterpieces in an attempt to unravel the mysteries that surround them. Through an innovative concept and a fresh approach, Art Mysteries, edited by Marco Carminati and Stefano Zuffi, presents an up-to-date
Body Politics: the female image in Luba art and the sculpture of Alison Saar by
Although the sculpture of African American artist Alison Saar is influenced by African objects and ideas, this volume does not seek to establish direct linkages, opting instead to present dialogues. It features an extended interchange between noted Africanist and art historian Mary Nooter Roberts and Saar, and through a series of photographed images, it also establishes a visual dialogue between Saar's frequently large-scale sculptural pieces and the intimate and intricate works of the Luba peoples of the Democratic Republic of the Congo.
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