A Basic History of Art 4th Edition by H.W. Janson (PDF)

Description

For undergraduate one-semester courses in Art History, Art Appreciation, and General Humanities. Retaining the intelligence and freshness of H.W. Janson’s classic original work, this unsurpassed introductory survey on the history of Western art from the ancient through modern worlds is specifically written and designed to make art history accessible and enjoyable for students. Now with a new Art History CD-ROM containing nearly 400 images in a flash card format, and an exciting new design, the Sixth Edition enhances its narrative with in-margin coverage of historical/terminology notes, drawings, tables on historical events and personages, explanation of artistic processes, and boxes with history of music and theater topics.

User’s Reviews

Reviews from Amazon users which were colected at the time this book was published on the website:

⭐This is a beautiful book, full of many fine examples of art. The text is not “easy reading,” but it gets to the heart of the matter, and can easily be skimmed for quick reference. To keep in mind that this isn’t an in-depth study of art as a whole, nor does it claim to be. Sometimes I reach for this book as a reference, only to remember that fact and have to look elsewhere!

⭐I purchased the paperback and the CD. The text version is just fine. The CD is not – as in – not good. It appears to be a cd made for a school lecture. A static overhead presentation tool, if you will. There are a series of pictures, found also in the text, which must be advanced manually. This is not a DVD, nor anything like a DVD. Laugh if you will, but I had expected, at least, some motion – even in an amateurish PowerPoint sort of way. I had also mistakenly thought that there might have been an audio narration, or perhaps some pleasant music, to better and more calmly view art. But no. None. Nada. It really wasn’t all that inexpensive as far as cds go. Menus to nowhere. Icons that do not respond. As you might be able to detect — I’m not a big fan of the cd. Once, as a carefree young man, I was disabused of a small sum of money while playing a card game commonly known as three card monty. I thought then – I would never again be so easily parted from my pay. I hear someone gently admonishing me to apply for a refund. Oh no. My copy appeared to have been done this way more than once. This copy is out of circulation. Also, in my overzealous desire to view this treasure I damaged the cd envelope. More importantly — I deferred my decision until a date that makes a refund less attractive. Meaning, for the uninitiated, I pay return freight. An enticing penalty for timely returns. But no, I’m really not bitter about the whole thing. I just would have enjoyed a nice educational cd that was more than this. And that isn’t asking much. Overall, a pretty negative experience.

⭐I bought this text to brush up on art history and it works great. Note this is not to full scale Janson Art History text, it is an abreviated form, but still 300+ pages.

⭐Came in time for my class. Helped out so much! I dont think I would have passed if the book didnt come when it did. UNFORTUNATELY there were pages where pictures were cut out.

⭐Boring class

⭐Book exactly as described. Very satisfied!

⭐In the introduction to this edition, Anthony Janson (whose father, H.W. Janson, still has top billing for the volume) talks about the long tradition he and his father have had toward this volume and the larger work that carries the same name. It has been a standard in Western art education for decades, and the revisions periodically placed serve to bring new interpretations, perspectives and finds into the mix of history.Prior to diving into the depths of art, Janson provides a primer – art history is a relatively new discipline, and often studied by historians and others with interest but relatively little training in artistic areas themselves. This book is about the visual arts (those of drama, music, etc. are not included here, but architecture is to some degree); Janson gives a brief survey of key concepts that are critical to understanding the mediums (artists, Janson states, prefer to use the plural of medium as mediums rather than media). Geometric and visual appreciation concepts are introduced, as are philosophical/aesthetic ideas.The majority of the text is divided into four broad sections: The Ancient World, the Middle Ages, the Renaissance through the Rococo, and the Modern World. This is a book that really a survey or history of Western art – it does have a brief section at the beginning of the Ancient World on cave art and neolithic art in North America, but apart from this never wanders outside the main courses of Western art even in the modern period. As an introductory text, this is not surprising – many of the values and concepts of art in non-Western cultures require more explanation for adequate aesthetic appreciation of their art than an introductory survey course could cover. Still, it is a deficit worthy of note for those who are looking for a more comprehensive volume.The Ancient World covers art of Egypt, the Fertile Crescent and Persia, Aegean/Greek art, Etruscan art, and Roman art. The section on the Middle Ages begins primarily with the rise of Christendom as the dominant political power – this includes Byzantine art, early Medieval art (Carolingian and Ottonian times), Romanesque, and the ascendancy of the Gothic style, including the great Abbey of St-Denis. The Renaissance focusses early on Italy, but also explores the Renaissance influences in Spain, Germany, the Netherlands, France, and England. The Modern Period is the most diverse, with movements such as Neoclassicism, Romanticism, Realism, Impressionism, Art Nouveau and other schools that had a greater tendency to cross national boundaries. The twentieth century brought about a great explosion of artistic expressions, in architecture, sculpture, painting and photography, each of which get a chapter. While the fourth section begins with a discussion of modernism, it ends with the discussion of post-modernism, a period of transition.The colour reproductions throughout are stunning, and the use of black-and-white images to highlight details is also useful. Two-thirds of the 600 illustrations are in colour. The photographs showing architectural styles are interesting, far from being boring ‘sample’ shots. The text is engaging and informative, achieving a good balance between the artistic, the philosophical and the historical. There are maps, chronological tables, a glossary of terms, suggestions for further readings arranged topically, and a very useful index (always a plus for students and scholars).

⭐This extremely helpful book assisted in developing an understanding of the contributions of art in various cultures. It gave a deeper understanding of the worldview and cultural dynamics of various civilizations.

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