Looking at Pictures (Cambridge Introduction to the History of Art) by Susan Woodford (PDF)

Description

Looking at pictures can be enjoyable, exciting or moving. Some pictures are easily appreciated at first glance, but others – often the most rewarding – require some explanation before they can be fully understood. This clearly written and enjoyable book is intended to increase pleasure and stimulate thought. It tackles many aspects of looking at paintings as well. Starting with familiar ideas, Dr Susan Woodford moves on to explore subtler, less obvious concepts. For example, she shows how paintings can be appreciated as patterns on a flat surface emotional effect; how ordinary objects can conceal hidden meanings and how knowledge of tradition improves our understanding of revolutionary works.

User’s Reviews

Editorial Reviews: Review ‘ … an eminently worthwhile book for those who know a little about art and would like to know a lot more.’ Book Talks Book Description This clearly written and enjoyable book explains different aspects of paintings and the traditions behind them. Book Description Progressing from first looking at pictures primarily in terms of subject matter, thirteen concise and informative chapters focus increasingly on aspects of form and composition that are not easily appreciated at first glance. Read more

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

⭐The first chapter of this book outlines four specific ways of looking: determining the purpose that an artwork served, looking to see what an artwork tells us about a culture, how artworks are designed, and how realistic artworks are. The last criterion I found troubling, although the author does say that assessing a work on its realistic qualities doesn’t always apply. The descriptions of the paintings covered are clearly written and avoid art jargon. The author spends a lot of time pointing out details in paintings that many people would probably miss without careful observation. Most of the pictures are in black and white, which was a disappointment. SMR

⭐Excellent book. To be honest, I only ordered this book, as it has information on a Picasso print which I own, and this is the only reference to it I have found ANYwhere, so I am grateful.

⭐13 short chapters on how to look at paintings. This isn’t an overview on art, and some of the works shown are of lesser quality (deliberately so, to allow us to see how a different artist did it better). Wide ranging selections, from cave paintings to Pollock. I thought the most interesting part was a late chapter on Heinrich Wolfflin’s analysis of the differences between Renaissance and Baroque paintings. Very clearly explained.A downside is that many paintings are reproduced only in black and white.

⭐It is a referencial book in the world of Art, as it was recommended in an article about modern art by Aurora Alcaide Ramírez in the “Creatividad y Sociedad” magazine.

⭐A+

Keywords

Free Download Looking at Pictures (Cambridge Introduction to the History of Art) in PDF format
Looking at Pictures (Cambridge Introduction to the History of Art) PDF Free Download
Download Looking at Pictures (Cambridge Introduction to the History of Art) 1983 PDF Free
Looking at Pictures (Cambridge Introduction to the History of Art) 1983 PDF Free Download
Download Looking at Pictures (Cambridge Introduction to the History of Art) PDF
Free Download Ebook Looking at Pictures (Cambridge Introduction to the History of Art)