Synopses & Reviews
How does an artists interpretation of historical events alter our understanding of them? Kings, queens, presidents, and generals from Alexander the Great to Theodore Roosevelt have commissioned paintings, drawings, sculptures, and photographs of major events, and artists have responded to important moments with works that forever shape historical memory.
The book deals with specific episodes, from the proclamation of the Code of Hammurabi to more recent events such as the fall of the Berlin Wall and the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001. It also deals with broader themes, such as the founding of states (Persia, Rome, the Chinese Empire, the United States) and war (Delacroixs Liberty Leading the People, Picassos Guernica). Here too are the great voyages of exploration, the industrial revolution, and much more. World history is vividly elucidated in these works of art.
Synopsis
Modern art, filled with complex themes and subtle characteristics, is a wonder to view, but can be intimidating for the casual observer to comprehend. In this accessible, practical guide, author and instructor Jon Thompson explores more than 200 works, helping readers to unlock each paintings meaning.
Beginning with the Barbizon school and the Realist movement of the mid-19th century and continuing through the 1980s avant-garde, artists including Bonnard, Basquiat, Van Gogh, Picasso, Degas, Warhol, and Whistler are featured. Thompson describes each artists use of media and symbolism and provides insightful biographical information. A natural companion to Abrams How to Read a Painting, this book is a vibrant, informative trip through one of art historys most compelling periods.
Synopsis
Eroticism is a truly universal topic, a subject that has always fascinated humankind. Erotic art is telling: It reveals much about an era, a culture, and psychology; it can be sweet, aggressive, soothing, or wild.
Erotic Art explores the history of erotic art and presents paintings, drawings, etchings, sculptures, and more by Titian, Picasso, and Keith Haring, by Bernini, Rodin, and Giacometti, and from ancient Greece, Rome, China, Japan, India, and the Middle East. Reproduced in lush color with close-up details, the art is accompanied by texts that offer insights into how to read the different works. In this book, erotic art gives up its secrets.
Praise for How to Read Erotic Art:
andquot;The lush illustrations together with the texts . . . make How to Read Erotic Art an informative, fun, and sexy addition to any collection.andquot; andmdash;The Huffington Post
About the Author
Burkhard Schwetje has written about diverse facets of 19th- and 20th-century history.
Flavio Febbraro has edited and contributed to many publications and websites dealing with art history.