The Books That Shaped Art History : From Gombrich and Greenberg to Alpers and Krauss

The Books That Shaped Art History reassesses the impact of some of the most important texts of art history published during the twentieth century. Each of the sixteen incisive chapters focuses on a single title and is written by a leading art historian, curator or one of the promising scholars of todays generation. In bringing these cross-generational contributions together, this book provides a varied and invaluable overview of the history of art, told through its seminal texts. The sixteen books include Nikolaus Pevsners gospel of Modernism, Pioneers of the Modern Movement, Alfred Barrs now legendary monograph on Matisse, E.H. Gombrichs Art and Illusion, Clement Greenbergs Art and Culture, which had a seismic impact when it was published in 1961 and Rosalind Krausss The Originality of the Avant-Garde and Other Modernist Myths, which introduced structuralist and post-structuralist philosophy into art historical study. Initiated by and and prepared under the auspices of The Burlington Magazine, each chapter - with writers including John Elderfield, Richard Verdi and Susie Nash - analyses a single major book, mapping the intellectual development of its author, setting out the premises and argument of the book, discussing its position within the field of art history, and looking at its significance in the context both of its initial reception and its legacy. An introduction by John-Paul Stonard explores how art history has been forged by these outstanding contributions to scholarship, as well as by the dialogues and ruptures between them. The book is supplemented by contextual essays summarising the achievements of each art historian and offering a detailed publication history of their texts, with suggestions for further reading. Enlivening debates and questioning the very status of art history itself, The Books That Shaped Art History is a concise and brilliant overview of the discipline and an invaluable resource for students, teachers, bibliophiles and all those interested in visual culture and its histories. "Which were the books that shaped art history as it developed in the twentieth century? This pioneering volume is a concise and brilliant study of the discipline of Art History and an invaluable resource for students, teachers, bibliophiles and all those interested in visual culture. It provides an invaluable roadmap of the field by reassessing the impact of several of the most important works of art history. Each chapter, focusing on a single title, is written by a leading art historian, curator or one of the promising scholars of today, presenting a varied and invaluable overview of the history of art, told through its seminal texts. The sixteen books include Nikolaus Pevsner's gospel of Modernism, Pioneers of the Modern Movement, Alfred Barr's now legendary monograph on Matisse, E.H. Gombrich's Art and Illusion, Clement Greenberg's Art and Culture, which had a seismic impact when it was published in 1961, and Rosalind Krauss's The Originality of the Avant-Garde and Other Modernist Myths, which introduced structuralist and poststructuralist thinking into art historical study. Each chapter - with writers including John Elderfield, Boris Groys, Susie Nash and Richard Verdi - analyses a single major book, setting out its premises and argument and mapping the intellectual development of its author, discussing its position within the field of art history, and looking at its significance in the context both of its initial reception and its legacy. An introduction by John-Paul Stonard explores how art history has been forged by these outstanding contributions, as well as by the dialogues and ruptures between them. Supplementary documentation summarises the achievements of each art historian and provides a detailed publication history of their texts, with suggestions for further reading."--Publisher's description An Exemplary Survey That Reassesses The Impact Of The Most Important Books To Have Shaped Art History Through The Twentieth Century Written By Some Of Today’s Leading Art Historians And Curators, This New Collection Provides An Invaluable Road Map Of The Field By Comparing And Reexamining Canonical Works Of Art History. From Émile Mâle’s Magisterial Study Of Thirteenth-century French Art, First Published In 1898, To Hans Belting’s Provocative Likeness And Presence: A History Of The Image Before The Era Of Art, The Book Provides A Concise And Insightful Overview Of The History Of Art, Told Through Its Most Enduring Literature. Each Of The Essays Looks At The Impact Of A Single Major Book Of Art History, Mapping The Intellectual Development Of The Writer Under Review, Setting Out The Premises And Argument Of The Book, Considering Its Position Within The Broader Field Of Art History, And Analyzing Its Significance In The Context Of Both Its Initial Reception And Its Afterlife. An Introduction By John-paul Stonard Explores How Art History Has Been Forged By Outstanding Contributions To Scholarship, And By The Dialogues And Ruptures Between Them.