What Is Art?: An Introduction To Painting, Sculpture, and Architecture

by John Edwin Canaday

Examines the painter's techniques, elements of composition, the artist as visionary and social critic, and the nature of painting, sculpture, architecture, realism, expressionism, and abstraction

Genres: Art

386 pages, Paperback

First published February 1, 1980

Reviews

[Nancy · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great for any art history class or self-instruction. Comprehensive discussion about the visual arts with many art reference photos.

[Harvey · Rating 5 out of 5]

- from the jacket: "John Canaday, for nearly 20 years art critic of The New York Times, presents straightforward, jargon-free, sophisticated answers to everybody's key questions about art. What is art? What is art for? How does art work? How can you tell good art from bad art? What were the artists themselves trying to achieve?..."
- from cave painters to pop art, from Greek sculptors to Picasso...realism, expressionism, abstractionism, composition, etc, etc, etc
- a very-easy-to-read, thorough, enjoyable introduction to art appreciation
- wonderfully illustrated (>450 illustrations)
- quite possibly the best book on the subject of art that I have ever read

[Tyrol · Rating 4 out of 5]

Canaday was a journalist and all journalists like an angle but this is not a rumination on why art is art, but nor is it an "idiots' guide" or simple picture book. I found it a surprisingly good appreciation of individual works with essential biographical and historical context. Critical theorists (Marxist, Feminist, racial etc) would have a field day with the premise and the works discussed, but I found the book both accessible and valuable.

[Kathryn · Rating 5 out of 5]

College textbook for art appreciation. 30 years later I still refer to it.