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Art of the 20th Century

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The original edition of this ambitious reference was published in hardcover in 1998, in two oversize volumes (10x13). This edition combines the two volumes into one; it's paperbound ("flexi-cover" the paper has a plastic coating), smaller (8x10, and affordable for art book buyers with shallower pockets none of whom should pass it by. The scope is half the work (originally the first volume) is devoted to painting; the other half to sculpture, new media, and photography. Chapters are arranged thematically, and each page displays several examples (in color) of work under discussion. The final section, a lexicon of artists, includes a small b&w photo of each artist, as well as biographical information and details of work, writings, and exhibitions. Ruhrberg and the three other authors are veteran art historians, curators, and writers, as is editor Walther. Annotation c. Book News, Inc., Portland, OR (booknews.com)

840 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1998

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About the author

Ingo F. Walther

135 books52 followers
Ingo F. Walther was born in Berlin in 1940 and studied medieval studies, literature, and art history in Frankfurt am Main and Munich. He has published numerous books on the art of the Middle Ages and of the 19th and 20th centuries.

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5 stars
128 (45%)
4 stars
100 (35%)
3 stars
44 (15%)
2 stars
8 (2%)
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Displaying 1 - 12 of 12 reviews
Profile Image for Janice.
166 reviews
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December 15, 2016
Read half of it. Its got lots of pretty pictures, but hard to read and make sense of text if you are coming to art without any background. It like walking into a casual conversation about the cousins of the people in the village you just moved into.
5 reviews
November 10, 2025
Good for browsing during a weekend at the lake. Informative. A bit dense (lots of text and small photos), would have liked larger graphics. I wonder when there will be a tremendous e-book with the same coverage but larger graphics.
1 review
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October 2, 2019
Baby 1year histo











ry
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
Profile Image for Brienne Wong.
10 reviews
May 12, 2020
It had so many typos and errors that it was frustrating to read.
240 reviews
April 6, 2025
The way you talk about your dreams ignites a fire in me. Let's explore them together, a little closer, under the moonlight.
Profile Image for Fran.
26 reviews
February 19, 2010
excellent introduction to the 20th

Art of the 20th Century
Walther, Ingo F. (Editor)
Ruhrberg, K., Schneckenburger, M. / Fricke, C., Honnef, K.
Softcover, 2 vol. in a slipcase, 19.6 x 25.8 cm (7.7 x 10.2 in.), 840 pages
$ 29.99

TASCHEN 25 - Special edition!
"This is visual luxury – a work of book art in itself." -Entertainment Weekly, Los Angeles art
3 reviews
January 8, 2017
Well rounded introduction into 20th century art. Quality reprints and diverse selection of works. I wasn't expecting so much text, but the writing is informative and interesting. There are a few small typographical errors that can be distracting, but they don't detract from the overall quality of the work.
Profile Image for Lukas Bravo Nicolas.
87 reviews
March 13, 2024
Uno de los mejores libros introductorios sobre arte del siglo XX. El primer tomo que trata sobre la pintura es bastante completo, el segundo libro cojea un poco, pero la información es la suficiente para entender la escultura y el arte de medios no tradicionales.
El mayor problema para mí, es el tamaño de la letra, es pequeña
Profile Image for Erik Thibaut.
137 reviews
August 29, 2023
Zeer markant overzicht. Brengt orde in chaos en vertelt verhalen, dus essentie van kunst. Soms wat wollig en barok taalgebruik, maar dat doet niets af van de prima samenvatting van schilderkunst in de 20ste eeuw
Profile Image for Alex.
519 reviews28 followers
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February 21, 2010
ART of the 20th Century by Klaus Honnef (2000)
Profile Image for Janin.
418 reviews
December 16, 2011
A good art history book for approaching our current times.
Profile Image for John.
497 reviews3 followers
April 29, 2016
Need more POC representation-- Americas
Displaying 1 - 12 of 12 reviews

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