Basic History of Western Art

by H.W. Janson, Frima Fox Hofrichter, Penelope J.E. Davies

Know around the globe simply as “Janson,” Janson’s History of Art has introduced generations of students and scholars to the history of art, and has inspired millions of art lovers. This is the first concise version of the text to be thoroughly rewritten by a headline-making team of six distinguished experts. Richly illustrated and updated throughout, this classic provides an inviting exploration of 30,000 years of Western Art. This edition uses an exceptional art program––with sumptuous color pictures––to introduce readers to a succession of art styles from prehistoric times and ancient Egypt, to the vast world of Western painting, sculpture, architecture, photography, and the minor arts. Elegantly written, it contains a balanced and interesting narrative that increases one’s ability to understand art, even as it encourages further exploration into the vast and rewarding topic.

Genres: Art, Nonfiction

688 pages, Paperback

First published February 26, 2005

About the author

Horst Waldemar Janson, who published as H. W. Janson, was a Russian-American scholar of art history best known for his History of Art, which was first published in 1962 and has sold more than two million copies in fifteen languages.

Reviews

[Donna Mazalin]

for my class

[Crystal M · Rating 4 out of 5]

Comprehensive and full of the artwork it talks about. The author is knowledgeable and writes for an academic, adult audience. It's dense, so I only got through about five pages a day. Learned a lot.