America: A History in Art: The American Journey Told by Painters, Sculptors, Photographers, and Architects

by William G. Scheller

The rich history of America, from before the time of Columbus through the present day, is told as never before, enhanced by hundreds of representative artworks. From the earliest Native Americans through the explorers and first settlers, the fight for independence, the expansion west, the war between the states and those on foreign soil€”right up to our most recent past€”each era and key event of our nation's history unfolds in clear prose, documented by significant paintings, sculptures, photographs, and works of architecture. Some 300 lavishly reproduced works of art light the journey through America's past. Each chapter features a detailed recounting of the events of an era, including informative sidebars on key figures and developments€” plus a gallery of artwork that illuminates the period. Artists represented include Ansel Adams, George Bellows, Thomas Eakins, Edward Hopper, Jasper Johns, Philip Johnson, Franz Kline, Georgia O€™Keeffe, Gilbert Stu

336 pages, Hardcover

First published November 1, 2008

Reviews

[Barbara · Rating 4 out of 5]

Concisely written history with appropriate art of the period. I particularly liked the flow of how one era helped to create the next one. Some included art was heavy on posters and propaganda (WWII for example) while some artists left out.

[Hotavio · Rating 4 out of 5]

America: A History in Art chronicles our nation's history while showcasing American Art contemporary to the times. I loved this approach, though the history and the art seldom seemed to intersect and the reader is often left to make their own determinations based on the art that is provided.
The books is delectably oversized with some double paged plates so as to capture detail of some of the works. The writing is compacted but easily read and all pertinent to our illustrious but short history. Works selected seem to adhere to trends of the times, including in medium (e.g. heavy are the Riis style photos of turn of the 20th century, the social arts project murals of the 30's, and the propaganda art prints of the World Wars. This led to a somewhat narrowed idea of American art in any given era. Much more balanced seemed to be the representation of early American art utilizing landscape, portraiture, furniture, and crafts. This is a slight complaint though as the book is overwhelmingly pleasant to an art and history lover such as myself. There are a few overlooked artists presented which warranted my further scrutiny.

[Ms. S........... · Rating 3 out of 5]

nice!