The Oxford Dictionary of Art and Artists

by Ian Chilvers

Covering Western art from the ancient Greeks to the present day, this best-selling and authoritative dictionary is more wide-ranging than any comparable reference work. It contains over 2,500 clear and concise entries on styles and movements, materials and techniques, and museums and galleries. It also includes biographical entries for artists, critics, collectors, dealers, and patrons, with places and full dates of birth and death (in many instances correcting misinformation that has found its way into other sources). For this new edition, entries have been thoroughly revised and updated, and more than fifty new entries have been added. Browsers and readers with an interest in a particular area will benefit from the classified list of all the entries in the book. Written in an engaging manner with many entries enlivened by quotations from artists and critics, this dictionary is a pleasure to browse, while its A-Z structure and classified list makes it perfect for quick reference. Previously entitled The Concise Oxford Dictionary of Art and Artists, this major new edition is essential for anyone with an interest in art.

Genres: Art, Reference, Dictionaries, Art History

720 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1990

Reviews

[Sophie Crane · Rating 5 out of 5]

Perfect for any art student, writer or speaker. This easy to read book is more than just a dictionary. The content is very comprehensive indeed, with many extra pages of information on different aspect around art including lists of - artists' by country, dealers, museums, art galleries, materials tools and techniques, to name a few.

[Takipsilim · Rating 5 out of 5]

Still my solid reference to the world of Art.

[Shriya · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Oxford Dictionary of Art and Artists definitely is a beginners paradise!
I have been searching up words that I keep on hearing and I am learning about artists whose works I have seen at museums. This is more than a dictionary for me!

[Rebecca · Rating 4 out of 5]

Excellent for a quick reference

[Andrew S Hatton · Rating 4 out of 5]

An excellent little book. The sort of thing one purchases as interest in a subject expands and is not satisfied by a more general encyclopaedia.

Provides brief pen portraits of the worlds most significant artists, and art movements and art processes but has no illustrations.

Nowadays I suspect few buy books like this as the information is more readily available via the internet.

I am fortunate in that my local public Library, Essex County Council in England allows free on-line access from anywhere, to a whole host of Oxford University reference publications and much more.

However, I grew up with books and am just as happy checking information from a paper edition - even though it might be hard to find if it was not returned to its shelf last time!