Instant Art History: From Cave Art to Pop Art

If you want a brief and non-technical general overview of major phases of art history, this will do it. On the other hand, it does not go into much depth about individual artists, and the major periods of art are covered in layman's overview fashion. This might be a good book for people who just want a basic overview of art history and styles, but anyone looking for a more in-depth study of art history and its major periods, this would not be the book.

This book is an essential History of Art book. Whether you are new to History of Art or have studied it for years you MUST have this book in your collection. It is small in size therefor it is easy to take with you on your travels. Plus it is an amusing but factual book. Recently I purchased three copies of this book to give to the three top students in my History of Art lectures. I recommend this book, even if you have never read a History of Atr book before, I promise you you will not be able to put this book down.

It makes what could be a dry subject fun and easy to read. I recommend this book to anyone interested in how we got from cave paintings to Picasso and beyond.

I would not have bought this book had I looked at it on a bookshelf. There are way too few pictures of the art. The descriptive text is insufficient.

This little book is a wonder; to cram so much in so little space is incredible.If anyone wants to know every epoch in the History of Art get this bookand carry along on your travels!

Used as text in school and given as a gift to a student. This is a good read!

Perhaps if I were reading this book for myself, as someone who already knows a bit about art history, I could find more to like about it. Instead, I'm reading this book through the lens of a ninth grader who knows nothing about art but has been assigned an online class and must use this textbook to gain understanding. The bright and colorful cover looked promising though it focuses strictly on Western art. But that's where the color ends. The inside of the book is drab and cheap. (I'm sure the price is why it was selected by the online instructor). Thank goodness for the internet, where information is made clearer and points are illustrated in bright color.There are multiple misspellings and in at least one case, the description of an illustration doesn't match the artwork pictured, instead describing another work I found online. The author's attempt to be lighthearted and funny just doesn't work. Cavemen had "pet rocks". "Art is more than just a three-letter anagram for the words tar and rat." The jargon is unfriendly for a book which seems aimed at a general audience. Art terms are tossed around with no definition. Most readers may know what a "relief" is (in addition to the feeling of putting down this book), but surely "ziggurat" could be explained.Finally, some of the blanket statements drove me nuts. The Greeks were labeled "art's first egotists" with no explanation. Jackson Pollock was quickly dismissed: "Since Lee Krasner (1911-84) was married to that drunken crybaby Pollock she never got her due." No context, no explanation. I'm not a huge fan of Jackson Pollock, but reducing him to a "drunken crybaby" seems a bit of an over-simplification.I vacillated between giving this book two stars or three. I know it was not written for a ninth grader, and it is unfair to consider its failings in that light. But the drab interior, the undefined jargon, and the meaningless quips all make for a laborious read. If you want art history, many museums offer colorful, informative lessons and videos online. I'd go for that option.

I have used this book for several years now. I have a degree in Art History and Art Education. I think this book is a great start for beginners or for those who just want to know a little more about art. I found the book very helpful for most of my high school students. As a matter of fact, two years ago I started using this book as a text book for the art History portion of our program. We use the book as a basis of study from which we delve into the historical events of the time. We then use these as a spring board. My students create projects to experience the different art of these eras. The book is written simply so that they can understand and throws in some humor here and there to keep it interesting. My only wish is that it came in a hard cover edition, as i have to keep replacing my copy I teach from!