The Art of Art History: A Critical Anthology (Oxford History of Art) New Edition

one of my favorite books. Full of excerpts from some of the best thinkers.

This is a book for anyone interested in reading excerpts from original texts (by Helgel, Kant, Derrida etc.) about specific problems encountered in the field of Art History since, approximately, the creation of the modern concept of Art. It is divided into chapters about specific themes, with a short introduction, and bibliography. I would recommend Preziosis own book "Rethinking Art History" as a companion. This is not an easy book, as some angry reviewers discovered, but - how could it be? Art is about life, and life is a very complex thing. If you have absolutely no experience with philosophy or theory, then this might not be the right place to start. If, however, Art and Art History is something you are interested in, and have some basic knowledge of, this is a very rewarding book.

This book is a must have for any college art history student. This is a reference book; not a book to be read from cover to cover like a novel. It gives one enough background and resources to pursue a specific aspect of art history. How I learned of this book was through a reccommendation from the Art History Department Chairperson at a SUNY school with a world wide reputation for producing outstanding graduates in the Arts.

This is a collection of essays by various writers who have either been or written about seminal art historians, philosophers, historians, critics, etc. throughout time.Preziosi has grouped the essays and excerpts according to foundation concepts such as "Style", "Aesthetics", "Iconography and Semiology" which would be used cohesively in the study of art history. Each of these chapters contains a collection of essays. For example, the chapter on aesthetics contains excerpts on aesthetics in philosophy by Kant and Hegel. In picking these aspects apart and exposing their origins within the time frame of art history, Preziosi generates a book that allows an analysis of the way that art history works.As the book is a collection of texts it would not serve at all as an introduction to Art History without some familiarity with the subject, or some one to help ground the texts in their application to the field. For this reason, it is probably better suited to those willing to put a certain level of academic rigor into their reading, or to students who can benefit from the guidance of a structured course. It is also far from "brilliant" or pioneering, as it really only serves as a re-organization of available materials.Similarly, it is not an introduction to important art in history. Less that half of these essays are analysis of works of art, and the texts are not arranged chronologically or according to the art they may or may not discuss.I encountered this book as a textbook in an Art History course which focused on strengthening various methodological approaches. I'm not an art historian however, but studio (fine arts) MFA. I would place this book as approachable and simple by academic standards, but not for the general public unless you have the patience to wade through dry textbooks. Personally, I enjoy it, as the organization has allowed me a survey of topics in art history that has really helped me see how these topics relate to each other, and to keep my footing with people who have been taking courses in this for several years.

This book is a good collection of original sources. When read in conjunction with Art History: A Critical Introduction to Its Methods by Hatt and Klonk (which makes it easier to understand and presents the ways the theories are applied in contemporary art history) it is a very useful way of learning about methods in art history.

The Art of Art History: A Critical Anthology (Oxford History of Art) is a wonderful book for the novice and the advanced Art Historian. It is full of information as well as beautiful prints and information explaining all phases of Art History.The Art of Art History: A Critical Anthology (Oxford History of Art)

for school

Ok, I confess, I have not yet read the book or even seen it. I am however reading its introduction, which was given to me by a former student as part of a collection of essays she had to read at Bard. I find the ideas discussed in Mr. Preziosi's introduction very exciting, and have come here to see what the rest of the book is like. In doing so, I was most struck by the V-curve distribution of its reviews; this is obviously not your "average" book! And in the interest of making a stand for the average and smoothing out the curve to a U, I am giving it three stars. (I will also be putting it in my wish list).