I don’t want to read much but I would love a thick in-depth book with the great works of art ideally with good captions or a few paragraphs explaining the history.
the best would be a book that dips outside the cannon, maybe a two book combo could acheive this???
any suggestions?
The survey textbooks usually have too much text/ too poor image quality for what you are looking for. Museum catalogues sometimes have better images. . . but for something more general. . . Maybe Sister Wendy’s big books? Sort of a greatest-hits/ her favorites sort of thing. I can’t off the top of my head think of a coffee-table-book format survey that is more picture than text, though. If you get into narrower time periods or regions the situation might improve.
If a survey text strikes you as ok, my favorite survey text for information is Tansey and Kleiner/Gardener’s Art Through the Ages, but I think a text by Adams (can’t recall title-- maybe something like “Art across Time”) is much more pleasant and accessible for the not-paying-tuition-for-this populace. Other commonly used surveys are Frederick Hartt’s thingie (also simpler then Gardner, I think. I assume new editions continue to be made), Marilyn Stokstad, and Janson. In my experience the Gardener, Stokstad, and Janson are the most frequently used in art history survey classes-- take that as either an endorsement or a warning.
Actually, I just thought of one-- there’s something called “The Art Book” that I saw at a friend’s house-- it has big pictures, just little chunks of text, and comes in hardcover (monstrously large) or paperback (little hand-sized thing). It’s put out by Phaidon Press-- I think it might be exactly what you’re looking for.
i am familiar with the Art Book, it is very nearly what I am looking for, but I do want one in chronological order, and a little more reading than that one. haha I am picky I guess. also the art book only shows one picture per artist, whereas a history book may show many examples of an important artist’s work
thanks for the help,
I am now looking at, Sister Wendy’s Story of Painting, which could be spot on.
I am also considering History of Art for Young People, which reviewers say is not only for young people. Though not all images are in color, which is offsetting.
and
Art: A World History which may be the clincher with over 2,000 color images!
I am gonna keep looking a bit and check this thread a few times…