What do you think?
Rate this book
鬲丕乇蹖禺 賴賳乇 賳賵蹖賳
鬲乇噩賲賴 : 賲丨賲丿 鬲賯蹖 賮乇丕賲乇夭蹖
651 pages
First published January 1, 1968
84 people are currently reading
7,099 people want to read
About the author
H. Harvard Arnason
23听books11听followersAmerican art historian and administrator. He was born in Winnipeg, Canada, and studied there at the University of Manitoba, and subsequently at Northwestern and Princeton Universities. From 1947to1960 he was professor of art history at the University of Minnesota, from 1951 concurrently holding the post of director of the Walker Art Centre, Minneapolis. He is best known by a wider public for his major publication A History of Modern Art. First published in 1969, this appeared in a second edition in 1977. Since Arnason's death a number of further editions have appeared, revised and updated by other hands, the most recent (the 5th) in 2004. Covering the mid-19th century to the present day and including over 1000 illustrations, it is the most comprehensive account in English in a single volume.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 53 reviews
May 11, 2022
Exceptional book, which I studied at MIT for a course in the Humanities in about 1972-73. Wonderful.
December 5, 2012
If you're an art major trying to go through your art history class or just an aficionado, or someone looking for general knowledge, this could be a good starting point.
If you're serious about art criticism and theory you should check "Art since 1900" by Foster et al. That's an excellent starting point.
If you're serious about art criticism and theory you should check "Art since 1900" by Foster et al. That's an excellent starting point.
October 25, 2019
It's a very good start for somebody new to the history of Modern Art and a guide that I will come back to as I discover new interests (I only read about the artistic movements in the 19th Century leading to modern currents in art and about my two favorites: Impressionism and Art Nouveau. Cause you know, it's huge and it becomes tiresome if you're not an actual Arts student). I imagine it is a bit simplistic for somebody who is already trained in Arts.
June 15, 2009
Read this for my modern art class... for it being so expensive I wouldn't have expected so many black and white photgraphs...The text for this book is mediocre but it covers so much time that I guess its hard to get into any real detail... text mostly focusing loosely on the style of the paintings depicted in the book but gives a small amount of general background info on artists...The book also comes off as pretentious and opinionated in places, which lost it major brownie points with me鈥� so I would not recommend this book for new comers to modern art鈥�
December 21, 2010
After this book sitting around for years, I decided to actually read it from cover to cover. Not much depth... but, what can you expect in a book about THE HISTORY OF MODERN ART. Not much depth is what you can expect.
Perhaps this book is used for classes. Hopefully with supplemental texts.
Perhaps this book is used for classes. Hopefully with supplemental texts.
September 8, 2012
Not bad, although it could be a bit deeper in some places, although there is a very even distribution of information among the works covered by this book. Useful in classes and it came to a very good use by me.
December 1, 2008
Well, I believe it is kind of impossible to read it all. But I am always reading that book, and I will keep reading for long years.
Read
September 18, 2023audible gasp when picasso鈥檚 friend went to the restaurant and never came back bc of his situationship. stay safe鈥� it鈥檚 crazy out there.
October 9, 2023
The "History of Modern Art" offers a compelling journey through the evolution of artistic movements, from the late 19th century to contemporary expressions. Written by (author's name), the book navigates the complexities of modern art, providing a nuanced exploration of major artists, movements, and critical developments. With insightful analysis and vibrant visuals, it serves as an invaluable resource for art enthusiasts and students alike, fostering a deep appreciation for the diverse tapestry of modern artistic expression.
December 18, 2020
There were scenes and lines that made me sit there and cry. Or laugh. Or cheer. I was blown away by the author鈥檚 ability to write such phenomenal scenes. History of Modern Art forced me to feel the characters' emotions.
May 6, 2023
This book is still on my bookshelves from 20 years ago. I love it. I got it for a art history class in college. The professor was profound, his love for art history may be why I'm sentimental to the book.
March 2, 2017
倬丕乇蹖爻賽 丿賴踿 亘蹖爻鬲貙 卮丕賴丿 亘夭乇诏鬲乇蹖賳 賳賵丌賵乇蹖 賴丕蹖 毓乇氐踿 賴賳乇 賵 丕丿亘蹖丕鬲
November 30, 2018
Amazing book specially if you want to prepare a unique graduation project.
April 2, 2019
A must have historical compendium
June 15, 2019
A beautiful book full with photos of all kinds of art.
Sometimes the information is kinda dense and there are alot of artists mentioned.
Sometimes the information is kinda dense and there are alot of artists mentioned.
Shelved as '700-799-arts-rec'
November 21, 2019709.0
Want to read
June 21, 2023It is a good book
September 16, 2023
This book was pure literary magic. The storyline was a symphony of emotions and surprises that left me in awe of the author's storytelling prowess. Highly recommended!
September 27, 2023
I was captivated by the storyline of this book. It was so well-written that I felt like I was a part of the story.
June 7, 2024
Excellent source for history and perspective of modern art and well written.
April 17, 2025
College Textbook
October 25, 2023
"History of Modern Art" by H. Harvard Arnason and Peter Kalb is a well-regarded textbook offering a thorough exploration of modern art movements. With insightful analyses and a diverse selection of artists, it's a go-to resource for students and art enthusiasts alike. The authors provide context and depth, making the complex world of modern art more accessible. If you're looking for a comprehensive guide to navigate the intricacies of modern art, this book comes highly recommended.
May 19, 2023
I had to read this for my modern art history course. I couldn't finish it. I had to send it back to Chegg (rental). I have mixed feelings about this textbook. Also, I want to say that I don't want to make anyone who really likes it feel bad. This is just how I perceived the artwork in the book, and these are my opinions.
There is a large handful of great pieces featured in this book, like Christina's World by Andrew Wyeth, Frank Lloyd Wright's architecture, Paul Klee, and several others whose art I really like. Some of the artwork is truly amazing. And then... there are a lot of works that are... not pleasant to look at, and not so pleasant to read about either.
A lot of the art in this book is dark, depressing, disturbing, and draining. I often had headaches and nausea looking at and reading about the dark works. I also felt very tired and drained by them. A lot of the time, I had to force myself to keep reading so I could get a good grade in my class. To me, many of the works that feature women are perverted, grotesque, disrespectful, and sometimes even abusive looking. There is even some porno/erotica... Obviously not my thing.
I'm not sure if this is because of the people who chose the art pieces and wrote this book, or if this is just how modern art is. I wanted to like this textbook. I like reading about history, so I was disappointed. I was also hoping there would be a little more work by hippie artists in it.
But, as someone new to the higher education level of art history, I do appreciate the depth and detail of the history and the artists' intentions and inspiration behind their works. I learned a lot. This is a fairly large book. It doesn't disappoint as far as the amount of information goes for a beginner, and like I said, there is some awesome artwork in here.
There is a large handful of great pieces featured in this book, like Christina's World by Andrew Wyeth, Frank Lloyd Wright's architecture, Paul Klee, and several others whose art I really like. Some of the artwork is truly amazing. And then... there are a lot of works that are... not pleasant to look at, and not so pleasant to read about either.
A lot of the art in this book is dark, depressing, disturbing, and draining. I often had headaches and nausea looking at and reading about the dark works. I also felt very tired and drained by them. A lot of the time, I had to force myself to keep reading so I could get a good grade in my class. To me, many of the works that feature women are perverted, grotesque, disrespectful, and sometimes even abusive looking. There is even some porno/erotica... Obviously not my thing.
I'm not sure if this is because of the people who chose the art pieces and wrote this book, or if this is just how modern art is. I wanted to like this textbook. I like reading about history, so I was disappointed. I was also hoping there would be a little more work by hippie artists in it.
But, as someone new to the higher education level of art history, I do appreciate the depth and detail of the history and the artists' intentions and inspiration behind their works. I learned a lot. This is a fairly large book. It doesn't disappoint as far as the amount of information goes for a beginner, and like I said, there is some awesome artwork in here.
September 13, 2020
H H Arnason鈥檚 History of Modern Art is certainly worth reading. Even if you have no interest in art, you will at least benefit from the weightlifting. This is not a tome: it's almost a library in paperback. And it needs to be extensive, since the term 鈥渕odern鈥� can mean anything to anyone, even when the significance of the perhaps more problematic term 鈥渁rt鈥� is pre-agreed.
The book is true to its title in that it not only catalogues the movements, the individuals and the concepts that have created what we called modern art, it's also traces the origins of the concept of modernism, itself. Each 鈥渋sm鈥� of the artistic philosophy and history is listed, its essential characteristics are described and its principal protagonists introduced. There is usually one illustration per artist, always with an associated and insightful mini critique from the author. Occasionally, there are two or three illustrations per artist, and sometimes artists appear in more than one chapter, indicating they underwent stylistic transformations during the modern era. It should be noted that there are very few such artists, indicating how rare such stylistic flexibility has been manifest.
Most readers of this History of Modern Art by H H Arnason will surely want to use it like an encyclopedia that catalogues individual artists. And, of course, the work will function perfectly well as a reference book, since it is explicitly indexed and provides an extensive bibliography. But the quality of the author鈥檚 narrative style renders it both a coherent and rewarding read, cover to distant cover.
The material deals with painting, sculpture, architecture and photography. It focuses on the 20th century, which is surely more than enough for one volume. It does tend to concentrate on the United States, but Europe does figure large alongside it. But there are examples from Africa, Asia, Latin America and Australasia as well. Since the book concentrates on styles and movements, there is just a chapter or two devoted continents other than Europe or North America. The coverage, however, is undeniably extensive.
What is the History of Modern Art demonstrates, however, is how this modern era has increasingly enshrined the status of the individual and his or her personal experience. Thus, as the 20th century progresses from broader movements such as Impressionism or Expressionism towards the perhaps the quintessential personal statement of Performance, we feel that the artistic expression becomes progressively a more private, internal reality publicly displayed. Art, arguably, has always been like this, but it seems that as the 20th century progressed, not only the content but also the language of the expression became ever more personalized and individual. Individual artists and even individual works thus confront the observer with the dual challenge of relating to an object via its own language. The viewer cannot assume anything, cannot expect to take familiar routes or arrive at envisaged destinations. And it is here the H H Arnason's work excels, because the author provides carefully constructed, succinct descriptions of style, motivation and form, alongside potted critiques of each illustrated work.
Perhaps the most interesting aspect of the book is how the author juxtaposes is the apparently increasing tendency for art to present protest within the context of having to market a product. The inter-relationships between individual, community, capitalism, mass production, consumerism and objectification recur throughout the text, and the comments are always enlightening. So, anyone who is interested to say, 鈥淚 don't know anything about art, but I know what I like鈥�, should read this History of Modern Art from beginning to end and then the void of the first part of the quote might at least be partially filled. And for those who already know something, the book will pleasurably lead to more.
The book is true to its title in that it not only catalogues the movements, the individuals and the concepts that have created what we called modern art, it's also traces the origins of the concept of modernism, itself. Each 鈥渋sm鈥� of the artistic philosophy and history is listed, its essential characteristics are described and its principal protagonists introduced. There is usually one illustration per artist, always with an associated and insightful mini critique from the author. Occasionally, there are two or three illustrations per artist, and sometimes artists appear in more than one chapter, indicating they underwent stylistic transformations during the modern era. It should be noted that there are very few such artists, indicating how rare such stylistic flexibility has been manifest.
Most readers of this History of Modern Art by H H Arnason will surely want to use it like an encyclopedia that catalogues individual artists. And, of course, the work will function perfectly well as a reference book, since it is explicitly indexed and provides an extensive bibliography. But the quality of the author鈥檚 narrative style renders it both a coherent and rewarding read, cover to distant cover.
The material deals with painting, sculpture, architecture and photography. It focuses on the 20th century, which is surely more than enough for one volume. It does tend to concentrate on the United States, but Europe does figure large alongside it. But there are examples from Africa, Asia, Latin America and Australasia as well. Since the book concentrates on styles and movements, there is just a chapter or two devoted continents other than Europe or North America. The coverage, however, is undeniably extensive.
What is the History of Modern Art demonstrates, however, is how this modern era has increasingly enshrined the status of the individual and his or her personal experience. Thus, as the 20th century progresses from broader movements such as Impressionism or Expressionism towards the perhaps the quintessential personal statement of Performance, we feel that the artistic expression becomes progressively a more private, internal reality publicly displayed. Art, arguably, has always been like this, but it seems that as the 20th century progressed, not only the content but also the language of the expression became ever more personalized and individual. Individual artists and even individual works thus confront the observer with the dual challenge of relating to an object via its own language. The viewer cannot assume anything, cannot expect to take familiar routes or arrive at envisaged destinations. And it is here the H H Arnason's work excels, because the author provides carefully constructed, succinct descriptions of style, motivation and form, alongside potted critiques of each illustrated work.
Perhaps the most interesting aspect of the book is how the author juxtaposes is the apparently increasing tendency for art to present protest within the context of having to market a product. The inter-relationships between individual, community, capitalism, mass production, consumerism and objectification recur throughout the text, and the comments are always enlightening. So, anyone who is interested to say, 鈥淚 don't know anything about art, but I know what I like鈥�, should read this History of Modern Art from beginning to end and then the void of the first part of the quote might at least be partially filled. And for those who already know something, the book will pleasurably lead to more.
Read
March 10, 2017709.04 A743 2013
April 13, 2024
I have several big survey-type art books, but this is the best. The pix are great, as you'd expect, but what delights me is how well-written and edited it is. Even though it's a big book, it has to cover a lot of topics, and you can read right along, enjoying the developments, without tripping over the author's use of English. That's getting rare these days.
The only thing I object to is their occasional use of black-and-white photos, especially on pages where they're already printing in color. I guess maybe that saves them a little time when they're proofing the book, but it sure doesn't serve the reader well. With a computer nearby, though it's easy to look up anything they reference, though -- and they mention plenty that they don't have space for, even though the book is almost 2" thick.
This is a fascinating subject, and they present it that way. I had to buy it for a modern-art class, and saved a bunch with a used one.
The only thing I object to is their occasional use of black-and-white photos, especially on pages where they're already printing in color. I guess maybe that saves them a little time when they're proofing the book, but it sure doesn't serve the reader well. With a computer nearby, though it's easy to look up anything they reference, though -- and they mention plenty that they don't have space for, even though the book is almost 2" thick.
This is a fascinating subject, and they present it that way. I had to buy it for a modern-art class, and saved a bunch with a used one.
December 28, 2022
The book is a comprehensive survey of the major movements and styles in modern art, covering the period from the mid-19th century to the present day. It discusses the work of a wide range of artists, including Impressionists, Fauves, Expressionists, Surrealists, Abstract Expressionists, Pop artists, and many more. The book also examines the social, cultural, and political contexts in which these art movements emerged and how they have shaped the development of modern art. Overall, the book is highly regarded as a standard reference work in the field of art history and is considered a valuable resource for anyone interested in learning about the history of modern art.
August 4, 2019
While Arnason's text is informative, this reads more like a piece of survey literature than a detailed account of the history of modern art. I highly suggest a supplemental text, such as _Theories and Documents of Contemporary Art: A Sourcebook of Artists' Writings_ (Kristine Stiles and Peter Selz) for a more complete experience.
Read
December 8, 2011I read this for class. The first semester of 20th Century Art History at UW. I've read the first part about twice and am about to do my final for that. In a year i'll take the second half but i'm taking the book off the list for now. I'm though P438 and have learned so much
Displaying 1 - 30 of 53 reviews
Can't find what you're looking for?
Get help and learn more about the design.