Art: A Brief History (4th Edition)

Written by art historians and teachers Marilyn Stokstad and Michael W. Cothren, Art: A Brief History (4th Edition) - ISBN 9780136059097 is a comprehensive textbook that walks learners through the evolution of art. The authors approach the subject from a multidisciplinary perspective, making the major concepts significant for a board range pf university students, no matter what their major. Authors Marilyn Stokstad and Michael W. Cothren tackle the entire history of art, starting from pre-Mesopotamia until the present. This fourth edition of Art: A Brief History uses a light-hearted narrative tone and has been updated with new information on early Asian art, Greek art and culture, and art of the Aegean world. Romanesque, Medieval, Renaissance, Realism, and Gothic art also have their own chapters, accompanied by examples. The book successfully strikes a balance between conventional analysis and iconography, introducing students to a critical way of examining the description, interpretation, compositions, subjects, elements, and identification of images. The authors also focus on how religion influences art in certain nations by providing extended discussions of early Christian, Jewish, Byzantine, and Islamic art. By the end of the course, learners should be able to visually and intelligently interpret the visual arts and determine their significance in the economy, religion, politics, social life, and philosophy of the present time. This comprehensive reference is one of most popular textbooks for single-semester arts and humanities classes. It is an enlightening material for students interested in the ideas and emotions expressed by different art forms made by mankind throughout history.