Art Over 2,500 Works from Cave to Contemporary: The Essential Reference for Art Lovers

Art Over 2,500 Works from Cave to Contemporary: A Review

Art is one of the most fascinating and diverse aspects of human culture. It reflects our emotions, values, beliefs, and creativity. It can inspire us, challenge us, entertain us, and educate us. But how much do we really know about art? How can we appreciate its beauty and meaning? How can we understand its historical and cultural context?

Art Over 2,500 Works from Cave to Contemporary PDF.pdf

In this article, I will review a book that aims to answer these questions and more. The book is called Art Over 2,500 Works from Cave to Contemporary, and it is a comprehensive visual guide to the world's most revered paintings and sculptures. It was published by DK Pub. in 2008, and it features contributions from various experts and a foreword by Ross King, a bestselling author of books on art history.

I will give you an overview of the book's content, structure, and style. I will also highlight some of its strengths and weaknesses, and share my personal opinion on its value and relevance. By the end of this article, you will have a better idea of what this book has to offer and whether it is worth reading or not.

How to look at paintings and sculptures

The book begins with a short section on how to look at paintings and sculptures, explaining the simple steps of formal analysis that can help you enjoy and understand art better. Formal analysis is the process of examining the visual elements of an artwork, such as color, shape, line, texture, composition, perspective, light, shadow, etc. By paying attention to these elements, you can appreciate how the artist used them to create a certain effect or convey a certain message.

The book also introduces some basic concepts and terms that are useful for discussing art, such as style, genre, medium, technique, iconography, symbolism, etc. It gives examples of how these concepts apply to different artworks from different periods and places. For instance, it explains how style can be influenced by factors such as culture, time, location, patronage, etc., and how it can help us identify the artist or the movement that an artwork belongs to.

This section is very helpful for beginners who want to learn how to appreciate art more deeply. It gives clear and concise explanations of the key aspects of formal analysis and art criticism. It also provides tips on how to compare and contrast artworks from different perspectives. It encourages you to look closely at each artwork and ask yourself questions such as: What do you see? How does it make you feel? What do you think it means? What do you know about its context?

Prehistory to 1400 CE

The main part of the book is a chronological look at more than 700 artists and their works from prehistory to the present day. It is divided into six major periods or chapters: Prehistory to 1400 CE; 15th and 16th centuries; 17th and 18th centuries; 19th century; Early 20th century; and 1945 onward.

The first chapter covers the earliest forms of art that humans created from cave paintings to ancient civilizations. It shows how art evolved from simple representations of animals and humans to complex symbols and narratives that expressed religious beliefs, social values, political power, and artistic creativity. It also shows how art was influenced by the natural environment, the available materials, and the cultural interactions of different regions and peoples.

Some of the highlights of this chapter include: the Paleolithic cave paintings of Lascaux and Altamira; the Mesopotamian sculptures and reliefs of Sumer, Babylon, and Assyria; the Egyptian pyramids, tombs, and statues; the Greek vases, temples, and sculptures; the Roman mosaics, frescoes, and portraits; the Byzantine icons and mosaics; the Islamic calligraphy and architecture; the Gothic cathedrals and stained glass windows; and the Chinese paintings and ceramics. 71b2f0854b