Art [antikvár]

Preface This book grew out of my experiences teaching art history to secondary school students. I wanted, and could not find, a textbook that would stimulate those unfamiliar with the subject to enjoy looking at works of art and to appreciate their importance as a vital part of our civilization. This led me to avoid the usual approach of treating each period as an individual unit, and painting, sculpture, and architecture as separate developments, and instead to describe the history of art in the Western world as a continuous evolution of style. I have focused on the continuity between art and architecture of different epochs and on connecting hnks between all the arts at any given time. Wherever possible I have alluded to the literary, social, and philosophical context surrounding artistic development. In emphasizing the whole rather than its various parts, I have had to omit many works and artists that some will feel I should have included. My excuse is that I believe the primary aim of an introduction to art history should be to set out in as interesting and informative a way possible an overall framework, one into which the reader can easily fit additional pieces gathered in the course of further study. Besides the enthusiasm and stimulation I received from my students and colleagues at the Brearley School in New York City, I have been given much assistance by Molly O'Connor, Jean Hill, Janice Hodges-Dimmick, and Claudia Yatsevitch of the Sherman Art Library at Dartmouth College. Their unfailing courtesy and interest kept me going during the years of research and writing. The friendly support I have received from Phaidon Press has made the stages of re-writing and preparing the book for press a surprisingly happy experience. I would like to thank in particular Jean-Claude Peissel, whose enthusiasm rekindled my own faith m the book, and Bernard Dod, who has been as patient and skilful an editor as any writer could wish for. Last but not least my thanks go to my husband, Dr. Louis L. Cornell, who read and re-read the manuscript through all its permutations and whose knowledge and advice were of enormous benefit to me.